TanksHill...Roll on!!

[FarmerChick]

well back and for sure you didn't miss anything. mall was LOL LOL

truly it stunk. the stores changed. they were more hippie/young kiddy stores with very high prices. All clothes etc I wouldn't be buying. Seemed odd but tons and tons of shoe stores?? Like no one had shoes and needed 5 stores to buy shoes



didn't eat at the food court. it seemed nasty so we ended up at Razzee's Cajun. Good for me, bad for Tony. Too spicy for him and he is paying the price. Me I got a cast iron gut so I did well HAHA


and didn't buy anything at all. We spent ALL the time mostly in Bass Pro. Tony wants to buy a crossbow. The one he liked was $600. Fair price and it was sexy ya know...I told him it looked 'good on him' HAHA...but he wants to check more into them before he buys.



NO VACATION this year. Uh, get your butt somewhere girl. the vacations and a change of scenery as sooooooo important!!!

Do you have any type of getaway planned anytime soon???? you know you need too lol

 

[TanksHill]

Sorry Karen I have not been on my journal for a but. Yeah the mall is not one of my favorite places. As for vacation, desert season starts in about a moth. We will be hopping. I can't wait to sit in the dirt for a while.


Sun. 25???

As I sit here watching the news I can here a variety of roosters. I have my study old bared rock, then that little black one, a mix natural hatch and then onof my Freedom rangers is down. ther doing his best.

My neighbours must love me.

I had a busy day yesterday.

Roasted a huge head of sunflower seeds.
Dehydrated a ton of apples.
Mowed the lawn.
Brought all my picked corn in. Only a wash tub full. But will be enough for planting next year.
Gathered up all of my butternuts. There must be at least 20.
Started a pot of chicken stock. I still need to can it this morning.
SIL is having a carnival themed bday party for her kids today. I made bean bags last night for her Corn hole game.

I went and bought another 30 or so pounds of the on sale apples yesterday. I would love to stay home today a make pie filling but I have to go.

The weather has been fab here. Fog in the mornings. 60 to 70's. Then fog back in the afternoons. The cool season crops love it.

Well tests about it. I must get moving.

G

 

[savingdogs]

holy cow, I get tired just reading the list of all the stuff you got done! My list was....fed animals, went to the store, made dinner.

 

[TanksHill]

I really love the days when I get a bunch done. My Tuesdays and Wednesdays are much like yours SD. I get my kiddos off to school, move the wash through and usually I try to run and errand or two. But on the weekends I don't have to worry much about the kids or dh. Except feeding them. I don't have to do school pick up or even leave the house if I chose not to.

So I can get a ton more done.

I canned the stock. It's sitting in the pressure canner as we speak cooling. I ended up with 15 pints. I did quarts last time so I figured pints were a good idea. I did just realize that the stock made with home grown carrots and just a couple dollars worth of celery and onions really helps to bring down the overall cost of the meat bird production. I used 6 carcases. I have quite a few more.

Starting to think what else I can make with chicken carcases. I have a ton of stock maid. I either need to start using it more stock or stop making it.

I am trying to make room in the big freezer for the next batch of birds. So I need to get some more lard rendered as well as the stock. I have several quart mason jars with leftover stews and soups in there as well. Not sure what to do with those. I guess I will try to eat some for lunches next week.

I have a ton of laundry to fold. Guess I better get to it.

G

 

[Farmfresh]

We cook up the backs and necks like for a stock, but instead of just making broth I make chicken risotto.

When the broth is done I de-bone all of the meat. Then I start frying up the rice with some butter or chicken fat and onions. Start stirring in the stock a little at a time and keep simmering until the rice can hold no more broth and is cooked through Then I add the meat back into the pot with the rice and sometimes add frozen peas, more pre-cooked veggies (like left overs) and mushrooms.

Sometimes we just gnaw the meat straight off the bones, which totally disturbs my sister and just cook some rice or noodles in the broth as a side dish.

I think I am going to make some risotto now... you have made me hungry!

 

[TanksHill]

I am not having a good day in the kitchen.

So after my apple issues today I decided to cook some chicken for dinner. Now this was a family pack I froze just last week. Freedom rangers cut into pieces.

Well some back story. When I cut up the rangers I thought the legs felt a bit stiff. To be honest I thought they were just close to frozen. I had them in an ice chest for over 24 hours and it was very cold.

Well I thawed them. Put them in a pan and proud bbq all over. Baked for 1 hr & 20 min.

The legs were stiff and chewy.



Some one please tell me all my frozen birds are no going to be like this.

What did I do wrong? Is it because they were free rangers? dh said the breast was not bad.

Ahhhhhh!!! I think I am going to cry.

Any advice???

g

 

[Farmfresh]

You might have not given them enough time chillin' before freezing. I usually hold mine in the refrigerator at least 2 to 3 days before I freeze them.

You have not processed all of your birds yet have you?

 

[TanksHill]

ok so now what? no 30 more to go. But I think the cornish x only chilled a day or so.

oh well.

g

 

[Farmfresh]

Very first of all before you get too freaked out you might want to try another chicken or two.

Second assuming that they ARE all TOUGH. I will say if it happened to me ... and it HAS, I would just plan on using at least the legs and thighs of the stiff ones in meals that use diced up meat. NO loss - just adaptation - and lesson learned.

Your cooler might have been too cold to allow them to go properly through the rigor mortis. Probably the breasts which are thicker muscles did not get so cold so they are not as tough. Next batch keep them closer to fridge temps with no freezing, hold them a bit longer and see how those turn out.

 

[TanksHill]

Freaked out, over reacting?? Who me??

Good advice and thank you. I figure slow and moist will be best. So we don't want the ice chest too cold? Not something I thought of. Maybe if I start doing smaller batches I can fit them in the fridge.


Well you live and learn.


Thanks,

G