Keep Up With What Is Ready Now With Facebook!

Image by JasonTromm via Flickr

It has been a struggle finding a system that will allow us to touch base with our customers to let them know what we have on hand as it changes so often. Another problem is that we don’t have outside workers- it’s just us, so coming inside to call our favorite customers is hard to do.

What to do? Come to find out, the solution has been staring us in the face this whole time. We already use facebook to keep in touch with close family and friends. They also have a great feature where you can list your business as well.

Now all you have to do to get updated is “like” us on our facebook page:

Clerici Chicken Ranch

For our part, we will post information about what is growing, what is ready to pick, whether eggs or fresh chicken is available and whatever else you may find useful!

But, we still love having you stop by the ranch- just don’t forget to close the gate so the dogs don’t get out and get hurt!

St Paddys Day Chocolate Orange Guinness Bundt Cake

Image via Wikipedia

We love chocolate. We love chocolate cake. I try to vary the recipes a little so no one gets bored with the same old thing (except that means more for me!).

Some ingredients actually enhance the taste of chocolate- and beer is one of them.

Try this easy to make cake to wow everyone with your dessert skills!

Chocolate Orange Guinness Bundt Cake

1 cup stout beer (such as Guinness)

1 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

zest of one orange

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream

3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Preheat oven to 350°F Butter or spray a bundt pan. Bring the stout and butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and milk or cream in another large bowl.  Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine.

Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and using a rubber spatula, fold batter until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes to set and then turn the cake out onto rack and cool completely.

Optional Orange Icing Recipe:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
• juice of 1 orange

Cream butter and sugar.
Blend in orange juice and whisk until well combined.
Place the icing in an icing bag or a baggie with one corner cut and squeeze over the top of the cake.

Serves 12

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Yummm….Waffles for breakfast

What do you do when you run an impromptu bed and breakfast right in the middle of Napa?

Yes, you gather up some good recipes. I have made a lot of pancakes and waffles through the years and have got them to where they are just right.

Three of the biggest things:

1. Use buttermilk (or add lemon juice or vinegar to the milk)

2. Just barely stir the batter so the cakes stay fluffy not tough (this requires some bravery)

3. Don’t overcook!

OK- Here is the link to my recipe for both pancakes and waffles- enjoy!

Peter Rabbit Pie-my way!

I was fortunate enough to be given a rabbit by our neighbors. They have the Omi Farm on Silverado Trail here in Napa. They raise seasonal vegetables, fruit and nuts, and raise sheep, rabbits, chickens and Australian Cattle Dogs. There is also a Cabernet vineyard in place that produces some great wine.

They don’t have a website yet, but you can find more information at:

Omi Farm on Silverado Trail.

I have been reading a lot lately about raising rabbits for meat. They have a really good feed to meat ratio (that means it costs less per pound to raise them to maturity), are easy to handle and produce some of the best compost available for your gardening needs.

I am not quite ready to start building my hutches yet- I have my hands quite full with the chickens, thank you. But I was thrilled to receive a nice sized, dressed out rabbit to cook up.

I looked at a lot of recipes online. Most of these were just too complicated. I decided to use the essence of the best sounding recipes and go my own way.

I read that rabbits are very lean and can be tough if not handled properly. I decided to poach the rabbit whole in water that I added bacon grease, onion and lots of garlic to. After a relatively short time my rabbit was fully cooked and I removed it from the broth to cool.

Next I chopped potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic. I added some fresh thyme and parsley and then sautéed the vegetables until the bottom of the pan was nice and brown.

At this point I wanted to add some moisture and flavor so I added in some sherry mixed with broth and Dijon mustard. Now I was ready to add the rabbit. While the vegetables cooked I had boned the rabbit and carefully trimmed the meat to get rid of any gristle.

Once that was done I cut the meat into small pieces and added them to the saute pan. I cooked this mixture for a few more minutes, adding more broth as needed to keep the pan just barely moist but with no extra broth to make my crust soggy.

Now I was ready to fill my deep dish pie pan and bake the pie! I had chosen an old recipe that I had on hand for Cheddar Cheese Savory Pie Dough- Electric Mixer Version. I was hopeful that the cheese in the crust would add some flavor without overpowering the subtle rabbit filling.

The results were amazing. All three of use went back for more- there was nothing left but crumbs and our full bellies. Success tasted so good!

(PS- If you need a written recipe for this pie, I would be glad to work on up for you to post on Recipezaar- let me know!)

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No Flu Soup! Great idea if you’re under the weather- and tastes so good on a cold day

Image by Ewan McIntosh via Flickr

Thyme, onions, garlic and ginger are all supposed to have anti bacterial properties and have been used for centuries to bolster the family immune system during winter. If you sprinkle a layer of cheese on top before serving it can become a special version of French Onion Soup. At the very least it should help keep the vampires away!

No Flu Soup (Serves 4):

2 tbsp olive oil
6 medium-sized onions, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon Clerici Ranch Fresh Thyme, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
6 cups chicken broth made from bones of Clerici Ranch chickens
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of hot sauce if desired
White cheese such as gruyere if desired

Thick slices of toasted bread to serve

Heat the olive oil in a stock pot and saute the onions slowly until lightly browned.
Add in the thyme, garlic and ginger and stir for a few minutes to release their aromas.
Add the broth and salt and pepper then splash in some hot sauce if desired.
Simmer for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Place a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of your soup bowl, cover with soup.
Top with some of your favorite cheese if you like to round out the meal and enjoy!

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Got flu? Thyme Spray Cleaner is great for disinfecting the kitchen and bathroom

Image via Wikipedia

I love learning about the way our elders used herbs around the house- especially if it helps keep the chemicals away! Thyme has a reputation as a natural disinfectant. This solution is great for wiping down rooms when family members are sick:

Thyme Spray Cleaner:

About 2 cups fresh thyme (From Clerici Ranch, of course!)
4 cups water (if you have water without chlorine, use that- if not, tap water is fine)

Boil the water then take the pan off the heat.
Add the thyme (no need to chop) and steep until cool.
Remove the thyme from the water.
Add 1/2 teaspoon non-detergent soap like Dr. Bronners Peppermint Soap and stir gently until mixed.

Pour the mixture into a good quality spray bottle (we get ours in the gardening section of home depot).
Spray on surfaces to clean- rinse off with a wet sponge.

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Roasted Ranch Chicken (AKA how do I cook these birds?)

Image via Wikipedia

One of the first things that people notice is that the chicken meat we sell on the ranch is denser and richer. This helps add a layer of flavor you just can’t get from a factory chicken. Because the meat is different, most people need to make adjustments to the way they cook these birds.

Don’t worry- it isn’t hard at all. Just turn down the heat and count on cooking a little longer. Some recipes may require a little more moisture to make up for the longer cooking time.

We often work outside for most of the day and the last thing I want to do is cook an elaborate meal when I am soooooo tired. On those days I will either poach a whole chicken by throwing it in a liquid bath with vegetables and herbs over low heat or if I want something really special I will put a bird in the oven to roast:

Clerici Ranch Citrus Roasted Chicken:

1 roasting chicken (usually between 5-7 pounds)
2 lemons, oranges or other citrus fruit sliced
Fresh herbs or dried herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary
Olive Oil to coat chicken
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Wash the chicken under running water and pat the chicken dry.
2. Select a sturdy baking dish that the chicken will fit into- one that has a tight fitting lid is best as it will seal in the moisture. Otherwise cover with heavy foil and seal the edges well- no need to peek or baste!
3. Rub the surface of the chicken with some oilve oil.
4. Sprinkle the cavity (inside of bird) with salt and pepper to taste). Stuff the cavity of the bird with the herbs and citrus fruits.
5. Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken and place more herbs on the top of the chicken if desired.

Bake at a low temperature (no more than 325 degrees) for about 35 minutes per pound. If you pull on a leg it should be very loose and the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should read at least 180 degrees.

Sometimes I will add root vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, etc. during the last two hours of cooking. I just chop them into quarters, toss them with olive oil and salt and throw them into the pan- magic!

 Related Articles

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Lemon Balm Pesto Pasta (Use for our herbs #5)

Lemon balm is a delightful mint herb that has a lemony fragrance and taste. In fact, it is often used in recipes in place of citrus zest.

I started growing lemon balm when it was listed in an AARP magazine article on how certain herbs can help you stay sharp as you get older. It seems that some herbs such as lemon balm have been proven to help improve mood and mental performance in older persons.

According to Wikipedia, it also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. I think I am going to add this to my citrus sage tea for yet another tasty boost of flu prevention!

BTW- if you don’t have lemon balm handy, use basil- it will still be great!

If you love pesto, you will love Lemon Balm Pesto Pasta for 2:

• 1/3 cup Napa olive oil
• 1 cup freshly picked lemon balm leaves (discard the stems)
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 2 T fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 t lemon zest
• 4 T Walnuts (about 2 whole walnuts will do)
• salt and pepper to taste

Place the olive oil in the bottom of your food processor.
Add all ingredients except salt and pepper.
Add the salt and pepper a little at a time until it tastes right to you!

If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the above ingredients and blend well.
Toss with your favorite pasta.

More Great Uses:

Poach some tilapia fillets and serve them over a bed of sauted spinach.
Top the fish with the pesto and serve.

Make Pesto BLTs using: crispy bacon, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, whole barley bread.
Butter the bread well with the pesto and layer on the goodies- guaranteed to be a favorite!

Wine Suggestion: Try a Sauvignon Blanc with this one.

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Basil Blue Cheese & Pear Mini Phyllo Tarts (Use for our herbs #4)

Image via Wikipedia

It isn’t like we sit around and eat appetizers while sipping the finest wine the region has to offer- at least not every day that is. But, we do have a lot of company from out of town and we like to give them the Napa experience.

We love our appetizers. Our guests enjoy sitting on the full length porch overlooking the vineyard while sipping wine. These little tarts taste like a million dollars, but are easy to make:

Basil Blue Cheese & Pear Mini Phyllo tarts

• 30 frozen miniature phyllo cups
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 fresh Napa Valley Pears, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons Napa Ranch Basil, finely shredded

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place the frozen phyllo shells on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Place the pears in the skillet and cook, stirring for 1 minute to soften slightly.
5. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears and let cook, stirring until they are completely soft, 2 minutes longer.
6. Remove skillet from heat.
7. Place 1 teaspoon of the pears and their juice in each phyllo shell.
8. Sprinkle each tart generously with blue cheese and sprinkle with basil.
9. Bake until the cheese melts and the shells are crisp and golden brown 7 to 8 minutes.
10. This recipe can be made the day before and reheated in an oven at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes.

Our favorite wine choice: Riesling

 

Quick Marinated Feta Cheese (Use for our herbs #3)

Image via Wikipedia

If you want a quick but elegant appetizer try some oregano scented feta cheese:

1. Slice off about /12 inch of a good feta cheese.

2. Drizzle with that great olive oil you picked up in Napa while wine tasting.

3. Sprinkle some finely chopped fresh Napa oregano (from our ranch of course) on top.

This being Napa, we have to give you a couple of wine pairings for this dish (I always make my final choice depending on the menu that follows).

Our favorite wine to compliment the salty cheese would be a Pinot Grigio for white wine but surprisingly enough, a Pinot Noir is also a great choice.

Enjoy!