Another of the Many Uses for those WoNdErFuL Eggs

Elmyra

All of my 6 chooks are Working Girls now.  I have 2 Elderly Dames as well, one is still producing and the other, well, she is enjoying retirement.  Egg overabundance can really be a mind stretcher - what to do with those extra eggs?  I hate to waste them, and what we don't eag, bake with, or sell need to be put to a good usable use!  What to do, what to do.....?

Here's a great idea - a beauty recipe for your hair.  Holidays are fast approaching, and if your mane, short or long, needs a little conditioning, this may be just the thing!

Deep Conditioning Egg Treatment
How it works: Eggs are rich in protein, a component of hair, so eggs restore and nourish your strands. Eggs are also renowned as one of nature's best moisturizers.

1.  2 egg yolks
2. 2 teaspoons of olive oil 
3. 1/8 cup of water. 

You may want to double or halve these amounts, depending on the length and texture of your hair.  Mix well, applying to hair after shampooing. Leave the mixture on for at least 15 minutes. Rinse well with water.  No other conditioner needed!  Use this treatment once a week for continued results.

 the ChickenWrangler

Using up EGG-stra Eggs - Yummy Recipe!

Looking for a way to use up a lot of extra eggs?  Here's a nice recipe to save when your hens are laying and those eggs are piling up faster than you can use or sell them!  You can freeze this cake and use it at a later date.

TEN-EGG POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS

3 c. sugar
2 c. Crisco shortening
10 eggs
3 c. flour, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. Pet condensed milk*
1 tsp. rum flavoring
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

INSTRUCTIONS

Cream Crisco and sugar together well, then add eggs, beating very well after each. Add salt, flavorings and milk, then flour. Bake in an extra large tube pan that has been floured and greased. Bake at 300° F for 2 hours. Check after 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cake is done if knife inserted in center comes out clean. Once the cake is completely cooled and ready to serve it could be drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze.  YUMMY!

Note: *Do not use sweetened condensed milk.

Coddle Those Eggs!

I was sorting some odds and ends in boxes we have stored in the upstairs portion of our house when I came across this little item.  It's an Egg Coddler - have you ever coddled an egg?  I haven't!  What a pretty vintage cookware/servingware from the past!  Crack the egg and place it inside, salt and pepper, add seasonings to taste - simply screw on the sliver lid and lower it into a hot pan of water, covering it completely.  After 6 minutes the egg should be cooked and ready to eat!  How simple and elegant!

the ChickenWrangler

Chocolate Chip Cookies - a GrEaT nEw TwiSt on an Old Recipe!

Who DOESN'T love Chocolate Chip Cookies?!?!?  Last week I made up a batch to use up some extra of my hens' good eggs. 

This Recipe is a KEEPER at our house

Hubby tends to be kind of persnickety when it comes to trying different baked goods or meals that he has never had before, so I was unsure of how it would go over.  When I walked into the kitchen the next morning, the plate was EMPTY - a sure sign that the recipe could be used again!  Maybe you'd like to bake some up to try - here's the recipe - give it a whirl!

Chocolate Chippers with a TWIST
Preheat oven to 375.

• In medium bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda, mixing well.

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup butter, softened a bit, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and mix till light and fluffy.  Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla.
• Gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir till just combined.  Stir in 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats (not instant oats), 1/2 cup coconut shreds, 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, and 1 cup of peanut butter chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoon about 2 inches apart on baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes.  (I baked for 12 minutes because I wanted the cookies a little more crispy, for dunking in milk).

Got COOKIES???

If there's ever any baked goods that the hubbs doesn't particularly care for, I have no problems with what to do with left overs!!!

Egg-stra Eggs?

This morning I decided to make Deviled Eggs with some of the week-old eggs in the fridge.  The "hubbs" takes them to work on occasion, and they get devoured in a very short time.  Sometimes his co-workers order them from me - he'll walk in the door and say "I've got an order for De-VILED eggs for you"!

Boiling Eggs

I'll share my recipe today - it's a little different than most, but every bit as tasty!  Great for a picnic or potluck, and wonderful for the holiday weekend!

 Deviled Eggs

1.)  Put 6 whole eggs in a pot covered with cold water.  Heat to a boil, cook for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and drain off the hot water.  Rinse the eggs, then fill the pot with cold water (you can add ice cubes to it if you wish), to cool them.  When they are cool, peel off the shells.
2.)  In medium size bowl, mix 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 Cup sour cream, 1 tsp horse radish sauce, 1/2 tsp. mustard, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.  Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, and pop the yolks into the bowl with the mayonnaise and other ingredients, mashing and mixing well.  Using a pastry bag, or spoon, fill the halved eggs with the mixture, sprinkling each egg with paprika or cayenne.  Serve chilled.

TIP:  Hard boiled eggs peel much better when they're about a week old - then the whites don't break off in chunks as the shells are removed.

Cold Snap - Hot Tomatoes!

Potting Shed Welcome!

It's been so cool outside the last three days - what a WELCOME relief!  I listened to the weather report early this morning and in another 2 days they are saying the humidity will be on the rise once again.  No matter.  This time of year we expect the ups and downs in temps.

Roma Tomatoes

 On my way out to feed the hens and horses, I stopped to inspect the garden.  We don't get a lot of sunlight back here in the woods, but since I have had a pretty good flower garden going the past few years, I decided to plant 3 tomato plants in one of the sunniest locations to see how well they would do.  I spotted several tomatoes ripe and begging to be picked, so I brought them in and added them to the ones I collected a couple of days ago.  Any bruised or damaged fruits are used as treats for the girls -

"The Girls" on the lookout for TREATS!

I have a recipe found in an old magazine that I thought I would like to try sometime - and here it is, in case YOU have a cold snap and wouldn't mind running your oven for a short while!

Scalloped Tomatoes

3 TBS butter
1/4 Cup minced onions
2 Cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
3-1/2 Cups fresh diced tomatoes
1/4 Cup fresh bread crumbs
1 TBS melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In 3 TBS of butter, in a small saucepan, saute the onions until tender. Add 2 cups bread crumbs, sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne. Arrange layer of tomatoes in a greased 1-1/2 qt casserole. Top with a layer of onion-bread mixture. Continue until all is used, ending with tomatoes on top. Combine 1/4 cup bread crumbs with 1 TBS melted butter and sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes.

I think this would be good either with a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top during the last 7 minutes of bake time, or great served with grilled cheese sandwiches for a different twist on dinner!