Grandma's House at Circle K Farm

12/04/2024

Joel Ryser’s “Hot Glass” sculptures at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. (Photo: Michael Morain) By Michael MorainAre you decorating a tree for the holidays? If you want to…

12/04/2024

NO-SPREAD SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH

If you like to make decorated cookies for Christmas or other events, this recipe makes a dough which does not spread and lose shape when baking.

A few things to keep in mind to help make your cookies keep their shape while baking:

1. When creaming the butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy to incorporate air into the mixture.
2. Use room temperature eggs and butter. Butter must not be too soft, just soft enough to leave an indentation if you touch it.
3. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture, but be careful not to overmix. Mix just enough so dough comes together in a ball.
4. Roll out on parchment paper with a little powdered sugar vs flour to keep from sticking.
5. Bake on parchment paper or silicone pad on a cookie sheet that is 'not' a non-stick cookie sheet.
6. Do not overbake. Bake just until a light golden color around the edges.
7. Cool on cookie racks.
8. Depending how fancy you like, ice with royal icing, butter cream frosting or a powdered sugar glaze.

Makes about 1 & 1/2 dozen cookies. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes. Roll out about 1/4" - 1/2" thickness before cutting into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutters. Leave some space between cookies on baking sheet.

RECIPE

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted room temperature butter
2 room temperature eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or real vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients together.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter, sugar mixture until dough forms a ball.

This dough does not require chilling before rolling. However, if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, it will keep 2 days in refrigerator or up to 3 months if frozen.
After cookies are baked, they may be frozen, whether plain or decorated. Use only parchment paper to separate layers in a freezer-safe container. Do not use waxed paper. Make sure cookies are thawed before removing paper separating layers from freezer.

12/03/2024

Visit and www.visitleclaire.com website for a full schedule of events starting THIS Friday-Sunday!!

Highlights include, but not limited to:
⛄️ 30 vendor craft faire at Grasshoppers.
🎅 Strolling Santa’s.
🎄Tree lighting Friday evening.
🐴 Horse Drawn Carriage Sunday.
🎅 Breakfast with Santa (Happy Joe’s Saturday am).
❄️ Crafts, baked goods, silent auction-Civic Center.
🚎 Free Trolley Rides.
(See www.visitleclaire.com for the full detailed schedule!)

At Crafted QC, we will have fresh baked goods from , chocolate (TRUFFLES!!) and confectionery from and LOTS of amazing gifts MADE LOCALLY!! Including art canvas and metallic prints available while supplies last from ! 🎅

BONUS!!! The temps are suppose to be up to 40° 🎉

12/03/2024

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Circle K Farm.

To reserve a visit at Circle K Farm, please visit www.circlekfarmhouse.com.

12/03/2024

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Richard Kuehl!
What a privilege it was to have my brother's 95th, yes...that's right...95th Birthday Party at Grandma's House at Circle K Farm in November. Although he now lives in Kentucky, Circle K Farm is where he grew up and what he helped to build.
Nobody could ever ask for a better father for his daughters, husband, grandfather, brother, uncle, neighbor, colleague or friend.
He is a man of extraordinary character who is also intelligent and wise. And what an interesting and entertaining raconteur for young and old alike.
His daughters made some wonderful desserts for everyone to enjoy on this very, VERY special evening of celebration.
Until we meet again, wishing Rich another healthy and happy trip around the sun.

12/02/2024

Monday morning and we have a pretty dusting of snow at Circle K Farm. We had a beautiful fall and are now looking forward to what Mother Nature will have for us during the next 3 months of winter.

Last winter, we did a different kind of sowing with some Winter Sowing of seeds. It's always something to look forward to when it's still too cold for gardening.. I'm sure we'll try some new seeds in 2025. Will talk more about that project in the coming weeks.

We are always happy when our beautiful guests give permission to share photos of their stay at the farm. We are truly blessed to have everyone who has ever come for a visit. There don't seem to be adequate words to describe how special these gals are and how special are their creations. They are artists in every sense of the word. They understand materials, balance, rhythm, color theory, pattern placement, and so much more. They are engineers in the ways they make their designs fit together so beautifully and come to life And they must have the patience of Job to see their projects through from start to finish. Thank you to one and all for choosing to stay at Circle K Farm and for sharing your positive energy.

For more information about Circle K Farm, please visit www.circlekfarmhouse.com.

11/25/2024

During the warm days of fall 2024, it was a wonderful, memorable time at Circle K Farm. With the forecast of much colder weather and even the possibility for a bit of snow as we approach December, we now look forward to the cozy days of winter for catching up on projects we may not have had time to complete during our busy summer. These beautiful trees, lining the lane of Circle K Farm, will soon shed the last of their colorful leaves before they also rest for the winter.

Visit www.circlekfarmhouse.com to make holiday reservations.

Check out www.visitquadcities.com for more attractions in the Quad Cities.

11/24/2024

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

We want to thank more of our amazing and talented guests who have shared some of their photos during their recent stay at Circle K Farm.

To book your next crafting get-away, please visit www.circlekfarmhouse.com. We look forward to meeting you.

11/04/2024

Just wanting to let you know the paper bag and apple are already working to ripen green tomatoes.
The second photo was taken 4 days after the tomatoes were picked green and placed in the bag with an apple.

11/02/2024

Saving the last of the garden vegetables which survived the frost.
To freeze peppers, I seeded and either chopped them or sliced them into strips. Patted dry with paper towels and froze the pieces on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 2 hours. Once frozen, they were put inside freezer-safe, plastic bags. Stuffed Pepper Soup will be so good some day when it's frosty outdoors.

STUFFED PEPPER SOUP
Fresh or frozen peppers
Onions
Petite canned tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Vegetable broth
Dried basil, oregano and parsley
May add browned ground turkey or beef
Favorite cooked rice
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sautee chopped onions. If using fresh peppers, chop and sautee with the onions. If using frozen chopped peppers, we'll add those directly to the soup mixture.
In a large soup pot, add several cans of petite chopped tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, vegetable broth, some dried basil, oregano and parsley to your taste. (You may also brown and drain either ground beef or ground turkey and add it to the soup at this point.)
Add the chopped onion and peppers.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.
Cook any rice you like, according to its package directions.
To serve, place a portion of rice in a serving bowl and put hot soup over the rice and top with shredded cheese.
Serve with warm, crusty bread.
(Best to keep soup and rice separate so the rice does not get mushy.)

There were also quite a few green tomatoes left in the garden. I have not tried this before now so cannot attest to its success, but I've put the tomatoes in brown paper grocery bags with an apple in each bag. Will check them frequently to see if the tomatoes are ripening. If so, will look forward to making Roasted Tomato Soup like we've enjoyed ever since the garden started giving us an abundance of ripe tomatoes last summer. Excellent!

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
Ripe tomatoes
Fresh garlic
Onions
Olive or Avocado oil
Vegetable or chicken broth
Optional: coconut milk or heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Remove stems from tomatoes and chop into quarters.
Peel onions and also chop into quarters.
Peel cloves of garlic.
Put tomatoes, onions and garlic on the cookie sheet and drizzle with olive or avocado oil.
Put in hot oven and roast until the vegetables are soft. Make sure the vegetables are not overlapping so they roast on all sides. Roast more than one pan if you have a lot of vegetables.
When vegetables are done, remove from oven and cool.
When cool, put them in a blender, in batches leaving space at the top of the blender so the soup does not spill out. Blend several minutes until smooth. Add vegetable or chicken stock, but soup should have some body. You may add coconut milk or a little whipping cream before serving if you want this to be a creamed soup.
There will be a few bits of skin in the soup after blending. If you prefer a completely smooth soup, put the soup through a food mill after blending.
Serve with grilled cheese. As another option, the grilled cheese sandwich may be cut into small cubes and used as croutons on your soup.

WWW.CIRCLEKFARMHOUSE.COM

08/07/2024

DUTCH BABY PANCAKE

August is a wonderful month with so many delicious fresh fruits and vegetables.
If you'd like a quick dish for brunch or a unique dessert, you may enjoy making this very easy Dutch Baby Pancake. This pancake is similar to a French crepe and pretty to serve with fresh berries. It's equally good in fall with warm cinnamon apples. Let your imagination be your guide for toppings..
The Dutch Baby is best made in a 10" cast iron skillet, but can also be baked in any pan which can withstand high temperatures in the oven.
The thin batter comes together in the blender.
Let the batter rest while you heat your pan in a 425 degree oven. Once the pan is hot, put 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and let the butter melt until it just starts to turn a golden color. Remove pan from oven and pour in the pancake batter. Return pan to oven and bake 15-17 minutes or until the pancake is puffed and golden. Remove from oven and dust with a small amount of powdered sugar. Cut into wedges, place on serving plate and top with berries or other fruits, whipped cream or even ice cream if serving as a dessert.
This pancake is very puffy when it first comes out of the oven, but it quickly deflates. This is normal.
I hope you give this pancake a try.

Dutch Baby Pancake

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Let rest for a few minutes before pouring into the hot buttered pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

2/3 c. all purpose flour
2/3 c. milk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 splash of vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of butter (which you melt in your hot baking pan)

Happy August!

Please visit us at www.circlekfarmhouse.com

06/13/2024

Lazy, hazy days of summer at Circle K Farm.

Spend a weekend or a week at the farm, with your friends, enjoying and sharing your crafting hobbies.

www.circlekfarmhouse.com

06/02/2024

06/02/2024

If you are ever in need of someone to do a construction job for you, Nick Staub is the best!
Email me for Nick's contact information.
[email protected]

05/24/2024

Geraniums in the early morning sun at Circle K Farm.
To learn more about Circle K Farm and to schedule your summer week-long or weekend retreat, visit www.circlekfarmhouse.com.
You will create and enjoy friendships while enjoying the farmhouse.
In addition, there are many other activities to take in while in the Quad Cities.
The Farmer's Market in Davenport on Saturday mornings is a great place to experience what others have grown and created.
Hope to see you soon!

05/24/2024

If you're a quilter or seamstress, we'd love to invite you and your friends to gather at Circle K Farm for your next crafting retreat.
You may find more information about Circle K Farm by visiting www.circlekfarmhouse.com.

02/16/2024

Although we are having snow flurries at the end of another week today, we feel blessed and joyful to anticipate spring and the celebration of gratitude and new beginnings with Easter just around the corner.
May you all have a peaceful day today.

www.circlekfarmhouse.com