Since I've gotten married I've fallen into a diner routine. Mondays are chicken and rice, Tuesdays are salads (usually made with left over chicken), Wednesdays are tacos, Thursday is spaghetti, Fridays I rotate through recipes (i.e. casseroles, whole chicken, roasts, meatloaf, etc). Friday's I try to make enough to have left overs for the weekend. Though the schedule seems redundant it has helped me and my husband actually settle down and look forward to dinner. Before the schedule we would just graze on snacks until we were full or I would have to keep running to the store to buy things to actually make a meal. This schedule has even helped us stick to a food budget. Now I only go to the store twice a month. I make one big run and buy all items I will need for the month to make the meals. Two weeks later I have to run to the store again to purchase items that may have run out or are perishable (milk, vegetables, etc). As for the budget I always allow room for a fast food run about once a week, a night out for dinner, and even a pizza night.
Yes, I understand that all of this may seem a little crazy and uptight. But hey, it works for us and there is always wiggle room.
Anyway . . . about the "new" recipe. There quotation marks around 'new' because it is nothing fantastic, nor did I actually create something new. All that was new was that a different marinade for our chicken. Jerome and I have our favorite marinade (italian dressing) and that is what I always use on on chicken and rice nights. Well after a few weeks of that I was ready for a change. Previously we have used a dry rub from Penzeys Spices (Galena Street: Rib & Chicken Rub) and have liked it, but either there would be too much or too little spice and the chicken would always come out dry. So to make it into a marinade I combined six table spoons olive oil, two tablespoons white vinegar, and a few shakes of the spice.As I was preparing to put the chicken on the grill all I could think about is "this is not going to come out right." I even sent Jerome a text and told him to start thinking about what else he wanted for dinner! All I could smell from the marinade was the vinegar (which, I dislike). Needless to say after grilling the chicken it turned out GREAT! I patted myself on the back and bragged about it the rest of the night. Now I know how to turn my favorite spices into a marinade! Quick, easy, and much cheeper than trying to buy a marinade from the store.
For the marinade you could use a different form of acid other than vinegar, such as lemon juice. And I'm sure you could use a different type of oil than olive oil. But just remember that it is three parts oil for every one part acid. I love using marinade over a dry rub because it seems to penetrate the meat better and I don't have to touch the raw meat!
1) What did I learn today? How to make a marinade with spices
2) What did I accomplish today? The "new" recipe
3) What can I do better tomorrow? Not doubt myself if I try something new
4) What did I enjoy today? Dinner!
5) What am I most grateful for today? Sharing with loved ones
Here's to delicious food!
--Cheers--
--Cheers--
