Happy New Year

I can't believe 2010 has already come and gone! Here at The Red Barn we have many new and exciting products and events planned for our customers. We thank you all for your business. May you have a safe and happy new year!

As a reminder, we will be closed January 1st, 2011 to celebrate! We will reopen January 2, 2011 with our new winter hours, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.

Tasty Tuesday: Cherry Granola Bars

For today's recipe tip, I wanted to suggest trying cherries or cranberries in your favorite raisin recipes. Cherries are high in antioxidants and add a powerful flavor punch to jazz up any old recipe you have on hand! Red Barn dried cherries are also great in oatmeal, cookies, and home made granola recipes.

Homemade Granola Bars

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter
3 tsp vanilla

3 cups krispie rice cereal
3 cups other cereals {I used 1.5 cups of two different kinds}
3 cups quick cooking oats
4 TBSP flax
1 1/2 Red Barn cherries (or other dried fruit)
3/4 cup chocolate chips {optional}

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, leaving out the chocolate chips. Line a large jelly roll pan with foil and spray the foil lightly with non-stick spray.

Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, honey and salt in a saucepan. Heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and add in vanilla and peanut butter. Mix until smooth.

Pour over the cereal/ oat mixture and stir until combined. If you're adding chocolate chips, I suggest waiting about 5 minutes, until it's cooled slightly, then add them in. {I was in a time crunch here, so I just added them. They melted slightly, but it worked out just fine!}

Once mixed well, transfer to the foil-lined pan. Spread mixture evenly, pressing firmly with the back end of a spoon or your hand. I just take one of those little sandwich baggies and put it on my hand, then spray the bag with cooking spray and use my hand to press the mixture in. It's very effective and no clean up as you just discard the bag!

Cool completely before cutting. I stick the whole tray in the freezer for an hour or two. Once cut, you can individually bag them and store them in the freezer.

Enjoy!

These also make great neighborhood gifts, as well as snacks for the kids while they are home form school. Recipe provided by Jessica Williams.

Tasty Tuesday: New Arrivals

Instead of a recipe today, I wanted to share with you some information about some of our new tasty arrivals! We are now selling decadent hand dipped chocolates, sure to please crowds of all ages. Along with those, we have a new line of chocolate covered fruits. As far as our produce goes, we now have citrus fruit available. I love the freshness of the citrus fruit at The Red Barn! Apples and oranges make great stocking stuffers, and our holiday packed apples make perfect gifts for neighbors and co-workers. If you would like a customized fruit basket, we are more than willing to help you with those as well! Though not edible, we also have a new line of nativity sets and Christmas ornaments to complete your holiday decorating. We are still open 9 am to 9 pm, Monday through Saturday, so come on it and check us out!

Tasty Tuesday: Pie

Though I can't tell you Grandma's secret recipe for pie, I can tell you a little secret! Our pies are so fresh and full of fruit, no one will no that you didn't slave over it yourself! We are now taking reservations for holiday pies, so make sure you order yours in time! Our wonderful made from scratch pies include the following flavors:

Cherry
Apple
Pumpkin
Blueberry
Boysenberry

Pair any pie with our farm fresh ice cream and you've got a dessert that is sure to please!

Tasty Tuesday: Don't Toss That Pumpkin!

Jessica, over at Utah Deal Diva, experimented with using Jack-o-lantern pumpkins vs. pie pumpkins for her holiday baking. Her conclusion was that the pie pumpkin was sweeter, and less watery, but after straining, the difference wasn't significant enough to justify the extra cost of the pie pumpkin, especially if you picked up your pumpkins for FREE last week at The Red Barn!

To make pumpkin puree which is the base to several holiday recipes, simply cut the pumpkin to fit in a baking dish, add an inch of water, cover with foil, and bake for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees. Then mash, or puree, and it's ready to use or freeze for later.

Also, pumpkin seeds are an easy and healthy snack. Simply rinse the seeds, add 2 tbs butter and some salt, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Want a new recipe for your pumpkin puree? Try Jessica's Pumpkin Apple Muffins

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup diced apples, softened in microwave {2 minutes worked for me}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with oil. Mix ingredients and spoon into muffin cups, filling them about 3/4 full. I like to make mini muffins because they bake in less time and they're fun for my kids to eat. Mini muffins take about 13 minutes to cook. Regular sized muffins take about 18-20 minutes to cook.
Cool and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkins

We will be giving away pumpkins for free during this Friday and Saturday hayride hours! Hayrides will still be $3 per person, but you can take as many pumpkins as you can carry for free! Friday pumpkin patch hours are 3:30-8pm, and Saturday the hours are 10:30am - 5pm.

Pumpkins are great for eating! Scoop out those seeds and bake them in your oven with your favorite spice until crispy! Happy Halloween!

Tasty Tuesday: Wacky Apples

In honor of Halloween I wanted to share this idea to inspire a little creativity at your own home this holiday! Stop by The Red Barn and pick up a handful of apples and candy supplies to create your own wacky apple designs! This would be a perfect activity at a kid's Halloween party!

Fall Break Extended Hours

Many school districts in Utah County have their annual Fall Break this Thursday and Friday. To accomadate all of the hayride request we will have special extended hayride hours on those days. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we will be running hayrides from 10:30 am to 8 pm, with the last wagon leaving the Barn at 7:40pm. This is a great opportunity to get your family pumpkins! If you are planning on coming Saturday, schedule your trip around 2pm to see our Giant Pumpkin Weighoff!

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Patch Pancakes

Before I tell you about today's recipe, I wanted to give you a few pumpkin pointers! Pumpkins are a great vegetable from the winter squash family, packing many great nutrients like Vitamin A and Beta Carotene. The smaller the pumpkin, the better (sweeter) it will be for cooking. If you just want the pumpkin for the seeds, the bigger the better. To cook the pumpkin you will want to scoop out the seeds, cut the pumpkin into five or six pieces, then bake on 350 for about an hour. Just check tenderness with a fork to tell if it's done. While you can eat any pumpkin from our patch, we have smaller pumpkins inside the Barn for baking purposes. For a great list of pumpkin recipes, see Real Mom Kitchen's list here.

Pumpkin Patch Pancakes

Mix up your favorite pancake mix according to package directions. For every cup of dry mix used, mix in the following:
¼ cup canned pumpkin
½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice (If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand you can make your own. See recipe below.) Cook pancakes as you normally would.

Apple Cider Syrup

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 cups Red Barn apple juice

In a sauce pan mix together, sugar, cornstarch, and pumpkin spice. Stir in apple juice. Bring to a boil, remembering to stir occasionally. Boil until desired thickness. Remove from heat and serve over Pumpkin Patch Pancakes or give it a try over regular pancakes.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix and store.

Apple Canning Class

Join USU extension specialist Jana Darrington for our Canning Everything Apple class. She will provide information on canning a variety of fall favorites like apple sauce, apple butter, and apple pie filling. The class will be held this Saturdayday, October 16th, from 10am-12 pm. We'd love to see you there!

Tasty Tuesday: Favorite Fall Desserts

When I'm looking for a fun activity to do with my family at home on rainy days like today, I always head to Family Fun Magazine. Right now on their website, they are featuring 39 Delicious Fall Treats. My family loves trying these new festive recipes. Try one out yourself by going to their website here.

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Praline

I know it's a little early to doing all of our pumpkin/fall baking, but I thought this one sounded interesting! I like to try making new foods before serving them to guests, and this one makes the house smell like Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
16 oz. pumpkin
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
3 tsp. pumpkin spice (I use pumpkin pie spice)

Whip all ingredients with a whisk. Set aside.

1 yellow cake mix (dry)
3/4 cube of melted butter
3 oz of your favorite nut, chopped

Spray a 9 x 13 pan. Pour pumpkin mixture on the bottom. Spread the yellow cake mix on top. Sprinkle with nuts and spread the butter on top of the entire cake. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

Once slightly cooled, this is great with Red Barn vanilla ice cream, whip cream, or just plain. I bet it would be great with a spice cake. Try adding a tsp of cinnamon for extra holiday flavor!

Have you been yet?

Have you been down to Rowley's South Ridge Farms yet? Not only are the hayrides, produce, and treats affordable, but it's beautiful down here! Come check out the Red Barn to start your own fun fall family traditions!

Don't forget to bring your camera to take pictures in the pumpkin patch. Want to share them? Upload them to our fan page on facebook!Pictures provided by Dan Lund Photography

Fall Family Fun

Fall is one of our favorite seasons at The Red Barn. There is so much to look forward to! In addition to our new crop of peaches and apples, we also have our famous fall hayrides! Our hayride schedule this year is Monday and Friday from 3:30-8pm and Saturday from 10:30am- 8pm. (The pumpkin patch closes at 8pm, the last wagon will leave the Barn at 7:40pm) New this year is free admission to our maze with purchase of a hayride! Hayride prices are $3 for all riders, and babies who can not walk are free. Our pumpkins range in price from $1-$6. Our pumpkin patch is also a great place for family photos, so don't forget your camera! Hayride season also means fresh apple cider doughnuts, turnovers, and caramel apples! We also have a new selection of chocolate covered fruit as well. The Red Barn is a must see stop on your next family adventure. Hope to see you soon!

Hayride Season

We are now taking group reservations for hayrides. We have a special programs and pricing for schools, day cares, and preschool groups. For more information, call Kristy at 801-754-5511.

Tasty Tuesday: Caramel Apple Bars

Here is a great back-to -school bake sale recipe from Laura at RMK.

Caramel Apple Bars

1/2 cup cold butter
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix
1 egg
1 cup finely chopped peeled Red Barn apple
3/4 cup caramel topping
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using fork or pastry blender. Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups cookie mixture (I would do 1 1/4 cups) . Press remaining cookie mixture into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle apple evenly over crust. In small bowl, mix caramel topping and flour; drizzle over apples. Sprinkle reserved cookie mixture over apples.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 375°F. In step 4, bake 23 to 28 minutes.

Class Reminder

Just a quick reminder that we are holding our free peaches and pears canning class tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10 am to noon. These classes are fun and informative, and taught by USU extension specialist Jana Darrington. Usually USU extension classes cost $6 or more to attend - so don't wait - come learn at the Barn tomorrow for free!

Tasty Tuesday: Caramel Peach or Apple Topping

If you are looking for a recipe to use those last few ripe peaches, or your fresh new apples - check this out!


Ingredients:
6 Red Barn peaches, peeled and sliced
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Red Barn vanilla ice cream (optional)

In a bowl, toss together peach slices and lemon juice. In a slow cooker, combine brown sugar, butter, cream, and cinnamon; mix well. Add peach slices and toss to coat with sugar mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours until fruit is bubbling. If desired, serve over vanilla ice cream. Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Sliced apples can be substituted for peaches.

Ice Cream Parlor Progress

While I know you are more excited about what's in the parlor, than how it was made, I thought you might like to see how our new parlor came to be! The new parlor is in the old location of the cooler. The Cooler has been moved to the greenhouse area, making it over double its original size, and the greenhouse has yet to be rebuilt!


There are still a few more changes that need to be made before our parlor is 100% complete, but we are now serving 40 flavors of ice cream from our new parlor! Come try out some of our brand new flavors and tell us what you think!

Tasty Tuesday: Fresh Peach Dessert

I'm loving how juicy, fresh, and delicious the peaches are this year at The Red Barn! This recipe comes from Jodi, of Dan Lund Photography. Feel free to schedule your family photo shoot, and then stop by the Barn for more family fun!

Ingredients:
Graham cracker crust
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 Tbls corn starch
1 small package peach jello
1 package cream cheese (softened)
1 large container cool whip
5 large Red Barn peaches
Directions:

Make or purchase a graham cracker crust. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese and half of cool whip. Pour and spread over cooled crust. Now add a layer of fresh sliced peaches. In a sauce pan bring to a boil the water, sugar, and corn starch. Add peach jello. Once dissolved, pour mixture over the peaches and refrigerate until set. Top with remaining cool whip if desired.This simple recipe will be a hit with the entire family! Thanks Jodi, for providing the recipe and photos for this Tasty Tuesday!

Garden Girls: Harvest Time

It's been a while since we checked in with our Gardening Girls crew, so we wanted to show you an update on their progress.

Paige was disappointed in how her container garden growth has been coming along. It seems like nothing really took off and thrived. Here are what her herbs are looking like:Her peppers, tomoates, and flowers didn't survive the late cold we had this year.

AnaLee was able to grow many strawberries and herbs, along with lettuce and pole beans in her planter boxes. She has now cleared several of them out and is focusing on her corn and squash in her regular garden.

Janae's garden did amazingly well. Just take a look for yourself! I don't know how she does it considering she was pregnant/ taking care of a newborn the whole time!It seems like the trellises have been working out nicely, and makes the garden look more tidy, and easier to weed then a traditional garden.

Chelsea's garden is doing well, but planted everything too close togehter. It's a jungle out there! When she battles through all the plant leaves and vines she's happy to find many tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchinis. Everything is growing pretty well.

Canning Tomatoes Review

Our tomato canning class, held on August 14th, was our most informative class yet! There was a full demonstration and question/answer period, so everyone left with the confidence to can correctly. I learned that since Utah's elevation is higher than average, it actually takes longer to can than I previously thought since the boiling water temperature here isn't high enough to kill some bacteria that can grow on your food. I also learned that acidity has largely been bred out of tomatoes, so it's important to add some form of acid, like lemon juice, to your canned vegetables. I have also been over tightening the lid rings, which means not all of the air has escaped from my jars, leaving room for possible spoilage! Utah State University has many more tips and tricks at their extension website: Http://extension.usu.edu/utah. If you missed this class, but are interested in learning more about correct canning techniques for the state of Utah, make sure to check out our next class, Canning Peaches and Pears, on Saturday, September 11th from 10-12.

Tasty Tuesday: Peachy Bread

3 cups sliced fresh peaches 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup shortening 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs 1 teaspoon soda 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Place peaches and 6 tablespoons sugar in container of electric blender; process until pureed. (Mixture should yield about 2 1/4 cups.) Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and shortening; cream well. Add eggs and mix well. Add peach puree and dry ingredients, mixing until ingredients are moistened. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 well greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 325° for 55-60 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes in pan; turn out on rack, and let cool completely. Perfect when topped with Red Barn jam! Yield: 2 Loaves

Tasty Tuesday: I want your recipe

Peaches, peaches, peaches! I love the taste of a fresh juicy peach (you know, the kind that run down your entire arm!) Today I'd love for you to submit your favorite peach recipe for anything peach - cobbler, crisp, anything! If we feature your recipe, you will recieve a free sack of peaches from The Red Barn (available for pick up only).

Peaches are now available at The Red Barn!

Class Reminder

Saturday, August 14th, from 10-12, will be our canning with tomatoes and salsa class. It will be taught by USU extension specialist Jana Darrington. This will be informative and fun. Don't let your ripening produce go to waste! See you there!

Tasty Tuesday: Blueberry French Toast

Today's recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen. You know it's a good one because she just landed her own cookbook deal - so snag this recipe while you can before it's no longer available for free!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

French Toast:

* 12 slices bread, cut into cubes (Texas toast and cinnamon bread work well)
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut in cubes
* 1 cup Red Barn blueberries (fresh or frozen)
* 12 large eggs
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 2 cups milk (I use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream)

Syrup:

* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup water
* 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 cup Red Barn blueberries (fresh or frozen)
* 1 Tablespoon butter

1. Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a greased 9 x 13 pan.
2. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes and blueberries evenly over the bread cubes.
3. Top with remaining bread cubes.
4. Mix together eggs, milk, and syrup.
5. Pour over bread cubes and cover pan with foil. Let chill in refrigerator overnight.
6. Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes or until fluffy and golden. Top with sauce. Serves 8.

Sauce: Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Stir in blueberries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter and stir until melted. Serve over the french toast.

*If you don't want to make your own syrup, make sure to try one of our many great syrup flavors. I think Red Barn raspberry syrup would be a fun twist!

Tasty Tuesday: zucchini bread

Now that our gardens are actually giving off produce, I thought it would be fun to do a recipe using a vegetable that most of us are able to grow in our gardens. Today I bring you a twist on the traditional zucchini bread. It comes from the Real Moms Real Views site. We wanted to thank them again for hosting our giveaway last week. I will share the Hawaiian Zucchini bread, but they also have one for chocolate zucchini bread as well that you can check out here.

Hawaiian Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups gated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.

Step 1: In a large bowl mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and zucchini. (I decided to do 1 cup sugar and 1 cup splenda to help cut down on the calories in case I end up eating both loaves. )

Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the zucchini batter and mix well.

Step 3: Stir in pecans, pineapple, and coconut. Pour into loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, or until browned. (It only took mine 50 minutes).

Let cool in pan for 30 minutes before removing. Finish cooling on cooling racks. Eat and enjoy!

Cherry Pit Spit Pictures

I think everyone would agree that all those who attended The Fourth Annual Cherry Pit Spit had a great time. The weather was nearly perfect and the company was superb. I wanted to post some pictures of my favorite Pit Spit moments! My favorite part is the pit spit faces! Below are some of this years top pit spitters -









This year brought some pretty tough competition! In the kids division, Isaac and Abby took first place. Abby even spit further than her mother, and she's only 4 years old! I think we may have a future cherry pit spit champion on our hands.
In the 9-12 group our winner was Raquel Rogers spitting an impressive 35 feet. She actually spit far enough to qualify in the ladies round as well. Way to go Raquel!
Liberty Mortonsen spit 39 feet 11 inches to win the ladies round.
The Champion of the Cherry Pit Spit, Josh Galovich, spit 54 feet, 4 inches.
In close second was Alan Marvin with 54 feet 2 inches, followed by Roger Weight who spit 53 feet 5 inches.
The children also enjoyed the face painting, caricatures, and games.




We would like to thank everyone who came out to make this event a success.
We would also like to thank our sponsors for the great prizes they provided! Hope to see you all again next year!

Final Reminder

Just a reminder that our 4th Annual Cherry Pit Spit is going to be bigger and better than ever! Come join the fun tomorrow, July 31st from 3-5pm. Can't wait to see you there!

Tasty Tuesday: Apricot Leather

This may be the easiest recipe we've featured so far! I wanted to highlight a way to use the DELICIOUS apricots we now have at The Red Barn and thought this recipe from allrecipes.com sounded like a good one.

Apricot Leather a.k.a Fruit Roll Up

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups pitted and diced fresh Red Barn apricots
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees F (165 degrees C), or the lowest setting you have.
2. Combine the lemon juice, apricots and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
3. Cover an 11x17 inch pan or cookie sheet with a layer of plastic wrap. Pour the pureed fruit onto the plastic and spread evenly to within 1 inch of the edge.
4. Bake for 4 to 6 hours in the preheated oven, using a spoon or a pair of tongs to keep the door slightly ajar, or until the puree has dried and is no longer sticky. Once dry, you can cut it into strips and store in an airtight container.

Cherry Harvest Begins

Today we kick off the first official day of what we call "Cherry Season". Our main crop, the tart cherry, is now being vigorously shaken from its branches - which only means one thing - the Cherry Pit Spit is just around the corner! This years pit spitting court will be open for qualifying from 9am-4pm, on July 31st, with our main activities happening between 3-5pm. Just looking at last year's pictures gets me excited for all the fun of our even bigger and better event this year!

Last years trophy and prize table....who wouldn't want to take one of these home?!
Games and entertainment for the whole family!
Face painting was a huge hit! We will also be doing caricatures this year.
Last years Women's Round Finalists.
The 2009 Pit Spit Champions!

Can't wait to see YOU there!