Of Spoonbread and Chickens

What to do when roads are slick and snow-covered and provisions are running low? Five hungry faces are demanding to be fed and will simply not settle for PB+J (again). Make spoonbread!

• 1 cup white cornmeal (I was out of cornmeal, so I ground popcorn kernels in my Wondermill grainmill to make our cornmeal)
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 large eggs, well beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, combine cornmeal with 2 cups of water; add 1 teaspoon of salt. I also added a couple Tbsp of honey.Bring mixture to a boil then lower the heat; cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. The mixture will be very stiff. Remove from heat and slowly stir in 1 cup of cold milk. Stir in the beaten eggs and melted butter. Preheat oven to 400° and heat a greased 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or 8-inch square baking dish. Pour the well blended batter into the hot baking dish; bake for about 40 minutes, or until firm in the middle and nicely browned. Serve hot, straight from the baking dish, covered in real Maple Syrup. Mmmmm....

Late in the afternoon, I was able to steal away for a few precious minutes outside. It was a blustery, blizzardy kind of day here. Not nice for jaunts outside, for sure. But a peak in on the chickens was all I needed to recharge for the rest of the evening. They seem to be holding their own nicely in the cold, now that we've moved them to their smaller "winter house". I brought them some veggie scrap goodness and they repayed me with clucks of contentedness. But... we have a problem with the chickens: No eggs for almost a month. Not a one. They are healthy, and eating/drinking heartily, so not sure what the problem is. Hopefully they get the hint soon or to the chopping block it will be. Can't afford to feed any mouths around here that aren't giving in return. As to butchering- not sure who should be more afraid of this idea- we, or the chickens. More on that later...if they coninue not to lay...



Once inside again, Ava (6) and I shared a game of Bananagrams. And while dinner (leftovers) were reheating in the oven, Brenna (3) and I made Grandmother Wolford's rice pudding. On another day with more time, I may just share that goody with you. For now, I'm off to nurse sweet Charlotte (9 months) and then battle the icy roads to work for a few hours. Stay warm.