What's Cooking in Meat Camp Today

 

SLOW COOKER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

(Tweaked Version)

yield: 4 SERVINGS

 

prep: 10MINUTES MINUTES

cook: 8HOURS HOURS 5MINUTES MINUTES

total: 8HOURS HOURS 15MINUTES MINUTES

The easiest one pot recipe ever. Simply throw everything in and that’s it! No cooking, no sauteeing. SO EASY!

4.8 stars (162 ratings)

INGREDIENTS

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (i used three fat boneless skinless breasts 'cause it's what I had on hand)
• 16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved (i used Yukon Gold 'cause it's what i had on hand - no idea how many ounces.  I used "enough")
• 16 ounces baby carrots ( i had a partial bag of fresh carrots, i just US d what i had)
• 16 ounces green beans, trimmed (didn't have fresh green beans, so i used some frozen, no idea how many ounces, but " enough")
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (i did not use any of this)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper.
• Place chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots and soy sauce mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, basting every hour. Add green beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
• OPTIONAL: Preheat oven to broil. Place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, skin side up, and broil until crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
• Serve chicken immediately with potatoes, carrots and green beans, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Bon Appetit!

This was the first time for is using this recipe.  It was delish and will be going into our regular rotation.  Yum!

Recommended Reading - Paris!

The Paris Cooking School

By

Sophie Beaumont 

I love a good book set in Paris.

(i think most of you knew this already) 😊

I have been disappointed in a few books set in Paris that I thought I was going to love.  Gave up and didn't finish quite a few, but not this one.

I loved it this one.

Description from fantasticfiction.com :

"There’s nothing quite so romantic or inspiring as Paris in the spring –and what better place for a woman to reinvent herself and start over.

In this deeply moving novel, three women must come together and fight for the happy ending they dream of.

Life doesn’t always serve up the perfect dish, but second chances are always on the menu…

Kate is bruised from a heartbreaking betrayal. Artistic Gabi is struggling to overcome a crippling creative block. Learning how to make culinary magic at the celebrated Paris Cooking School is the perfect antidote. Taking the first flight out of Australia, both women find themselves in the city of lights and love. 

But for Sylvie, the school’s owner, things are not looking so promising. She is under siege from a harassment campaign that threatens to destroy everything she has worked for while also juggling a commitment-shy lover, Claude. Each woman will be transformed by what unfolds that spring–and the course of their lives will be changed forever.

A delicious novel about love, hope, and the consolations of the perfect strawberry tart."

What the description fails to mention is the author's ability to have her readers taste, feel, see and smell the food, the flowers, the colors of Paris.  

She takes us to Giverny to stroll through Monet's gardens, we help sail the small boats in the pool in Luxembourg Garden, discover small out of the way cafes and gardens, we walk and picnic along the Seine,  and we seek the perfect ingredients in Paris markets for creating a classic French meal at Sylvie's cooking school.

The book is treat tor the senses.

It is available at NetGalley.com, and the will be published in August.

Note: FTC Disclosure Notice: Dear FTC - I received a digital copy of The Paris Cooking School from NetGalley.com. No other compensation was offered or accepted beyond the possibility of a review of the book.

More Recommended Reading - Politically Speaking

 

I enjoy checking in at Popular Information,  an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism written by Judd Legum.

Their most recent newsletter covers the testimony given to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday by Special Counsel Robert Hur revealing that Hur's earlier released transcript of his interview with President Biden was, "at best, simplistic and misleading."

Also, if you didn't watch the hearing, watch this little bit.  And share it with friends and family who rely on Fox news in their delusional attempt o stay informed.

https://youtu.be/fBoP_1sLbz0?si=fCUZ-A98Q_sLCOq4

You may have heard that "Trump announced just this week that he was open to cutting Social Security and Medicare if voters return him to the White House."

This is one time i think we can believe what he's saying.  This is something the Republicans have wanted to do for years.

Being a retired woman, age 75, who contributed to Social Security for an awful lot of years, I want to know what the future might bring concerning my money, i.e., my well-being.

One of the spots I rely on for the latest reports and fact sheets is Social Security Works.

Mike Luckovich

Stay Tuned

More to Come

Character Matters

What's Cooking in Meat Camp

 Slow Cooker Bacon Corn Chowder (edited)

Ingredients

2 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 small red potatoes, chopped (your choice as to how many, size, or kind of potato - i use Yukon gold and more than 4)

2 cups frozen (or canned) corn (your choice - the original recipe called for 4 cups which we thought was way too much)

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled, 1/4 cup reserved

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cups  chicken broth

1- 12 oz.  can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter (optional)

Directions

1. Place carrots, celery, onion, garlic, potatoes, corn, bacon, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper in a slow cooker and toss to combine.

2. Add just enough chicken stock to cover.

3. Cook on low for 7 1/2 hours, until vegetables are soft.

4. Whisk cornstarch into evaporated milk. Stir into slow cooker along with butter. A personal preference edit.  I found the chowder to be a little thicker than I liked, so added some heavy cream (amount is up to you) during this step.  Cook an additional 30 minutes.  

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with reserved bacon.

Pro Tip: If you’d like a heartier soup to serve as a main dish, add in 2 cups of chopped fully-cooked chicken in step 4.

Yum!

😊

Political Post - Continued

 

Before we were interrupted, so rudely interrupted, by who knows who or what or why, we were talking about politics.  Now that Meanderings and Muses is safely back where it belongs, I want to continue sharing some of the columns I follow.

I subscribe to The Bulwark.  There is a free subscription (which is what I have), and there is a paid subscription.  Your choice.

A little about The Bulwark from their webpage:

 "The Bulwark was founded to provide analysis and reporting in defense of America’s liberal democracy.

That’s it. That’s the mission.

The Bulwark was founded in 2019 by Sarah Longwell, Charlie Sykes, and Bill Kristol. The idea, then and now, was to tell you what we think—with honesty and good faith.

To put country over party.

To know that we’re all in this together.

And to build a home for the politically homeless."

Here's their most recent article which I'm sharing so you can test the waters to see if it's another piece of email coming at you during a particularly busy political season that might interest you,  or if you decide it's too much and decide to pass.

As George Jones sang so perfectly to us once upon a time, we have Choices. ( I love this song 😊 )

So.  Here's an opinion piece from The Bulwark for you -  

Joe Biden Is Not "a Disaster"

"Some 'Never Trumpers' want to pretend that Biden has been a terrible president. Let's do the math."

Mike Luckovich

Character Matters!

Stay tuned - more to come

What happened? How to prevent it from happening again?

This is in answer to some questions I'm getting about the short disappearance of Meanderings and Muses, and how it was retrieved.

 Chances are you received a newsletter or saw my post at Facebook regarding the short disappearance of Meanderings and Muses

At the very real risk of being very repetitive, here it is again -

Hi, everyone!

You may have noticed that my blog of 16 years, Meanderings and Muses, disappeared.

Sixteen years.

That blog has served a lot of purposes over the years.

I’ve shared good news and bad. Shed tears. Shared laughter. Pitched a few fits. Hosted good friends. Recommended a few books and authors. Shared some beauty and spotlighted some ugly.

The thoughts of losing it were devastating and incomprehensible.

But—it’s back!

With the help of Maddee, Ryan, and Riley of the amazing and magic-making xuni.com, my Meanderings and Muses is back. I can get back to using it as my journal, my conscience, the place for spreading my news and I hope you will continue to pop in from time to time.

It’s now accessed by this link: kayebarleymusesandmeanders.com

Please bookmark the new link! See you there!

Take care,

XXOO

Kaye

I have received notes from some of you asking what happened - My friend Ann sent this:  "Kaye—What a nightmare. What the hell happened and do you have any advice to others to avoid such a disaster? If my website went down it would be… can’t even go there."

So.

the question "What the hell happened?"

The short answer to that is "I'm really not sure."

Last Wednesday, Feb. 28, I was just working on a post, closed it out for awhile, went back about an hour later to complete it and was met with an ugly screen telling me that Meanderings and Muses had expired.

No prior warning.  

None.

 the question "do you have any advice to others to avoid such a disaster?"

HA!

I jumped through all the hoops placed in my path to no avail.

Each hoop directed me to a different hoop etc etc etc and around and around we went.

And here's where I say, "Thanks Be For A Woman Named Maddee James, her amazing team of Ryan and Riley, her adorable pup Ripley, and the magic of xuni.com.

Seeing as how I successfully managed Meanderings and Muses for 16 years pretty much problem-free (not totally problem-free, but I was able to work through most of them by myself), my best advice to other bloggers is this.  Turn it over to an expert to watch over.  

Find you an expert!

I will continue doing the writing and the publishing, but now I know if I ever see that hateful ugly screen telling me I'm expired (don't you hate that word?!) I can run to Maddee and crew for a fix by experts.  Yay, xuni.com ! 

Y'all, blogging technology has changed.  I now know I am not qualified to troubleshoot, let alone fix, problems I might have been able to do a few years ago.

Find you an expert.

(Speaking of my friend Ann, that would be Ann Medlock, who I ADORE.  Ann is a poet, a novelist, an essayist, a speaker, a storyteller, and a woman who, at age 90, is someone  we can all look at as a role model.  If you haven't read her SILENCE OF THE SEAMAID, I encourage you to do so).

International Women's Day

 This is for the women  

With 9 to 5s  

And 7 to 3s 

First shifts  

And graveyard  

With full times  

And part times  

Who have more month left  

Than money  

But still make rent  

With passports 

With no stamps  

With vision boards  

Of destinations  

They are saving to see  

With dreams they tuck away 

Pull out late at night  

Or early in the morning  

While the babies are still sleep 

Turn it over in their hands 

Then shelve it again for safe keep

This is for the women  

Without titles without pensions  

With some college  

A lot of loans  

With late night classrooms  

Online studies  

Who won’t give up  

Who run the world  

On grit and perseverance  

 

This is for the women  

Who are anything but  

Ordinary  

But the world sees as regular  

This is for the magicians 

Who weave spells of hope 

For their children  

While putting their hopes on pause 

This is for the over the counter  

Beauty Queens  

With Wet and Wild Lips  

And Walgreens legs  

And Suave smelling hair  

For the women who look in the mirror  

To see some one familiar  

Because they rarely see reflections 

Any where else 

For the hustlers  

With tired feet  

And tired backs  

With spirits whispering  

Keep moving  

We are almost there  

For the women who know  

Liberation isn’t found in the clothes they wear 

The shoes on their feet  

But the dignity in their souls  

 

This is a song for you 

Resourceful 

And resilient 

Moving mountains for your family 

I see you  

Stunning and Strong 

I see you  

Brilliant and beautiful  

I see you  

Making a life  

Out of thin air  

Today is for you  

An ordinary day  

Unmarked on the calendar  

No decorations at target  

No songs to commemorate 

Just an ordinary day  

Full of promise  

Full of possibilities  

Full of hope 

Full of magic  

Just like you  

You who pushes on  

You who doesn’t give up  

You who bends but doesn’t break  

You 

This is for you  

You with the stars in your hair  

Sun on your lips  

Moonlit cheeks  

This is for you  

You are anything but regular  

You are the 

UNIVERSE  

                 by Leslé Honoré