Outside plus a recipe

  Was walking to pick the kids up from school earlier this week and I saw bright blue sky with large gray clouds as the backdrop of a fully blooming cherry blossom lit by the warm sun.  The juxtaposition was just too beautiful.  We are on the brink of warmth here and I couldn't be happier.  We have spent a majority of our week outside enjoying it.

Watching Hannah get some serious speed to whip the kids around.  She is so fun!

The big kids didn't have school today so we had a playdate...outside of course!

  We also spent a great deal of time gardening this week, putting just a tiny dent in the battle against the weeds.  Give the kids a shovel and some dirt and they find a way to have fun, for a long time.  I wanted to share a recipe that I did wednesday night that I prepared, stuck in the oven, went out to weed for two hours and came back in and it was done.  Like magic!

Apricot Chicken
Serves our family of 6

1 large onion cut in half and sliced
4 cloves of garlic diced
~10 bone-in chicken thighs
~6 cups chicken broth
8 halved apricots, fresh or dried
~1/2 cup kalamata or spanish olives
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1.  Lay down the onions in a layer on the bottom of your baking pan.  I used a large one!  Sprinkle garlic evenly over the top.
2.  Place chicken thighs over the top of the onions and season heavily with salt and pepper.
3.  Add chicken broth.  You can add til the chicken is covered or you can add just til the top of the chicken is showing like I did.  I like the meat to brown a bit on top, but it is good either way!
4. Sprinkle apricots and olives over the chicken evenly.  Season the broth with salt again, unless your broth is already salted.
5.  Bake the chicken in the oven for 2 hours while you garden or go play outside, you will come back in to a wonderful smelling house with fork tender chicken!  Serve with rice or polenta and a veggie and you have yourself a meal!

Happy Friday!!