Maple Cider Chicken

Fall is my favorite time of the year here in Ohio. Beautiful weather, especially in October, and so many great seasonal ingredients for cooking to choose from. I love coming up with recipes that can be cooked in one dish or pot. Less cleanup is always a good  thing! Bone in chicken breasts can be substituted for the thighs if you prefer. The leftovers from this make a nice salad, over chopped romaine, with a little balsamic vinaigrette dressing (to which you can also add a touch of maple syrup, to compliment the dish) Use only REAL pure maple syrup (http://www.purecanadamaple.com/) for this recipe!

Maple Cider Chicken

4 cups peeled and chopped (into 1” cubes) sweet potatoes
4 cups peeled and chopped granny smith apples
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves chopped garlic
2 lbs chicken thighs (with skin and bone)
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter, chopped in small cubes

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 5 quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine  sweet potatoes, apples, onion and garlic in the baking dish. Place chicken thighs on top.Combine apple cider and maple syrup and pour over chicken. Season the whole dish with salt and pepper and sprinkle the chicken with chopped sage. Sprinkle butter cubes over everything. Bake for 60-75 minutes until chicken is cooked through (larger thighs will take a little longer)

Fairy Tale Pumpkins

This project couldn't be easier, and they make great holiday decorations. Fun to do with the kids too, but be prepared for a huge mess. Spread lots of newspaper!
  All that you need is a bottle of all purpose craft glue,  paint brushes, an assortment of glitter, and small pumpkins.
  Wash and dry your pumpkins. Pour the craft glue into a small bowl. Using a paintbrush, brush the glue onto you pumpkin, then start sprinkling with glitter. Make sure it's thoroughly covered. Rotate the pumpkin by the stem. I like to let them dry on an old plate or non-stick tinfoil. Don't let them dry on the newspaper, too much chance of the glue sticking to the paper.