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I often take meals up to my step-father’s home to put in the freezer and of course I label them. Weeks later I’ll get a phone call asking for a recipe and because I’m a “shake, dump and throw (SDT)” sort of chef, I’m usually unable to tell him what he ate LOL
Last night I made an SDT chicken that was really delicious so I’m sharing the recipe here while I still remember it. Please note that the measures are approximate – I just usually SDT until it looks right.
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon dried basil
Small box white mushrooms
2 leeks
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Heat extra virgin olive oil in oven-proof skillet. Add chicken thighs and salt and pepper them. Let them brown at least five minutes especially if you aren’t using a non-stick pan (otherwise they will stick). In the meantime, slice cleaned mushrooms and chop leeks (if you’ve never used leeks before, only use the bottom white/light green part – the dark green leaves make great compost but are tough as nails; cut them in half lengthwise and rinse between the layers really well – they may be full of sand – then slice across the halves into narrow slices). Turn the chicken thighs over and give them about three more minutes to brown on the other side. Remove from pan onto plate. Add mushrooms, leeks, and spices to the pan and sauté until the leeks are slightly translucent. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir in. Turn off the heat and put the chicken back into the pan on top of the veggies. Put into a 350 oven uncovered for about 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!
I’ve loved the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for years and have listened to their Christmas Eve and Other Stories CD every Christmas season for many years. For some reason today on my way home from visiting with my step-father in North Carolina, this song really touched me like it never had before – maybe I was paying closer attention to the words or maybe because it's Christmas Eve. Please enjoy this performance by Bart Shatto here . The words are below. He may be a little out there but his voice is wonderful!
In an old city bar
That is never too far
From the places that gather
The dreams that have been
In the safety of night
With its old neon light
It beckons to strangers
And they always come in
And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The music was low
And the night
Christmas Eve
And here was the danger
That even with strangers
Inside of this night
It’s easier to believe
Then the door opened wide
And a child came inside
That no one in the bar
Had seen there before
And he asked did we know
That outside in the snow
That someone was lost
Standing outside our door
Then the bartender gazed
Through the smoke and the haze
Through the window and ice
To a corner street light
Where standing alone
By a broken pay phone
Was a girl the child said
Could no longer get home
And the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
The bartender turned
And said, not that I care
But how would you know this?
The child said I’ve noticed
If one could be home
They’d be already there
Then the bartender came out from behind the bar
And in all of his life he was never that far
And he did something else that he thought no one saw
When he took all the cash from the register drawer
Then he followed the child to the girl across the street
And we watched from the bar as they started to speak
Then he called for a cab and he said J.F.K.
Put the girl in the cab and the cab drove away
And we saw in his hand
That the cash was all gone
From the light that she had
Wished upon
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
Then he looked for the child
But the child wasn’t there
Just the wind and the snow
Waltzing dreams through the air
So he walked back inside
Somehow different I think
For the rest of the night
No one paid for a drink
And the cynics will say
That some neighborhood kid
Wandered in on some bums
In the world where they hid
But they weren’t there
So they couldn’t see
By an old neon star
On that night, Christmas Eve
When the snow it was falling
The neon was calling
And in case you should wonder
In case you should care
Why we’re on our own
Never went home
On that night of all nights
We were already there
Then all at once inside that night
He saw it all so clear
The answer that he sought so long
Had always been so near
It’s every gift that someone gives
Expecting nothing back
It’s every kindness that we do
Each simple little act
I'm encouraging everyone to color outside the lines this holiday season. There are so many people in need, hurting financially or emotionally. Think about helping your favorite charity...or giving to a local family who needs groceries or clothing...or giving to your favorite person's favorite charity in their name. There are so many wonderful organizations out there. Rather than loading your grandkids up with toys they probably already have, contribute to a local humane society in their name and send them a card showing the dog or cat you supported...or go out to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary - they do amazing work and have wonderful stories you can share...go out to Heifer International and buy a bee hive or flock of chickens or any of the many options they have so that a family will be able to support themselves - and send them a card from HI telling how that gift is helping a child just like themselves...go out to Charity Water - 100% of your donation goes towards helping communities have access to clean water...go to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee - any child would love 'adopting' an elephant.
Do you have a friend who is hurting in some way? Do you know an elderly person who has no family nearby? Bake them something, take them a homemade meal, make them a beautiful card, welcome them to your home for a celebration...make them feel special and loved.
Just color outside the lines this year. I'll be coloring outside the lines on this blog for a few months. My computer is dying a slow death and I'm unable to download pictures right now so as much as I'd like to share pictures with you - it will have to wait until after the first of the year when I start looking for a new computer!
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a safe and peaceful holiday season.
I braved the very chilly weather and went to the Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain, GA bright and early this morning. It was as fabulous as it was last year! Right across from the entrance was Earth Angels and there was eye candy galore. Such creative artists and art - enough to make your mouth water. Then on to the other 150 or so booths back along the trails under the trees...French Laundry Home, Mill Branch Bar Soap Company (with the most fragrant olive oil soaps and creams you can imagine - Ginger Lime was the one I bought), Au Gres Sheep Shoppe, Barn Trash, Serious Whimsey, Farmhouse 1807, Necessary Excess, Sassy Trash, Splinters and Rags, Three Birds Studio, With Heart and Hand, just to name a few. Oh and of course the food booths - the best of which was Annie's Baking - breads and goodies like you wouldn't believe. One booth - I can't remember the name - had wonderful crafting goodies. I found two clergy collars and they will be turned into crowns. If you live anywhere near Atlanta, there are still two days of the Fair left - do go - you'll love it. I'm already going to start putting my pennies away for next year!
Jack and I have multiple bird feeders in the front yard - in fact our front yard is mainly birdseed "grass" LOL. We love to watch them feed - even the squirrels keep us entertained. Yesterday we were standing out on the driveway and along the herb garden in front of the house is a small fence covered with Carolina Jessamine - so pretty in the spring with all of the tiny yellow flowers blooming. I saw something on top of one of the fence posts and thought - DARN THOSE BIRDS - if you know what I mean. LOL As I got closer I realized it was the most beautiful tiny frog - black and white. It looked like a primitive crackled frog and it was just sitting on that tiny little fencepost with it's front feet crossed like it was praying. Since I can always use an extra prayer or two I imagined it was deep in meditation. I'm not sure how exactly he hopped up there or when he left, but it was a special beautiful piece of nature that made my day.
Enjoy!
Here is a quick and easy bean soup. This makes two good sized bowls so increase ingredients as needed. I served it tonight with cornbread and YUM! It was so good. I'm really glad soup weather is here again!
1 15 oz. can navy beans (I use Eden organic - they are the only brand I can find who has a BPA free can lining)
onion (as much as you like - I used 1/3 of a very large Vidalia)
2 medium carrots
1 stalk celery
2 garlic cloves
4 slices Canadian bacon (or ham if you'd rather)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
Dice onion, carrots, celery, and Canadian bacon approximately the same size. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add onion, carrots, garlic cloves (whole) and celery and saute until tender (about 10 or so minutes). Remove the garlic cloves. Add Canadian bacon, drained and rinsed navy beans, and chicken broth and stir well. Let simmer another 10 minutes or so. Enjoy!
And don't forget to put those onion skins, carrot peels, etc. in your compost pile - now is the time to start one for spring planting.
You asked for it... you got it (and Georgina won her in the giveaway)...another installment of the Flat Betty Tales.
Now Tweed Town was having it’s annual Halloween Ball at the Jim Bob Yoder VFW Hall and Flat Betty was determined to be the belle of the ball. You see there was a prize for the best-dressed couple and she just knew she and Bubba could win. Flat Betty and her best friend Georgina had gone shopping and found the most perfect outfit with just a dab of glitter that wouldn’t be too shocking if Betty happened to run into Rev. Flugle from The Holiness Church of the Sacred Glade on the way to the ball.
Flat Betty was at work at the Ding Dong Dinner Diner the night before the ball and who waltzed in but Mary Lou, her old high school rival. “Oh Betty”, said Mary Lou. “I found the most bee-u-tiful costume for the ball. No one will ever recognize me and I’ll win the best dressed prize for sure honey!” Flat Betty just stood there with her mouth hanging open because she hadn’t realized that it was a costume ball. On her next break she tried to call Georgina.
Flat Betty and Bubba were double dating with Georgina and Honey Hunk (as Georgina liked to call her boyfriend, Elmer Clyde Diggins) and Georgina could surely come up with SOMETHING. Georgina’s mother, Verbena, answered and hysterically told Flat Betty that Georgina and Honey Hunk had eloped to Las Vegas the night before.
When Flat Betty went home that night she thought and thought until her hair positively frizzed. Then she went out to her mother Maude’s big vegetable garden and picked a beautiful pumpkin. Why I’ll just carve that sucker out and wear it – it IS a Halloween Ball after all. And surely no one will guess who I am.
What she hadn’t counted on was how yucky that punkin was even though she dried it off inside…and also that once on her head, she couldn’t get it off! And I do believe Flat Betty would have won the prize that night but her hair (which stuck out the top of the pumpkin despite everything she did to stuff it back inside) gave her away.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Thinkin’ too much can be bad for your hairdo
