FROM ONE FARM GIRL TO ANOTHER

When Paul Deen was removed from the Food Network, I thought that was the end of my source for good, down-home cooking.  But was I ever wrong!  Right away c ame Nancy Fuller, a New York farm girl with the most wonderful show to ever be on the Food Network … Farm House Rules.

 

Nancy Fuller Ginsberg was born Marcy 27, 1949 on a 500-acres dairy farm in upstate New York.  She is a warm, loving mother of six and grandmother to 13.   Nancy lives in an authentic 17th-century farmhouse on beautiful, rolling land in New York’s Hudson Valley region. Being on a farm, Nancy’s food and recipes represent her surroundings and her philosophy of feeding others with delicious, simple meals from the heart.  Farmhouse Rules is a lifestyle and cooking show centered on Nancy Fuller's kitchen and the Hudson Valley farming community that supplies it.  She gathers the best the land has to offer and feeds her friends and family classic, farm fresh meals.

Prior to debuting on TV, she was the President and CEO of her premier catering company in Columbia County for 25 years. She owned dairy farms, restores historic homes and dealt in antiques for many years. She  attended Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California after graduating from Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She resides in Claverack, New York and has a home in Delray Beach, Florida.

Nancy Fuller isn’t old enough to be MY mother, but she is exactly what comes to my mind if I could hand-pick a new mother for myself.  So if she would ever be interested in adding to her family, I’M UP FOR ADOPTION!!!

FARM HOUSE RULES CREAMY STOVETOP MAC AND CHEESE

Kosher salt
1 pound medium shell pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
2 cups grated Cheddar (about 8 ounces)
1 cup grated Colby Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Dash of hot sauce
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When it begins to foam, sprinkle in the flour and stir until it becomes pasty, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and half-and-half and bring to a low simmer. Stir until the mixture looks thick, about 5 minutes. Add the Cheddar and Colby Jack cheese by handfuls, stirring well after each addition until melted. Mix in the mustard, paprika and hot sauce. Then fold in the cream cheese and stir well until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Lastly stir in the cooked pasta.

Serve the mac and cheese immediately while still warm and at its creamiest.

NANCY FULLER’S POTATO SALAD

3 pounds red potatoes
Salt
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 chives, chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Place the potatoes and 2 heaping tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when forked, 10 to 15 minutes. Chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, add the potatoes, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, celery, chives, onions and salt and pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes with the dressing and then add the eggs. Gently stir the potato salad, taking care not to mash the eggs. Serve immediately.