Should You Be Raising Chickens?

My best friend’s niece raises chickens in her backyard.  Now, this may not seem too abnormal, but to me it is – she lives in the middle of Memphis.  But, even city folks are starting to appreciate raising their own chickens.  Having your own chickens helps not only feed your belly (and in a fresh way too!), but can reduce your impact on the environment.  Plus, the chicken manure is great for composting. Before you rush out and purchase all you need for chickens, you first need to make sure it is legal.  If you live in the city, there … Continue reading

Unbeatable Brunch Dishes

Nothing beats a leisurely Sunday brunch, especially on a cold winter’s day. Whether you are cooking for your immediate family or hosting a brunch for extended family and friends, these simple recipes will get you out of the kitchen with plenty of time to enjoy the company of your loved ones: BRUNCH HUEVOS RANCHEROS Ingredients: 2 cups heirloom tomatoes, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup butter, divided 4 (6-inch) corn tortillas 3/4 cup Mexican … Continue reading

Ideas for Easter Leftovers

Easter may be over, but you’d never know it looking in your refrigerator. If you made enough food to feed an army, then you might be dealing with a mountain of leftovers, especially if your guests filled up on Easter chocolate before sitting down to dinner. Don’t let those holiday goodies go to waste. Instead, consider using the following recipes to breathe new life into Easter leftovers, including eggs, ham and asparagus: EASY OMELET Ingredients: 1/4 cup yellow onion, caramelized 3 sausage links, cooked and diced small 3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped 2 tablespoons clarified butter 6 large eggs, … Continue reading

More Easy Easter Potluck Recipes

The good news is you’ve been invited to Easter brunch. The bad news is it’s a potluck and you’re scrambling to find an easy recipe that can feed a ton of people without breaking the bank. Have no fear! The following recipes are ideal for a holiday brunch and can be doubled to feed an army of hungry guests: MEXICAN EGG BAKE Ingredients: 1 package fresh chorizo 1/4 cup diced onion 1/4 cup diced green pepper 1/4 cup diced red pepper 1 (12 ounce) package English muffins, split and buttered 4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided 1 1/2 cups … Continue reading

Recipes for Eater Sunday Brunch

Easter Sunday is one of the most popular days of the year for restaurants serving Sunday brunch (Mother’s Day is No.1). However, with the economy in disarray many families are planning to celebrate the holiday at home this year. If you are planning to nix the expensive restaurant brunch this Easter and create your own homemade holiday feast, then consider these simple and affordable recipes: ELEGANT EGGS AND BACON Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon chopped chives 1/4 cup milk 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks 2 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 extra large eggs Pinch of … Continue reading

Super Saturday Morning Breakfast

I’m all for lazy Sunday brunches, but I grew up with a dad who relished making a huge breakfast each Saturday morning. Our big breakfasts included everything from pancakes and coffee cake to made-to-order omelets plus ham, bacon, sausage and fresh fruit. If you are looking to create a new tradition in your family, I would highly suggest adding these simple and delicious recipes to your breakfast menu: BREAKFAST PIZZA Ingredients: 4 ounces softened cream cheese 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 (12-inch) pizza crust 6 eggs 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper 6 pieces of cooked and … Continue reading

More Egg-cellent Egg Recipes

You can tell Easter is right around the corner because area supermarkets are running specials on eggs. I’m not planning to color eggs this week (though I know some schools and civic organizations are sponsoring egg hunts this weekend), but I couldn’t pass up the deal and purchased a couple dozen. I am now in the process of organizing my egg recipes so I can put these protein rich ovals to good use. If you too are looking for simple yet tasty ways to incorporate incredible, edible eggs into your menu, consider the following: SPRING VEGETABLE OMELET Ingredients: 2 tablespoons … Continue reading

Unbeatable Brunch Recipes

For many families today marks the end of winter break. Kids are back in school and leisurely mornings are a thing of the past. That said I know a group of moms who commemorated the day with a back-to-school brunch. The meal involved quick and easy recipes that minimized time in the kitchen and maximized time chatting about how the holidays were spent. I skipped out on the day’s festivities, but I did get a rundown on the mid-morning menu and the recipes that received the most raves: HAM AND EGG CASSEROLE Ingredients: 6 cups cubed bread (about 12 slices) … Continue reading

Interview with the Chicken Lady 3

Are you ready to raise your own chickens and enjoy delicious home grown eggs? This is the last blog post in our series that asks an expert chicken lady about all there is to know. If you missed the earlier two posts, I strongly suggest that you go back and catch up. Just click on the links: Interview with the chicken Lady and Interview with the Chicken Lady 2. What supplies do you need to raise chickens? How do you house them? Instead of having a traditional coop or chicken house, I decided to make a more portable structure for … Continue reading

Raising Chickens: Interview with the Chicken Lady

Have you ever considered raising chickens? Not only can this be a fun past time, but it can also be very frugal. Imagine, you can have free, organic (if you wish) eggs for free whenever you want them. Chickens can also control bugs and weeds on your property. And, from what I recently learned, raising chickens isn’t as hard as I thought. They also don’t cost very much to raise. I have a special treat for you today. One of our very talented Families.com members has been raising chickens and is very knowledgeable about the subject. She is going to … Continue reading