Author: QuiltLady

LEMON & HERB MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS ~ F3 ~ FAITH & FOOD FRIDAY #1

I have of late been trying desperately to find focus in my life and get off the crazy carousel of revolving doors. Sandra’s new feature, Faith & Food Friday, is literally a blessing in disguise for me.

We are searching for a “FINAL” project house and being able to plant roots for a place to bloom continuously.  This has brought into question many things – beginning and ending with my faith, values, beliefs and desires to be where I am meant to be in this life. I want and need to be where I can be the most productive, happiest, healthiest and helpful to others.

While we’re still searching, though we’re pretty sure where it will be, we have at least RULED out many places this past year. So, finding this outlet through Sandra to help me focus on the faith portion is a god send to me.

One of my daily loves is my Mary and Martha devotions collection books, journals and simple cards.  I decided to randomly select a card to begin this series with and was aptly rewarded: 😀

“In the midst of life’s messiness, God really is making something beautiful… something good.

LEMON & HERB MARINATED CHICKEN THIGHS adapted from Anne Burrell
Juice and zest of 4 lemons, plus 2 whole lemons
5 sprigs fresh rosemary, FINELY chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme, FINELY chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1/2 + teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup avocado oil
8 chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Whisk together the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of avocado oil in a small bowl.
  • Generously season chicken thighs with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add chicken thighs to a large Ziplock bag.
  • Pour oil mixture over thighs.
  • Close bag and move chicken pieces around to coat well.
  • Refrigerate overnight.
  • Preheat grill.
  • Spray grill with non-stick grill spray.
  • Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil.
  • Pour remaining marinade through a sieve to remove the herb and garlic chunks.
  • Cut remaining whole lemons into thick slices.
  • Place the chicken, skin side down, and the lemons on the preheated grill.
  • Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees to create the lovely crosshatch pattern.
  • Grill for another 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Brush with remaining marinade periodically.
  • Turn the chicken over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Check for done ness.
  • Check the lemons to see if they are beautifully caramelized.
  • Flip over to grill on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Serve the chicken with grilled lemon.

Join our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
to link up with Faith and Food Friday.

WAY BACK MACHINE

My friend Sandra recently told us about a WONDERFUL site called the WAY BACK MACHINE.

Many years ago I “LOST” my original blog, 3 Sides of Crazy to hijackers and GOOGLE said I couldn’t provide enough “PROOF” that it was mine to get it back. LOL I purchased the domain from them directly, but that didn’t matter to them so I moved my whole platform to WordPress and moved on with my life. That was how I became “CHASING MY LIFE”.

So I was interested enough to see if I could see something from my original blog and I put in a random date. I was rewarded with this sweet memory.

January 26, 2013 from the WAY BACK MACHINE

“Happy times!  This is my aunt who recently passed with me and her daughter Jenn at one of our favorite places, Galveston Island.  All our lives Jenn and I would go down there and collect shells off the beach.  It isn’t that easy these days with the weird growth along the shore line, but back then we walk on the sea wall, collect shells from the water’s edge and just basque in the winter water. You can’t see it in this pictures, but we’re barefoot LOL I’m holding my socks. I also still have every shell that I keep in a crystal bowl. Sharon had Parkinsons disease. Her mobility continued to go downhill from here so this is the last picture I have of us “having fun” like this. Thank goodness for tripods and timers so we could all be in the picture together.”

GARLIC and LEMON CACIO E PEPE

GARLIC & LEMON CACIO E PEPE
8-10 ounces thin spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 cup butter
FRESH sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pasta water
1 1/2 cups FINELY grated Parmesan cheese

  • Prepare pasta al dente per package directions in a large pot of salted water.
  • Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  • Melt butter in large skillet.
  • Add pepper and sizzle in butter for a minute.
  • Add garlic and lemon zest, sautéing 30 seconds or so until fragrant.
  • Add pasta 1/2 cup of pasta water and cooked pasta, tossing to coat.
  • Add most of the Parmesan cheese, tossing to combine.
  • Add more pasta water as necessary to make a creamy butter sauce.
  • Stir in lemon juice and season with FRESH ground sea salt to taste.
  • Garnish with reserved Parmesan cheese.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 22 of 2021

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I’m back! Did you even miss me? I missed being able to easily visit everyone and am looking forward to getting caught up this week. We came back to cooler weather, but this week looks like it will be heavenly 😀 in the 60’s and 70’s.

As I settle back into a routine, I see that we are ALMOST through half this year. Where did it go?? I was only gone 3 weeks, but it felt like 3 months – we did 10 days of project research, the family reunion which I coordinate so it can be a bit involved trying to deal with snapfus and such and then a week at my SIL’s house updating her electronics and issues.  WHEW I need a vacation from my vacation 😀

Our trip was wonderful, but it is so nice to have the laundry done and things back in their places, even if just temporarily. Even so, we are planning another trip in August for our BIG anniversary and hopefully the last of the project research 😀

The family reunion went really well despite hating the location! Long story short, we investigated several new venues on the way home for a new site in 2022.  We have this reunion EVERY year (except last year – thank you COVID for breaking our perfect record) and are REALLY excited about the new site we found.The group coordinator I’m working with is wonderful and has even helped us arrange a short trip in August for our anniversary so we can get the “lay of the land”.

It is an RV resort park that will accommodate all the family members with their own RVs or trailers as well as those that want to rent cabins or tent sites. It also has plenty for the littles to do recreational wise and is near by to wine tasting, the Solvang Danish community and even an Ostrich/Gnu farm. I spent most of last week organizing the new venue and letters to family members to get the reservations in place. WHEW, glad that’s over except for the trip hubby and I are even going for in August for our anniversary to acclimate ourselves so that next family reunion goes smoothly.

Hot water and apple, carrot pineapple toddler squeeze.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING Pretty much up to date!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS way NOT up to date. I’m going this morning to get a long overdue pedicure, do errands, pick up maps for the next trip and get groceries for the week. I’m also helping my mom get ready for a garage sale with her golfing friends next weekend and then another for her house in June.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I have a BIG stack to deal with this week, but it is HIGH on my priority list!
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I only have menus planned through June 3rd so seriously need to update this category!

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX Army of the Dead, finish Stargate SG1 season 9
  • DISNEY+ finish season 1 of Mandalorian
  • CABLE We have a TON of things from when we are on our trip that we will be catching up on this week, but we did a binge of FEAR the WALKING DEAD last night and got all caught up on at least 1 show 😀

Hubby and I were listening to Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series on audible during the trip and heard 3 books.  Next trip we’ll do books 4-7 or 8, but in the meantime I’m reading book 20 – Fortune Funhouse!

Editing is HIGH on my list. I know many of you have been following along on my InstaGram feed so you know what I mean! But, I do have a favorite, well one of many favorites, but this one is pretty special. I got my niece laughing and she rewarded me with SUPER SWEET picture!

Some old family friends celebrated a REALLY BIG anniversary recently. When I got to my SIL’s house and saw this invitation with a picture of their wedding day, it really made me smile. Can you guess who Ted looks like?
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
BAKED LEMON GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN & ROASTED VEGGIES
EGG ROLLS IN A BOWL with AVOCADO RED ONION SALAD
C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
MELISSA’S CHICKEN & GREEN BEANS
BOURBON PECAN CHICKEN & WILD RICE
HUNGARIAN CHICKEN & CREAMED PEAS
PORK SCHNITZEL & BRAISED RED CABBAGE
DESSERT
CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

  • GARLIC & LEMON CACIO E PEPE
  • LEMON & HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
CRUST
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

  • Stir together the graham crackers, ginger and brown sugar.
  • Add the melted buttered mix until well blended.
  • Press the crumbs firmly into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
  • Place in refrigerator while you prepare the sauce and cheesecake.

SAUCE
1 1/2 cups WILD blueberries
1/8 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

  • Stir together the blueberries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
  • Cook over 5 medium heat 5 minutes until berries break down.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend well.
  • Pour entire mixture through a sieve into a clean sauce pan.
  • Cook a few minutes on medium heat until mixture thickens slightly.
  • Cool in refrigerator also while preparing cheesecake.

CHEESECAKE
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2-8 ounce cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
2 teaspoons FRESH, FINELY grated ginger

  • Whip whipping cream 2-3 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer bowl until stiff peaks form.
  • Transfer whipped cream to a clean bowl and refrigerate.
  • Add cream cheese and sugar to stand mixer bowl.
  • Mix on medium 2-3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
  • Add line zest, powdered sugar, vanilla and fresh ginger, mixing 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.
  • GENTLY (so as not to deflate the whipped cream) fold in one third of the whipped cream with a spatula to lighten the cream cheese.
  • GENTLY fold in remaining whipped cream until ALMOST fully incorporated.
  • Pour over chilled crust and smooth out evenly.
  • Drop several spoonfuls of blueberry sauce over cheesecake.
  • Using a thin knife or wooden skewer, swirl sauce into cheesecake.
  • Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

LIME WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

  • Whip the whipping cream on high 3 minutes until stiff peaks form.
  • Add the lime zest and powdered sugar, whipping until incorporated.
  • Serve the cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of blueberry sauce.

NOTE:

  • Using a copper mixing bowl and beaters that have been chilled in the freezer make a for quicker whipping and fluffier whipped cream.
  • Blackberries substitute really well also.

VESUVIO CHICKEN

This classic Italian dish looks extravagant, but is a relatively easy one pan meal AND yet looks and tastes like you worked all day on it.

CHICKEN VESUVIO

1/4 cup WONDRA flour
2 thin chicken steaks
2 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
FRESH ground sea salt and black better, to taste
3/4 pound baby potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme leaves or oregano
1 teaspoon FRESH chopped rosemary leaves
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 can Le Seur peas, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, COLD and DICED
Juice of 1 lemon

  • Generously season chicken steaks with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add flour to shallow bowl.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Dredge chicken steaks in flour, shaking off excess, and add to hot oil.
  • Sear chicken 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Transfer to plate and keep warm.
  • Heat remaining oil in skillet.
  • Add potatoes, sautéing 7-8 minutes until cooked through and edges are crispy.
  • Stir in garlic and herbs, seasoning with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper to taste, sautéing until fragrant.
  • Add wine, scraping up bits from bottom of pan to mix.
  • Add broth and simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Return chicken to pan, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes until chicken is well coated and cooked through.
  • With a slotted spoon remove chicken and potatoes to plate and tent to keep warm.
  • Off heat stir in lemon juice and COLD butter until smooth.
  • Fold in peas and serve over chicken steaks.

ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS

ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS serves 8-10
2 tablespoons oil from oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup sliced Vidalia sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped or julienned sun dried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
2-16 ounce packages french style green beans

  • Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion, sautéing 2-3 minutes until tender.
  • Add tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cooking 2-3 minutes longer.
  • Stir in frozen green beans, cook, simmer 7-9 minutes.
  • Uncover and continue to simmer 2-3 minutes until the liquid is mostly evaporated.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 21 of 2021

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
 Still on our trip for a couple more days, so will reevaluate later this week and be back to normal by next Monday!

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • Just what SIL had on her TV and then a couple hotel rooms. We’ll catch up later this week.

Hubby and I will be listening to the rest of the series on Audible while we’re on the road. Last week we heard books 1 Louisiana Longshot & 2 Lethal Bayou Beauty and we will start book 3 Swamp Sniper on our way home from SIL’s tomorrow.

I’ll edit photos after we get home, but I do have these 2 – the 45 foot wide flower that is made of ice plant.  My SIL planted this on her property below her garden area after my BIL passed away and it has truly been the talk of the town for a few years now. It can be seen from the Laureles grade between the Carmel valley and Salinas.

The next picture is of the most wonderful mushroom tamale. In fact it is the most delicious tamale I have EVER had!  It was drizzled with a delicious tomatillo sauce, pico de gallo, micro greens and toasted pepitas.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
ON THE ROAD
ON THE ROAD
ON THE ROAD
??
??
??
??
DESSERT
 

  • SOUR APPLE SLAW
  • CHILE LIME WINGS
  • ITALIAN CHICKEN & RICE

  • ZESTY GARLIC GREEN BEANS
  • VESUVIO CHICKEN
  • BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE

CHILI LIME CHICKEN WINGS

Okay, this sounds like a strangely weird combination of ingredients, but guess what? They work together REALLY well! These go fast and are asked for often so indulge yourself and enjoy!

CHILI LIME CHICKEN WINGS
2 1/2 pounds whole chicken wings or thighs
1 cup PURE maple syrup
2/3 cup chili sauce
Juice of lime juice
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons paprika
Neutral oil for frying
1 bunch green onions, sliced

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together the maple syrup, chili sauce and lime juice.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat to simmer and cook 30-45 minutes until reduced and sticky thick.
  • Combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a ziplock bag.
  • Add chicken pieces, tossing to coat, shaking off excess.
  • Heat oil in dutch oven to 375°.
  • Fry chicken pieces 6-8 minutes until cooked through. DO NOT CROWD THE PAN!!!!
  • Drain chicken pieces on paper toweling.
  • Transfer chicken to a large shallow baking dish and pour sauce over, turning chicken pieces to coat well.
  • Garnish with green onions and lime wedges.
  • Serve immediately.

NOTE: I often use a stick of butter or crisco and fry the chicken pieces like grams taught me – cooking on one side until the bleed and then turning them for the same amount of time on the other side.

SOUR APPLE SLAW

SOUR APPLE SLAW adapted from Michael Twitty
8 cups shredded green cabbage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 Granny Smith apples, julienned
1 bunch green green onions, sliced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons PURE maple syrup
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

  • Toss cabbage and salt together.
  • Let stand in a colander over a large bowl for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes submerge cabbage in COLD water. Drain and pat dry.
  • Whisk vinegar, maple syrup, sugar, salt and pepper together.
  • Toss cabbage, apple pieces, herbs and green onion slices together.
  • Drizzle dressing over cabbage mix and toss well.
  • Chill for several hours.
  • Toss again before serving.

ITALIAN CHICKEN & RICE

This is a one-pot Italian version of the Spanish Arroz con Pollo. Annatto powder is the spice responsible for the beautiful orange red color. Annatto power is is ground from Achitoe tree seeds AKA poor man’s saffron. If you can’t find it at your local grocer, try an Asian or Latin market.

ITALIAN CHICKEN & RICE
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 chicken boneless and skinless breasts
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 LARGE shallot, thinly sliced
2 cups long grain white rice
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon annatto powder OR a few threads of saffron
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme
1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian Parsley

  • Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.
  • GENEROUSLY season the chicken breasts FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Sear chicken 2 minutes per side.
  • Set chicken aside on a plate.
  • Add shallots to dutch oven, sautéing 2-3 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in rice, toasting it 1-2 minutes.
  • Stir in tomato sauce, chicken stock, annatto powder and generously season with
  • FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Nestle chicken breasts into rice mixture.
  • Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
  • Let stand 10 minutes.
  • FLUFF and serve.

NOTES: This can also be baked in a 350° oven for 1 hour.