How To Make Butter (using raw cream or not)

Start with about 1 - 1 1/2qts of raw cream. (I have heard that heavy whipping cream from the store can be used, though I have never tried it.) Put the cream in a large mixing bowl and beat it with an electric mixer on high till you see some butter forming. It will look like whipped cream at first (because that is what it is!!) but if you keep beating it, it will soon start to separate ... it will no longer be fluffy.

Here it looks fluffy like whipped cream.



Right when you see it start to change (see picture below - it will no longer be so fluffy like whipped cream), turn the beater speed down to the lowest speed it has. Scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.


As the milk separates out, it will splash up more and more. If you do not have a protection shield for your beater/mixer, hold up a towel or something else to protect you and your surroundings from having a shower of milk.


Here are a few more pictures as it progresses along.





After a while you'll notice it is not changing much. Dump the milk into a jar to save it (this is buttermilk ... great in pancakes, cakes, or whatever). Continue beating on low a little longer to get more milk out; pour off the milk and save.


Now you must wash the butter. Add about as much cold water to the butter as was buttermilk. Beat on low for a bit. Drain. Repeat.


All washed and ready to go. Next beat in some salt. Start with 1t and add more if desired.


The final step is pressing as much water out of it as you can. It works good to kept the butter in the mixing bowl and smash it over and over again against the side of the bowl while tipping the bowl at an angle so the water can drain down. Every so often you'll want to dump the water out so you can see how much new water is pooling.

Press the finished butter into a form or bowl of some kind, cover well and refrigerate. It can also be frozen for long-term storage. 1qt of cream will yield about 1 pound of butter and a pint of buttermilk. Enjoy!

Breakfast Ideas

It's been a while but I'm still here ... just have not had time to post on this thing!! I'm getting together a garden post soon (lots of green stuff :) spinach, kale, beets, lettuce, etc.) but here is a quick post on breakfast ideas.

I always have a green smoothie for breakfast, but my children have fruit and something else. The 'something else' is what varies from day to day. Most commonly it includes leftovers. Sometimes it's Beans and rice. Beans and cornbread. Beans and tortillas. All favorites. Pancakes ... we sometimes have those but not like the typical american I don't suppose? Peanut butter, fruit, applesauce, pear or pumpkin butter, etc. No syrup or butter. I am sure to make enough to send along with lunch for pancake sandwiches or to have as snacks later on. Something else we like very much is cornbread or cake with fresh milk over it. This morning I made a pear cake (just a basic cake recipe with 2/3 less sugar, a little stevia added, pear juice instead of milk and chopped canned pears) and the children ate that with raw milk that a friend gave us :) YUM!

Breakfast cereal is so expensive and so not good for you!! Well ... a few are actually good for you, but still expensive when compared to leftovers, rice, oatmeal, etc. And too, they are usually loaded with sugar and leave you feeling hungry soon after. Take care of yourself!! Eat healthy.