Barreling Toward Christmas

As we prepare for Christmas, we are still remembering the fun we had with the whole family home for Thanksgiving. One of our best memories was the evening we sat at the kitchen table for about an hour after supper, pushing a Fisher-Price tractor around and around our long table. We all pushed it from one person to the next, making tractor noises, as Little Sister squealed in delight as we helped the plastic farmer do his job.

After a while, someone suggested that the farmer probably should go check on the cows. On our real farm, checking the cows involves riding out to see them, to count them, to make sure that no cows are in distress. But when Little Sister drove her little tractor over to the line of plastic farm animals at the end of the table, she hopped the plastic farmer out of the tractor. Then she turned him toward the animals and shouted, "Hey guys! How ya doing?" She may need a little more farm time with Daddy-O.

I have sneezed and sniffed for the entire rainy gloomy weekend and Monday was no better. We needed an easy supper. I happened to read that a nearby restaurant was having chicken bog for their special this evening. I have not had chicken bog in many years—not since my first job right out of college landed me in the South Carolina low country, where chicken bog is a staple. It was served at restaurants, school cafeterias and fund raisers. It sounded just right for this rainy night. Comfort food to the max.

 

Since I had cooked chicken in the freezer and House Seasoning on hand, this was a quick meal. I only made a half of the original recipe because that's all the rice I had. It was more than enough for the two of us. We will be eating it again for a couple of meals. If you want to make the full recipe, check out Paula Deen's recipe link. The recipe I've written down here is what I made tonight.

CHICKEN BOG

   — adapted from Paula Deen

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (the ones I used were large ones)

1/2 lb. turkey smoked sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt

1 teaspoon House Seasoning**

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (or to taste--we surely didn't want more!)

1-1/2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken broth or water (and more, as needed)

1-1/2 cups uncooked rice

Slice the turkey smoked sausage into rounds. In a stockpot, combine chicken, sausage, onion, butter, seasonings and bay leaves. Add the chicken broth, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for about 30-35 minutes, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pot and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred chicken and set aside. Add rice to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring well. Boil 10 minutes, then reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes, or until rice is done. (Add more broth if needed.) Remove the bay leaves. Stir the shredded chicken back into pot.

Serves 4

I always keep House Seasoning on my shelf.   **House Seasoning:  Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1 tbsp. black pepper & 1 tbsp. garlic powder. Store in an air-tight container, such as an empty spice bottle.

On Saturday, before this cold got the best of me, I helped at our church bake sale. I took eight loaves of my sour dough bread.

And I made a few loaves of a new recipe, Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread. Since I had never made this one before, we had to taste the first one to make sure it was bake-sale-worthy. It was very good. We decided it was even better a couple of days later. Makes it even easier to factor into your gift giving since you can make it ahead.

CINNAMON SWIRL QUICK BREAD

          —adapted from Plain Chicken

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1/4 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar

2 teaspoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with PAM. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or wax paper, and spray paper lightly with PAM. 

Combine flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk to mix dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla and oil. Stir just until moistened. Pour half of batter into loaf pan; sprinkle with half of cinnamon sugar. Spread with remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

Combine confectioners' sugar and enough water to reach desired consistency; drizzle over loaf.

Chicken Bog

 

With all of the grandchildren here for fall break, I wanted an easy supper that everyone would eat. Chicken Bog was my plan. Chicken Bog, a South Carolina low-country favorite, is a perfect fall recipe, too. Baby Girl didn't love it but then there are a lot of things she doesn't love yet.

I have posted this recipe before, but this time I increased the amounts by 50%. When I taught home economics to 8th graders, I found myself also teaching a little math. Sometimes you need math in the kitchen. This would be one of those times. My original version served 4. This one is rewritten to serve 6.

Also, because of the little ones have tender palates, I used less black pepper (it's written that way in this recipe) and just left the red pepper out altogether. It was hot enough for them. Make the "heat' suit your family.

CHICKEN BOG

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
13-oz package turkey smoked sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoning salt
1-1/2  teaspoons House Seasoning *
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper, optional (I left it out)
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth (more broth or water, as needed)
2-1/4 cups uncooked white rice

Slice the turkey smoked sausage into rounds. In a stockpot, combine chicken broth, chicken breasts, sausage, onion, butter, seasonings and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for about 35 minutes, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pot and let cool slightly. Using two forks, shred chicken and set aside.

Add rice to pot and bring to a boil, stirring well. Boil 10 minutes, then reduce heat. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes, or until rice is done. (Add more broth or water if needed.)

Remove bay leaves. Stir shredded chicken back into the pot. Add more broth if needed.

Serves 6

*House Seasoning:  Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1 tbsp. black pepper & 1 tbsp. garlic powder. Store in an air-tight container, such as an empty spice bottle.


Let me say that after cooking supper last night, I am amazed that Mommy ever gets ANYTHING cooked to feed her family. I know I did it when my girls were little. I know she does it every night. But goodness, how crazy it is to be cooking with two little ones zooming around the kitchen. Understand that there were four adults here watching the two little ones and it was still hard.

How does Mommy do it when it's two against one???

Batten Down The Hatches!

 

I'm sitting here in early morning, making a grocery list. This is a special grocery list. All the grandchildren (along with Mommy) will be here this afternoon and will stay for a few days while their schools are on fall break. This is one of the wonderful perks of their move to a neighboring state.

I was having a hard time thinking of easy suppers to make while they are here. I don't want to spend much time in the kitchen when I could be playing and snuggling and reading storybooks and rocking the baby (well, she's 19 months old.) After coming up blank with meal ideas, it hit me. DUH! Check the recipe index right here on my own blog.

The recipes on my blog are the ones I know my family likes. And I know they work because I've made them all. Sometimes a new recipe can be a "surprise." So this morning, I'll head to the grocery store with a list and a plan. Maybe you can find a supper idea in my plan, too.

It will be cool and rainy here for their entire visit, so tonight I'm making Chicken Bog. Who doesn't like chicken and rice? And it didn't hurt that I have a turkey smoked sausage in the 'fridge that I need to use.

Tomorrow is Big Sister's 15th birthday. She has requested that I make Penne with Tomatoes &  Mozzarella. I'm am totally happy she chose one of my easiest recipes!

Wednesday, I have a committee meeting at church, I am responsible for feeding kids in the children's Bible study and our handbell group has it's first fall practice. I'll be home in time for a slightly late supper with the children. But cooking Wednesday's supper calls for a slow cooker meal or a make-ahead dinner, or maybe soup. I can't think that far ahead this morning!

I'll make Chicken Salad for sandwiches because everyone likes that. And maybe Little Sister and I will bake Applesauce Muffins. If I'm smart, I'll measure the dry ingredients this morning before they arrive and then the mixing will be easy.

What else is on my to-do list this morning? Moving everything laying around up about 2 feet higher—so that Baby Girl's busy little hands cannot reach them. At least I hope she can't!

LIttle Sister Shares

This morning I remembered to give Daddy-O the nickle that Little Sister sent back with me this week. I drove down for a couple of days to babysit Baby Girl while Mommy and Little Sister went on a preschool field trip. There was a doctor visit in there, too, where an extra set of hands was helpful. I was glad to oblige.

But before I left to come home, Little Sister gave me a nickle. She told me, "Give this to Daddy-O. He shares his money with me. I want to share mine with him." She is the most generous, caring, joyful little person you can imagine.

And she is learning more about the world around her. As we drove toward the bank while doing errands one day, she told Mommy, "You know you can't use your 'surance card at the bank." Just a helpful reminder in case Mommy had forgotten that. With all of the doctor/hospital talk that has gone on lately, she knows a little about insurance cards now. At least she knows you can't use one at the bank!

We went to lunch on my last day there. On the way home she asked her mom if she had to take a nap. And then announced that she wasn't napping—she said, "I have math homework. And I have to do scientist, too. I have to do an experience." She is in preschool, but her big sister is doing "science experiments" in high school this year. Little girl doesn't miss much.

While I was there, I cooked supper.  Chicken Bog—Big Sister's favorite. Sloppy Joes—Baby Girl's favorite. And I drove the big girls to school to let Mommy get a little extra sleep. (Some of the best conversations with grandchildren happen in the car.) I am so happy to be near enough to do this now. That's what grandmothers are for.

Christmas Count Down

Father Christmas has obviously planned ahead. I caught him making an early delivery today when I peeked around the corner! On the other hand, I have been down for the count with my annual bout with bronchitis and I'm a little behind. But thankfully, a trip to the doctor and antibiotics are helping. Too much to do with just 11 days left before Christmas!

I truly have spent the last few days under a blanket. I have read and I have ordered a couple of gifts online and I am so over Christmas movies. This coming week I will get back up to speed, I hope. Handbells tomorrow at church and one ukulele concert next Friday and my music "job" is done for the season.

I need to finish knitting the foot of the second sock to tuck into a Christmas stocking. Poor son-in-law will not get a cap for Christmas although I bought the yarn months ago. I was happy to hear that Big Sister has been working on knitting gifts last week while she was out of school because of snow. By the time she is my age, her knitting should far surpass mine!

Cows don't observe a Christmas schedule as far as we know. But with our colder weather, they are happy to see Daddy-O every day when he arrives with hay. Thankfully, they just eat the same ol' thing every day and it's okay.

What do you do for meals when you are under the weather? I usually look to things in my freezer first--that's another reason to keep a few prepared meals at the ready. And then I turn to easy recipes that I know will be good. This is not a time to experiment.  (Okay, so I did make Chicken Bog on Monday and we ate it for days. I knew it couldn't be bad, but was delighted that it was SO good.) Tonight, a 3-Packet Pot Roast is in the slow cooker and that should feed us for a couple of meals with more to put in the freezer for another time.

How are you coming with your Christmas preparations? Years back I learned that just like Dr. Seuss wrote years ago, Christmas will come whether we finish our list or not. So bring it on! We will welcome it, regardless of how much I get (or don't get) done.

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Thank you, Dr. Seuss.