I Have a New Calling

It has been one week and two days since Inca, Henrietta, Diesel, Miss Speckles, and Wahoo! have joined our family.  We have had a blast integrating our new "kids" into our farm.  They love the homegrown lettuce, mint, and dandelions (we don't cultivate these, they grow despite our best efforts to eradicate them).

One of the most enjoyable pastimes for me is "putting them to roost" for the night.  Frankly, they seek the coop all on their own in the evening, but I have determined that I shall be the one who helps them settle down.  I sing--to them, I mean.  They love it.  My voice will never win any human music awards, but if ever a "Best Chicken Singer" category made it to the Grammys, I am a shoe-in.

The Girls' current favorite:  Good Night, My Someone  from The Music Man.  The softly cluck along in bird harmony.  They are at peace, I am at peace.

About their eggs:  If you have not had fresh, truly organic, homegrown eggs, you are missing out.  I had enjoyed our neighbors' homegrown eggs numerous times, but the fact that they are laying eggs in the awesome nesting boxes Gina made, on our farm, makes them even better.

Here is a super easy recipe for homegrown eggs.  In a small fry pan place a pat of butter in the pan and place on the stove over Med-High heat.  As the butter melts and coats the pan, place two HOMEGROWN (yippee!!) chicken eggs that you have cracked into the pan.  Slowly add them in so you don't break the yolk.  As the clear part of the egg turns white, turn the heat down a bit so you don't overcook the whites and the yolks.  I like mine sunny side up.  Fresh egg yolks have the deepest yellow you could ever imagine.  Continue the cooking process on Medium.  Honestly, it doesn't take but a couple of minutes.  When the gelatinous clear is white, gently slide them out of the pan, butter and all, onto a plate.  A little sea salt, a little cracked black pepper--God is good and all is right with the world.

Here is a quick supper idea for those same eggs.  Take fresh ground beef (either your own blend) or an 85-15 ratio lean to fat, and making each patty approximately 4 oz. per serving, add a dash of sea salt, cracked pepper, and mix gently into the meat.  Form 1/3" patties, slightly indenting in the middle.  Place in skillet and cook them like you like to eat them.  I like mine medium, with a little pink in the middle. Meanwhile, have some spinach clean, sorted, stems removed, or a frozen block, and cook it up, drain the water and take a wooden spoon and press the cooked spinach into a colander, removing all the water.    Now, take that beautifully cooked hamburger, place it on a plate, take the verdant green spinach, place it on top of the hamburger.  Finally, take those HOMEGROWN sunnyside up egg(s) and place atop the spinach, piercing the yolk so it runs down into the spinach and into the hamburger.  Bliss!!