Stuffed Artichokes

Watching 16 and pregnant is depressing. Like, locking my future daughter in the house until she's 60 depressing. It really is so bad that I have to stop watching, right now....ok now...ok damn it's like a train wreck.

She did whaaaa?

Why this led to stuffed artichokes is beyond me. I just suddenly wanted one. And I'm sure now you do too.

Ingredients:
3 large artichokes
1 lemon squeezed into juice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (I used the amazing blend from costco)
1/4 breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Wash the artichokes really well, getting between the leaves? Stemmie things? Get a really big knife and CAREFULLY cut off the top and stem. This took a lot of work which makes me think either I need to lift more weights or get sharper knifes.
Cut off the pointy parts off the leaves. We are going to call them leaves.
Combine lemon juice, parm cheese, breadcrumbs and olive oil in a bowl. Mix everything together, it will be sticky if you are primitive and use your fingers.

Shove this mixture in the artichoke. I wasn't really sure how to do this so I just stuffed everywhere.
Put it in a 6qt crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Mine was done at 3 1/2.

Verdit:
I think I succeed. Or I overstuffed it. Can you overstuff an artichoke?
Life's biggest mysteries, after the platypus.

Orange chicken

Today was hard. My golden retriever was extremely tired and couldn't understand that he's not a lap dog. Also, if I didn't get up my husband wouldn't get fed and then I'd be forced to watch him play Skyrim to get back at me....and cooking is way more exciting than Skyrim, though I assume most things are.

                                    Including sleeping with all your feet by your face


I really wanted orange chicken and 1. I am far too poor to go out and get some and 2. I wanted some that wouldn't kill my arteries so it was crock pot time.
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless chicken, cut in 2-inch chunks ( I forgot to do this until it was already in the crock pot....worst.)
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp olive oil, for browning the chicken
1 tablespoon sea salt
6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen OJ concentrate, thawed (I hate pulp so that was a definite no,)
3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup (sounds weird I know)



Combine chicken with flour in a bowl and then cook it on the stove. You don't have to cook it for very long, just make sure it's nicely browned. 


While this is cooking combine olive oil, salt, OJ, brown sugar, vinegar and ketchup in a bowl. Taste. Taste again just to really make sure how good it is. When satisfied, put everything in crock pot and stir to make sure all the chicken is covered. 


Use a 4qt crock pot. Cook for 6 hours on low. 

Not as weird as it looks

Verdit:

Great hit with the husband. I thought it was good but would have been better over rice. Next challenge.