The Bird in the Hat

Backyard Poultry

How Cute Is That?

See how perfectly the bonnet fit on Pepper's head? The back part was a little rectangle, maybe an inch by an inch and a half, held on by two separate tiny fabric ties. Once we fit the bonnet on, we wrapped the ties around and stitched them onto the back of the bonnet. Only thing was the wattles...well, Pepper would just have to get used to that.

No, Really, It Can't Choke You, Pepper!

Well, can't you tell how much Pepper likes this? This is the least violent of the moves this chicken made to try and free itself of the 'horrible' thing! It ended up almost choking itself before we regretfully removed the entire bonnet with scissors. Apparently our plan had failed. Oh well, I guess it's back to the vegetable treats and chicken toys to try to keep those sharp pecker beaks where they belong. 

A Chicken Bonnet

Backyard Poultry

Pepper's New Hat

If you thought that last idea (baby toys for the chicken coop) was a bit overdone, please prepare yourself for this next one! Yes, I admit to--one and only one time--sewing and attaching a fabric "bonnet" to a chicken's head. You see, a side effect of excessive pecking and feather-pulling behavior translates into bare chicken skin. And not just anywhere: this poor chicken's head had lost nearly all its feathers. I decided to spare you a picture of it, but believe me, it looks much better with the bonnet! I thought it fit well, but Pepper, the 'poor chicken,' did not. Stay tuned for some close-ups next (and detailed instructions in case you decide to make one yourself)!

Mirror, Mirror

Backyard Poultry

Good to Eat?

Finally, we see a little bravery here! With a chicken, the unfailing first thing to do when checking something out is to peck at it. And that's exactly what Buckeye did as soon as the toy appeared to be safe enough. Did you ever wonder what plastic tastes like? I don't know if chickens always peck just looking for some treat or scratch grain hidden in the corners, or if it's actually some form of interacting with the object. I have one hen that always comes up and pecks at my clothes when I'm in the chicken coop. I've never had scratch in my shirt, so I don't know what she's after!

Who's the Fairest of Them All?

Seeing their own reflections in the mirror seemed to really freak my hens out. They were like, Do I have a double or who is that chicken? The Araucana, Acorn, which you can also see in the picture above, could not seem to stop staring at itself. That's what chickens do when they're having a pecking-order who's-on-top contest. Funny thing is, this chicken didn't move unless Acorn did!

Getting Closer!

Backyard Poultry

The Brave One

Which brave chicken will take the risk and approach the intruding enemy? It's good old Cherry stalking warily up to confront that creature . . . bird . . . chicken? . . . in the mirror! Why, Cherry, did you ever see yourself before? These chickens sure thought it was strange to be face-to-face with themselves in that mirror! I can't tell you if they realized it was actually themselves or if they thought some new hens were visiting their coop. But you can be sure they are all crowded behind Cherry, watching with dread. Will any more chickens be brave enough to take a look?

Chicken Toys

Backyard Poultry



Coop Invador??

Well, if you thought that my long delay in posting meant that my chicken woes are over, I'm sorry to inform you differently. Just because chickens have the most luxurious house, treats fit for a king, and two hours of daily attention from loving keepers, doesn't mean they will stay out of trouble! And what trouble those little sharp beaks can cause. Turns out the feathers of other chickens are desired even over scratch grain by the biddies in my coop. And I am not just referring to loose feathers blowing around the pen. Do you get the picture? Anyway, I went to the thrift store and got a couple baby toys to amuse the hens. I took this picture just after hanging up one of the toys in the chicken run. The hens seem to think a UFO or some other extraterrestrial creature has paid them a visit!!

World's Best Pizza

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Too Good To Eat

Well, now that we have a great pizza crust in the oven, let's get some mouth-watering toppers going. The main feature is the hamburger sauce, which I like to start a couple hours ahead of time to let it simmer. Here's the recipe for one 12" pizza pan.

In a medium saucepan on high heat, melt 2 T. butter and fry 3 T. chopped onion. Stir a few minutes, then add and brown:

1 fresh tomato, chopped               1 clove garlic, chopped

1/3 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Next, add 1 1/2 lbs. of hamburger and mix well. Sprinkle over the meat:

1 T. oregano                    2 t. basil                     1 t. thyme

2 t. chili powder           1 t. raw honey                 2 t. olive oil

Stir for 4-5 minutes, until about a third of the beef is brown. Turn onto very low simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Right before baking, make a white sauce and stir the beef mixture into it. This makes a nice creamy layer to spread on the pizza. For the whitesauce:

Brown 2 T. flour in 2 T. butter in another saucepan. Add 1/4 c. of heavy cream and 1/4 c. of water. Stir til thickened, then add to beef (or vice versa). Remove from heat immediately.
 

To layer the pizza, first spread on the beef mixture. Top with 2-3 cups of fresh cauliflower florets, blanched. Sprinkle on 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, and then 1/4 c. diced pimientos. Garnish with any other condiments to your liking. Bake again for 10-15 minutes, til nicely browned. Enjoy fresh and hot from the oven!

Perfect Pizza Crust

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Fresh from the Oven

You are probably thinking as you read this post title, can you really avoid white flour, tomato sauce, and prepared-food preservatives, and still enjoy pizza? The answer is a definite yes. Okay, it's not going to be exactly the same thing you can buy prepared in a pizza box; it's going to be better! So please, let me explain how I make my own gluten-free, sugar-free, preservative-free pizza!

The basis of the crust was a specially-prepared pizza crust mix of non-gluten flours. You can buy a similar mix in almost any large supermarket or health food store. Most mixtures are based on rice flour or garbanzo bean flour, and then use xanthum gum, arrowroot, tapioca, and/or other flours to hold them together.

The flour mix you buy should have directions as to how to make a 12"-pizza pan crust. Experiment and tweak the measurements to suit your oven and your tastes. In my experience, the recipes usually call for 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water, 2 eggs, 2-6 T olive oil, and a bit of vinegar for one recipe. And then, of course, a packet of instant yeast and sweetener. I use raw honey as the sweetener and it has worked fine. I always proof the yeast in the warm water and then let the dough rise 15-20 minutes before spreading it on the sheet.

The pizza dough may be the thick, gluey consistency of regular bread dough, or it may be a bit runnier, more like cookie dough. It depends on the particular mix; both consistencies work fine, only the baking time may be different. Here is a great trick for spreading sticky pizza dough onto the sheet: lay a piece of cling wrap on top of the dough lump in the middle of the pan, and use a rolling pin (i.e. empty jelly jar in my kitchen) to roll it out to the edges. Works every time! Bake in a 400-degree oven for 10-15 minutes, usually.

Well, this post is long enough; I guess you will have to wait til next time to find out my secret recipe for "the world's best pizza topping"!