Sweet and Sticky Orange Ginger Wings

Posted on January 25, 2019 by conniejean

from Joanna Smith of www.fedandfulfiled.com/sweet-sticky-orange-ginger-wings/

A big, Happy New Year, to everyone. If you’re like most people you are now 25 days into whatever diet you decided to do after the excesses of the holiday season. I have renewed my plan to eat paleo but also, it’s near the end of the month and the Super Bowl is coming so I was looking around for something I could make or serve, that didn’t seem like diet food.

These wings really hit the spot. As the title suggests, they’re sweet and sticky with just a hint of heat from the ginger, so perfect for kids as well as adults. This recipe is already Auto Immune Protocol (AIP) ready but I changed some things up to make it paleo as well.

Sweet and Sticky Orange Ginger Wings serves 4 – 6

Hardware

Cutting Board

Medium Mixing Bowl

1 cookie sheet

1 – 2 wire racks (like for cooling cookies)

Small saucepan

Zester

Large Knife

1 Cup Measuring cup

Measuring Spoons

Large Spoon

Ingredients

For the Chicken Wings

2 lbs of chicken wings, thawed (I used a bag of wings from Walmart which was 4 pounds, so double what this recipe makes.)

2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch (Optional)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

½ teaspoon sea salt

For the Orange Ginger Garlic Sauce

¾ cup orange juice (use whatever you have but here in Arizona it’s orange season and I was able to juice some lovely totally ripe oranges from a friend’s tree. It took about 4 oranges.)

½ cup coconut aminos (a substitute is soy sauce, but if you’re going for gluten free, use the gluten free kind.)

¼ cup apricot preserves (again, to keep it paleo and gluten free I made my own by finely chopping dried apricots, covering with water, and simmering until the water was just about gone. The result isn’t really jam, but the liquid is thick and sticky and acts enough like the preserves to use as a substitute. No sugar or honey needed, the fruit is plenty sweet enough.)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon orange zest (removed from one of the oranges before juicing. It will need the whole orange.)

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon raw honey

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon arrowroot starch, to thicken

¼ cup chopped scallions, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Grease a wire, oven-safe rack and place it over a baking sheet.

Put chicken wings on a plate and dry with a paper towel.

Mix together arrowroot starch, ginger, garlic, and sea salt and lightly dust the chicken wings. Toss to coat. Place wings in a single layer on wire rack.

Bake wings for 45 minutes, or until cooked through. I flipped my wings once part way through cooking. Turn oven broiler on and broil for 5 more minutes, until skin is crispy.

While wings are baking, whisk sauce ingredients together (except for arrowroot and scallions) in a saucepan and ring to a low boil over medium heat.

Turn down to low and simmer sauce for 8 – 10 minutes, then whisk in the arrowroot starch and allow to thicken for an additional 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallions.

In a bowl, toss baked wings in the orange sauce and top with extra chopped scallions. Note: I thought only half of the sauce was needed. I stored the rest for later use.

It’s a lot of steps but each one is very easy. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Chicklets in the Kitchen. Do you have a favorite chicken dish to serve family or guests? Please tell us about it in the comments box below if you feel so inclined.

My name is Connie Cockrell and I write SciFi, Fantasy, Mysteries, and a lot of other things and you can find links to all of my books at www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com.

New Year, Mom, Releases, New Promo: Monday Blog Post

Posted on January 7, 2019 by conniejean

Newest News:

The new year is here and for me, it comes with some sadness. As I mentioned last week, my mom was in bad condition. She passed away, just about 7am, on New Year’s Eve. Since then I’ve been up to my chin in all of the things that have to be done when someone in your family dies. Way too many things, I think, for people who are grieving. No matter. Later this week I’ll fly back to New York and say farewell to my mother with my sister and brothers, friends and other family.

Other new year news. Both of my stories, Gold Dreams and Slave Elf are being edited. Slave Elf is already back to me. (Bless you, Katarina, for working over the holidays!) I’ll have it out in February for all of you fantasy fans. It’s going to be highly edited from the raw story you read on my blog so if you’d like to see the changes, be alert for my published announcement!

The other book is my western, Gold Dreams. That is still with my editor, EJ. **Waves at EJ** It’s a novelette and is also based on my short stories released on the blog. Again, changes from the raw stories you read there. I want to have that done in about 2 weeks. So stay tuned.

Giveaways:

The Christmas Giveaway is over and soon the Valentine’s day giveaway will be up, then I’ll notify my winners.

In the meantime, I’m in a promotion with 19 other women writers on Book Funnel. You can check out the books here. There are romances, mysteries, shifter stories and even a non-fiction. Don’t miss out. These are all free for a short time.

Where Will I Be?

I’m at the Black Canyon Heritage park on January 26th. Stop on by and check out both my books and the other author’s books. Should be a lot of fun!

Newsletter Sign Up:

Click here to sign up for my newsletter. I’ve put sign-up gifts on the regular and the SciFi/Fantasy and the Cozy Mystery newsletter sign-ups. That’s right. If you sign up for my newsletter you get a free story from me. Be prepared for fun and contests! Click on the video link for a short video from me. Hear what I’m working on. Join my “A” Team to be the first to read my books and hear what new books are coming.

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

The Gulliver Station ebook box set released July 30th, 2018. It is finally up on all of my other retailers in ebook format. You can buy it at Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Smashwords today. You can also see all my books on https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/my-books-and-other-published-work/. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for reading my blog. Like all of the other work I do as an author, it takes time and money. If you enjoy this Monday blog and the Friday free story and the recipe I put up on the 25th of every month, consider donating to https://www.paypal.me/ConniesRandomThought. I appreciate any donation to help support this blog.

Cilantro-Lime Salmon Over Cauliflower Rice and Peas: Chicklets in the Kitchen Post

Posted on December 25, 2018 by conniejean

Cilantro-Lime Salmon Over Cauliflower Rice and Peas

It’s Christmas and if you’re reading this on Christmas Day, you’re probably all set to eat your holiday dinner. Whether that’s a standing rib roast, a glazed ham, the feast of the seven fishes or some combination thereof, it’s probably over the top, heavy on the fats and sugars, and enough to put you in a food coma. The day after tomorrow is left overs, of course. But sometime before the final bingeing of New Year’s Eve, you more than likely want something a little lighter. This may be what you’re looking for.

I was watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman and she made a Cilantro-Lime Rice and Salmon dinner. I like salmon, and in my house, we don’t eat fish as much as we should. This recipe sounded perfect. I modified it to be paleo, and this is what I came up with. Feel free to make adjustments to fit your family’s tastes. This is easy and fast to make and very easy to be made to feed 2 people or a big crowd.

Cilantro-Lime Salmon over Cauliflower Rice and Peas feeds 3 with leftovers

Hardware

Cutting Board

Medium Mixing Bowl

1 Large and 1 Medium Frying Pan

Zester

Large Knife

1 Cup Measuring cup

Measuring Spoons

Large Spoon

Ingredients

Salmon

2 Limes, zested, juiced

1/2 bunch Cilantro, minced

1 1/2 each 12 oz packages Riced Cauliflower

1 cup frozen Peas

1 cup Gluten Free Soy Sauce

Oil for Cooking (I used Olive Oil)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut salmon into serving size pieces. Salt and pepper both sides. (If you’ve purchased your salmon already portioned, even better!)

Check out Chicklets In The Kitchen for all of the directions.

It’s a lot of steps but each one is very easy. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Chicklets in the Kitchen. Do you have a favorite fish dish to serve family or guests? Please tell us about it in the comments box below if you feel so inclined.

My name is Connie Cockrell and I write SciFi, Fantasy, Mysteries, and a lot of other things and you can find links to all of my books at www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com.

Christmas, Book Review, Mom: Monday Blog Post

Posted on December 24, 2018 by conniejean

Newest News:

Whoo, Whoo! Christmas Eve is here! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. Whatever your family tradition, I wish you peace, love, and happiness.

Often I am honored to receive a book from another author and by accepting them, I get to immerse myself in all sorts of wonderful stories. Recently, I’ve finished The Angel’s Daughter, by Jody Sharp. It’s the first book in her Mystic Bay series and I was just blown away by the premise. Here’s how Jody describes it:

A secret lies in Mystic Bay California and only two people know it. First there’s Hannah O’Ryan, a tender curly-headed half-angel. Then there’s her father, Gabe an effervescent, teddy bear of a full-blooded angel. And it’s up to Hannah to keep the secret safe. But she’s made a colossal mistake telling her ex-boyfriend and writing Professor, Sam Blakley. Now he’s written a book exposing the secret to the world. What will happen to her angel father? What can Hannah really do to stop this? With her special tears, animal ESP and a surprising gift she doesn’t know she has, will Hannah be able to thwart Sam’s efforts? With her new love Josh and her beloved Mystic Bay behind her, Hannah finds her very angelness can make all the difference. Maybe she’ll even get to fly again like she does in all her dreams.

I loved the premise and the story and what a great read for Christmas time. Or, really, anytime you want a full dose of charming, heart-warming, and wonderful. The book is a 2017 winner of 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading by TheAuthorsShow.com, so it’s not just me saying this is a great book. Pick it up at the Amazon link above. You won’t be sorry.

Mom has been doing well this past week. As I’m writing this, she’s in her room, looking at old photo albums. She’s looking forward to Christmas and is quite comfortable.

Giveaways:

There’s still time to get in on the Christmas Giveaway! We have $120 in PayPal cash as the Grand Prize and from the individual authors, 81 books and 81 prizes. Hoo! Get in on it quickly! You can go here to check it out. https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday: Monday Blog Post

Posted on November 26, 2018 by conniejean

Newest News:

So, Thanksgiving is over. We had my brother-in-law over and his nephew-in-law, so there were just five of us. It was a quiet conversation and quiet dinner. The rest of the weekend was also quiet. We did not participate in Black Friday or even small business Saturday. Hope your Thanksgiving holiday was everything you wanted it to be.

Now we’re officially into the Christmas season. I’ve given brief thought to putting up decorations. Hubby even volunteered to get on the outdoor lights. I’ve created a list of small things for the hubby as he asked me not to get a big gift. We just spent almost $1000 on an Apple computer and a writing piece of software (which only works on Apple products), so I’ve already received my gift. I do have a few ideas, more than most years, for the hubs, so I’m hoping to use Cyber Monday to get those gifts. I don’t have any sales up at the moment, but if you’re looking at books for some of the people on your gift list, don’t forget to check https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/my-books-and-other-published-work/. I have mugs and a 2019 calendar in addition to my books.

I want to remind you that tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. Whatever your favorite charity, think about making a donation to them this holiday season.

I’ve given up on reaching 50,000 words this National Novel Writing Month. My plan was good but my execution was dismal. No matter. I’ll go back to my normal writing schedule and it will all get done eventually.

Next appearance is in December, the Mesa Book Festival. That’s December 8th. You can find all of the details at https://mesabookfestival.com/.

Giveaways:

The Christmas Giveaway is live! We have $120 in PayPal cash as the Grand Prize and from the individual authors, 81 books and 81 prizes. Hoo! Get in on it quickly! You can go here to check it out. https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

National Novel Writing Month, Giveaway: Monday Blog Post

Posted on November 19, 2018 by conniejean

Newest News:

Have rewritten the parts of the story that I lost but I’ve missed several days writing. I figure at this point in the month, to make 50k words, I need to write 3,000 words per day without missing a day. Can it be done? Sure. Will my schedule handle it? Ummmmm. We’ll see. On the bright side, I’m nearing the end of my western. I’ve finished my horror, but am short about 500 words for the minimum. I’ll certainly get to my 3rd All About Bob and into the 4th one if I can keep the pace. Cross your fingers for me.

A reminder that I’ve finished my 2019 calendar. Arizona is such a beautiful place and a calendar of pictures from central AZ fits in so well with my Jean Hays series, I really just can’t resist sharing. Now that it’s completed, you can find the calendar on Lulu. Just click on the link and purchase as many copies as you want for yourself, friends and family. Feel free to share the link, and this post!

Next appearance is in December, the Mesa Book Festival. That’s December 8th. You can find all of the details at https://mesabookfestival.com/.

Stood on the scale this morning after missing the last 2 weeks. I’ve gained 8 pounds in two weeks?!?! What? Ugh. And Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet.

Giveaways:

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Mystery at the Reunion, Paleo, Calendar: Monday Blog Post

Posted on October 29, 2018 by conniejean

Newest News:

Saw a contest for mysteries and thought my cozy, Mystery at the Reunion, might be a good fit. The site is called InkShares and I’ve never used that site. So, I figure, what the heck, right! Anyway, I’m putting chapters from the story up over there and I can win the contest by getting people to read the story. So here’s the link. https://www.inkshares.com/books/mystery-at-the-reunion. I’d appreciate it if you’d go over and have a read. At the end, I’ve been putting up alternative chapters from Dwight’s point of view. It fleshes him out a little better and makes the story a little more interesting. I introduced a new plot line in his voice. We’ll see how that goes.

I also bit the bullet and am reformatting my Gulliver Station box set for Smashwords. Sunday I managed to remove all formatting from the entire set and get the title page, the table of contents, and the first book, A New Start in there and formatted. I’ve linked the TOC with A New Start chapter headings as well. So that’s done. Three books to go and the endmatter. Then I’ll try to get it up on Smashwords again.

Still keeping up with my celery but being kind of hit or miss with the rest of the paleo diet. Those dang candy bars keep calling my name. And, we went to a Halloween party on Saturday, so of course there was wine. Anyway, I’ll keep plugging away at it. How about you? What goal are you working on?

National Novel Writing Month, NaNo for short, starts November 1st. I’m prepping to write in my All About Bob series. I have to finish book 3 then write books 4 and 5. If I stay focused, I can do all of that. The stories are meant to be novelette/novella length, so totally do-able. I’m also leading a write-in for my local chapter of the Arizona Professional Writers. This should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. That’s scheduled for November 21st.

Next appearance is in December, the Mesa Book Festival. That’s December 8th. You can find all of the details at https://mesabookfestival.com/.

Giveaways:

The 2018 Halloween giveaway is now open. You can join in the fun at https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. There’s $80+ as a Grand Prize Paypal cash, plus books and other prizes.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

The Gulliver Station ebook box set released July 30th, 2018. You can buy it at Amazon today. You can also see all my books on https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/my-books-and-other-published-work/. If you’ve read any of my books, please drop a short, honest, review on the site where you bought it or on Goodreads. It’s critical to help me promote the books to other readers. Thanks in advance.

5 Minute Perfect Paleo Sandwich Bread: Chicklets in the Kitchen Post

Posted on October 25, 2018 by conniejean

Paleo Sandwich Bread

We’re headed into the fall and one of the best things is roasted meat. You know—roast chicken, roast beef, roast pork, all the best things about cooler weather. And after the meal, what to do with the left-over meat? Sandwiches of course!

But if you’re on a gluten free or paleo lifestyle like I am, sandwiches are tough. Of course you can do a lettuce wrap. I like those, especially in the summer. But for cold weather, I like something a little heartier. And this bread fills the bill.

If you’re looking for a giant slice of bread, this isn’t going to be it. But taken as is, it’s tasty, holds together well, (especially lightly toasted), and easy to make. So give this a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Note: I took this recipe from the Paleo and Gluten Free Eats website. Find more tasty recipes there at https://paleoglutenfree.com/recipes/5-min-perfect-paleo-sandwich-bread/

5 Minute Perfect Paleo Sandwich Bread

Hardware

Bread Pan, 4.5 X 8.5 inches

Parchment Paper

Mixing Bowl

1 Cup Measuring cup

1/2 Cup Measuring cup

Measuring Spoons

Large Spoon

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup Almond Flour

3 Tablespoons Psyllium Husk Powder

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

4 Large Eggs

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Apple Sauce

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

See the rest at Chicklets in the Kitchen

Thanks for stopping by Chicklets in the Kitchen. Do you have a favorite bread to serve family or guests? Please tell us about it in the comments box below if you feel so inclined.

My name is Connie Cockrell and I write SciFi, Fantasy, Mysteries, and a lot of other things and you can find links to all of my books at www.ConniesRandomThoughts.com.

Story Updates, Getting Healthy, National Novel Writing Month: Monday Blog Post

Posted on October 22, 2018 by conniejean

On our dinner cruise. Laughlin, Nevada

Newest News:

Last week was a mess for me, how about you? I never did get around to any of my writing projects other than getting Friday’s flash fiction story up. Everything else was consumed by doctor appointments and a trip to Laughlin, Nevada. We do, occasionally, do what hubby likes and take the occasional trip. It was fun, and we took mom. She enjoys the casino too. We had river boat dinner cruise, which was nice. Then some gambling before bed. Then we came home the next day. A very quick trip. Check my video at https://youtu.be/dFUhYL62mNg for a complete run down on the projects.

I started my paleo again starting yesterday. It was a constant battle to not get into the candy. Bad habit, that. Anyway, had a good breakfast of a hash with veggies and left-over roast chicken thighs. Lunch was a salad, with more chicken. Supper was a chicken chili that hubby made. It had beans in it which are not paleo, but I didn’t want to disappoint him. It was tasty. He got the recipe from the winner of the Pine-Strawberry chili cook-off winner. So, it had to be good. Right? Oh, and I juiced some carrot, orange, lemon and ginger for a shot of anti-inflammatory, and a whole bunch of celery, for a glass of celery juice. It also has great anti-inflammatory properties that as a hypo-thyroid sufferer, I can use. It’s also high in minerals. Good for chasing down the body’s toxins and getting rid of them. You can check the whole story on celery juice at http://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/celery-juice. Last time I went strict Paleo, I lost 20 pounds. Wouldn’t it be great if I did that again!

Next appearance is in December, the Mesa Book Festival. That’s December 8th. You can find all of the details at https://mesabookfestival.com/.

Giveaways:

The 2018 Halloween giveaway is now open. You can join in the fun at https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. There’s $80+ as a Grand Prize Paypal cash, plus books and other prizes.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

Beets, Calendar, Book Signing: Monday Blog Post

Posted on October 15, 2018 by conniejean

Beets, Ready for the oven

Newest News:

Is there a food or foods your family doesn’t like? At my house, I’m never a fan of lima beans, butter beans or liver. On the other hand, I love beets, and so does my mom. We both love the color, the texture and the flavor. So now that she’s staying with us, I decided one day last week to make beets. I think the best way to deal with fresh beets is to bake them. So, while I’m prepping them for the oven, hubby comes over to the sink where I’m scrubbing them then giving them a nice coat of olive oil before I pop them in the oven.

Hubby: You paid money for those?

Me: Yeah. Beets are great.

Hubby: Well, if you say so.

Obviously, the hubs isn’t a fan of beets. That’s okay. When I took them out of the oven, I cut the tops and roots off and slipped the peels off, then sliced them. Mom and I ate all three of them. Yum.

This weekend, October 13th and 14th, I was at the Pine/Strawberry Fall Festival. I had a lot of fun hanging out all weekend, talking to the attendees about books and even sold some. Hope you had a great, fun filled weekend as well.

Next appearance is in December, the Mesa Book Festival. That’s December 8th. You can find all of the details at https://mesabookfestival.com/.

Giveaways:

The 2018 Halloween giveaway is now open. You can join in the fun at https://conniesrandomthoughts.com/giveaways-and-prizes/. There’s $80+ as a Grand Prize Paypal cash, plus books and other prizes.

Newsletter Sign Up:

Don’t forget to follow my blog, too. Different material goes in the blog as in the newsletter. You can share both, so spread the word!

Newest Book Release:

ConniesRandomThoughts

Thoughts and Activities About My Writing

Category Archives: Every Day Life

Sweet and Sticky Orange Ginger Wings

New Year, Mom, Releases, New Promo: Monday Blog Post

Christmas, Book Review, Mom: Monday Blog Post

Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday: Monday Blog Post

National Novel Writing Month, Giveaway: Monday Blog Post

Mystery at the Reunion, Paleo, Calendar: Monday Blog Post

Story Updates, Getting Healthy, National Novel Writing Month: Monday Blog Post

Beets, Calendar, Book Signing: Monday Blog Post