Mmmmmmm Boston baked beans. There is an article in this months issue of Saveur about this classic dish. Bean "suppahs" really do exsist in New Enlgand every Saturday night. Of course everyone has their opinion how they should be made and with what type of bean. Something I've discovered time and time again, really good baked beans take TIME. There are a million recipes and for mine I skipped the bacon (I know sad) and made them vegetarian. This time I soaked the beans overnight and then the next day I rinsed them and put everything in the crockpot. No pre boiling happened. The first two hours was set on high, the next six hours on low and the final hour on high with the lid off. BINGO! I also used yellow eye beans. They are a sturdy bean but you can use navy beans, soldier beans or Jacob's Cattle beans. If all of these sound foreign to you go to RANCHO GORDO and you can see what these beans look like, I think they are gorgeous.
I've posted about asparagus before it's worth discussing again. It's the first real veggie of spring. I recall reading that it should be eaten to cleanse your system from all the winter foods. So I'm gonna say it, is this why your pee smells so bad after you eat it? MAN. Oh come on you all know what I'm talking about. It's weird. So I think that is the "cleansing" part. ANYWAY....I love to roast it with a little olive oil and soy sauce. It stays crunchy and then I make up some curry sourcream and mayo dip and drag the pieces through that. That probably defeats the cleansing part uh? BUT YUM!
Remember our little camp? It's all winterized with a storm door and "windows". I bought some "boat" plastic off my friend Carla for the windows. I tell you that stuff is awesome. We were hanging out in there and with the sun shining in and it was toasty. I got very excited for summer.
So here is the debacle part. I let my chickens out from 5pm till they go to bed. It's like their happy hour. It's a risk but I only do it if I'm around. All was well, they went to bed and I locked them up. We were sitting on the couch, Joe was watching some tv trash and had head phones on, I was reading. It's dark, I hear chickens screaming and I fly off the couch. Joe says, "MARJ TALK TO ME!" I said, "CHICKENS!!!!" With our pj's on and winter boots we go out there, Joe is the brave one, flash light in hand. Chickens everywhere in the pen. Joe peeks in the coop and says, "you might have a dead one." I'm thinking what the heck is in there? He looks around and sees nothing. I grab the light and look. UGH there he/she is...an opossum playing DEAD under the coop. Somehow I have to get all the chickens together so I can leave the door open to let the varmit out. I grab the chickens, toss them in the coop and lock them down. In the mean time this opossum is at my feet playing dead. Good thing. I can't assess the hurt chicken. We go back in and later when I go out to see if he/she has moved on I'm greeted by the cutest little mouse standing on where the food usually is. Like he was saying, "HEY LADY!" Varmit gone.
Morning comes, the hurt chicken is in pretty bad shape but I'm hopeful. Joe had Monday off. At noon I get a text,"on my way with the chicken." Now you all have to realize Lucky Pet is NOT a large animal or farm animal practice. NOT EVEN CLOSE. BUT my boss knows his crazy employees occasionally need a farm vet. Oh I have a farm vet but the last time I had a hurt chicken he said something about BBQ sauce. My boss and I didn't want her to suffer and when there is a hurt chicken in the coop the rest of the girls turn into seventh grade cheerleaders. NASTY. Joe (my hero) brought her in, we put her to rest. And there my friends was the chicken debacle. It happens.
Sorry about the chicken, but "seventh grade cheerleaders" - hilarious! xo
Posted by: Auntie Pude | February 21, 2012 at 09:38 AM
....and, as a weird aside: I don't mind the asaparagus pee smell, at least it's not bright green. :D
Posted by: Auntie Pude | February 21, 2012 at 09:40 AM
Ahhhhh poor little chick!!! Nssty varmant HATE mice...good looking camp...the beans look delish, and so does the veggie, never tried the olive oil WITH soy sauce. Must try sounds so GOOD!!! Good to keep in touch!!! Have a wonderful day:)
Posted by: Lisa W. | February 21, 2012 at 10:20 AM
My goodness, there sure has been alot happening. What the heck will you write about the rest of the week? Beans look yum! I do my asparagas with olive oil and a little sea salt-double yum! Yes, the pee thing is weird but hadn't heard the cleansing thing so that is good to know. Damn opossum! Poor chicken. Poor you.
Posted by: Lisa L. | February 22, 2012 at 10:22 AM
sad story about chicken.. but I fear we are in a chicken saga here too. Mr. Rooster has now gone into rooster mode and we can't even get near the barn without "dealing" with him. I fear that his days are numbered, hate to make decisions like that, but if I can't see my horses without some drama, then drama has to come to an end!!!!
Posted by: sue | February 22, 2012 at 01:46 PM
Saw some funky tracks around our coop yesterday when we had that dusting of snow (remember that stuff?!) and I wonder if it was your buddy....
Sorry about the chicken loss....glad to know the boss was okay in helping out ;)
I heart your stories!
Posted by: Jennifer | February 23, 2012 at 10:18 PM