Letters
A Food Blog to Love: Judy’s Chickens
Dear Kay,
We’re sixteen days from Thanksgiving glory—a world of time to put some thought into your Thanksgiving strategy. Everything seems possible. Brine a turkey? Deep fry it? Stuff it with a duck inside a chicken? BRING IT ON. To aid in your dreamy dreams, I’d like to point you to Judy’s Chickens, a blog that this very day celebrates its first anniversary.
Our friend Judy Wright dazzles us on a regular basis. She has knitted four bed-sized mitered square blankets. She grows a Nashville garden so beautiful that it has brought tears to my eyes. She does in fact raise suburban chickens. And she cooks with a curiosity and love that is utterly contagious. When she announced last year that she was starting a blog exploring food and garden (and the occasional chicken), my instant thought was: This is going to be good.
What I didn’t anticipate is how adventurous it is. She’s not prissy—she’ll recommend a Trader Joe’s pie crust or minced garlic. What makes Judy’s Chickens a blessed antidote to the chaos of most recipe sites is the fact that she is a fantastic storyteller. You’re right there with her, diving into not only the how-to but the why. One section of her blog, Farming, takes you on visits to local farms. She’ll go deep into sorghum making.
She takes you to a canola field.
Here are a few Judy’s Chickens posts on my mind for our family’s Thanksgiving table.
1. Cauliflower Three Ways. A cruciferous odyssey.
2. Mom’s Pumpkin Pie. Judy’s mom was the best. As is her pie.
3. Italian Ricotta and Lemon Cookies. Rich yet light. How can this be?
4. Marion’s Crazy Good Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips. This stuff will tame the most challenging of relatives sitting at your breakfast table.
While you’re browsing, here are some Judy adventures from the MDK archives. This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to adventures with Judy:
That time when we started a knitting circle.
That time when Judy’s friend came to the knitting circle.
That time when Judy showed up in our driveway in a Model A.
That time when Judy took my sweater home because she looked great in it.
Happy blogiversary, Judy! Hey everybody, the best gift you can give a blogger is a Follow. I think you’ll enjoy Judy’s Chickens.
Love,
Ann
PS Our system for subscribing to our blog is all new, and we’re starting from scratch. Two ways to hear from us:
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Talking of recipes, remember Kay’s corn soufflé? Could she possibly give some quantities? A can of corn? Corn comes in at least 3 can sizes! A packet of corn? Same. Some numbers please! It sounds yum!
I think it’s a 28 oz can of corn but the beauty of this recipe is that it works no matter what. It’s the normal size can of corn and bag of frozen corn–the pre-Costco era size can.
Thanks Kay. I live in Australia so your instructions are sinking me ever deeper into mystery, but a recipe that works no matter what? I have to go for that!
Great recipes here! And a wonderful upbeat way to start my morning. Thanks!
Dianne
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There have been several “spaghetti squash” conversations lately among my friends. You lead me to Judy’s Chickens which shows exactly how to cook it. Divine timing. Can’t wait to poke around her site when I have time.
The Midas of all things makeable. She creates beauty and is equally beautiful. The lemon ricotta cookies are AMAZING!
Vesia, thank you for those poetically kind words. I’ll never forget the night I met you in Carrington’s kitchen, both of gushing over how good the lemon ricotta cookies were. The next day you made a batch and we gushed online. Thankfully, we became friends because of these cookies! xo
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Glad that you are back, it was always something different and fun.
LOVE Judy’s blog. Love Judy! Fantastic pumpkin bread. Made a few loaves to tide us over until our kitchen renovation is over.
Thank you, Anna!!
Those cookies are calling my name! The photos and other recipes are wonderful as well. Guess I’ll have to spend more time reading Judy’s blog.
Thank you, Elaine!
My favorite thing to do when I discover a new blog that I can tell I want to Follow, is to go to the Archives and start from the beginning to get caught up. It’s hard to really know the full story unless you take the time to do that. So I’m very excited to start at the beginning with Judy. Thanks for sharing! xo Tammy
Wow! Thank you, Tammy for reading it from the beginning. I’m happy to say I’ve been reading MDK from the beginning and it is what inspired me to start blogging. MDK has always been a happy and funny place. I’m so glad they are back with a daily post. Thanks!
I only roast cauliflower – tastes like french fries!
I had sweet potato pie yesterday. Super good.
Pumpkin bread with CHOCOLATE CHIPS! Two of four grandchildren are hanging out with us on a rainy Veterans Day. We’re going to give that recipe a try.
Deborah, this recipe is a keeper if ever there was one. I hope you and your grandchildren like it. There is something about the combo of chocolate and spices that keeps you coming back for more. Thanks!
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Thank you! I’m making Judy’s spaghetti squash recipe right now, and plan to make the pumpkin bread tomorrow. My goodness, but that Judy can write.
Thanks, Barbara! Hope it turned out well. When you have a long rainy weekend, try Aunt Bridget’s Chicken Soup with Meatballs. The tiny meatballs have grated lemon and ground nutmeg in them and are amazing.
It was delicious—I added in leftover pork loin cubes to make it an entree. Aunt Bridget, oh my, I can’t resist nutmeg. Thanks for the recipes!
Barbara! You are A-mazing. So happy you’ve already tried the soup and that you enjoyed it. I agree with you on the nutmeg. Thanks for writing!
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Thanks to my dear friend, Ann, for surprising me with this lovely post yesterday morning. To have an esteemed author like Ann write such complimentary words about my blog made me grin from ear to ear. That she is my friend and wrote those words, made me a little dewy-eyed as I drank my first cup of coffee.
xxx’s and ooo’s to Ann and Kay!
Judy Wright is one of those people who constantly amaze me with her talent and with the love of others she expresses every day. I love that others get to see the wonder of Judy through her blog. I could hardly believe it’s been a whole year. I hope there are many more like it to come.
Thank you, Mary Sue. With sweet comments like that, I’ll keep blogging. Remember when we (mostly, you) knit all of those scarves for Siloam refugees? And how about all of those beautiful desserts you make at Chirstmastime AND your outrageous whole wheat hot cross buns at Easter? And then there is your day job. You are an inspiration for a beautiful life well lived.
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Hello!!! I had thought you were gone for good … and, just by chance, I ‘bumped’ into you this morning!!!!! (BELLS RINGING!) My cup runneth over!!!!
Re-sign me up, please. I hit the wrong “button” the other day and un-subscribed myself! Horrors!!
I enjoy you all too much and don’t want to miss anything!