Goose bumps

It is cold here in our state today.  Now, I know people in Denver or Maine or Alaska will laugh right in my face, but I'm from a very warm, humid, southern state & I don't react well when it gets below 60.  My husband calls me a cold prickle because if I get cold I physically can not warm myself back up.  Now, I will say I am glad that it's not 100 degrees outside anymore. 

It was so cold for us last night we built our first fire of the fall season.  It was so wonderful.  I love everything about it.  The look, the smell, the feel...it makes me so relaxed and happy.

I made Friday Special last night for dinner again.  When Hoppy asked what we were having and I told him & did a fist pump & said "yes!".  Can I tell you how happy that made me?  That reaction is so much better then 'oh mom, do we have to have that, I don't like it'.  Yes, my children do utter that horrible phrase to my face...

I went back and looked at the recipe to see how I could make it less greasy and thin & I think I fixed it.  Everyone said it was more flavorful and it coated the chicken and pasta better.  I did marinate the chicken & it made a HUGE difference.  I also grilled it very slowly and it was super juicy.  WooHoo for mom!

Here's what I changed...

• Chicken marinade:  balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and Chef Paul Prudhomme's poultry seasoning.
• Of course I didn't measure anything, but I put a good bit of vinegar and just a little olive oil.  I put the chicken in a ziploc bag and made sure all the pieces were coated well, and then added the pepper and a lot of poultry seasoning and turned it in the bag again. 
• I let it marinate 24 hours...and grilled it on low 15-20 minutes on each side.  You could mush the juice out of it. 

Before I could get everything tossed the children were swiping chicken from the bowl, it was that good.

For the vinaigrette I reduced the olive oil to 3/4 of a cup, added a lot more Dijon mustard probably more than the 3 tbsp that I have mentioned on the recipe, and a little more sugar.  Whisk it very well, because the oil wants to settle on the top.  Your vinaigrette should be a brownish yellow color.  (you want it pretty dark)  The children liked it better, and everyone went back for seconds.

Tonight Henry has a football game & the low is supposed to be 37.  I'm going to be bundled up big time!    Go Cards!  (I like it when they break the pre/post game huddle with 'Angry Birds!')  Maybe we can get home and still have time to build a fire because I have a feeling I'm going to need to thaw out.

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley