EASY FAMILY MEALS | SLOW COOKER CARIBBEAN JERK CHICKEN WINGS RECIPE

In an effort to replace our Friday Pizza Night with something new and equally easy, I've decided to  institute "Crock Pot" Fridays (or Slow Cooker Fridays?) for the Fall/Winter months (Even thought I made this on a Sunday).

Inspired by my bloggy pal Mimi, I tried my own version of a "Carribean Jerk" seasoned wings. They turned out SO YUMMY. And from the great feedback over on instagram, I just had to share. I dug out the best pics I could find, since this wasn't really a planned post, so bear with me. You'll be glad you did.

CROCKPOT CARIBBEAN JERK CHICKEN RECIPE
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 onion
8 cloves garlic or 1 whole head
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 scallions, sliced
3 limes, juiced
Splash low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for kick)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
13 organic free-range chicken wings

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and dry spices. Rub this spice and sugar mixture all over the wings, inside and out. Pour on the lime juice, soy sauce and olive oil and massage into the wings as well..

Cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for 4. Check doneness with a meat thermometer, or cut in to make sure the meat is no longer pink.

With tongs place wings on baking sheet and broil in oven on high for about 5-7 minutes to give a caramelized crispy (RIDICULOUSLY YUMMY) outside.

Serve with chopped chives and a squeeze of lime.

I served with basil steamed rice and roasted french green beans. Let me know if you try it!

xxB

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P.S. You could also just pour your favorite store bought Jerk marinade in and call it a day (if you are so inclined:-)

WEEKNIGHT MEALS: PERFECT LEMON HERB ROASTED CHICKEN RECIPE

I try really hard to prepare a menu for the week ahead, so I'm not rushing around like a crazy person or trying to figure out at the last minute whats for dinner. THE WORST. Here's a dish that's easy to throw together with dried herbs and chicken (which I generally keep in the freezer). Put together with some easy sides like roasted potatoes and a salad (fruit salad for the kids) makes an easy peasy weeknight dinner.

LEMON HERB ROASTED CHICKEN
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INGREDIENTS

Juice and zest of 4 lemons, plus 2 whole lemons
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons sage
3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 chicken thighs/legs trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt

PREPARATION

1. 1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Remove 2 tablespoons marinade mixture; place in a small bowl, and stir in olives. Set aside.
2. 2. Add chicken to remaining marinade, tossing well to coat. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour.
3. 3. Preheat oven to 450°.
4. 4. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until done. Place chicken on a serving platter. Spoon reserved olive mixture evenly over chicken.

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What's your go to weeknight dinner (besides Urban "Pizza" Pie:-)

xxB
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TMI + 5 HEALTHY AFTERNOON SNACKS I WANT TO TRY

CAN NOT believe I am in here crying watching Bachelor In Paradise. Especially after I swore it was a crock and I would never even watch. Welp. I'm glad Marcus found love after Andi.  AND Sarah... I think you made a big mistake letting Rob go/comparing your relationship to others is never a good idea. P.S. I am now following you on instagram - I can be such a little stalker sometimes..  Now on to Farmer Chris and the Bachelor WOOT. #whoareyoutojudge:-)

So Yes - SNACKS.

They have been such a hindrance in my baby weight loss goals (is it still baby weight if the child is 2.5??). I actually don't have a problem giving the kids and hubby treats like cookies and ice cream and such because I feel that we do a decent job at balancing it out with healthy meals - lots of fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains. But I tend to go a bit over board when I dig in (can't eat just one). So I'm on the hunt for some healthy snacks that feel like a treat for the kiddos and myself.

Here are some that I found on Pinterest and am dying to try:

babble.com

everythingfab.com

fifteenspatulas.com

redbookmag.com

Those roasted chickpeas!! And some other healthier yumminess I'd like to try here.  Perfect for before lunch or after school snacks right?

Currently I've been munching on cucumbers with this dipping sauce or red and yellow peppers dipped in hummus. 

What's your go to snack? Please share!

xxB

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CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND BLUEBERRY SALAD WITH POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

• Super bummed we missed the strawberry picking season this year. I called ahead last Friday, and the pickens were slim (she said) so we opted out since its a 45 minute drive to Southern Belle Farms for me. Its a little harder to get out there while the kids are still in school. But the start of summer brings the blueberries and black berries and we will be there with bells on! In preparation for the loads of berries we'll be gathering, I've been looking for some good recipes to sink our teeth into. Last year, I made this Berry Oat Cake and Blackberry Buttermilk Sherbet. And looking forward to trying my hand at some smoothie and jam making this summer. 
• In the mean time I put this salad together for dinner the other night and it was SO YUM. A spin on a recipe from one of my Cooking Light mags. I'm always trying to find creative ways to use my leftover rotisserie chicken. And with the baked sweet potatoes made for a hearty and filling meal.
• 
  
• INGREDIENTS
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
• Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups bagged baby spinach
• Pomegranate Vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup fresh blueberries 
• 1/2 thinly sliced then halved English Cucumber
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
• 
  
• PREPARATION
• 1. Heat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Add chicken to pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until warm.
• 2. Divide spinach evenly on each of 4 serving plates; drizzle evenly with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Arrange chicken, onion, and blueberries evenly over spinach. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
• 
  
• for the DRESSING
• 1/2 cup pomegranate juice 
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed orange juice
• *Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk until blended.
• 
  
• 

What do you like to do with your leftover rotisseries? Any berry recipes you can share?

-xxB

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WEEKEND MEALS {OUR FAVORITE SIMPLE CHILI}

The last few mornings have been a bit chilly (no pun intended). And I absolutely love the crisp air.. Pulling down the sweaters and scarves, and a reason to eat and drink something toasty and warm. Perfect for weekends - after ballet, for the football game on tv, after church..

I bought a brand new box of Earl Grey teas and made this chili to ring in Fall earlier this week. LOVE making chili because all of the ingredients are usually in the cupboards and fridge. I stock diced tomatoes and beans (and chicken broth) for when I need to throw together a last minute meal and with those ingredients something pretty tasty usually comes about...

I wanted to share our favorite chili recipe. I'm sure you have one of your own. This one is pretty brothy instead of creamy (although a dollop of sour cream usually takes care of that)! I've been considering adding in some tomato paste to make it more tomato-ey)

This little person will eat anything as long as it includes a grilled cheese sandwich (so will I for that matter:-). Yes she is drinking out of a low ball (old fashioned cocktail) glass.. Its what happens when I ask H to make her something to drink. Thats water and not spirits...

So YES, the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz uncooked mild Italian Chicken Sausage casing removed
• 1 can red beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 cups diced red potoatoes
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, smashed and peeled
• 3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes, puréed (include the juice)
• 2 Tbs. brown sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil, chives, or dill, or a mixture of all three.
• sour cream and shredded cheese for garnish.

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Sautee the chicken, onion, and garlic breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon until its no longer pink, and is starting to brown, about 8 minutes.  

Add the broth, tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, beans, brown sugar, tomatoes, corn and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring the mixture to make sure that the mixture is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Discard the bay leaf.  Season to taste with salt and pepper... Serve warm, garnished with the herbs or dolloped with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Some of our other favorite dishes to make during this time of here are this yummy similar tortilla soup, oh and this chocolate chip banana bread is so easy and gets me in trouble every time.

What are you making this weekend?

xx,
Bunnie

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MAKE THIS: OAT CAKE WITH BLUEBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES

I forgot to tell you about this moist and berriful YUMMINESS I made after going berry picking with some close friends a week or so ago. It was a first try at a recipe I found in last months Martha Stewart Living. I had to find something to do with the gazillion berries we picked. After blue berry pancakes and this DELICIOUS blackberry buttermilk sherbet I still had about a half a bazillion berries to use so I made THIS: 

OAT CAKE WITH BLUEBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES

INGREDIENTS

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats, divided

2/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch square metal baking pan, tapping out excess flour. Combine 1 cup oats and water and let stand until oats have softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

STEP 2

Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat in egg and vanilla until just combined, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add flour and oat mixtures and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Fold in about half of berries.

STEP 3

Spread batter in pan and sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons oats and sanding sugar. Scatter remaining berries evenly over top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes; cut into squares.

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Did you go berry picking this year? What yumminess did you get in to?

xx,
Bunnie

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Weekend in Bunnieville

I spent most of my weekend giving my husband the wonky side eye because while I seem to not be able to sit still(grocery shopping,laundry,flying over (helicopter mom who day dreams of being a shtty mom) these munchkins.. He finds time for words with friends, Star Wars, a nap??!! I think I'm more jealous than mad.. While I feel the need to run around like a crazy person, instead of just enjoying the weekend,knowing it will all get done eventually. 

A friend came over and rescued me for an hour or two.. we comiserated over pumpkin spice lattes. It was during our little chat that I made a decision to make sure that I find ways to get some enjoyment even in the mundane.. I envision getting caught up on (i.e. blasting on surround sound) my soaps and greys anatomy while folding, and fall days at the park with a little baileys in my coffee, (not sure how I will get home legally).. But you get what I'm saying!!!

Anyway.. What we were up to:

Quick batch of Guac for hubby. This was really a magic trick I conjured up so he wouldn't notice me slip out the back door for my latte with my home girl (yes I said home girl)..

Banana Bread with munchkin.. Another trick I use to keep munchkin from watching too much PBS kids (would you like to help mommy in the kitchen- I wonder how old she will be when she catches on?)

we made it to church house 

Oh and this was the best part of my 1st attempt at Bunnies Sunday Chicken Fricassee. It was all down hill from there..

Oh and while at the grocery store I picked up my new favorite lipstick (Revlon Wild Orchid) thanks to my style crush Ann Mashburns article in the new Martha Stewart mag.. This was the best shot I could get on short notice. Hubby says I look like my crazy friend on Facebook that takes pix of herself everyday..

 

real grown lady right? i think my girl Cicely has been wearing this shade since high school. always did think she looked fab:-)

Okay.. I've typed way too much. Hope you had a great weekend!

Six Geese a Laying?

So here we are a couple days before Christmas and I'm still on this Twelve Days of Christmas kick.. I think I'll change that to the Six Days of Christmas so that we will all be ready in time.. Instead I'd like to talk about "doing"  the things that make Christmas such a special time of year as opposed to "buying" things..

At our house we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE celebrating Christmas (and any other holiday for that matter) and although we are a relatively new little family ( five years and counting!), we already have some traditions we look forward to every year..

Singing/Playing Christmas Songs..
So immediately after Thanksgiving we pull out the preset playlist that hubby put together a few years back for the car and house.. I've been complaining that there aren't enough "soulful" songs but after he pointed out all of the James Brown and Brian McKnight song.. I retracted my statement.. well not out loud..

At any rate, I realized today that in addition to the traditional Rudolph and Frosty songs, my 3 year old knows the words to:

Mele Malikimaka (The Hawaiian Christmas Song) by Bing Crosby
This Christmas by Donny Hathaway
Mr. Grinch and most other songs from the Glee Christmas Album

Makes my heart proud...

Lighting a fire and watching Christmas movies.. 
That includes all movies with any Christmas scene.. So when munchkin goes to bed we watch:

Trading Places with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd
Coming to America with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall (I see a theme happening)
Oh and You've Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks (Love this one!)
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase

Holiday Lights Tour
This year, I made hot chocolate and popcorn and we all piled in the car in our pajamas (right before bed time) and cruised a couple of neighborhoods ooohing and aahing at Christmas lights.. Make sure to do this right before bed time.. Then just slide your little elf under the blankets when you get home:)

Baking Cookies
Speaking of little elves.. My special elf, helped me get ready for my pal Beth's Annual Cookie Exchange..

We made Madeleines again this year! I use this recipe.

And thanks to inspiration from TomKat Studio, I updated my holiday Labels!

My favorite part of this gathering: SNACKS!!

and Cookies!!

The host made the below, which were very reminiscent of little pecan pie bites.. When I got home that night I left my cookies in the car, and remembered these were in there at about midnight.. lets just say there were crumbs in my bed the next morning:-(

Fun Times!