Bugger!

The view out the back window is usually so nice...

Lately, however, the view has been obstructed.

If you look real close, you can see some of the 13 "obstructions" that were perched on the right window alone!

It seems whenever I catch one that has managed to sneak indoors, I let another one in as I fling the previous intruder out! I don't want to squish them. I'm sure they're called stink bugs for a reason.

Anyone know why they are suddenly showing up in hordes?

School Time!

I have had a VERY excited little girl in my household this week.

Tuesday was the first day of Pre-school!

Natalia is enrolled in a program offered at Pete's old school and after I visited last fall I was thrilled to have found a great program that fit our budget. There is a supervising teacher, around 12 student teachers (juniors and seniors), and around 12 pre-schoolers. It runs 3 days a week for 2 hours each morning, yet is early enough that we still have a nice amount of down-time together before lunch. (I was a bit nervous about getting out of the door with 2 kiddos by 7:45, but it hasn't been bad! Ask me in mid-January though and I may say differently.)

Mrs. B has been doing this for over 20 years, her program is one finely-tuned machine, and I love how she is giving her student teachers a real taste for what it takes to be an educator. Her love for what she does just oozes out of her, and I love her sense of humor.

Natalia's first words to me after I picked her up after her first day were, "I just LOVE pre-school and Mrs. B!" (I just knew she would.)

Cheap Labor

Got a "honey do" list that's a mile long?

I know some people whose rates are dirt cheap!

Doughnuts

We headed into Lancaster's Central Market a few weekends ago in search of some loose leaf tea, to sit a spell by the fountain in Steinman's Park, and to top off the morning with something sweet from the Fractured Prune Donut Shoppe.

Natalia, confirming that the doughnut place is indeed on our itinerary.

Flavors we tried:

Black Forest: raspberry glaze, mini choco chips, coconut

Morning Buzz: mocha glaze, chocolate cookie crumbs

Lemonade: lemon glaze, granulated sugar

OC Sand: honey glaze, cinnamon sugar

Adam thoroughly enjoyed his doughnuts...in about 1 minute flat.

CAUTION: they're so yummy your eyes may roll back in your head.

Then we burned off the extra calories hiking back to the car. :-)

Well, some of them.

Flashback

It's been three years since we moved back to Lancaster County from Harford County, MD.

WOW! Time sure flies.

Oh So Creamy, Chicken Marsala

I'm still smacking my lips.



Last night I finally got this dish the way I wanted it...the way I've been dreaming of it since 2003. It was then that my love affair with Chicken Marsala began.



The night was dark. It had been a busy day of academia, and I was ready to relax, kick off my heels and enjoy a nice meal.



[You think I'm being melodramic?]



Okay, enough silliness. Does this look yummy or what?!


Stop drooling and add this to your meal plan this week.
You're welcome. :-)


Ingredients:

1-3/4 c. chicken broth (14 fl. oz.)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot or onion
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2--1 c. flour (for dredging)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or 12 chicken fingers*)
1/2 c. Marsala cooking wine
2/3 c. heavy cream

*I call that thin strip of breast meat that's under the breast, the finger. I keep it separate when cutting up my whole birds.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Bring broth to boil in a small saucepan over high heat, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup (about 20 mins.).

3. Meanwhile, cook shallot or onion in 3 Tbsp. butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms brown (6-8 mins.) Remove from heat and cover.

4. Pat chicken dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.

5. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large, heavy skillet over med.-high heat until foam subsides, then saute chicken just until cooked through. Transfer chicken to an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and put in oven to keep warm.

6. Reduce heat to medium, add wine to skillet and boil, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add broth, cream, and mushrooms. Simmer 6-8 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. (Watch that the cream doesn't bubble over in the beginning--if it threatens to, just remove pan from heating element for a minute.) Those of you with gas stoves are smirking, aren't you?


*I like to serve this over regular ol' spaghetti pasta. Whatever you do, just remember to put your pot of water on to boil at about step 4. :-)


Bon appetite!

Wordless Wednesday