Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Dark Rum Truffles ~ From pile but not quite to the file ~ Tidbits

This time of year I get to itchin' for that crazy, run-around, busyness I'm so acclimated to over the summer.  Sounds crazy in itself, right?

There are days where I just have to do something new.  What's new?  A recipe.  A recipe from the stash pile.


Dark Rum Truffles.  I have never, in my life, made a truffle.  Now I can say I have. However, I'm looking for a different recipe now.

Were they good? 
They were amazing!  I had a bottle of dark rum, best used for baking, and this flavor was wonderful.  They melt in your mouth.

Why look for another recipe?


You refrigerate the chocolate mixture, then spoon it onto baking sheets, refrigerate again, then toss them in cocoa and powdered sugar and then roll into balls.

The part where you "roll into balls" was very difficult.  We even put the baking sheet back in the fridge for another 1/2 hour, and it was still difficult.  

Overall, I would love to find a recipe that "rolls" much easier, and maybe one that I can dip into melted chocolate as well.  I am always looking for a new, special recipe for Christmas.  If you have a tried and true truffle recipe, I'd love to try it too.

I've come close to almost finishing my second book this year.  The book gives you a short history of each herb/spice, but gives a good amount of information on them too.  The culinary use and medicinal benefits both.  More than half the book contains recipes too, and many that have given me more ways to use my herb garden.  For example, I would have not thought to put thyme in my butter for toast, with my morning eggs.  Most days I use our home canned jam.  I hope to finish this book today, aside from reading through all the recipes.  

And after reading through this book (so far), I have a short list of more herbs I want to grow.

School called last night with a scheduled 2 hour delay.  The snow has stopped, but it's mighty cold.  They may end up closing.  It's just that cold here.

Believe it or not, my hens gave me 5 eggs yesterday, and 7 the day before. The new organic layer mash I fed them really helped, and of course with the fresh fruits and whatnot, are helping them stay healthy.  They just don't like being cooped up.   My chickens are 1-0 with the cats.  They have been more successful at killing mice in the barn than the cats.




Remember the barn cat tote we made in 2014?  Well, we dug one tote out and Aurora is using it.  She's the smallest of the barn cats and can fit right in it.  The other two are hunkering down in one of the barns.  We check on them daily when it's this cold (as well as my chickens).

10 comments:

Dawn said...

I like truffles but the rolling is messy, you can always spread the mixture on a tray, refrigerate then cut into squares then toss in cocoa there is no reason you cant have square truffles, another way is to put the mixture into a piping bag and pipe out blobs refrigerate and toss, I coated some in chopped nuts as well, have you looked at the James Wong grow your own drugs book, its all about herbal medicines :-)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Dawn, after we made them, we talked about cutting them into squares and tossing that way. Thanks for the tip on piping them too. I have not heard of the James Wong book. I'll have to look that one up. Thanks!

Mama Pea said...

You're itchin' for that crazy, run-around, busyness of summer?! Girl, you may need therapy! I'm already getting "itchy" that this winter is going by too, too quickly for all the cozied down, inside things I'm trying to find time to do!

Susan said...

I had the same problem, the one and only time I made truffles. I borrowed a friend's little cookie scoop and that really made a difference!

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

I remember that cat tote house... I'm glad they use them.
We need to make something like that for the little stray pups that are here.
Our hens have been laying pretty well, the past week. We only have 3 chickens left now days.
George our faithful rooster and two layers.
I'm not sure with school and all the busy-ness we have if we're going to replace the hens we've lost over the past 18 mos or so. Just doesn't seem beneficial to do so at the moment.
those truffles look pretty good to me.
thanks for coming over to my blog... having some email issues again with comments. so thought I'd just say thanks here!
have a great week!

Sam I Am...... said...

I've never made them but I've wanted to. I used to worry about my animals on the farm when it got really cold too. The book sounds really good!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, ha ha! I must need therapy! I do have many indoor jobs to do before March too.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, I thought about using a cookie scoop. Thanks for that tip.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Patricia, you are welcome. I have been wondering about you lately.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I am, I am finding some very good recipes in the book.