Goat meets Chicken...Warm Buffalo Dip

I know that there are tons of recipes out there for warm Buffalo Chicken dip.  I wanted to make some for my son's birthday party, but didn't have regular sour cream or cream cheese on hand. Since I use goat milk and cheese for most everything I cook...I decided to give it a try and substitute those 2 ingredients for the goat versions.  I have to say...this is the best warm dip!  Here is the recipe, and if you can't, and we all know you won't, find goat sour cream anywhere, just use regular (not low fat) sour cream.

I had a crowd coming so I made a big batch...you can cut it if 1/2 if you like.  This recipe filled a 8 x 13 baking dish.

3 Cups diced cooked chicken in baking dish

mix in a bowl the following:
1/2 cup goat milk sour cream
3/4 cup mayonaise
3/4 cup bleu cheese dressing (ranch can be used if you don't like bleu cheese)
3/4 cup Franks Red hot wing sauce
3/4 cup mozz. cheese shredded
1/4 cup parm.cheese
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

pour the above sauce over chicken and mix well.  Bake in a 350 deg. oven for 20-30 mins until bubbly and getting golden on top.  Serve warm with crackers, bread rounds, pita chips, Frito Scoops...whatever you prefer!  It's delicious!

"Treehog" (formerly known as Groundhog)

There's "Butter Days" Ahead!

With the new baby goats arriving, and the weather feeling like spring, I got the urge to make some fresh butter. Since I'm not milking yet...I did the next best thing...bought a quart of heavy cream at Sams Club for $3.69 and used 1/2 of it to whip up some fresh butter and some buttermilk for ranch dressing.  If you've never made your own butter, you really need to try it just for bragging rights alone. Plus the taste is far superior to ready made butter. Here's all it takes...

Pour your heavy cream into a Kitchenaid mixer (or any other mixer with a whipping beater), set it on medium high, when it becomes whipped cream you are almost there! Keep mixing until it begins to separate into clumps of butter and separate from the buttermilk.  Once it does that, pour off the liquid into a jar and keep for dressings and recipes.  Now I like to add a pinch on salt, but you can leave it unsalted. Work as much liquid out of the butter by pressing it with a wooden spoon against the sides of the bowl, draining the liquid as it drains out of the butter. Try to get as much liquid out, as it will keep longer without going rancid if you do.   It's not going to save money to do this...,but it's very interesting and delicious!  

The amount shown in the photo represents using 1 pint of cream. You will get twice that amount using the whole quart of cream.

After 14 years...we have a housepuppy!

So my husband has come around after 14 years of saying "NO!NO!NO!" to a house dog, or any house pet for that matter. He has welcomed an outside working farm dog, Hagar the English Shepherd, numerous goats, some that fainted dead away when we startled them, some that give us milk and cheese. Rabbits, (for meat and resale), ducks, chickens, mini donkeys, a pony...and a few rodent killing barn kitties. But when approached (pestered) over the years about a little buddy for the kids (me) in the house, he would not have it...period. (I forgot to get the pre pup-uial agreement) I went out on a flimsy limb and I brought little Roxie home...now he's smitten.  She can do no wrong...well she can, but he doesn't seem to get bent outta shape like if one of the kids would poop on the floor beside his bed....go figure.   I just am so tickled to have her here, and wanted to post some of my favorite shots. She is 14 weeks, and weighed in at 2.5 lbs yesterday at the vet. I suppose she will double her size...but she is still  a wee thing.

Healthier &" Not Gross" Chicken Bites or Nuggets

My 2 kids are nutty about chicken nuggets, bite, strips, fingers(where do these even come from?), anything resembling the dreaded fast food and frozen mystery nuggets. I can't bring myself to feed them those gross things...they are the hotdog of the chicken industry.  Anyhooo...if you want to taste a REAL chicken nugget, I have come up with my own version of what I think tastes alot like my FAVORITE chicken restaurant, Chic-Fil-A's nuggets.  I grow my own chicken so I know what it eats and whatnot, but you can find some organic, free range or pastured chicken if you look hard enough.

First cut up 2 nice big ol breasts into the size pieces you want (we do the bites so they cook fast and are great to dip in sauces) Sprinkle with some salt and let sit a few minutes whilst you mix up the following:
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl or pan:
2 cups flour,
1/4 cup corn starch
1 T. Rosemary
1 T Rubbed Sage
1 T. chili powder
2 T. Salt
1 T. Pepper
1 T Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

In a separate bowl, mix 2 eggs with a cup of milk and 2 T. Vinegar. Soak 1/2 the pieces in this mix for a few mins and coat well, then transfer the pieces to the dry mix, coat well and fry in preheated cast iron pan in shallow oil (just enough to fry but not cover the pieces over) turn when golden and don't overcook! Repeat with the other 1/2 of the pieces. Fry until crispy and golden brown, drain on paper towel and serve hot with various dips.

You can also do patties for sandwiches using this same coating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2a_zNyFmaw&feature=youtu.be

Our little 14 week old Papipoo puppy playing ball and keep away or the first time in our kitchen. She caught on really fast to the concept.

So far we have had 5 new babies born since Thursday...and it's only Sunday! The mamas are taking great care of them, and the babies are already playing games and napping together. The first little guy is my favorite so far...he is sweet, ornery, and has that classic nubian look with the long floppy ears and roman nose. The others have the airplane ears and dished noses, which are so cute. Baby goat lips are the cutest things!