Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. (bag) small potato medley, whole (can substitute with baby red potatoes)
• 1/2 lb. baby carrots, whole
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme, mined

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, baby carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme.
3. Stir to mix well.
4. Pour the potato-carrot mixture into an oven-safe large skillet (or can spread out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with tin foil).
5. Place the skillet into the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes and carrots are done when they are tender when pierced with a fork.

No-Bake Cheesecake Bites

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 10 oz chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter together until combined.
2. Add in the graham cracker crumbs and mix well.
3. Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until it is all mixed in.
4. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. I usually let it sit overnight.
5. Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and remove batter form the fridge.
6. Scoop into balls and roll in between palms if necessary. Place on wax paper.
7. Place in fridge for 10-20 minutes if they are too soft to dip.
8. Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds to make sure it doesn’t harden up. It should take about 1 minute for the chocolate to completely melt.
9. Dip balls into chocolate, covering completely.
10. Place back on wax paper and let cool until chocolate has hardened.
11. Store in the fridge for the best taste.

Painting

worked on my painting today.....have to let the oils dry some  so I can finishit was a very enjoyable day......IReally needed it.

Resting and Relaxing

 I have a ways to go...........I walked around the PT gym 3 times with my walker...........then into to pool therapy which seems to be helping quite a bit.still need the wheelchair but using the walker more. I hope to some day go back to the cane and then maybe nothing.

Creamy Garlic & Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken breasts (skinless)
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 5oz white button mushrooms (5 medium sized)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 garlic clove
• Half cup of white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3/4 cups of heavy cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 50g baby spinach (washed and dried)

Steps

•  Step 1
  Cut off the tenderloin and slice into 4 pieces widthwise. Slices will look best if on an angle. Season with salt and pepper and roll to coat evenly.
•  Step 2
  Place a pan on high heat with olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and caramelize until brown on each side. This should take 2 to 3 minutes each side. Transfer to a dish and keep aside. Turn off heat.
•  Step 3
  Slice the mushrooms fairly thick. Add the butter to the same pan on high heat, once melted add the mushrooms and fry until slightly brown. Mince and add the garlic. Deglaze pan with white wine then add chicken stock. Reduce on high heat for approx 7 minutes or until less than half an inch (1 cm) of liquid left in pan. Add the cream.
•  Step 4
  Grate the Parmesan cheese and add to sauce. Mix well and check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken pieces along with their juices back to the frying pan. Turn heat to low.
•  Step 5
  Chop up the spinach and add to the sauce in frying pan, mix well and serve immediately.

Chicken Marsala

      I need to make this

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 12 white button mushrooms (or small Porcini mushrooms)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 85g - 3 oz butter (salted)
• 2 cups chicken stock (see how to make it)
• 1 cup Italian Marsala (dry)
• 1 handful of fresh Italian parsley
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme (or one tsp dried)
• Half cup all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• A little olive oil

Steps

•  Step 1
  Peel garlic and leave cloves aside.
•  Step 2
  Peel shallot and chop very finely
•  Step 3
  Wash and chop the parsley.
•  Step 4
  Remove chicken skin, slice into 3 or 4 pieces parallel to chopping board on a slight incline (should result in 3 or 4 nice even thickness chicken medallions).
•  Step 5
  Season both sides of each piece with salt and pepper.
•  Step 6
  Add one third of the butter to a medium heat frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
•  Step 7
  Add the flour to a plate and coat each chicken piece both sides, shake any excess off.
•  Step 8
  Add chicken the hot pan (should be a moderate sizzle sound, do not burn butter).
•  Step 9
  Add the fresh or dried thyme and continue cooking chicken until it becomes a nice golden brown colour.
•  Step 10
  Heat up a plate (I use microwave for 60 sec)
•  Step 11
  Flip chicken pieces and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, again until golden brown.
•  Step 12
  Once golden brown, transfer to hot plate and leave aside.
•  Step 13
  Remove any fresh thyme stalks from frying pan.
•  Step 14
  Add another third of the butter to the same hot frying pan.
•  Step 15
  Add the chopped shallots.
•  Step 16
  Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes (if looking dry, add more butter, you want the mushrooms to have a little bit of colour).
•  Step 17
  Grate the garlic straight into the frying pan and keep tossing the mushrooms.
•  Step 18
  Add the Marsala (if confident you can flambe, otherwise do it away from the flame for safety).
•  Step 19
  Add the chicken stock.
•  Step 20
  Season with salt and cracked pepper.
•  Step 21
  Continue reducing sauce for 2 minutes on high heat.
•  Step 22
  Return the chicken pieces to the frying pan (medium heat)
•  Step 23
  Cook for another minute.
•  Step 24
  Add the remainder of butter to sauce and mix well.
•  Step 25
  Add the chopped parsley, mix well.
•  Step 26
  Transfer chicken to serving plate and continue reducing sauce until a little thicker (not too thick).
•  Step 27
  Pour sauce and mushrooms over chicken (serve with pasta and hot green vegetables)

oneies cupcakes for baby shower

Groundhog Day

a little humor for today

also my grand daughter is 16 today