WWE: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans

This one went over very well with the family- lots of flavor in the different components and the kids had seconds and thirds of the green beans!  This was another really easy meal to throw together- always my favorite kind.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Artichoke Hearts


Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
3 garlic cloves, minced pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine, or stock
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme
15 oz quartered artichoke hearts in water (drained)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. In batches, cook chicken 5-6 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
4. Transfer to chicken to a plate.
5. Add garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Then add wine, broth, and herbs. Bring to a boil.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon some of the broth over the chicken, and place in the oven. (If your skillet is not oven proof, transfer all to covered oven safe dish.)
7. Cook 20 minutes or until the juices run clear.
8. Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to a platter.
9. Add artichokes to the liquid remaining in the skillet. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 3-4 minutes.
10. Pour artichoke sauce over chicken and serve with rice.

Green Beans


Ingredients

1 pound green beans, cut into 1" pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
kosher salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1. Heat olive oil or butter in medium pan over medium high heat.
2. Add beans and cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth to the pan.  Cover and let cook until crisp tender and bright green- about 4-5 minutes.
4. Remove cover and add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  Saute for another minute or two.

  
Printable Recipe

Legoland, Day Three

The last day of our little Legoland getaway...

Apparently (apparently I say "apparently" a lot because now Allie's been saying it a lot too) Jonah was done with pictures.

Allie wanted a shot with her daddy.  And this Lego pilot guy.  I have a feeling I'm supposed to know who he is.

This was number 1 on Mikey's list of things he didn't want to miss before leaving Legoland.

This guy could've stayed here all day doing this if we let him.

Racers, are you ready?

And they're off!

Making sure we got on some more rides was tops on Allie's list for this last day.

Her daddy wanted to go on this one with her since I went with her the first day.

He wanted the full experience.  It seems the guy in front of them did, too.

Every single time we've come to Legoland, without fail we've had at least one kid not big enough to ride much of anything.

So we had to do what we could to keep him entertained while waiting and missing out.

Except this was one of the very few he COULD ride so they all joined him.  And because there weren't hardly any people waiting for this one, the operator let them stay on it three times!

The boys loved looking at all the Star Wars scenes.

She did, too!

Since the older two got their caricatures done the last time we were here, I wanted the younger two done this time.

Except she didn't realize how long she'd have to sit there.

And this guy wouldn't give up a smile for anything.

Then this happened.

Which is the only time he cracked a smile.

Then I had to resort to this to keep him from scampering off.

But we did love the final results!

Then everyone felt ready to go after they each picked out a souvenir.

Thanks for the memories, Legoland!  Until next time... (when hopefully they are all big enough to ride everything... and still want to...)

Legoland, Day Two

The next morning...

These little critters found their way onto our bed.

They sure are pesky sometimes, but I think we'll keep 'em.

Mikey took this one.

And while Mikey was taking that one, the peskiest one of all found a chocolate coin, managed to quietly get it free from the foil wrapper, and was happily breaking his fast.

We managed to pull ourselves together by mid-morning-ish, joined forces once again with our compadres, and set out to spend the day here.

To look at these (awww, the wittle baby!)...

and these...

and these.  Only they were hot and were sitting downwind of something unacceptable to their noses.  I think it was a woodpile covered with pelican doo that we had just walked past.  Lovely.

I did mention it was hot, didn't I?

Trying to stay cool by any means necessary.

So why stop at just the hat?

Even the lions were hot and sick of it all.

So we decided it was time to hop on the safari tram and catch a little man-made misty breeze.

It worked for some of us.

Even the animals did what they could to stay cool.

Still beautiful though.

After the tram ride, it was back to finding ways to stay cool.

Lauren took this one just after she needed a bathroom break.  And right after this picture is when Mikey started going downhill fast from the heat and Phil decided we needed to cut our day short in order to go back and toss him into the hotel pool.  So we parted ways with the four Js who went on to finish the day at the zoo.

Plus we had a pesky baby who by now was stripped down to just a diaper and shoes.

Thankfully we got the boy cooled down and feeling much better.

While the other peskys actually started getting cold in the pool.  Make up your mind, people!

Then it was time for dinner with this cutie pie's family.

Happily, the wait wasn't very long for a table for 10.

After dinner, we decided to have low-key fun playing in the hotel.

Which of course, to the kids means...

Then there was this business, too.

Back in the lobby.

In the lobby's play area.  Man, these Lego hotel people sure did it right for kids!

Then we had to say goodbye once again to my brother's family (boo!) but had one last day to look forward to at Legoland (hooray!).

To be continued...