Happy Mother's Day to Moms Everywhere and to my hen, Morgie! 

We have had a lot of excitement at my house. It started out as a bit of a gag. My daughter, a graduating senior from Lake Wales High School, has a friend, a fellow graduate, who was in need of some support and planned to stop by to pick up some chicken eggs. Well with his fulltime job and school, he never made it over, and the eggs sat out for a week. So I decided to fashion an incubator out of a broken boogie board and a heat lamp to see if the eggs would hatch, then when he shows up I could be like- It took you long enough, the eggs hatched into chickens! 

I did a bit of research, made sure the temperature and humidity were good. I also marked the eggs with an O on one side and an X on the other side, to help ensure they were all turned correctly, at least 4 times a day.

So what about momma hen Morgie!?

Let me give you a little background information on my hen, Morgie. Morgie is a Barred Rock and is named after the Bengali word for chicken, Murogira. She is very independent. While my other hens follow our rooster, Jenner, into the coop each night, Morgie roosts on the tree branches above.  Every night, whoever is closing the coop would have to push a broom under Morgie in the tree, so she would climb on the broom and be carefully moved to the coop, like a circus chicken. A couple of days after starting the eggs in the incubator, Morgie was not in the tree at dusk. She had become broody. She had moved into a nesting box and that was that. She wanted to hatch some eggs. So we moved the eggs to her box, and she happily took over caring for the eggs.

She was such a good momma hen. She was attentive, only leaving her clutch of eggs once a day to eat and drink. When the eggs started hatching, I am not sure she left at all. As I moved water close to her and the first two hatchlings, she looked so grateful as she sipped the water. By the next day, 7 adorable chicks had hatched. We moved mom and the chicks to their own protected area of the chicken coop. It has been so much fun watching Morgie and her chicks. Look at how cute they are!

Motherhood is such a joy. 

Here is a yummy recipe to make for Mother's Day or any day.

Keto Baked Coconut Custards

I am so grateful to my chickens for the eggs they share with my family. Here is a tasty recipe that is delicious enough for dessert and healthy enough for breakfast!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup Swerve, or similar sugar substitute (you can use sugar if desired)

1 cup half and half (or milk)

1 cup coconut milk (or milk)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

1. Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 F. Place six 5-ounce custard cups in a 13x9 casserole dish. Set a kettle of water on to boil.

2. Spread coconut flakes on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Set aside 1/4 cup coconut flakes and divide the rest evenly between the custard cups.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolk, and sugar substitute until blended. Combined half and half, coconut milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk into egg mixture. Strain into a large measuring cup. Pour into the custard cups.

4. Place the casserole dish with custard cups on the center rack of the preheated oven and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. 

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the custard, is set in the center. Remove from the oven. Carefully remove custard cups from the casserole dish with a spatula and oven mitt. Place of a rack to cool.

6. Sprinkle custard tops with the reserve toasted coconut flakes. Serve warm or chilled.

Enjoy!