Hummus ~ Broiler Chicks (Week 4)

What's Cookin'?

Hummus:  I adapted this recipe:
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetizerssnacks/r/hummusbitahini.htm

I didn't have any tahini nor sesame seeds to make any so I just omitted that ingredient from the above recipe.  Basically, I added the following into the food processor and whirred until it was smooth.

~ 16 oz drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas) [I soaked and cooked about a pound earlier in the week; used 1/2 for another recipe] *See directions below
~ Juice from 1 lemon (would be fine with just 1/2 lemon)
~ 2 Garlic cloves (next time I'll just use one)
~ 1/2 Teaspoon Real Salt
~ 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

I was going to make some pita bread 'real quick' and serve it for lunch but it was getting late.  Instead I served it with sea salt bagel chips.  I avoid msg, soy, and various other ingredients so we only get the sea salt flavor in most things.  Weirdly, the bagel chips I used don't show the same ingredients on the amazon link so I didn't post them since I can't recommend them if they have what's listed at amazon (L-cystine?  No way!).  I double checked the bag at home and they are different.

Everyone in the family seemed to like this dish.  Next time I'll try to serve it with flat bread.  I hope to get my sourdough started up again soon.

*To make your own garbanzo beans/chickpeas soak them overnight in plenty of filtered water with the juice of 1/2 lemon (make sure to strain the seeds!).  The next morning (or that night if you started soaking in the morning) drain, rinse, drain again.  I use the crock pot so... put into crock pot with at least 2 extra inches of filtered water.  My legumes take about 30 hours on low on the crock pot so don't get discouraged if it feels like they're taking forever.  Garbanzos are firm yet easily mushed with a fork.

This recipe adjustment is part of Kelly's RFW:
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2011/12/real-food-wednesday-12212011.html










Apple Tarts:  Along with the hummus and bagel chips (and raisins that dc wanted) we ate a freshly made apple tart each.  Mmm.  So easy.  I used left-over pie crust from a cherry pie, rolled it into small circles and lined a paper cup-lined muffin tin with the dough.  I defrosted 2 C of frozen apples; tossed with rapadura and pumpkin spice; filled the uncooked tart shells with the apples; put a tiny bit of butter over each one.  I baked in a 350F oven for 30 minutes and then loosely covered the tin with foil for another 20 minutes.








Chicken Saga:

The 17 4-H broilers are finally out of the garage and in their little shed.  Dh got the shed set up inside and moved them when we were gone yesterday.  What a gift!  The olders surprised dh by cleaning out the garage this afternoon.  It'll take forever to get the "dust" out of everything but they really did a lot of cleaning.  As of this typing he hasn't discovered it yet :).

The problem I'm having with these broilers is that we plan on eating them after the fair in January but we're feeding them JUNKY regular feed that I'm sure has GE corn, soy etc in it.  Ugh.  I've been researching organic chicken feed and it is outrageously expensive (sigh).  I found a cheap one in VA but shipping is the same cost as the 50 lb bag.  My plan is to get at least one bag to feed them at the end.  We give them dried meal worms for treats and they love it.  I'm still trying to stay away from the chicks because... I think they're cute.

They are in a pen in a plastic shed the previous house owners left behind similar to the one below... only a bit more rickety.  Dh sealed up the gaps from the inside.  They seem happy although the lows this week are suppose to be in the 20s (F).  They are 4 weeks old and have a heat lamp.  4 more weeks or so 'till the show.

[Update:  The wind was so strong (and cold!) yesterday that it almost blew the door off and messed up dh's coverings of the cracks.  He had to fix it and now we need a new latch.  We had to put in a second heat lamp.  Just as I was thinking that the shed could make a good permanent hen house later for our layers... If it were in better shape it would be great - they even have 2 plexiglass skylights, plenty of air ventilation and the walls are doubled so it's insulated.  Otherwise they look good - I'm just cringing with the feed we're giving them.]

This post is part of Frugal Days Sustainable Ways blog hop at Frugally Sustainable:
http://frugallysustainable.blogspot.com/2011/12/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-6.html