Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Juju et. al.
Voodoo priestesses, farm queens, domestic pet haters. These girls (sans their squire) could teach classes on homeland security.
Chicken Soup for the Body & Soul
This is my favorite chicken soup recipe from the Old Farmer's Almanac. I make it anytime my family is under the weather, and it never fails to do the trick. It might not make you well, but it will make you feel better! I also make it just for the heck of it because it's sooooo yummy.
You can cheat and use canned chicken stock -- but it won't be the same. Yield: 8 to 10 servings
4 quarts cold water
1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped (or diced, your preference)
4 to 5 stems parsley
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a couple of handfuls of rice or egg noodles, optional (I like the egg noodles)
Measure water into a large soup pot and add all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours, using a spoon to frequently skim the soup as well as possible. Remove from heat and cool. Skim fat from the surface and strain the soup. Wash out the soup pot and return the strained stock to the pot.
Remove and discard bay leaf and parsley. Mash the carrots, celery, and garlic and stir them into the soup. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, chop the meat and add to the soup. (If the chicken meat has completely fallen apart, that's ok, too; just use as is, with bones removed.) Heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
You can cheat and use canned chicken stock -- but it won't be the same. Yield: 8 to 10 servings
4 quarts cold water
1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped (or diced, your preference)
4 to 5 stems parsley
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a couple of handfuls of rice or egg noodles, optional (I like the egg noodles)
Measure water into a large soup pot and add all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours, using a spoon to frequently skim the soup as well as possible. Remove from heat and cool. Skim fat from the surface and strain the soup. Wash out the soup pot and return the strained stock to the pot.
Remove and discard bay leaf and parsley. Mash the carrots, celery, and garlic and stir them into the soup. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, chop the meat and add to the soup. (If the chicken meat has completely fallen apart, that's ok, too; just use as is, with bones removed.) Heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Cold Season Woes
Many people find themselves susceptible to wintertime woes such as colds, dry skin and hair, seasonal eczema, dandruff, and brittle nails. These problems may be caused by a Vitamin F deficiency. Vitamin F consists of linoleic and linolenic acids, two essential fatty acids.
Cold pressed vegetable oils, Evening Primrose seed oil, toasted pumpkin and whole seeds, whole grains, and whole nuts are all excellent sources of natural Vitamin F.
Also, Vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes and protects against infections which are common during winter months when humidity is low and we are exposed to drying indoor heat. Vitamin A can be found in alfalfa, burdock, carrots, cayenne pepper, dandelion, endive, garlic, horseradish, kelp, lemongrass, parsley, raspberry, red clover, watercress and yellow dock.
Cold pressed vegetable oils, Evening Primrose seed oil, toasted pumpkin and whole seeds, whole grains, and whole nuts are all excellent sources of natural Vitamin F.
Also, Vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes and protects against infections which are common during winter months when humidity is low and we are exposed to drying indoor heat. Vitamin A can be found in alfalfa, burdock, carrots, cayenne pepper, dandelion, endive, garlic, horseradish, kelp, lemongrass, parsley, raspberry, red clover, watercress and yellow dock.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Winter Wonderland Stew
I just found this recipe in an e-newsletter I received from the Polishing Stone magazine, and it sounds like an extremely hearty, healthy and yummy dish for a cold winter day. I'll be whipping this one up very soon.
Winter Wonderland Stew by SunnyApril & Birk Vail
1 large rutabaga
3 turnips
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
3 white potatoes
1-2 parsnips
1 medium onion
2-3 broccoli stems
1 celery stalk
1 zucchini
1 cup crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 16oz can whole peeled tomatoes, squished
1/2 cup barley
1/3 cup red lentils
2 bay leaves
5-8 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
8 cups chicken stock and/or water
Optional meat options: Lamb, venison, or beef
To make:
Peel and cube rutabaga, turnips, sweet potato, potatoes, and parsnips. Peel and slice broccoli stems and zucchinis. Cut up rest of veggies and put all veggies in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and add stock to cover. Let simmer for an hour or so, until veggies are almost tender. Add lentils. Simmer until lentils have fallen apart and thickened the stew. Add more stock if needed. Remove bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If using a meat, sear in same pot before adding veggies and stock.
Serve with crusty rustic bread. Enjoy!
Winter Wonderland Stew by SunnyApril & Birk Vail
1 large rutabaga
3 turnips
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
3 white potatoes
1-2 parsnips
1 medium onion
2-3 broccoli stems
1 celery stalk
1 zucchini
1 cup crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 16oz can whole peeled tomatoes, squished
1/2 cup barley
1/3 cup red lentils
2 bay leaves
5-8 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
8 cups chicken stock and/or water
Optional meat options: Lamb, venison, or beef
To make:
Peel and cube rutabaga, turnips, sweet potato, potatoes, and parsnips. Peel and slice broccoli stems and zucchinis. Cut up rest of veggies and put all veggies in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and add stock to cover. Let simmer for an hour or so, until veggies are almost tender. Add lentils. Simmer until lentils have fallen apart and thickened the stew. Add more stock if needed. Remove bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If using a meat, sear in same pot before adding veggies and stock.
Serve with crusty rustic bread. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Minutes from the 4 o'clock officers meeting:
As follows:
Jan. 16, 2008, East Coop.
Present: Rosy, Daisy, Angus, Baby Kitty, Big Daddy. Absent: Mama Juju, Ceasar, #2 Guinea, Grand Master Peacock, goat representation.
Mama Juju is not present with the minutes from our last meeting. The officers vote unanimously to remove her from her post as secretary pending a search for residual voodoo paraphernalia in the side shed.
Daisy has been fired without warning from her regular evening milking sessions with The Humans, and thus the extra feed given during these sessions has also been eliminated. Rosy makes a motion to reinstate regularly scheduled, midnight "Lock Picking and Door Opening" classes as soon as the goats arrive. Motion is carried. Practice may resume immediately after hours on the chicken house.
Baby Kitty would like to request that disciplinary action be taken immediately against Mama Juju and her sisters for blatant treaty violations. The officers will vote on this after BK has given acceptable restitution to Big Daddy and his women for obvious, unnaproved stalking during the meeting.
Angus makes a motion for final destruction of the southeast fence and a fourth escape attempt. This motion is voted down again by Daisy.
With no other immediate business, everyone agrees to meet in the upper garden next month at an as yet unspecified time to avoid the Human with the camera. The meeting is officially closed with The Secret Stare.
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