Chicken Update--Our Broody Hen

The chicken adventure has been going pretty smoothly.  We even went out of town for 2 weeks and the girls seemed just fine with their babysitter. But the day after I got home, one of the hens insisted on sitting in the nesting box and hogged all the eggs in there.  I looked it up online and it seems that Hawk Eye is broody.  She thinks she has to incubate her, or anyone else's egg.  We purchased our hens to be layers, so to have one hen that won't lay an egg because she wants to sit on them 24/7 was a problem.  Back to the internet I went, and searched for a solution.  The solution from several sites was to put Ms. broody Hawk Eye in chicken jail. 

 The goal is to keep her from sitting on comfy shavings.  She spent all of day one by herself, but we let her back in the coop for sleeping.  During the day we gave her some alone time in the backyard as well to encourage foraging for bugs, etc.  She was really freaked out and paced back and forth along the main coop at first, but we didn't cave in to her begging, and she calmed down and acted like a non-broody hen.  After her night in the coop she was again hogging the nesting box and so she is currently in jail again for today.  The main problem was all of our hens like to lay in one specific box and they were picking on Hawk Eye because she wouldn't move.  This also lead to less egg layers.  It's a whole chicken drama! Using the chicken jail remedy, Hawk Eye should be cured in a few days, but she might not lay an egg for a week or so after.  Kind of a bummer!  But even though there has been drama and we are learning by trial and error, they are so fun to have and my kids really enjoy taking care of them.  I am also glad that we are learning all about chickens now and not in a survival situation.  

Self-Reliant Saturday-- I Can't Afford Food Storage

It's all about PRIORITIES. As with most things in life that we can't seem to get to, or finish, it's all about how important it really is in our lives.  Maybe take a minute and reprioritize the things you feel are most important in your life, and see how to fit food storage in.

Prepare Today Homemade- Chickpea Nuggets

This is a recipe re-post from 2011 and it is still one of my favorite ways to use Garbanzo beans!! Enjoy!

I know that title sounds a little weird, but go with me on this one!  They are really good!  For those that don't know I am a vegetarian and I am always looking for more ways to incorporate beans into my family's diet.  This recipe made great "chicken" nuggets for my kids and a great salad topper for me.  You have to try the honey mustard dipping sauce (or as a salad dressing, yummmmmy!!), from a previous post HERE, with your nuggets!  We have been dipping everything in this sauce, from these nuggets to sweet potato fries, and as a salad dressing.  (my next experiment is to make it with yogurt to try to cut the fat out)

Chickpea Nuggets 

(from blog.superhealthykids.com)  Makes 15-18 nuggets depending on how large you make them

1 can chickpea (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1/2 onion
1 t parsley
1 clove garlic
1 egg
1 t cumin
1 t salt
dash pepper
1 t lemon juice
1 t baking powder
1 C bread crumbs
1 T oil
To be honest I threw it all in a food processor and gave it a whirl until it was smooth.  (my kids won't eat chunks of onion so it had to be pretty smooth)  

There are two ways to bake these:
Stove top:  heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.  Shape the "dough" into nuggets shapes and pan fry until golden brown on each side. We cooked them this way and loved them!

Oven method:  Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, turning over half way through the baking time. I would have baked them this way, but my oven isn't working right now.  :)

My older kids ate them up, but my 3yo (being totally truthful here) gagged on them :D  She does not like the texture of beans and so I guess this was too much for her.  I whipped up a salad using greens from my garden, some craisins,strawberries, the honey mustard sauce, and the chickpea nuggets on top.  My kids asked for this two nights in a row for dinner!
  

Self-Reliant Saturday--God Will Help Us If...

Prepare Today Homemade- Applesauce in the Saratoga Jacks

This is a yummy recipe re-post from 2012....it's easy and smells sooooo good....I hope you enjoy it!

Applesauce in the Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker is simply delicious!  I have made it several times and my kids love it!  I also made it for a class I taught at Honeyville Grain and they loved it too!

 Cutting up the apples is the hardest part of this super easy recipe.  The spices and sugar slow cook with the apples and it smells like Christmas.  My kids kept thinking I was baking something for them and it was the applesauce.

 Just like all the other Saratoga Jacks recipes I boiled the apples for 2 minutes and also had the smaller pan boiling.  The apples didn't quite fill the larger pan enough, so the smaller pan used up the air space.

 After slow cooking for several hours the apples were ready to be mashed.  I wish you could smell this picture because it smelled just like the holidays.

My daughter used a potato masher and smashed the apples into applesauce.  You could also use an immersion blender.

 Applesauce
3lbs (8-9) apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2" chunks (dehydrated or freeze dried also works!!!)
1 C apple juice or apple cider
2 T sugar, plus more to taste
pinch salt
2  (3") cinnamon sticks or 1/4 t ground cinnamon- optional but so good!  (remove sticks before mashing)

Combine all ingredients in the larger Saratoga Jacks pan.  Bring to a boil with the lid on for 2 minutes.  Also fill the smaller pan with water and bring it to a boil.  After 2 minutes place the pans together and put into the cooker base.  Cook for 2 or more hours.  When apples are soft, mash using a potato masher or immersion blender.  Add more sugar or apple juice if desired.  Serve warm, room temp or chilled.  Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

*This recipe was originally for a slow cooker and would work just as well.

Self-Reliant Saturday-- Travel Medicine Bag

Traveling with five children I need to be prepared with several kinds of medicine.  Mostly for "what if", but I would hate to need a fever reducer in the middle of the night in a hotel.  

 My trip medicine bag is nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.  I used a plastic zipper bag that a set of twin sheets came in.  I added adult and children's medicine, and also basic first aid.  We are renting a beach house and you never know what is supplied until we get there.  So I have band-aids and neosporin just in case.  Last year we needed both so hopefully now that I came prepared we won't need them :) Don't let the unexpected illness, sunburn, headache, or fever catch you off guard.  Pack a medicine travel bag for your family!

Self-Reliant Saturday -- Learning From History

Today is July 4th, Independence Day here in America, and with this holiday comes quite a bit of history.  There is a lot to learn from those whom have passed on before us and hopefully we take the time to learn these life lessons from our ancestors.  

 "Church history teaches many lessons about personal preparedness"  

"Lessons From Crossing The Plains"

• When we ignore preparedness counsel, we can expect unhappy consequences
• Protect against nature (sun, cold, snow, wild animals, sickness)
• Be accident cautious (falls, burns, children wandering off, carelessness, knife injuries)
• Protect against discouragement (maintain good health, don't be afraid to ask for help, make friends with like-minded people)
• Be creative and adaptive in difficult times (let the wagon bumps turn cream into butter)

"Lessons From the Pioneer Famine of 1868"

• In times of dire food shortages, we should be willing to share our personal food storage with others
• During times of famine we might choose to fast more often to provide for the needy
• When the course of our normal life is disrupted, it helps to fill free time with constructive activities 

"Lessons From the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake"

There were 120 Church members, missionaries, etc in the city at the time and they wrote about  how they survived the quake.

• Have sturdy shoes and durable clothing nearby in case of a sudden nighttime emergency
• Have fire extinguishers in our homes
• Have emergency water on hand in sturdy, non-glass containers
• Have minimal cleaning items, such as moist towelettes, toothpaste, deodorant, face towels, and even small bags of detergent
• Have emergency food as we have been taught
• It is important to have 2-3 meeting places where family members can find each other in case disaster strikes and family is scattered
• Be prepared to leave cherished belongings
• Ignore wild rumors that spread in panics and don't pass them on

All of these ideas, and more, are from an article written by William G. Hartley in the October 2001 Ensign, "Sturdy Shoes and a Waterproof Tent". Click HERE to read the entire article.