Pastel Tres Leches---A Four Spoon Cake

It seemed fitting to be enjoying lunch today  with three of my childhood friends in the downtown area of our hometown to celebrate Donna's February birthday and the first day of her retirement.  Tres Leches Cake was the choice of our birthday girl and she loves us enough that she had the waitress bring four spoons!  It was delicious and we were grateful for her generosity.

I'm thinking this is a recipe for a dairymom to try for an upcoming family  birthday or Easter celebration. With three different kinds of milk in one recipe,  how could you go wrong?  I found this version of the Three Milk Cake on the Nestle website that was introduced to American cooks in the 1960's on the Nestle Evaporated Milk can.


Three Milk Cake--Pastel Tres Leches

Cake:
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar,divided
6 large egg yolks
1 cup all purpose flour,sifted

Cream:
1 can (14 oz.) Nestle Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 can (7.5oz.) Nestle Media Crema, or 1 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup (5 oz.) can) Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Cake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 9 inch springform pan.

Beat egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar in large mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Combine egg yolks and remaining sugar in medium bowl; beat until light yellow in color. Fold egg white mixture and flour alternately into egg yolk mixture. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until just golden and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven to wire rack.

For Cream:
Combine sweetened condensed milk, media crema, evaporated milk, brandy and vanilla extract in medium bowl; stir well. Prick top of cake thoroughly with wooden pick. Pour 2 cups cream over cake. Spoon excess cream from side of pan over top of cake. Let stand for 30 minutes or until cake absorbs cream. Remove side of pan.

For Topping:
Beat cream, sugar and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread over top and sides of cake. Serve immediately with remaining cream.

                                                                   

Winter Weaning Down on the Dairy Farm

Is it spring yet?

 

I'm sure that's what these babies want to know--they've tolerated some really cold and snowy days this winter in Northwest Arkansas.

 

 
 
 
It won't be too long now (hopefully within the next two weeks)  before these babies will be weaned and  moved from their individual hutches into a small pasture where they can romp and play together in a group as they continue to grow into our future milk cows.

To make this transition to the pasture  less stressful, we've already  started the weaning process of changing them from    milk to water and adding grain that meets their nutritional requirements for continued  growth and development.

 

 

I'm sure we've still got a few more weeks of winter but I began weaning myself from winter this weekend by planting a few pansies by the back door!

Year Round Valentine Treat

Since I missed celebrating Valentine Day with my family last week due to an unexpected extended stay  in Washington, D.C. because of the snowstorm, I decided to bake a new sweet treat this weekend as  a  belated Valentine for my family.

I chose Peanut Butter Fudge Bars  from my What's Cooking at Wye cookbook for two reasons--I had all the ingredients and three of us in the family love chocolate and peanut butter!  How could I go wrong?


Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter

Combine cake mix, peanut butter, egg and oil. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 13x9 in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk,
chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Stir until blended. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. 

Yield: 12-15 servings

                                A  Peanut Butter Fudge Bar with a dip of vanilla ice cream  is a
                                                            perfect year round Valentine!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Who doesn't love a new baby?

 

All birthdays are special--especially on the dairy farm!

Mama (#9213) gave birth this afternoon in the pasture with out any complications or assistance from us. Even though most cows will give birth with out any problems, we keep a close eye on them to ensure a healthy delivery.

 

                                                                                  
                              I'm thankful for today's special delivery down on the dairy farm!

Food With Integrity

Ryan's parents, Bill and Bonnah Lyn, would have been married 70 years today. 

 

 

 

 Even though they are no longer with us, not a day goes by on our fourth generation family farm, that we are not reminded of their sacrifices and  efforts to utilize every resource available for us and the next generation. They lived and farmed with integrity.

 

 Although our fourth generation dairy farm has changed in the technology used and the number of cows being milked has increased, the practices we use are ethically grounded, scientifically verified and economically viable.

 

 

 

We are proud to be a  part of the American food system that  maximizes efficiency, meets the growing demand for food and provides consumer choice.

Like our parents before us, we live and farm with integrity for today and the next generation.

 

What questions do you have about agriculture and today's food system?

I'll be happy to get you an answer.

#FoodWithIntegrity

 

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

After eight days of below freezing and snow on the ground, we're all getting excited to enjoy a couple of  fifty degree days this weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

         I'm thankful that our employees, my family and  our dairy calves and cows

 have remained  healthy  in spite of the cold!

 

 

Butter Up Your Valentine

While looking through my recipe file last weekend, I came across one of my favorite cookie recipes from  my special  friend, Nancy, who shared this recipe with me more than thirty years ago. These heart shaped  cookies are a great choice  for buttering up your favorite Valentine!



Raspberry Hearts

1lb butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
6 cups flour
Raspberry jam (may also use strawberry)


Beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Roll out thin (1/2 inch)  and cut with small heart cutter. Spatula onto an ungreased pan.Bake at 400 degrees only 5-7 minutes.  Cool.

Spread thin layer of raspberry or strawberry jam on one side of cookie. Place second cookie on top.

Optional: Glaze cookies before baking with 2 egg yolks and 2 Tablespoons water


                                                                    

                                                  Happy Valentine Day to my sweet friend!