Cats and Dogs Springtime Wall Hanging

My youngest daughter likes to have a quilted wall hanging in her family room and hinted broadly that she’d like one with some spring colors.  She didn’t have any other ideas and said something with her kids would be OK.  I’ve already made several hangings featuring her kids, so I thought this time it would be nice to feature the pets she has owned since she was married.  I scanned the pictures and then printed them on June Tailor Sew-In Colorfast Fabric Sheets for Ink Jet Printers.

I added borders to the pictures to make 6 inch blocks.

The alternate blocks were simple Diamond in a Square to showcase some beautiful 5 inch florals I had along with some pale green gingham.

For the backing, I used some pink fabric that had been a dress for her daughter a few years ago.  The quilting is simple straight line and stitch-in-the-ditch.  I also made a sleeve (the drapery hooks were used just to take pictures).   The wall hanging measures 30×30 inches.  The label includes pictures of the animals.

The beagle Bailey in the center was her first dog who passed away a few years ago. The rest of the group is still running amuck in her house – the black dog Frank was adopted after he was found abandoned in the neighborhood; Jimmi the Blue Tick Coon Hound came from a local rescue (Recycled Doggies); the cats showed up at her front door on two successive Halloween nights – their names are appropriately Milky Way and Snickers.

My daughter likes having the rest of her “family” featured on a wall hanging.

Bailey’s Chicken Fajitas

My youngest daughter e-mailed this recipe to me in 1998, saying how delicious it was.  She also included a little side story about her beagle, Bailey:

“BTW, last night when I was cutting up the chicken we had a bit of a mishap.  I had cut up two of three chicken breasts, then had to run upstairs for something.  Bill and Bailey were upstairs at the time.  When  I went back downstairs to finish, Bill and Bailey were in the kitchen and I noticed Bill had moved my cutting board way back on the sink.  It had been on the edge when I left.  I said to him, ‘Where’s the chicken breast?’  He looked at me with his mouth open and shook his head.  I said, ‘Where’s the chicken breast that was here?’  He said, ‘There wasn’t any chicken breast there.’  Turns out he had come downstairs to find Bailey licking at the cutting board so he moved it.  Apparently she was licking up the last bit of chicken juice because she had already downed the entire chicken breast!  Raw!  Uncooked!  Bacteria-filled!  Ate the WHOLE thing!  Not to mention I had 1/3 less chicken for our dinner tonight.  She’s a pip.”

Since then, the family has called this dish “Bailey’s Chicken Fajitas”.  She should have waited until it was cooked – it’s very tasty

• Servings: 4
• Print

• Liquid Fajita Marinade (recipe follows)
• 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced in strips
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 flour tortillas, 8″
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)

Cut the chicken breast into thin strips, place in bowl with the Liquid Fajita Marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When ready to prepare the fajitas, heat a small amount of chicken broth in a large skillet.  Add the marinated, drained chicken breast and cook over medium high heat, adding broth as necessary until chicken has cooked through, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Remove chicken strips to another bowl and in the same skillet saute the onion and red pepper slices until tender, adding a small amount of broth as necessary and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat tortillas in the oven or in the microwave and place one tortilla on each of 4 plates.  Divide the chicken strips among the four servings, top each with the grilled onions and red pepper.

Fold the tortillas, place seam-side-down on the plates and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream and 1/4 of the Pico de Gallo.  Serve immediately

Yield:  4 servings

LIQUID FAJITA MARINADE

• 2 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tsp. soy or teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp. A-1 Sauce
• 1 Tblsp.  granulated sugar
• 2 Tblsp. lime juice

Combine all of the above ingredients and mix well.  Pour over chicken strips and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cooking.

PICO DE GALLO

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or other good chopped fresh tomatoes when available)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 slices chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
• 2 Tblsp. lime juice
• 2 Tblsp. olive oil
• Sprinkle of salt
• 2 Tblsp. snipped  fresh cilantro

Mix all of the above ingredients and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, stirring occasionally to blend flavors. 

Sadly, Bailey passed away  in 2005 – leaving us with some amazing memories.