Arrow Eggs

One of our hens has been laying double-yolkers. The eggs are so big, we can't close the carton.

School lunch

Every morning, I make Small Fry a peanut-free lunch so that, at her new middle school, she can have lunch with her friend Aru. She's the one with the peanut allergy. And Small Fry is fine with abandoning her usual PB & Js for this new friend.

I now make ham and swiss on homemade buns. It looks like I will begin making a lunch for myself; I am going back to work full time in two weeks. In the meantime, I also get to go to Puerto Rico with a friend. And we are adopting a dog that we meant to foster. We've named her Pumpkin, since we got her in October and there is something about her face that reminds me of a small pumpkin.

So here is a recipe I tried today, in an attempt to simplify the homemade buns. I am already planning for having way less time to cook.

School Lunch Sandwich Buns

1 cup water
2 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups of bread flour
1 teaspoon bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine and use the dough setting. After it rises, shape into buns. Brush the tops with an egg wash. Let rise, egg wash again, then bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

After Forty Years of Marriage, She Tries a New Recipe for Hamburger Hot Dish

After Forty Years of Marriage, She Tries a New Recipe for Hamburger Hot Dish

by Leo Dangel

"How did you like it?" she asked.

"It's all right," he said.

"This is the third time I cooked it this way. Why can't you ever say if you like something?"

"Well if I didn't like it, I wouldn't eat it," he said.

"You never can say anything I cook tastes good."

"I don't know why all the time you think I have to say it's good. I eat it, don't I?"

"I don't think you have to say all the time it's good, but once in awhile you could say you like it."

"It's all right," he said.

Eggs

We started The Chicken Project last spring, with chicks from the farm store. They grew really fast, but then it seemed like there was a 2-3 month plateau - it took f o r e v e r to get our first eggs. When we finally did, it's like they all decided at once it would be a good idea to start laying. We got a ton. Small Fry sells them (company name: Arrow Eggs and she has a logo, flyers and stickers for the egg cartons. Little entrepreneur.)

Now, I am finding that one of my hens is laying double-yolkers, and they are perfect for omelettes. In fact, my first attempt at an omelette, using Cook's Illustrated instructions, was the best omelette I've ever had. Sorry to boast but it's true. The eggs this hen is laying are too big to fit in the carton - too big for the indent, and the cover can't close over it.

Having fresh eggs is worth all the upkeep for the flock. And the colors are gorgeous. Most lay various size brown ones. Hedwig lays green ones. Even our little bantam, Legs, lays tiny little white eggs.

Breakfast for dinner - can't beat it.

Not from scratch but it is fast

I have been drying tomatoes at 225 for 3 hours or so in the oven. Then I put them in the freezer. My neighbor's tip.





This was pretty good, at least according to Big and Small Fry.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

6 chicken breasts
6 slices Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 package herb-seasoned stuffing mix

Preheat oven to 350.

Arrange chicken on greased baking dish. (Pyrex). Top each with cheese slice.

Combine soup, milk and stuffing. Spoon over chicken.

Bake 50 minutes. Good leftover, too.

*** The frozen haricots verts at Trader Joe's are easy and delicious. I know, I know - not local at all. In fact, imported from France. But when you're a Fried Cook, they work.