THURSDAY

Sticky Miso Chicken Wings  |  Kale Salad  |  Creamy Miso Dressing

And this was how I began today, with a very large, deep breath…

Today was one of those days…you know the kind…when you wake up before the alarm because your head is swimming with thoughts of the day ahead.  So much to do, yet so little time.  Let’s see…

• 7:30am – Maddie leaves for high school.
• 7:40am – I leave to take Max & Mallory to school & then head over to Maddie’s high school {after a stop at Whole Foods to pick up a Cashew Milk with Cinnamon & Agave, in lieu of a coffee}.
• 8:45am – meet Maddie {and her truck} at school to drive to Ford dealership in Novato to have truck checked out before our long haul to Southern California next week.
• 9:15am – drop off truck at dealership and make our way to the barn in Petaluma so Maddie can ride, etc.
• 9:45am – drop Maddie at the barn and get “list of needed items” to bring to the equine vet’s office…my next stop.
• 10:00am – arrive at vet’s office to a greeting similar to the one Norm received at Cheers {remember, one of our horses had surgery this winter…we know the medical staff very well!}.  Pick up items on Maddie’s “list”, PAY BILL, chat with a charming rancher  who had an ailing horse {and he was so  Irish…I could barely understand him with that lovely brogue}.  Head back to the barn with veterinary provisions.
• 10:30am – arrive back at barn, plug-in earphones and begin hiking the ranch driveway {4 miles round-trip}.  The good news…the hike out is pretty much all downhill.  The bad news…yep, the return trip is pretty much all uphill!  In horse-speak…I completely engaged my hind end on this walk!
• 11:45am – arrive back at barn and drink a gallon of water.  Visit Mallory’s pony {and sneak him a few carrots….sshhh, he is on a strict diet}, pry Maddie away from her horse and begin the trip South, towards home.
• 12:45pm – arrive at Whole Foods, Mill Valley to pick up lunch at the salad bar as well as kale for this evening’s dinner salad.
• 1:15pm – HOME!  for a quick lunch.  Maddie is off to study for her calculus class tonight {6:00-9:00pm} at the local junior college.  {Confused?…Madison is a junior in HS but takes chemistry & calculus at the junior college}.  After lunch, I start a load of laundry, vacuum the downstairs rooms {dog hair, you know} and start the chicken wings for dinner.
• 2:45pm – put the chicken wings in the oven & head out to pick up Max & Mallory from school.
• 3:20pm – arrive home from school pick up.  Feed snack to the younger children {buttermilk poundcake with fresh strawberries} & an early dinner {Penne with Simple Tomato Sauce} for Maddie.  Tend to chicken wings in oven, prepare miso sauce for wings as well as Creamy Miso Dressing for salad.  Finish wings and cover with foil, resting on the counter.  Chill Creamy Miso Dressing in the refrigerator.
• 4:30pm – leave home to take Max to 5:00pm baseball practice in Corte Madera {which ends at 6:30pm}, followed by dropping Maddie off in Kentfield at the junior college for her 6:00pm calculus class {Mallory stayed home to do homework}.
•  6:25pm – arrive back at baseball field in Corte Madera to discover that practice is running late :(
• 7:00pm – leave baseball field, stop to gas up the SUV {Maddie needs to take my car tomorrow since her truck is being serviced} and head home.
• 7:30pm – arrive home to toss kale salad and serve chicken wings for dinner {for Michael, Max, Mallory & I} & then clean dishes.
• 8:15pm – leave to go fetch Maddie from the junior college {actually, Michael did this run for me}.
• 9:15pm – arrive home…we are ALL home!
• 9:30pm – finish & fold the laundry started at 1:15pm today.
• 10:00pm – start my blog post :)

Here we are, tonight… a few lines of text {above} reduces the day to almost nothing {but it didn’t feel like nothing}. YET, in the midst of all the chaos, this dinner fit so well and is so simple!  I chose to share my daily schedule to prove that this dinner really can be made on the fly.  The chicken wings can be enjoyed hot out-of-the-oven, room temperature or cold…so make in advance, like I did today, if that is what fits your schedule.  Even the kale salad, with this incredible Creamy Miso Dressing from Heidi at 101 Cookbooks can be prepared in advance and still retains its “crunch” factor.

Creamy Miso Dressing {adapted from 101 cookbooks.com}

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tablespoons, white miso
• 2 tablespoons mirin {can substitute sweet marsala}
• 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2/3 cup plain organic yogurt
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Smash the garlic into a paste using a mortar & pestle.  Stir in the miso, then add the mirin {or sweet marsala} and vinegar & combine until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the cumin and the yogurt, and stir again before finishing with the heavy cream.  Taste and adjust for salt & pepper, if needed.
3. Cover the dressing and refrigerate.  Remove from refrigerator and let come to room temperature 1 hour before tossing into salad.

And now the Sticky Miso Chicken Wings …{I doubled this recipe for our 24 wings}

• 24 chicken wings & legs
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup miso
• 2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
• Cilantro & lime wedges for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings & legs with the oil and season lightly with salt & pepper.  Transfer to a rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake for approximately 50 minutes, turning the chicken pieces half-way through, until they are golden, crispy and cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the miso, grated ginger, Asian fish sauce, cayenne pepper & brown sugar.  Add 6 tablespoons of water and cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
3. Brush the glaze all over the chicken pieces and bake for about 15 minutes longer, until the chicken is golden brown and sticky.  Transfer the chicken to a platter & garnish with cilantro & lime wedges.

Shortly before serving the final dinner plate, toss some freshly chopped kale, red cabbage & julienned carrots with the Creamy Miso Dressing.  Serve with the Chicken Wings…

I KNOW that every one of you reading this post has a similar story to tell…all of our lives are so hectic!  But  I believe Dinner can be the balancing point…even when your schedule gets chaotic.  After a day of over-the-top activity, take-out {or fast food} is NOT the only answer.  With a bit of planning, you can serve your family a wonderful hot meal that will nourish you all!