Lucky the cocerals truly lucky day!!!

Well I decided today we would have a nice chicen soup... My son Louis had incubated some Rhode Island eggs last spring and well the incubator was faulty and out of a huge clutch, he hatched 1 and called him lucky!! Joe & I had decided before the snow hit to move the chucks to a sheltered area in the forest, using building site fencing as a temp home, so its been a while since I had a good luck at the birds as the boys have been looking after them, well today I went to take a look to see who would be for dinner.... Lucky was the one I was planning on, when I had a good luck I realised the cockeral was no longer, he has matured into a beautiful hen.... and he really was a cockeral last time I looked... honest.. So after looking around, I found we only have 1 cockeral left as we have given some to friends to start there flocks off as we had decided to be sensible and not feed too many birds over winter as here it is a harsh winter, we had also been desimated by a fox before we moved them into the forest, so there we have it it was Luckys, lucky day!!!

Well how about a recipee???

It for BONE SOUP!!!

Its not that bad honest….. my mother in law is Hungarian and I learnt this from her…. its tasty and frugal.

What ever bones you have put a pile of them in a saucepan full of water,(I use my jam kettle as you can fit a whole chicken in there, or a load of bones..)
When its boiling, turn down to a simmer,
Start taking the skum off....With a spoun or a Tea strainer... when you have finished you should have a clear water base, with the bones,
(The meatier your bones the better,  when butchering I always leave more on the bones knowing they are destined for soup… well thats my exscuse any how and i'm sticking to it!!!)
you could also have added any offal , heart, kidney,
Add the veg, at least, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip, a whole onion, spice and seaoning… Celery sticks or celeriac… and whatever else you have around,
I some times add star aneise, 2 cloves, one dry chilly, bay leaves, mustard seeds and a selection of store cupboard herbs or a bouquet garnie….
Simmer up till all cooked through, add in small potatoe cubes and when they are cooked serve….

Joe whos Hungarian prides him self on his chicken soup, its perfectly clear with a golden tinge, he puts in the onion with the skin on, which gives the gold colour… after he has stolen the chickens flavour he removes it and puts it in the oven to roast, (at least half an hour in the soup with the veg before you remove it)  this with a home killed bird, helps tenderise the meat and is the only way to cook home reared chucks as otherwise we find ours have a tendency to be tough….

Little funny story..
In Budapest I ate the most amaizing chicken soup my mother in law had ever cooked, On stating this, my mom answered me.. saying "you dont want to know whats in it!!"
On looking in the pot I saw 2 sets of chickens feet floating and the whole head including the chickens comb…..euuw!!! Next my sister in law started knawing at the feet…. almost too much for me…..lol….. But it was tatsy…
So as I said put as much offal in as you dare!!!!!!
Oh and serve with fine noodles floating in the soup….
Yum yum….

Dottys training...

Dot's doing so well, shes walking on the lead to heal perfectly and listens intently to you, so off Andre and I went in the forest today, I've been giving him some advance quad driving lessons, how to use the gears properly, judging hills, careful driving means more miles out of limited petrol reserves... and emergency driving technics, if bike rolls or tips What to do.etc. but best to drive so carefully that you never need to get to those points....lol
Any how I have been training Dotty the dalmation to follow her roots, they were originally carriage dogs that would follow under the carriage or just behind it, so she's learning to run by his side on the left, and how she enjoys it, her tail never stops wagging, when you get in she pops on her bed and thats it shes out for the count... shes such a happy dog and definatly becoming one of the family.. I think we shall have to consider teaching her to be the only spotty sheep dog in the area.....mmmmm

Any how I better go, I still havent finished my wishes, wants and needs lists.....byeee