Sweet apricot glazed chicken and kugel

I can count the amount of days until I am married on two hands and a few toes. I don't know if this reflects from my love of cooking, but I love DIY projects. I mean, cooking is kind of like a DIY project: you need supplies, a crafting area and preparation time. Unless you take pictures, you have nothing to show for cooking DIY, but the DIY that I am working on now is for my wedding.

Here is a list of what I am doing/have done:

1) Type up program text
2) Buy 40 packets of certain, special paper at Joann Fabrics *This entailed me driving all over the DC/Baltimore/Eastern Shore area yesterday---120 miles! and My Mom driving all over the Pittsburgh metro area---but we did it! Sorry for depleting you, Joann Fabrics.
3) Working on our top, secret place cards
4) Typing up the menu---its done! Just needs to be printed tomorrow

I give a lot of credit to people who do ALL of their wedding projects by hand. Not only does it take a lot of cashola, it takes a lot of patience and creativity. Its not like making a cake---ONE cake, its making 183 programs, 183 menus... you got the idea!

I mean, I was given the option of just ordering programs from a professional crafter on Etsy, but I love crafting, so I figured, heck...why not! I trust my creativity!

Anyhow, that is where I stand. My goal for this week is to have the menu printed and then to finish the table place cards.

I'm so behind on blogging, its not even a remote bit funny, but I continue to take pictures, so I plan to update completely today and tomorrow.

I'm not sure of exactly when Shannon and I met, but we met at Chabad House and it has been love ever since :-) We've hung out often, but I wish more! We even went on a Birthright trip to Israel together. Israel is phenomenal...except for their schwarma, I ate so much when I was there, I haven't been able to eat it since.

Anyhow, along with a beautiful, special, personalized present, Shannon presented me with a recipe for Apricot Glazed Chicken. Okay, let me just say...this was DELICIOUS. After mixing up the glaze ingredients, I did my little trick of marinating the three breasts of chicken in a Pyrex bowl (rather than baking pan). I poked holes in the chicken with a fork, and submersed it in the apricot goodness. I marinated for about three hours and then followed the recipe and baked!



Daniel and I both loved this recipe. The taste was so good, and it was easy to make. I would suggest making it with a basmati rice OR... the Applesauce and Apricot Kugel recipe from Dan's Mom.

So, if it was normal and/or healthy to do so...I would have eaten the entire pan of kugel by myself before Dan even saw it. Let's just say this tastes like dessert for a side dish. Dan's Mom suggested this recipe for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) because it is sweet and fruity...a sweet start to the New Year. This was so good!



Bon appetit!