Have you been looking for locally grown food this year? This month’s challenge is to find and use locally grown eggs. It shouldn’t be hard this time of year. Any hen that is going to lay eggs will lay in the spring. We have a full refrigerator to support that claim!
We have recently moved our chickens from the barn area to the grassy areas. We usually do this around March 15, but with the snow and muck this spring we didn’t get to do it until the 30th. So now our hens and roosters can have true free range and fresh air and sunshine. Here is a hen walking down the run to the ground.
And here are some of the chickens eating their feed for the day.
Fresh air and sunshine are an excellent combination for the production of most food. And raising layers outdoors leads to an excellent egg!
We sell eggs by the dozen – $4.00 / dozen. Email us if you would like us to set some aside for you.
Later this month I will give you some suggestions about how to cook with eggs. In the meantime, what do you make with eggs? Do you use locally grown eggs or free range eggs? How do eggs fit into your diet?
April’s Cooking Challenge is to use local eggs. I prepared a breakfast dish we enjoy from the owner of Mamma Leone’s Ristorante. The egg yolks were bright orange and the whites were thick. As necessity is the mother of invention, I altered my recipe today according to what was in my refrigerator. In lieu of zucchini, which I had previously used in another recipe, I cut up a pound of mushrooms and I added fresh spinach to the dish. The recipe is to supposed to serve 2, but we stretch it comfortably to 4.
Mama Leone’s Eggs with Zucchini
1 small zucchini
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
2 oz. diced prosciutto
4 fresh eggs, lightly beaten
Dash of salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Cut the zucchini into thin slices. Heat olive oil and butter in skillet. Add zucchini and cover for 5 minutes. Add meat and cover for another 5 minutes. Add eggs, cover and cook for 4 minutes or until set. Sprinkle cheese on top.
The biggest draw for us to your farm is the eggs! Your eggs are better than ANY eggs we can find in stores, including free-range organic from stores. I don’t know why it makes such a big difference but the difference in taste is clear.
Thank you!
These are good recipes to go with a veggie supper or for breakfast………..actually delicious anytime! From my husband’s
Tante J. in Germany (Bavaria). Can eat hot or cold.
AufLauf (Name for a hot baked dish/casserole)
3 c. flour
3 c. milk
5 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/5 lb butter
1/8 c. sugar (optional)
Mix flour and milk until smooth
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Pour into a large greased rectangular pan.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
It puffs up in peaks.
Opening the oven door while baking may cause the peaks to fall.
Apple AufLauf
1 1/2 lb apples
1 c. or less of sugar
1/4 c. ground or sliced almonds
1/8 lb butter
3 large eggs, separated
1 c. milk
3/4 c. flour
lemon juice
Cook the apples and sugar in small amount of water.
Grease large rectangular baking pan.
Put apples in first , add a little lemon juice – then add remaining ingredients except the egg whites.
Beat the egg white until stiff and fold them into the ingredients.
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes
My breakfast routinely involves two eggs, and is made in a fry pan:
I start with a vegetable “mattress” on medium heat, made with oil-sautéed onion, some herbs and spices that vary, and other veggies like peppers, zucchini, mushrooms or previously cooked root veggies.
A “blanket” of greens goes over the hot veggies, usually raw spinach or pre-cooked kale and on top over the greens or sliding in among the greens, two eggs.
Cover, lower heat, allow eggs to poach and spinach to wilt.
Some times I add a tablespoon or two of water to keep the herbs and spices from sticking to the pan.
Serve with salsa.
I buy the extra large eggs at the co-op, mostly they are Meadow Creek or Red Gate, both from the Finger lakes area.
Thanks for the fun invitation to talk about eggs!
We got locally grown? raised? produced? eggs from a friend and we ate, as our April cooking challenge, a filled omelet.
It was filled with chopped broccoli and shredded cheese. We enjoyed eating it.