Rabbitry Update

Over a decade ago I was introduced to the world of rabbits.  My younger sister purchased her first rabbit in the Fall of 2000 and I purchased my first rabbit in the Spring of 2007.  The gap between the purchase of her first bunny and mine does not mean I wasn't invovled with them during all those years. 

My sister's first rabbit was a black Mini Rex, christened "Blackey" (what kind of name would you expect an eight year old to name a black rabbit?).  Next came a pair of Mini Lops, Adam and Eve (yeah...I know).  From Adam and Eve we got three rabbits who reigned the show tables for three years.  These Mini Lops were named Lady Clair, Jack-Jack, and Ringo.  From Lady Clair we got another rabbit; a Chestnut Agouti named Shar-Pei, who also did well on the show tables. 

I got into Flemish Giants.  My first pair was a Sandy Doe named Myrtle Mae and a Fawn Buck named Mr. Wilson.  From these two I got a few good bunnies for the show table, but unfortunately there are not many people raising Flemish in my area. 

Now, I am down to five Mini Lops from my sisters rabbitry (she sold her rabbitry to me) and 2 from my rabbitry. 

Mini Lop Solid Black Buck - Adam - 8 years old

Flemish Giant Fawn Doe - Harlow - 3 years old

Flemish Giant Sandy Doe - Myrtle Mae - 5 years old

Mini Lop Solid Black Doe - Emma Pearl - 5 years old

Mini Lop Solid Gold Tipped Steel Doe - Lady Clair - 6 years old 

Mini Lop Buck Solid Gold-Tipped Steel - Jack-Jack - 6 years old



Mini Lop Solid Chestnut Agouti Buck - Shar-Pei - 5 years old



German Canning Jars

I was looking through this catalog we have, Lehman's and I found these awesome looking canning jars.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I love the Ball Mason jars we all use for canning our garden produce.  But these jars were beautiful!  The name of these jars is Weck Canning Jars.  They are all glass, including the lids!  And they come in different shapes and sizes!  Unfortunately, they are a little pricey...coming in at a set of six for around $20. 

For the time being, until I come into a fortune, I will be sticking to American-Made Ball Mason canning jars. 

Movie Review: Secretariat

I just watched a great movie "Secretariat"  I came out in theatres last October, I wanted to go see it for my birthday, but it didn't work out.  Finally, it became available through Netflix and I love this movie.  It is a wonderful, "feel good" movie that everyone can enjoy.  The music is great, lots of seventies-gospel songs!  My mom's favorite being "Oh Happy Day" 

I highly recommend at least renting it, if you don't want to commit to actually purchasing the movie.  I love watching the racing scenes!  Even though I know the outcomes, I still find myself yelling "Go! Go! Go!  C'mon Go!" at the TV! 

And did anyone watch the Belmont Stakes yesterday?  I heard it was great!

French Toast

As promised, the rest of the French Toast adventure. Tuesday night I sliced my braided loaf up into thick slices; I think around 1-inch thick. I left the slices out overnight to dry and become a little stale. To make really great French Toast the bread cannot be fresh! Wednesday morning, after my morning chores I started breakfast. The first step was to start soaking the bread in an egg and milk mixture.

French Toast

3 eggs
Milk (between ½ cup and 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg in a shallow dish (cake/pie pans work great!). Soak thick slices of day-old-bread in egg mixture on both sides. Make sure it is soaked through and not dry in the middle. Sprinkle some more cinnamon sugar on the bread. Grease a griddle or a frying pan (I like to use butter, but Pam or non-stick spray works). When the butter is melted and the pan is hot place your soaked slices of bread on the pan. After a few minutes (2-3 minutes) flip the toast over. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Serve warm with butter, syrup, powdered sugar or anything else you want to top it with.

While my slices were soaking up the yummy egg mixture, I made some whipped cream to top my toast. We have this awesome nitrous oxide whip cream dispenser for whipped cream. I put about ¼ to 1/3 cup of sugar, fill it half way with whipping cream and around a teaspoon of vanilla. Then close the dispenser and shake. To whip screw on the nitrous oxide cream charger and shake some more. I like to dance around the kitchen while I shake the container about 24 times.

Then I toasted my French toast on the stove top in a medium frying pan. Served up two slices on a small plate with butter, fresh whipped cream, strawberry syrup and powdered sugar. One of my favorite sweet breakfast treats and really quite simple! Enjoy!

Baking...continued

In my last post I mentioned making a braided loaf for French Toast.  The recipe I used comes from Heartland Baking: All-American Cakes, Cookies, Pies and Pastries, Breads and Bars.  I love how this loaf comes out! Beautiful golden brown, yeasty and yummy!

I can't wait for French Toast on Wednesday morning.  I will slice this bread up Tuesday night and leave it to dry out over night.  Stay tuned to see how it turns out!

More Baking!

So last night after I got off work, I decided to do a bit of baking.  First, I wanted biscuits to go with my strawberry jam/syrup left over from my canning endevour.  Second, I want French Toast some day this week and needed bread. 

Biscuits take me less than no time to make and are second nature to me.  The recipe I use is based from Baking Powder Biscuits in the "Fannie Farmer Cook Book".  I have to double it to get the yield the book says for the single batch; this is because I make huge biscuits and not little baby ones like they want me to make. 

I say "based" because I change it up a bit.  I substitute whole milk for buttermilk when it is available.  I use butter when it isn't too expensive instead of shorening or crisco.  I add different cheeses when it is used as a side for dinner. 

Baking Powder Biscuits

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup butter/shortening

1 1/3 whole milk/buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease two (2) 8-inch round cake pans.  Mix flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar in bowl.  Cut in butter/shortening until it resembles course meal.  Add milk and stir until dough forms a ball.  Knead 14 times on a floured board and pat until 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into rounds with a 2-inch round cutter.  Place touching in greased cake pans and bake for 15-20 minutes.

I use my Kitchen Aid to mix and knead the dough.  So my adjustment is to mix with dough hook until the dough has formed a ball around the hook.  I then pat to 1/2 inch thick and cut. 

Also try adding chives, rosemary, and other herbs and spices to the biscuit dough.  For a nice crust brush tops with butter, oil or egg-wash.  Above all enjoy your homemade biscuits!

Fun Weather!

Oh my gosh! This weather is completely AWESOME!!!! I love these late spring storms! These past few weeks have been great with the showers, down pours, thunder storms and hail! The biggest bonus of this weather...I don't have to water my garden! And more of this rain to come...wow, God is AWESOME and HE can do whatever he wants with our weather WHENEVER HE wants!

Now, I'm going to comfort my dog, Roxy...who is NOT thrilled with the thunder.