Link Loitering: JUNE 1 !

Very interesting chart on Milk Comparisons - another reason why I think it is ridiculous that raw milk is illegal in my state. *sigh*

Really?? Cocoa Puffs and Oatmeal from Burger King are healthy foods for kids, providing sufficent amounts of whole grains for them?! Maybe now I have seen it all *oy!* You know I could have a field day tearing up that pdf link from the BBB!!

Great graphic!

GMO Apples coming to a store near you - ugh.

And speaking of GMO's - this totally pisses me off. Anything with the words Monsanto and FDA are bound to raise my blood pressure. What.a.joke.

And this is why we joined a CSA to get pastured chicken. Here is another article on the same topic. And it is also why I chalk up the extra bucks to buy the organic feed for our hens!

Speaking of Chickens - I found this video this week and LOVE it. 

The Coop Addition

We have a new addition to the Chicken Coop Palace.

I didn't want it - I didn't think I would like it.

To be blunt, chain link anything screams hillbilly to me.

But... hubby scored this chain link dog kennel type structure from a friend for FREE. Usually these things can be quite pricey. So FREE is good :) Being FREE made me give it a chance.

The back of the chicken coop, if you recall, had an old wooden enclosed-with-chicken-wire type structure for chickens to hang out in if they wanted to be outside the coop and still out of harms way.



Back of the chicken coop - pretty unshightly...especially in late winter/early spring when this photo was taken :)

Even though this couldn't look any more 'hillbilly' itself, if I had decided, I would have voted for hubby to buy some new wood and spruce it up. It would have looked good as new. But new wood and chicken wire isn't FREE!

So I gave the chain link dog kennel contraption a chance. I told hubby for sure though, the brown weaving would have to be removed. I thought it was hideous and made grand plans to plant something like Morning Glories around it so they could grow and climb fast up the fence to hide it!

But now, when I look at it, I am thinking, I guess it isn't so bad.

It kinda blends in, right?

Hubby fashinoned it up all nice with pieces of sheet metal to attach it to the actual coop so it doesn't blow away. He tidy up any parts that would allow predators - aka, Savannah - to get in.

He cut a hole in the chain link and fashioned more sheet metal to fit it around the doorway for the hens to go in and out as they please.

We left that small tree in there because the ladies like to stand on it!

This definitely gives them much more room than the wooden structure did too.

View from opposite side - and yes, that is the former structure laying in a heap on the side destined to be bonfire

So, I guess it isn't so bad. It faces the back of the property, looking into the orchard. So when I am looking out the kitchen window, it isn't like I see this huge dog kennel type thing sitting in the yard.

We do let them free range as much as possible, but when they can't, having this outdoor enclosure for them is the next best thing.

But, I am still planting something around it that will climb up it and make it look like a huge bush ;)

Recipe: The Fishmarket Salad

Throughout high school and most of college, I worked at a restaurant that served a salad hubby & I both loved. It's been some time since we've had it and since we have an abundance of lettuce in the garden right now, I decided to recreate it.

The salad was called 'The Fishmarket' and it had a Champagne Vinaigrette dressing. Obviously, the dressing is the hardest part to recreate, but we both agreed I came pretty darn close!  

The Fishmarket Salad

Lettuce (We had Crisp Mint Romaine growing in the garden)

4 hard boiled eggs

1.5 cups cooked mini shrimp, chilled

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

***

Divide ingredients into 2 serving bowls. I couldn't tell you how much lettuce we had - use what you know you will eat :)

Champagne Vinaigrette
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar (Champagne vinegar would have been better, I am sure, but I didn't have any!)
1 clove garlic
Small quarter of an onion
4 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 dashes Tabasco
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
***
Combine all ingredients, except oil, in your food processor and whiz it up until it is all combined and garlic and onion are finely minced. Then slowly stream in your oil whizzing it as you go until all is combined. Chill until you are ready to use.

***

This recipe was linked up over at Freaky Friday with Real Food Freaks and  Summer Salad Sundays

Strawberry Season & A [Canner's] Giveaway

Alas, Strawberry season is my area has arrived - early none the less - which is fine by me!

I have a hard time buying produce out of season [at the grocery stores] because you know, it never tastes like fresh, in season fruit. And then I am just disappointed.

I purchased 13 qts over the weekend for $2 a quart - total steal if you ask me!!

I bought them from a couple Amish families a few roads down from me.

I do still use white sugar in canning recipes. I would like to eventually convert that over to honey, but since we are talking alchemy here, a science, involving food preservation, I won't do it until I have a recipe for it :)

I like the preserving book Tart and Sweet. A lot of the recipes in there are simple enough and they don't call for gobs and gobs of sugar.

I canned up 12 half pints of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Monday morning. And I have 4 quarts of Strawberries still macerating in the fridge for a simple strawberry jam. Oh yes, and I whipped up some Strawberries & Cream Popsicles too - perfect timing since the weather has been in the 90's!

I scored 4# of Rhubarb for $1/pound from my Amish neighbor down the road.

I fully intended to pick up lots more quarts this coming week to do more preserving with.

I plan to make more Strawberry Jam, Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam and I also want to try my hand at homemade fruit roll-ups!

One thing different with my canning as I start the season out is my use of the Tattler Reusable Canning Lids.
Tattler sent me some to try out and I was more than excited too. These lids are BPA Free, Reusable, Dishwasher Safe and made in the USA. 

These lids were easy to use and I 'prepared' them the same way I'd prepare the metal lids.
They all sealed nicely too. I have yet to wash and reuse them, but I suspect they'll do just as they are supposed to!

Tattler sent me a set of regular, and a set of wide mouth, lids and rings to try out.

And for one other lucky canner, they are going to send you a set of both too!!

All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is leave a comment telling me if you can and if so, what is your favorite recipe or food to preserve?

Earn an extra entry for liking The Life of a Novice on FaceBook too! 

(Let me know in you comment that you liked the FB page, please!)

Contest end Midnight on Friday - Winner announced Saturday!

Good Luck!

Weekly Meal Plan, Memorial Day Week

Thank you to all who have served our country!

Happy Memorial Day.

Sunday: Grilled Quesadilla's

This was the first time we made Quesadilla's on the grill - they were awesome! And we had some fresh Cilantro in the herb garden to add! Topped with sour cream and lettuce from the garden.

Monday: Hamburgers on the grill, Sweet potato fries, salad with lettuce from the garden

I made a homemade 'Caper Dressing', for which I found the recipe in a old McCall's Cookbook that was a wedding present to my grandma :) Hubby & I love capers and this dressing doesn't disappoint! I will share the recipe soon.

Tuesday: Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli and carrots

Wednesday: Scrambled Egg Burritos with Chard & Spinach from the garden and Breakfast Sausage

Yes, we have breakfast for dinner at least once a week...usually Monday's! It is too easy which is great!

Thursday: Bone-in Chicken Breast on the grill, Roasted Cauliflower, Salad with lettuce from the garden

Friday: Homemade Pizza on the grill :-)

Saturday: London Broil on the grill with baked potato's and salad with lettuce from the garden

The weather here is crazy hot and our AC is broke! Yes, I live with an HVAC man -- which also means if I want him to fix it for pennies on the dollar, I have to wait until the holiday weekend is over and he has access to the parts he needs from the supplier. *sigh* And then, it is supposed to go down to the 60's mid-week this week...what?! I hope my tomato and pepper plants can hang!

The Greenhouse, Year 2

Last year was the Babe's first trip to a greenhouse for some plants for the garden.

This year was his second time, and my, how things change!!

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend!

Link Loitering, May 25

Ever wonder what happened to Carole Morison, the Perdue Farmer, on Food Inc? Wonder no more - go Carole!!

Help Save the Honey Bees!

And that's all I got today! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!