Friday, February 07, 2014

Suppertime and sheep tally...

Creamy Sausage Stew is a hearty, simple supper that satisfies on a cold, cold day of work.  Leftovers are just as good as the night before.  If you're in need of a supper that really sticks to your ribs, give this one a try.

Creamy Sausage Stew

1 or 2 lb. German sausage (or your favorite), chopped bite sized
3 or 4 large potatoes, chopped
1 red or orange or yellow pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 big handfuls of chopped kale (opt) or parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp. thyme
2 T. olive oil
1 c. heavy cream (or more)

Preheat your oven to 420*.  In a 12" cast iron skillet or cake pan, add the chopped sausage and veggies (except kale).  Pour the olive oil over all of it, generously salt & pepper, and add thyme to your taste.  Stir to lightly coat with oil.  Slide the pan into the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Add kale and cook just a few minutes, then pour heavy cream over the roasted meat and veggies and stir.  Slide stew back into the oven and allow the cream to heat through and thicken slightly, just a few minutes.  Serves 4.

A dear friend sent us some lovely citrus from Arizona.  
We had orange slices for dessert; they were so sweet.
 
 We spent the entire day cleaning the lambing barn and bedding it with fresh straw.  Then we set up the jugs and pens for the new mothers and lambs.  After lunch we worked through all the sheep, sorting the yearling lambs from the herd and sorting off the bucks and the open ewes who won't lamb.  We paint-branded all the sheep since their former brands were sheared off.  We applied an insecticide to each of them as they leaped out the gate.  We counted sheep as all good sheep herders should.  All were tallied and marked in the book.

Stats:  190 ewes to lamb this month
             85 yearling ewes to lamb in May
             11 bucks
             35 possible open ewes            


Yearling ewes, open ewes, and bucks take a ride in the trailer to another pasture where they will spend the rest of the winter.  Some of them smeared their paint brands and some applied it as lipstick.  Tonight we'll check the ewes before bedtime and see if there might be an early lamb or two born.  One crippled ewe lambed a few days ago and lost her twin lambs.  We think they were premature.  More to come soon!

9 comments:

  1. And it begins! Imagining ewes with lipstick. :)
    That stew looks fabulous! Hope you get some sleep!

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  2. the stew sounds delicious and not difficult to make. thank you for sharing the recipe.
    so much work. such long days.
    looking forward to your lamb posts.

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  3. Your stew looks wonderful. We need some of it in this cold weather. I so enjoy your lamb posts. I always learn something new.

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  4. I have got to try that stew - so many of the ingredients are my favorites (cream!) and I love that it's made in a cast-iron skillet in the oven. So easy.

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  5. Yay for lambing!
    Your stew looks yummy. I'd have it for breakfast.

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  6. Bet that Creamy Sausage Stew hit the spot after working so hard out in the cold!! Looks delicious...

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  7. Your stew is a work of ART! It is beautiful and looks delicious. How could it not be good???

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  8. Oh Ms. Gumbo -- your stew looks divine. Perfect for winter! I've been gone for a week and I can't wait to get to your next post -- I saw the title and I'm thinking I'm going to love it LOL!

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  9. Looks like the perfect supper for a very busy day! I remember the first time I saw ewes with their backs marked. I had to ask to know why they were like that. Now I know. :o)

    Blessings!
    Deborah

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