Chicken Dinner

I know I'm not a food photographer, so this dinner actually tastes a lot better than it looks.  And, the best part, everyone loves it!

This is one of my flavor-ite friends!

Sprinkle the Italian dressing on your clean chicken.

Cover the baking dish with foil and

bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours.

When I cook, I cook.  So, I actually had 3 dishes of

chicken to bake. 

When the chicken is just about done baking, start making your gravy.  Here's how:

Melt 1 stick butter in a large pan on low.

Add 1 cup chicken broth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups milk

with 8 tablespoons flour.

Add the flour/milk mixture to the pan.

Whisk to blend with butter and broth. 

When your chicken is done baking, add the juice to the gravy. 

Since I had 3 baking dishes, I just moved the chicken from

pan to pan.  Whisk in the chicken juice.  Also, if you want to, add 1 teaspoon chicken flavor (I used Williams-Sonoma's Chicken Demi Glace), salt and pepper.  If the gravy gets too thick, add more broth.  If it's too thin, add a little flour.  Gravy tends to thicken as it cools, so you could also just turn the heat off and let it cool a bit.

The mashed potato recipe is with my meatball recipe.

The corn was grown in our garden.

Enjoy!

Karin

Getting Rid of Hiccups!

This is how we get rid of hiccups and it works every time!  Fill a glass with water.  Put a table knife in the glass and then drink as much of the water as possible without stopping.  Blossom #3 is demonstrating in the picture. 

We learned this trick from a family friend, a doctor, a LONG time ago.  I can't believe more people don't know about it!

Have a great week-end!

Karin

In The Bag!

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My friend told me about a story she read.  It went something like this:  If a group of people were to be gathered together, asked to write down their biggest problem on a piece of paper, put it in a bag and then they could pick out someone else's problem to have instead, most people would keep their own problem. 

"Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."

Plato

Have a kind day!

Karin

Winter Formal With Friends

Last week-end Blossom #1 went to the winter formal dance with friends.  It is difficult finding appropriate dresses for her, but we had a little luck online at Herberger's.

Even after having it taken in, she still swam it.  But, it looked nice enough for this event.

Her friend's mom took them to have some professional pictures taken before the dance.  That was so sweet of her to do and there's nothing better to do when you're all dressed up!

I suppose they could have danced, but they made a no dancing pack before they attended the dance!?!  Whatever!

Have a dressed up day!

Karin

Creatively Made

In January I took an online art class called Creatively Made.  I haven't done any of the art projects, but the class made me realize something... and then I read the quote below and it is exactly what I realized from the class - summed up perfectly:

Someone very cleaver once said the following:

"Everything in life is art.  What you do, how you dress, the way you love someone, and how you talk.  Your smile and your personality.  What you believe in, all your dreams, and the way you drink your tea.  How you decorate your home, or party.  Your grocery list, the food you make, how your writing looks and the way you feel. 
Life is art."

So, instead of trying to learn the new art concept (mixed media) taught in the class, I want to get more creative with the art I'm already doing - LIFE!

Have an artistic day!

Karin

Another Easy Meal

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Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Add 2 turkey sausages and 1 bag carrots.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

(Or, until the carrots are tender.)

Serve with mashed potatoes, white sauce, your favorite dinner rolls and Trader Joe's raspberry jam.  Yum!  If you don't have leftover mashed potatoes, just clean up some potatoes and throw them in with your sausage and carrots.  Wait!  You don't know how to make white sauce... here's how:

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large sauce pan.  Mix 4 tablespoons flour with 1 cup skim milk.  Once the butter has melted, add 1 cup skim milk to the sauce pan.  Then, whisk in the flour and milk mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Do all of this on a low heat.  However, if your sauce isn't getting thick enough quick enough for you, turn the heat up a little.  Easy!  Now, if you want cheese sauce instead, add in your favorite cheese.

white sauce recipe:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups skim milk
salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Karin

Happy Birthday, Ann!

This is my beautiful and talented cousin Ann.

She's in the process of opening an Etsy shop

with the art she knits.

Look at the gorgeous shawl she's wearing... 

a work of art!

Ann's Etsy shop has the best name...

AWE, after her monogram.

Have a wonderful year!

Karin