Book Update: No time for books. We got two new kittens this weekend. They are named Oreo and Bella. Kittens are the sweetest little things ever!
Anyone who lives near me in St. Louis should check out the Community Helpings Co-op. You get a huge basket of mostly local produce for $21.50. I stopped getting this for quite a few months, but I have started up again. Given that my child is 35 pounds, I can say that the produce equals about 30-40 pounds each week. Also check out their other items like sweet potatoes and cilantro are much cheaper than the grocery store.
I’ve also bought part of a grass fed cow. Next time, I will get the entire 1/4 cow. The meat was fantastic. Ask around for local farmers or maybe a butcher can help you locate one. We found ours through a neighbor and the meat is $3.10/lb.
Recipe Update: This was probably one of the yummiest new dinners we have had and I do wish the photo displayed that. I love maple syrup and the flavor with the chicken and apples is just divine. It was really easy to put together, though you do have to brush the chicken a few times to get a good glaze. And the sweet potatoes with the apples are awesome!! Good thing those two foods are in season at the same time, huh?
Maple and Cayenne Chicken
serves 4
2 chickens, cut in 1/2 (wing tips, spine and breast plate removed) or
use 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs
olive oil
salt
1 cup maple syrup
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (for the kids, I reduced to 1/2 tsp.)
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put the chicken in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Brush the chicken with oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake chicken for 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, put the maple syrup and cayenne pepper into a small saucepan. Cook this over medium heat. The maple syrup will boil and reduce by about a half. It will be thicker.
5. Brush the maple syrup reduction on the chicken. Put the chicken back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Brush your chicken one or two times again during those last 10 minutes.
6. Rest and serve. Chicken should be 165 degrees internal temperature when cooked through.
Recipe from Anne Burrell on Food Network
Sweet Potato and Apple Mash
serves 4
3 large sweet potatoes
3-4 apples, cored and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
dash of allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
1 . Cook sweet potatoes until they are cooked through. I use my microwave on the “potato” setting. Or you can roast them in the oven for 45 minutes. Or, peel and chop them and boil them like mashed potatoes.
2. Take the mashed potato and discard the peel. Put this into a 7×11 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Sprinkle the apples, brown sugar, butter and spices and salt on this potatoes. Sprinkle pecans last if you are using them.
4. Bake covered with foil for 15 minutes.
5. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Stir and serve warm.
