Make a Wish

We love to play games in the car (when we’re not dancing). My little fella, Evan loves the alphabet game. Unfortunately for me and Evan, Chad is unreasonably good at the alphabet game and he always wins (GAH). Last night we went to visit Chad’s grandparents, and on the way home Andrew (my not-so-little-anymore fella) pulled a new game out of his hat. There is a genie. You have three wishes. What will they be? Rules: 1. You can’t wish for more wishes, 2. You can’t bring anyone back from the dead (was Andrew watching Aladdin at school yesterday???), and 3. You can’t make people love you.

Now, watch what happens when you let little kids wish for anything they want…

Andrew:

• I wish I had 4 arms
• I wish I was like, a cyborg- but still with 4 arms
• I wish I has all the money in the world

****Interlude: Me- “Well great. You’ve turned yourself into a monster and single-handedly collapsed the world economy.”

Andrew- “Well I would share some of the money. But I would be in charge of where it goes.”

Me- “That would make you a dictator.”

Andrew: “I think everything should be free. Like everyone could just have everything they want.”

Me- ” Ummmm okay. But who would work to make all the things if everything is free? What’s the incentive?”

Evan- “Are we still playing the wish game?”

Me- “Oops. I got distracted. Yes.”

Evan:

• I wish for a ferrari- no- a lamborghini, red and black
• a mansion
• I wish that all my whole family could live in the mansion with me

Andrew-“I think I’d rather just live by myself.”

Evan- “Okay, my whole family except Andrew.”

What in the world.

Most days easy, cost-effective dinner ideas are at the top of my wish list.

Heat a little oil in a skillet. Season both sides of boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper and brown in the pan. Remove the chicken and set it aside. Add onions to the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits of chicken and its juices from the from the pan. When the onions start to soften, stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Stir in curry powder and fresh ginger. Cook for another minute.

Add chicken broth, chick peas, and diced tomatoes.

Red peppers give color and amazing flavor. Stir those in and bring it all to a simmer.

Stir in basmati rice and pour the contents into a 9X13 baking dish. Nestle the chicken on top of the rice mixture, cover (foil works if you don’t have a lid), and bake for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.

This makes a great big pan of curry flavored chicken and rice. Easy dinner is good. Leftovers are almost better!

What would your 3 wishes be?

Chicken & Basmati Rice

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

4-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

salt and black pepper to season chicken

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder*** If you are not a fan of curry, leave this and the ginger out. Try substituting seasonings that are in your comfort zone- chili powder could work, too***

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, very finely chopped

3 cups of chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 ounces) of diced tomatoes

1 red pepper, diced

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

To Make

Preheat the oven to 400. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium high heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and brown in the skillet. Remove and set aside. Add onion to the skillet and cook until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add curry powder and fresh ginger and stir. Pour in chicken broth, chick peas, and diced tomatoes, then the red pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stir in the rice and then pour the contents into a 9X13 baking dish. Place the chicken on top of the rice mixture, cover and bake for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Original recipe was adapted from the December 2011 issue of Family Circle magazine