Mother Nature is definitely “marching” out like a lion with the recent snow, rain and winds. Growing up in the country, the second floor of our farmhouse never got much heat, so winter mornings were spent getting dressed as quickly as possible. There weren’t many chores outside to do as there would be in other months, but the housework surely seemed to make up for it.

We had a back stairway that opened into the kitchen, and once you opened the door to get out, not only did the heat hit you, but so would the smell of my mother’s cooking such as her famous biscuits. In the afternoons and evenings, the oven kept the whole kitchen warm and the house smelling great with varieties of baked dishes. Daylight savings on the farm meant it was still dark as we woke up, but when we got home from school the sun was still up, which meant more time to beat the dirt and dust out of the blankets or rugs. While my brothers would be planting cucumbers, squash, cantaloupe, my sister and I would be starting the cleaning process inside. My sister and I had to begin the spring-cleaning process including removing the “feather beds” from the top of every bed!

With an unheated upstairs these feather-filled covers kept us very warm but were a lot of work. After getting them off the beds, struggling down the stair steps, pulling through the kitchen while falling on top of them, laughing we would bring them outside to hang on the clothesline. The fun began when I took brooms to beat them so any dust accumulated during the winter would fly out. Afterwards we stored them in the extra storage building next to the smokehouse. What a job that was! The end of winter on the farm also meant our television time was coming to an end. Soon we’d be weeding the garden, pruning the fruit trees and told to “go outside to get some fresh air.”

Great memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world. Not only did we start cleaning the house, but we also started cleaning out the smoke house and freezers. Growing up with 13 in our house, we used things sparingly to get us through those cold winters. You couldn’t run down to Food Lion or Acme to pick up this or that. By the end of winter, you had to make room for the next round of meat for the upcoming winter. Venison, beef roasts, pork lions were all seasoned to perfection by this time. Here are a few recipes to help clean out those freezers for spring.

PORK LOIN WITH ROAST VEGGIES

2 medium onions cut in wedges, 2 cups of diced potatoes, 2 cups baby carrots sliced, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided into 2 different servings, 1 1/4 pounds pork loin, 3 teaspoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a bowl, mix veggie with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Lay veggies around the edge of a 9x13 pan and put in oven.

Use a small bowl to make the rub. Mix the brown sugar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl. Sprinkle the rub over the loin. Press gently so the rub sticks to the roast. Wash your hands after handling the raw meat.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the loin. Brown the sides of meat. Turn after about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the center of the pan with veggies.

Bake for about 40 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145°F. Check the temperature after 30 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven. Let sit for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

3/4 pound ground beef, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup macaroni, uncooked, 1 can diced tomatoes, drained, 2 teaspoons chili powder, smoked paprika (or regular paprika), 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon coriander, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet, drain the fat. Add water, macaroni, tomatoes, all chili seasonings and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered on low heat for 20 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

To thicken any homemade chili dish, try using a few tablespoons of cornmeal rather than the standard slurry of cornstarch for an added depth of flavor. This will give you a different spin on a chili.

Very rarely did Mom’s biscuits not get all gobbled up at breakfast, but on the rare day she had more than enough left over. We’d get this amazing stew for lunch. You’ll need 1/3 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup butter, cubed, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1 can (10-½ ounces) condensed chicken broth, undiluted, 3/4 cup milk, 2 cups cubed cooked turkey, 1 cup cooked peas, 1 cup cooked, sliced carrots, your favorite brand of refrigerated biscuits.

In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet (like cast iron), add butter and sauté onion until tender over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Add broth and milk and bring to a boil. Stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbling. Add the turkey, peas and carrots and heat through.

Open refrigerated biscuits and separate. Gently place and arrange biscuits over the stew. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and puffy. In the event that you already have biscuits made like my mother did, you’d slice them in half using the tops then arrange the biscuits at the end but be careful not to brown them much more.

1 fully cooked bone-in ham, whole cloves, 1 can or 20 ounces of fresh sliced pineapple, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 12 maraschino cherries.

Place ham in a roasting pan. Score the surface with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes; insert cloves into diamonds. Cover and bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours.

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Combine brown sugar and reserved pineapple juice, pour over ham. Arrange pineapple slices and cherries on ham.

Bake, uncovered, 30-45 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 140° and the ham is heated through.

ONE SKILLET PORK CHOP SUPPER

1 tablespoon butter, 4 pork loin chops 1/2 inch thick, 3 medium red potatoes, cut into small wedges, 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices, or 2 cups fresh baby carrots, 1 medium onion, cut into wedges, 1 can or 10 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup water, cracked black pepper and chopped fresh parsley.

In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Brown pork chops on both sides; remove from pan, reserving drippings.

In the same pan, sauté vegetables in drippings until lightly browned. Whisk together soup and water; stir into vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, just until vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes.

Add chops and cook, covered, until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with pepper and parsley.

1 1/2-2 lbs. boneless country-style ribs, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 medium onion, sliced, 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place ribs or chops in roasting pan. In 2-quart saucepan combine remaining ingredients, Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a full boil (5 to 8 minutes). Pour over ribs or chops turning to coat all sides. Bake, turning every 20 to 30 minutes, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Serve with extra sauce.

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