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An ORANGE day!

Today’s post is sponsored by the color Orange!! Okay, well a color can’t sponsor a post, but if it could, I think it would sponsor this post. I’m in the mood for ORANGE: the look, the feeling, and the flavors!

If you’ve been too serious lately and want an easy way to lighten up, then spread a little ORANGE around your life. As a blend of the physicality and raw energy of red and the sheer happiness of yellow, orange becomes truly the color of joy, creativity, and playfulness. Thought to be one of the most energizing colors on the plant, it is often tied to fun times, happy and energetic days, warmth, and organic products. It also a color of choice for many communication companies. Furthermore, orange is known to be associated with a new dawn in attitude. Arkansas has been experiencing higher than average temperatures and extreme drought this summer, but it is finally raining this morning. It feels great! I think that is reason to enough to celebrate by dedicating a post to one of my favorite colors, orange. I actually like the color so much, it is the color that we painted our last house. Seriously, multiple shades of orange. Click here to see my Historic House post. Now, onto more orange-y-ness.

(Click on photo to enlarge into a new window for readability of recipe!)

Let’s start by cleansing our palettes with an orange sorbet using my CuisinArt ice cream machine. It’s a great little machine. Beyond the fact that it’s really quiet, I really enjoy that it is electric and you don’t even have to add rock salt to a bucket, like most machines. Simplicity. Love it!

Let’s also make the house smell great by simmering a pot full of orange slices, rosemary, vanilla and cinnamon sticks, if you have them on hand. I always have more than enough rosemary on hand. One of the first things I did when we bought this new house 2 years ago was plant Rosemary en masse along the front of the house beside the pathway leading to our front door. 20+ Rosemary tiny plants are now growing into a Rosemary hedge. Love it!

ORANGE CHICKEN IN MY CROCKPOT

6 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks
1/3 cup flour
1/2 Tbsp. of salt
1/4 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper (adjust for more or less heat, depending on preferences)
peanut oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 Tbl. ketchup
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup of soy sauce
8-12 Tablespoons of brown sugar (adjust according to how bitter vs. sweet your juice is)
red pepper flakes (I have a heavy hand with these, because we really enjoy the heat)

*Pour the flour, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess.
*Pour a small amount of peanut oil in a skillet and brown the small bites of flour-covered chicken. After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot.
*Mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, ketchup, soy, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.
*Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2.
*I serve this with white rice and steamed broccoli!

CANDIED ORANGE PECANS!

^(click on photo to enlarge into a new window for easier readability!)
Now, for dessert: (actually, we kind of snack on these all throughout the day, too!) This is absolutely one of our favorite recipes; it is from my Gram! I’ve labeled the recipe “secret” recipe, because I don’t usually share this recipe. It’s not a rule to keep it secret, like Mommaw’s praline recipe, you know how some Southern Traditions are, but I usually don’t share this one either. Everyone that has ever tasted these always raves about them and asks for the recipe, to which I reply “Family Secret.” However, I’m just feeling generous, today, so I’m sharing.