Saturday, August 18, 2012

Meat Chickens?

We've never raised chickens with the sole purpose of eating them. Sure, we've harvested a spare, uppity rooster now and then, but we've never bought chicks with the express intent to butcher them.

I think we're ready.

Being that I'm a total noob in terms of meat chickens, I really don't know much of anything about what breed to try. Help a sister out - what breed(s) have you raised for meat? Would you choose that breed again? How was the flavor? Was the time, trouble and cost of DIY chicken rearing worth it?

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Bread & Butter Pickles

Scarlet and I made these yesterday, per the recipe I found on Brown Eyed Baker. They were so easy! No canning involved, just pack the prepared cukes and sliced onion into a jar, then pour the vinegar/sugar/spice concoction over the top of everything, and forget about it for a while. :)

 Tossing the freshly rinsed cucumber slices with the sliced onion, just before jarring it up.

After one day of steeping. Still cucumber-y tasting, but starting to absorb a little of the sweet/sour pickling liquid flavors.

I am disproportionately excited about these simple little pickles. Bread and butter pickles were a mainstay of my youth, and the smell of the vinegar, sugar and spices simmering alone nearly killed me. I want these babies to be ready yesterday.