There is nothing like staying home for real comfort. ~Jane Austen

There are times when it is just nice to have a day at home.  In our busy world, there are so many great things to do and places to go. And with my sanguine personality, I want to be part of every gathering, every excursion, every activity.  I never want to be left out.  My motto has always been, “Never miss an opportunity for fun”. Yet, there are still times I really enjoy being at home doing homey things.

Making a home cozy is what I dreamed of when I considered what grown-up life would look like. Of course, the reality is always a bit different than expected. But when given the chance, I like to create an environment that I would enjoy sharing with others. One that brings a sense of well-being, beauty and peacefulness. To me, there is actually an element of romance in it all.

Today in my “romantic” endeavors,  I am putting some future dinners in the freezer.  Our local markets all have meat on sale this week so I stocked up.  I divided it out into meal sized portions and added some different marinades to each.  I have created tastes of Italy, Mexico and Greece. There are also some pork chops that will wait for their seasoning until the time of cooking. This will make the days, I must spend out and about having fun, easier and more interesting at dinnertime.  And I won’t be ‘driving through’ when there is something delicious that can easily come from my own kitchen.

This is the recipe for the Mexican Grilled Chicken and is now one of my new favorites.  I have used it on chicken breasts for tacos and salad.  Everyone has enjoyed it–a lot.  I did make some changes to the original.  Instead of Chipotle chili powder, I used 1 teaspoon regular. I also used smoked paprika in place of the plain.

Mexican Grilled Chicken

• 8 chicken thighs or 4 breasts
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chipotle chili powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Juice of 1 lime or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 handful cilantro, rough chopped

1. Put all marinade ingredients in the blender or food processor and liquefy.
2. Put marinade in a gallon-size zip lock bag and add chicken pieces. Turn a few times to distribute marinade.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours I leave it for about 10 hours.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and place on hot grill. Discard marinade.
5. Grill, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.
6. Enjoy!