Last Post

Ok, no its not my last post with you all, BUT it is the last post I will be making off of a smart phone.

I've decided its time to simplify, and get back to the while reason for having a cell phone, for emergencies, and long distant phone calls.  I've found that this expensive device, with an over priced service, is more like a toy, with a large monthly bill.

Knowing that I'm going to have to get used to not having this, the first thing I did was uninstall Face Book, and all of the many games I have on here...yes, I went into a slight withdraw...and then I got busy, my laundry is pretty well caught up, my bathroom is clean, and my kitchen table is almost clear....It made me realize just how much time I spend with this contraption. It truly makes me wonder, if this is why everybody says they don't have time to get stuff done...words for thought.

I sent that pattern off to somebody else to have tested, so I'm going to be able to have it up this weekend.

Still Cold out

Hi there!!! Sorry its been a bit since my last posting, but things have been a little busy here. Its been really cold out, as it is everywhere here in America. This means extra trips out to the chicken house to check on everybody, and since we don't have a heater for Sam and Jaspers outside water bowl, I make them come in more often than they like so that I know they are getting eats and drinks.  For a husky the cold isn't really a problem, but the ability to get unfrozen water is a problem.

I've spent parts of today doing some deep cleaning, and tossing of things. I'm not really doing "spring cleaning" but I think its more cabin fever cleaning. I gathered all of my yarn and crochet supplies up, and carried them all up to my craft room so that I can get an eye full of what yarn I do have, and don't have....and I have a lot...probably more than I need really...oh wait, I need it all!!! LOL I just left my current project down here, which is a hat I'm slowly working on for my dear husband.

Speaking of crochet, I'm still waiting to hear back from my pattern tester, but hopefully I'll be able to post it to you guys soon...I'm pretty darned excited about it to tell you all the truth. Its nothing big and fancy, but its fun!!!

I'm thinking I'm going to try the carrots again in the Rubbermaid tub. Now that I have found my spray bottles, and watering them will be much easier, I think I can get it to work this time!!! They actually sprouted the last time, and got nice and tall...but well...I didn't get it watered...lol

I don't know if I told you guys, but we ordered some Black Copper Maran hatching eggs. They should be here tomorrow, and I'm really excited about it. We got the incubator up and running on Sunday so that we could make sure the heat is going to stay steady, and to make sure we have a good humidity level in there. Unfortunately Maran's are really hard to hatch out.  I'm actually on the search for a BCM Cockerel, we are planning on breeding our own, and keeping our own stock, and selling off some of the extra fertilized eggs. Now, yes, I know there is a possibility that I will get a male or two or three or more out of this batch of eggs that are coming, so it seems silly for me to be looking for a cockerel from somewhere else. Well you see, I'm hoping to get one that came from a darker egg than these are coming from, so I'm hoping to be able to breed hens that lay the darker Maran eggs. Its quite exciting.

Macaroni Pizza skillet meal

 

Are you ready to tickle your taste buds, with something that takes no time to throw together???? Well good!!!!! This is just a little something I whipped up this evening for dinner with a few things I had in the fridge from this past weeks meals. The most time it takes, is browning the beef, and cooking the macaroni noodles...and truthfully you know that doesn't take long at all.

 

here's what you need

1Lb. ground beef, browned

1 box of macaroni noodles

4 slices of round provolone cheese

1 cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese

enough pepperonis to cover top

1 small jar of pasta sauce

 

While your noodles are cooking, brown your beef, then drain. Mix the pasta sauce with the beef, and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Add your cooked macaroni, mix well. First place your provolone cheese, then cover with pepperoni, and then cover with the shredded cheddar cheese, cook until the top cheese is melted, and then remove from heat. 

 

That's it, easy peasy. Oh, in case your wondering, when I say 1 box of macaroni noodles, I mean a regular macaroni and cheese sized box, or just use about 2 cups of macaroni from one of the big boxes.

 

Enjoy!!!  

My favorite baby sweater set

 

All of us crocheters have that one crochet pattern that we turn to again and again, and have made so many times that we almost have it memorized. That holds true for me and this pattern. I've made this set for so many baby showers, and by request again and again. Luckily its a free pattern so I can share it with you all!!!!  The best part about these patterns here, are that they work up so quickly, and its up to you what color combo you use. You can make them solid, or striped, you can make them solid with a different colored edging, I've done them many different ways.

 

The pattern for the hat is here

 http://www.susan.kraus.net/pages/pattern5.html

 

The pattern for the booties is here

http://www.susan.kraus.net/pages/pattern6.html

 

and the pattern for the sweater or Sacque as its also called is here

http://www.susan.kraus.net/pages/pattern4.html

 

I hope you all enjoy this pattern, and just so you all know, this pattern was written by Susan L. Kraus, and the pattern is copyrighted, by her. While your at her web page, check out her links to her different charities. You never know you might find one you will want to crochet for.

 

Enjoy and happy hooking

Snow...snow...and more snow

I didn't venture out to take pictures of the snow today because it was just way too cold. The way the wind was blowing out there, I just didn't want to spend much time out there if I didn't have to. So I just went out, did what I had to do and got back in.

We hung a third nesting box the other day, and its so popular, that we only had one egg laid on the ground today. Our egg count is back up, so that's a major plus. But 6 out of 7 of the eggs we got today were laid in the new next box.

So I'm convinced that the Black Copper Maran lays the best eggs ever. Unfortunately they aren't the best layers, but their eggs are just the tastiest...so that being said, I made my hubby do a great big internet search for some Marans to add to the flock...it would seem however that the chickens that I've fallen completely and totally in  love with are really hard to find, and are really expensive. So my hubby turned to eBay, the place to find anything, and he ordered an 18 pack of Black Copper Maran Eggs that are ready to be put in the incubator. I will be getting the incubator up and running as soon as they show up in the mail, and we will put them in the incubator the next day. I'm so excited about them. I have decided though, that I'm going to go ahead and breed my own, so that I can keep my own stock of Marans, specifically the Black Copper Maran. Now the coo coo maran is a common maran, but I don't want them. Its not about the fact that the BCM are rare that makes me want them, its the eggs...the eggs are just...I don't know how to describe it except to say they are rich in flavor.

I still want to raise Easter Egger Chickens, I just have to work on getting a coop/run plan in order for everybody so that they can all have their own space so that we don't have to worry about rooster fights.

I'm still waiting on my tester to get back to me on the pattern that I'm going to be sharing with you all, but I'm hoping that I'll hear back from her by tomorrow or Friday at the latest.

Keep warm and stay safe!!!!

Cookies

 

Its snowing!!!! Gah, I cannot wait for this winter to be over!!!! It seems like there hasn't been a week that's gone by this winter where we haven't had snow laying on the ground, even if its just a dusting, its snowed just about every week so far.

 

So, what do we do on a snowday??? When we are trapped in the house, and can't go outside to play??? We bake cookies!!!! yay!!!!

 

So every now and then I like to treat myself with something a little special. I love Ghiradelli chocolate!!! It is the best stuff in the world, especially when you are just craving chocolate. I decided to treat myself this week with some Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips. Yes they are a little more pricy than Hershey, or Nestle, but they are worth it. ( Now don't get me wrong I bake with the other two, and find them delicious, but there is just something different about this brand).  So, I don't follow any specific recipe, I tend to just use the recipe on the back of the package, and truthfully I think they are all about the same when it comes down to it.  So, I'm going to share the recipe from the back of the package. (you can also find this recipe and others at www.ghiradelli.com )

 

So here is the recipe from the back of the package.

2 & 1/4 cups unsifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks butter) softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated.

 

Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture, stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired). Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake from 9 to 11 min or until golden brown

 

 

Enjoy!!!!  

MY 100th POST!!!!

So, as you can see by the title, this is my 100th blog post!!!! Alright, so really its not all that exciting, or anything to celebrate, but hey, its post number 100.

So in honor of my 100th blog post, I thought I would tell you guys a little about myself that you don't know already.

My husband and I will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary at the end of this month. We met at Walmart a little over 10 years ago. He was in line ahead of me, I stalked him through the parking lot, we went for coffee, and the rest is history.

I was born in 1980 in Bakersfield California to divorced parents. My mother remarried in 1983 to the mail man and he moved us all out here to Virginia in 1984.  So I guess you could say I'm a transplant who's roots took.

I hate doing laundry
I can not walk by a deck of playing cards without stopping to make sure they are straight.
I am hopelessly addicted to Robin Hood stories, my favorite 4 Robin Hood movies are Kevin Costners version Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Errol Flynn's, Mel Brooks, Robin Hood, Men in Tights (that one is hilarious if you've never seen it), and then, there is this one version that just makes me cry like a baby, it has Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, and Robert Shaw, its called Robin and Marian, basically its about an aging Robin Hood and Maid Marian, and its the final battle between Robin Hood, and the Sheriff of Nottingham...well in the end Robin and Marian die...its just the saddest thing ever...it was made in 1976 so its not like I'm giving spoilers. But yes, there is just something about Robin Hood that makes me feel a little girlie.

I love old movies, and old music, and hard rock. I'm addicted to coffee.

When I was a kid, I wanted to move to Texas, marry a cowboy, and own a ranch. My plan was to go to the honkey tonks with the love of my life and go dancing every weekend, and I wanted to be up on the stage singing as well...yes, when I was a kid I also wanted to be a country music super star. I had big plans.  They could have been realistic, because people have made that kind of stuff happen, but thankfully I grew out of that.

I guess that's about it, don't want to bore you guys with the craziness that is me!!!

So, here's to 100 More!!!!

Keeping your Chickens Warm

That cold vortex is coming back around again!!! That means the temps are going to drop back down to really super cold lows. We have a heated chicken house, which people tend to look on in different ways. Some say its good, some say its not. If not done properly depending on the heater, it could be a fire hazard. There are many ups and downs to that, but I'll get into that hear in a minute.

I have done a little bit of looking and have come up with a small list of ways to keep your back yard flock warm in these cold Temps.

First thing first, their shelter needs to be solid and capable of staying dry and draft free. But there does need to be some air flow allowing the stale chicken air to get out and fresh air to get in, so that the ammonia doesn't build up, and to keep them from breathing in the unstoppable dust that's part of a chicken house. Chickens do have frail respiratory systems, so you will want to look at your own coop/house design to make sure they can stay warm, but have an air flow as well.

Make sure that they have a continuous supply of unfrozen water. Hen's need plenty of water to keep them laying.

Do a good Deep littler method. Make sure to turn the litter regularly to help keep it dry, and change it out regularly as well. That's some good compost for the garden.

Have a roost far enough off of the ground that they don't get the chill of the ground. Also make sure that the roost is made of wood, not plastic or metal. The wood doesn't get cold like the plastic or metal, and will help their feet maintain warmth.

About an hour before bedtime give them a good amount of corn. The corn will give their bodies energy to keep warm.

If you have a heater, you don't want it to be hot in their, just warm enough to keep the water from freezing.  Be careful of the kind of heat you use in there as well, because with all of that liter in there, it can be a fire hazard. So do your research well. A clamp lamp with a heat bulb can be used to heat a chicken house.  We use a radiant heater in ours, it bounces off of the floors, and coops, and heats the air nicely.

Most backyard chickens can handle temps down into the 30s. Just keep an eye out for frostbitten combs, and make sure they have fresh water, and keep them out of drafts, and follow some of the basic things in my list, and you should be fine and dandy!!!

Just us Chickens

 

Chickens are so fun to watch!!! I love all of mine for the most part. They are entertaining, relaxing, fun, and yeah, a bit of work, but not that much really. I took these today when I was out there, I always have my cell phone in my pocket, and for the most part it takes better pictures than my digital camera, so I just use it.  

 

I think I managed to get just about every one of my chickens/pullets/roosters/cockerels in a picture today. As you can see, everybody is growing swiftly. When I look at all of the ones I've either hatched out, or had since they were just a couple of days old, I'm simply amazed at just how fast they have grown. 

 

From the experience we've had with the mail order chicks, I can tell you all that Ideal is a great company to order from. The prices are great, and the chicks are absolutely healthy. All of mine have grown wonderfully, have no health problems, and are most generally pretty happy.  If you are thinking about ordering, check out their online website, its easy to use. www.idealpoultry.com 

I cant say it enough about their website, its easy to navigate, and if you have questions they have all kinds of ways to get in touch with them, and they are super friendly.  (I guess this is my company review/plug for the day, and no I'm not getting anything for this, promise)

 

Its calling to get cold again this weekend, and for possibly more snow!!! Who's ready for winter to be over???? I know I am!!!

Coming Soooooon

Hey Everybody!!! I have a new free pattern coming soon, I'm just waiting for my tester to get back to me to let me know its A-OK on her end...although I'm pretty sure it is, I tested it several times on my end....just know that you will need an H hook, some white, some yellow, and some red worsted weight yarn, a yarn needle for sewing, and some black buttons....So sometime next week, be prepared to hook happily!!!!!

Two New Layers

 

OK, so its only exciting to us, but the two girls from our first batch of chicks have started laying. the fact that they both gave us eggs on the same day is even more exciting. Believe it or not, they are 4 months old already!!!  Time sure does fly when your having fun. The really neat thing is that both of these girls, who have the same parents, have given us 2 different colored eggs, one being lighter than the other. The one egg is the same color as the red star egg, that's the darker tan colored one. 

 

The Red Star Chicken is what is known as a Sex Link. Sex links are bred by breeding two specific breeds together, and it will produce a chicken that lays really awesome eggs, and when they hatch out as chicks, you can tell weather they are boys or girls. The Red Star girls come out a reddish color, and the boys come out kind of white.  Now this trait will not pass on to whatever hatches out of their eggs. These two girls however because of their parents should be decent layers.

 

This isn't the first time we've had beginning layers, but it is the first time we've raised Chickens from Hatchling to layers.

 

Scalloped potato casserole

 

Sorry for the horrid picture, it would seem I had gotten my finger print on the camera lens and didn't notice until after this yummy concoction had been eaten.  So, as you all know, I love a good casserole, especially when its cold out. It wasn't too bad today, but towards 1 or 2 pm, it started getting kind of cold, and now its sleeting/snowing/raining...also known as a wintry mix.  This is a fairly cheap and easy casserole that takes no time at all to put together, and have on the table.

 

1 box (4.7 oz) scalloped potatoes

2 cups boiling water                    

2/3 cup milk               

2 tbsp. butter              

1 LB. round eye steak cubed

1 can green beans drained   

4 oz cheddar cheese cubed into small pieces

small diced onion

 

Heat oven to 450

mix butter, sauce mix from scalloped potato mix, and stir until everything is dissolved, then add the milk and scalloped potatoes. Let the potatoes sit for a few minutes until they have softened up some. Then add the meat, green beans and onions, and mix well. Once everything is mixed together, randomly put the cheese on top.

 

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese has browned up some.

Enjoy!!!! (oh and just so you know, my husband gave it his stamp of approval)

                 

Book Review

 

Hi all!!! Its just me again...this time with a crochet book review. I recently got an order for a pink white and brown baby blanket, with free reign on the pattern. Now I have about a billion crochet pattern books, and of course I have about a billion things to do, but I couldn't turn down a crochet order...its my excuse to be able to neglect other stuff to crochet. Well, I knew I was going to want something fast, and I sure as heck wasn't sure exactly what kind of a pattern would look great using those colors.  So while I was picking up my yarn, this book caught my eye, its Learn To Crochet Mile-A-Minute Baby Afghans, by Leisure Arts.  So I picked it up and flipped through and this one caught my eye...and well who really needs an excuse to add to the pattern library???  I did notice however that the book seemed to sell out quickly at Walmart. So I found the link where you can purchase the book if you so wish through Leisure arts website. They also have it available as a digital download as well. Here's the link  http://www.leisurearts.com/products/learn-to-crochet-mile-a-minute-baby.html

 

Now let me talk about this pattern for just a minute here. This pattern was super easy to work up, and really easy to follow. Its a very well written pattern, and I think I would make it again. These blankets are generously sized, and I think if you change the colors around a bit, would make a great gift for a loved one in a nursing home. They would be great lap blankets while they are sitting in their wheel chairs, or would be great for brightening up their rooms a bit. They would also make great throws for the back of a couch, or draped over that rocking chair that sits in the living room.  You could also just make them ahead to have on hand for those last minute baby showers.

 

This was my first mile a minute anything, and I'm (pardon the pun) hooked.

Good Morning!!!!

 

One of my favorite times to spend with my chickens is in the morning when I first open the doors to their house. Some come ripping out into the run to check the ground for bugs or bits of grass, or just whatever may be out there for them. Some of them decide that its time to eat and flock around the feeders.  And then some just jump up on the roost and watch to see what I'm doing or if I have any special treats in my pockets for them.  The two in the bottom picture I'm hoping will lay colored eggs for me. I'm not sure what eggs they hatched out of, but they are from my last batch that I hatched out, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they came out of the olive eggs that hatched out.

 

I got my Mc Murry hatchery catalog in the mail the other day, and it would seem its easy to spend hours pouring over one of those catalogs. By the time I was done looking at it, I had marked how many of each I wanted by the pictures of the chicks, and it would seem I want way more chickens than I have room for. I'm fairly certain though that Mc Murry would have had no problems whatsoever taking my money for that particular order.

 

This morning some of my young roosters (from the first batch of chicks we hatch out last year), have decided to be aggressive. I think maybe they were testing the waters...well one of them thought he was going to attack me, and he thought wrong. I don't think he will be trying that again any time soon. I think next month we will be processing some of those rooster chicks. We were hoping that the roosters from the last batch we hatched out would be able to be big enough for butchering at the same, but I don't think those boys are going to let us wait that long. Poor Sinatra ( my head rooster) is showing signs of battle. He has some bald patches from where it looks like they have been challenging  him. 

 

 

Monday Madness

OK, so its really not been a bad Monday, but it sounded good.  My hubby had a doctors appointment this morning, just a regular kind of visit. Then when we got home I started a load of laundry, and cut up some apples and ripped up some stale bread rolls for the chickens. I must say those little piggy's have eaten all of the bread and most of the apples so far. Since they have a longer run, I was throwing it as far down the run as I could, and that was most amusing. My chickens love anything that's a special treat as all animals/people do, so watching them run all the way to the end of that 30 foot run was great.

I was working on cleaning up my kitchen some, and I realized that I really need to take everything out of my cabinets, and my pantry, and I need to just go through and reorganize, and figure out just what I have, and what I don't have.  After 9 years of living in this house, we really have stuff!!! Its truly amazing to me when I get up on the step stool looking for something in the back of one of the higher cabinets and I find something I forgot I had, the other day I found a long lost hand juicer that I had forgotten about. I think I had bought it to make lime aid, which is a really yummy treat in the hot summer...I may have to make that this summer....its really easy, I'll post the recipe when I make it.

I would say that my goal for this year is to be "more organized" or to "keep a cleaner house" but those were my goals last year, and my house isn't dirty or anything like that, but the "more organized" part never happened. I figure if it happens it will happen, one room at a time.

Expansions for the Chickens

 

Yesterday was a really long cool wet/busy rainy day. And we were out in it!!! We were at a point where we needed to hurry and get our chicken run expanded because those 15 chicks we had, which are now pullet size, were getting to big to stay in those coops and crates anymore. So with the help of my husbands life long friend, we got the kennel panels, and went from 10 feet of run space, to 30 feet of run space. I can tell you our original 8 were incredibly happy, and have gotten their "run" on.

 

Once we got the Kennel walls up, and the bird netting over top for every bodies safety, we opened up the doors to the chicken house and out they came. As I suspected my Black Copper Marans were the first to venture all the way to the end of the run. They are some really adventuresome girls.  So while everybody was enjoying the grass, and extra space, we set the crate with 5 young chickens out in the grass, and left them there for a few minutes. The hubby hung a head of cabbage, and set out a fresh flock block, and then we opened the crate, and the coop doors, and everybody slowly emerged. There was a little bit of pecking,  which we knew would happen, but nobody got hurt.  This morning when we went out to check on everybody, and to release the birds out into the run, the newbies were on the roost, and we had 4 eggs waiting for us in the chicken house.  Then a couple of hours later when we went to check on everybody again, there was an egg waiting for us in the middle of the run.  Those are some happy chickens!!!!

 

What a day!!!!

We've been having some epic cold weather, that the all important weather people are calling an Artic Vortex....which basically means that everybody is cold no matter where you are. It made for quite the day here. We had to keep the chickens shut in their house where it was warm, and we didn't have to worry about frost bitten combs. My hubby has taken care of them the last two days because of the ice out in the yard.  Apparently the chickens like him better than they like me, because they have given us a good number of eggs over the last 2 days. they've given us 11 eggs in 2 days...just 1 shy of a dozen. Really for this kind of weather that's not bad.  Its calling to get down to 2 degrees tonight, I'm not sure what the wind chill is going to make that.  But I do know early this morning we had a wind chill of  -15.   Thankfully tomorrow its going to get back up into the 30s.

Today unfortunately we suffered a bit, our pipes froze, but thanks to some space heaters we were able to get our water unfrozen and moving again. Before I go to bed tonight, I'll make sure to turn the water on so that it drips and keeps the water from moving.  We do now however have 12 gallons of water....my dear, dear, sweet husband went to walmart and got some supplies for this frozen pipe nonsense.

So who's ready for spring?????

YUCK

Its already cold out, and we already have snow laying on the ground, but NOW we have freezing rain pouring down out of the sky...looks like chicken stuff is going to be a blast today. I'm so ready for the spring thaw to come about.

Today however is a great day to work on my crochet projects.  Everybody be safe and warm!!!!

Chili

I had some pictures for this blog post, BUT this is one of those days when technology doesn't want to work for me...or rather everything on my phone wants to update right stinking now, so I'll come back later with pictures. Some days I think my smart phone isn't so smart.

With temps plunging down, down, down into the minus temps, some times a person just needs something good and hot and easy to fix for dinner. Easy being the key word, especially when you are busy.  I like something that I can just throw together and walk away from. This recipe is perfect for that.

1 lb. ground beef (or more depending on how meaty/chunky you like your chili)
2. cans diced tomatoes
2. cans kidney beans (dark or light)
1. small onion diced
1. Small bell pepper diced
1. pack of chili seasoning

Brown your beef together with your onions and bell pepper, drain well. While beef mixture is draining, in a big pan, add your diced tomatoes, and kidney beans, making sure to drain your kidney beans part of the way, add your beef mixture, and then your seasoning packet. Mix well, set your heat on medium low, and walk away, just stir it randomly. After about an hour it will be good to go. You can let it sit as long as you want though. I've been known to start this around noon, and forget about it until my hubby gets up for work around 3:30...I just start it when I have time, as I'm walking through the kitchen for one thing or another, I'll stir it to make sure its not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Top with Cheese, maybe add a little sour cream.  Enjoy and keep warm!!!!

Pickled Eggs

 

Pickled Eggs are always a tasty treat, especially when your Chickens are laying really good, and you have more eggs than you can give away. Since I've started keeping chickens, if I'm going to boil eggs, I always boil more than I need, because there are always a few that aren't going to peel pretty. I only had about 4 out of this batch that didn't peel pretty, so I gave those to my chickens, who thought they were getting the best treat ever!!!!  As you can imagine, you're not going to be making large batches at a time, unless you have a billion chickens. I only got 2, 2 quart jars worth (10 eggs in each jar). 

This recipe is a very basic recipe. I decided to go basic, since its the first time I had ever made pickled eggs, and according to my husband they are really good, especially if you dip them in mustard. (I think it must be a guy thing or something, I'm not sure) (the mustard part) But they did turn out pretty good for basic pickled eggs.  Now this recipe is for 1, 2 quart jar, but its easy to double as needed.

 

4 cups Vinegar

1&1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

Boil until all the water appears to have boiled out, you will have under 4 cups of liquid...when you feel like your eyes are going to fall out of your head, and your whole house smells like you've scrubbed it with hot vinegar, you will know its ready.

 

In a jar, before you add the peeled hardboiled eggs, place 1&1/4 tsp pepper and some bay leaves.

If you want your eggs to have a touch of sweetness to them, add about a 1/4 tsp. sugar to each jar as well. 

 

After you pour the hot boiling liquid over the eggs, put your lid on and screw the ring on tightly. Once the lid seals, let the jar get to room temp, and then place in the fridge for about 2 weeks before you open them. I randomly flipped mine upside down, and right side up to make sure they pepper and bay leaves got all through.

 

Enjoy!!! And happy egg eating!!!