Patty's Potato Soup

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

I found this recipe in Southern Living a few months ago.  This chicken is sooooooo good.  We've cooked it on the grill, and today I roasted it in the oven (450 for 10 min, then lower to 375 for remaining - depending on size of chicken).  This isn't a last-minute dish; the chicken needs to be brined over night.

Ingredients

• 2 family-size tea bags
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 2 (6-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb.) cut-up whole chicken

Preparation

• 1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan; add tea bags. Remove from heat; cover and steep 10 minutes.
• 2. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and next 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely (about 45 minutes); stir in ice. (Mixture should be cold before adding chicken.)
• 3. Place tea mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal. Place bag in a shallow baking dish and chill 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• 4. Light one side of grill, heating to 300° to 350° (medium) heat; leave other side unlit. Place chicken, skin side down, over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 20 minutes. Turn chicken, and grill, covered with grill lid, 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken, skin side down, to lit side of grill, and grill 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crispy. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Southern Living
MAY 2011

Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans
3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/2 turbinado, 1/2 palm)
3 eggs
1/4 c cocoa powder (recipe calls for Dutch)
3 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 pinch salt
 1 tsp vanilla

Blend above ingredients in a blender.
Fold in 1/2 c chocolate chips & 1/2 cup pecans.
Pour into 8x8 greased baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

A couple differences between replacing flour with black beans.
95 flour carbs to 18 beans carbs
400 flour calories to 200 beans calories

These are pretty yummy.  I didn't put chocolate chips or pecans in mine and probably will next time.  The texture is a little different than my usual brownies, but the difference in calories & carbs, not to mention protein and fiber, makes up for that (There's something to be said about the no-guilt factor)

This recipe can be found at Allrecipes and probably many other places.

Carnival 2011

We made it to the Midway today, the last day the carnival will be open. Lucky for us, it was "Dollar Day" - all the rides were a dollar (down from up to 3, maybe more). The first thing Nathan saw was a train. We paid our $2 each (this train wasn't part of the carnival company), and then he proceeded to tell us he didn't want to get on. Well, too bad! The bell and horn were too loud for him (hardly loud at all though).
This is the 2nd ride he wanted on. He went around 2 or 3 times before he started crying and had to get off. Someday he'll get it!

Then we all went on the "Bear" ride - it spun. We ran into Nathan's cousin, Anthony, who wanted to ride with us. All the guys like it, but I felt otherwise. I'm not a fan of spinning.

On our way out, we stopped at the petting zoo where kids could ride ponies or even a camel. Nathan chose the pony. He rode with a guy walking along side of him, but didn't need his daddy to walk by him this time.

And then it was time to go home and take a nap (that was the bargain - he got to ride the pony if he took a nap when we got home.)

Now he's ready to go to Sea World, talking about fish and whales and jellyfish :)

Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers in 21 short steps

This is a recipe I just created tonight.

1. hollow out and boil bell peppers (I used red and green. I also like to cut them into thirds before boiling)


2. Set those aside.


3. Cook 2/3 cup dry quinoa (1 part quinoa to 2 parts water. cook it like rice)


4. thinly slice some carrots (I used 3)


5. cut up broccoli stems


6. cut broccoli florets into small ones


7. dice bell peppers (green, red, yellow, whatever you want, I used 1/2 green, 1/2 red)


8. dice onion (I used 1/4)


9. 2 chopped up baked potatoes (small)


10. some sliced/diced cabbage


11. dice a tomato


12. saute carrots, peppers, onion, & broccoli stems


13. add some shakes of Worschestershire sauce


14. add potato, cabbage, and broccoli florets


15. continue cooking for a few minutes


16. add tomato


17. continue cooking until everything is thoroughly cooked (or just hot)


18. add quinoa and mix


19. put bell peppers in a baking dish, "stuff" with the mixture


20. bake at 375 (or whatever floats your boat) for 10-15 minutes


21. top with parmesan cheese

Oat Pancakes

• 2 c. oat flour or 1-1/4 c. oat flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour (I made oat flour by blending rolled oats in the blender)
• 2 c. milk or water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. oil
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Mix dry ingredients.

Add milk or water.

Add oil and 1 egg at a time.

Mix thoroughly. Cook over griddle on medium

I kind of messed this up. I mixed all liquid ingredients together at once. If you do this, I recommend letting the mixture (everything together) sit for a few minutes before cooking and cooking on medium-high.

These pancakes were thinner than regular ones. They were kind of between a pancake and crepe. Delicious!

Adapted from this recipe.

Need help and inspiration!

If anyone comes across this blog and has some easy healthy recipes/living tips to share, please do! I've found that as the summer goes on (I'm a teacher, this was my time to get our family healthy), I just want to run out and get fast food or take-out! arg!