Have Ya'll Been Feeling Ick?

I don't know maybe it is just this weather: 80s one day and the next chilly, windy, down to the 40s.  Today, I am sipping lots of peppermint tea for my sore throat and achy head. 

Our hens have fun hiding their eggs from us and look for places that are hard to reach and out of sight of predatory birds. 

Saenz gets a kick out our one of our production reds. She bascially buries herself completely before laying and hollars at any hen or boy who dares to interrupt her at work. Each evening, we go on an egg hunt while putting the ladies in their coops.  It is a nice way to end our work day outside.

This happy young man is really enjoying the computer Grumpy Gramps sent to our family.  Later in the year, when hubby has time perhaps he will build Cubby Bear a desk that is his size. Then Cubby will have a work station all his own.  Last night he was so thrilled with learning how to set up his software and played counting games -- he just was beaming as ya'll can see.

Thanks Grumpy Gramps!

This is my first jar of refrigerator pickled serrano peppers. Cubby Bear and I picked the bush clean since, a large cold front is moving down into our area next week.  We had fun making the brine, cleaning the peppers, adding the spices and other items to fill the jar for cold storage.  We are anxious to see if hubby will like them later this year.  Thanks Lady Bloggers, whom I follow for the idea on this learning event.

With hubby working on second shift, the kids and I usually have meatless dinners.  I don't know what it is about Texan men folk, they basically insist on flesh at every meal; at least in my experience.  So until hubby is back on days.  We go meatless, this is a really quick rice pudding (without raisins) recipe I found on a Ricelands box. I modified it for the boy's taste. It's a simple dish we all like and it uses up some of the eggs we find.

Southern Rice Pudding:

1 c rice                               

4 c milk, *divided

2 tbsp butter

1 c sugar (I add 1/4c more)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

1/4 tsp cinnamon, and dash of nutmeg

Soak rice in 2c milk and vanilla for 2 hours at room temp.  Add remaining milk to rice and cook over low heat for 30 mins until rice is tender.  Set aside to cool

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine softened butter with sugar.  Beat eggs until forthy, add sugar mixture , spice, rice and mix well.  Pour into a greased baking pan.   I used 13" x  9" or rounds.  Bake for 45 mins.

Tonight, I am going to make a egg dish called Goldenrod Egg, mom used to make. She learned the recipe in high school home economics back in the 1960s.  You know it's good if Southern cooks taught it in schools. It's basically a white sauce gravy with chopped boiled egg served over toast.  YUMMY!

Here is a link to a recipe but, I usually just do my own version.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/goldenrod-egg/Detail.aspx

Anyway peeps, stay warm and dry.  Off to take a nap (wishful thinking) or book diving.