Hi, I am Rebecca Harrop, Mifflin County Dairy Princess. It's the first week of May and hopefully we will see more sunshine this month.
As farmers, we are thankful for the rain, but now we need some sunny, dry days to get the crops in. Uncle David and Ben have been trying to get some manure hauled between rains. They are making progress, but it is taking time. Hopefully I will get some things planted in the garden as well. Mom and Dad had some asparagus from the garden the other night, so that means the nights have been a little warmer because asparagus won't grow when the nights are cold.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday Mifflin and Juniata counties got some of the weather they were having in the south. There was damage to some barns and buildings, plus homes in the Big Valley. Quite a few trees were blown down as well as some telephone poles. At least one barn I know of had to be completely demolished and one home was severly damaged.
I think Juniata County may have received worse damage. It doesn't much matter who had the worse damage because there is still a lot of clean up to be done. In both counties people were coming out to help cleanup and do whatever they could to help. I think farmers usually are quicker to pick themselves up, dust off and get busy fixing and making do. They have to because this is their livelihood and they can't afford to just wait. Housing and feed needs to be found for animals at the same time you are trying to figure out repairs plus keep the day to day work done. I would like to ask that you keep all those who sustained damage to their homes or property both here and in the other areas of the United States where there were lives lost as well in your prayers.
Last week I visited the Christian academy to play a game with the younger children and treat them to Gogurts. Saturday Macy and I were at Kid Connection. Tonight I am scheduled to be at the Farm Bureau's Meet the Candidates Night. May 6 and 7, I will be at the Belleville Agway store to serve chocolate milk They are donating 5 percent of the stores sales for those two days to Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. There will be light refreshments served, so come out and pick up your lawn and garden supplies and help Mother Hubbard's Cupboard at the same time.
I just want to remind everyone who has kids participating in spring sporting activities to keep single serve dairy snacks handy for a quick snack. Chocolate milk, single serve cheeses, and Gogurts are an easy choice for a snack. They are packed with the nine essential nutrients that are found in all dairy products.
Keep a small cooler in your car for travelling to and from practises. It much easier and healthier than running through the drive through. You will be starting the kids on the road to choosing healthy, nutritious snacks instead of empty calories.
This week I have a recipe for a gluten-free pie. I have been trying to find recipes that are gluten free while still using dairy products. They are a little difficult to find, but I came across a couple. I will share them over the next few weeks. I hope those of you who are looking for these type of recipes will give them a try.
Lemon Upside Down Pie
(Gluten-free recipe)
Lemon pie goes topsy-turvy. The meringue is on the bottom and the crunchy crust is on the top. This refreshing dessert is gluten-free, too.
45 minuted preparation time
10 servings
Topping:
1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend (see below)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold
Butter
Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla
Filling:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup lemonade concentrate, undiluted
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
Heat broiler. Combine flour blend and 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl; cut in 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat, watching closely and stirring every minute or until golden brown and crunchy (3 to 4 minutes). Cool completely. Set aside.
Heat oven to 275 degrees.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl at high speed until foamy. Continue beating, gradually adding 1/2 cup sugar, until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy. Stir in vanilla.
Spread in bottom and up sides of greased 9-inch deep dish pie plate.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn off oven. Cool in oven for 1 to 2 hours.
Combine water, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil (5 to 7 minutes). Continue cooking 1 minute. Gradually stir 1/2 cup sugar mixture into beaten egg yolks with wire whisk. Gradually stir egg mixture into remaining hot mixture. Continue cooking stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat.
Stir in lemonade concentrate, 1 tablespoon butter and salt. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.
Stir sour cream into cooled filling mixture. Spoon cooled filling mixture into meringue shell; sprinkle with topping. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.
Gluten-free flour blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthun gum. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.
