Caldillo & Huevos con Chile Verde

What a week we've had.  So, I'm a little behind getting to the blog.  I made the Caldillo on Monday because the weather here was rather ugly.

Here is the recipe:

CALDILLO

ground beef

green chilies (4 oz. can or 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded - if desired - and diced)

onions, chopped

potatoes (diced small)

1 bay leaf          cumin          garlic salt 

water

Brown ground meat; add onions & potatoes, water, and remaining ingredients.  Boil till done.

Okay, okay.  So, the recipe ingredients list is vague, in that there are no real measurements.  I got this from a friend of mine, and she just makes it as big as necessary to suit the crowd she's feeding.

I used about 1& 1/2 pounds of 90/10 ground beef; 1 can of green chilies, 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced, and one large yellow onion, diced.  The seasonings are added to taste.

Rather than browning the meat first, I tried something I saw on a show once, and just added the meat straight to the water and let it break apart while the water boiled.  This served two purposes:  it let me try a different technique that I never had, but also, on the inside, the ground beef was still a little frozen, so it finished thawing while it cooked.

As soon as the meat was done and I had it crumbled, I added the remaining ingredients and let it cook until the potatoes were done.  After they were soft, I used a potato masher and smashed the potatoes some, so that the broth was a little thicker.  Also, I added some black pepper.

The consensus:          The kids did not care for it.  My husband, father and I did.

This would be a good soup to eat when you are sick, but don't feel like chicken noodle soup.  If you add enough chilies, it'll clean your sinuses right out!

Caldillo
pronounced (call-dee-yo)

The next recipe, which I just made today, is Huevos con Chile Verde, and comes from the aforementioned, and as yet unnamed, cookbook belonging to my good friend Joan!  

HUEVOS CON CHILE VERDE

2 T. butter     2 T. onion, chopped

4 oz. can diced green chilies (or 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded & diced

1 tomato, diced     1/2 t. salt     1/4 t. garlic powder     pepper to taste

6 eggs, beaten well

dash Paprika

Saute onions and jalapenos (if using fresh) in butter till tender.  Add diced chilies (if you used canned) & tomato.  Add seasoning & let simmer for a few minutes.  Beat eggs till creamy and add to chile mixture.  Cook eggs and sprinkle with paprika.  Yield: 4 servings

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the eggs.  We had eaten them all before I realized that I forgot to take a shot of them.  

My take on the eggs:  I am not a huge fan of adding ingredients  into my scrambled eggs.  I don't mind adding salsa on top, or cheese.  Or if I'm eating an omelet and the ingredients are folded inside, but not technically mixed into the eggs, I'm good.  So, these eggs ended up a little wetter than I prefer.  However, the seasoning was good.  They even could've been a little spicier and I would've been good with that too.  Though they are not very pretty, they taste decent enough.  Next time, though, I'd rather just serve them with the chile verde on top.  

As for the rest of the family:          The youngest didn't like them.  Too spicy.

                                                   Everyone else was fine with them.

The only recipe left for the week:  Eggplant (instead of pasta) Lasagna Roll-ups.

Until next time,

Patty

Quiche, Easy Layered Chicken Bake, and Candy Cookies

I got a little busy on Saturday and am unplugged on Sundays so, this morning, you are getting my critique of the recipes I made this weekend.

First is the quiche.  This recipe comes out of my recipe box, and I have no idea from whence it came, but here it is for you:

Quiche For Lunch 

(no idea why it was called that...)

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 9" pie shell, unbaked

1 c. grated Swiss

3 eggs

2 1/2 c. half-n-half

1/4 t. nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Place crumbled bacon in bottom of pie shell.  Sprinkle with cheese.  

Mix remaining ingredients; pour into pie shell.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or till set.  

Yield: 4-6 servings

I would like to begin by saying that since my grandmother taught me how to make pie crust and I have, finally, mastered not overworking it, I have never been satisfied with buying a pie crust.  They never taste like I have grown up thinking pie crust should taste, and there is never any left over to bake up with cinnamon-sugar to just eat.  So, I did not buy a pie shell.

what was left of the leftover pie crust
I almost forgot to take a picture!

Also, I used turkey bacon, which comes out a little wetter in the finished product than regular bacon, but we've been eating it for so long that we prefer it for the purposes of just eating.  Also, I do not cook the bacon and then crumble it.  I dice it up first, then cook it.  I could be mistaken, but it seems to me that more of the fat gets rendered out that way, AND, I don't have to wait around for the bacon to cool in order to crumble it.

That being said, I have to tell you that this was another one of the recipes The Bug picked not knowing what he was picking.  He also doesn't know what quiche is anyway, so it doesn't matter.  But what I can tell you is that NOBODY, but me, wanted to eat quiche.  All I heard ALL WEEK was grumbling about the quiche.  Turned up noses, groans and moans, were abounding anytime I mentioned it.  Personally, I like quiche.  So, the fact that the 3 remaining people in my house were sneering at the idea of it made this week all the more enjoyable for me.  Why?  Well, the rule for this project (and for anything else I make) is:  You don't have to like it, but you do have to give it a fair chance.  So, I was masochistically overjoyed that it was quiche week. If you are old enough to remember Snidely Whiplash from the Dudley Do-right skits on The Rocky and Bullwinkle show, think of his sneering laugh, and you will have some sort of idea what I was feeling like this week.

Well, I got the last laugh this week!  Everyone liked the quiche.  I actually made it Friday, and we had a friend from church stop over for a quick visit, and even though he has never liked any quiche he's ever eaten, he liked this one!

SCORE ONE FOR ME!  Well, actually, that's score about 8 for me!  Woohoo.

A quick note about the recipe:  the 45 minute cooking time was more like a guideline for the way I made the recipe.  Because of the turkey bacon, and due to the fact that I added more than a cup of grated Swiss, my quiche ended up having to bake about an hour before we could slice it.  But...it was good nonetheless.  Also, my husband and daughter ate the remaining quiche the next day for breakfast, and it heated up well too.  I placed the individual slices about a 1/2-inch apart on a baking sheet, placed them in the oven, turned it on to 400, and by the time the oven had reached temperature, the quiche was hot.

The Quiche after we dished out our first helping
You can see the liquid in the pan from the turkey bacon

 The next recipe was also in my recipe box because I clipped it out of the Kraft Food & Family magazine.  It is called:  "Easy Layered Chicken Bake" and you can find it by clicking here.  I made the Tex-Mex version yesterday.

I did not care for it at all.  Neither did the kids.  However, my husband and father liked it!  In all fairness, however, I must declare that no one in my family was feeling very well yesterday.  My taste-buds were so "off" that not even a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios tasted right.  BUT this dish smelled amazing while I was putting it together!  The smell of chopped, fresh green onions mingled with the smell of the Stove-Top stuffing, and I have decided that the next time I make stuffing to just eat, I am going to add green onions!

Also, my recipe came out wetter than I like.  I did my best to drain the tomatoes and the corn, but there was still a lot of juice in the pan when I dipped into the casserole.  I was not impressed.  But, then, I think that I was just determined not to taste anything properly yesterday because of the way I felt.


Lastly, I made The Bug's request - Candy Cookies - from a recipe out of "Just Desserts: and other treats for kids to make" by Marilyn Linton.  Here is the recipe:

Candy Cookies

1. softened unsalted butter

1. loosely packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 c. candy-covered chocolate pieces, such as Smarties or M&M's

Heat oven to 375.  

Put butter in large bowl and beat it with a beater for about 30 seconds.  

Pour in the brown sugar and white sugar and beat till fluffy.  

Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  

Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then pour them into the large bowl.  

Beat until well mixed.  

Stir in the candies and drop teaspoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  

Flatten the cookies slightly with your hand.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned.  

Yield: approximate 36 cookies.

I didn't change anything in the recipe, except for the cookie size (I always make mine bigger than the recipes call for) which increased the cooking time a bit.  However, since I notoriously get busy and forget about the cookies, I just waited in the kitchen, checking on them periodically.  So, I don't really know how long mine were in the oven, but I didn't burn them!!  Also, my kids had a bowl of cookie dough about the size of one of these cookies.  This means that my yield was "somewhat less than" 36 cookies. The recipe was good enough, but I think, next time The Bug asks for these cookies, I'll just use the Toll House cookie base, and then add the candy pieces; I have it memorized, and I like that cookie dough flavor better.  Also, I make it using 1/2 the butter and only 2 cups of flour, and the recipe calls for 1/2 the brown sugar and an actual full teaspoon of salt, which makes a difference in the way the dough tastes.

BBQ Mini Meatloaves, Mashed Potatoes Ole & PCOS

Last night's meal comes straight out of my recipe box.  Well, actually, I guess I must give credit where credit is due.  Last night's meal came out of a Kraft Food & Family magazine and off the back of a container of French's French Fried Onions container.  And, again, I forgot to take pictures.  But, that's okay, because the ones I've used, come off the websites for these companies and are far more photogenic than mine.

The mini meatloaves are actually made in a 12-muffin tin.  I was excited to make these because I have been wondering for a long time how making individual meatloaves in a muffin tin would work.  You see, the meatloaf recipe I have comes from my mother,and I believe it is the best in the world, but it takes almost an hour to cook, and sometimes I don't have that long.  So, it seems that, once again, this little project of mine is going to help me with more than finding new recipes and cleaning out my recipe box & board.  

While I got my recipe from the Kraft Food & Family magazine, it is also available on the Kraft website.  Just click here.

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

There are three other variations you can make, but I chose to make the one with barbeque sauce because my mother's recipe calls for barbeque sauce and I wanted to see how the two matched up.  My mother's recipe calls for a can of golden mushroom soup, eggs and oats to act as binders.  This recipe calls for 1 cup of water and a box of Stove Top Stuffing to bind it.  The smell was great, and the taste was too, but, it will not replace my mama's recipe.  I am happy to report that the meatloaves were a success, but they will not replace my mama's.  However, this would be a good go-to on a rushed evening!  All told, the meal took about 45 minutes to prepare.

As for the potatoes, well, it seems to be a trend that I messed up the recipe again.  I did not do exactly what I was supposed to, but it was still a hit.  I'm not sure when I obtained my recipe, but you can find it on the French's website, by clicking here.

Mashed Potatoes Ole

First, I didn't buy the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.  I had Butter & Herb, so that's what I used.  Also, I decided not to buy the Cheddar-flavored French Fried Onions.  I had bought some of the original version for Thanksgiving and still had plenty left, so that's what I used.  I didn't really think it would make much difference in the final flavor, so I decided to proceed with the rest of the recipe as instructed.  At least, I intended to.  As you can see in the picture, salsa and black olives top the mashed potatoes.  I did not intend to use black olives, because I don't like them, and, on the recipe, they are listed as optional.  The salsa, however, is not.  I misread the recipe.  I thought the salsa was added after the potatoes were baked to melt the cheese.  I was mistaken.  And that's okay.  What I ended up doing was just stirring some of the French Fried onions into the potatoes, topping that with cheese, and baking until the cheese melted.  For my taste, it was a little on the salty side, but everyone else loved the potatoes too.  Next time, I think I will try making this with homemade mashed potatoes instead of instant.

To top it off, I served corn and black-eyed peas.  

Good news for me: I've been doing my Weight Watchers-point counting-thing for so long that, for me, the corn and black-eyed peas were far better than the potatoes, and even though 2 of the mini-meatloaves is supposed to be a serving, I only had room for one! 

I am not saying this to toot my own horn, but with the obsession with weight, and the apparent inability  some people seem to feel to conquer their issues with it, I add that last little bit there as proof that if you stick with it long enough, and are truly intentional about what you put into your mouth, your body will start to crave the things you ought to be feeding it, and will start to convince you that you no longer want the things you really shouldn't eat.  

Between 2007-2009, my husband was on an unaccompanied tour, and I took that time to get back in shape, and lose the rest of the weight that I had gained with child number 3, The Bug.  I joined a group called T.O.P.S. - Taking Off Pounds Sensibly - and lost 30 pounds.  On my last meeting, the group asked me if I would be willing to share some hints and tips on how I managed to set and achieve my goal.  The realization I came to is this:  there is not a one of us who has struggled to lose weight that doesn't already know what to do.  Genetics aside, you have to eat less that you burn off, or work out more.  Sweat needs to become your friend.  Furthermore, most of us do not actually work out long enough to burn off the calories we consume.  One thirty minute walk/work-out is not going to burn off a full day's worth of dietary misbehavior, unless you have starved yourself calorically and worked out like a beast.  (Case in point, I have a friend who just ran 5 miles in a little over 30 minutes and burned 578 calories, but eating fewer calories than that during a day is NOT HEALTHY!)  

All I am saying is there is no magic pill.  There is no magic powder.  There are things that can jump-start your weight loss a little, but the claims on most of the pills you buy over the counter have not been proven by the FDA.  And considering what all IS allowed by the FDA, do you really want to risk taking something that hasn't been reviewed?  Don't get me wrong.  I have tried several of these things.  But I have to tell you that the only program I have ever done that has given me any kind of consistent success is keeping a smart diet (and by diet, I mean eating plan, not a "diet") and exercise.  And, with that, I also don't experience any crazy, negative side effects, like a racing heart, or insane blood sugar dips, that make me feel like I'm going to hyperventilate and/or die.

I have another reason to try to keep on top of my weight.  Though I didn't know it for years, as it turns out, I have PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.  I found out in a freakish sort of way, in that I had 2 separate visits to a female doctor when my husband was on his unaccompanied tour, and just from my medical history on my first visit (it took several years for me to get pregnant with The Bug), and one question I asked in my second visit (I think I have a little more hair under my chin than what my mother and grandmother seem to talk about), she was able to deduce that maybe I had PCOS.  A blood test and an ultrasound later, it was confirmed.  In fact, it was so bad that the ultrasound tech looked at me and said, "I'd have never guessed that you had PCOS.  You don't bear any resemblance to most people I get in here who have it."  Apparently, one of the symptoms is obesity.  That's one I can do without!  Keeping up with my health and taking care of myself means more to me than just staying in shape and letting me eat chocolate cake if I want to; it also helps me buck against my PCOS, which I may have, but which will not have me!

***  If you want to know more about PCOS and what it's symptoms are, you can visit the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome directory in the Women's Health section of WebMD or womenshealth.gov.

Lent, Giving up Coffee, and Creating Monsters

Lent is upon us, and it has been nearly a week since we have begun our annual fasting.  Not being Catholics, nor being raised that way, we do not do Lent the way true Catholics do.  We find something that would be tantamount to a sacrifice to give up, something that usually makes everyone cringe at the thought.  This year has been no exception.

But, as the title might lead you to believe, what I chose to fast is not coffee.  I did, once.  And it didn't really seem like such a big deal.  I had been thinking that it might be time for me to say farewell to my morning coffees; I have never drunk it because I needed the caffeine anyway.  I don't like the idea of doing something "just because;" the only thing worse is having an addiction.  I'm old enough (or secure enough with myself) now that I don't want anything in my life that hasn't been examined and tested, no exceptions.  Not even my morning coffee.

I would like to say that I came to this decision by way of divine revelation, or because I decided to conduct some scientifically sound experiment.  That might make this sound so much more important.  Rather, I just kind of fell into the decision.  A couple mornings in a row, while reading and working on this blog, I was in the mood for tea.  So, I had a few cups.  Never missed my coffee.  Like I said before, I never drank it because I "had to have it" anyway.  However, after those mornings, I decided that I would make some coffee.  It just sounded good.

Both times (with the tea and with the coffee) I had my cups before I ate anything.

With the tea, my stomach never got upset, I never got grumpy, and when I did get hungry, I just felt hungry.  I never felt groggy, sleepy, grouchy, or like my blood sugar had dipped so much that I wanted to bite off my children's heads.  When I had the coffee, the exact opposite thing had happened.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I had drunk a cup of coffee the night before at a church function, and nothing happened.  It was late in the evening.  I never had an upset stomach, never got grouchy, anything.  But, first thing in the morning, me and coffee - not a good thing.  So, from now on, for me, it's going to be tea for my morning drink.

As for creating monsters:

When I decided to start this project, I went through all my recipes, organizing them into actual meals, and then I divided up all those meals among the remaining months of the year, and made out a checklist for each month.  From those lists, I have let my family pick what we would eat each week.  This week, it was The Bug's turn.  He picked out his meals, not knowing what he was picking because the list was written in cursive and he still has a bit of a hard time deciphering it (which is a euphemism for - he didn't really feel like trying to figure out what the words said).  I was about to give him a hard time for this when he approached me with a cookbook of his own.

"Look Mom," he said, "since you've been working on this project and cooking and stuff, I thought you might like to try to make one of the recipes out of this book.  I found it at the library, and thought we could make some of the stuff together."

The book - a cookbook he found in the kids' section of the library - is called "Just Desserts: and other treats for kids to make" by Marilyn Linton.  The recipe he and I will be making together:  Candy Cookies.

Along with the Candy Cookies, I will also be making BBQ Mini Meatloaves and Mashed Potatoes Ole,  Tex Mex Chicken Bake, and Quiche for Lunch (don't know why that's the title).  This last one, I can tell you, is not being thought of favorably!  So, instead of a full recipe, I have decided that I will make a smaller version, and will spare everyone the torture.  LOL!!  Or maybe I won't because I like quiche.  We'll see!

Mexie Mack Burgers & Mexican Skillet Potatoes

Tonight's recipes: A HIT!!!

These recipes came out of my recipe box. The potatoes were another recipe I copied out of, my friend, Joan's Mexican cookbook (the same one from which I pulled my first recipe - Albondigas Soup).

Mexican Skillet Potatoes

3 lg. baking potatoes, peeled & diced. 3-4 T. bacon fat (or oil)
1 sm. onion, cut into rings 1 sm. green pepper, diced
salt. 1/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper. 4 crushed cilantro leaves

Rinse diced potatoes thoroughly. Heat oil in skillet & cook potatoes, covered, over medium heat, till tender firm. Add green pepper, onion, and salt. Cover and cook till green pepper is tender. Season with pepper and Vila too. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Let me tell you about those potatoes. I just don't think you can go wrong with the combination of bacon fat, potatoes, onions and salt. I believe if there's is a smell I will never tire of, that borders on being rapturous, it's that smell. So, these potatoes were bound to be good. What I didn't expect was to like the way they tasted with the addition of the cilantro. I like cilantro(I used a small handful); don't get me wrong. But I like my potatoes the way they are, too. But this was a really good combination.

When I asked my daughter what she thought of the meal (I hadn't even sat down with my plate yet), she said, "my potatoes are half gone already, if that tells you anything."


The next recipe: Mexie Mack Burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground beef. 1 pkg. taco seasoning. 1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 t. garlic salt. 1 small onion, diced small
To top: salsa & grated cheese

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients but the salsa and cheese. Shape into 6-8 patties. Grill or broil. Top with salsa and grated cheese, if desired.


The first comment about this recipe came from The Bug: "Normally, Mom, I only like hamburgers if they come from "Five Guys," but these are really good."

I don't have any idea where this recipe came from. If I did, I would most certainly give credit where credit is due. I would love to be able to thank the person who made my husband speechless through yet another meal!

At first, I wasn't sure about the ketchup, but it added a sweetness that paired well with the smokiness given off by the taco seasoning.

It was too cold and windy outside to start a fire, so I cooked these on my George Foreman grill, bad they came out just fine.

My husband said that he thought it would be a great way to make our regular burgers, and he already likes the way I make hamburgers. So, now,I have another idea.

My son ate his with cheese melted on top, and with nothing else. My daughter had hers with cheese, and taco sauce on a bun. I had cheese, and salsa (a good spicy one that added a little extra kick), and my husband had cheese, pickles, and mustard. Four different preparations and NO COMPLAINTS!!!!

And, as for the missing pictures, well....I was cleaning up after dinner before it occurred to me that I hadn't snapped any shots of our meal! Again! OH WELL!


P.S. - I googled the title of the recipe to see if maybe I could track down the source. I came across the website Sheknows.com, and it has TONS upon TONS of articles, recipes, etc. I could easily get lost on this site for a few hours. If you want to go straight to the recipe, just click on the following link: Mexie Mack Burgers.

Enjoy!

The Story About Fish Sticks and Macaroni-n-Cheese

As I have mentioned a time or two, I am a Navy wife. At first, I was a U.S. Navy sailor and a wife; now, I am a "dependent." But, during both of these seasons of my life, I have spent much time as a single-mom, waiting for my man to get home, and wondering what would be the best way to welcome my sailor back home from the fray. I wanted everything on his first night home to be special, and welcoming, but not too fussy, since, invariably he will have just spent a little over a full day (one time it was closer to 48 hours) without any kind of real sleep and, so, would be happy to FINALLY be home, but also a bit jet-lagged, tired, grumpy, etc.

Needless to say, I felt a little bit of pressure to make everything JUST RIGHT.

I tried many different recipes. I don't even remember them all; I recall making a catfish dish once, that I paired with some kind of alcohol drink. What I do remember about those times was that the reaction I received was not what I had hoped. My efforts at just right had turned out just wrong! GRR!!!

One time, however, I actually got to talk to my husband on the phone before he got all the way home. I was able to ask him: "is there anything, at all, you would like to have your first night home, other than sleep, of course?"

He said, "Yeah. I want fish sticks and macaroni's & cheese." (That's really how he says it; with an "s" at the end of macaroni.)

Me: "Really?"

Him: "Yep. I get to eat a lot of different things on board ship, and out in town when we're in port, but I never get to have fish sticks and macaroni's & cheese."

Me: "You're sure that's all you want?"

Him: "Besides seeing you and the kids, and my bed....YEAH!"



And so began our tradition of fish sticks and macaroni's & cheese homecoming meals!

In the immortal words of Paul Harvey: And now, you know the rest of the story.

Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken & Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Good morning all.

As the title suggests, I made Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken and Roasted Smashed Potatoes last night (both were Pinterest recipes).  It was fabulous.  So good, in fact, that it wasn't until after we were done eating that I realized I forgot to take some pictures of the meal.  That's okay, though, because I had to cook the chicken in the oven, and it was not nearly as pretty as the picture I saved from the website where I obtained the recipe.

So, here is the link for the the chicken, and a pretty picture of some awesome chicken.

Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs            2 t vegetable oil

Rub

2 t granulated garlic          2 t chili powder          1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t coriander          1 t kosher salt           1 t cumin

1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze

1/2 C Honey          1T Cider Vinegar     

Instructions:

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

          My review of the recipe:

I used approximations on the ingredients listed.  I didn't feel like trying to measure out all the teaspoons of this and that.  I also forgot to oil the chicken.  I forgot so badly, that I had to double check the recipe when I copied and pasted it because I completely missed that step all together.  I'm certain it would've made a difference in the way the chicken looked once it was completed; mine came out black as the ace of spades.  But, it was still good.  

As for the rub, I was hesitant about whether or not the chicken would get any of the flavor I'd just rubbed all over the skin, but I was worried about nothing.  The skin was extremely spicy; I'd never worked with chipotle powder before, and didn't think about how spicy it would be (guess I should've tasted it first).  The chicken underneath:  lightly flavored, with smoky hints of chipotle but without the heat!  YEEHAW!  So, the kids just picked of the skin.  My husband:  he just ate right through it.  The crunchy, spiciness of the skin mixed well with the chicken.  

Statements from the family regarding the chicken:

My daughter:  "I love you mom, but I don't like the skin."

My son:  "The skin is too spicy, but I like picking off the ooey-gooey fat pieces underneath.  Those are yummy."

My husband:  "Mmmm...hmmm,hmmm...(with mouth full) it's good.  I like it just the way it is."

When I mentioned that I thought it would taste better grilled, my man said, "Ordinarily, I would agree with you, but this time...I don't know."  

I don't know about you all, but hearing a Texan say that kind of thing about anything that could have, and was called to be, grilled; well, that's saying something.  

NOTE TO SELF:  Remember to oil the chicken first, and next time, use the grill!

Now...for the potatoes.

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Compliments of It’s a Keeper

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

www.everydaytastes.com

2 pounds small Red Bliss potatoes (about 18), scrubbed

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Adjust oven racks to top and bottom positions and heat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ cup water into baking sheet, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Cook on bottom rack until paring knife or skewer slips in and out of potatoes easily (poke through foil to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and cool 10 minutes. If any water remains on baking sheet, blot dry with paper towel.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Space potatoes evenly on baking sheet and place second baking sheet on top; press down firmly on baking sheet, flattening potatoes until 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and season generously with salt and pepper; drizzle evenly with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Roast potatoes on top rack 15 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bottom rack and continue to roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

I mean, seriously, how can you go wrong with roasted potatoes.  I followed the directions to the letter, but I did substitute rosemary for the fresh thyme because I didn't have the thyme.  I did everything else as directed, and the potatoes came out wonderfully!  The inside is like a baked/mashed potato and the outside is roasted, and crunchy.  I will definitely be making these potatoes again.  Everyone loved them.  

All in all, last night was a HIT!

A quick word about the websites from which these recipes came:  CHECK THEM OUT!  They have tons of recipes.

It's A Keeper:  Testing Recipes to See if They're Keepers:     http://www.everydaytastes.com

Our Best Bites:  Tips, Tricks, & Tastes from two Real-Life Kitchens:     http://www.ourbestbites.com