It seems that the last few weeks have flown by all too quickly. Three weeks seems such a long time to be away, but it's never enough time to visit friends and family as much as I want. I'm so thankful for the time I got to spend with my family, however short it may be. Thank you to those I did get to see, and to those I didn't, I hope we can catch up in the summer.
Even though it was such a joy to visit in Pennsylvania, I'm glad to be back in my Alaskan home. There's just something about the mountains, the fresh air, and the gorgeous sunsets that are good for the soul. I stayed a few days in Anchorage with my good friend Renee, and she was kind to take me on a mini-tour where we saw some fabulous views.
Even though it was such a joy to visit in Pennsylvania, I'm glad to be back in my Alaskan home. There's just something about the mountains, the fresh air, and the gorgeous sunsets that are good for the soul. I stayed a few days in Anchorage with my good friend Renee, and she was kind to take me on a mini-tour where we saw some fabulous views.
I also had a fantastic foodie experience while in Anchorage, and tried sushi for the first time! As I've gotten older, my tastes have gotten more adventurous (beef tendon pho anyone?), but had yet to try real sushi. I had made some tuna rolls once before, and liked them okay, but had never ordered sushi in a restaurant. Kirsten took me out to a fantastic sushi restaurant, and it was such a great experience! I wasn't brave enough to order a raw sushi, but I did try some of Kirsten's and it was really good. Will definitely try again! |
After all the hustle and bustle of town, it was nice to be back to the serene quiet of Port Heiden.
School has been back in session for a week, and I have to say, I missed my students a LOT! Their laughs and their jokes bring such joy to my heart :)
I'm also really excited that we have a new face in the village, and at the school- we have a tutor, Dana, who will be joining us until April. Welcome to the team Dana!
Of course, we had to have a girl's dinner this weekend, so I threw together a recipe from my new Cook's Country magazine- Apple Chicken Fricassee. It was fantastic!
School has been back in session for a week, and I have to say, I missed my students a LOT! Their laughs and their jokes bring such joy to my heart :)
I'm also really excited that we have a new face in the village, and at the school- we have a tutor, Dana, who will be joining us until April. Welcome to the team Dana!
Of course, we had to have a girl's dinner this weekend, so I threw together a recipe from my new Cook's Country magazine- Apple Chicken Fricassee. It was fantastic!
Chicken Stew with Apples 4 chicken breasts, or 8 small chicken tenderloins salt and pepper few TBSP butter 2 Braeburn apples, cored and cut into 16 wedges 1 onion. chopped 1/4tsp dried thyme 3/4 cup apple cider (I used Simply Apple juice and it worked well) 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup cream 1-2 tsp cider vinegar fresh parsley |
Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the apple wedges and cook about 5 minutes per side until well browned. Remove apples from pan.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Saute in another tablespoon of butter until lightly browned. Add onion, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and cook another 5 to 7 minutes. Add cider and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from sauce, then add cream and apples to the pan. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce has thickened and then stir in the vinegar. Add chicken and apples back to the pan and garnish with parsley. Serve!
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Saute in another tablespoon of butter until lightly browned. Add onion, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and cook another 5 to 7 minutes. Add cider and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from sauce, then add cream and apples to the pan. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until sauce has thickened and then stir in the vinegar. Add chicken and apples back to the pan and garnish with parsley. Serve!