Two Good Eats for Tuesday

Good morning, Kitschies!  It's only Tuesday and it's been a crazy week, partly because it seems like the weekend took forever to get through and then it's bled on over to this week.  I'll spare you the deets, but it was not a good weekend.  And come to think of it, that *not good* started on Friday.  *sigh*  Anyway...I'm not going to let this be a Debbie Downer post, so let's get on with it, shall we?

I went to a derby practice on Saturday and then again last night.  Saturday's practice was brutal - my legs were sore after that practice and then add in a couple falls last night (thanks stoopid berries from the damned trees and sand on the track) and I'm one sore mama today!  I am so thankful to work with some great physicians - chiropractic/osteopathic manipulations are saving my derby-lovin' life!  I may be sore and I may be bruised, but I'm lovin' every second of it.

I haven't share a good recipe with you lately, so I dug a good one out of my pending folder for today.  These recipes came from my go-to recipe site: allrecipes.com.

BBQ Chicken
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 pounds cut up chicken pieces

Heat grill to medium heat. 

In a small skillet combine the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and put over low heat. Add the poultry seasoning while stirring constantly; when sauce mixes well and starts to bubble, it is done. 

Place chicken on hot grill and brush with sauce. Grill for 45 to 60 minutes, turning every 5 to 10 minutes, and brush chicken with sauce after each turning. Grill until chicken is done and juices run clear. (Note: Be sure to keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks, as it tends to have flair ups due to the oil and chicken drippings!) 

NOTES:  I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts, not pieces.  And instead of brushing the chicken while it was grilling, I marinated it for a few hours.  I think the flavor is better that way.  

And a bonus, side dish recipe:


Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated in to florets
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish. 

Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. 

NOTE:  I did not use parsley - I didn't think it would add anything and it doesn't matter to me if my side dish lacks color.

I think the cider vinegar in the marinade really made the chicken moist.  I really liked this recipe, and so did the others (boys big and small alike).

I liked the cauliflower but I don't remember if the boys did or not.  I have a feeling they probably turned their noses up at it until they finally gave in and took a taste.  And wouldn't you know it...they ended up liking it.

Mmm...and now I'm hungry.  Great.  Good thing I'll be going to lunch soon!


I'll be back tomorrow with a WWtKW (I haven't played for a few weeks) and hopefully an On Wednesday We Wear Pink post, too!  Thanks for bearing with my slower than usual posting.  It's been a crazy couple of weeks!

Chile Corn Que?

TGIF!  It's early here still.  Only one kid is up.  Time to squeeze a post in just in case I don't have time to do it again at work today.  Yesterday was a little *off* at work.  We were short a medical assistant, so my co-worker went down to the "other side" to help out.  It wasn't overly busy on my end, but it was steady enough that I didn't have time to do my post.  And then when I got home last night, and after cooking dinner and giving the boys a bath...by the time I was finished with my chores, I was done.  I watched a couple episodes of Grey's Anatomy and then went to bed.  Fell asleep watching Conan and his jeggings.  Wow, Conan.  Just wow.

I was going to share this recipe with you the same day as the Sour Cream Fruit Salad, but the computers at work were having sharing problems.  We have Macs and sometimes Macs don't play well with others.  So, here I am today.  Better late than never, right?  This is one of my favorite family recipes out of The Aunties' Catering Company Cookbook (compiled by my Aunts).

Chili Corn Casserole
Prepare white sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt

Melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour.  Add the milk and salt.  Stir together.  Then whisk in 2 eggs slightly beaten.  (Those instructions might not be exact, but it's better than what the recipe says which is: Prepare as white sauce)

To the white sauce, add:
2 drained cans of corn
1 can (4 oz) Ortega chilies, drained

1/2 lb grated Cheddar cheese
bread crumbs

Layer in ovenproof dish:
corn mixture
bread crumbs
cheese

Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake 45 minutes to an hour at 350.

NOTES:  See.  This is why I love and hate family recipes.  I've wanted this recipe for as long as I could remember, but nobody had it written down and nobody took the time to do so.  The recipe calls for Ortega chilies, which, if you don't have access to fresh green chili like I do, it works fine.  But...if you buy a can of Ortega chili in New Mexico, you will be stoned at the register.  True story.  We use nothing other than Bueno green chile.  It's law in my house.

I know the recipe says to top with buttered bread crumbs, but I like it better just topped with Cheddar cheese.  I don't know how much I used as I just kept piling it on until it looked "right".

I used to only get the Gilli Chili Corn (what I call it) when I'm home, which really means every other Christmas.  I am so happy to have this recipe.  I made this for Thanksgiving this year and FIL liked it (the boys wouldn't touch it).  I used mild chile...next time I'll use hot.

An 8 x 11 pan was the perfect size for this recipe.  I do have an addition to the recipe that increases the size to "family size" and then you need a big foil lasagna pan.  You could just double it and use a 9 x 13 pan - I did that for the hubs' office Christmas party last year and I came home with an empty dish!  Seeing this (even before 7 in the morning) makes me want to get all the ingredients and make it again this weekend.  HURRY UP CHRISTMAS!

So...any good things going on this weekend?  The holiday parties begin on Saturday for us.  Next weekend is my office Christmas party (and then I have to work both weekend days - suck!).  The following weekend is the hubs' office Christmas party on Friday night and then we're having family over on Sunday.  Then the next weekend is Christmas.  How is that even possible? *sigh*

We'll, it's time to go get Mason up.  Let's hope that he's bouncing on the side of his crib, happy to see me, rather than curled up in a ball because he's fast asleep.  He's much happier when he wakes up on his own (just like his mama).