Sunday, April 26, 2015

Catch-Up Time Again!

Not much gardening going on here.  It has been very cool and we are getting small rains  almost daily.

We took advantage of the weather to make a visit to St. Peters to visit with our son and his family.  It was an overnighter again; it is very hard to be gone longer with all the livestock, including new chicks and puppies.

Speaking of chicks, we bought 8 week old chicks about a week ago, they are one of the oldest American breeds, Dominique, all pullets.  I hope to move them to the regular chicken pen this week some time.


I got caught up on  bread-making.  I sort of made up my recipe using steel-cut oats and 2  cups of white whole wheat flour in a white  bread.  I made two loaves and some buns.


A week or so ago, I  made a batch of mincemeat.  It has  been two years since I made any and my Sis and I were both very low.  I sent her half of the recipe when I sent her her goat's milk soap (and a pair of gardening  gloves).  She thinks this one is better  than before.  I think it is extra orange.  That is the first  taste I get when  I take a bite.  Each thing was sealed  double  but put in the same box.  When the mail person brought it  to her door.  She said I have been smelling this box all morning.  It is either minecemeat or eucalyptus!  She must have a super  olfactory glands.  Sis could just detect only a faint  scent.



(See DH's hand?  We had burgers using the new buns....I cook; he clears  table)

11 comments:

  1. Your bread looks wonderful and that is very sweet of your DH to clear the table.

    Those little chicks have nice markings. I had to google what pullets were. :-) Little hens under a year old. I learned something new today.

    Have a lovely week dear Glenda ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. When we quit the dairy, he started doing all sorts of little indoor chores....setting and clearing the table, taking out the trash, making coffee (and bringing me a cup) and helping mow the yard! I never asked him to do any of it, but now that he does, I miss it terribly when he skips.

      Delete
  2. Those new pullets sure are pretty. Hope they turn out to be good layers for you. When you mailed the mincemeat, was it in a glass jar or plastic? I would be so afraid of glass breaking with my luck. Still really cold (40s) here and northerly winds (15-20mph). Really hard to work outside with any enthusiasm. It's gotta get better, no? Take care.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kris, I double-seal it in a plastic freezer bag. I never send glass especially with food.

      Very cool here this morning.

      Delete
  3. It amazes me how many different kinds of chickens there are. I kinda miss having chickens but they're a lot more labor-intensive than we want right now.

    We're supposed to start warming up now. I hope you will too. It's raining this morning, but the garden can use it. I have seeds in the ground.

    Have a good week! Hugs xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as one of us can trek out to the chicken house, we will have chickens.....It is the string trimming that is getting the best of me right now.

      Delete
  4. ... and a Dominecker Hen -- that's a line from some old song I disremember. They are so cute with their barred feathers and rose combs.

    Mincemeat is good stuff. I don't know of anybody else who makes mincemeat any more, certainly none with real bits of beef in it. It would be hard to find some freshly rendered lard to make a fitting crust for mincemeat pie, too.

    Your chicken placemats are so fitting for this post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jean, I just rendered the lard from the hog we ordered. It is so fast when I use the Maslin pan. I forgot to get the fat from Steven's hog but will get it later.

      I don't use meat in mine....that is what always put me off, the stringy texture of the meat. I added extra orange to this recipe and my Sis and I think it is the best one I have made. Of course, I cracked the 40-year old Kitchen Aid grinder doing it. The turnovers were made with the lard crust.
      The neighbor was down and I selfishly didn't serve him any.....I told DH nobody liked mincemeat so he probably wouldn't either........

      Delete
  5. Glenda,

    I've never had mincemeat before, what is it?

    It's been raining here just about daily, today the temperatures dropped. I needed to put the heat on to keep the animals warm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy, it is a mixture of lots of things: two kinds of raisins, candied orange peel, candied cherries, peaches (with peeling), apples with peeling, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. All is ground together, cooked down low and I let ripen at room temperature for a few days before adding some brandy.

      I know Grandma didn't make it this way. It was originally a way to use up fallen apples, bits of beef and suet, dried peaches and other fruit. I just put it together until I got a taste I was familiar with and liked. For once, I had the forethought to write down what I did! I just checked and I have made it five different times beginning in 2009.

      Delete