A Few Notes and an Amazing Recipe

A few notes from this past week before I post the best meal I think I have ever made...if not...it's certainly a contender! I feel awful for bragging about it, especially since Jason's not here.

Note #1 - Layla came to me and said she wanted to clean the playroom by herself. I asked was this your idea...or Ava's? Her response..."I want to clean the playroom by myself. Ava said that I need to be nice to her or she will be mean to me for the rest of her life. So I'm being nice and cleaning the playroom."

Can you guess what comes next? Ava is really giving me a run for my money.

Note #2 - Layla had bloodwork done again on Thursday, the second time in a week and a half. She ROCKED it AGAIN! No fear and even laughed throughout. She is the biggest trooper I know. I still flinch when I have to get bloodwork done. It's simply not fun...but Layla has no fear.

Note # 3 - Don't wash the dog's beds. If you do, the next morning Mabel will get upset that you let Stella outside before she gets to and run back to their beds and relieve herself. She's a bitch.

Note # 4 - Speaking of Mabel, she got out of the house today by pushing her way through the front door as Ava was walking out. I run to grab the leash, ready for a battle. But, I didn't have to go far. Mabel ran next door, and just stood looking into their house. Two Boxers live next door and Mabel "plays" with them by running and jumping the fence line pretending to play with them. I think all she wanted to do was actually play with them! The Dad said he was scared to death when he saw Mabel at the door, but the daughter, who is 12, ran right outside and held onto her collar as I was running up. Poor Mabel...she just wants friends!

I think that is all I have for now...unless you want to hear about my Spring cleaning and cleaning out closets. Didn't think so.

So back to the dinner. I might be naive, but I have never heard of a bread salad before. And this from someone who LOVES to make bread. When I came upon the recipe yesterday, I HAD to make it. The acidity of the vinegar used, muted by the bread and the simplicity of the chicken...I don't know what it was, but it was the perfect blend of everything I love.

Crispy Chicken Thighs & Warm Bread Salad
Adapted from The Kitchn  (My changes are in parenthesis)
Serves 2 to 4

For the chicken:
6 whole (bone-in, skin-on) chicken thighs (I used Boneless, Skinless, it's what I had in the freezer)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil (I used Grapeseed Oil)

For the bread salad:
1 (16-ounce) loaf day-old sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized pieces (I used homemade French Bread that I had made 2 days earlier)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste (I had enough red wine vinegar for the initial tossing, but used white wine vinegar to deglaze the pan)
3 tablespoons olive oil (Again, used Grapeseed Oil)
Reserved chicken drippings
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 cup packed arugula (I used fresh spinach)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the chicken, preheat oven to 475°F. Pat the chicken completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken to the skillet, skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking the chicken until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden brown, approximately 12 minutes.

Move the skillet to the oven and cook the chicken, still skin side down, for 13 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the oven to a separate bowl and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes, reserving any leftover juices to add to the bread salad. Leave the oven on at 475°F.

While the chicken is resting, begin preparing the bread salad. In a large bowl, toss the bread pieces with melted butter until evenly coated. Spread the bread onto a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. (Bread can also be toasted ahead of time and re-warmed for 5 minutes in a warm oven just before serving.) (I also sliced up a shallot and added it to the bread while it was toasting.)

In the same large bowl used for the bread, whisk the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the warm, toasted bread to the bowl and toss with the vinaigrette until completely combined.

Set the skillet used to roast the chicken (with the pan drippings and tasty chicken fat!) over low heat. Stir in a few more tablespoons of red wine vinegar, if desired, making sure to scrape any golden bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the warm drippings to a pourable container.

Add a few tablespoons of warm pan drippings, the pine nuts, and arugula to the bowl with the bread pieces, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, add more pan drippings if desired, and adjust any flavorings to taste. (I use all of the pan drippings because I like my bread salad chewy and rich, and I add a bit more vinegar as well, because I love LOTS of tang.)

Arrange the bread salad on a large serving platter. Nestle the chicken thighs, either left whole or shredded, on top and serve immediately.

Oreos or Gluten? Not sure what to name this blog!

Just so you know...the girls will be getting off the bus at any moment and they are going to annoy me to death when they walk through the door. I have their favorite dinner, slow roasting in the oven and the smell is divine...therefore for the next 2-3 hours, they are going to constantly talk about how hungry they are. They don't understand that voicing how hungry there are...won't speed up the cooking time! Our girls are carnivores and they LOVE a good roast! I'm making what most would refer to as a "Sunday Dinner" tonight since Jason is leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks. Yesterday for lunch, we had his favorite, Mac and Cheese with sausage mixed in.

I haven't written in a few weeks because I haven't known what to say about what has been going on. For a long time I have known something is wrong with Layla's weight and it took me voicing my concerns for 2 years for her Dr to finally listen to me and do bloodwork. We got that bloodwork back a week ago with possible Celiac Disease being the culprit and a referral to a Pediatric GI. I can deal with Celiac disease or even a gluten intolerance. Yes, it will be a change and a big learning experiment (yes I meant to say experiment)...but we already eat pretty darn healthy and for the most part, from scratch...it's just my beloved bread making that is going to suffer. That is going to be hard.

The bloodwork is really hard to interpret and luckily, I have been blessed with other opinions without having to go to another Dr. The only test that indicates possible Celiac is the test that shows damage to intestinal tissue due to gluten. All the others she was within normal range. The GI appt won't be for a while...they aren't even scheduling new patient appts until June. Hopefully we can score a cancellation...but hopefully with enough notice...it's 2 hours away...on a good day. So until we can get in, I am keeping a food diary and a poo diary (I know, gross) so that I am prepared. I also have tons of print outs of research and different tests I want to make sure they do.

There are more serious possibilities being thrown around...but I won't dare talk about those unless I need to. Layla and I have an appt to talk further with her Dr on Thursday and also get more bloodwork done.

For reference, Layla is almost 6...she is in the 50th percentile for her height and only 2nd percentile for her weight...they call this failure to thrive...which I absolutely despise the term. All tests point to malnutrition...but we have to figure out why she isn't getting the nutrition since we are a healthy family. I make their breakfast every morning, no cereal, pop tarts, frozen foods. I pack their lunch everyday in a Bento box so that I can see what is left over when they get home. And of course...I make dinner every night. If we eat out...it's once a month. (That was my New Year's resolution!)

On a brighter note...or should I say on a "sorer" note...I joined Jason's work division's kickball team and am having a blast. It's the first time I have done anything like this as a wife. I have always tried to stray away from "mixing" with the wives...but I have to say I love them all...well except for two...they are really weird. It has made me want to get together more with them and actually participate in work related events. I actually went to the thrift store on base to get an application to volunteer there. It really has made me realize I have dug my own hole with not having friends because I don't put myself out there. I'm going to change that.

We had our first "mixer" games yesterday and won both! By the end of the day...I sat on the couch and couldn't lift my legs! But I'm much better today...I think I was flat out exhausted.

I am pretty sure that when I kick...I also yell "HI YA"...I made it to 2nd base on this kick...then scored with the next kicker. I'm cool like that! 

Anyway, with all the researching I have done the past few weeks on Layla...I have really slacked with my cooking. Not terrible...just have made easy meals...one night we had chili dogs...I wanted comfort and quick. BUT, I do have a recipe to share that Layla RAVED about! And she rolled out of bed just as I was starting it...hence her appearance! Who wouldn't love Oreo Pancakes...and they are HEALTHY!

Waking up to Oreos on the counter...who wouldn't be excited?

The amazing (according to Layla) final product!

Oreo Cookie Pancakes adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

(serves 1)

• 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar (2g)
• 5 tbsp milk of choice (75g)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4g)
• 1 tbsp coconut or veg oil (sub applesauce only if you like the taste of fat-free pancakes.) (10g)
• 1/4 cup spelt flour (or all-purpose or gluten-free all-purpose) (34g)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder (7g)
• 1 stevia packet or 1 tbsp sugar (or 1 tbsp agave and decrease milk by that amount)
• 1-2 crushed Oreo-style cookies or Healthy Oreos
• 1/2 container vanilla yogurt of choice (I used SoDelicious coconut) (80g) 

In a small measuring glass, combine first four ingredients and whisk. Set aside. Combine next 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Place a non-stick pan, greased with either oil or oil spray, over medium heat. While it heats, turn your attention back to the food: pour wet into dry and stir until just mixed. (Don’t over-mix.) Then cook your pancakes (I did mine in two batches), adjusting the heat a little lower if necessary. Flip when bubbles appear and the sides are just cooked enough to flip without breaking. Meanwhile, combine the final two ingredients, then spread on cooked pancakes. Recipe makes 7-8 silver dollar pancakes, as shown in the photos.