Hi everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back and I have a tasty little recipe for summer! I found this recipe on
this silly girl's life and it's delicious... but I adjusted it a little bit. So, check out the original and then you can decide whether you want to go with mine or hers. (Don't worry. I won't get my feelings hurt!)
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 tsp lime juice
3 tsp honey (originally 1 1/2 tsp)
2 tsp minced garlic (none in the original)
a splash of soy sauce
Ok, so I mixed it all together and gave it a taste. I know it's just a marinade but I thought it needed just a bit more honey. Then I thought.... it needs garlic. Maybe it would have been more awesome without, but I LOVE garlic.
Ok, put in the chicken and let it marinade for an hour or two.
Then, plop it all in a skillet and let it cook on high until almost all the sauce is gone and the chicken is cooked through. At this point I added 1 1/2 tsp of soy sauce and it started to smell really, really good.
And now I make a confession. I've never been to Cracker Barrel. We don't have them around here. So, really, this recipe should be called "Copycat Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Recipe By Someone Who Has Never Eaten There". Since I'd already fiddled with it, I decided to go all the way and start adding more things... like broccoli!
While I was waiting for the broccoli to finish steaming, I was treated to a lively show by the construction crew. Pretty sure one of them is a pirate, but we won't tell the policeman pushing the red wheelbarrow with a giant pancake inside.
And this little guy told me a long, long story about his racer man. I asked about the ninja mask and was corrected: that is his "bug wrap". You know, to keep out the bugs while he's zooming along. He also wants one for his birthday which is THIS WEEKEND. Can you believe it? My baby is FOUR. I don't think I'm ready for this. We've always been the house in the neighborhood that had a baby. Sort of a community service we provided friends and family. "Need baby snuggles? Come on over! Fresh baby always available!" Oh well, I guess if they teen snark, preteen discipline issues and little boy lego stories, we're the place to go.
Ok, so the chicken is out and placed on a bed of fluffy white rice. (Stop zooming in. So it's not exactly fluffy... More like sticky. Or clumpy. I still haven't mastered rice.)
Verdict? DELICIOUS! Hubby needed a bit of convincing since it wasn't burn-your-face-off hot. But he added a few red peppers and was perfectly happy.
I love summer. I get out all my little bottles and fill them with roses and lavender.
A close up of this vintage ink jar. Isn't it pretty?
By the time you all are reading this, we'll be headed down to grab a spot at the local drive in. Not sure if anyone else has one of these, but I've got some great childhood (okay, and teen and adult) memories of our drive in. And now my kids love it, too. It costs our whole family about $20 to get in and besides the super fun atmosphere, there are tasty snacks like homemade pizza for the intermission. YUM.
I pulled this picture from their facebook page. This is the way you watch a movie at the drive in. But we'll just bring the Tahoe and our lawn chairs. And some blankets and some candy. :)
A nice shot of the sunset...
One of their workers. It's a family business so the workers are from age 7 all the way to... well, we won't say. :)
At the fiftieth anniversary, the had free admission for classic cars. That was a sight! Lots of Mustangs and 50's Fords.
Blue Sky Studio
We're going to see Rio2 and since I'm not really a movie person, I'm bringing my paper AA's of Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread! It will be a working movie date, because that's how this mom of six rolls during the summer!
Until next time, my friends!
Skipping over the chicken and straight to the drive-in movie. How fun is that?! We don't have any left around me. What fun memories you're creating! The trouble I see in your future, Virginia, is that none of your kids will want to leave home ever. Not when it's that entertaining at home.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday day to the four year old (who will always be the baby of the family anyway).
Yes! And he's still called baby. We call every child baby until the next comes along... And now I'm worried he'll be "baby" at 38. He's reminding me already, "that's not my name". But I can't help it. I still say it.
DeleteRight now he's pushing a button on a truck that makes beeping noises.
"Sorry, do you have a head ache?"
Me: "Nope. I'm fine. No headache."
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
"Sorry, do you have a headache NOW?"
Me: "No, still no headache."
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
"Sorry, do you have a headache NOW"
This could go on a while. Or until I get an actual headache. But not sure that would stop the beeping. Wonder if I should say yes just to see what he'll do. I'm afraid to know. Hahahaha.
Oh, man, you're going to hate me. I knew so many babyfied brats who were the babies of the family, that we never called Luke the "baby" after age two. People would say "Oh, is that the baby?" and I'd say "Oh, gosh, no!!! That's our toddler, Luke!" And I didn't do it to be a jerk but because I'd seen babies that never grew up all around us.... So now Luke's in Manhattan, making lots of money and going to Yankee games.... So it worked out, he wasn't a "Failure to Launch"!!!! But that became one of those weirdnesses that I felt like I had to get out my Super Mom Stats and protect Luke from being the baby... He did become our "Bumble" at 6'3" and 200 lbs. so that was a surprise because Dave and I are the runts of the litter.... Luke's a throwback.
DeleteAnd I love the BEEP BEEP BEEP story, I could die laughing at that, it's so perfect!!!!! I would hug that kid, feed him cookies and call him George!!!!
DeleteYesssss, Ruthy! I've heard this before! But I didn't take your advice. It's a philosophical belief of mine that the world would be a better place if everyone ignored good advice more often. Just think, if everyone listened to words of wisdom we'd never have any of our greatest inventions like electricity, penicillin or the food that comes through our car windows.
Deleteuh oh time to have another baby!
ReplyDeleteand not having a Cracker Barrel excuses you for not knowing that the most bestest food there is their Hashbrown Casserole - it's the one thing that makes m go there (that and the country store shopping with the candy sticks and all the nostalgia...) I've never tried their grilled chicken - usually get the dinner with the fried chicken tenderloins and double hashbrown casserole for the sides...now I'm craving Cracker Barrel and I'm stuck at work :-(
haven't been to a drive in movie in years - guess all the air conditioning has made us wusses this far south - too hot and too much humidityl :-( you should have just sent your hubby there with the kids and enjoyed some quiet time at home! I haven't seen Rio 2 but liked the first one ok - wasn't my favorite but saw it with a friend at the 1.50 movie - a run-down older theater where they show them for 1.50 or 2 bucks before they go to dvd.
Susanna
It was actually pretty cold past 11PM and we were all huddled under blankets!
DeleteRio2 was okay. I wasn't really watching. But that Peabody and Sherman cracked me up! I was laughing my fool head off! (Oh, it's a double feature, so there was another movie directly after. It goes until 1:30 AM or so)
And another baby would be great! Unfortunately, I'm of "advanced maternal age", hahahaha. Basically, I'm old. If only we could order them in the mail. Amazon should get on that. They deliver everything else!
well you can look forward to grandkids LOL! I don't think you're old but I dont know your age either LOL! I'm just now to the point whre I could even think about raising a kid but I'm too old to have one (47) at least I think that's too old - my cousin was born 'late' think my aunt was 43 or 44. I've never been good with kids esp little ones/babies - they make me nervous.
Deletesusanna
You sound just like my sister, but she does have one child, all grown now. Little kids and babies make her nervous! And I'm 40. The midwife was calling me old at 36! Meanie....
Delete40 is old?! gee whiz - my friend was still trying at 44. I've heard that at 38 the chances of downs syndrome and other chromosomal? whatever stuff is increased.
DeleteI like kids ok just can't take a lot of noise and temper tantrums - guess I'm more of a loner at heart. my friend had me babysit little dude in emergency no one else to call situations only and I was a nervous wreck both time s- 10 months he was 'starting to pull up' translated as he could be halfway up the christmas tree in 4 seconds (takes me about 60 sec to get up off the floor) and at 2 yrs he ws trying to climb the fence and darted from me twice in a parking lot scaring me to death. then she had the nerve to call and ask afterwards how her little man's day went. And I told her she should be more worried about me! then she wanted to know if I had trouble getting him down for a nap..um no one told me he took naps!! gee whiz.
I needed to follow this blog when I was younger - except it wasnt' here! - then I'd have all the tips and advice from ya'll here
Susanna
Ooooh, sounds like a bad experience! When I have people watch my children, I walk them through anything important like food, naps, discipline, and how to keep them semi-occupied. I think a whole day is super tough for anybody but a professional or parent. I've watched infants during college and half a day was good for me. Anymore and I was the one who needed to be tucked in with my favorite teddy! WAH! It's stressful to always be wondering what they're going to do next.
DeleteAnd I don't have sitters go anywhere but the backyard. It's hard enough to take kids out, when they're not yours it's just exhausting. So, for sitters I usually have the meal (or snacks) fixed and in the fridge, all emergency numbers, a schedule of what might happen in the two hours I'm gone, and approved list of activities. I had one kid who hated our WONDERFUL sitter and cried the whole time we were gone. It's was horrible for everybody. I always paid her 3X the going rate, hahaha. Two years later, he loves her. :)
I LOVE THE DRIVE IN!!!! Wow, haven't been to one in soooooooooooooooooo long. Must check to see if they exist here.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great?? And there weren't even any mosquitos! Shocking... Probably too early in the season since it was so cold later.
DeleteOh, and two words for you...MINUTE RICE.
ReplyDeleteI KNOW. But I was out. So, all I had was a big bag that hubby uses. (He actually CAN make rice. He makes it his own way, of course, with all sorts of spices so I didn't want him to make it for this dish...)
DeleteMINUTE RICE?????? (faints, falls, and then crawls back to keyboard, determination marking her every step....) MINUTE RICE??????
DeleteNo, no, no. Basmati Rice..... A 2-to-1 agua y arroz con un splash de oil de olives. :) With a full two teaspoons of salt in the water... and then just let it simmer (preferably in a cast aluminum pan, great even heat, I find mine at garage sales).
Minute Rice.... (hangs head, sobs quietly....)
Have Cruz call me, we can cry in tandem.
What's wrong with minute rice?!
DeleteSusanna
Now Ruthy.... doesn't the cast iron skillet need a lid? You say this is easy but it's only easy if it's practically second nature. And I much prefer real rice but I also hate wasting perfectly good food through my own incompetence!
DeleteOh, I miss going to the drive-in! It's been many, many years. I don't even know if there's still one around Atlanta. I'll have to check.
ReplyDeleteThey just replaced our screen so it was nice and bright! It is a little weird when a moth flies all over the screen.
DeleteI came over here to find Missy's grilled chicken recipe, but this sounds SO DELICIOUS. I'm making this asap.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy! It was even better the second day.
Delete:) Enjoy reading your blog! Happy Birthday to "Baby".You're still young enough.:)
ReplyDelete