so last week we were at the conference for a good portion of the week.
Hubby had to work over the weekend and while there he got into his files and see that Darly & my ID cards will expire this coming Saturday. We need to come and get our cards renewed this week!
I so wish that he would have checked this LAST week so we could have renewed the cards one of the days we drove right by the office. :p
I also need to go by the store and pick up some new pants I ordered...I sure hope I ordered the right size. That order of course didn't show up until the day AFTER the conference ended.
Sigh
oh and the neighbor's roofer decides to show up today.
I wonder why Darly is still asleep?
In other randomness?
We've got this one member of our Church who is a bit eccentric (I hope that's a nice term for it). I'm not sure what all is going on there...
At any rate this guy wanted to do a Reformation Fair. This guy had set up a facebook page for it so that he could keep us all informed. When I joined the page he made me an administrator. lovely! We quickly realized that there was no possible way to be ready to do
this by Oct 31st this year. We didn't have a location, a plan or the
resources to do it. So the page has been sitting dormant since we canceled the plans to do the fair this year.
Today guy gets on the page and goes into a full blown rant about political issues. Just what we need associated with our Church! I was out of there pretty quickly.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Where I've been, what I've been doing
Those of you who have friended me on Facebook know a bit about what I've been up to as I was able to post some...but I've been too busy to come over here lately.
As if sewing costumes for Darly's newest play "Little Princess" wasn't enough, I also volunteered us (Darly, DH & myself) to help with the LCMC Annual Gathering.
So on Saturday Darly, DH & I went up to the convention center and helped prepare the bags that we handed out to all the attendees. The rest of our Youth Group and some of the adults at church were also there. We even had a few folks from some of the other area LCMC churches come to help as well. We managed to get the bags loaded and set up really quickly with enough time for some goofing around and snacks as well.
Then we brought home an extra kid for a few hours of merriment for Darly. This worked out as there was a Youth Group event that evening that Darly & I went to.
Sunday we had the honor of having the pastors from the Estonia Tartu Academy join us and present the message. We had a lot of guests because of the Annual Gathering. Then the church threw a bbq lunch where we learned even more about the Tartu Academy.
Then Darly & I went to the convention center to get set up and ready for the opening of the Gathering. We were asked to run the merchandise table along with our friends the P family. The kids did a lot of running around for us.
We enjoyed dinner at the conference, I don't know what part of the pig that roast was from but it was sure yummy. I had to force myself to stop eating it. At our table was a youth minister and missionaries from Kenya who help streetkids become reunited with their families. They provide counseling so that the kids and families are reconciled and stay together.
After dinner we got to go to worship with over 1200 pastors from all over the world! It was an incredible experience with a great message provided by a pastor from Evergreen.
Monday we started the day early (for us) at 7:30 at the conference with more merchandise table work. At lunch we shared a table with a pastor of a small church in Oregon...his wife homeschools their kids and runs their entire Sunday School program as it is just 6 kids...her 3 and their cousins. They're looking and praying that they can grow.
After lunch it was time for break-out sessions. The kids and I helped everyone find the rooms that they were looking for. We all learned that while the convention center's computerized map was helpful the scrolling list of classes was too fast for anyone to read. I gave Darly a list of classes & rooms which she found most helpful.
Tuesday early again and off to work the merchandise table. As Darly was very tired she set up a nap area in the back of the coat closet and zonked out for about an hour & a half (she was much happier after that!) we had another afternoon of directing traffic...but we were prepared with a list of classes this time. However, there was one class that not many had signed up for, but everyone wanted to attend...so it was put in a room that wasn't big enough. I later learned that if folks had signed up for this class they could have scheduled a larger room...but they could only go by how folks registered. I'm betting that the nearly empty larger room was where all the extras came from. :(
That evening I had a board meeting with my homeschool group...so I was up pretty late.
Wednesday was early again but it was also the final day. We were expecting a lot more sales that day, but it seemed that folks weren't so eager to buy a lot of stuff they had to figure out how to get home. So instead we had to figure out how to get all the extra merchandise back to Michigan.
I was able to get our laundry done when we got home.
Today is Thursday and Darly & I are heading up to Celestial Seasonings for a tour and some tea! Then Darly has her CYT class at 4:30. I think I'm going to try to go to the gym as I haven't been able to do that for a while.
As if sewing costumes for Darly's newest play "Little Princess" wasn't enough, I also volunteered us (Darly, DH & myself) to help with the LCMC Annual Gathering.
So on Saturday Darly, DH & I went up to the convention center and helped prepare the bags that we handed out to all the attendees. The rest of our Youth Group and some of the adults at church were also there. We even had a few folks from some of the other area LCMC churches come to help as well. We managed to get the bags loaded and set up really quickly with enough time for some goofing around and snacks as well.
Then we brought home an extra kid for a few hours of merriment for Darly. This worked out as there was a Youth Group event that evening that Darly & I went to.
Sunday we had the honor of having the pastors from the Estonia Tartu Academy join us and present the message. We had a lot of guests because of the Annual Gathering. Then the church threw a bbq lunch where we learned even more about the Tartu Academy.
Then Darly & I went to the convention center to get set up and ready for the opening of the Gathering. We were asked to run the merchandise table along with our friends the P family. The kids did a lot of running around for us.
We enjoyed dinner at the conference, I don't know what part of the pig that roast was from but it was sure yummy. I had to force myself to stop eating it. At our table was a youth minister and missionaries from Kenya who help streetkids become reunited with their families. They provide counseling so that the kids and families are reconciled and stay together.
After dinner we got to go to worship with over 1200 pastors from all over the world! It was an incredible experience with a great message provided by a pastor from Evergreen.
Monday we started the day early (for us) at 7:30 at the conference with more merchandise table work. At lunch we shared a table with a pastor of a small church in Oregon...his wife homeschools their kids and runs their entire Sunday School program as it is just 6 kids...her 3 and their cousins. They're looking and praying that they can grow.
After lunch it was time for break-out sessions. The kids and I helped everyone find the rooms that they were looking for. We all learned that while the convention center's computerized map was helpful the scrolling list of classes was too fast for anyone to read. I gave Darly a list of classes & rooms which she found most helpful.
Tuesday early again and off to work the merchandise table. As Darly was very tired she set up a nap area in the back of the coat closet and zonked out for about an hour & a half (she was much happier after that!) we had another afternoon of directing traffic...but we were prepared with a list of classes this time. However, there was one class that not many had signed up for, but everyone wanted to attend...so it was put in a room that wasn't big enough. I later learned that if folks had signed up for this class they could have scheduled a larger room...but they could only go by how folks registered. I'm betting that the nearly empty larger room was where all the extras came from. :(
That evening I had a board meeting with my homeschool group...so I was up pretty late.
Wednesday was early again but it was also the final day. We were expecting a lot more sales that day, but it seemed that folks weren't so eager to buy a lot of stuff they had to figure out how to get home. So instead we had to figure out how to get all the extra merchandise back to Michigan.
I was able to get our laundry done when we got home.
Today is Thursday and Darly & I are heading up to Celestial Seasonings for a tour and some tea! Then Darly has her CYT class at 4:30. I think I'm going to try to go to the gym as I haven't been able to do that for a while.
Friday, October 05, 2012
Brined & Roasted Chicken
Brine
about 29oz of veggie broth (2 cans)
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
combine and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt & sugar. Then cool with ice. Once the brine is cold, pour over your 5lb (aprox) cleaned roasting chicken and let the brine do it's job for at least 2 hours.
discard the brine
using kitchen sheers remove the back bone from the bird (save this in the freezer for chicken broth later) and crack the breast bone so that you can lay the bird out flat on your roasting pan.
Then I used Alton's recipe as a guide
Place chicken on a plastic cutting board breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut ribs down one side of back bone and then the other and remove. Open chicken like a book and remove the keel bone separating the breast halves by slicing through the thin membrane covering it, then by placing two fingers underneath the bone and levering it out. Turn chicken breast-side up and spread out like a butterfly by pressing down on the breast and pulling the legs towards you. Loosen the skin at the neck and the edges of the thighs. Evenly distribute the garlic mixture under the skin, saving 2 teaspoons for the jus. Drizzle the skin with oil and rub in, being sure to cover the bird evenly. Drizzle oil on bone side of chicken as well.
Arrange bird in roasting pan, breast up, atop vegetables.
Place pan in oven being sure to leave the oven door ajar. Check bird in 10 minutes. If the skin is a dark mahogany, hold the drumstick ends with paper towels and flip bone-side up. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Juices must run clear. Remove and place chicken into a deep bowl and cover loosely with foil.
Tilt pan so that any fat will pool at corner. Siphon this off with a bulb baster. (This fat is great in vinaigrettes). Set pan over 2 burners set on high. Deglaze pan with a few shots of red wine and scrape brown bits from bottom using a carrot chunk held with tongs. Add chicken stock, thyme, the remaining garlic paste and reduce briefly to make a jus. Strain out vegetables and discard. Slice chicken onto plates or serve in quarters. Sauce lightly with jus and serve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
note: all that oil so close to your broiler is going to make a lot of smoke! make sure you ventilate your kitchen well unless you like a smoky house.
I didn't make the sauce, the chicken has enough flavor from the brine that it doesn't need it.
I made this on Wednesday. Thursday we had it again...and now tonight I'm taking what's left and making the chicken & rice recipe below.
about 29oz of veggie broth (2 cans)
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
combine and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt & sugar. Then cool with ice. Once the brine is cold, pour over your 5lb (aprox) cleaned roasting chicken and let the brine do it's job for at least 2 hours.
discard the brine
using kitchen sheers remove the back bone from the bird (save this in the freezer for chicken broth later) and crack the breast bone so that you can lay the bird out flat on your roasting pan.
Then I used Alton's recipe as a guide
Broiled, Butterflied Chicken
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time:30 min
- Level:Easy
- Serves: 4 to 6 servings (we're getting a lot more servings out of this!)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns (I used about a tsp of ground pepper)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (I used about a tsp of garlic salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (omitted due to garlic salt above)
- 1 lemon, zested (about a TBSP of lemon juice)
- Extra virgin olive oil (canola oil)
- Onions, carrots and celery cut into 3 to 4-inch pieces (omitted)
- 3 to 4-pound broiler/fryer chicken (oh, my bird was bigger!)
- 1 cup red wine (omitted)
- 8 ounces chicken stock (omitted)
- 2 to 3 sprigs thyme (omitted)
- Canola oil
Directions
Position the oven rack 8 inches from the
flame/coil and turn broiler to high. Crack peppercorns with a mortar and
pestle until coarsely ground. Add garlic and salt and work well. Add
lemon zest and work just until you can smell lemon. Add just enough oil
to form a paste.
Check out your refrigerator for onions, carrots and celery that are
a little past their prime. Cut vegetables into pieces and place in a
deep roasting pan.Place chicken on a plastic cutting board breast-side down. Using kitchen shears, cut ribs down one side of back bone and then the other and remove. Open chicken like a book and remove the keel bone separating the breast halves by slicing through the thin membrane covering it, then by placing two fingers underneath the bone and levering it out. Turn chicken breast-side up and spread out like a butterfly by pressing down on the breast and pulling the legs towards you. Loosen the skin at the neck and the edges of the thighs. Evenly distribute the garlic mixture under the skin, saving 2 teaspoons for the jus. Drizzle the skin with oil and rub in, being sure to cover the bird evenly. Drizzle oil on bone side of chicken as well.
Arrange bird in roasting pan, breast up, atop vegetables.
Place pan in oven being sure to leave the oven door ajar. Check bird in 10 minutes. If the skin is a dark mahogany, hold the drumstick ends with paper towels and flip bone-side up. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Juices must run clear. Remove and place chicken into a deep bowl and cover loosely with foil.
Tilt pan so that any fat will pool at corner. Siphon this off with a bulb baster. (This fat is great in vinaigrettes). Set pan over 2 burners set on high. Deglaze pan with a few shots of red wine and scrape brown bits from bottom using a carrot chunk held with tongs. Add chicken stock, thyme, the remaining garlic paste and reduce briefly to make a jus. Strain out vegetables and discard. Slice chicken onto plates or serve in quarters. Sauce lightly with jus and serve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
note: all that oil so close to your broiler is going to make a lot of smoke! make sure you ventilate your kitchen well unless you like a smoky house.
I didn't make the sauce, the chicken has enough flavor from the brine that it doesn't need it.
I made this on Wednesday. Thursday we had it again...and now tonight I'm taking what's left and making the chicken & rice recipe below.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)