More than usual, I have a case of the Sundays. A super fun weekend is coming to a close and it’s making me very grateful that I scheduled myself on PTO Wednesday afternoon for a little mom time. Weather pending, I’m grabbing my Kindle and heading to the beach for a few hours. Fingers crossed the weather holds out. If it doesn’t, I’ll probably just stay at work because being at home with the contractors on WEEK NINE of our THREE WEEK bathroom renovation just doesn’t sound appealing.
Can ya blame me? But, I do think it’ll be worth the wait. Fingers crossed.
Yesterday was a JAM packed day of summer fun, starting with a boat rental in the morning. We cruised down Lake Michigan about 4 miles south of the pier to where our neighborhood beach is and can I just say how grateful it made me for the little beach that we do have. The erosion of the bluff here in St. Joseph, Michigan is scary. Land is just dropping into the water and attempts to limit the damage have been futile, it seems.
Anyway…the boat was a blast and Piper LOVED going fast. Shea loved being in the river and jumping off the back of the boat again and again and again. The girl continues to love swimming and all things water. Of course little sis hopped in on the fun. We had Pandora synced with the boat’s Bluetooth and just rocked out! A very fun morning followed by naps and an impromptu visit from my little brother, Uncle Bubbie.
We eventually headed out to the local youth fair which is BIG STUFF in our neck of the woods. As a Chicago native, I am forever interested in the whole world of livestock, show animals, fair food…the whole bit. My little Piper fearlessly walked up to HUGE goats and fed them fistful after fistful of green stuff (hay?). She may find her calling with animals – we’ll see. The girls then demolished huge fair corn dogs and tasteless French fries while the grandparents, Mark, and I were on ketchup damage control. Mark and I sent the grandparents home with the kids for baths and bed while we headed out for a healthy little dinner of salad and crab cakes with a nice, cold IPA on the river. Perfection.
Today is back to the grind – grocery shopping, lunches, laundry, and hockey. As I was planning the weekly menu this morning, I was hoping to run across something for the grill that piqued my interested. Problem is, I’m comparing everything to this gem of a recipe and nothing made the cut. This marinade is fantastic and the Mango-Avocado Salsa makes this meal so very light and summer-y. Big time flavor and beautiful colors – it’s sure to please!
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1-inch thickness
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 mangoes, diced
- 2 avocados, diced
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeno
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp lime zest
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp salt
- Combine marinade ingredients, orange juice through cilantro in a medium bowl and whisk well. Remove ½ cup to a separate container to reserve for grilling. Add chicken to remaining marinade and flip chicken to fully coat. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Prepare grill grates by brushing with oil. Preheat grill to 450 degrees F. Once hot, add chicken and cook 8-10 minutes, brushing with reserved marinade. Flip chicken and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until cooked through, brushing with remaining reserved marinade.
- Meanwhile, combine mango, avocado, onion, and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Top with orange juice, olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, and salt; gently stir to combine.
- Serve 6 ounces of chicken with ¼ of the salsa.
Weekly Menu: August 19th – 23rd
- Sunday: Shrimp and Avocado Garlic Bread with salad
- Monday: Beef tacos/taco salad, guacamole, rice, refried beans, corn
- Tuesday: Zucchini-Pesto Sausage Pizzas with salad
- Wednesday: leftovers/clean out the fridge/freezer
- Thursday: Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Chipotle Sauce
Be well,
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