Cooking Goals

 “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals”

-Henry David Thoreau

Although some may take longer to achieve than others, I have always been a goal setter. Starting my blog was a goal that I had for awhile and one that I am very proud of accomplishing. When my son told my mother in law the other night that when he walked in our house for dinner last week it smelled like her house from the dinner cooking, I knew I had reached a huge goal!

Years ago I set a goal of being a great cook just like Mother in law. Family dinner time is very important to me and mastering tasty dishes to serve at family gatherings has been part of this goal. Over the years, I have asked her so many questions and watched her in the kitchen to get things just right, especially since she does not use exact measurements. When asked where we want to go for Birthday dinners, her house and her cooking wins over a restaurant pick many times. There are definite favorites that are requested for dinners at her house and listening to her talk about her trips to the weekly farmers market for many of the ingredients make the dinners even more special! She is our very own Ina Garten and she and my father in law are the older version of Ina and Jeffrey. Lets talk about real goals, I hope that Jon and I can emulate the relationship that she and my father in law have 61 years and counting!

Here are a few of the delicious dinner recipes that I have learned from her that fill my house with amazing smells and our stomachs with delicious food!

Linda’s Peach Chicken

1 whole chicken cut up

3 peaches sliced

1/4 cup peach brandy

Lawrys seasoning salt

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme

Fresh Sage

Preheat oven to 350

Place chicken in a deep pan. Scatter peach slices on top of and around the chicken. Pour Brandy over top of everything. Season well with Lawrys Seasoning salt and approximately 2 Tbsp of each fresh chopped herb . Bake on 350 for 1 hour. The finished product is delicious!

Beet Salad

3 large Beets

2 navel oranges

8 oz container crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375. Wash beets thoroughly and trim stalk. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Let beets cook and take off outer shell of beet. Cut each beet into quarters and then cut each piece in half.

Peel each orange and divide into sections. Mix beets with oranges and toss with oil and vinegar. Top with goat cheese and fresh basil

Candied Carrots

3 tbsp Maple syrup

2 Tbsp peach preserves

2 tbsp melted butter

1 bag baby carrots or 6-8 large carrots cleaned well

parsley to garnish

Place carrots on baking sheet that has been sprayed with not stick cooking spray.  Drizzle with maple syrup. Top with preserves and butter. Bake on 350 for 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

Whatever your goals may be, be true to yourself and go after them!

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