Life really can be a picnic!

Everyone loves a picnic! This blog is about some of the things I love the most, and the term "picnic" just about covers them all. First of all, a picnic has to include food; simple food that is easy to fix. Next, you need someplace fun or different to visit; a nice, peaceful location. And of course, you always need to take along a good book to read and a well-used quilt to spread everything out on. So, there you have it! Easy recipes, good books, fun quilts along with some interesting, down-to-earth places to visit. You can even take your family or a friend or two if you want.



Wednesday, January 31, 2018

2018, A Year of Fortune

"Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself." ~ P. T. Barnum

There is scarcely anything that drags a person down like debt." ~ P. T. Barnum


     Last Saturday, I was able to attend a "Brunch Bunch" at the Quilter's Attic quilt shop in Bountiful, Utah.  The pattern and fabric designer, Amy Ellis, was there to do a trunk show and tell us about her new patterns and fabrics.  She is such a nice lady and so creative!  She even had some drawings for prizes.  My friend won a pattern and I won a set of fat quarters of her new line of fabric.




























 
 
 

      Here are two recipes that are not only healthy, but they are fast and easy to fix.  They are tasty as well.


 
Tarragon Chicken
From Lion House Lite Recipes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
½ tsp. tarragon
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
½ cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken in a 9x13” glass baking dish; sprinkle with green onions, tarragon, salt and pepper.  Dot with butter.  Add broth to dish.  Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake an additional five minutes to brown lightly.  Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Makes 4 servings.


Rice With Herbs
From Lion House Lite Recipes
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup long grain rice
4 green onions, sliced or
 1 Tbsp. minced dried onion
½ tsp. tarragon
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. dried parsley flakes
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Salt to taste
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add rice and onion; saute' over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tarragon, thyme, basil, parsley flakes and pepper, cook one minute more.  Stir in broth and salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

 
We saw the movie "The Greatest Showman" a couple of weeks ago.  I enjoyed the movie so much that it made me curious about the life of P.T. Barnum so I found this book about his life.  He was a very interesting man and his life was inspiring.  I recommend the movie and this book.