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Slow Cooker Saviors
We are squarely in the middle of September and our calendars are getting more full by the day. Along with school, we are running around to various appointments multiple times a week. It is definitely a good time to pull out the slow cooker and work that baby. We love Salsa Verde, and I have seen recipes for Salsa Verde chicken in the slow cooker, so I thought we would give that a shot this week. There are a lot of variations, but I chose to try a super simple recipe from www.sugarylogic.com. The recipe only uses 5 ingredients and requires minimal prep. It is a great option for busy…
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Cooking with Coca Cola
We just had our first out-of-town guest since the pandemic began. That’s kind of a crazy thought. But my mother-in-law took a short break from her hectic life to hang out with us for a couple of days. We did venture to our downtown science museum, but mostly we just do our normal things, which included bringing Grandma along to swim practice. We did grill hamburgers once while she was here, but it has been hot and humid, with evening storms always a threat. I had purchased some chicken breasts to grill, but decided to cook them in the slow cooker instead of trying to work around rain. I did…
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The Tuscan Chicken Bandwagon
If you follow any food blogs or just like gorgeous food photos on Instagram, you hay have noticed Creamy Tuscan Chicken swept through the universe a while back. I was intrigued, but honestly not enough to try it. For one thing, it really isn’t very pretty. Well, here we are with Summer Swim in full swing for our youngest daughter, meaning we are at the pool 4 days a week from 4:30-5:30, which is prime dinner-making time. So I hit the Internet to look for healthy meals that can be prepped ahead, like casseroles or slow cooker meals. A slow cooker version of Tuscan Chicken popped up, so I decided…
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Take Out Knock Offs
During the early days of the pandemic, we were really good about eating at home – we had to be. Then we went through a phase where we supported local restaurants and ate out or brought back food from some of our favorite spots. Now that it’s December, we have come full circle. Eating out is a little more difficult again, with increased restrictions on mask-wearing. We are also trying to hang on to the budget that tends to get away from us this time of year. That’s not to say we don’t still eat out or bring back take out, but we are trying to be a bit better.…
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Soup for Sniffles, Aches & Pains
The Covid pandemic has left many lasting effects on us all. Small businesses are hurting still and sadly some have closed. Local schools are still largely remote, or meeting in person very differently than before. Every time you sneeze or cough in public, you feel like a leper and wonder to yourself if the virus has found you. This week, I was doing my thing, running errands to grab report cards and school photos, minding my own business, when BAM! My body started to ache all over. I tried to ignore it, but something was trying to take me down. Could it be the dreaded Covid?? No fever, no cough,…
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Comforting One Pot Meals
It is not quite Fall, but I am already starting to crave warm, creamy comfort foods. While the slow cooker is my good friend for lots of comforting dishes, my Dutch oven is right up there for providing options for yummy one-pot weeknight meals. A couple of years ago, I learned about a dish called Chicken Bog from a recipe in Southern Living. It is a uniquely Southern meal, South Carolinian to be more precise, and more specifically a small region of South Carolina – from Myrtle Beach and Conway, west to Florence. It is made of rice, chicken and sausage cooked all together to create a wetter rice dish…
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Lighter Fare
I was first introduced to Chicken Salad Chick during a visit to Summerville, South Carolina. If you love chicken salad, you will love this place. The idea is simple – chicken salad, in various forms, savory, sweet, spicy or mild. It is amazing. My favorite part is that you can get 2 or 3 scoops of different variations on the same platter, so you can try a variety each time. Much to my delight, we have a Chicken Salad Chick coming to our neck of the woods soon! I am so excited for it to open, but must wait patiently. In the meantime, chicken salad really is a great option…
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Irish Memories
Many years ago, when I was a sophomore in college, I was lucky enough to go on a mission trip to Northern Ireland. With the onset of St. Patrick’s Day, my mind often wanders back to that trip. From the moment I arrived in Ireland, I was in love. Though I had never been before, I felt as though I had come home. I loved the people I met immediately and was sad to leave after our 2-week visit. I would love to share photos with you of my life-changing trip, but sadly that photo album is MIA. And yes, it was so long ago, they were actual photos that…
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Craving Chick-Fil-A
If you are lucky enough to live in the South, you know the glories of Chick-Fil-A. They make everything delicous and serve it up with so much grace, you feel like you’re at your grandma’s house. Recently, I discovered the joys of mobile ordering. You pull up the app, place a detailed order, all the way down to which sauces you want and how many and pay right there online. Then you just breeze through the drive through line and grab your grub. This is very convenient – and very dangerous. Indulging in this habit can be very expensive and not terribly healthy. So, I thought I would try my…
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Exotic Made Easy
Every now and then, you need to shake up your normal dinner time routine and try something exotic. I love the spices and flavors in Indian cuisine but used to feel daunted by the thought of attempting it at home. One of the Indian dishes I love is Chicken Tikka Masala, a delicious creamy blend of tomatoes, spices and tender chicken. It is served over rice, and is wonderful sopped up with warm naan. As a side note, there is apparently some debate on the origins of the dish. Some say it was actually created in Glasgow, Scotland. That may seem strange, but the British have long had a love…
