Cupcakes!!

---

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,171,131180-245194,00.html
Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

 (drum roll) Time for CUPCAKES!! These cupcakes are delicious.  I think they are one of the best cupcakes in the world!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vinegar

Preparation 
Mix all of the ingredients well with a spoon or(or fork) mixer. It should be brown and smooth. Free of lumps. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Cupcakes will turn out moist and delicious.

The Batter

It tastes better then it looks, next project;  food photography  

The Chicken Chateau and The Chicken Tractor

We have a huge chicken coop, we call it the Chicken Chateau.  We also have a small movable chicken coop that we call the Chicken Tractor.  There are many other types of coops like a Chicken Igloo and lots of others.  When thinking about building or buying a chicken coop, you have to know about how many chickens you will have.  The Chicken Tractor is more for the 2-4 chicken range, the Chicken Chateau is more in the 6-12 range.  You also have to think about your climate, if you live someplace with lost of wind, a coop with wind-proof wall would help.

Here are some pictures of the Chicken Tractor:

Front View of the Chicken Tractor

Back View of the Chicken Tractor

Side View of the Chicken Tractor

Here are come pictures of the Chicken Chateau:

The Chicken Chateau side view

Looking into the top floor

Nesting boxes

Door to look into the nesting boxes

Eggs!

Bottom floor

 

Cornbread

Corn bread is delicious when you melt butter and honey  and put it on the cornbread. Mmmm...


Ingredients:
1 cup Corn Meal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

                                                  Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.
Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.
Combine milk, vegetable oil and egg in small bowl; mix well.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended.
 Pour into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Serve warm. 
Makes 12 servings.


Apple Crisp

I decided it was time for some recipes!  This Apple Crisp is delightful with ice cream!

Ingredients:
4 apples
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter


Step 1.  Heat the oven to 375 F.  Cut each of the apples into 4 sections.  Peel apple sections.

Step 2.  Cut apple sections into slices (you need about 4 cups).  Put apple slices in the pan.

Step 3.  Put brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until mixed.  Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples.  Pour water over apples.

Step 4.  Put flour, granulated sugar and butter in a medium bowl.  Mix with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle crumbly mixture over apples.

Step 5.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

Step 6.  Enjoy!! Add ice cream if you like.

And The Bunny...

We also have a bunny named Snoopy.  He's (or she) so cute!

Pictures of my Hens

 I took some pictures of the hens.
Below:  Pumpkin

Left: Coconut

                                                                                       Right: Mango

Left: Fleck or Flack, I'm not sure which.

Meet My Marvelous Chickens

I am going to start by introducing my chickens.  I only have hens because roosters are too noisy and do not lay eggs.
Pumpkin is a Rhode Island Red, we have had her since she was a chick.
Mango, Fleck and Flack are black and orange chickens, I suspect that they are Australorp.
Sticky Rice and Coconut are white chickens that we got at the same time as Mango, Fleck and Flack.  I think they are also Australorps.
Grandma Georgia (G.G.) is a small brown chicken with a puff of feathers on her head.
Wings looks like G.G. but does not have the puff of feathers on her head.
Abu Beiryani (in Arabic it means 'father chicken' and, yes she's a hen) is the smallest chicken.  She is black and white and, has a big puff of feathers on her head.