Baby Claire and Chicken Teriyaki

Remember way back when, I posted about Matt and Jenni and their baby-to-be?

She's finally here!

She is SO precious.  I am in love with her!  I found her a cute little onesie to go in Mama's pamper gift that says, "Hi, I'm new here!" Adorable!  

Daniel and I were thinking of what we could get the baby (he picked out a pink reusable tote bag instead of a gift bag because he said it was more practical. So cute) and all I wanted to do was sew something myself.  Is that sad?

I don't really care if it is or not, because it turned out great.

 I didn't really grow up around people who were having babies because we didn't live by family and the family/friends we did live by.. well... weren't having babies!  I always babysat and worked in daycare centers throughout college, but Claire is only the second newborn I've held.  She is SO cute and looks so much like her Daddy.  We can't wait to have some of our own!

Something I have really enjoyed since school has ended is being home in the mornings to do housework and listen/watch morning TV.  I wouldn't say I'm a Rachael Ray FAN, but she had a show on the other day with slow cooker recipes.  I tried one and- YUMO!

Ingredients

• 8 chicken legs with thighs attached (I used 6 chicken breasts-Boneless, Skinless)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bottle Teriyaki sauce, low sodium if possible
• 3 tablespoons grated ginger, or a tsp or two of dried ginger powder
• 3 garlic cloves, grated, or a tbsp or so of garlic out-of-the-jar
• 3 tablespoons honey
  
• 6 scallions, white and green parts sliced on a bias, but kept separate
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Bag of frozen stir-fry veggies

Directions:

• In a large bowl, dust the chicken legs with cornstarch and season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with some EVOO and brown the chicken legs/breasts.
• In a slow cooker, add browned chicken legs with teriyaki, ginger, garlic, honey and white parts of the scallions. Put the lid on and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

•  Meanwhile, prepare rice and veggies.  I usually only make brown rice, but I guess I was out and didn't know it, so we had white.  Boo.  I also bought my stir-fry veggies at Aldi (woop woop!  Love that place!) and followed the package directions to steam them.

Aldi!

•  Once the veggies and rice are done, plate!  

Make sure you pour some sauce on top of the chicken.

My sister-in-law Rachel and I went thrift store shopping for some new clothes (5 Pairs of dress Pants, 3 shirts, 2 skirts, a belt, and a dress for $40!), so she was over for dinner and she loved it, too!  Tomorrow- Scone Recipe and possibly some Taquitos!

Some more of our flowers are blooming-they are some that the previous owners of our house planted.  Surprise!  They are pretty...

Their location... is not!

 Why in the world would you plant these flowers by a tree?!?  The stems are so ugly- they looked like we were growing huge pineapples out of the ground before they bloomed.  If these weren't bulbs I'd pull them out now.... at the end of the year they are gone!