30 November, 2006
Recipe for Baked Apricot-Wild Rice Chicken
This recipe is one I discovered and then altered to make it my own. It's very tasty and homey.
This recipe makes six servings.
Place one whole chicken (or 1/2 chicken breast per person) in a roasting pan with one large onion and three cloves garlic, minced. Glaze with honey and the juice of one lemon. Sprinkle lightly with turmeric. Roast, covered, for one hour at 350*.
Remove chicken from roaster and measure out the juice. Add water or broth to make 3 to 3 1/2 cups. Pour 1 and 1/2 c. rice and liquid into pan. Add 1/2 c. apricots (dried, chopped), some rosemary, sage, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Place chicken on top of mixture. Cover and bake 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir 1/2 c. pecan halves into rice and serve.
*Rice:
I use a mixture of white and brown rice because the family isn't very keen on brown rice yet.
White rice: use 1/4 c. per person, and 1/2 c. liquid per person.
Brown rice: use 1/4 c. per person, and 1/2 c. liquid per person, but add another 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid.
*I haven't used a whole chicken in this recipe yet, so I'm not certain of the times.
This recipe makes six servings.
Place one whole chicken (or 1/2 chicken breast per person) in a roasting pan with one large onion and three cloves garlic, minced. Glaze with honey and the juice of one lemon. Sprinkle lightly with turmeric. Roast, covered, for one hour at 350*.
Remove chicken from roaster and measure out the juice. Add water or broth to make 3 to 3 1/2 cups. Pour 1 and 1/2 c. rice and liquid into pan. Add 1/2 c. apricots (dried, chopped), some rosemary, sage, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Place chicken on top of mixture. Cover and bake 35-45 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir 1/2 c. pecan halves into rice and serve.
*Rice:
I use a mixture of white and brown rice because the family isn't very keen on brown rice yet.
White rice: use 1/4 c. per person, and 1/2 c. liquid per person.
Brown rice: use 1/4 c. per person, and 1/2 c. liquid per person, but add another 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid.
*I haven't used a whole chicken in this recipe yet, so I'm not certain of the times.
28 November, 2006
Food!
Since I've been cooking and baking so many new things recently, I thought I'd post some pictures and recipes of my (new) favourites. I've already posted the recipe for Georgian Khachapuri (the delicious cheesy bread), but there's nothing like a picture when you can't actually see something. Here's one from the batch I made Thanksgiving night for supper. That stuff you see coming out of the top is CHEESE, thanks be to God.We threw a surprise chocolate party for A's birthday last Friday. What with chocolate pecan pie, Death by Chocolate Cake, truffles, Chocolate Peppermint Sticks, fudge, Dad's Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, and chocolate coffee pudding, I think we're all going to be on a sugar high for weeks! Unfortunately, we ate most everything, and didn't take pictures before we fell to. Next time I make Death by Chocolate Cake or truffles (the best ones, in my opinion), I'll be sure to have my camera ready.
For Thanksgiving dinner, I made Baked Apricot-Wild Rice Chicken. We also had cranberry sauce, broccoli, and rolls, followed by pumpkin pie and chocolate cheesecake. The cheesecake was a big hit. I also made a centerpiece by baking bread in the shape of a shock of wheat.Also this week, I've made Bouillebaisse, which is a new family favourite. It's a fish stew sort of dish and it's excellent with some crusty bread. I like to make baguettes to serve hot with supper. Sad thing, I don't actually like to eat the stew. Everyone else does, though, so I've added it to our list of meals.
Next week is our cookie exchange. I'll be getting some new recipes then, so I'll have plenty more baking to do! I'll be making my grandmother's now-famous molasses cookies. So tasty.
Recipes tomorrow!
21 November, 2006
A Miscellany of Men, G.K. Chesterton
...we are far too seldom reminded that just as church-going is not religion, so reading and writing are not knowledge, and voting is not self-government.
The notion of self-government was not (as many modern friends and foes of it seem to think) the notion that the ordinary citizen is to be consulted as one consults an encyclopedia. He is not there to be asked a lot of fancy questions, to see how he answers them. He and his fellows are to be, within reasonable human limits, masters of their own lives. They shall decide whether they shall be men of the oar or the wheel, of the spade or the spear. The men of the valley shall settle whether it shall be hoary with thatches or splendid with spires. ... And in case the word 'man' be misunderstood, I may remark that in this moral atmosphere, this original soul of self-government, the women always have quite as much influence as the men. But in modern England neither the men nor the women have any influence at all. In this primary matter, the moulding of the landscape, the creation of a mode of life, the people are utterly impotent.
[The local man] would be, I seriously believe, the best judge of whether farmsteads or factory chimneys should adorn his own sky-line, of whether stupid squires or clever usurers should govern his own village. But these are precisely the things which the oligarchs will not allow him to touch with his finger. Instead, they allow him an Imperial destiny and divine mission to alter, under their guidance, all the things that he knows nothing about.
Pages 6, 7, and 9
The notion of self-government was not (as many modern friends and foes of it seem to think) the notion that the ordinary citizen is to be consulted as one consults an encyclopedia. He is not there to be asked a lot of fancy questions, to see how he answers them. He and his fellows are to be, within reasonable human limits, masters of their own lives. They shall decide whether they shall be men of the oar or the wheel, of the spade or the spear. The men of the valley shall settle whether it shall be hoary with thatches or splendid with spires. ... And in case the word 'man' be misunderstood, I may remark that in this moral atmosphere, this original soul of self-government, the women always have quite as much influence as the men. But in modern England neither the men nor the women have any influence at all. In this primary matter, the moulding of the landscape, the creation of a mode of life, the people are utterly impotent.
[The local man] would be, I seriously believe, the best judge of whether farmsteads or factory chimneys should adorn his own sky-line, of whether stupid squires or clever usurers should govern his own village. But these are precisely the things which the oligarchs will not allow him to touch with his finger. Instead, they allow him an Imperial destiny and divine mission to alter, under their guidance, all the things that he knows nothing about.
Pages 6, 7, and 9
I've had an apostrophe...
Lightnin' has struck my brain.
This article was posted on the RUF list-serv (e-mail discussion forum). I was writing an e-mail to respond to it, and I realised, half-way through my second proof-read, that I have way too many commas in this sentence. That's not actually, what, I realised, I just, thought, that I, would write that, because, it was getting, ridic,ulous. Ahem. Sorry...Where was I? Oh, yes. I realised that I hate list-serv discussions. And now I know why, because I unconsciously wrote it out in my reply. Here's what I said (unedited):
"Before everyone jumps in and tears this author and his article to teeny-weeny pieces for any and every reason other than the legitimate one, that of disagreement on Biblical grounds-- I just want to say that I agree with what he wrote. Especially with this bit: "The purpose of this article was to encourage careful thinking about this issue and the seeking of God's truth." That is why I'm saying I agree. I don't want to argue with anyone about all of the possible "exceptions" or "special circumstances". All I know is, we should have babies. Anything beyond that is on each individual's own conscience. We cannot make a rule based upon possible exceptions. Stop trying to outline the entire boundary of our free wills. It isn't possible because no-one is able to speak for anyone else's conscience. It is important, however, to recognise truth when we see it. Therefore:
1. God made us fertile.
2. He is in control of everything.
3. He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.
Why wouldn't you obey him?"
I was in the middle of editing for content and flow of argument when I came across that bold sentence which tells me exactly what I think of these people. "Stop trying to outline the entire boundary of our free wills." Stop nit-picking! Quit it, you Pharisees! The only reason you all are doing this is because you don't want to obey in the big things, just the little tiny ones! It makes me wonder if they tithe their mint and cumin, too.
And now I wonder how I got to this place in my life. I used to be just as legalistic and pharisaical. Honestly, I thought I still was, but I see from my reaction that I'm not any longer. That is very strange and very wonderful.
This article was posted on the RUF list-serv (e-mail discussion forum). I was writing an e-mail to respond to it, and I realised, half-way through my second proof-read, that I have way too many commas in this sentence. That's not actually, what, I realised, I just, thought, that I, would write that, because, it was getting, ridic,ulous. Ahem. Sorry...Where was I? Oh, yes. I realised that I hate list-serv discussions. And now I know why, because I unconsciously wrote it out in my reply. Here's what I said (unedited):
"Before everyone jumps in and tears this author and his article to teeny-weeny pieces for any and every reason other than the legitimate one, that of disagreement on Biblical grounds-- I just want to say that I agree with what he wrote. Especially with this bit: "The purpose of this article was to encourage careful thinking about this issue and the seeking of God's truth." That is why I'm saying I agree. I don't want to argue with anyone about all of the possible "exceptions" or "special circumstances". All I know is, we should have babies. Anything beyond that is on each individual's own conscience. We cannot make a rule based upon possible exceptions. Stop trying to outline the entire boundary of our free wills. It isn't possible because no-one is able to speak for anyone else's conscience. It is important, however, to recognise truth when we see it. Therefore:
1. God made us fertile.
2. He is in control of everything.
3. He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.
Why wouldn't you obey him?"
I was in the middle of editing for content and flow of argument when I came across that bold sentence which tells me exactly what I think of these people. "Stop trying to outline the entire boundary of our free wills." Stop nit-picking! Quit it, you Pharisees! The only reason you all are doing this is because you don't want to obey in the big things, just the little tiny ones! It makes me wonder if they tithe their mint and cumin, too.
And now I wonder how I got to this place in my life. I used to be just as legalistic and pharisaical. Honestly, I thought I still was, but I see from my reaction that I'm not any longer. That is very strange and very wonderful.
16 November, 2006
Henry Tilney on the Understanding of Women
"And now, Henry," said Miss Tilney, "that you have made us understand each other, you may as well make Miss Morland understand yourself--unless you mean to have her think you intolerably rude to your sister, and a great brute in your opinion of women in general. Miss Morland is not used to your odd ways."
"I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them."
"No doubt;--but that is no explanation for the present."
"What am I to do?"
"You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely before her. Tell her that you think very highly of the understanding of women."
"Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the women in the world--especially of those--whoever they may be--with whom I happen to be in company."
"That is not enough. Be more serious."
"Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much, that they never find it necessary to use more than half."
From Northanger Abbey, pages 78-79
"I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them."
"No doubt;--but that is no explanation for the present."
"What am I to do?"
"You know what you ought to do. Clear your character handsomely before her. Tell her that you think very highly of the understanding of women."
"Miss Morland, I think very highly of the understanding of all the women in the world--especially of those--whoever they may be--with whom I happen to be in company."
"That is not enough. Be more serious."
"Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much, that they never find it necessary to use more than half."
From Northanger Abbey, pages 78-79
15 November, 2006
Chicken Parmesan
I'm fairly certain that this is a fit subject for this blog, considering how I got the recipe. A's birthday dinner was Monday night, and he requested that I make Chicken Parmesan. Never having eaten it, I had no idea what it even was. But I looked up some recipes and decided it looked pretty simple, so I made up my own recipe as we went along. Mom and K helped me chop and stir and set the table. We sat down to eat and lo and behold! it was excellent. I couldn't believe that I'd never had it before. I'm definitely making Chicken Parmesan again. Meanwhile, here's my recipe:
Chicken Parmesan a la Miss Puritan Chickie: serves 10 adults
Marinara sauce:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or so cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon or so basil
2 cans tomato sauce
------
Chicken:
5 lb. pkg. chicken breasts, thawed, pounded flat, and halved
3/4 cup flour, seasoned with herbs,** salt, and pepper
1 egg, beaten with about 3 tablespoons milk
1 pkg. crackers, crushed and seasoned with herbs** (no salt!), plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3/4 lb. or thereabouts of Mozzarella cheese
Sauté garlic in oil, remove from heat. Stir in basil and let sit a few minutes. Add tomato sauce.
Dip chicken breast halves in flour, then egg, then crumbs. Pan fry until golden brown on both sides. Pour marinara sauce into a casserole dish and lay chicken pieces on top. Cover chicken with slices of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Serve on top of pasta (angel hair is great).
**I used an herb blend from our local farm market. It's a mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, and sage.
Chicken Parmesan a la Miss Puritan Chickie: serves 10 adults
Marinara sauce:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3 or so cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon or so basil
2 cans tomato sauce
------
Chicken:
5 lb. pkg. chicken breasts, thawed, pounded flat, and halved
3/4 cup flour, seasoned with herbs,** salt, and pepper
1 egg, beaten with about 3 tablespoons milk
1 pkg. crackers, crushed and seasoned with herbs** (no salt!), plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3/4 lb. or thereabouts of Mozzarella cheese
Sauté garlic in oil, remove from heat. Stir in basil and let sit a few minutes. Add tomato sauce.
Dip chicken breast halves in flour, then egg, then crumbs. Pan fry until golden brown on both sides. Pour marinara sauce into a casserole dish and lay chicken pieces on top. Cover chicken with slices of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Serve on top of pasta (angel hair is great).
**I used an herb blend from our local farm market. It's a mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, and sage.
07 November, 2006
I've just read Mansfield Park, and I really think that Mrs. Norris is the most hateful and disagreeable woman I've ever encountered. She is positively cruel to Fanny Price, and in contrast, Fanny is the epitome of everything modest, agreeable, submissive, and kind. Jane Austen proves to be brilliant once again.
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