Recent content by desertcat

  1. desertcat

    Whole Wheat Pasta? Any good recipes?

    If you are trying to use all whole grain flours, you might try mixing your own "all purpose" flour. It's nothing more than 2/3 whole wheat and 1/3 barley flour. The barley is lower in gluten and lightens things up significantly.
  2. desertcat

    We have a problem, the neighbors got a new dog. Update: now kids

    Not to hijack, but wanted to let drumstick diva know that used veggie oil is really good at killing cactus. Apply generously on a sunny day, the hotter the better, and it gives up pretty fast. Usually takes a couple of applications to completely "cook" the cactus.
  3. desertcat

    40 Minute Hamburger Buns or Rolls

    2dogs, if you want to use straight whole wheat flour, they will be very dense (and that may be the understatement of the year ). I do almost all of my cooking avoiding white flour (for lots of reasons) and what I've found helpful is to use 1/3 barley flour and 2/3 whole wheat. Sometimes...
  4. desertcat

    Bitsy bird needs help--laying problem

    All is still well this morning. Just spent the last hour puttering around the chicken pen to observe everybody and Bitsy is acting like her usual self, bright, perky and trying to sit on my head while I pulled weeds. Have no idea why she decided to quit laying, but think it may be stress, or...
  5. desertcat

    Bitsy bird needs help--laying problem

    I think the problem is solved. Went back out after posting to give Bitsy a thorough going over with the flashlight. Pulled her off the roost, inspected vent (looked better than it did earlier), poked around on her abdomen (nothing unusual) and offered her a treat. Wouldn't touch it. Then I...
  6. desertcat

    Bitsy bird needs help--laying problem

    Just went out to tuck the girls in for the night and found that my 1yr old RIR banty is not right. Stand spraddled, tail down and not looking like her perky self. Color is good, though. When I inspected her vent, it had some slimy, stringy whitish goo stuck in the feathers. Vent itself is...
  7. desertcat

    What's the absolute easiest way to make a run?

    Have to second the dog kennel. Not only do they show up on craigslist, but a lot of smaller hardware stores will carry all the parts and you can make one that is the size & configuration that suits you. A couple of hours to bolt it together and add any predator precautions you want and you're...
  8. desertcat

    Chocolate Sheet Cake

    This is one of our family favorites, too. No birthday is complete without it! When I ended up on a no-white-flour/low sugar diet, it got adapted for that. (Thank goodness, no one said anything about low-fat.) Took some doing, but who's going to argue about having to eat a LOT of chocolate cake?
  9. desertcat

    Chocolate Sheet Cake

    Trust me, butter does NOT ruin this cake!
  10. desertcat

    Amarillo Chicken Owners!!!!!!

    Hoo boy, just when I thought I was living someplace sane. Last year, the city website said that 12 hens were legal with no restrictions. I'll drop you PM when I get some time this afternoon, Rosco.
  11. desertcat

    Pee-Yoo

    My sister swears by Febreeze for making skunk annointed dogs bearable when it's too cold for baths outside and she doesn't feel like snaking the drains inside. She just cautions to pick a scent you really like and attempt to liberally douse the dog before it gets all the way inside!
  12. desertcat

    when the D stands for DUH hubby!

    One of my favorite DUH moments was several winters ago when I was running a boarding stable. We didn't have auto waterers and asked that in the winter, if people watered the horses, that the hoses be drained. I was almost (keyword here) the last one out one night and I drained the hose...
  13. desertcat

    looking for ginger cookie recipe

    This is one of my favs from The Christmas Cookie cookbook. Just be sure to flatten them a little before baking, or they stay pretty puffy. 3/4 c shortening 1 c sugar 1 egg 1/4 c molasses 2 c all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp each ground ginger, ground cinnamon additional...
  14. desertcat

    I really needed to read this

    Thanks Buff Hooligan! I had wondered how my eagle-eyed DH could spot something in my crowded pantry, but not on the kitchen counter. Thanks for clearing up the mystery!!
  15. desertcat

    The Girl Effect

    Something similar, based on the same data, is Heifer Project. They help the girls get suitable animals (cows, sheep, chickens, etc ) for their area. It's been several years since I've had any involvment with them, but they were having great success in lots of parts of the world. Instead of...
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