Paper Bag BBQ Chicken {Jen Cooks}

Make a barbecued chicken recipe in a paper bag! It is easy, delicious and clean up is as simple as throwing away the bag.This vintage recipe for chicken in a bag is from an old Louisville Courier-Journal article published August 16, 1963. The chicken recipe is baked slowly in the oven, inside a greased paper bag. Cooking in the bag makes the chicken tender and juicy. This vintage recipe was conceived before the crockpot had been invented. You could probably cook this in the crockpot with similar results, but I have not yet tried it. If anyone does, I hope they will come back and leave a comment so we know how it turned out! This is an easy recipe. Just do not forget to turn the oven down!

Chicken in a Bag

This recipe makes a barbecue sauce for 3 pound of chicken pieces.

•3 tablespoons catsup

•2 tablespoons vinegar

•1 tablespoon lemon juice

•2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

•4 tablespoons water

•2 tablespoons butter

•3 tablespoons brown sugar

•1 teaspoon salt

•1 teaspoon mustard (dry or prepared)

•1 teaspoon chili powder

•1 teaspoon paprika

•1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. To make sauce, combine all of these ingredients in a medium saucepan, and heat to allow flavors to blend.

2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Grease the inside of a brown paper bag (medium size) and place in a roasting pan. If you do not have a paper bag, you may use aluminum foil.

4. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Then dip each piece in the sauce and place into the paper bag.

5. After all of the chicken is in the bag, pour any remaining sauce into the bag over the chicken pieces.

6. Close the bag carefully with a double fold and fasten with paper clips to prevent the sauce from leaking out.

7. Put the lid on the roasting pan and put into the oven.

8. After baking 15 minutes at 500 degrees, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake another hour and 15 minutes.

9. Keep bag closed tightly throughout the cooking process

ENJOY!!!! We sure did!! Thanks Jen another winner!!!

Menu Monday

It’s the FIRST DAY of school here and I planned a week of yumminess that is also EASY and will make tons (aka enough for 2 meals, Freeze half and Eat half, BONUS!!!)

Monday~ Lackey’s Ragu (crockpot or not, you decide!)

Tuesday~ BBQ Chicken in a Paper Bag (new recipe via Jen Cook’s)

Wednesday~ Ranchero Pork (crockpot)

Thursday~ Leftover Buffet

Friday~ Nate’s Birthday!!

What’s on the menu at your house this week?

xoxo, Mama Bird

 

j’s superhero party {the décor}

Jack’s 4th Birthday was a success! The weather turned out great and most his friends were able to be here!! A SUPER special thanks goes out to Heather Machut Photography for the amazing pictures!! I hope she can come to all my events!!

Coloring Wall

xoxo, Mama Bird

More… Snack Love {what j eats}

This is just a wonderful idea  from Ohdeedoo that I am going to do!! My “do it myself” kinda kid loves “fixing” his own food and is always asking for a snack. This will help him feel independent and save me tons if time! Double score!!

pics via

xoxo, Mama Bird

Chicken Marbella

Chicken Marbella is an awesome dish. Created by the amazing women of The Silver Palate.  It is a very intersting (odd) combo if ingredients that when put together in one dish is just fantastic. The Silver Palate is an excellent cookbook with great tips & tricks that will help in any situation. I am thinking this will be what I do for this weekends Birthday Celebration.  It's great to do for any party because you put it all together the night before and then just bake it, how easy is that? I am going to serve it room temperature with  some wonderful crusty bread and Boucheron (goat) cheese. A big salad and maybe some roasted potatoes.

Here is the actual recipe from The Silver Palate (I divided it in half and I used split breast & removed the skin)

4 chickens, 2.5 lbs ea (I used split breast & thighs would work great)

1 head of garlic, minced
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt & fresh ground pepper
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
1 c pitted prunes
1/2 c Spanish green olives
1/2 c capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 c brown sugar
1 c white wine
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley

In large bowl combine chicken thru bay leaves in bowl. Cover & marinate overnight. THIS IS THE KEY TO THE WHOLE DISH!!! DO NOT SKIMP ON ALLOWING TO MARINATE!

Preheat oven to 350
Put in casserole and pour wine around chicken & top with brown sugar.
Bake for 50 mins to 1hr
Chicken is great hot, cold, room temp

Menu Planning

I am striving to get back at it! Back to Menu Planning that is! I have been so slack this summer about our schedule and everything else!! oops. I have taken a new job as a preschool teacher and I am so excited!! However, I am going to be busier than ever and really need to get organized.

Today I went to HT as well as my love Trader Joe’s and have, hopefully enough to get us thru this 1st week. As it is going to be a CRAZY one!!!

Monday~ Crockpot Chicken Masala & Basmati Rice  NEW recipe!!

Tuesday~ Veggie Lasagna NEW!

Wednesday~ Bambino Pizzas for boys from TJ’s (mommy @ Parent’s Night)

Thursday~ Leftover Buffet (mommy filming segment for Clt Today!!)

Friday~ Pizza or Mexican Dinner OUT!!

What is on your menu this week?

Look for a new LUNCHBOX LOVE segment sharing great ideas for the kid’s lunch!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Italian Drip Beef {Crockpot Wednesday}

Woo- weeee Crockpot Wednesday is back! With School starting for lots of friends  (next week for us!) I love to share as many go-to recipes that make your family dinner quick and easy!!

This is a recipe that my dear friend and Crockpot Queen Jen shared with me and YOU!! ENJOY!

Italian Drip Beef

1 whole beef chuck roast

1 onion, chunked

1 can beef consommé or beef broth

3 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I used Good Seasons Salad Dressing)

salt & pepper

garlic powder

1/4 cup water, red wine or white wine

8 oz pepperoncini peppers, with juice

throw all in the cockpot cook on low all day!

Serve with: rolls and provolone cheese for a great steak sammie!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Happy 4th Birthday!!

4 years ago today, I became a Mommy and my life has never been better! I can’t believe how he has grown!!

Aug 15, 2007

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday

WOW!! You look so BIG!!!

You are obsessed with Super Heros

Fav Color is orange

You love watching cartoons,

swimming in the pool,

playing with your buddies!

Happy, Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!!!

Love- Mommy

 

Super J turns 4!!! {invitation}

I am trying my hand at party invitations and started with Super Jack’s 4th Birthday!! He wanted a Super Hero Party, specifically Spiderman, He is OBSESSED! So, without further ado here is Super J’s Party Invitation.

What do you think?

Want me to design you next party?

xoxo, Mama Bird

HEY DAY!! {teacher gifts}

WOW!! I can not believe that summer is over in less than 2 weeks! UCK!! I think teachers are some of the most special people out there and I love to show them how special they are!! Here are a few of my favorite ideas!!

Teacher Survival Kit from bee in our bonnet

o-fish-ally {cute!!!}

via there’s a 1st for everything

adorable via eighteen25

via crystalandcomp.com

Last year I did “You were MINT to Teach”

How do you like to say “HEY” to your teachers? Share your ideas here!!

xoxo, Mama Bird

Summer in a Bowl {Gazpacho}

Gazpacho is one of my favorite summer eats. It is so versatile and just screams “SUMMER”!! I have tried oodles of different recipes and found “MY” perfect Gazpacho! My recipe does not use tomato juice or V8 (I like both fine to mix in my Bloody Mary, however adding either to Gazpacho, in my opinion just makes it taste like tomato juice!) The secret is simmering the tomatoes. It brings out a depth of flavor that is just amazing!! I hope you enjoy!!

2 Vidalia onions, peeled & quartered

8 large tomatoes, peeled

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1to 2 cloves garlic

1 T sweet paprika

2 t Hungarian Hot paprika

2 T olive oil

Start by placing 1 onion, half the tomatoes, wine and vinegar in food processor and blitz. Place in soup pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients adding the olive oil and spices, pulse just to chunk tomatoes and onion. Add to pot, simmer 10 mins. Chill overnight for best flavor!!

Add diced veggies such as cucumbers, celery, sweet bell peppers, grape or cherry tomatoes, croutons, shrimp, the possibilities are endless!!!!

What screams summer to you? Share your favorite summer recipe!!

Birdie's Best Chicken Pie

I am re-posting this family favorite recipe. A good friend just had a baby and I thought I would make 2 one for them and one for my family!!

When I was young we used to go to my Mimi & Pop's house every Sunday for lunch. Some of my best memories come from those Sundays. One of my favoite things that she made was a chicken pie. I just love that there is something so warm and cozy about it. By roasting the chicken it remains moist and delicious. If you are in a hurry or just want to eliminate a step, pick up a Rotisserie Chicken at your local grocery!!

4 split chicken breast roasted with evoo season with salt, pepper & thyme
roast at 350 for 1hr or until juice runs clear.

4 c chicken broth ~ heated
1 stick of butter, melted
1 lg onion, diced
1/2 c flour
1/4 c cream
2 c carrots, blanched in chicken stock for 2 min, diced
2 c frozen peas
1 tsp thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter & saute onions apx 10 mins until translucent; gradualy add flour, then chicken stock. Add spices, carrots, peas & chicken. Pour in a greased casserole dish. I use a 9 x 13. It's best if you let it sit over night, but you can cook it right away. I top mine half way through cooking with the frozen Pillsbury biscuits. YUMMY!! Cook on 350 for apx 1hr, until hot & bubbly. Delish!

Here it is…..

If you don’t live in the Charlotte metro area, don’t fret I am linking the Charlotte Today TV segment!! I have tasted celebrity and I LIKED it!! I am hoping I will be able to go back and do a cooking segment! How fun would that be? 
Loved everything about the tv aside from the fact that I looked like a stuffed pig and sounded like a hick! Oh well, it was so much fun!! Thanks to Colleen, Tanner and love me some Larry Sprinkle! He gave Hubs a whole metrology lesson!! I also got to meet Moria Quinn, she was what/who we watched every night on PM Magazine (does anyone else from the Clt area remember that show? Wasn’t Bob Lacey her co-host? The Bob of Bob & Sherry?)
I will share more later….
xoxox, Mama Bird