Chicken Kelly

I picked this recipe up from one of my college roommates. It can best be described as comfort food and is a chicken casserole that is packed with flavor and cheesy goodness. I make it once a year at most because it is so rich, but it is a recipe that brings a bit of nostalgia each time I cook it.   

Chicken Kelly

6 chicken breasts

2 eggs

2 cups bread crumbs

1 tbsp parsley flakes

2 tbsp margarine per pan of browning

1 tsp garlic powder

3-4 to 1 lb of Munster cheese

3 chicken broth cubes

1 1/2 cups water

1. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
2. Marinate in 2 beaten eggs for two hours. (I sometimes do this step the night before to make the next day easier.)
3. Combine bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic.
4. Drain chicken from the egg marinade and coat pieces with the bread crumb mixture.
5. Brown chicken in skillet with 1 T butter (Use additional butter if you use an extra skillet or cook the chicken in multiple batches because it may be too much chicken for one skillet.)
6. Melt 1 T butter in a 9x13 glass dish.
7. Layer chicken, mushrooms, cheese. (I threw in some cooked broccoli the last time I made this and it was pretty good but the original recipe does not call for this.) 
8. Dissolve 3 chicken bouillon cubes in 1/2 cup water and pour over chicken.
9. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Book Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

     I love any of the works of Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice, and before I turned thirty this year I spent some time rereading my favorites. Over the years I have also read and enjoyed a number of sequels and variations to her works and books written in what is described as "Jane Austen style," and so when a family member mentioned this book I decided to give it a try.
     Shades of Milk and Honey was written by Mary Robinette Kowal and is described as a "quasi-Regency Fantasy" novel. I feel a bit sheepish admitting this because when I was teaching high school, I constantly reminded my students that anytime they read something they needed to employ some pre-reading strategies (reading the book jacket, etc.) but I did not realize before I was about twenty pages into the book that the genre of the novel was fantasy. The characters kept describing something called "glamour" and using the term in such an unfamiliar way that I started to think that I was missing something in my understanding of the word. I ended up doing a little online research and realized that the book has a fantasy element and then what I was reading made a lot more sense. If I had just been a little more observant beforehand, I would have noticed that there is an appendix in the back of the book containing a Glamour Glossary. "Glamour: This basically means magic... In this alternate history of the Regency, glamour is a magic that can be worked by either men or women. It allows them to create illusions of light, scent, and sound. Glamour requires physical energy in much the same way that running up a hill does.
    The basic plot of the novel follows the story of Jane Ellsworth, a woman who is plain but very talented in the use of glamour. Her sister Melody on the other hand is beautiful but lacks talents. The story follows the two navigate their societal roles, and various opportunities for courtship. The relationship between the sisters is rocky and the sisters often find themselves in competition with one another for the attention of the male characters. In true Jane Austen style, the heroine finds love in the end but a few of the plot twists are surprising and unexpected.
     I enjoyed reading this book and found the plot amusing but it is definitely not Jane Austen. The writing is decent, especially considering it was the authors debut novel, but I found myself wishing that some of the major plot occurrences had been more developed. Many of the critical turning points in the story were shoved into the last 1/3 of the book and ended up feeling rushed and not as descriptive as they could have been.
     The author has gone on to write other books that continue the storyline, and while I am not sure I will be reading them anytime soon I won't rule it out because I found this story to be enjoyable.

Do It Yourself: Harry Potter Owl Costume

    I've mentioned multiple times that my daughters are big Harry Potter fans. Even my two year-old requests "Potter," before her nap. When I asked my oldest what she wanted to be for Halloween her immediate response was Hermione Granger (with Bellatrix Lestrange as a close second...she likes that Bellatrix has curly hair). The Hermione costume was simple enough -- I shortened an old graduation robe, picked up a Gryffindor patch, tie, and wand, and voila -- Hermione Granger costume! 

     With Hermione's costume finished, I decided that Hedwig the Owl would make the perfect costume for my two year old. She is great at running around and saying "whoo, whoo" and she makes a really cute owl.  The owl costume ended up being really simple, very cheap (I used stuff that I had at home and spent a whopping $4.00 on a yard of white felt), and relatively little time (it took about two-three hours to make and I watched a movie during this time so it really was a great way to spend time).

Materials needed for this project:

-White fabric for the wings and owl body

- 1 Yard white felt

-Elastic (for cape arms and wrists, as well as headband for the mask)

-Ribbon for shoulder straps

-Velcro (for owl body)

-Glue, thread, scissors, etc.

-Cardboard (to make a feather template)

OWL Cape

Step 1. Trace "feather" shape onto 1 yard of white felt and cut out the feathers. I ended up using the full yard for my two-year-olds costume, you may need more or less felt depending upon the size of the person the costume is for.

Step 2: Create the backing for the owl cape by measuring the arm span of the person you are making the costume for and then cutting out a half circle that is roughly that width. 

Step 3: Starting with the bottom of the cape, attach feathers to the cape row by row using either glue or a sewing machine. I sewed mine on because I want the costume to be durable for my active toddler. 

Step 4: Attach elastic shoulder straps and wrist straps near the top of the cape, you can easily do this by attaching them between the rows of feathers (making sure to move the feathers on the other side out of the way before you sew.)

 OWL Body Instructions
1. Start with a rectangle of fabric, measured according to the person you want the costume to fit. Leave enough room for it to wrap around their back and attach with velcro. The length can be cut as desired. I made mine tunic length but shirt length would also work.
2. Attach velcro to each end of the fabric as well as straps, I used ribbon and measured my daughter according to how I wanted it to fit.
3. Sew or glue feathers onto the front center portion of the fabric (the part that will show while they wear the costume, the back will be covered by the cape.) Always start with the bottom row and work your way up.

For my OWL mask, I must confess that I winged it and created it little by little based on what I thought an owl should look like. I didn't take pictures as I went so I created these illustrated instructions when I was done. 

A Ride on the Snowbird Tram

This week we spent an afternoon up at Snowbird Ski Resort, riding the Ariel Tram to the top of Hidden Peak. Located at an elevation of 11,000 feet, the views were gorgeous but it was sure cold at the top! The weather and temperature  at the top were drastically different from where we boarded the tram. I bought discount passes this summer but decided to wait until October because I thought that the Fall leaves would make the views even more gorgeous, and indeed it did so braving the cold was worth it. Here are a few pictures from our trip. Utah is definitely beautiful in the Fall! 

Apple Crisp: a simple family recipe.

We have a serious obsession with apples at our house. I can buy sixteen apples at the store and they are gone two days later. As someone who formerly disliked fruit (I'm crazy, I know) I find it hard to believe that I often crave fruity desserts and this apple crisp recipe is one of my go-to recipes. I got the recipe five years ago when we visited my husband's great uncle and great aunt in North Carolina. Great Aunt Julee was born and raised in the South and this is the recipe she grew up eating. It is simple, quick to prepare, and delicious...especially when topped with vanilla ice cream. 

  Apple Crisp

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, followed by 300 degrees for 30 minutes. 

1. Grease a large baking dish with butter and set aside.

2. Peel and slice enough apples (approximately 5-6) to fill the baking dish.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the following until crumbly: 1 cup Flour, 1 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 unbeaten egg. Cover apples with this mixture.
4. Melt 1/3 cup butter in the microwave and pour over all.