dinner!!!! recipe to share/ chicken and rice

this is a recipe i wanted to share. i love recipes given to me by others who like to cook. this particular recipe is special to me.

i learned how to make this a long time ago.....really.

when i was little...toddler through early elementary school we had a couple in our neighborhood that were probably in their 60's at the time. i remember their house very well. it was three down from ours and i was comfortable there. the garage was always open and floyd was always in there piddling....and drinking beer. he had a hammock and he was kind. his wife spoke very broken english being latin from somewhere in south america...i wish i knew where. her name was irma. she was lovely, always in the kitchen and also very kind.

she gave my mom this recipe. i don't remember it being a family staple but when i ventured out on my own it was one i wanted.

i love it for its simplicity, it is healthy and it always tastes just right.

this is IRMA'S SOUTH AMERICAN CHICKEN AND RICE

1 chicken (one cut up whole is best for flavor but see notes)

pour olive oil in a aluminum pan (teflon coated will not brown as well)

heat oil and place chicken pieces in hot oil. salt and pepper well and splash a good amount of lea and perrins worcestershire. turn and brown both sides quickly. once both sides are browned remove and set aside.

irma didn't have one of these but we do...in a food processor place 1 tomato, 1 onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 bell pepper, 1 large clove garlic, 1 carrot, 1 tsp capers and 1 tsp cumin.. pulse the4se vegetables until they are completely pulped. it looks like mush. pour this mixture into the pan the chicken came out of. stir and mix in the little bits of chicken stuck to the pan as well as all the oil. i add salt, pepper and a little more lea and perrins until it is the right color to me. fry this for ten minutes. at this point add rice. i add about 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain (not instant). fry for another five minutes stirring. grease a 9x13 pan with pam, pour in the rice. place the chicken on top, pour 1 cup of hot water over all, seal tightly with foil and bake 1 hour at 350.

this is really very easy and has a spicy unique flavor to it. it is assembled quickly and can be modified.

1. i have used boneless chicken breasts but note to brown very quickly as they are going to cook a full hour in the end.

2. this recipe is easily divided or multiplied as the sauce (vegetable mixture) freezes well. just remember to alter the chicken and rice/water amounts when changing. it is easy once you make it. most of us can figure water to rice ratios.

ENJOY AND BON APPETIT!!!

quick trip to charleston, sc

moving to charleston, west virginia was traumatic at best. first of all i did not know there was another charleston (i know...elementary school state capitols)...anyway i vacationed in charleston sc for years. it was in my top 3 places to go...love everything about it. so, when we scheduled our trip i was elated.

then i was under the assumption we would not be able to do fun stuff due to family obligations. i was wrong. brad's family was a delight, we had a wonderful time complete with sightseeing, shem creek and the beach! it was a nice break.

i am a complete sucker for the beauty of this towns architecture and general mood. i could have languished for days staring into gardens, eating seafood and shopping. i need another week there soon.

p.s. my tour partner was hotter than the weather!!!

one more project

i couldn't stop myself. i had a vision of wearing this smock on this trip. miraculously i finished it today! it looks really cute on in a tunic length. i will really miss my sewing room while i am gone....: (

12 hours

that is how long it took me to make a few purses. i am so incredibly slow. how do these women do it that have children? i don't understand. i go to these remarkable etsy business sites, view beautiful creations. i look and think.....i can do that. well yeah....i could....but when would i eat? i think i am just too old.

now that i think about it though...i take a lot of breaks. you can't do that. i received my deluxe edition dave matthews cd set yesterday. all i can say is wow.......if you don't own it i am sorry. so i listened to dave and continued to pound out the purses. i needed them for this trip. one is a gift but i NEEDED a bag.

then there was time with zoe the dog. this was spent with a T-rex mask i got out of cocoa puffs that terrifies/delights her.

i won't be posting until next week due to the charleston, sc. trip. hopefully i will have a good time. i love the city but it is not a touristy trip. it is a family visit. darn!!!!! i would really like to pound the pavement there and see all the shops, eat all the food. love to all........

unbelievably precious

here he is....in all his glory. this slobbering, grinning, gut laughing heavy bundle of love who is my grandson jackson.

how is it that i missed a lot of this with my own two children?...oh yeah....sleep deprivation. i remember some of it but in a totally different light. i will give my beautiful daughter a lot of credit for seeing the humor with the exhaustion. her pictures reflect that to me.

living so far away is very painful but i try try try hard to place myself in the moment every single day. thank god for the internet.

these are some of the precious pictures i have received this week. that reminds me....after i get back from charleston s.c. i need to get back to making baby clothes!! and toys!!!! he is my favorite customer of all.

banner day!!!!!

first thing this morning i went out to survey the garden and the morning glories were a magnificent curtain around the back porch. it felt like a secret place.

it arrived! my latest fabric order. anna went on sale at paducah's. i intend to make the zigzag quilt and needed to replenish stash. i was so excited! my studio looks wonderful

finally...i finished the quilttop for little jackson's brown bear quilt! now for the quilting portion (which i have never done).

i feel the need to mention this

if you are reading this then you either know me and i have told you to or you have stumbled here by accident.

i wanted to mention i have no idea what i am doing with this blog. i am trying to learn and eventually it may look like something. for now though...just my thoughts and what i have been doing.

it keeps me up to date with family across country.

not enough time

it seems as though every day has opportunities. somehow i find myself fortunate enough to have too many interests. i think tomorrow i will make a list of all my time.

i have a project book. it is completely full. on top of that it is cute so everytime i look at it i feel like experimenting with damask images as that is what the cover of the book has on i

i managed to make a wonderful meal for dinner using herbs out of my garden. i also played with still life photography. i would like to make a project out of anna maria horners "seams to me" book.

i am working on a socialite dress that i messed up. i am trying to save it. i think it will end up a tunic or shirt. i did a no no. i tried to get by with less fabric. lesson learned. i could have pulled it off if i had thought to turn the fabric over on a fold. oh well.

that reminds me. i need to add that to the list. i need to order that book from her studio so i can have a signed copy.