In the last two weeks our chickens, Sam-n-Ella, have decided to spread their wings, literally. Last weekend we found them out on the county road at dusk, and I looked quite the fool scrambling around in running shorts and clogs trying to catch them and bring them home. Then, we brought all the animals back to Atlanta and within 24 hours those #@*&^!* birds were hopping over fences, visiting neighbors, messing with the construction guys next door and wreaking havoc. So we decided to clip their wings — except that Mike and the kids were just “too busy” to help so I had to go it alone. Thank heavens for Janet of Green Urban Living in New Zealand. Found her video on YouTube, watched it twice, then headed outside with a pair of sharp scissors and an attitude. Of course, taking on this task in shorts and flip-flops was probably not the best choice of wardrobe, as those two gals put up quite a fight and I still have the scratches on one arm and leg to prove it. But we got the job done and now the hens are happily ensconced in the back yard, laying eggs, eating bugs, taunting the Danes and, most importantly, staying put!
pie & football
Remember our talking up Pie Lab here awhile back? What a cool place. And now they’ve got Grid Iron Pies To-Go for all your football parties and tailgating. http://pielab.org/
Thinking that Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie would fit the bill nicely…
surprise
Uh-oh, totally forgot Mike had planted carrots earlier. Found these during a weekend weeding. 🙂
What’s for dinner?
Every time Janna and her gang visit us, they bring a scrumptious dinner. Apparently, this is part of the secret as to why they’re always welcome wherever they travel. Now, Mike D. sure can cook, but Jan’s hubbie Anwar is a close rival. Here’s what he brought for dinner last weekend. And, oh, was it easy to make and good.
ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb medium or spicy turkey or pork sausage, casings discarded and
sausage crumbled - 1/2 lb kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded and
leaves coarsely chopped - 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 lb dried egg noodles or fettuccine
- 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup grated pecorino-romano or mozzarella cheese
preparation:
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook sausage, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain grease.
Meanwhile, blanch kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, 3-5 minutes. Remove kale
with a large sieve and drain. Return cooking water in pot to a boil, then cook pasta in boiling water, uncovered, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.
While pasta cooks, add kale and garlic to sausage in skillet and sauté, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water to skillet, tossing until combined. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese and thin with additional cooking water if desired. Squeeze fresh lemon over dish, with dash of salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, with 1/4 cup cheese on the side.
adapted (just slightly) from recipe at Epicurious.
photo by Romulo Yanes
It’s dove season
All weekend long the sound of shotguns rang out from seemingly every direction. We anxiously asked a friend about it, and now we know…dove season has begun.
Time to break out the fall fun wardrobe.
