Dijon Maple Chicken

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Easy and delicious.  Can that ever be beat? Especially with a family to feed.
After seeing this pinned over and over by friends I finally tried it, and it was an instant hit.  The original recipe did use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and I suspect that would be delicious as well, but since I had bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs I gave them a go.  I served it with mashed acorn squash and brussels sprouts with bacon and walnuts and it was a perfect dinner.

DIJON MAPLE CHICKEN
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1 T rice vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Place the chicken on a 9 by 13 inch pan.  Whisk the syrup, mustard, vinegar and pepper together until smooth.  Finely chop the rosemary and stir in half, reserving the other half for serving.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and turn to coat, leaving with skin side up.
Bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Sprinkle chicken with reserved fresh rosemary and serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from Witty In the City, originally from The Trader Joe’s Cookbook

Polenta with Goat Cheese and Basil

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I’m not a big fan of “mushy” foods.  I mean, I do have my teeth, I might as well use them. 🙂
I prefer polenta crispy, as per the directions at the end, which is basically just searing it in a hot skillet quickly.  But by all means, if you prefer it the other way I won’t judge. 😉
This works wonderfully to make ahead of time, and heat just before dinner time.  It keeps at least 4 days easily.  And if you don’t have basil or chevre, try some dried herbs or even cheddar.   You can even seperate the polenta into a couple batches to suit the members of your family.   The possibilities are endless!

POLENTA WITH GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL

1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup polenta (or corn grits)
1 T unsalted butter
4 oz chevre (or other soft goat cheese)
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Bring 3 cups water to a boil, then add 1/2 tsp salt and polenta, whisking as you add.  Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat until thick, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and add the butter, mixing well to incorporate.
Fold in the goat cheese and basil.  Add salt and pepper if desired.
Spread in a greased pie or quiche pan and let cool slightly before cutting into wedges.  Serve as is, or sear wedges in a skillet over medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil for crispy wedges.
Can be stored in the fridge until ready to use, tightly covered, for 4 days.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook

Meet Lionetta

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Meet Lionetta the baby lion.
Okay, you got me.  It’s not really a baby lion, rather my 5 year old, Lucy, who loves to pretend to be all sorts of people/creatures.   Within a 2 hour period, she could be:
1. Millie the ice cream truck driver
2. Woofster the superdog
3. Beaver Boy
4. Millie the dinosaur
5. Lionetta the baby lion

And about a dozen others.  Millie tends to be a popular choice.  For some reason I think I should be posting at least 3 times a week, but balance seems a bit more important these days.  Between homeschooling, dealing with the challenges of having a child with autism, a VERY busy 5 year old, running a household, and all my crazy ideas I come up with (this last week I decided I need to build about 9 tall bookcases and 2 china cabinets and a buffet…), anyways you get the idea.
I will still post 3 days a week in good weeks, but I’ve decided not to feel guilty if it’s only once or twice a week some weeks as well.
And of course, there’s my cookbook.  Okay, my “possible” cookbook.
I have an idea for a cookbook that I would love to publish, that I think would be so helpful to friends and family.  So I’ve been spending alot of time creating the recipes/plan for that… now just to get it published! 🙂
So I’ll see you around, just maybe not on a strict schedule 😉

Kitchen Addictions

Is this normal?… wait, don’t answer that.
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I think I have a problem.  Do you have a kitchen addiction?  Mine is displayed in cute little glass jars (from IKEA, in case you need some).  I love how they look all lined up.  And it makes it super easy for little hands to find just what they need to perfect a creation. 🙂  What’s your kitchen addiction?
(And that vintage pink pyrex pan holds cute twine, washi tape, and tags ready to decorate little bags of goodies for friends… don’t get me started on vintage pyrex either…)

“Happy” Autism Awareness Day!

Happy Autism Awareness Day!  I had started writing this long post, then realized I was really just venting. 🙂  Which I suppose is fine occasionally, but today, I just wanted to ask everyone who reads this to try to be a little more aware of both children and adults around them who might act a little “different”.  As my girl is getting older, (or taller rather, at 9 she’s all ready as tall as I am!), I’m noticing its harder for some we come in contact with to be understanding of her behavior.  She may not answer you if you talk to her.
She might say “Hi!” to a total stranger in a store, or ask someone for a hug.
So please, remember that if someone doesn’t act or talk like you do, maybe there’s a good reason.
And adults with special needs are still someone’s baby.
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And for pete’s sake, if you have advice keep it to yourself unless you really have something useful to share.  The mountain of advice I receive on a daily basis is ridiculous.  The most offensive is from complete strangers who think that just because they have a neighbor who has a cousin who has a son who has a friend with high-functioning Asperger’s that they would of course know way more about what is best for my daughter than I would.  I mean, who knew you could put pink glasses on a child with severe autism and cure them?!  Thank you complete stranger!
I so appreciate the support and love we get from friends and family, and don’t mind their questions or sharing something they read about or whatever.  But those are people who know and love me and my girl.
So if you feel the need to help someone you don’t know, just remember that usually the best thing anyone can give anyone else is non-judgment.
Okay, so I ended up venting a little.  Sorry.
Give a smile to a stranger today, for my Amelia.   She would give you one.

Smoked Ham (or Heaven)

smoked ham

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I know not everyone owns a smoker, so I have to say I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for showing you these pictures.
I’m sorry if you start to drool on your computer desk or laptop.
I’m sorry if your stomach starts grumbling.
Sorry.

I have made my glazed ham for many, many years.  I still think it’s a great recipe.  But then I got the idea to try smoking a ham.  Goodbye glazed ham.
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This ham was so unbelievably moist and flavorful, I almost didn’t believe it.
While I used a pre-cured ham that probably has been “smoked”, the “smoked” flavor that comes from a package is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING compared to what this is.  Since we’re using a pre-cooked ham, you don’t have to worry so much about curing it and all that’s involved in that.  We’re just heating it up, and infusing some amazing flavor while at it!
You can use either an uncut ham or spiral sliced.  I used an uncut here.
If you can only find a “ready to cook” ham, that’s fine, just be sure you get the temperature up to 160 before it’s done.
If you want more of a BBQ flavored ham, just rub with a spice rub like this one on it with some mustard and brush with BBQ sauce the last half hour.
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SMOKED HAM
Ham (I would keep it around 6-10 lbs, and you want a bone-in spiral sliced or unsliced, ready to heat ham)
Rub, I used 1 cup brown sugar
Glaze, I used this one 
1/4 cup honey

If using a spiral sliced ham, just brush with glaze and press brown sugar into ham.
If using an uncut ham, trim fat to under 1/4″ and brush with glaze, then press brown sugar into ham.
Mix the honey with 1/4 cup of the glaze and set aside.
Place in smoker for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, brushing with the honey glaze the last half hour.  If desired, you can brush with apple cider or juice every 1/2 hour to hour as well.
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PS In the smoker pictures you’ll see some homemade canadian bacon smoking, which I did at the same time.  I promise to share the recipe soon!

Peter Rabbit Cake

peter rabbit cake
The Spring Garden Cake needed just one addition in my opinion. 🙂
A torn blue jacket.  And I don’t have to tell you why, do I?
To make, just use the tips on the spring garden cake post to add the jacket using marshmallow fondant.
I made a rectangle from blue, then folded the ends to the center:
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Then added some sleeves (formed from 2 skinny rectangles, ends formed together to make tubes)
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Then of course a little rip, and a few brown buttons.  Place in the radish patch, of course!
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Spring Garden Cake

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I got a little carried away with this one 🙂
But my girls have SOOOOO much fun doing it with me, it really isn’t work, it’s a fun kitchen art project.  Marshmallow fondant is super easy to work with, and is like edible playdough, so mistakes are taken care of rather quickly!
To make coloring the fondant easier, put a small amount into sandwich ziplock bags (one for each color you’ll need), then add a little gel coloring.
Massage color into fondant through the bag, this way you don’t get the coloring all over your hands, and you can close the ziplock when not in use.
You could make this a day in advance as well.
Check back tomorrow, I’ll show you a little something you can add to change this up too. 🙂

SPRING GARDEN CAKE

Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting
Marshmallow Fondant
Gel icing colors: orange, green, red, brown
Green jimmies
Crushed chocolate graham crackers

I baked my carrot cake in an 8 inch round pan, and a 9 inch square pan.
Make path dividers using folded strips of foil, then fill your “garden plots” with the “dirt” (crushed chocolate graham crackers).
Fill the path with green jimmies.  Carefully remove dividers.100_7546

Make the path stones:
Work some brown color into some fondant,  but not mixing all the way through, so as to leave some marbling.  Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick in between 2 layers of wax paper, then cut out using a small square cutter or freehand with a knife.  place along the green pathways.100_7531

make the basket:
Color some fondant light brown, and make very skinny ropes. Twist lightly together:

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Then shape into a basket:

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Make the carrots:
color fondant orange, then shape into carrots. Use a knife to make little marks.  Can make some as short ones since they will be “underground”:

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make some stems with green fondant:

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use a toothpick to push the end of the stems in:

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Make radishes:
Form teardrops from red fondant, and make leaves by curling a little circle into a point on one end and inserting into rounded end of teardrop.

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Make watermelons:
marble a couple shades of green and shape into ovals.  Make some coiled stems.
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Make the cauliflower:
Form balls from white fondant, then add some texture to the tops.

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For the cabbage leaves, indent leaf lines on small circles

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Then form 3 or 4 around each cauliflower.

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Fill the basket with some veg, and add a handle over the top, if desired.  Place foods in ea garden bed, then make signs with food markers on a small rectangle of white fondant, and place on a toothpick stake.  Use the full carrots and radishes for the basket, and the shorter ones to go in the dirt.

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Rainbow Jello

rainbow jello

My daughters picked this for their choice to make for our Irish Dinner Party.
I made a mini version up as well, and loved how it looked.  When you serve the big one, it does start to look like a mess pretty quickly, so the mini versions are a good choice if you’re worried about that too.  If you have time, allow a little extra chilling time between every couple layers to prevent colors bleeding through.

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RAINBOW JELLO
3 oz jello in 6 colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
Large container cool-whip (or greek yogurt)

Mix purple jello with 3/4 cup boiling water, stir to dissolve.
In a 4 cup measure add ice to 1/2 cup cold water to make 1 1/4 cups.
Whisk into hot jello, then remove any ice left after a couple minutes of stirring.
Reserve 2/3 cup jello, then pour the remaining in a trifle bowl or other container.
Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
Whisk 1/3 cup cool whip (or greek yogurt) into the reserved 2/3 cup jello, then gently spoon or pour over chilled jello.
Place back in the fridge for 1 hour.
Repeat for the blue, green, yellow, orange, and red layers.
Dollop with cool whip before serving.

For mini versions, assemble in half pint canning jars or other small containers.

Lime Slush (Or Leprechaun Punch)

lime slush
I wanted a fun green drink for our annual Irish dinner, and made this one up the day before, hoping it would turn out.  Luckily, it turned out well!
The kids LOVED it, I’m not sure how much my 5 year old drank, but I’m guessing that’s why she was bouncing off the walls at bedtime 😉
Next time I might try making it with seltzer water for a more tart punch, but I just loved how green this was 🙂

LIME SLUSH (OR LEPRECHAUN PUNCH)
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups water
large lime jello
1 cup lime juice (unsweetened)
1 cup lemon juice (or an additional cup lime juice)
46 oz pineapple juice

To serve: 2 (2 liters) lemon lime soda (or ginger ale)

Bring the sugar, water, and jello to a boil in a pot.  Let boil for 3 minutes, then stir in the remaining ingredients.  Let cool, then divide between 2 gallon ziplock bags and freeze overnight or longer.
To serve add one 2 liter of lemon lime soda to each bag (or ginger ale) in a punch bowl.  Break up with a wooden spoon.

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