Process Versus Product

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters
of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
and though they are with you,
yet they belong not to you.
~~excerpt from The Prophet

It's not news I am an obsessed knitter/craft junkie. Recently, a friend's husband spotted me on the street by my double-knitting scarf in the making, draped around my neck! (Just imagine I am caught on candid camera...comical you say.) Now leading up to the core of the post...just bear with me a little longer, I am getting there.

The notion of process versus product surfaces regularly in conversations among knitters. Process knitters enjoy the act of knitting, the feel of the yummy fiber as each strand passes through their fingers, seeing each stitch emerge and pattern gradually reveal, and the meditative state of busy fingers. Product knitters appreciate seeing, feeling, and using their Finished Objects (FO), happily foregoing swatching (that's me!) or knitting with bulkier yarn in order to get their FO off the needles sooner.

Like many knitters, I have both process and product tendencies. I will elaborate on that over my crafty blog on another day. As an unschooling parent, I am much less concerned with how my children will turn out. I cringed when I hear people declaring they are considering prep school for their preschool-age children in order for them to get a good education, get into a good college and have the right
ions in life--the very same song my parents sang. I'm not looking to mold my children into a packaged product, a slick and glossy FO whose achievements I may brag about.

I love sharing in my children's process of childhood, learning alongside them, watching them emerge and evolve. If one day, they could ever be considered FOs, I trust they will turn out just fine.

I recall a passage from THE PROPHET by Khalil Gibran: Your Children are Like Arrows. It struck me, then and now, the most important thing to me is my children are unstressed by artificial, societal constraints, loved, and loving in their everyday lives, playful and free to learn what they need and desire--at every given moment--and my personal experience with our way of living so far enable me to trust the process is working in good order.


Last week, my 12-year-old became happily employed, independent young lady and received her first hard-earned wages. She is only an inch shorter than me, but her feet is a size or more larger than mine. I reminisce and relish the first day she came into my life in my arms, for the first time, tiny and crinkly...Life is short. If parents spend time spinning their wheels trying to re-make their children, the chance to really know the children as they already are is lost.

Here is a bit of sweetness to fill your home and your heart with...while baking and cooking aplenty. Everyone, children or adults, can't wait for these muffins to come out of the oven! Triple the recipe...you won't regret it.

(Makes 18 average-sized muffins)
½ C Brown Sugar, packed
½ C Olive Oil (or Applesauce)
4 Eggs
1 15-oz Canned Pumpkin
½ C Water
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 C All-purpose Flour
½ C Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 t Baking Powder
½ t Baking Soda
¼ t Ground Cloves (add more Ground Cinnamon or Allspice if you don't have this)
1 t Ground Cinnamon
¼ t Salt
¼ t Ground Nutmeg (add more Ground Cinnamon if you don't have this)
¼ Cup semisweet chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts(optional)

Preheat oven to 400°. Line muffin (or loaf) pan with liner. Mix sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, then, add pumpkin and water. In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips and/or nuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Great served warm with butter the next day, if any left! Another option: Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the muffins before baking. The kids love them!

DREAM...EXPLORE...AND DISCOVER!!

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We are back...with Yummylicous Banana Crumb Muffins

Peace, you are my friend.
I keep you by my side
and in my heart at all times.

No, we didn't fall off the planet...just downright busy living and experiencing life.

Where should I start? My laptop is fried after ds spilled a few drops of water on the keyboard in the middle of the night last week. Yesterday, the backup/only PC version laptop was infected by viruses according to AntiVirus 2009 that was downloaded onto the laptop unexpectedly. After hours of troubleshooting and a system restore to last Friday, it still keeps locking up now when I try to upload photos stored in san disks. Consequently, there will be no photos to share taken in past two days until...Is this a hint? Should I get a new laptop? Decision, decision! All will have to wait after our annual family retreat in Chautaugua with over a hundred of unschoolers in a secluded island near Lincoln City, OR. Won't you come and join us for a great vacation?

After a couple of 103° days, I was thrilled to welcome a few thunder storms with hail, a cold night, and chilly morning--cascade mountains are covered in snow this morning. As I peeked out the window, sun is smiling in the bright blue sky. It will be a glorious day! Plus, our friends from Eugene, OR, will be here this afternoon, spending a night at our home.

Our lives didn't slow down as I wished at all this summer. My younger daughter recognized the milestone in her life--another phase of her adventurous life--when she said farewell to the last day of single digits while welcoming double digits last week of July. She's spirited. She's my drama queen. I'm every bit grateful for her entry into my world a whole decade ago. Here, here, here, and here are some magical moments captured during her surprise celebration put together by her older 12-year-old sister. She is loved and joyful!

We have been busy with 4H Sewing Contests/Exhibits, preparing for local County Fair and working at 4H Cafe during county fair. Both girls did very well and came away with two projects each going to State Fair in Salem next week. In fact, I had to get up and drive to 4H office (an hour away) yesterday morning at 7 to drop off the projects! Now, we are officially off for the summer :0)

At the beginning of the summer, I participated in a free beta group program titled LIFE SKILL offered by Mental Health Services. Okay, NO, I am not mentally disturbed...at least I don't think I'm! (heehee) I was somewhat apprehensive at first. Now halfway through, I find it refreshing, actually helpful, and look forward to my weekly meetings. One of the skills we worked on was assertive communication. I had a hard time doing the assignment for this particular topic due to my cultural background and core values. I rarely can say no to anyone. I will bend so that others' needs are met. So in the past few weeks, I have been rethinking of my core values...some good, some not-so-good. At times, it is even stressful. But, I recognize it's a process; I am mindful about them and leave it at all.

Besides spending most of our days hiking around town (like here, here, and here,) on/in the river, and playing gracious hostess to our friends from Ireland, one of the most rewarding activities we adapted this summer is volunteering at a rescued horse ranch (here, here, and here) The kids love being there doing chores, riding, observing nature, discovering critters, and making friends even in mid-90° days.

At a local quilt show here in town over the weekend, my 12-year-old enjoyed viewing and appreciating hundreds of wonderful glorious quilts by local quilters. She even spent a whopping $1.00 for bags of quilting scraps and stripes to create her own (that is not a ragged quilt which she knew how to make!) I brought out many great quilting books from my collection for her to browse through and read if it interests her. So yesterday, in one afternoon while I was off to my 2-hour appointment, she managed to select scraps in different values, cut into 2.5" squares, and sew five of 4-square blocks!

There were a lot of crafty creations made in the summer which I will show in my crafty blog later when I am caught up. Stop by for a peek if you will.

Now...Are you or your precious tired of the breakfast menu served lately in your home like cereal, bacon and eggs, pancakes/waffles...or banana bread never appeals to little ones. Now, say GOODBYE to banana bread and HELLO to yum yum and moist banana muffins that melt in the mouth. We even had these as snack or dessert after dinner. If it weren't for 100 ° days, my kids would have me bake them everyday!

INGREDIENTS
1 C All-Purpose Flour
½ C Wheat Flour
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Baking Powder
½ t Salt
1 t Cinnamon
¼ t Nutmeg

4 Bananas, Mashed
¼ C White Sugar
¼ C Brown Sugar
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/3 C Oil or Melted Butter
1 t Vanilla Extract

CRUMB TOPPING
¼ C Brown Sugar, packed
2 T All-Purpose Flour
1/4 t Ground Cinnamon
1 T Butter
½ C Walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts or pecans; optional

DIRECTION
Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin or cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, mix top seven ingredients together and set aside. Beat together remaining ingredients. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients except for butter. Cut in butter until mixture likes coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. The crumb is what sets these scrumptious muffins apart from the ordinary. You can make this in an 8x8 pan and double the topping. Friends and families raved about these...you'll find not even a single crumb left on the plate ever.

DREAM...EXPLORE...AND DISCOVER!!

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Inner Desire...Kindness...and Orzo Salad??

Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things
even if we do not get anything in return.
It is the joy of our life to do them.
When we do good things from this inner desire,
there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.
~~Emmanuel Swedenborg

I love to cook delicious, abundant, satisfying food using the simplest of ingredients. Orzo is rice-shaped pasta made from wheat. It is terrific in super easy and no-fuss salad and soup. I made this--one of my favorites--to complement my grilled Teriyaki wild salmon and broccoli salad last night. Be zealous when making this--leftovers are just as yummy!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb Orzo, Cooked (or Pasta of Your Choice)
1 Apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
¼ C Raisins
3 C Halved Grapes
¼ C Chopped Green Onions (Optional)
2 Carrots, grated (Optional)
3 T Pine Nuts
Salt to taste
Chicken Breast, Diced and lightly browned, or Crumpled Tofu (Optional)

DRESSING 1
4 t Curry Powder
4 T Mayonnaise
4 T Lemon Juice

DRESSING 2
1 ½ t Curry
1 T Minced Garlic Clove
¼ t Ginger
¼ t Salt
½ C Chicken Broth
4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 T Lime Juice
4 T Rice Vinegar
2 T Honey

DIRECTION
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until it's just tendered. Drain. Drain, rinse, shake, and set aside.

Combine the non-dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in a container that securely seals and shake to combine. Add to cooked orzo and toss to coat. Then add apple, raisins, grapes, green onion, carrots, and nuts. Mix well, refrigerate, and best serve after chilled.

Hubby was thrilled to take some along another dreadful drive back to the Bay Area, California (yes, again) early this morning. Good thing...he will be back to celebrate the 4th with us, stay for a few days???...then return to the Bay Area for a month or more. Hopefully, he find some reasonably priced apartment in this short trip. Ooooh, how I am not smilin'...stressed being "a full-time, single mom" all alone! I know...many are in the same situation--past and present--nonetheless, it is straining on me and I feel a need to vent my frustration. For me, it helps them dissipate just by getting these feelings out...and escaping to this venue. The sun is shining. The birds are singing. It's a beautiful day.

Happy living!

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Amazing Hearty Chili Pleases Even Picky Eaters

A man must read widely. He must raise questions, think carefully, be discerning, and act with might.~~Confucius

After a long night of unbearable pain, headache, and discomfort, my 7-year-old son finally fell asleep and thankfully woke up~~joyfully~~ with an amazing appetite. First, he wanted his favorite waffle, then, asking nonstop when I would make him my yummy chili. To meet his latter desire, I had to make a run to the store because union is in high demand lately in our household between making quiches and cottage pies.

This tasty crowd-pleaser chili, with perfect combination of spicy, has been tried and tried--much much better than canned stuff--not only easy to make (15-minute preparation,) doesn't require any exotic ingredients, it really hit the spot. If you like a little more fire, add Mexican hot chili powder, two chopped jalapeno, chopped green Serrano chili, or Tabasco sauce. Add a drop of vinegar for a little tang if you like.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 10)
1½ C Chopped Onion
1 ½ t Garlic Powder (or 3T Minced Fresh Garlic)
¼ C Chili Powder
2 t Ground Cumin
1 t Salt
½ t Ground Black Pepper
½ t Dried Oregano
½ t White Sugar
1 t Ground Cayenne Pepper
2 lbs Ground Bison, Beef, Venison, or Turkey (or substitute half with sausage of your choice)
½ C Chopped Celery (Optional)
¼ C Chopped Green Bell Pepper (Optional)
42 oz Dice Tomatoes (or Chili Tomato)
29 oz Tomato Sauce (or Spicy V-8 Juices)
2 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed
½ C Cornmeal

DIRECTION
Saute garlic, onion and optional veggies in a large, deep skillet until tender (2 minutes or so.) Add ground beef and spices. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check and season to taste frequently by adding more cayenne pepper, cumin, chili pepper, salt, etc. If you are not rushing, let it simmer for a few hours or slow-cook all day...the flavors really get to melt together which creates a perfect consistency. Serve with some sour cream, or sharp cheddar and monterey jack, green onion, olives, and sliced avocado--warm cornbread too!

Happy healthy cooking!

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Comfort Food...Shepherd's or Cottage Pie

For I know the plans I have for you ‘declares the LORD,’
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future
~~Jeremiah 29:11

Rain Rain go away...10-day forecast of rain since Friday. I am a warm weather gal. Waking up to clear sky, feeling the warmth of a bright, uplifting ray on Friday morning, I was unquestionably alive. It's really a bonus as I got to go hang out with my knitting friends at Barnes & Noble while my kids happily with their friends. Spontaneously, I invited myself and kids over to our new friend Allison's home for the afternoon...which turned into dining at her home until wee hours. Another friend (whom I met only online about 9 months ago) joined us later in the afternoon for some serious pickling experiment (19 pounds of union, garlic, and zucchinis.) Though in the heart of heart, I missed sadly not being at Life is Good Conference again this year (missing an opportunity to meet and hang out with inspiring people like Diana,) this is in fact the good life I was desperately thirty for...baking, cooking, eating, dehydrating bananas and papayas, chatting, cleaning...with friends you adore. We NEVER seem to run outta thangs to talk about...thangs I'm passionate about...reading, writing, laughing, talking, listening, people watching, living!! I am replenishing.

I've been contemplating whether or not to go to the COOL Homeschooling Group annual potluck at Higher Ground...up to the last minute. (Sorry no photo taken as I have been slippin') Rainy day like yesterday--where I'd rather stay in, but chose to be out--just to get all in the elements. I am glad we went to the potluck. COOL families have been my personal motivators. Besides, I'd never hear the end of it from our funniest, smoothest, dearest children if we missed it. It was a rush but I managed to make a cottage pie (and an half.) I used a packet of gravy mix and buffalo ground this time and, to my surprise, my angels love them! Though I was a bit disappointed that only the core group of families were there, I did treasure memorable moments spent with ones there last night. At the potluck, we surprised our friend Jenn with a healing basket of mostly handmade goodies and good wishes while she faces her trials as well as celebrating her son AJ's birthday. God is bigger than anything and everything is possible with Him. May He smoothen Jenn's and her mother's day, calm all forms of storm, keep them grounded and perfectly safe, as they seek His Will as the new day greeted them. May the Lord envelope them with love and compassion. May He bring comfort to their weariness and renew their strength as they rest and their vitality be restored as He wake you up.

My spirit is showin' sign of improvement from mental exhaustion and physical fatigue. THANK YOU, my friends, for your hugs and comforting words while my earthly body is being healed and restored. Victory over the next lapse of my journey is promising. I've been TRULY blessed by the Creator with individuals that have been brought into my life--the funny, smart, entertaining, philosophical, political, wildin' out, etc. cyber friends I've come to know. Peace and great health!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Do you know the difference between Shepherd's Pie and Cottage Pie? When the English, who seem to have a national fascination with minced meat pies, combined mashed potatoes with minced meat, a truly remarkable dish was born. For over two hundred years, Shepherd's Pie has been made by cooking chopped-up lamb or mutton, mixed with gravy, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked until a crispy crust forms. When made with beef or elk, the dish is traditionally called Cottage and Hunter Pie, respectively. Here is my hearty version of Cottage Pie--a great basic recipe to tweak. This comfort food casserole is guaranteed to warm you over. I've used an 8oz-can of tomato sauce, Worcester Sauce, and a packet of Lipton onion soup mix instead of salt, pepper and flour mixture; bags of frozen mixed veggies, canned green beans instead of fresh veggies; mashed potatoes with milk, sour cream and mustard...endless alternatives. Be Free to experiment.

INGREDIENTS
8 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 T Butter, slivered
2 T Finely Chopped Onion
1 C Shredded Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Colby Cheese (whatever cheese on hand)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lb Mixed Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, Peas, Celery and Broccoli Flowerettes (or fresh veggie of your choice)
2 T Safflower Oil (or Oil of your Choice)
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Whole Garlic, chopped (less or omit if you don't care for garlic)
1 lb lean ground bison (or beef; omit and add more vegetables if preferred)
2 T All-Purpose Flour
1 T Ketchup
2 T Worcester Sauce
A packet of Gravy Mix & 1C Water (or 3/4 C beef broth)

DIRECTION
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 45 minutes to an hour. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350° (375° if using non-glass dish.) Mix ground meat, 1T of flour, Worcester Sauce, and ketchup well. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion, garlic, and cook until clear. Add ground meat mixture and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat and set aside. Saute veggies for 4-5 minutes until tender but still firm, stir in rest of flour, a packet of brown gravy, a cup of water, ketchup and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 9x13" glass casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mix veggies. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Happy healthy cooking!

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Flaky Pie Crust is a Cinch...Say Goodbye to Pillsbury Crusts!

Have you avoided making pie crusts because you thought you could never get it right? Or, is it too much effort and/or always turned out tough? Give this time/money-saver, hassle-free recipe a try. You'll be ecstatic with such an easy, tender, and flavorful recipe--no extra bowls needed, no rolling out and fitting in a pan without tearing--comes out flaky and delicious every time. Hubby craves for my crust for his favorite quiche--another keeper.


INGREDIENTS (1 pie crust)
1 ½ C All-Purpose Flour (Or 1C All-Purpose & ½C Wheat Flour)
2 t White Sugar
1 t Salt
½ C Vegetable or Olive Oil
2 T Milk

DIRECTION
Preheat oven to 400°. Place all ingredients in 9" pie pan. Stir together with fork. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and side of the crust. Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven or until light brown. This is perfect for quiches. If using in your favorite dessert/sweet pie recipe, add more sugar for sweetness and only ½t of salt. Use 1.5 times the recipe for a deep dish pie pan. Let it cool before adding fillings.



INGREDIENTS for Spinach Quiche (Serve 6 to 8)
½ C Light Mayonnaise
½ C Milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces Shredded Cheddar cheese (I usually toss in whatever on hand)
8 ounces Fresh Spinach or 10-ounce Package Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed & squeezed dry (use any fresh vegetables of choice)
¼ C Chopped Onion
2 cloves Garlic; chopped
1 9" Baked Pie Crust

DIRECTION
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with foil. While baked crust is cooling, saute union, garlic, and spinach until semi-cooked. Set to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and milk until smooth. Whisk in eggs. Mix in veggie mixture. Coat pie bottom with cheese. Layer wet mixture and cheese, in pie shell, making several layers of each. Place quiche on prepared cookie sheet. Cover quiche with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover, reduce temperature to 350°, and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is set.

Happy pie-making!

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If I Am Not Whole?

The unanswered questions aren't nearly
as dangerous as the unquestioned answers.

(Photos taken at Farewell Bend Park this afternoon) The days are finally longer and the weather is getting warmer. Flowers are peeking out from under the gloom. Springtime shows off the beauty of everything. Does this mean I abandon my needles? Never! On the contrary, Spring simply opens up the door to more exciting yarns, projects, and events. I love warm weather knitting because tank tops and tee shirts are a lot faster to knit without those troublesome long sleeves. I can even knit jewelry...how COOL is that!

Community Dinner Meal at Higher Ground, last night, for 75 people (more or less) was a success. Everything served was home-made and from scratch. There was no shortage of food; many came back, ranting and raving, for second and thirds throughout the evening. (More memories captured here at Flickr.com)
One of the youngest Sushi chefs in action

Loads of yummy, crunchy Veggie Sushi Rolls

made from our friend Erin's family secret Asian Coleslaw recipe

Japanese Noodle Soup in Vegetable Stock

Japanese Noodle Soup in Chicken Stock, disappearing in seconds

BBQ and Oven Baked Chickens

Delicious Almond Cookies baked by our friend, Chloe

more Chicken and veggies

Mango Ice Cream

Green Tea Ice Cream

"What do you mean nurture myself?!?! I’m too busy nurturing everyone else. And I have to work, shop, and take care of the house, the car, the yard, the dogs..." Do those words sound all too familiar? One of my biggest challenges is making sure to take care of myself. Yes...I’m pointing this finger at myself right now, rest assured. You know on the airplane when the flight attendant is giving the spiel about the oxygen mask? I am always instructed to put my own on first and then help others. It sounds selfish but, if I am not whole, healthy, safe and centered, I truly cannot be of positive use to anyone else. Sometimes just taking half an hour to sit quietly and knit on a beautiful fiber is enough to rejuvenate but, sometimes, I need more. It is only and all about me. Relax, knit, laugh, share with friends, and go home smiling and energized. I DO deserve it. So DO YOU!

It is the truest expression to the world of who I really am, deep inside--not the day-to-day definitions such as parent, computer geek, artist-wanna-be, spouse, etc., but the spirit that I find if I look quietly into my own heart. It was beautifully explained in The Legend of Bagger Vance. Bagger (the caddy) says "Inside each and every one of us is one authentic swing...something we were born with...something that can't be taught... it has to be remembered..." There is something magical about walking through the woods that helps me do that "remembering." It puts me back in touch with my innate spirit, flowing freely, that so often has been lost in the busy-ness of today's society and needed to be coaxed out of hiding. It provides time in my life where I do sit quietly and reconnect with my Self.

More parenting/consensual living ponders to come, I promise...

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Amazing Chicken

Amazing...flavorable...tasty...delicious...yummy...moist...juicy...tender...crowd pleaser. People raved over this whenever I serve chicken or pork in this perfect balance of sweetness and spices marinade. The name of the recipe isn't kidding--it really IS unbelievably wonderful! The sweetness of the sugar and the tartness of the lime are match made in heaven. We grill almost every night in the summer using this keeper.

I marinade anywhere from forty-five minutes to three hours. It turns out great either way, each time. I have also used a variety of mustard, vinegar or balsamic vinegar, fresh or powder garlic, lemon or lime--fresh or bottled, end result is same--tastes great. It is worth the extra effort to barbecue the meat in a traditional charcoal grill. The taste is even better this way!

Now...I have to work on a shopping list for ingredients enough to serve 75 people tomorrow night at the Higher Ground's Wednesday Night Community Meal to show our appreciation. I imagine 15 pounds of chicken wings and drumsticks would be sufficient. We'll see. Mind you we will be making sushi, Asian coleslaw, Japanese noodle soup, desserts...a feast for an army!

INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Cider Vinegar
3T Whole Grain or Regular Mustard of your choice
6 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
1 Lime, juiced
½ Lemon, juiced
¼ Cup Brown Sugar (up the amount if you like more sweetness)
1 ½t salt
6T Olive Oil
Ground Black Pepper
6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Half

DIRECTION
In a large, non-reactive container, whisk together ingredients beginning with cider vinegar through salt. Then whisk in olive oil and pepper. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover and marinate chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade just before you turn on the grill or broiler. Discard marinade.
Lightly oil your grill or broiler pan. Grill or broil about 8 minutes per side in medium heat.

It's 50° at 9 a.m., windy, 50% chance of rain today...now, snowing...so not looking forward to Spring shower!

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Sinful Rich and Chocolaty Marbled Cheesecake and Cupcakes

This was a new birthday tradition our DD#1 adopted last year. She wanted my incredibly rich, chocolaty without being heavy or truffle-like, not too sweet, and creamy marbled cheesecake all to herself! So the night before her birthday, I was busy baking another wondrous treat just for my princess!

I filled the pan with large, haphazard dollops of batter and swirled them together with a knife. The cheesecake was baked in a water bath; it is not required for simplicity sake.

Cheesecake cracks when it is exposed to a sudden temperature change. I've had success in preventing cracking by leaving it in the oven (with it off and the door ajar) for about 1 hour after it's done to allow the custard to set. Make sure to chill it overnight in the refrigerator; creamy cheesecake tastes its best when cool. When you are going to serve the cheesecake, keep a moist dishtowel at hand and wipe down the knife after each slice. This will keep your slices clean and even.

The thick crust is a perfect balance to the richness of the cheesecake.

INGREDIENTS (serve 12)
2 C Graham Crackers, crushed into crumbs
¼ C Sugar
½ C Unsalted Butter, melted
2-8 oz. Packages of Cream Cheese, softened
1-14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 Eggs, room temperature
4 oz Bittersweet/Semisweet Chocolate

DIRECTION
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until mixture is wet and crumbs clump together. Spread mixture evenly in a 9 inch spring form pan and press down firmly. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
Melt chocolate into a medium-sized bowl.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add eggs, one by one, beating each until fully mixed. Pour ½ of the batter into the bowl with melted chocolate and stir well. Pour chocolate and plain batters into prepared pan, evenly distributing and alternating batters. Swirl with a clean knife.
Bake cheesecake for 50-55 minutes. It will not look totally firm when done; it will jiggle. The whole cake should jiggle evenly, though the center might be a bit looser.
Cool cheesecake as mentioned above for at least 1 hour before refrigerating. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

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Here is a rich and gooey cupcake version. Serve these little gems with a tall glass of ice cold milk and I guarantee you will have a bunch of very HAPPY kids and parents!

The filling is the most crucial part of making this fantastic treat and can be very tricky to master. You need to soften cream cheese prior to mixing, set on the counter for an hour or two, DO NOT MICROWAVE. Mix cream cheese, sugar and egg just until there are no more lumps. Here's where most mess this up; DO NOT OVER MIX. If filling gets runny then it carmalizes on top and never sinks into cake. If under mixed, filling only tastes like cream cheese and cake batter taste is off. Within the first hour after baking, batter is gooey but delicious. Next day, filling firms up for a different texture(still good), but warm them up for 30-45 seconds can re-gooey it if you prefer.

ones with cream cheese frosting

INGREDIENTS (serve 24-30)
1-8 oz. Package of Cream Cheese, softened
1 Egg
1/3 C Sugar Cane Sugar
1/8 t Salt
1 C Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1½ C All-Purpose Flour
1 C Sugar Cane Sugar
¼ C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 t Baking Soda
½ t Salt
1 C water
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
1 T Cider Vinegar
2 t Vanilla Extract

DIRECTION
Preheat oven to 350 °. Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, &frac13 cup of sugar and &frac18 teaspoon of salt until light and fluffy. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 Cup of sugar, cocoa, baking soda and ½ teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the center and add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter, add a few chocolate chips, and 1/3 full with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Let me know how yours turns out if you give these desserts a try.

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