Winner Dinner - Shrimp with White Beans, Spinach & Tomatoes - The Kitchn

from the Kitchn

We are always looking for Winner Dinners at Chez Coffey.  I have made this several times for our family and everyone (except our shrimp-hating big boy) has loved it.  The recipe is forgiving.  I don't bother sauteing the shrimp separately... just cook it in the tomato/broth and it works just fine. Serve with a little fresh bread and you have a healthy, hearty dinner.

I normally have most of these ingredients on hand, so I would categorize this as a 'pantry dinner.'  It's good to have a few dinners like this up your sleeve that you are able to make with no notice and no trip to the grocery store.

Shrimp with White Beans, Spinach & Tomatoes
Serves 4

Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium ripe tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, diced (3/4 cup diced)
A few handfuls of washed baby spinach
8 fresh basil leaves, sliced into a chiffonade
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chicken stock
12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)

Warm a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your food), and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir the diced tomato into the onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are beginning to break down. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add the beans and chicken stock, and simmer for a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beans are warmed through. Stir in the basil, lemon zest, and juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover to keep warm.

Wash the shrimp, pat them very dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set a second pan over high heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. When the oil is hot enough that a flick of water evaporates immediately, begin cooking the shrimp in batches. Cook the shrimp, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until they are pink and opaque all the way through. Transfer to a plate.

To serve, spoon the spinach and bean mixture into bowls and top with a few of the shrimp.

Happy Father's Day Petey!

at Tobermory about to jump into subzero water

Happy Father's Day to the man who holds my heart.  All the little parts of who you are, and everything that you do (big and small) add up to these things I know for sure:
1)  You are the best dad in the world
2)  We are very blessed to have you in our lives.

First of all, thank you for jumping headfirst into this grand adventure.  You took the huge leap from parenting two children to parenting six.  Thank you for taking on the responsibility of caring for, teaching, and loving 4 little humans that you did not create.  I don't know anyone else on this planet who would sign up for that.

Thank you for trusting me with your two most precious possessions, Barrett and Robbie.  They have been a gift and they have changed me forever.  I have learned so much about love from them, and through being loved by them.  I'm grateful to be their step-mom.

the 'brady' bunch

Thank you for the sleep deprivation you endure on a regular basis.  Shift work is difficult.  You have a terrible commute, and you barely sleep... just so you can come home to us in the morning.  Thank you for going out of your way to always be there for us and thank you for all the yard work and housework you do in a semi-comatose state... because you just want to take care of us.

Thank you for sharing your love of the outdoors with us.  Thank you for being the crazy man who jumps in the lake in December.  Thank you for teaching us all to see the groundhogs and deer when we're too busy wrapped up in our i-pods to really observe the world around us.  Thank you for being our own personal Survivorman.

you ARE the batman!

Thank you for showing our kids what a happy, loving relationship is (even though it grosses them out at times).  Thank you for showing our sons and our daughter that a real man can be strong and soft at the same time.  Thank you for being so giving and loving and present in our lives... and thank you for telling us and showing us every day that we mean the world to you.  You are our world too!

Thank you for teaching me about love, and honesty and respect.  Before I met you, I don't think I was even honest with myself.  I had built walls around my walls... never letting anyone know the real me.  Thanks for showing me that real love is not about the person who thinks you're perfect.... It's about the person who knows all your little cracks and imperfections... and loves you regardless... and thank you for buying me peanut butter chocolate Hagen Daas, although I beg you not to.

Also, thank you for ALWAYS putting the toilet seat down.  You are the best dad in the world.  Happy Fathers' Day Petey!  We love you!

Winner Dinner - Chicken Cacciatore

Every once in awhile when one is feeding numerous children, the stars align and miraculously everyone enjoys their dinner.  At Chez Coffey, we call this "Winner Dinner."  And Winner Dinners are a wonderful thing... everyone happily eating the same food at the same time without complaints.

(In the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit that one child does meticulously pick out every last piece of mushroom and leave them on the plate.)

Chicken Cacciatore is a bonified Winner Dinner.  It's simple, hearty and relatively healthy.  It isn't particularly expensive to make, and it freezes like a dream.

Recipes aren't my forte.  To be honest, I couldn't follow a recipe to save my life.  But here are the general cooking concepts.  If you need a recipe,  Giada's Cacciatore looks fabulous!

1) Dredge the chicken (I like boneless, skinless thighs) in seasoned flour.  I also like to roughly chop it, so it's easier for little mouths to eat.

2)  Heat oil in a pan and saute chicken in batches until their nicely browned.  Set chicken aside.

3)  Add peppers, garlic, onions, mushrooms to the pan and saute.  Add a little more olive oil if it's needed.  Deglaze the plan with a coupla good sized glugs of wine (red or white) and scrape up all the tasty bits from the bottom of your pan.  Season with salt, pepper and whatever else seems 'Italiany.'

4)  Add some canned diced tomatoes.  I like to throw in some capers and olives as well.

5) Throw the chicken back in the pan.  Either simmer on the stove for about 30 min. or throw in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes.  Serve over pasta with tons of fresh basil for garnish.

Winner Dinner - Ground Turkey Haystack

I am always looking for 'winner dinners' as we like to call them at Chez Coffey.  A winner dinner must be quick and simple to make, and must be appreciated and enjoyed by the majority of the family.  I was googling what to do with ground turkey after I scored a bunch on sale at our local supermarket and came across the Haystack recipe.  Easy peasy and no complaints at all from my table of food critics.

(recipe from Sugar High)

Easy Haystack Dinner-

Recipe from my mother, slightly adapted
Serves 6-7, if your family is small definitely cut in half
Printable Recipe

Ingredients-
4 cups water

2 cups rice

2 lbs. ground turkey, or beef

1 - 10¾ oz. can cream of mushroom soup - I used mushroom with roasted garlic soup

1 - 10¾ oz. can cream of celery soup

2 Tbsp. milk

2 cups (16 oz) cooked peas

Shredded cheese for topping

Directions-
In a large pot combine water and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Meanwhile, cook turkey in a large saucepan until thoroughly browned. Add both cans of soup and milk; stir until well combined and creamy. Cook until warm.

To serve Haystacks put some rice on a serving dish, top with meat mixture, then top with peas and finally top with shredded cheese. If your peas are warmed the cheese should melt over them, if not you can stick the plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Perspectives on a messy life

Sanity.  Children. A Clean house.  Pick two of these... because in my humble opinion, it is not possible to have all three.  Personally, I choose children and sanity.  The only way to maintain said sanity is to let it go.

Just read a sweet post from Zen Habits that helped me shift perspective on my messy life.  He talks about the everyday messes from his kids... and the 'mental trick' he uses to maintain a grateful heart when dealing with a lego disaster... consider it a love note from your child.

"My daughter leaves her legos all over the living room? A love note for me — yay! My son left his cookie crumbs all over the counter? Another love note — amazing! I can pick up after them gratefully, or give them a hug of thanks and ask them to clean up.
The legos can be seen as frustrating, because why don’t they clean up, or I can see them as the physical manifestation of my daughter’s personality, the things she’s passionate about, the playfulness in her heart. And I can realize that if she weren’t living with me, yes I’d have a lovely neat nevermessy home … but then she wouldn’t be in my life.
So now I see the legos as a reminder that I have this beautiful person in my life. A love note, unintented unexpected unendurably full of love."

I very much like this way of thinking and will definitely be trying to see the 'love notes' in my own life.  The dog slobbery love notes all over the floor... the sticky porridge on the table love note... the gob of toothpaste on the faucet love note... and my favourite the "I just sat down in pee" love note.

If only I had read this a few years ago when I had my infamous Captain Jack Sparrow Lego tantrum (a fit of rage that arose from cumulative injuries from stepping and sitting on Pirates of the Caribbean Lego, the result of which was mom taking a full moving box of lego to Goodwill).

Clutterfree with Kids - A Review

We have our house listed for sale.  In the process of getting ready to list, we literally removed half our possessions from our home and they are currently residing in a storage container.  Half of our stuff is gone... and I LOVE IT! 

We have a fairly tiny house (under 2000 sq. ft) for a family of eight.  I don't think we have as much stuff as most smaller families do but we have definitely accumulated too much.  Putting our belongings in storage has given me an appreciation of how a less cluttered space makes me feel.... like I have more breathing room.  It's easier to take care of things... and I can whip through this house and get it clean in far less time.

The sad truth is that as soon as our house sells... everything in that storage container is coming back into our space.

I have spent a great deal of my life trying to organize possessions. I have likely read hundreds of blogs and books on organization. The one idea that I will take away from reading Clutterfree With Kids... is that organizing is not enough; decluttering is not enough.  I need to take a long, hard look and DE-OWN.

I need to get rid of what I don't need, don't love, don't want.... and I need to be very purposeful with everything I allow into our home.... easier said than done when it comes to kids.  With 6 children, I highly doubt that I will ever really experience what it feels like to be truly clutterfree.  But I did enjoy the book; it's a much needed mind-shift for me.  We'll see how things go in the new space.

All Joy and No Fun - A Review

"Thousands of books have examined the effects of parents on their children. In All Joy and No Fun, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior now asks: what are the effects of children on their parents?

In All Joy and No Fun, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior tries to tackle this question, isolating and analyzing the many ways in which children reshape their parents' lives, whether it's their marriages, their jobs, their habits, their hobbies, their friendships, or their internal senses of self. She argues that changes in the last half century have radically altered the roles of today's mothers and fathers, making their mandates at once more complex and far less clear." (from amazon)

Just got this book from the library.  Thankfully, it was one of those books on parenting that made me take a step back and think to myself, "Whew!  I'm not entirely #$##*&ing up this parenthood thing!" 

My kids are out of babyhood thankfully... but I still remember those moments of mothering tiny children when I wanted to rip my hair out from the exhaustion, isolation, and sheer boredom... and the guilt that accompanies those feelings, "Why am I not loving every minute of this?"

So many books glorify and canonize the role of parents.  All Joy and No Fun examines and quantifies the reasons why parenting can be so difficult and at times completely without rewards.  Parenting through different historical periods, ages and stages, and parenting across different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds are addressed... all the while examining why parenting can intrinsically be much less than satisfying... and why we continue to subject ourselves to the backbreaking and often thankless work of guiding a child from birth through to adulthood. 

It's always refreshing to know that I am not alone in my sentiments... and that even those parents in their 'Pinterest' homes driving their kids to 6 different activities per week, are struggling with their own "why did I sign up for this?" moments.

Like any other crazy-busy mom I am plagued by the ever present 'Cloak of Guilt.' 
"Am I doing enough?  Should I be doing more?"
I highly recommend this book... It's nice to normalize your 'parenting fails' from time to time... and let go of the 'mama guilt' even if only for a few hours. 

Winner Dinner - Better Butter Chicken

My Indian friends tell me that Butter Chicken is not really an Indian food... in the same way that Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls are not really Chinese Food.  It's a dish created to appease our 'gringo palettes.'

Nevertheless, our family loves it.  It's one of those rare Winner Dinners that everyone enjoys.  President's Choice used to make a great Tandoori Marinade, but it was sadly discontinued.  The recipe is pretty straight-forward, and in a time-pinch could be made with a rotisserie chicken shredded up and sauced with Tandoori. 

(recipe from Greta and Janet Podleksi)

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken

1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.

Butter Chicken Sauce

1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

 

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade (see Tip)

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter (Tip)

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken 1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.
Butter Chicken Sauce 1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-better-butter-chicken/8423/#eaowlMQimItb3HQJ.99

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade (see Tip)

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter (Tip)

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken 1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.
Butter Chicken Sauce 1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-better-butter-chicken/8423/#eaowlMQimItb3HQJ.99

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade (see Tip)

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter (Tip)

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken 1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.
Butter Chicken Sauce 1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-better-butter-chicken/8423/#eaowlMQimItb3HQJ.99

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade (see Tip)

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter (Tip)

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken 1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.
Butter Chicken Sauce 1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-better-butter-chicken/8423/#eaowlMQimItb3HQJ.99

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 21/4 lbs / 1.1 kg)

½ cup bottled Tandoori marinade (see Tip)

Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons grated gingerroot

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

¾ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz/798 mL) diced tomatoes, drained

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup light sour cream (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon cashew/almond butter (Tip)

Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

Directions

Tandoori Chicken 1. Poke raw chicken thighs in several places with a fork. Place chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag. Add Tandoori marinade to bag. Turn bag several times to coat chicken with marinade. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overbake the chicken, or it will be dry. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the butter chicken sauce as directed in recipe.
Butter Chicken Sauce 1. While chicken is baking, make sauce. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add gingerroot, chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more minute. Add drained tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer half the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return puréed sauce to pot with remaining sauce. Mix well and return to heat. Stir in sour cream, cilantro and cashew/almond butter. Add cut-up Tandoori chicken and mix well. Cook just until chicken is hot. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-better-butter-chicken/8423/#eaowlMQimItb3HQJ.99

Gratitude

Unfortunately, sometimes it takes something sad and tragic to make us step back and really think about everything we have to be thankful about.  This week, one of our oldest son's friends passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly.  My heart goes out to his family and everyone who loved him.

We are so fortunate to have a healthy big family.  I'm so grateful for that.  It's easy to forget how fortunate we are when life is so busy... and we're struggling to keep all the balls in the air.  It's easy to let time whiz by when you're in the crazy years of parenting and not take a moment to reflect on everything we have to be thankful for.

We've been starting a goofy family tradition with our kids where we make blender drinks and watch Survivor together every Wednesday night (my drink has lotsa rum, of course).  So tonight we can all hang together and celebrate our family time with some Pina Coladas and a little reality tv.

More Manifesting... hey it worked the last time!

our sweet little bungalow-uh-oh  pic by www.houseloveshop.com

So... time to manifest a little more good energy from the universe.
As crazy as it sounds.... we have put in an offer on a new (to us) home.  It's a 1970's special, with some quirks, but we believe in our hearts that it is the perfect house to get our family through the next few years.  As much as we love the bungalow-uh-oh, it does appear that we are outgrowing it quickly and will continue to do so as our children become gangly teens.

The only thing holding us back is that we need to sell our current house.  The handsome firefighter is working his buttocks off the next few days to get our place into acceptable shape.  We will both be burning the midnight oil this week to declutter, organize, and stage our little house so it will sell, Sell, SELL!

So, Universe.  I am asking that we receive multiple offers on our house during the first week that it is listed.  I am asking for you to send us a buyer that will fall in love with our little house, and see it for the gem it is.  Give us the strength to get through this decluttering/staging process with our sanity intact, and please give us a quick sale.  May the Dude abide.

Thanks in advance!

Grand River Rocks!

We are constantly looking for fun family activities that are free, or relatively low cost. 
6 children = expensive outings.  If you have a larger family and are looking for family fun on a budget.... I highly recommend Grand River Rocks.

photo from Grand River Rocks

We have taken the kids there a few times, and are seriously considering becoming members in the future.
Family Pricing for one day is $40 (for us that works out to $5 per person).  Anyone can come to Grand River Rocks, sign a waiver, have a little safety lesson and you're good to go for bouldering. 
Bouldering is climbing this crazy 13ft tall structure that is dotted with little hand and footholds.  All our kiddies loved it!  Hubby and I enjoyed it too... but MAN it is hard work!

With a little more money, and a little planning.... you can do Top Rope climbing (harnessed climbing up a wall).  You need to take a lesson to learn how to belay (intro lesson $55 per person).  Info. for first time climbers here.

Five of our six kiddies participated in this summer's Climb, Dive, Bounce camp through Grand River Rocks.  They learned rock climbing, springboard diving, and trampoline skills.  This camp was a winner!  Everyone had a ball!  They adored the instructors!  More info. on camps here.

photo from Grand River Rocks