8.06.2015

Quick Dinner








What you'll need:
Bone in, skin on chicken thighs (just deal chicken skin will not kill you)
Rice
Swiss chard
oil

Preparation:

Start the water for your rice.  I use a 2:1 Ratio.  2 cups of water for ever 1 cup of rice I make.  1 cup of dry rice yields 4 servings. Salt your water and bring to a boil.  While waiting on that water start the chicken

Turn on your broiler to high.  Arrange the chicken thighs skin side down on the broiler pan.  Paint with marinade.  Make sure the rack is set right for your broiler.  Broil skin side down for at least 10 minutes.  This is the fastest way I found to cook chicken thighs with the bone-in.  Plus they get all crispy.  

Water ready yet.  Put the rice in, stir, bring back to a boil.  Put the lid on and turn way down to simmer.

When the thighs look like that side is done, turn them over and brush with more marinade.  Pop them back in skin side up now.  The trick here is to let them cook skin side down until they are almost done.  The cook faster this way, then turn them over for the tail end of the process.  

Keep an eye on your rice, don't let it boil over or burn.  

Get the chard ready.  Chop of the stocks and cut up into smallish pieces.  In oil of your choice saute them.  Chop the leaves up and toss those in too.  Cook the chard until its just wilted and remove from heat. Splash with a little rice wine vinegar, sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. 

Pull out your chicken turn off the rice and serve!

This all takes about 30 minutes.  Promise.  

8.02.2015

Sunday Adventures Part 1













Last weekend I went for a bike ride, we bought bikes did I mention that, and came across a downed tree.  A lady and her kids were standing there and I was worried it had just happened or they might need some help and together we could all move it off the trail.  Nah, her kids just wanted to check it out and we left it for the parks department.  She did share with me that if you continue to the end of the trail, and down through the trees theres' a little sandy spot were you can explore and make it down to the creek.  This weekend I headed out for my ride with all intentions of biking my planned 6 mile route, but my legs said "no" since we had ridden to the farmers market the day before.  So I decided to check out the creek.  It was lovely.  Lots of dragonflies and butterflies.  It wasn't too hot yet either and the cool of trees made it all the better.  It was lush and lovely and made me wish that Leavenworth had more trails to explore.