So... How are you? How was your day?
That's what starts so many of our conversations. With David, Archer, Shelly, Eli, Nana. Ever since April, I talk to Nana almost every day, mostly on my way home from work. How was your day? Same as usual. Or, this unusual thing happened, a pumpkin showed up in the mail for me today, was it you? Same as usual, except today this (totally normal but interesting/annoying/upsetting/happy) thing happened. We talk for ten or twenty minutes, catch up, tell each other funny stuff, I love you, we'll talk tomorrow...
Our days are so mundane. Family Life, scrambling to eat dinner, run to Scouts, Piano Lesson, Special Event. And somehow it's all so the same, and also so special. Archer making his lunch for tomorrow while listening to music on his earbuds and the only part I can hear is Archer singing "Summer of 69" in the kitchen. With a few dance moves thrown in. Shelly curled in my lap cuddling up like a cat. Eli brushing his teeth. Eli telling me about the Scout meeting where the most important thing was the choice of snacks they had. Shelly still curled in my lap like a cat as I scratch her head. Archer telling me some funny thing that he saw online when chatting with friends who live on the other side of the globe. Tonight I sang the same bedtime song to Eli that I've sang to him almost every night for the last so many years. Doesn't he ever want a new song? At the end, I kiss his kissable cheeks and he kisses me, getting in the last kiss. Goodnight, I love you. It all repeats again tomorrow at 6 a.m. when I make sure Archer's out of bed and we start again. Have a good day, I love you.
I don't remember much of kindergarten, high school, all of that. Twenty, thirty years from now, what will I remember of this? I have flashes of those times long gone, I wonder what the flashes of memories will be in the future. But, I know this - I'm enjoying it now. When Archer was born, they said, cherish this time, it will go so fast. I blinked, and he's in high school. I'm trying to cherish it. The subdivision of box houses that currently resides in my living room (yes, several houses made of boxes have been built - in my living room), the strong friendships my kids are making (Archer has been friends with L for 10 years now!!!), all of these life things. When are they too old to crawl around on their knees everywhere they go, too old to pretend to be a puppy or a kitty, too old to any of it? I try not to let any of it slide away without noticing, without seeing it. I marvel at the wonderful family in front of me and try to enjoy every moment of it. This wonderful life.
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Simple BBQ Chicken Sliders
Remember the thing about Freezer Experiments?
Total side note. I just looked up Freezer Experiment in my blog so I could link to the time that I explained what a Freezer Experiment is, and I discovered that I explained F.E. AND it was all related to BBQ SAUCE!!! Eight years ago!!! That makes this whole thing even crazier.
So, think Freezer Experiment. I had 3 pounds of chicken in my fridge and didn't know what to do with it. On my way home from work, I decided to make BBQ Chicken Sliders so I stopped at the store for BBQ sauce and rolls. I go to the BBQ section and then decide I could certainly make it at home, I didn't need to buy it. I picked up the rolls and headed home. I started cooking the chicken and decided to wing it with the sauce. "I think it has ketchup, plus brown sugar or something, maybe garlic?" I start dumping stuff into the pot. Mixing, heating it up, go to the other pan and turn over the chicken, come back to the sauce and stir some more. It tastes like ketchup. Maybe if I add... still ketchup... call in the BBQ expert... still tastes like ketchup, also it's too watery. Basically it's ketchup soup. Back to the store. Good thing we only live a mile away.
It could have been a disaster. Instead, it was a bunch of ketchup soup down the drain, and some really great chicken sandwiches.
Here we go.
3 lbs chicken breast, butterflied
2 bottles BBQ sauce
whatever seasonings you like (garlic, garlic salt, seasoned salt, pepper)
Instructions
1. Add a little olive oil into a skillet and cook the chicken on a low temperature, don't let it brown, add some seasonings if you'd like.
2. While chicken is cooking (this takes forever because you can't fit 3 lbs of chicken in your skillet all at the same time), DON'T use the Freezer Experiment Method, just use the Premade Storebought BBQ Sauce, put the sauce into a pot and start warming it up.
3. When chicken is done cooking, recruit any helpers you can to shred the chicken with forks. Or get some good music going and do it yourself, this takes forever.
4. Mix the chicken into the sauce, heat everything up, slice the rolls in half and go at it. Deliciousness!
5. Put half of the BBQ chicken into a freezer storage bag and freeze it, that's dinner for next time. Try not to eat all of the remaining chicken today.
Why we love it
Cause once we got past the "homemade sauce tastes like ketchup soup", there's pretty much no way to mess it up. And even though it took forever, it was worth it because half of it is in our freezer waiting for us to enjoy it without having to actually cook.
Total side note. I just looked up Freezer Experiment in my blog so I could link to the time that I explained what a Freezer Experiment is, and I discovered that I explained F.E. AND it was all related to BBQ SAUCE!!! Eight years ago!!! That makes this whole thing even crazier.
So, think Freezer Experiment. I had 3 pounds of chicken in my fridge and didn't know what to do with it. On my way home from work, I decided to make BBQ Chicken Sliders so I stopped at the store for BBQ sauce and rolls. I go to the BBQ section and then decide I could certainly make it at home, I didn't need to buy it. I picked up the rolls and headed home. I started cooking the chicken and decided to wing it with the sauce. "I think it has ketchup, plus brown sugar or something, maybe garlic?" I start dumping stuff into the pot. Mixing, heating it up, go to the other pan and turn over the chicken, come back to the sauce and stir some more. It tastes like ketchup. Maybe if I add... still ketchup... call in the BBQ expert... still tastes like ketchup, also it's too watery. Basically it's ketchup soup. Back to the store. Good thing we only live a mile away.
It could have been a disaster. Instead, it was a bunch of ketchup soup down the drain, and some really great chicken sandwiches.
Here we go.
Simple BBQ Chicken Sliders
Ingredients3 lbs chicken breast, butterflied
2 bottles BBQ sauce
whatever seasonings you like (garlic, garlic salt, seasoned salt, pepper)
Instructions
1. Add a little olive oil into a skillet and cook the chicken on a low temperature, don't let it brown, add some seasonings if you'd like.
2. While chicken is cooking (this takes forever because you can't fit 3 lbs of chicken in your skillet all at the same time), DON'T use the Freezer Experiment Method, just use the Premade Storebought BBQ Sauce, put the sauce into a pot and start warming it up.
3. When chicken is done cooking, recruit any helpers you can to shred the chicken with forks. Or get some good music going and do it yourself, this takes forever.
4. Mix the chicken into the sauce, heat everything up, slice the rolls in half and go at it. Deliciousness!
5. Put half of the BBQ chicken into a freezer storage bag and freeze it, that's dinner for next time. Try not to eat all of the remaining chicken today.
Why we love it
Cause once we got past the "homemade sauce tastes like ketchup soup", there's pretty much no way to mess it up. And even though it took forever, it was worth it because half of it is in our freezer waiting for us to enjoy it without having to actually cook.
(no pics today because we were too busy eating it to pause for pics!)
Deliciousest Beef Stew Ever
The other day at work, Ally was warming up her leftover beef stew from the night before. I commented on how great it smelled and she let me try just a tiny bit. And it was the deliciousest beef stew ever. Two nights later, I was making it. Not only is it the deliciousest, but also the easiest. So pretty much just the bestest.
1 lb stew beef (the kind that comes cut up in cubes)
1/4 stick butter
cubed potatoes and carrots (a couple pounds? a bunch?)
salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
4 cups beef stock
Instructions
1. In a large pot, melt the butter and brown the beef, add all the seasonings.
2. Once browned, add some beef stock - just a layer of stock, don't cover the meat. Put lid on the pot.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about two hours. After one hour, take out the pot and add the potatoes and carrots. Add a little more stock, if needed, to keep the ingredients moist but don't cover them with the stock.
4. After two hours, everything will be fully cooked. Add the rest of the beef stock, and warm up everything on the stove top if needed.
#1 Rule - Do NOT forget that you just took the pot out of the oven so the handles are super hot, also the lid will burn you so use the potholder!!! Ask me how easy it is to forget that this thing is SUPER hot...
Anyway, the beef gets so tender, and everything's so full of flavor, I loved it.
It's been a week or two since I made it and I can't remember who exactly liked it, who didn't try it or who wasn't even home for it, so I'm just giving it 4 stars. Because I liked it. Lots. And I can't wait to make it again!
Ally's Deliciousest Beef Stew
Ingredients1 lb stew beef (the kind that comes cut up in cubes)
1/4 stick butter
cubed potatoes and carrots (a couple pounds? a bunch?)
salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
4 cups beef stock
Instructions
1. In a large pot, melt the butter and brown the beef, add all the seasonings.
2. Once browned, add some beef stock - just a layer of stock, don't cover the meat. Put lid on the pot.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about two hours. After one hour, take out the pot and add the potatoes and carrots. Add a little more stock, if needed, to keep the ingredients moist but don't cover them with the stock.
4. After two hours, everything will be fully cooked. Add the rest of the beef stock, and warm up everything on the stove top if needed.
#1 Rule - Do NOT forget that you just took the pot out of the oven so the handles are super hot, also the lid will burn you so use the potholder!!! Ask me how easy it is to forget that this thing is SUPER hot...
Anyway, the beef gets so tender, and everything's so full of flavor, I loved it.
It's been a week or two since I made it and I can't remember who exactly liked it, who didn't try it or who wasn't even home for it, so I'm just giving it 4 stars. Because I liked it. Lots. And I can't wait to make it again!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)