Now that the weather is warmer, I have started walking my daughter to and from school. Actually, she mostly rides her bike with her friends in the morning and in the afternoons, I walk down to the school to make sure she safely gets through the mass of big kids on bikes on the way home. She loves the freedom. I like that I can still keep an eye on her as she starts to spread the wings of freedom.
Yesterday, while I was walking to the school, I came upon three baby armadillos rooting in the new mulch at the bottom of a tree. I don’t know how old they were, they were about half the size of a full grown adult. There was no mama nearby watching over them. I have never seen these creatures up close, so I stopped and watched them for a while.
I don’t know if you have read Jan Brett’s Armadillo Rodeo, but apparently, armadillos don’t see very well. These little guys kept coming closer and closer to me, until they were mere inches from my feet. I was standing on a sidewalk next to a well trafficked street near the end of school. Worried for their safety, I clapped my hands and tried to get them to move back toward the woods. It didn’t work. In fact, like the little armadillo character from the book, one of them seemed to think I was calling him closer.
I finally had to leave in order to make it to the school on time. When I saw one of my daughters friends, I called to her and told her about the little animals. She ran down the sidewalk with a few other friends and stomped through the woods looking for them. I think the commotion was finally enough to get those armadillos back to safety.
In Florida, the most common road kill is armadillos. I didn’t want to see those guys end up that way. Perhaps that is what happened to their mother. At least they are old enough to know how to find food on their own. It was funny how they used their armor plated snouts to dig in the soft dirt for bugs.
This cozy hash was perfect for a cooler, rainy night such as we had this week. Spring storms are a welcome break from the dry winter months, but I don’t fully appreciate having to put a sweater on in April. I have to keep reminding myself that summer will be here all too soon and with it, the dreaded sauna weather.
Frugal Tip: Dishes like this hash that call for potatoes and sweet potatoes are some of the most frugal meals around. Simply add as many potatoes as there are people to feed. You don’t have to add more meat. Cooking the meat and the potatoes at the same time allows the vegetables to take on the flavor of the meat.
1. Info for Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Servings: 4
- Calories: 294kcal
2. Ingredients for Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 4-5 potatoes, diced
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed
3. Directions:
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil.
- Add chicken, onion, celery, green pepper and both kinds of t potatoes.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- Watch that it doesn’t burn.
- Add seasonings.
- Uncover and continue cooking and stirring until potatoes are soft, another 10-15 minutes.
4. Tips and advices:
- Cook times depends on the size you cut your chicken and potatoes. The smaller you cut them, the faster they cook. Poke the potatoes with a fork to judge ‘doneness.’
