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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

What To Do With Rotisserie Chicken



My local grocery store marks their rotisserie chickens down on Sundays. They're just $4.99 that day and the other evening I was fortunate enough to find some marked down another dollar! And while I love getting a good deal on meat, of course I'm then left with the question of what to do with it.

But recently I've gotten into the habit of picking up a couple of chickens on Sunday and most Monday mornings find me standing over the sink, picking the meat off as fast as I can. I usually pop it into a freezer bag and stow it there, but some Mondays I use the meat right away. Here are a few things I've done:

Make Chicken Pie. (I posted about this on Monday)

Use for barbecue sandwiches (toss your favorite sauce with the meat and heat in a saucepan on low)

Use as a burrito filling with your favorite toppings or as a topping for a nacho platter.

Make tortilla soup. Or chicken noodle soup. Or white chicken chili.

Toss with cooked penne pasta, olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli florets, etc.

Make barbecue chicken pizza using crescent rolls as the crust.

Use a Caesar Salad kit and add the chicken for chicken Caesar salad with some yeast rolls or French bread.

Make Asian Chicken Noodle Salad:

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
¼ cup creamy nut butter
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 tablespoon chicken broth or watercress
12 ounces linguine or rice sticks
2 carrots, grated
4 scallions, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into small strips
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  1. Boil pasta in a large pot of water until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl. While pasta is cooking, blend or process the nut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ginger and broth until smooth.
  2. Add chicken, carrots, scallions, pepper strips and chopped cilantro to bowl of pasta and toss.
  3. Pour sauce over the pasta mixture and toss well to coat. If sauce is too thick, think with extra broth or a little water.

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Moravian Chicken Pie


This is a quick and easy meal to throw together using rotisserie chickens and some pantry staples. It's comfort food at its best! And with the holidays approaching, it's a great thing to do with leftover turkey!



Here's how you can make it for your family:



Buy two rotisserie chickens and pick all the meat off the bones. This is what the carcasses will look like when you get done. Unless you are a more efficient picker than me, in which case yours will look worse.
 



Put all the meat in a greased 9X13 pan. Spread out evenly.
 

 
Now assemble the following items: Self-rising flour, cream of chicken soup, two sticks of margarine and milk.
 


Spread the cream of chicken soup over the chicken. This is the hardest part of the whole process. And it's not really that hard.
 

 
Mix your crust ingredients with a whisk: 1 cup of margarine, milk and flour.


Pour your crust (as you can see from the picture it's very liquidy when mixed so it's easy to pour) over the chicken and soup layers in the pan. If you are like me and are not going to bake this right away you can cover the dish with saran wrap and put it into the fridge until you are ready to bake it.
 

 
Bake at 400 for one hour until it's golden brown. Serve with whatever sounds good. Not sure why but I always serve it with LeSueur baby peas but you could serve it with any green veggie. Or just by itself in a big ole bowl. My husband has been known to stand over the dish with a spoon and eat it like a caveman.
 
My family on my mom's father's side is Moravian and I love serving this little piece of my heritage to my family. And don't get me started on Moravian Sugar Cookies!
 
Moravian Chicken Pie
 
meat from 2 rotisserie chickens (or 6-8 cups shredded, cooked chicken)
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup milk
1 cup melted margarine
 
Layer chicken in greased 9X13 pan. Spread cream of chicken soup over top.
Mix flour, milk and margarine together with whisk. Pour over chicken and soup.
Bake at 400 for 1 hour.
 
You can also cut this recipe in half and make in an 8 inch square dish. I'd just watch your time because it might not take the whole hour to bake.
 

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Friday, October 25, 2013

For All You Writer Types


Here are some posts I've enjoyed lately:

Do This! Don't Do That! To Outline Or Not, That Is The Question: I think I enjoyed this so much because I read it right after I'd had my semi-regular monthly lunch with 3 other writers and we'd had the "to outline or not" conversation and gotten a different perspective from each person at the table. My answer to this question, in case you're wondering, is, I do a hybrid outline but leave room for changes in direction. I've been working on a project without an outline and will never do it again. I feel like not having some sort of map of where I'm going has led to a lot of needless wandering.

10 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo: I enjoyed this because I've been toying with doing NaNo. I toy with this idea every year. November is typically a really bad time for me to take on such a commitment, as the holidays are barreling in and my kids have several breaks from school. But. It does sound nice to be working towards something within the online community of other folks who have also made this crazy commitment this same time. I've got a novel to revise so I'm probably going to commit to that. It's not 50,000 words in a month, but it's working towards a finished novel.

Once Upon A Time (Stories Matter): I'm going to be reading this post, in its entirety, to the two ninth grade classes I'm teaching this week. I believe stories matter-- and I better, since writing stories and sharing stories at She Reads take up most of my business hours and thought life.

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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

25th Reunion


There were the people who hadn't changed at all. At least, not much. If I'd seen them anywhere else, I would've immediately recognized them, even without the nametags we all wore. They have good genes, I guess, immune to the passage of 25 years. Then there were the people who had changed a lot. The cute boy who had morphed into a nerdy professor complete with glasses, paunch and beard. The wallflower who had become a knockout. I'd heard once that by your 25th reunion all the cliques would be gone, the old hierarchies abandoned. Whoever told me that lied. They were all still in place, each of us gravitating to what we once knew, falling into the familiar.

These girls are my familiar.



We hung out at one table, danced to our old favorite songs, and never got too far away from each other's orbit the entire night. We were there for the reunion, but mostly we were there for each other. Because we can't miss a chance to reunite, a chance to all be together. We know each other in the now, but we also knew each other then. When I look at these faces, I see 25 years of history, the scope of us. I see the high school girls with their whole lives ahead of them and the 40something women juggling careers and heartbreaks and teenagers.

I see something precious and rare. Something to celebrate. And so on Saturday night we celebrated. And then we went back to our real lives, lives that are mostly apart from each other. Lives that are vastly different. But lives that are tied by the thread of history and experience, a silken thread that is stronger than you might think. Sometimes you gotta take that thread and tie it into a bow. I think that's what 25th reunions are for.
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Monday, October 21, 2013

There Is Just So Much


Do you ever feel that way? That there is just so much to do and you have no idea how to get it all done?

I've been feeling that way a lot as my husband has traveled and two separate deadlines have managed to converge and there are these other writing ideas that are trying to take up mental space I don't have. And then there are the kids and their infinite needs and oh yeah, there is this home that needs cleaning and managing. And there are those infernal emails that get together and reproduce whenever I step away from my computer. And there are relationships I value that sit patiently on the back row with their hands raised, waiting for me to call on them. And while they are patient, yessirree they are, I know they are there. And those raised hands are white flags waving lazily in my mind: "We're here. In case you've forgotten."

Oh my dear loved ones, I have not forgotten. I promise. And I will be back to call on you just as soon as I... (run this errand, make this call, write this email, pick up this child, finish this word count...)

I don't have any words of advice for this predicament. I wish I did so I could give it to myself. Am I too busy? Perhaps. I've had loved ones suggest that I am. And yet I don't know how to not be this busy. We need the bit of money my writing gigs bring in. My kids aren't getting any less needy anytime soon. My house is filled with objects that need restocking, refilling, repairing. Dirt builds up and business keeps happening. And while I would L-O-V-E to stop the world so I can get off, I don't have that option.

You probably don't either.

And so we cope. We snag snatches of time to refuel with a good book or a good movie, a pumpkin latte, a long walk with some favorite music thumping in our earbuds, a nap. We talk to our spouse or our friends or our mom about how hard life is and we will them to agree and not sermonize, to just hear us out and say that we are right to feel how we feel. We pray. A lot. We give things to God that we are wrestling with. We commit to read the Bible every day and journal just one verse that speaks to us specifically. And while we have our journal out we try to write our way to the truth because otherwise we race right by the truth. We read books that encourage/inspire/inform us. We light a candle that smells really good and we pause to watch the flame flicker.

Somewhere in all that we get to work. And we turn on our Chris Botti Pandora channel while we work because it just makes the work flow like only some smooth jazz can. We set goals for ourselves and hold ourselves to reaching them because there is simply stuff that must get done. We eat the elephant one bite at a time. And we realize that sometimes the biggest step is simply opening the file or walking out the door.

(At least, that's what I do.)

Mostly I just wanted to put this out there in case someone else was saying "There is just so much" as this new week begins. Because another coping strategy? Just knowing you're not the only one.
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Saturday, October 19, 2013

This Week...


was a week I had dreaded for months. It was a week my husband had to be gone from Monday morning to Friday night. I expected that it would be hard, and long, and at times overwhelming. And my expectation pretty much met my reality. Add in an overnight visit from a friend and my week became a whirlwind of cleaning up messes, driving the car, and making sure there was food in the house.

Not much happened beyond that.

Certainly not blogging. Oh I had good intentions-- for writing, for blogging, for projects and errands and many other things. But mostly I just went into survival mode. And I learned something I already knew but proved all over again. Single parents? Are amazing.

For single parents there is no cavalry arriving at the end of the day. There is no one to offer to pick up milk at the grocery store on the way home. There is no one to talk to about issues or problems. No one to marvel at the funny/clever/amazing things the kids did. No one to discuss discipline tactics with when they're not so funny/clever/amazing. There is just a glass of red wine and DVR'ed tv to fall asleep to at the end of a long and overwhelming day when all you want is for no one to ask you for anything for approximately five minutes.

Why do I write this?

Because if you know a single parent maybe you'll be inspired to call and ask if there is anything she (or he) needs at the grocery store. Maybe you'll make extra for dinner and swing it by their house, surprising them with a night they don't have to put a meal on the table. Maybe you'll linger a bit longer and let them talk about their kids because you're thinking that they might just need to share. Or maybe you'll just bring the red wine and a movie from Redbox and sit beside them while they veg at the end of a long day. And you will say, "You know what? I think you're amazing."

Because I suspect they really need to hear it.
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Thursday, October 10, 2013

I Don't Know Who I Am


This has become apparent to me as I've been reading this book.

I really liked the title. It appealed to me for a lot of reasons-- the profit part and the "without losing your soul" part. Because we've all seen those bloggers who seem to have lost their souls in the name of turning a buck.

To be honest, I didn't start reading this book because of this, my personal blog. I started reading it because I wanted to learn how we can make a profit over at She Reads. Because we actually need to make a profit or I think our husbands are going to stage a coup.

But as I've read the book, I've inevitably thought of this blog. Because I can multi-task. Because I'm a mom. And I also don't play favorites. Because I'm a mom.

Anyway, there's a list towards the beginning that says all the things not to do as a blogger.

I pretty much do them all.

Mostly what it says not to do is to not jump around with your subject matter, to pick a passion and focus on it. Be a reliable source that people will return to because they need whatever it is you're providing. You can't do it all or people will get confused.

So I made a list of subjects I'm passionate about. The list got quite long and as I looked it over, I realized I enjoy discussing it all. Which, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you've probably seen "it all."

That would mean:

Writing.

Reading.

Housekeeping.

Organizing.

Parenting.

Spiritual essays.

Cooking.

Decorating.

Humor.

Serious.

Vignettes about life.

I can't pick just one!

So I guess I should just be grateful for any of you who have managed to stick with me in spite of the fact that I'm doing it completely wrong. And my apologies for confusing you guys. I'll let you know if/when I figure out who I am.

But the good news is, we're doing it right over at She Reads, where all we talk about is women's fiction. All day, every day. You want women's fiction? There is NO confusion about where to go. Now to make that profit... and keep our souls.
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Tuesday, October 08, 2013

A Little Fallishness


Get it? Fallishness instead of foolishness? I think my husband would tell you that my fall decorating last week got out of control to the point that it turned into foolishness, so the term is fitting.



 
Check out those keys spelling out the word fall? On pumpkins? Too cute for a fall welcome on your front porch
Source: http://www.digsdigs.com/44-pumpkin-decor-ideas-for-home-fall-decor/ 

So since I've not made the time to snap any pics of what I ended up with, I thought I'd share some sites that inspired me to decorate my house. If you stick with pumpkins and leaves and shy away from bats and jack-o-lanterns, you can make whatever you do in your house last all the way til Thanksgiving.

I like getting more bang for my buck.

Maybe you do too?

Here are some sites that inspired me:

Eleven Ways To Add Fall To Your Home:
http://theturquoisehome.com/2013/09/11-ways-to-add-fall-to-your-home/

22 Fall Mantel Projects:
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2013/09/great-ideas-fall-mantel-projects.html

Pumpkin Decorating Projects:
http://momsbyheart.net/momspiration-monday-156/

25 DIY Festive Fall Wreaths:
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/25-diy-festive-fall-wreath-tutorials.html

Cottage Home Fall Tour: (you better have some time on your hands!)
http://foxhollowcottage.com/2013/09/cottage-home-fall-tour.html

I hope they inspire you too!

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Sunday, October 06, 2013

The Sunday Slowdown


Today was a slow Sunday for us. I like slow Sundays, as I've said before. I can't say I did much. Read. Journaled. Took some notes for a book idea. Wrote down some goals. So I guess I did do stuff. Just not physical labor. All that was yesterday when I frantically ran around making a meal for 2 couples who came over. I made two different types of soup: Pasta Fagioli and White Chili. I made so much that we were able to have soup for lunch and dinner today. I also made some yummy pumpkin crumb cake. It was a perfect fall meal and-- while the weather was a bit too hot to qualify as fall during the day yesterday-- it cooled down nicely once the sun set and we ended our evening outside on our deck, laughing and talking and-- I'm sure-- annoying our neighbors. (I took my neighbors some pumpkin crumb cake today just to stay in their good graces.) We were out there pretty late.

And now another week is beginning. It's a week I'm not near ready for. A week that involves getting some serious writing done and going on a trip. A week that involves my dearest friend in the world coming into town and figuring out how to spend at least some time with her because we never get to spend enough time together, seeing as how she lives 7 hours from me. I've hinted that she should move here but she has this thing about living near her family. Whatever.

Last week my focus was on decorating for fall and that took way more time (and effort) than it should've. But my house does look very fallish now. I'm quite happy with it and most happy about the fact that I decorate for fall (pumpkins, leaves, etc) not Halloween, so my decorations will carry us all the way through Thanksgiving. I hope to take some pics and get a post up about it this week. Because I do like for people to share in my happiness over finding the perfect sign for over my mantle or the delight that is doing something different with your dining room table. My family? They say things like "Oh, that's not what you did last year?" and "How much did that cost?"

I have a feeling you guys will "get it" better than they do. They mostly just want to know what's for dinner. And what's for dinner around here is SOUP. Because Lord knows we've got enough of it.
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Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Oh Say, Can You See? (Oh See, Can You Say?)





I'll be honest. I hesitate to give out parenting advice. Because it's hard. And I'm wrong a lot. And my kids-- while adorable-- are rarely the models of optimum human behavior. More often than not, their stories are cautionary tales.

They are, you see, a lot like their mama-- much as I try to get them NOT to be.

But last night I had a moment. And at some point during the night (when I was supposed to be sleeping, mind you), I decided to share that moment with you. I even came up with this clever title which, at the time, seemed divinely inspired. (You might be thinking God is not usually associated with such pithy things... and you would be right. But things seem different in the middle of the night, no?)

So go with my title, and go with this bit of parenting insight. It's not advice, per se, it's more just a moment I'm sharing. Here goes...

The other night one of my children brought home some bad grades. We talked to the child in question and there were some tears as a result-- mostly because this child felt we didn't understand the situation and weren't being fair (sound familiar, parents?). This child went around feeling slighted and unappreciated and was mostly just having a pity party.

After a few minutes I went to the child and looked them in the eye. And then I spoke. And, for once, what came out of my mouth was exactly the right thing. (Mark this in the "miracle" category because I'm not one for the exact right words at the exact right time. That's why I'm a writer-- because it takes me several drafts to get it right.)

But anyway, instead of lecturing or instructing (as I'm normally prone to do), I simply told the child what I saw when I looked at them. I said "This is who you are." And then I listed off the wonderful things about this child. Mostly what I said was "You are not those bad grades. You're something so far above this one moment in time."

As I said those things, I saw the child's spirits lift. I saw the sadness fall away and hope take its place. The child walked away from me different, and the tears (and pity party) stopped. Later that night (as I said) I was thinking about that moment-- why it worked and how I could implement this tactic more often. Why did it matter that I said those things? Didn't the child know I felt this way about them? Did they need reminding?

Well, in short, of course. The child needed reminding. We all need reminding. I got to thinking about how my husband needs to be reminded and my children need to be reminded and I need to be reminded and my friends could probably use some reminding and, if I know this, why don't I do it more? What would it be like if I chose to cast vision through my words more than I lectured and instructed? Not that instruction and guidance isn't necessary-- it definitely is, I'm not mandating a touchy-feely, self-esteem focus that turns people into egomaniacs and narcissists.

I'm coming at this from the angle of someone who is already good at the guidance. I can chart the course with the best of them-- but I forget the wind for their sails.

And so I thought I'd share this bit of insight. I should say what I see more often. Because they may not know. Or they may have forgotten. Or they may think I don't see. And if I don't say what I see, well then they'll never know how amazing I think these people I love are. And that would be tragic.






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