Jingle Bells 5K

On November 17th, I ran the Jingle Bells 5K with my friend Natalie.  It was a lot of fun to dress up festive for the event!  (We coordinated our outfits...)  I was so happy to have shaved 5 minutes off my last 5K time!  Slowly but surely... :)

With my boys ready for the race!

Natalie and I!

Here I am finishing...haha...

Thai Chicken Pizza

Hold on to your seats, because this recipe ROCKS!  I remember having it for the first time several years ago at a baby shower hosted by friends at church.  Carrie was nice enough to email me the recipe, and her fabulous recipe for the dough as well.  I have been making it for years now, and it is always a hit.  The recipe for the sauce originally came from our pastor's wife, Betsy.  It is world famous ya'll in our circles.  It is that good!  (BONUS:  Since the dough and chicken make enough for two pizza's, I'll tell you how to make a second pizza into a barbeque chicken one, also awesome!)  Let's get down to it...

Here is what you will need:

Throw your sauce ingredients into a food processor...

Pulse until well combined...

Sprinkle some soy sauce over your chicken tenders, toss to coat, then bake...

Shred the cooked chicken into small hunks...

After you make your dough, roll half of it out to fit a jelly-roll pan.  (Lightly brush olive oil on the bottom of the pan first.)  Press the dough into the pan to fit...

Spread it with the sauce.  (The sauce recipe is for one pizza...double it to make the second, or make it into the bbq chicken one described below!)

Sprinkle half of your cooked chicken on the pizza...

Then add your red onion slices...

Then give it a generous amount of torn cilantro leaves...

Next give it some freshly grated gouda cheese!  (I used maybe just over half this wedge.)

Ready to bake!

Just came out of the oven goodness...

Yum, yum, and YUM!

Thai Chicken Pizza

For the Sauce:

2 tsp. of Garlic, minced (About 2 cloves...can used jarred if that is what you have.)
2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded, and chopped (Can leave the seeds in one if you like more heat!)
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
2 Tbs. Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Molassas
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (Betsy says natural peanut butter is a must!)

Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined.  (I have done it without the food processor as well, just make sure you finely chopped the jalapeno and mix well!)  Set sauce aside while you make the dough and bake the chicken.

For the Pizza Toppings:

1 Package of Chicken Tenders
Soy Sauce (about 2 Tbs.)
1 Small Red Onion (or half of a large one), halved and thinly sliced
Cilantro (as much as you like, I just tear fresh pieces over the pizza when I add it.)
Gouda Cheese (I shredded about half of a 9 oz wedge I got over the pizza. So about 5 oz. total.)

Place the chicken tenders in a 8X8 inch pan.  Sprinkle the soy sauce over them and toss to coat.  Bake at 415 degree for about 20 minutes until done.  Shred the chicken with 2 forks when cool enough to handle in to small chunks. (Save half the chicken for another pizza such as the bbq chicken!)

For the Dough:

2 Tbs. Sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbs. Soft Butter
4 Cups of Flour

In your Kitchen Aid mixer, fitted with the kneading hook, mix the sugar, salt, and yeast.  Let that sit while you combine the milk and water, and let that come to room temperature.  (If you are impatient, you can always microwave the milk/water mixture for a minute!)  Pour this mixture into the bowl of the mixer and combine with the other ingredients.  Add the butter and flour and once it is mixed, let it beat for awhile with the kneading hook.  (I think I let mine go about 5-10 minutes.)  You may have to add a little flour depending on how sticky it is.  You want the dough to be soft but not sticky.  Once it is done kneading let it sit for 10 minutes, then divide it in half for two pizzas. (If you don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer, mix as much flour as you can my hand, then knead on a floured surface.)

To Make the Pizza:

Lightly brush the inside of a jelly-roll style pan with some olive oil.  Roll out one of the halves of dough on a lightly floured surface to fit the pan.  Transfer the dough to the pan and press it in to fit.  Spread the sauce over the pizza leaving just enough around the edge for the crust.  Next top with your cooked chicken, red onion slices, and cilantro.  Shred enough gouda cheese over the pizza to just give it a nice coating.  Bake at 415 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Check to see if it is done.  (It may need a few more minutes, or less depending on your oven!)  Slice and enjoy!

To Make the BBQ Chicken Pizza:

Use the other half of the pizza dough and chicken for this.  Follow all the directions the same except instead of using the Thai sauce for the pizza, use a good barbeque sauce. (I recommend good 'ol KC Masterpiece!)  Also, instead of the gouda cheese, use mozzarella.  You will use the chicken, red onion, and cilantro just the same.  Bake as directed above.  Also very good! This is an awesome second pizza if someone isn't into the Thai-peanut flavor of the first.  It uses up the other half of the dough, chicken, and even red onion if you used a big one.  Bonus!

Be creative if you want with your Thai chicken pizza when it comes out of the oven.  I like to dig into it just the way it is, but you could always add more things like shredded carrot, more cilantro, and chopped peanuts!

Halloween 2012

We hosted Halloween evening again this year, and what was just supposed to be a few family members, turned into the whole Doherty clan the day of.  Everyone pitched in and brought something yummy to eat.  Matthew was super excited to finally be "The Lone Ranger" and Jacob was our cute little "Ham"burger.  The evening was a lot of fun, and the boys did great Trick-or-Treating.  We used the wagon for Jacob and he loved it...by the end of the evening, he wanted to get out at every house and get more candy... :)

The veggie platter I made...

Mummy dogs!

The boys got a kick (or a little scare) out of Uncle Chris's "old man" mask...

Our little men ready to go...

Who is that "masked man"??

Double gun slinger...

With cousins Anna and Ian...

Family pic...Chris even got in the spirit this year!

Daddy and his boys...

J loved the wagon ride...

A few out Trick-or-Treating...

I forgot the night of Halloween to make this, but a few days later we finally had some "Boo" Hot Chocolate! ;)

Pumpkin Patch and Carving

October was a whirl-wind month.  So much was happening, but we still managed to get in a quick trip to the Pumpkin Patch, and carve pumpkins before Halloween.  I even had my birthday in there (with a sick kid).  Good times... ;)

M with the pumpkins...

The best shot of the boys as I could get...

J would hardly sit still... ;)

Having fun...

By the big pumpkin...

They can be cute...

Hay on the wagon...

Such a beautiful variety...

Pretending we got this pumpkin...(Prices were crazy...I'll take the beautiful $4 pumpkins from the lady I know at the Farmer's Market...) :)

Here are some from the Farmer's Market...

Time to carve!

Getting down and dirty...

Chris helping M with his "Spidey" pumpkin...

My generic jack-o-lantern...

J tried to join in and help too...

Outside with the pumpkin!

M's finished pumpkin...