Cookbook Challenge - One Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner! Plus - One Out There / Plugging Along for the Fall Quilt

Creative Output

Tree of Life Quilt

My grandmother made a quilt just like this one back in the 1920's.  It's a shade of green that just screams the '20s or 30's - I can't show it as my sister has it and I really wish it was mine! and now that I am attempting to make my own with all my modern technology's and tools - I am even more impressed. (and stressed to own it!)

I made this Tree of Life quilt for my oldest who is living in Arizona right now, and missing autumn.  I decided to use all batiks for the tree leaves and a water like batik for the background.  I loved what I came up with so much - I want to make one to live here!

Each block - and there will be 12 in my quilt - is made up of 34 half square triangles.  I am using pre printed paper to help me along with this

I suppose my grandmother 

cut all her triangles by hand?!

Because the triangle strips make 6 at a time, I am using two paper strips of a single fabric - so each tree will have one triangle of each batik I've collected.  To keep myself organized - zip closure baggies to the rescue!  

Each time I add some triangles to my 12 baggies, I make a slash mark in a group of 5 right on the baggie to keep track

I just got all the leaves sewn - but I am still at it!  I am making 

the baggies now into "kits" by adding the rest of the components of the tree block - like the tree trunks.  I've got a few all sewn together - I couldn't wait to see how it was going to turn out!'

My daughter's quilt had a more scrappy blue background - I am hoping I bought enough blue batik to keep mine more unified.  I am having fun with the tree trunk fabric!

How fun is that!

Sew on, and sew on!

Cookbook Challenge - Winner, winner chicken dinner!

This chicken recipe is a keeper - Chicken Breasts with Classic French Pan Sauce - and it was so good!

I think it came from Cooking Light Magazine, but I am not sure   mainly because it calls for 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream!  I guess that isn't a lot and the sauce is what makes this recipe.  Plus I chose it because of the whipping cream.  I had some left over from the Con Queso  I made last Friday and I didn't want to "have to" make chocolate truffles with it!

Another time perhaps!  Here's the winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Chicken Breasts with a Classic French Pan Sauce - Cooking Light Magazine (that's what the font suggests!)

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 bone in chicken breast halves

5/8 tsp salt, divided (really?)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tsp Dijon mustard 

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan, skin side down; saute 4 minutes or until browned.  Turn chicken over, place in oven, bake for 40 mins.  Remove chicken from pan, let stand for 10 mins.

Return skillet to medium high heat.  Add wine to pan; bring to a boil.  Cook one minute or until reduced to 2 tablespoons; scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Stir in mustard.  Combine cream and flour, stirring until smooth.  Add cream mixture to pan; bring to a boil.  Cook until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Stir in remaining salt.  Serve with chicken.

I served this with some green beans that were about to leave the refrigerator on their own

I just quickly steamed them in the microwave and I also served some leftover pasta - why does my husband need to cook an entire box of pasta at a time?

The sauce was simple - but so tasty!  It's a keeper!

 I am going to include a recipe today

that is NOT going to into my new, cleaned up, cookbook

because I know I will never make it!  When I was going through the old book - it caught my eye.  My kids and I just had a discussion about edamame. They don't like it!  The conversation started because my son was picking it out of Trader Joe's frozen fried rice - as this is a new addition - they added edamame with telling my son!  Frozen fried rice - this is a great thing to have in your freezer if you have an athlete 

or any hungry teenager.  It cooks up in the microwave in 2 mins - when you've got a seriously hungry kid, that's fast!  Plus it's high in protein to go with those carbs  Anyway - only one of my four kids likes edamame - which is fine.  Out of my four siblings, I was the only one who liked Lima beans!  So this recipe has been hanging out in my cookbook collection for two years, and now I know I will never make it - but maybe you will!

Skillet Corn, Edamame, and Tomatoes with Basil Oil - Martha Stewart's Living Magazine

active time:  25 mins.  Serves: 4 - 6 

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 1/2 tsp course salt, divided

1/4 cup finely sliced scallions (about 4)

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

3 1/4 cups corn kernels (from 3 -4 ears)

2/3 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1/2 lb cherry tomatoes - halved (1 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar     *I have never seen white balsamic vinegar!?

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add basil leaves; cook 10 seconds.  Transfer basil to a bowl of ice water; then drain, and squeeze dry.  Puree basil, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender until smooth.

Heat remaining oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add scallions and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add corn, edamame, and remaining salt.  Cook, stirring until starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium if over browning.  Add tomatoes and vinegar; cook until tomatoes start to collapse, about 8 mins.  Drizzle with basil oil and stir.  Serve immediately.

Sounds nice!  It's all yours!

Pam