My empty nest world of scratch baking and chicken scratch
The comb sits on top of the chicken’s head and the wattle hangs beneath the chicken’s bill. They are both soft, fleshy, thick, and made up of blood-filled capillaries, which accounts for the bright red color. While they can appear very different, wattles and combs all perform the same basic functions which are vital to … Read more
A small French cake, similar to a Madeleine that is baked in a small rectangular mold. Financiers are sweet, tender and moist, and have a distinctive almond flavor. The basis of the cake is beurre noisette (brown butter), egg whites, sugar, flour, and flavoring. The browned butter imparts a lovely nutty flavor and crispy edge. … Read more
Whether you are making drop cookies, shaped cookies, or rolled cookies, exact measuring and uniformity in cookie size is critical to successful baking. Many people don’t like to roll cookie dough because they struggle with getting the cookies the same thickness. If your cookies are all uniform in size and thickness, they will have a … Read more
I have favorite cookies to make and favorite cookies to eat. This cookie definitely falls into the favorite cookies to eat category! This recipe differs from others in that it allows the taste of the two star ingredients – oatmeal and raisins – to shine. Everything else is just a subtle accompaniment. One thing that … Read more
“Now bring us some figgy pudding” is part of the chorus in We Wish You A Merry Christmas. From the 16th century, Figgy Pudding traditionally graced the table at the end of a Christmas meal and it is quintessentially British. It’s possible ancestors made the pudding from a potage of mashed figs thickened with bread, … Read more
If you raise chickens, eventually you will encounter eggs that, for obvious reasons, never make it to the grocery store. One of those anomalies is the soft-shelled or shell-less egg. An occasional soft-shelled egg is no reason for concern. Reasons for these soft, squishy eggs incude: Calcium Deficiency Hens need an adequate amount of calcium in their … Read more
I love the story behind this Pumpkin Bread. One Christmas Eve while I was busy with last-minute Christmas preparations, my youngest son, Spencer, who was about five years of age, came into the kitchen and politely told me that we were going to start a new Christmas Eve tradition. “We are? What new tradition are we … Read more
Scones are a slightly sweet biscuit-like cake, and, with just a few ingredients, are easy to make. Be sure to use high-quality butter and cream for the best results. Scones are a traditional Christmas breakfast in our house. I love to hear “ mmmmmmm” and watch eyes gently close around the table as everyone takes their … Read more
Buttermilk Pie: A pastry shell filled with a mix of buttermilk, butter, eggs, flour, sugar, and sweet flavorings, a Southern US favorite. Prononciation: Buttah-milk Pie Don’t let the name of this pie fool you. It is delicious! This is a simple, wholesome, sweet and tangy custard-like filling with a slight hint of vanilla. It is very easy to make, … Read more
Fresh figs, picked at the peak of ripeness and quickly bathed in a golden sugar-water syrup and canned to enjoy long after fig season is over. Figs are one of the oldest cultivated fruit crops. Some indications are that they were first cultivated about 11,000 years ago. They have been with mankind through all of … Read more