WHAT’S NEWWITH ME AND MY OWN?
A Few Questions to Ask Before Building a Firepit Firepit Season Is Almost Here!
Spending the last few days with Kyzlee and Zade before she starts school. It’s hard to believe that I have a school-aged daughter. I’m very excited about Kyzlee starting preschool at West Elementary.
September is the last month of summer, and the first month of fall. The days will start to get a lot cooler, and for me that means one thing in particular: It’s firepit season. On a crisp fall evening, nothing quite beats sitting around a firepit with family and friends while drinking a cold beer. Last year, an associate attorney at Littlejohn Law wrote about how he had built a firepit in his backyard during the height of the pandemic, and how it was a place where he felt people could come together for quality time outside. I wholeheartedly agree. I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying sitting around a crackling fire under a canopy of stars. It makes me wonder why everyone doesn’t have a firepit somewhere on their property. However, maybe the reason is just that you haven’t built one yet! While I’m certainly no expert on firepit construction myself, I figured that since it is firepit season, I would offer up a few questions that I found helpful. Have you had a firepit before? If you had a firepit in a previous home, or even while you were growing up, it might color your expectations for the firepit you want. Those expectations are good to know before getting started on construction. How many people do you want to accommodate with your firepit? The size of the gathering that you foresee around your firepit will probably determine where it gets placed in your yard. From which direction is the wind most likely to come into your yard? You might not know the answer to this question, but it’s definitely something to think about. You don’t want to have people sitting where they’ll just get a huge face full of smoke! Do you want a gas-powered or wood-burning firepit? This is basically a question of convenience or aesthetic. It might be nice to just simply flip a switch to get your firepit roaring to life, but many people love the smell and sound of good, old-fashioned burning logs. There are probably a dozen other questions you could ask about getting a firepit in your backyard, but these are just a few to start you off. If you do build a firepit this year, I hope it serves you well as the weather cools down!
Finally able to catch up with my best friend from law school, the Honorable Judge David Hamilton.
ONE-PAN APPLE CIDER CHICKEN
Inspired by WellPlated.com
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, INGREDIENTS
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard • 4 tsp olive oil, divided • 3 sweet apples, cut into 1/2-inch slices • 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped, plus more for garnish
skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tsp salt, divided • 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided • 1/2 cup apple cider
DIRECTIONS
1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside. 2. In a small bowl, combine apple cider and mustard. Set aside. 3. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tsp olive oil. When shimmering, add chicken thighs top-side down. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Wipe the skillet clean. 4. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet, then add sliced apples, remaining salt and pepper, and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes. 5. Return the chicken to the skillet and add apple cider- mustard mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with rosemary!
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