Lemon Sage Chicken

This recipe is definitely a keeper! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and fresh sage from my herb garden. I browned them in a skillet 'til about half done, and finished them in the oven. Next time, we'll grill them.

Lemon Sage Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken pieces
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if using sodium-containing chicken)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

Stir the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour the lemon-sage marinade into a large glass baking dish; add the chicken to the dish, turning the pieces once to coat with the marinade. Cover the dish and refrigerate the chicken for 1 hour, turning the pieces once every 15 minutes. (Laura sez: just put it all in a zip-lock bag, mush it all together, and squeeze out all the air. No need to turn every 15 min.)

Preheat a grill or brush a large skillet with oil and set it over medium-high heat. Arrange all the chicken pieces on the grill or place the chicken, in batches, into the hot skillet. Discard the marinade. Cook the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side. The chicken is done when the thickest part feels firm to the touch and tests 165F on an instant-read thermometer. Serve hot as an entree or refrigerate the chicken and serve it sliced in a salad.

Easter Cookies

Easter may still be a few weeks away, but we didn't let that stop us from making Easter cookies today! It was the perfect activity for the morning after a sleepover. I love using this recipe from Alton Brown. The cookies don't spread, and they always turn out perfectly. I mixed up some confectioner's sugar with a small amount of milk and some food coloring for icing.


It freaks me out to hear a 7 and 8-year old talking in emoticons. When they're excited, they say, "OMG!" The letters, that is - Oh, Em, Gee! (For those of you not up on the lingo used in text messaging, it stands for "Oh, My Gosh!" At least, that's what they think.) They don't even text yet! They're just picking it up from the atmosphere, I guess...

School Project on the Seneca Tribe

The sun is shining, it's 60-something degrees, and it's Spring Break! Woo-hoo! You know it's spring in Augusta when the azaleas, the dogwoods, and the Golf Traffic signs are in bloom. Another sign of spring: school projects. Mary Beth's class has been doing a unit on Native Americans.

Yesterday, the two 2nd grade classrooms were transformed into a museum about Native Americans. Each child had researched a different tribe and prepared a report, a poster, and a model home. They had also made clay pots, weavings, and dream catchers. Earlier in the year, the students had written letters to the current governments of their tribes, and some had mailed back letters and information. Mary Beth's tribe was the Seneca, and they had mailed her lots of brochures. Too bad she didn't get the Creeks (Muskogee) since she's 1/64th Muskogee herself, but we enjoyed learning about the Seneca tribe! All of the parents came to see the displays. They were all very proud!




We made our longhouse by gluing bark and sticks to a structure made from a narrow shoebox and an oatmeal box cut in half lengthwise for the roof. We spray-painted it brown before putting the bark on. Our "hide" door was cut from a scrap of suede, and we found a doll-house sized bowl and basket and some tiny vegetables at the craft store. I tried to brainstorm how we could fashion some tiny lacrosse sticks since Seneca boys liked to play that game. But, Mary Beth said, "Mama, you're getting carried away."

Christmas House Photos

The house looked nice for Christmas. Still a few photos to come - I'm still finding them!

Dear Zippy the Elf,

Welcome back to another slightly frantic December at the Lowe home. Your first season with us was a big hit with the munchkin, although less so with me if you recall.

Since you are already on thin ice, so to speak, I'd like to request some help from you and your cohorts. You see, sometimes, the munchkin wakes to discover you in the same spot as the night before when you are supposed to have moved to a new spot after your nightly trip back to the North Pole to report to Santa. In the next edition of The Elf on the Shelf, I'd be grateful if you'd point out to eager munchkins everywhere that since Santa has so many elves flying in daily, he has to schedule appointments for them throughout the day and night. Apparently, your appointment is approximately 11 am. It has taken some effort to convince the munchkin of this.

See, the problem is that we already have enough trouble with our tricky Tooth Fairy. Many's the morning that we've found the money hidden in odd places in the munchkin's room rather than the usual under-the-pillow spot. You elves and fairies sure do keep us on our toes.

Thanks,

Mama Lowe

Halloween 2010

Click on the pics to enlarge.

She picked out her costume in August - a 1950's diner waitress. We added the leggings 'cause it was just a little too short without something underneath. It took some doing to pin that little pillbox hat on. We had to stuff it with tissue to make it stand up. Doesn't she look cute?

Happy Neighborhood Goblins

Scary Neighborhood Goblins