Recipe: Cranberry Orange Chicken

So I made the most yummiest dinner last night. (I'm working on my humility haha!) Mom and I even said something about taking a picture, but I got distracted as I was reaching for the camera.

A warm, hearty, rustic meal that's easy enough to make at home but feels like you're eating out!!

5-7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup orange juice
1 can whole cranberry sauce
2 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4-1/2 tsp ginger, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
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3 TBS flour
2 TBS cold water
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Combine all ingredients in a deep cast iron pot. Cover and cook on high until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for 1 hour. Combine flour and water and mix into pot. Cook on low for 15 minutes uncovered.

Serve with roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes, rolls...

Te Kalliste

To the fairest, the most beautiful.

My first book in my challenge to read 26 books by different authors (one for every letter) by the end of the year left me dying to read more. This was incredibly well written, though at the beginning I found myself nit-picking small details. I soon found myself so engrossed in the story that I no longer found small points like creativity in the naming of characters to be a big deal. I have found there are 3 more books about the main character, Emily (or Kallista). Unfortunately they will have to wait until the end of this quest of mine. I need to keep going!

As far as book "B" I'm thinking Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons" but I also think I want to just randomly pick someone else. This time I just started in the "A" section and browsed until I found one that piqued my interest.  I may do that again and if I do not find something, I will go find Mr. Brown.

Busy busy!

So we decided to go up to Washington DC to see the lights at the temple. I'm really glad we went, I hope my dad knows that. I was being a little sarcastic about it when he told me, that is something I need to work on.


After a long nap...er...drive haha, we got up the the temple. The parents went into the temple and my brother and I went into the visitor's center. How do you entertain a 5 year old for 2+ hours in a building? Elevators. Christmas Trees. A camera. And a secret mission to McDonalds. (I'd tell you more about that, but I can't. SECRET mission rules)

There were lots of nativity scenes there he enjoyed looking at. He told me every time he saw a wise man that they were the ones bringing baby Jesus presents. I asked him what he would bring, fully expecting something like "A train" or "A Power Ranger". He put his hand on his chin, tapped his finger once or twice and said, "I'd bring him a candle. That way he'd be warm and he could see." Then he walked away and started talking about something else. I truly have an amazing brother. I'm lucky to have him in my life. 

He and I took a ton of pictures throughout the trip:

Okay, there were lots more, but I just don't feel like posting them :P

Moving

I moved to VIRGINIA!! It was a crazy, kinda spur of the moment, perfect solution to everything going on decision.


I wasn't being scheduled at Macy's, and I had not heard back from ISU. Both of those were frustrating, but I figured, 'Well, I still have my car.'


Never say that about a car almost as old as you are. Okay? I'll save you the trouble and just tell you not to do it.


I got in my car after sending a fax and my brakes felt weird. I thought it was just because of all the snow that had melted and they were wet. But it got harder and harder to stop. That's never good so I took it in to Les Schwab and they checked it out. There were problems with all 4 brakes. Things I don't understand, except when it came to the money. I understand $340 really well. I went home to mull things over and decided to make myself some lunch. Well, sitting in my room while my food cooked I heard a bang. I went to find this:

So that was Friday afternoon. Saturday morning I was starting to pack. We were lucky enough to find a really good price for a flight and I was coming home on Christmas Eve! Sunday I had a bunch of people over to get my stuff (if you ever need something or want to get rid of something, go to here because it's pretty much amazing!!) 


Yeah, it was a fast decision but sometimes I think those are the best. And I was so lucky to be able to be home for Christmas. And Christmas is always more magical with a kid.