annie blog

The Definition of Perfunctory

Tonight, we went for our weekly dinner at the church’s parish hall. We ate grilled meats and chips and summery foods. After the meal and a little singing, we split into groups. The young kids break in to classes and the older youth and adults remain together for a lecture and discussion session.

I really like getting together with folks from church in the middle of the week. In the church of my girlhood, we had a Wednesday night fellowship supper. I remember really liking that, too.

So, back to tonight.

My two oldest boys stay with me for the adult/youth session. We watch a video and then have a question and answer session with all of the people who stay for the lesson.

Usually this is when my oldest son, J, zones out. He doesn’t listen to the video. He doesn’t listen to the discussion. He goes to J world inside his head and he stays put there until I reel him back to reality.

So, today, I told him that I wanted him to pay attention and have one relevant thing to write down after the video and discussion were over.

The pens and paper were passed around.
J busily wrote for a minute and then put the cap on his pen.
Though the class was not over he decided to visit the bathroom. He handed his piece of paper to me as he passed.

Just so you know, the message of the video and discussion had been about Resurrection and Hope.

J had written, God, you’re the greatest.

My son N and I read it as J ambled away. We tried not to laugh too hard.

What a way to cover it all. He found a way to not listen and still write something to get him off the hook.

J is such a buster.

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago. Mainly, I made it because I didn’t want to go to the store. That’s why you’ll notice no hard-to-come-by ingredients here. Feel free to change it around….this is a very versatile, kid-friendly recipe.

1 pound chicken pieces — cut into about 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
cooking oil (olive or canola)
6 T. honey
4 T. soy sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
one pound of stir fry vegetables
4 t. cornstarch
2 T. (or a bit more) orange juice
hot cooked rice
1 T. each natural rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil (optional: use to toss with chicken vegetable mixture just prior to serving)

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil until almost browned. Add the honey and soy sauce and the salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the chicken is done (the juices run clear). Remove the chicken and sauce but don’t wash the pan. Keep the chicken warm while you cook the vegetables. Add some more oil and cook the vegetables. When the vegetables are almost done, clear a space in the middle of the pan. Add the garlic to this space and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant (if you have fresh ginger on hand, mince up some of it and add it along with the garlic). Immediately add back in the chicken and sauce that you’ve been keeping warm. Combine the orange juice and cornstarch and then add it to the pan. Stir the mixture well. Turn up the heat and cook, boiling and constantly stirring, for another minute or until the sauce is thickened. Toss with the vinegar and sesame oil (if using) and serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

The recipe that I adapted to make this can be found here. Mainly my changes were to double the sauce and change the method, a bit.

This is good, y’all!

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago. Mainly, I made it because I didn’t want to go to the store. That’s why you’ll notice no hard-to-come-by ingredients here. Feel free to change it around….this is a very versatile, kid-friendly recipe.

1 pound chicken pieces — cut into about 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
cooking oil (olive or canola)
6 T. honey
4 T. soy sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
one pound of stir fry vegetables
4 t. cornstarch
2 T. (or a bit more) orange juice
hot cooked rice
1 T. each natural rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil (optional: use to toss with chicken vegetable mixture just prior to serving)

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil until almost browned. Add the honey and soy sauce and the salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the chicken is done (the juices run clear). Remove the chicken and sauce but don’t wash the pan. Keep the chicken warm while you cook the vegetables. Add some more oil and cook the vegetables. When the vegetables are almost done, clear a space in the middle of the pan. Add the garlic to this space and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant (if you have fresh ginger on hand, mince up some of it and add it along with the garlic). Immediately add back in the chicken and sauce that you’ve been keeping warm. Combine the orange juice and cornstarch and then add it to the pan. Stir the mixture well. Turn up the heat and cook, boiling and constantly stirring, for another minute or until the sauce is thickened. Toss with the vinegar and sesame oil (if using) and serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

The recipe that I adapted to make this can be found here. Mainly my changes were to double the sauce and change the method, a bit.

This is good, y’all!

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago. Mainly, I made it because I didn’t want to go to the store. That’s why you’ll notice no hard-to-come-by ingredients here. Feel free to change it around….this is a very versatile, kid-friendly recipe.

1 pound chicken pieces — cut into about 1 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
cooking oil (olive or canola)
6 T. honey
4 T. soy sauce
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
one pound of stir fry vegetables
4 t. cornstarch
2 T. (or a bit more) orange juice
hot cooked rice
1 T. each natural rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil (optional: use to toss with chicken vegetable mixture just prior to serving)

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil until almost browned. Add the honey and soy sauce and the salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the chicken is done (the juices run clear). Remove the chicken and sauce but don’t wash the pan. Keep the chicken warm while you cook the vegetables. Add some more oil and cook the vegetables. When the vegetables are almost done, clear a space in the middle of the pan. Add the garlic to this space and cook, stirring for 30 seconds or until fragrant (if you have fresh ginger on hand, mince up some of it and add it along with the garlic). Immediately add back in the chicken and sauce that you’ve been keeping warm. Combine the orange juice and cornstarch and then add it to the pan. Stir the mixture well. Turn up the heat and cook, boiling and constantly stirring, for another minute or until the sauce is thickened. Toss with the vinegar and sesame oil (if using) and serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

The recipe that I adapted to make this can be found here. Mainly my changes were to double the sauce and change the method, a bit.

This is good, y’all!

The Lower Voice

that I mentioned J getting can be heard here:

This is a song called “Bluesville”. It’s from a movie called The Happy Elf and was sung by Harry Connick, Jr.

The Lower Voice

that I mentioned J getting can be heard here:

This is a song called “Bluesville”. It’s from a movie called The Happy Elf and was sung by Harry Connick, Jr.

The Lower Voice

that I mentioned J getting can be heard here:

This is a song called “Bluesville”. It’s from a movie called The Happy Elf and was sung by Harry Connick, Jr.

Hey Y’all

Sorry that I’ve been gone from here for so long. I was doing pretty well with regular posts until our internet began acting up about 10 days ago. I was blaming Charter until they sent a really nice repairman my way who found out that the line in my back yard was a yummy treat particularly adored by the rodents who live back there.

Those blasted squirrels.

Anyway, I’m back, I think, and I’ve got several things to say. For now, though, I’m going to take advantage of this cloudy weather to get some things done around my house — things that I would find it less convenient to do if it were sunny and the pool was beckoning us.

J will be posting this at Wacktopia later, but I wanted to share it here, too. If you listen you’ll hear how he uses his head voice on some of the high notes. His voice, it is a-changin’. I’m not ready for his voice to change, but, as with many of the unwelcome changes in my life, my opinion was not heeded.

That’s the way it goes, y’all.

Happy Monday!

Hey Y’all

Sorry that I’ve been gone from here for so long. I was doing pretty well with regular posts until our internet began acting up about 10 days ago. I was blaming Charter until they sent a really nice repairman my way who found out that the line in my back yard was a yummy treat particularly adored by the rodents who live back there.

Those blasted squirrels.

Anyway, I’m back, I think, and I’ve got several things to say. For now, though, I’m going to take advantage of this cloudy weather to get some things done around my house — things that I would find it less convenient to do if it were sunny and the pool was beckoning us.

J will be posting this at Wacktopia later, but I wanted to share it here, too. If you listen you’ll hear how he uses his head voice on some of the high notes. His voice, it is a-changin’. I’m not ready for his voice to change, but, as with many of the unwelcome changes in my life, my opinion was not heeded.

That’s the way it goes, y’all.

Happy Monday!

Hey Y’all

Sorry that I’ve been gone from here for so long. I was doing pretty well with regular posts until our internet began acting up about 10 days ago. I was blaming Charter until they sent a really nice repairman my way who found out that the line in my back yard was a yummy treat particularly adored by the rodents who live back there.

Those blasted squirrels.

Anyway, I’m back, I think, and I’ve got several things to say. For now, though, I’m going to take advantage of this cloudy weather to get some things done around my house — things that I would find it less convenient to do if it were sunny and the pool was beckoning us.

J will be posting this at Wacktopia later, but I wanted to share it here, too. If you listen you’ll hear how he uses his head voice on some of the high notes. His voice, it is a-changin’. I’m not ready for his voice to change, but, as with many of the unwelcome changes in my life, my opinion was not heeded.

That’s the way it goes, y’all.

Happy Monday!