Nekid Chicken Dance

And what a treat is was. Last night after dinner, my four year-old son busted out of his room wearing nary a thing, 'cept his Elmo socks, yelling, "Nekid party!" He then proceeded to dance around the living room, making sure to do lots of high-kicks and rump shaking. Seconds later, his cousin busted out the room, not even bothering to wear socks. Then, as if they had rehearsed it, they tucked their hands in their armpits and began jumping up and down, flapping their "wings" and things yelling, "Nekid party!" all the while. Dinner and a show, folks. I'll not be including pictures from the "party" for this one.

Yeah, he's a loon. In the best way possible! 

Baked Brined Chicken

Baked Brined Chicken

1 whole chicken

4 T olive oil

4 T butter

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

Brine

1 gal water

1 c salt

½ c sugar

1 T fennel seeds

1 T pepper corns

1 T coriander seeds

10 sprigs fresh thyme

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves, smashed

Add the “Brine” ingredients to the water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Meanwhile:

Butchering the chicken – remove the back bone. Leaving the skin on and the meat attached to the bones cut away both breasts, wings and leaving the leg and thigh connected cut those away as well. You should have six pieces total. Discard the wings.

Once the brine is completely cooled, place the chicken pieces into the brine, cover and refrigerate for at least four hours. Eight would be better!

After four to eight hours have passed remove the chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry. (Discard the brine.) Liberally season both sides of each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. In two separate skillets (so as not to crowd the chicken causing it to boil) add half of the olive oil and half of the butter. Set stove to medium-high. When the butter is melted place the chicken skin side down into the skillet. Let the chicken cook for 4-5 minutes then flip it over allowing it to cook on the second side for an additional 4-5 minutes. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray and scatter celery and carrots evenly around the pan. Place the chicken pieces skin side up on top of the celery and carrots. Poor the pan drippings over the top of the chicken pieces. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. During the last five minutes, remove the aluminum foil for crispier skin. Remove chicken from oven. Leave it covered and let stand for 5-10 minutes.  Serve with my Brussels Sprouts as a healthy side. Enjoy!

Yields 4-6 servings!   

Change it up:

-          After brining but before putting then chicken in the pan to sear, remove the skin.  Dredge the chicken pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Then follow the rest of the directions as written.

-          If you like spice, add one tablespoon of red pepper flakes to the brine and hot sauce to the olive oil and butter.

-          Pour only half of the pan drippings over the chicken. Heat up the other half and add two tablespoons of flour and combine thoroughly  Then add one cup of milk and one cup of chicken stock making sure to whisk quickly and continually to prevent lumps. Add salt and pepper to taste, and you have the perfect gravy!   

No Good at Being Bad

I've always suspected this about myself, that I'm no good at being bad. Bad as in unskilled. I don't like being bad at things. I don't have to be the best, but it really grates on me to be bad at something. This hit home when I went quilting last week. I haven't quilted anything by hand since I was probably six or seven, and I'm sure my participation in that particular project was much less than what it seemed to me at the time. But last week, I was invited to join in a hand-stitched quilting extravaganza, and I was beside myself happy about it. I couldn't wait! I had this beautiful picture in mind of walking in and sitting down, chatting merrily whilst I stitched contentedly with my fellow quilters.

Well, I got schooled. Big time. By the prettiest, sweetest little white haired lady you've ever met. I was really, really terrible. Like, had-to-take-my-stitches-out-five-or-six-times-terrible. My stitches were uneven, too wide, too loose, too wide and uneven again. I stunk it up. No two ways about it, and for someone who tends to be a bit of a perfectionist, that's a tough pill to swallow. I told the lady who invited me I would not be at all offended if she took out my stitches when I left and never invited me back. But she was precious and gracious and told me she thought I had done a good job, which was just an outright lie. I hadn't. But I appreciated her southern manners that required her to try to make me, as her guest, feel good about myself in spite of my failure.

And I am going back. I'm going to persevere and let my elders guide me and teach me and mold me into a quilting maniac. I'm going to tough it out and get over myself and learn how to be at peace with being bad so I can become great. One stitch at time.

The Quilt: Grandma's Flower Garden

Me messing up her beautiful quilt.

She will teach me to quilt, and I will teach her how to keep her

fingers out of the picture when using a smartphone. 

Foul-mouthed Four-year-old

He said a cuss-word, a highly inappropriate word, and a derogatory word, all innocently, unknowingly and in the course of about 60 seconds. It's that silly rhyming game every kid plays! They just sit in the back seat of the car and start, "Itch! Mitch! Kitch! Litch! B#&ch! Rich! Nitch! Ditch!" Etc. And they wonder why mommy is sitting in the front seat red-faced, snorting, and shaking, with tears rolling down her cheeks. Well, mommy is trying desperately not to pee a little, and she thought she was doing a good job of not drawing attention to the situation by not laughing aloud. Apparently, she should have kept her hysterical convulsions under wraps, as well. Oh, and earlier in the day, he also told me, none too softly, "He has buck-teeth, mommy!" Referring to the kindly gentleman who had just been smiling at and teasing him and his cousin in passing. That wasn't foul-mouthed, exactly, but it was certainly rude, and embarrassing to boot. I just pray that sweet old man didn't hear him.  

Do you kiss him or pinch him?

Don't Knock It 'til You Try It!

Raw Brussels Sprouts. Yep, that's what I'm suggesting you eat. Believe it or not, they're delicious! I normally half them, throw them in a pan with salt, pepper, olive oil, onions, garlic and some good ol' bacon. Then I bake them high and fast, finish them with a squeeze of lemon juice, and they're great! Well, one day I had them in a pan with just olive oil, salt and pepper, getting ready to add the other ingredients and thought, "What the heck?" And I ate one raw, and couldn't believe how good they were! So here's my new recipe for Raw Brussels Sprouts.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Brussels Sprouts, quartered (trim the ends first)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Juice from one large lemon
1/2 t. Sriracha (any pepper sauce you like will do)
1 t. salt (better make it a rounded teaspoon)
1/2 t. ground black pepper

Directions:

- In a bowl with a lid, combine all of the ingredients, except the sprouts. Whisk them until they become a homogeneous mixture. 

- Throw in the sprouts, put on the lid and shake it like a Polaroid picture. (The container, I mean. Or whatever you feel like shaking.)

- Serve 'em up! Couldn't be easier! (The longer they sit in the dressing, the better they taste!)

Raw Brussels Sprouts

Now, if you still can't get past the fact that they're raw, cook them! I actually ate them both ways with the same dressing. After I cooked a chicken breast for dinner, I left the drippings in the pan and tossed in the remaining Brussels Sprouts. Holy mackerel, they were delicious. I ate the leftovers for lunch today, and I think they were even better the second day! Just try them. You'll like them.

  

Pan-seared Brussels Sprouts

Mean Girls

Well, apparently, I'm one of them. I'm a mean girl. At least that's what my four-year-old son tells me. If you have children, I'm sure you've dealt with something similar happening. At least I hope I'm not alone here. He was boundary-pushing, really testing the limits. Therefore, as a responsible parent, I put my foot down. Got stern with him. Shut-him-down. And he didn't like it. He crossed his arms, poked out his lips, tucked his chin and said, "Mommy, you're being mean! Hmph." He may have alluded to it before, but he had never out-right called me mean! Blessedly, my self-worth is not dependent upon the opinion of a four-year-old boy. I just laughed (quietly to myself, of course) and continued what we were doing. 

Then it made me think: I bet that was the toddler version of the teenage "I hate you!" Our children don't really, truly mean it, right? They are, after all, terrible communicators, and they don't exactly enjoy taking responsibility for their actions. In turn, they blame us (their loving parents) for being mean to them. Instead of simply saying, "Mother dear, you are unequivocally spot-on. I was being defiant and testing you. That was rude and irresponsible, and I'm deeply sorry for disobeying you 47 times in a row. I will shamefacedly take myself to my room now," they decide to tell us we're mean or they hate us. As though we didn't say it nicely 47 times before we were cross. 

So, fellow mean parents, let us unite. Let us stand together, sigh loudly and long and look ahead to the days when we can smilingly watch our precious grandchildren return the favor. 

               

Start Early: Saving for Christmas!

A friend of mine sent me this chart, and I can't NOT share it. It's a simple and doable plan for saving money, a little at the time, and having enough at the end of the year to take the financial strain off of Christmas. I should have posted this the second I received it, but just go ahead and put $10 in a piggy bank (I made one out of an empty oatmeal container and hot-glued the lid on), then start saving at "week five." Even print a copy of the chart and adhere it to your bank, checking off the weeks as you save. And you certainly don't have to save in the order listed. If it's easier to start with the $50 weeks and work your way down, or skip around according to your paychecks, or add up the total and divide it by 52 weeks and save the same amount every week - whatever works for you. Just save something, and don't touch it! I'm really gonna try to do this!

Stick to the facts!

I'm sitting typing a sermon, and Pastor Mark says we're not to let our emotions be dictated by rumors or half the facts. I thought, "Do I do this?" Nah. Not me. Um, wait. Yeah. I totally do. And I don't think I have ever put it in that context. Letting my emotions run roughshod over me is always a bad idea. Letting them run roughshod over me based on rumors, suspicions, hunches, gut feelings, educated guesses (which are still guesses, after all) is a double super duper bad idea. Actually, it's downright dangerous. I came across an article that, for me, goes hand in hand. (Here's a link, and I encourage you to read it! http://theaquilareport.com/i-felt-led-to/) Basically, if it isn't based in Biblical fact - whatever "it" may be - discard it.

If I find that I'm making decisions based on any sort of emotion, I'm headed the wrong direction, especially since I just discovered my emotions aren't always even based on solid facts. That led me to II Corinthians 2:5, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." If I'm doing what the online article said and "instead of going by [my] gut feelings, promptings, or some kind of leading, [I] go by the word [of God] first and foremost," I'm setting myself up for spiritual success and eliminating my human need to over-analyze, fret, worry - call it what you will - over circumstances and situations that I don't control to begin with.

So I have a checks and balances system for my thoughts. I check the source of the emotion that produced the thought, then I take that thought captive "to make it obedient to Christ." Done and done. Now, I end up operating in Biblical wisdom and knowledge instead of being at the mercy of my faulty emotions.

Man, God is so awesome.

Turkey Avocado Burgers

Okay, it's been a year since I posted anything here. I'm trying again. We'll see how I do. I'll start easy today and just post a recipe for you.

Turkey Avocado Burgers

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs. ground turkey (85/15)
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1/2 tsp. ground corriander seed
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard seed
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 5 hamburger buns (something a little fancy)
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 10 slices gruyere (1" x 2" slices)
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 large tomato
- mayonnaise (optional)
- butter (NOT optional)

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients. Mix well, but don't over-mix!
- Make five (large) patties and place on a hot griddle. [Each patty will be approx. 6.5 oz. each and will be "loose." Eew. I know.]
- Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. (Only flip ONCE!)
- During the last minute of cooking, place 2 slices of cheese on each burger. Remove from griddle when cheese is melted.
- Butter the insides of the buns and lay them butter side down on the griddle; 10-20 seconds should do the trick.
- Spread a thin layer of mayo on top and bottom of bun so everything stays in place.
- Place patties on buns; top with avocado, lettuce, and tomato.
- Serve hot!

Hand Print Turkey Place Card Holders

This is a super fun and simple craft. My son LOVED this project! Getting to paint his hands and stamp them on paper, using a paint brush without assistance to paint the egg carton pieces and then finally, seeing his own hands as artwork - he had a blast!

What we're making: A set of six Thanksgiving place card holders (or use them to label "mysterious" food dishes! You know those show up at Thanksgiving!)

What you'll need:

- The bottom portion of a cardboard egg carton

- Brown, red, green, orange and yellow acrylic paint

- Paint brush

- Three or four pieces of white card stock, 110 lb. (# of pieces you will need depends on the size of your child's hand)

- 12 mini brads (brown or black)

- Scissors

** You can make this craft without these last two, but they sure do make life easier:

- Mini hole punch

- Sharp knife

Let's do this!

Step 1: Carve that turkey! Using the knife (or scissors if you don't have a sharp knife - I actually used scissors the first time I made these. A knife was just easier and faster) cut the egg carton in half lengthwise. Cut between each "cap" then break them all apart. (No need to be too gentle. We're going to trim these up!)

Step 2: Trim each cup as shown in the picture, even the little knobs on the sides. We only need six for this craft, so save the others for another craft or double up and make 12 little turkeys. Up to you!

Step 3: Paint the "caps" brown, and let them dry completely! These will be the turkeys' bodies.

Step 4: Paint your child's palm and thumb with the same brown paint you used on the "bodies," and paint a different color on each o

f your child's four remaining fingers. QUICKLY stamp their hand on the white card stock. (Acrylic paint likes to dry fast!) Repeat five more times, and let the hand prints dry completely.

Step 5: Paint then stamp five extra thumb prints for the turkeys' heads. Be sure to paint a little orange beak and a gobbler! (I actually forgot the gobblers on mine, so do a better job than I did!) :)

Step 6: Cut out the hands and the thumbs.

Step 7: Position the cut out hands on the "back" of the turkey body, and pre-hole punch all the way through the hand and the body. (If you don't have a mini hole punch use a small nail and just hammer it on through!)

Step 8: Repeat step seven for the turkey head.

Step 9: Secure the turkey's head and tail with the mini brads.

Step 10: Last but not least use the knife to cut a very shallow slit straight across the top of the turkey's body to hold the name card (or mysterious food identifier) in place!

Have fun!

Rain, Rain go away

Rain, Rain go away.

Beg you pardon? What’s that you say?

You say you do not know the way?

There now, I will you fears allay.

I’ll help you now, Rain my dear

And tell you how to make way for skies that are clear.

Pack up your clouds and hold them near,

(You simply cannot leave them here)

If only for a day or two

So I can see the sky when blue.

But stray not far from your rightful place.

Please, only a short reprieve from this soggy face.

Then I’ll ask you no more to lonely roam,

This cheek you can once more call your home.

I expect it won’t be long. I’ll need you again.

When this face dries I doubt not that I'll miss you, my friend.

Look out behind you!

Look out behind you! There are memories galore! Be careful not to wish too hard for them.

Look out behind you! Don't fall in the trap of wanting to reclaim them.

I have an idea. Look forward (instead) to the memories that await you.

Don't live for the past, but live for what's to come, for what He has in store for you.

I've lived with desire to go back to what was, to live there never changing a thing.

Then I spy my left hand, and there I find smiling at me my cherished wedding ring.

Would I go back and make any changes? Would I do things differently somehow?

Would I go back and change what was, knowing it would change what is now?

No, forward I must look to "come what may," to those memories that await,

And patiently here in this present I'll idle 'til past memories learn to abate.

I miss her

Be forewarned. This is not a happy entry. I miss my grandmother. Every single day, I miss her. Today's an especially hard day for some reason. It goes back and forth like that. I know it's selfish to want her back, but I really can't help it today. Today, I need her. I need to be able to go sit at her kitchen table and hear her voice. Hear her encouragement. Hear she's praying for me and feel it. She was such a tangible source of God's love for me. I know he loves me even though she's not here, but it was always easier to grasp it when she was.

I love her so much, and today I need her.

I lost you!

Please forgive me, dear blog; I lost you today.

I thought that, perchance, you had run away.

I looked high and low but to no avail,

'Til finally I thought to look back through my email.

And there you sat waiting patiently for me

Until I could think of where you might be.

I'll be more careful with you from now on, this I vow.

I'll henceforth remember your url; I promise I shall.

Snuggly buddy

Cohen has always been the snuggliest baby I've ever known. Just ask around. I'm not just saying it 'cause I'm his momma. He is su-uper cuddly! But of late he has replaced being snuggly with being busy. I knew it would come, but I hated to see it come so soon! He's been busy playing with his brother, busy climbing things, busy refining his dance moves, busy reading books upside down, busy trying to play video games like his daddy, busy screaming for milk...you get it. Busy. Well, last night he remembered himself. Remembered his roots, where he came from. Al had to take Levi home to his mom's for a couple of days, and it was just Cohen and me. Well, lucky me! He decided he could put aside climbing and upside down books and the like for a while. So for a rare-of-late evening, he spent most of his night in my lap! YEA!! We played and talked and laughed and snuggled and watched Alton Brown (who Cohen incidently LOVES) and just had some good old fun together. He'd hop down and run around and then come right back and crawl up in my lap again. Finally, a little before nine o'clock he crawled up in my lap once more (after a quick jog around the living room), laid his big head on my shoulder and fell asleep. Needless to say, I didn't budge for quite some time and just enjoyed the moment. I woke up about two hours later with a soaking wet shoulder where he'd drooled on me and absolutely could not have been any more delighted!

The call of the wild...

...sounded bright and early this morning. About 7:50. Right in my very own living room. My children heard it loud and clear. Apparently, this mysterious call is a continuous thing. It's not just a spurt and then it's done. Oh no. No, no, no. I hear one of them growling right now, the other one yelling, "That's my milk," my kill, MY KILL! There's a bit of the monkey in the small one for sure. No piece of furniture escapes being his personal climbing tree and resulting perch. Even my husband is in on it. He's currently in there with the boys apparently mimicking a hyena. The little hyenas are cackling right along with him, trying to outdo him. I've always wanted to go on a safari. But oh, what luck! One has come to me!

In a Rut

That’s me in a nutshell. In a rut-nutshell. Everything about me right now seems to just be in a “feet firmly planted” state of being. I even made creamed corn for dinner. How exotic. No? No. I’m now cooking in this rut. Well, screw you rut. I’m tired of you. I’m gonna go outside and play with some new friends now.