my first lay

now that i have your attention....i am talking chickens and eggs. teehee. you see my rhode island red, lucy, has been on hiatus to have a mini-molt and just starting laying again two days ago. i  just now went to the coop for a visit, share some grapes and i got to see her lay. although i have had my chickens for almost a year, i have yet to see one lay an egg. i go out there and the eggs are waiting for me or a girl is on the nest, but i never get to see mother nature in action. i mean to be there, right there, when it falls out of her bottom, that is until a few minutes ago. i quietly watched her as she turned around, scratched the bedding, turned around again, again, and again, threw a few pine chips on her back, stood up, sweetly chirped and plop! that beautiful egg hit the bottom of the nest box like a golf ball bouncing on wood. it was so coooooool. i know, i know, i am not right, but you knew that already. here is a picture of it minutes old, perfectly clean and warm.

i know some of you don't get it, but i think is fascinating. man, if only i could lay an egg like that without any expensive drugs, then maybe i would not have had such a hard time getting pregnant. way to go lucy girl!

enjoy, beth

happy valentine's day and yep, i am still here

i am still alive and kicking, but have been so not motivated to post, cook, bake, clean, you name it. i think i must have the winter blahs. today, here in yorktown, it is 72 degrees and a freaking teaser. i love it and it makes me feel so much better, but, wait, it all crashes back down to the freaking forties tomorrow. i am so ready for spring. i am ready for the windows to be up in the house and down in the car. i am ready to hear my chickens singing and happily over running  me with eggs to share. i am so ready for vacation even if it is a staycation. i am just so ready....how about you?

happy valentine's day friends. tonight, it is ribeyes on the grill, roasted veggies, cesar salad, rolls and chocolate icebox cake. yum. enjoy.

homemade ginger ale

is not one of my favorites. i had seen a post on how to make it and figured why not? i love ginger ale, in fact, it is my favorite soda flavor, but just not this one. i think for one it is too sweet and too gingery. caroline, however, loves it! i am going to try the recipe again, but use fresh citrus juices instead of the ginger. let me tell how i made it though.....

i took a clean two liter bottle and using a funnel, added a cup of sugar and one quarter teaspoon of plain ol'baking yeast, yep, yeast. i swirled it around a bit and let it sit. in a bowl i grated, with my microplane, about a tablespoon or so of fresh, peeled ginger root. now to the root i squeezed the juice of one lemon. i stirred it a bit and poured into the bottle. i then rinsed the bowl with fresh cold water and added it to the bottle,too. i then topped it all off to the neck with more fresh, cold water, sealing the cap. let it sit on your counter. you see, the yeast will cause carbonation or so that is the theory. you let is sit 24 to 48 hours, but no more because it might explode! also, plastic only, no glass because it might explode! i think i needed more yeast. mine didn't bubble too much, so it did not explode! when ready, the bottle will be hard when squeezed. chill it for a few hours before drinking. also, when pouring a glass, use a strainer to catch the bits of ginger. enjoy.

i am going to do again. i will let you know. i think this would be way cool if you owned a sodastream.

pepperoncini beef sandwiches

sorry, i don't have a pic of the sandwiches themselves. jamie and i ate them. please enjoy looking at the pepperoncini picture i lifted from the internet instead. here is the scoop, i recently placed a message on a forum that i often frequent requesting ideas of what to do with a chuck roast. i am tired of the same ol'pot roast, beef stew, etc.... one poster suggested her favorite grubbin' barbecue recipe and i went for it. it is sooooo easy and flavorful. i did tone it down a bit, so it would not be quite as spicy, but it still has a bite, so much so the kids would not touch it. here is what ya do....

in your crock pot before bed or work, on low throw in a chuck roast, one jar of undrained sliced pepperoncinis and a clove of smashed garlic. that is it. let it cook long and slow till the roast falls apart. shred with a coupla forks and viola, dinner! what i did was toast some sub rolls with provolone and then piled the beefy goodness on top. i thought they were delicious. jamie liked it, but  i don't think he loved it. i could tell they were a bit spicy for him. they were not that spicy folks. he just doesn't like anything with a kick. he ate the whole thing though. i am guessing he figured he'd better because i was not fixing anything else. enjoy.

dottie's eggs

well, it looks like my girl dottie is finally a happy camper because she is laying! ain't they purdy? her eggs are not dark like her roommate ruby's but just as lovely, all terra cotta and speckly.

i now know i picked the perfect name for my christmas gift. enjoy.

caramelized onions

i love these things! they are so freaking easy to make and i could eat my weight in them. now, let me tell you, that would be a lot onions my friend. i made this batch for a specific recipe, but it just reminded how much i do adore them and how versatile they are. you need a little patience to make them, but they are well worth the effort. caramelized onions are divine on burgers, pizzas, soups, a hunk of bread, so many things. you just make a batch and keep them in the fridge, covered.

here is what ya do: beth's caramelized onions

heat a pan over medium with a couple of tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of oil. it can be olive, canola, vegetable, your favorite. now evenly slice four medium to large onions, no more than four. you don't want to crowd the pan with too many onions or they will not caramelize properly. now sprinkle a tablespoon of dark brown sugar all over your sliced onions. here is where the patience comes, stir often over the next thirty minutes or so, making sure your heat is not too high and you are not burning them. they should become brown, but not black! turn the heat down. you might also have to go a bit longer than thirty minutes, but you can not rush those babies. once you feel they are done, sprinkle with some chunky salt and freshly ground pepper. cool or eat warm right from the pan! yum. enjoy.

one ingredient "ice cream"

the new year is here and so is the "diet" resolution for you, me and probably every other person on the planet. well, if you love ice cream and like bananas, this recipe is for you....banana ice cream! take two or three ripe, but not mushy bananas, slice, place on a plate in your freezer till hard. now then toss the frozen slices into your food processor  pulsing till you have ice cream or a close facsimile. this is actually good, granted that you like bananas. i was thinking that some chocolate syrup drizzled on top would be yummy as would a few chopped nuts or some peanut butter warmed in the micro. now we're talking. enjoy.

ps-i know, i know, way crappy pic, sorry. i didn't really try.