Inspired to GRILL!

Another new favorite in our repertoire of dinner ideas (and if Tiana says so, you KNOW it's good!!!) I served this with garlic roasted asparagus and steamed baby artichokes, but would definitely think that maybe a veggie yakisoba as a side dish might be a better option! Will use the leftovers in an Asian salad wrap for lunch!

HONEY-GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS

1/2 c. orange juice
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. minced fresh gingerroot
12 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (Kent insists these MUST be pounded flat!)

In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Pour 1/2 c. marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Coat grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain chicken and discard marinade. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting frequently with reserved marinade. (If you pound the breasts as Kent insists must be done (and it does get the flavor all the way through the chicken quite nicely) then the time will be less!)

1 chicken breast half equals: 221 calories, 4 g fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 331 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 35 g protein

School's Out!!

Well, summer has officially "officially" started! Today being solstice and earlier this week being the last day of school! We now look forward to, hopefully, warm weather and lots of outdoor fun! (Yeah right!! Tell that to an almost teen!) We did start off right today. Way too early for a Saturday, I was up and downtown for the Race for the Cure for breast cancer. I walked with a customer who I'd encouraged through her cancer treatments last year. I also walked with my friend Jenna firmly planted in my heart and mind as she starts her treatment this coming Monday. Kent and Tiana then joined me downtown and we went to our favorite Russian restaurant and then just walked around downtown for a few hours. Ran into an "OLD" friend, who we haven't seen for probably 15 years and saw another former co-worker of mine, too. We came home and had a little nap and then grabbed some dinner.

For fun, here's a picture of our lunch! YUM!!!





And, this is what good grades and the end of school looks like at our house!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

We hope this finds you enjoying a BEAUTIFUL day! We're very much enjoying a sunny day! If only we weren't almost too tired to fully take advantage! Yesterday we took a tree down and did all sorts of clean up! That after I did a 4.6 mile walk down into and back out of Edmonds. I chose, of course, to come out the steepest way! Training you know! I worked this morning before Meeting, too. Kent took two loads of branches to the dump this morning since we just missed the hours at the transfer station yesterday!

For something fun take a look at Kent's "kids" -- today AND a few years back!

Happy Saturday!

Ahhh! We finally got to enjoy a good "sleep-in"! Last Saturday I worked the opening shift and then we just did lots of busy things. That evening the three of us went to the King's School track and walked for an hour as part of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. We were walking as part of the Team Starbucks that one of my co-workers started in honor of one of our customers who is/was dying of bone cancer. I found out that afternoon, just before leaving for the track, that Frank was very close to death. He passed away the next morning as the Relay was ending. Very sad, but glad we could do something for him! Sunday morning I worked again and then it's just been the last week of school things! Tuesday we went to view Tiana's presentation of her big Action Project (about The Invisible Children). Thursday night we went to student led conferences regarding her whole year of schooling. Quite an interesting deal. Not really sure of the point of the exercise, but anyway!! We're very proud of the fact that this year seems to be a HUGE turnaround for her in her education and we can only hope that the next year stays the same! This morning I got up and made biscuits and gravy (thanks Elaine for the yummy biscuit recipe!) since Father's Day morning I'll be at work until just time enough to get to Meeting. This afternoon I'll get some crème brûlée made so that he can have one of his favorites for his Father's Day dessert!

Tuesday this week we went to the funeral of a very dear and faithful friend and we were so encouraged in our own walk with God after that. Then just yesterday we heard that my oldest aunt Frances went Home as well. I'm so thankful for her quiet, solid steady faithfulness through the years. I'm also very thankful for the care she took of Grandma when we cared for her. We loved Grandma very much, but it was nice to have the family weekends that Frances afforded us!

We're hoping to see some sun today! I'm thinking maybe a Farmer's Market is calling us. From there, who knows what we'll do! Maybe we'll make Kent choose -- it is Father's Day weekend after all!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU DADS OUT THERE!

Oh HAPPY DANCE!!!

It worked! It worked!! IT WORKED!!! Mom made me cookies! Oh, man, they are so awesome! Oh, it worked!! Then even cooler -- I WENT FOR A RIDE IN THE VAN!!!! Dad and mom and sis are so cool! I like to spend time with them. I just had to tell ya I got my cookies!

Alright, ENOUGH!!

Of the rain that is!! You know I might be part Lab, but I ABHOR all of this rain stuff! Man, it's just absolutely depressing! All I do is lay around, lay around, lay around. The most excitement I get is the HOPE that mom will make me cookies, too!! She's been out there in the kitchen all morning long playing with all sorts of fun stuff! She was gone for awhile (I think she took a walk WITHOUT me!! Can you believe it?!?!) and now she's just been hanging out playing with something that looks like bread with bird feed in it and now I smell Daddy's favorite -- CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!! When is it my turn? Maybe if I put the recipe here for MY favorite treats, she'll actually make me some! Here, tell me what you think! I'll tell you this much, when I do get these, I'd practically do ANYTHING to get one! Oooh, they are soooo good! (Oops! Careful where you walk near me now! My drool gets a bit out of hand when I'm thinking about food!)

Baby Food Dog Biscuits
3 Jars Baby Food -- beef or carrots or chicken
1/4 cup Cream Of Wheat (I prefer it when mom makes it with oats and oat flour!)
1/4 cup Dry milk powder, more if needed


Directions:

Combine ingredients in bowl and mix well. Roll into small balls and place on well-greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes until brown. Cool on wire racks and STORE IN REFRIGERATOR. Also freezes well.

This will only make 18 cookies, which isn't near enough, but hey! I can't complain if I FINALLY get these cookies!

Dinner for a YUCKY night!

Well, on this thoroughly disgusting wet night I thought I would share a yummy dish with you! We had this for dinner, and I for one really liked it! Kent wishes he'd pounded the chicken a bit flatter and Tiana was wishing her tummy was a little more settled for something so rich.

Chicken Provolone

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
1/4 tsp. pepper
Butter-flavored cooking spray
8 fresh basil leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham
4 slices provolone cheese

Sprinkle chicken with pepper. In a large nonstick skillet coated with butter-flavored cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side or until juices run clear.
Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet; top with basil, prosciutto and cheese. Broil 6-8 inches from heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

236 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 89 mg cholesterol, 435 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, 33 g protein

Mediterranean Summer Squash

1/4 c. chopped onion
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese (I used fat-free)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
(I had some leftover asparagus spears and I cut them into 1-1/2" pieces and added, too!)

In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the squash, zucchini and garlic (and the asparagus!); saute 6-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients; heat through.

2/3 c. serving: 69 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 220 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

This is the sort of night that practically begs me to bake cookies, but I really don't need any and I'm the only one who would eat them, so I'm being strong and saying NO!

I hope you are warm and dry where you are!