Rotisserie chicken YUM!!

We've had our grill for a few years now, but I finally tried our Rotisserie attachment out the other day. YUP!!! It was GOOD!!

Here's what I did:

First I bought a whole chicken, yea that was a no brainer i know LOL.

Then I put it in my fridge for a few day, no reason other than I just hadn't gotten the chance to make it yet. We ended up making on Memorial Day, so it worked out well.

The day I knew I would be using it, I pulled it out and unwrapped it, pulled out the neck and such in the inside. I rinsed it and pulled out any unsightly leftover feather parts and than I coated it with some seasoning. I suppose just salt and pepper would work too, but I had bought this seasoning from Sam's a few weeks back and wanted to give it a try. So this is what I used, and put it in a glass dish and back in the fridge till I was ready (a few hours)


When we were ready for supper I got my rotisserie all cleaned and plugged in. Ours has a plug to turn it. It worked really good. I got the chicken on the rotisserie before I turned the grill on, and good thing, because that's the hard part. Getting it all to stay on there is tricky. I ended up running to the store to get some turkey lacers (like you find here) and using them to hold the wings and legs up close to the body. If they hang down they get toasted!! It took a few tries and even going back and fixing it after it cooked and got warmed up too, but in the end it worked.

I put more salt and pepper on it and the rotisserie went around in the beginning. It was about a 6 lb chicken I believe and it ended up taking about 2 hrs I think. I just had it on med heat, so it got to be around 350 in the grill (I have a thermometer on my grill). I than used a meat thermometer to check the internal temp on the chicken.

Here's the finish product and it was very YUMMY!!! We had it with some corn on the cob and boil potatoes. I suppose there was enough juice inside to make some gravy, but i was tired by the time it was all done, it took longer than expected and we ended up eating later than planned.

Is it May or not???

I'm beginning to wonder, because it's been kinda chilly around here. Rain isn't unusual in Michigan, but the chill isn't that common in May. It's almost June and it's only in the 50's today. It will get warmer eventually, I know.. Our house is nice and toasty, which is nice. When we did get those few warm days, we didn't even notice since we have central air for the first time EVER too!! We are going to really LOVE it this summer...

We've been going in circles around here lately. Sometimes I wonder if I standing up straight. I can't tell you everything we've been doing lately (soon I can!), but trust me, we've had quite a month and a really busy next few weeks.

We are trying to stay on track with our homeschooling, a constant struggle. We take more breaks off than public schools do, to be able to spend as much time as possible with hubby. His schedule can be erratic to say the least. This winter hasn't been quite as difficult as last year, but it still can be hectic. I'm planning on schooling year round, since we do take breaks. My kids understand that once they get this years work done they will get a "summer break", but since they've never been to public school they don't miss it as much as you would expect. I'm planning on adding a few subjects to next year too, art, Latin and music. I know it's not really adding since we do them in one form or another, but with a regularly scheduled curriculum is the plan.

I'm getting ready to order next years curriculum too, Rod and Staff for Reading, English, Writing, Art and Spelling. I already have the Latin, Music and Abeka Math. I also have a Science curriculum too. I'm debating finding something else, but my kids LOVE it, so it's a hard decision. It's just that it's a old one and from a public school format with the "red lined" teachers books, so I have to scan and edit the answers out. So if anyone knows how to make the answers not print, i would LOVE to know how.. It would save me alot of time and money since I have the curriculum up to 6th grade I believe.. The answers are in red and are not suppose to copy somehow, but i think that only works on the old copiers from what I can figure.

As far as the Rod and Staff goes, I am really liking it. It blends the Bible stories in with the lessons, which actually makes it easier for the kids to learn it, it makes the fill in the blanks make more sense. I can't tell you how many of their old books would ask random questions in the lessons that made no sense to even me. The answer was totally different than what we would call it, or answer. I've gotten that a few times in this, but since it's Mennonite based, most of the answers are related to more historic items (like using oxen with a yoke, something they need to know, but not a normal routine for us lol).

Much to my dismay we've decided to hold off on the garden and greenhouse. Since it's been so cold here, i'm not sure it was a bad idea yet anyhow. My FIL didn't get his garden planted until this week, part because he was busy and part it's just been to cold still. I'm just holding out hope that we'll get to pack up the camper and head out with hubby soon. I'm so ready to go do some camping lol.. I've got it cleaned and packed for the most part. I've still got to find a few things for it, like some decent plastic plates and bowls, but we can survive.

I've got a few most post to get on here, like I tried my first rotisserie on our grill YUM!! I have pictures, and a few others too. I need to get the pictures off my camera still, it's sitting her next to me, that is my next project lol..

So till later!!!!!

WOW it's been a MONTH???

Our peaceful Patio!!


WOW I can't believe it's been a month since I posted on here. Sorry guys!! For those of you who follow me on facebook, you know what we've been up too LOL. I'll have to remember to do both.



So what's been going on around here????



We are finally getting spring weather here, of course that includes rain, but it's warm!! We've gotten out a little bit to clean up the yard, the patio is cleaned off and looks so peaceful... We swept, moved leaves and got our compost pile set up. We have been dumping our food waste in it everyday and mixing our weeds and pots from last year in it as well. We decided to go a less obvious route, hubby didn't like the idea of a tote or anything in his yard, SO... I took advantage of some 4x4's up agains the shed and boxed in a little area. It's not covered, but it's quite long and works well.. We have a long handled claw to mix it all in each day. An added chore but WOW I can't believe how much food waste goes into it each day!!

Our greenhouse is still empty, we are debating what to do this year. With plans to be gone with hubby's job we just aren't sure what to do with a garden. I'd LOVE to have one, really , but with no one here to make sure it is always watered and than picked... Last year most of it went to waste since it didn't always get watered.. Sigh so i'm just not sure what to do yet.

We have been beginning to get prepared for our summer camping as well. I hear JoAnns has their summer stuff on sale, and dishes, so I am hoping to find some nice plastic plates for the camper this year. We will see..



Hmm what else is news!!!! Well we need to mow our lawn, not real news, except that our lawn mower is broken AHH we are going to have a jungle here soon. No one ever stops to offer to mow it for us lol, I think because we used to have the lawn care company and chased them all away...hehe.. No they can stop and don't. Maybe we will get that fixed this weekend??? We've had a new baby in the extended family (no NOT ME!!), we've had a retirement party, a few birthdays, baby shower, a mishap on an ATV, LOTS of excitement!!



And lastly I guess I HAVE to tell you a new recipe, well it's not NEW, but it sure is yummy and it's the first time I made it..


HONEY BUTTER, have you ever had it?? I'm not talking about the kind you get at the restaurants I'm talking about REAL homemade honey butter. IT is THE best....


Here's how I made it

2 parts real butter, 1 part honey. (you can get real butter on sale often, this weeks it's $1.50 at our local grocery store, and it's better for you!!)


Set the butter in a dish, one that you will keep it in is good... and let it soften, DO NOT MELT IT. Once it's soft add the honey and mix it good. I used my electric hand mixer. Than put it in the fridge and use it on all kinds of stuff, PANCAKES ohhh that's good, even better than syrup I think.. If you melt the butter, the honey will separate and sink to the bottom even if you whip it together, and you will find yourself mixing it again anyhow (yea, i tried it that way too LOL)..



Ok, well I'm off to do my weekly shopping, yes with all 4 kids today. Sometimes it works out to leave them with my nieces and sometimes not!!

Oh I almost forgot.... MY newest addition to the tons of other things I do!!! My sewing website. I finally have it done. I've had it in the process for about a year but finally am ready to spread the word.. Please share it with others, and tell me what you think...

http://jensews.tripod.com/

OK, we are off to get some groceries!! Wish me luck with 4 kids!!

JenD