A group of us neighbors in Herzman Mesa chipped in on 15 chickens. A 6' X 10' coop was build and fenced in. The ladies are happy to get treats and especially enjoy fruit: apples, grapes are among their favorite and they especially love watermelon. They also get a chance to free-range.  They love that! They'll follow us everywhere, even into the house. Colder weather will be here before you know it and they keep nice and cozy and warm inside the heated coop. It took about 6 mo. for the girls to start laying eggs and they were small at first but got larger as time went on. They, of course, all have names: The yellow ones are: Lucy and Ethel, the Black one is Rosa Parks, Barrel Rocks are: Thelma, Louise & Fancy Nancy, Aracanas are Rachel Ray, Julia Childs, and Martha Stewart (could you guess that those last three are mine?) and Cecilia. Brown is Molly Brown and Red is Florence Nightingale. Marilyn Monroe is a Silkie and has feathers everywhere, even covering her feet! Sometimes when I let them out of the coop, Marilyn will stay on the perch, turn around and wait for me to pick her up and set her down.

Here are some of my favorite egg recipes:
Like a lot of egg dishes, these recipes are a blank canvas and you can put most anything in it as you choose. Cheese and cut up veggies are always a winner. Make sure if you use any meat products, they are fully cooked before you add them. This first one (Shirred Eggs) is amazingly simple and extraordinary good!

Ingredients:

2 LG Eggs

1 Slice Ham (thinly sliced)

1 teas. Chopped Chives

1 TBS. Heavy Cream

Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325f. Liberally grease the inside bottom and sides of an individual soup crock (bowl) with butter. Line the bottom inside of crock with ham slice. Break two eggs in crock over the ham. Add cream and swish around briefly. Add chives and a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Place crock in oven for approx. 20 - 25 min. When whites of egg are solid, it is ready to serve.
Serve with toast and coffee.

Ingredients:

1 Sheet Puff Pastry

6 LG Eggs

1 LG Egg (for egg wash)

6 LG Red Bell Peppers (Roasted)

1 1/2 Pounds Spinach (trimmed and washed)

8 Oz. Swiss cheese or Gruyere (thinly sliced)

8 Oz. Ham (thinly sliced)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350f. Prepare the eggs (Make two 8" omelettes - in the round),
cook and cool spinach (squeeze out any water from spinach). Roll out pastry
dough on a lightly floured surface enough to cover the bottom and sides of an
8" spring form pan with enough to fold over the top completely. Butter the
bottom and sides of the pan and line the bottom of and sides of the pan with
the dough overhanging the excess outside of the spring form pan.

Layer the pan in this order:
1.) Omelette
2.) Spinach
3.) Ham
4.) Cheese
5.) Roasted Peppers
Then reverse the order with the roasted peppers in the middle:
6.) Cheese
7.) Ham
8.) Spinach
9.) Omelette
Carefully compress the filling and fold the overhanging dough over the top of the torte, using egg wash to seal and brush. Egg wash over the completed top.
Bake at 350f. for approx. 1 hr. 10 min. or until the top is golden brown.

For more information on rates and availability for catering in Evergreen and cooking classes, contact Chef Trusan at:
[email protected]
303.517.6225
TrusanCuisines.com