U is for ...Update!

My World is very much based around the everyday goings on in the Nesbitt household, a very important part of this is our hens.

Our hens back in July!

Here they are going to bed a few nights ago. From the left, Olwyn,(Dark Brown) Eva, May,(Beige) Margie,(White) Bev, (Black) Mabel, (Dark Brown)

They now have a regular routine and go to bed independently when the darkness is approaching, usually around 5pm.

By watching their movements I am now confident that all 6 hens are laying eggs on a regular basis. We are getting between 4 and 6 eggs every day,

Top left Bev
Top Right Margie
Bottom left Olwyn & Mabel
Bottom right Eva & May


The taste of the eggs is outstanding and we have eggs for breakfast every day and I am discovering new recipes evry day. One recipe I am going to try is this one:-

Indulgent spinach, bacon, cheese and potato frittata recipe

Ingredients:

* 100g of lardons (we used home cured ones, chopped streaky bacon slices will do at a pinch)
* 2-3 medium potatoes, peeled, sliced and cooked until soft
* 2-3 tblsps of chopped parsley
* 6 large eggs
* 200g of spinach
* 50g of mature cheddar cheese (cut into squares)
* 15g of grated mature cheddar (topping)
* 2 tblsp of olive oil
* 1 fat garlic clove (chopped very fine)
* Good twist of ground black pepper

Method:

1. Fry the bacon lardons in the olive oil until crispish (soft on the inside, browned on the outside). Peel and cook the potatoes. When the bacon slices are ready, set them aside. Meanwhile prepare the other ingredients.
2. Wash and wilt your spinach (the wash water will cling to the leaves.) Pop into a large saucepan (lid on) for 2-3 minutes until they wilt. Remove, wash with cold water and strain in a colander.
3. Chop your cheese, whisk the 6 eggs with a fork and chop your herbs and add them to the eggs along with the other ingredients.
4. Heat the bacon infused olive oil gently in a large pan. Add the finely chopped garlic. When the oil is hot and the garlic golden pour the beaten egg (with the chopped cheese, bacon, spinach and herbs) into pan. Immediately turn the heat down to the lowest setting. After a mnute or so arrange the cooked potato slices over the top, sprinkle the grated cheddar and leave for 15 minutes. Do nothing. Set the timer for 12 minutes!
5. When the timer goes off set your grill to the highest setting so that it will be sizzling when you transfer the frittata from stove top. Finish under the high grill for 30 – 60 seconds.
6. Serve immediately with a green salad.

“The codfish lays ten thousand eggs,
The homely hen lays one;
The codfish never cackles,
To tell you when she's done;
And so we scorn the codfish,
While the humble hen we prize;
Which only goes to show you,
That it pays to advertise”