cacti chicken paprika rice

so tonight i made an awesome meal.
if i do say so myself.

im not one for measurements so i will put down what went in and you can go from there!

firstly i used a big flat bottomed with medium sides pan thing with a lid. its usually good for cooking soups in, its really heavy.

in went RAPESEED OIL, not much. then some AGAVE SYRUP, to replace honey i would have used, but the hubster is diabetic. then then went in some SKINLESS AND BONELESS CHOPPED UP CHICKEN THIGHS, and i put the heat on low under it. some more AGAVE on top and a pinch of sea salt flakes and then some SMOKED PAPRIKA called la chinata i think and then some Schwartz regular PAPRIKA. gave it a stir and on went the lid. alot of water comes off chicken so this is good for almost steaming it cooked. i threw in some SESAME SEEDS and about a heaped teaspoon of GARLIC PUREE and left it on low and went to watch tv for a few. i was nipping in and out a bit while i was making this as hubby put Castle on tv. i microwaved a peeled SWEET POTATO till it was softened and cubed it and threw it in the mix with a little added heat. the agave and chicken water was still quite plentiful and the chicken cooking, i turned the heat up a little and prepped the salad on our plates (bistro mix from M&S and sweet pickled gherkins, avocado and those cute mini oval tomatoes for me, and tomatoes and pickled beets for the hubster) and put some UNCLE BENS 2 min WHOLEGRAIN RICE in the microwave for... 2 mins!!! Lid off the chicken mix, starting to loose its liquid now and the sesame and agave mix are starting to go sticky, pour in the rice and stir till its all covered and lovely and mixed and NOM!!!

next time i make this im going to have to make a little more because we could have eaten this twice we loved it so much!!
i basically just threw it together, knowing i wanted paprika and honey chicken, but wanting to do it a little different as i had thighs to use and not breasts, that i would have usually coated and then fried or roasted. but this ones going in the recipe book!
gluten and dairy free!

Center Parcs holiday! part 2!

PENRITH CASTLE... was very small!

PENRITH... Penrith had about 40 pubs in it, and its only a small market town! very few shops, very many pubs, some were closed (and not likely to reopen) but the amount astounded me. i cant believe they had so many! some lovely buildings in Penrith, Red Sandstone is darling!

how cute is this mini pickup 850?!?!


BROUGHAM CASTLE...was huge! and amazing! and wet...

 

this is my 'welcome to my new home' pose haha

 

check out the stairway that now goes nowhere! i try to imagine all the floors and wall hangings and secret passageways and hidden rooms... its hard tho!

 

im suprised i saw these little fellows! 4 floors up on the outside interior castle wall (does that make sense? inside the castle walls, in the court outside...)

 

do you see me in the pic below?? look to my left, theres an old fireplace! this we think was the provate quarters of whoever lived here, theres a 'bathroom' in the opposite corner and it would have been quite out of reach from the battles 4 floors up! imagine the great drapes and tapestrys!

 

just to show you some scale!

check me out being the PERFECT height for the doors! the boyf was about a foot about the doorframe! and had to duck and go thru sideways in some!

 

i love this name!! Ressona!!!