MONDAY MORNING MADNESS

Well a big hi there and hello to all my friends. Thanks for stopping in this bright and crazy day! I hope this blog finds you well… happy and healthy. Its been an early start here today as the DD had band sectionals at 6am before school, then coming back and prepping the boys for school, etc. Not sure yet what today is gonna hold in store for me. Yesterday, I have to say, was rather interesting!



I got my strawberry plants put in my custom made hanging basket LOL. That little bucket took a lot more dirt to fill than I thought it would! But I got both my plants in there and its hung up on the rail of the front porch. Isn’t it so cute?!



And what makes it cuter? I have a baby berry on it too! Actually I have a few berries already on it, but this one is the biggest! I got very excited planting yesterday… and for a little while when I was messing with all my plants, I didn’t have a care in the world!



Then I put my Christmas Tree outside too. Yes I have a live baby Christmas tree LOL! It needed some sun and water, etc. Of course I might have to bring all the plants BACK in tonight as we are expecting another stupid freeze! I am getting so sick of this weather, it’s not even funny!



I also brought my rosemary and my Agave plants to the front porch as well. Here you see my rosemary plant. Sadly, I have lost half of the pot, but the other side is going great, surviving the cold VERY well surprisingly! I’m gonna get some more plants and fill the pot back up. Excuse the shoes LOL as I forgot they were on the porch LOL!



Then here is my Agave… or as I joke with my mom… my Tequilla plant LOL! She’s growing great guns, considering she was small when I got her. And now she has at least 4 baby plants as well that I need to separate and repot. The cold seems to have had no effect on that one either. I have some stout plants, let me tell ya! It just makes me more excited to get my gardening underway!

Ok, so as I think about kitties and gardens, and listening to the birds chirping... I’m thinking to nature and as the kids are emptying the milk jugs by eating bowls of cereal, I washed them out. And I’m gonna use them… know how? You can look to Feb. 11th post for a paper milk carton bird feeder, but this time I am using a big plastic gallon jug. Check this out.



Craft Idea of the Day: Milk Jug Bird Feeder

Take a milk jug and cut holes on two sides. Poke holes in bottom for rain drainage, one below each large hole and one on each side of top. Put wire through top holes for hanger and a skewer through side holes for perches. I have painted these and also decoupaged them with fabric. They do very well outside with a finish coat of clear spray paint from Walmart (about a $1 a can.)

Yesterday also was full of kitties! Remember how yesterday, as I sat here writing this blog, I kept hearing the weird noises outside and it turned out to be more baby kitties? Ok so after I was done, we (yes the whole gang LOL) watched kitties all day. Then it hit me! I need a “CAT”-alog of all my outside kitties… and my inside ones too! LOL… so the crazy MEOM I am, I went around taking pictures of all the cats. I made a list of them all, if they have names, etc. I have about 6 more (out of 21… lol not bad) that I need pictures of. I keep records of estimated birthdates, etc… just in case anything happens. Then the coolest thing happened about dusk. I was on the front porch tending to my plants and one of the cats we named R2 came up to me and actually let me pet and play with her! This was ground breaking for the outsiders LOL! She played for about 30 minutes or so… she is a little love hound LOL! When I get all my pictures, I’ll introduce you. Shoot, we still need names for a few of them!

Ok, so its time to munch… but what sounds good? The kids want spaghetti, dad wants steak, and me? Well I think that some Asian Orange Chicken sounds yummy… if my teeth are up for the challenge LOL!



Orange Sauce Chicken

Ingredients

12 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a small bowl beat together eggs and milk. Add 2 cups flour, salt and pepper. Beat all together until smooth. In a shallow dish or plate mix together the breadcrumbs and almonds. Dip chicken in egg batter, then in breadcrumb mixture.

In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter/margarine and saute coated chicken in skillet 8 to 10 minutes. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish and bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

To Make Sauce: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan mix together the sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon flour. Then stir in the orange juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water. Mix all together and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter/margarine, the orange rind and the lemon rind to the orange sauce and stir together. Remove chicken from oven and pour orange sauce over warm chicken or put in a gravy boat for people to pour themselves. Enjoy!

Okie dokie gang… I am gonna go ahead and get off here and see what kind of craziness I can come up with today! Ya’ll be safe and happy out there and I will meet you back here tomorrow! HUGS!