Snow, Snow, and More Snow!...Plus a Recipe

Today it has lightly snowed all day off and on. We've got about 3" on the ground, and our temperatures have stayed in the lows 20s even during the day. As the sun sets now, it will fall into the teens. Thankfully, all of the animals have water heaters. For the cows, it is a small heater that floats in their water tubs...otherwise, their water would freeze. The cows generate enough body heat that keep them and the 9 chickens in the barn with them comfortable. We turn on a heat lamp at night for the other 15 chickens in the "house barn" or garage/barn. That definately helps them. With the newer chickens who are our meat/layer breed called Freedom Rangers - they are a heritage meat bird unlike the Cornish Rock Cross Meat Birds that are normally used - we are getting more eggs now. The Cornish Rock Cross birds are unable to reproduce, die from heart trouble if kept too long, and so many other health problems due to all the genetic modifying that has been done. We raised them the first year, but said "why are we feeding them organic feed and trying to be healthy, when they are not healthy birds to begin with?" So we did the Freedom Rangers this year and have been very happy with them. We kept 10 hens and 2 roosters to raise our own little meat chicks. That will be fun come spring.

Today was a good day at work...I got a lot done which always makes me feel good. A lot of projects are beginning to roll along which is always exciting. The new chat site that we'll be having will bring a lot of technical improvements that we've been hoping for. I was excited to welcome aboard a new trainer today, John. John is a great guy to work with and very detailed, so I know he'll work well on our team.

For supper tonight, we'll be finishing up the Cream de Glase, and as promised here is the recipe:

8 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar (we use evaporated cane juice)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine eggs, milk, and sugar in the top of a double boiler, and cook over hot, not boiling, water stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture is thicked (similar to cook and serve pudding) and slightly coats the spoon. Pour into bowl to cool. Serve with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Makes approximately 6 servings.

My cake decorating class last night went really well. I have 10 students in my class, and they are all very excited. Everything went smoothly even with the bad weather and roads. Here is a picture of my cake from class last night...