Caveman Brain or Thank You Jimmy Fallon Thank You Notes

I have heard it said that if you want something done it is best to delegate it to a busy person (if you can't do is yourself, of course). As a severely ADD person, this is an especially true bit of wisdom for me.

When I have a lot on my plate, I feel like I can get anything done.  However, when there is nothing much going on, don't expect me to be able to self-activate.

For over a week now we have been visiting my wife's family in Ohio.  A majority of this time has been down time (though I re-painted a barn, and rebuilt a barn door in the first couple of days).  I could have used this time to finish several blog posts I have started, or think of something new to write.  Today I had a block of several hours to myself while they all went to church. Instead of being creative, or useful in some way, I have remained in my PJs watching 20 straight segments of Thank You Notes on Youtube.

I should have this published before they get back, so all is not lost.  Now I will go eat the egg I fried half an hour ago.

PS There is a hypothesis that ADD is the pre-agricultural norm.  Unless something really has to be done, we like to preserve calories and go to mental hibernation. Producing dopamine all the time must be exhausting, but it gets the garden weeded in August.  

Easy Eggs for Camping

There are no better scrambled eggs out there than the ones you make from your own backyard chickens. The one exception is the scrambled eggs you eat when you are camping regardless of the source.  Everything just tastes better when you are outside and hungry.

My brood from 2010

Taking eggs camping, and especially backpacking, can be a daunting task.  Sometimes you just keep them in the carton in the cooler and everything is fine.  Sometimes you get those fancy camping egg cartons and they break all over the place.

A couple of years ago when we were responsible for breakfast for 12 on a winter hut trip, my wife came up with the idea to simply break the eggs into an old peanut butter jar.

This last weekend I decided to take it one step further and put all the ingredients in the jar too.  It did indeed make for some tasty scrambled eggs.

Her'es what I like in my eggs.

For the three of us (my wife, the two year old, and myself) I broke six egg into the jar.  I like soy sauce for saltiness and flavor, green chile, because I am from New Mexico, and yogurt for fat. I usually add butter as well.

You want some kind of fat or grease for really good scrambled eggs to help keep some of the really tasty proteins strong and so they don't squeeze out the water.

At Camp, Pre-Scramble

At Camp, Post-Scramble

Notice I taped the top, just in case it got loose.  To scramble, just shake vigorously just before you pour it in the pan.

I like a really hot, and well oiled, pan to cook it quickly.  I only cooked half of this at a time to avoid over cooking some of the eggs.  You know you have over cooked your eggs if they leach some water when they hit the plate.  I would guess that eggs are overcooked 99% of the time. Most people tend to overcook them, and then continue to overcook them some more until they evaporate all the water that got squeezed out of the eggs from cooking them too long.

With a hot pan, your eggs should be done in 10-30 seconds

 Mix quickly when the eggs hit the pan and pour the nearly done eggs onto your plate.  They will continue to cook and will set up right there in front of you.

Morning protein for a long day of, biking, hiking and climbing

How long will these be good for? With a cooler I'd feel safe 4 or 5 days out.  For backpacking you probably want to have this for your first breakfast only.  However if you have a food irradiator, you could keep it in that jar for quite a long time.

Happy Eating,

Charlie