Libby's Day and a Recipe

I've gotten so into the habit of keeping busy on the weekends now that I finally realized how tired I was. Tired of spending my Saturdays cleaning and rushing around to get everything done--house and yard, etc. Tired of the list of projects a mile long that I want to accomplish before I die. That sort of tired.

And, well, after last Saturday's episode with the Libster I thought maybe she'd begun feeling neglected. I have a very emotionally demanding puppy, ya know. She demands a ton of affection and has this insatiable NEED to be with me, near me, touching me. I tell her all the time that were she a guy I'd have dumped her by now. But she's just a very naturally clingy gal. She loves her mama and needs quality time. With all the painting, going here and  yon, cleaning and yard work I haven't been as attentive as I once was. Maybe that's what the whole peeing on my bedroom carpet thing was all about.

So because I have this co-dependant relationship with my pup I promised her her very own day. Libby's Day! Even though I didn't get my own Mama's Day last Sunday because pup mamas aren't real mama's doncha know.

I still had to do the laundry and clean up the kitchen but I spaced out those projects so that there were long naps for Libby snuggled against me while I read or flipped the channel. (Did you know that there is NOTHING interesting on television on Saturday mornings??) I also baked a pie for church lunch Sunday. But I worked that in after a long traipse outside so she didn't feel robbed.

We snacked on banana bread and the last of the peanut clusters. (I suck the chocolate off the peanuts and let her eat them. ha!) We opened the windows and let the fresh cool air in and barked at the noisy neighbors. She licked my feet while I folded towels. (I got them out of the dryer the same day they went in. Winning!)

And at the end of the day I felt well rested and Libby seemed happy. So I'm declaring it a good day.

Also at the end of the day, I threw some boneless chicken thighs in my new crock pot (I caved and bought one for $13) to cook overnight. Hawaiian BBQ pulled chicken, to be exact. (recipe to follow) I was fixing it for the lunch at church and it had to cook on low for 8-10 hours so I just let it cook overnight.

That sucker woke me up at 3:30 am smellin' so yummy I almost got outta bed and went to dig in. I didn't though. First thing when I got up I went in to check on it, declared it done and tried a bite. It was meh. I used too much liquid and it was soupy. I'll hafta try it again without tall the liquid and maybe cut back on the cook time. It was seriously fall apart done.

When I went to get Libby up, pup came into the kitchen and started barking at the crock pot. Poor gal must've been tortured by the yummy smells all night too! So I rushed outside to do her business and she RUSHED back into the house and started barking at the crock pot again.

Being the over-indulgent puppymama that I am, I fixed her a plate of it and she declared it THE BESTEST THING EVER!!! So I had to give her some more, of course.

Later on when I was loading the car to go to church she got so desolate when I carried the crock pot out. And was so THRILLED when I brought it back in with me three hours later. lol

So, of course, I had to give her another couple of bowls of it as I had a bit of it left over. I'm still kinda meh about it but Mama agreed with Libby that it was good. So *shrugs* must just be me.

Libster and I spent the rest of Sunday afternoon cuddled up in the recliner--me reading while she alternated between sleeping and bathing my face in abject adoration.

And that was my weekend of Libby.

Now, because I'm a recipe ho and I want ya'll to try the chicken recipe and give me your verdict, here it is: This was pulled from The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen (a contributor's recipe)

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken

3lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts or thighs or a mix of the two--thawed (I used thighs just shy of 3lbs and it made a LOT of chicken)
1 whole large onion cut into chunks
1 18-20oz  can of pineapple chunks or crushed (I accidentally picked up crushed)
1 whole bottle of your favorite bbq sauce (I used Kraft's Thick and Spicy Brown Sugar)

Trim any remaining fat/skin from the chicken and place in the bottom of the crock pot. Toss onions on top of chicken. Top onions with the drained pineapple and cover it all with bbq sauce. If you want a sweeter bbq, pour in some of the pineapple juice. Cook in crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. Two hours before it's "done" pull chicken apart using two forks. (I used my tongs.)

Serve on buns or rolls.

I think where I messed up is that it was late and I was tired when I did it so I didn't let the pineapple drain entirely. Since it was crushed instead of chunky it needed to sit in the colander for a bit to drain completely and I just kinda smooshed it around a bit and drained as much as I could. Hence, too much liquid. And also, with that long of a cooking time, the pineapple was completely dissolved and the onions just about. So it was more like a bbq-ish chicken soup than what I think of as pulled chicken. (a play off of pulled pork.)

Next time (if I can ever again afford an $8 pack of chicken) I plan to season and seer the chicken in the skillet first to give it a little more flavor before placing it into the crock pot. I'll also double check my pineapple to make SURE it's chunks and not crushed. ALSO, I don't think I'll cook it as long. Maybe cook it for five hours on low and check it.

As far as first time crock pot use goes, I think it wasn't bad. Mama and Libs both liked it. But then again, those two will eat ANYTHING. ;-)

Up tomorrow I'll share my "undying devotion enducing" chocolate pie. I think if I made this pie for an unmarried man he'd probably propose--the preacher's 8-year-old son almost got down on one knee yesterday! lol