Top 3 for 2023

It’s a tradition now! Here are some of our favorite things from 2023:

Top 3 Fav Books of 2023
Maddie’s Picks:
1. Hello, Beautiful by by Ann Napolitano– I haven’t cried this much reading a book in a long time, but OMG the story and characters were epic. LOVED IT!
2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – A cozy read with a hint of mystery in the story! My favorite parts were the narration from the octopus.
3. Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon– Emily and I were huge Superstar fans growing up and this book made me love her even more! Molly Shannon has an incredible life story and and incredible outlook on life.

Emily’s Picks:
1. The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork. A retelling of The Nutcracker. A perfect Christmas read! Cozy atmospheric vibes and fun action.
2. The Bookwanderes by Anna James. A middle grade read with lots of fantasy elements. This is also a 5 book series. I’ve read the next 2 and each book offers something different and fun.
3. Momfluenced by Sara Petersen. A very insightful thought provoking look at motherhood, social media, and comparison. This is a book that I want to reread which is rare!

Top 3 New Recipes of 2023
Maddie’s Picks:
1. Protein Baked Oats– These have been my meal prep on repeat since having Wiggler
2. Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole– When you need something just plain tasty!
3. Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers– Low Carb and delish

Emily’s Picks:
1. Quiche – Not really a recipe to link but I’ve been getting premade pie crust, bushing with Dijon mustard (my mom’s tip!) and adding whatever we have. Delicious and great for meal prep.
2. Spicy Pork Dan Dan Noodles -My Postpartum Doula made this while I was recovery after birth. It was amazing and I think about it weekly. Hello Fresh recipes are generally all very delicious.
3. Hulk Smoothies. Again no real recipe. Chocolate protein powder, frozen banana, peanut butter, milk, and spinach (to make it Hulk green). Add yogurt if you got it. These have been the unsung hero these past few months. The boys love them. They are easy to make and easy to clean up. Also a low mess meal since it’s all in a cup.

Top 3 Purchases of 2023
Maddie’s Picks:
1. Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit– Wiggler used this from 4-8 months and you can’t put a price on good sleep!
2. All Birds Sneakers– I’m loving wearing these in the office, cute and professional-ish looking
3. Barre3 Online Membership- I didn’t technically buy this because my work does a fitness reimbursement but I absolutely LOVE Barre3! They had an amazing postpartum series that helped me regain my strength after Wiggler and I do their regular classes whenever I can fit it in!

Emily’s Picks:
1. The Five Minute Journal. I have kept a journal since I was in the 5th grade but recently I’ve lost motivation to write. Mostly because my days look the same and I don’t want to rehash them at the end of the day. This has been the perfect solution. I quickly allows me to record key moments while also practicing mindfulness.
2. H&M 3 Pack Slim Fit T-Shirts. I got these right after I had Gal and I have been wearing them ever since. They fit perfect and wash easy. Also not see through like most women’s T-shirts. I proceeded to buy 3 more packs. So I now have 9 of these.
3. Kindle. Loves it! Isn’t so hash on my eyes (like reading an ebook on my phone) and light weight.

Top 3 Watches of 2023
Maddie’s Picks:
1. House of Villains– I’m so sad this show is over, it was the perfect reality show IMO
2. Girls5Eva– I love the premise of this show and all of the musical numbers, can’t wait for Season 3 on Netflix
3. Mrs. Davis– This was a thrilling watch that really made me think about AI!

Emily’s Picks:
1. House of Villains – Amazing show! Loved it so much I rewatched it with my husband.
2. Abbot Elementary - A rare show my husband and I could agree on.
3. Hook – I had never seen this before and don’t know what took me so long.

What I Ate in a Week and Grocery Haul

Emily here! With the price of groceries the way they are I’ve been trying to cut back on our spending. Here is what my family’s weekly grocery haul and menu looks. We have 2 adults and 2 toddlers and 1 baby to feed!

Grocery Haul – Shopped at Wal-Mart
1 Potato….$0.64
1 Bell Pepper…$0.86
1 Broccoli Crown…$0.86
2 English Cucumbers…$1.96
4 Honeycrisp Apples $4.48
1lb Strawberries…$2.72
14 Bananas…$3.19
2 Avocado…$1.48
Fruit and Veggie Pouches…$5.68
Organic Coconut Flakes…$2.64
Pub Beer 18 Pack…$15.48
String Cheese 12 Count…$4.33
Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Block 8oz…$3.98
Goat Cheese…$2.76
Tamed Jalapeno Peppers…$2.72
Dijon Mustard…$1.34
Raspberry Preserves…$3.98
Garlic Powder…$1.12
Apple Sauce 6 Cups…$2.24
Frozen Lasagna$9.84
Burrito Tortillas…$1.98
Ground Chicken…$4.82
Sourdough Bread…$3.98
Whole Wheat Bread…$2.48
Honey Ham Lunchmeat…$3.47
Honey…$3.94
Men’s Deodorant 2 Pack…$10.97
Formula 30.8oz…$35.98
Formula 12.4oz…$17.94
Pampers Pullups 25 Count…$9.94
Pampers Diapers 92 Count…$28.22
Tampons…$10.47
TOTAL: $209.2

Things To Note: We have a back stock of a few items (cheese in our freezer bought in bulk and random pantry items). We also get our dairy separate and it is not included in our weekly grocery haul. I include all “consumables” (diapers, wipes, haircare etc.) in our grocery budget. I also don’t have the time to meal prep all in one day so I spend it out through the week. My husband eats the same thing for lunch everyday. A PB&J on whole wheat bread and a chicken burrito.

Sunday. Picked up groceries after breakfast.
Lunch: Grilled ham and cheese with tomato soup. Used the Ham and sourdough bread. Had cheese and soup in back stock.
Dinner: Chicken Stromboli and Ham Pizza. Used chicken, red sauce, cheese, flour, and yeast that was in our back stock. Also I hadn’t planned to make a pizza but I ended up not having enough of the stuffing for the Stromboli to make 2. Stay flexible!

Monday. Prepped chewy granola bars from The Toddler Healthnut Cookbook and made a double batch. Prepped quiche. I had a premade pie crust from a few weeks ago. Added Ham, leftover broccoli, and half the potato I bought.
Breakfast: Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich and cereal for boys. Both items we already had in our back stock.
Lunch: Grilled ham and cheese with tomato soup. Scrambled eggs and chewy bar for boys. Husband had his usual.
Dinner: Leftover Stromboli and ham pizza.

Tuesday.
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and chewy bar.
Lunch: Grilled ham and cheese and tomato soup.
Dinner: Protein smoothie and cheesy toast for boys. Pho for dinner for me (Takeout). Tacos for husband (Takeout). I had dental work done and my mouth hurt real bad and I wasn’t feeling well.

Wednesday. Prepped homemade bagels.
Breakfast: Quiche and avocado cottage cheese toast. Eggs and strawberry for boys.
Lunch: Egg and bagel for me banana and yogurt for boys.
Dinner: Frozen lasagnas and broccoli.

Thursday. Prepped rice cooker apple oatmeal and hard boiled eggs. Breakfast: Bagels and bananas for boys. Leftover quiche for me and husband.
Lunch: I can’t remember. It was some assortment of leftovers.
Dinner: Chicken tacos. I used foster farms frozen chicken breast strips that I had in back stock and added an onion and bell pepper. Chicken nuggets for the boys that were in back stock.

Friday.
Breakfast: Apple oatmeal.
Lunch: Egg salad for me. Bento cheese and cracker picnic for boys.
Dinner: Enchilada casserole at my moms house and boys had Mac and Cheese.

Saturday.
Breakfast: Waffles (Better Homes and Garden Cookbook recipe). Egg, potato, and spinach scramble.
Lunch: Enchiladas casserole in taco shells and egg scramble in taco shells for me and husband. Cheese, apples, and crackers for boys.
Dinner: Corndogs, cucumbers and cheese for dinner for boys. Sushi out for me and husband.

Sunday.
Breakfast: Leftover Waffles.

We do eat snacks but I forgot/didn’t want to write them down. Our snacks are usually fruit, cheese, pouches, veggie and hummus or whatever baked good I made that week.

It was also very hard to take pictures of what we ate because by the time I remembered to take one I had already eaten. You gotta eat fast when you have 3 young children!

Current Meal Planning – Dinner

Emily here! Sharing my current meal planning plan. This is focused on dinner planning. Recently my goal has been to make double our dinner portions so that I’m not cooking every night. Here is my rough outline with a few meal ideas and some meal ideas for toddlers.

Sunday – Casserole/Crockpot/Comfort
Meal Ideas: Chicken Tikka Masala, Zuppa Toscana, Shepherd’s Pie, Ham and Noodle Casserole, Potato Soup, Stroganoff, Chili Dog Casserole, Minestrone Soup, Chip Beef on Toast, Pork Loin, Roast Chicken Dinner, Ribs.
Toddler Meal: Snack Plate (Cheese, Cracker, Fruit, Veggie, Hummus, Cottage Cheese).

Monday – Leftovers

Tuesday – Mexican Night
Meal Ideas: Shrimp Sheet Pan Fajitas, Taco Bowl, Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Bowls, Chicken Enchiladas, Chipotle Chicken Tacos (El Snacho Style), Quesadilla, Burrito, Pork Tacos, Fish “Tacos”, BWW Nachos,
Toddler Meal: Quesadilla (cheese, chicken or beans).

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday- Italian
Meal Ideas: Spaghetti, Cheese and Spinach Ravioli with Meat Sauce, Meatball Subs, Alfredo Pasta Bake, Lasagna (frozen for an easier dinner), Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Rollups.
Toddler Meal: Brown Rice Pasta with whatever sauce is being used or butter.

Friday – Burgers and Fries
Meal Ideas: Beef Burgers, Grilled Chicken, Crispy Chicken (get premade from freezer section), Turkey Burger, Veggie Burgers, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich, Sloppy Joes. Side of fries, tots, or onions rings.
Toddler Meal: Usually Veggie Burger or same as above with no bun.

Saturday – Pizza
Meal Ideas: My pizza dough as the base. Pizza, Calzone/Pizza Pocket, Pizza Rollups, Stromboli, Pizza Pinwheels.
Toddler Meal: Mini Pizza. Cauliflower Pizza Crust Topped with Red Sauce, Cheese and Chicken.

A few things to note.
1. I always try to make a meal that everyone will like. But that doesn’t always happen so the toddler meals are easy meal to make if my main dish won’t work for their taste buds or eating abilities.
2. In addition to the main dish I add a side veggie. Most of the time I cook it but for an easier dinner I will just put something raw on the side. Like carrots, cucumber, celery, or an easy salad.

What We Eat in a Day

Emily here! Sharing what me, Pal (3), and Bud (12months) eat in a day.

We always start the day with coffee and bottles. (Coffee is for me obvi). So upon waking up the boys get 4oz of milk and me a cup of coffee. About 30 min later Bud is hungry so we have breakfast. This day we had banana pancakes. I added Nutella for all. Bud doesn’t like eggs so he got sliced cheese instead (some days I still offer eggs to Bud). Also he doesn’t really like strawberries so he got blueberries instead.

Next Pal and Bud had a mid morning snack of freeze dried apples.

Next was nap time. Both boys got another bottle before their naps. We like to have full bellies before naps in our house. I ate leftover Mac and cheese and broccoli for lunch.

The boys wake up at different times from their naps so we have snacks. Also they don’t like to sit for a meal after their naps for a long time. Here was todays variety. Mango, goldfish, crackers, and fruit pouch. We played outside and then I got everyone inside with another bottle of milk (we have big milk drinkers in this house).

Dinner was leftover orzo pasta with butter, fruit, and cottage cheese. (Bud had more than 7 blueberries but he eats them very fast). I ate enchiladas after they went to bed and forgot to take a picture of it. Bud got another bottle of milk before bed.

How We Celebrated Christmas 2022

Emily here again! (I’m on a roll with post and feeling inspired!) Sharing how we celebrated Christmas this year.

Christmas Eve day my husband went to the store and he picked up some frozen pizzas and corn dogs for dinner. Now this maybe seem kind of lame but it was so nice! I’ve mentioned it before but I spend many days cooking in the kitchen. I make pizza from scratch regularly and so for the holiday I wanted something easy. I also had a feeling we’d be up late being Santa’s little helpers so I didn’t want a big kitchen clean up that night.

We let the boys open a present on Christmas Eve morning. Both me and my husband love letting them open presents early and new toys keep them busy for a while. After naptime we all watched the Polar Express for the first time. Pal and captivated the whole time and Bud was ever so snuggly bouncing between me and my husband to give equal snuggles.

We cooked off our simple dinner (corn dogs for the boys with a side of strawberries. Frozen pizza for me and my husband.)

After dinner Pal and I baked off some sugar cookies and decorated them for Santa. I used the recipe from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook.

After the cookies we all sat at the dining table (even Bud!) and made a few cut out snowflakes.

Then it was off to bed for the boys! My husband and I got started on wrapping presents and building a dollhouse for the boys big gift. This was one of those moments where we really felt like parents. Creating the magic for our boys and spending our evening trying to figure out a “simple” dollhouse lol.

Biggest holiday tip: get your tree up high. I’m not spending all December telling little hands to not touch ornaments.

Christmas Day! Presents were opened in about 15 min but played with for the rest of the day. We ate scrambled eggs and doughnuts for breakfast. We had a relaxing day at home playing with toys and being together. I started dinner prep around 2. I’d like to note that next year I need a disposable pan for the ham. I have used this glaze recipe the last two years but it always ruins the pan I use. No matter how much foil I use. Also this year it somehow leaked out of the pan and made a huge mess in the oven and the house smelled burnt for days. But worth it because it’s delicious.

Dinner Menu: Homemade dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, and ham.

Top 3 for 2022

Emily and Maddie here for a joint blog post. We wanted to wrap up the year with some of our fav things from 2022!

Top 3 Books of 2022

Emily’s Picks:
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. This book no joke changed my life. I couldn’t read another book for like 3 months after. I still think about it everyday. It was inspiring, eye opening and heartbreaking. I didn’t see the ending coming and those are always the best books to me.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. The book was such a cozy delightful read. Perfect for October-December. I loved all the witchy talk of potion making and in a way felt like a very modern Circe.

I’ll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood by Jessi Klein. This was hilarious. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in like 2 days. Jessi nails so much of motherhood and made me laugh out loud and cry as well. She this book talks a bit more about the toddler phase so if you’re a mom with a baby I would say to wait until you have a toddler to really “get it”. But again so funny!

Honorable Mention: I couldn’t finish this post without mentioning Wintering By Katherine May. I read this book at the beginning of the year and I’m currently rereading it right now. (Maddie jumping in here to say SAME!)

Maddie’s Picks:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Wow this was such an amazing and profound read! The story was epic, exploring multiple generations, and what I loved most was how the author managed to show the perspectives of so many different kinds of people, even those who were not necessarily important to the story. The family in this book and all that they experience has stuck with me long after reading it.

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. I listened to this on audiobook read by Anderson Cooper, which I highly recommend. The Vanderbilt history is in many ways the history of America and it was extremely eye opening to learn about the story of this iconic family. Would you believe it made me cry? This book is definitely unexpected in all the best ways.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Mass. I love me a good fantasy series and have torn through 4 of the 5 books in 2022 (currently reading the 5th book as I write this in 2023). I was immediately drawn into the characters and storyline of this book about high faeries and humans and have not stopped reading it since!

Top 3 Recipes

Emily’s Picks:
Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. Okay this one feel like I’m cheating a little but I got this cookbook last Christmas and about halfway through the year started using it. Everything I have made from it turns out perfect and amazing. This is something everyone (and I mean everyone) should have in their kitchen.

Oatmeal Cookies (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Cookbook). My husband’s one and only cookbook is this adorable If You Give a Mouse A Cookie Cookbook. I started making a few cookies from it with Pal and discovered the most delicious Oatmeal Cookies recipe in it. I think the secret in the heavy cream. It’s also very easy to put together. (I assume the book is now so expensive since it’s out of print.)

Cottage Cheese Pancakes. Maddie sent me this recipe when she was going ham for cottage cheese this Christmas and this has been a hit with everyone in my family. It’s not common that I find a recipe that everyone will eat. Love that it is low in sugar and has great protein!

Maddie’s Picks:
Emily’s Pizza Recipe (Sister Hack) After visiting Emily in Oregon and getting an in person tutorial on how to make her famous dough, the hubz and I upgraded our home pizza accoutrements and have been making this almost weekly with delicious results.

Pasta Fagoli Soup (Taste of Home) Healthy, cheap, tasty: check, check, check! This is a simple but oh so yummy recipe that I found on Taste of Home in early 2022. Perfect for fall or winter nights.

Turkey Meatball Subs (Six Sister’s Stuff) This recipe is a light and perfect for game day! I also like how I can use the leftovers for spaghetti later in the week.

Top 3 Purchases

Emily’s Picks:
New Dining Table. This was the best purchase of the year. Our other dining table had fabric seats which were getting destroyed with children learning how to eat. It was also a hand-me-down which we have used for 5 years. We were ready to purchase something specific for our space and agreed that this table would be perfect. (Bonus we reused our old dining table as a play table for our children. My husband just shortened the legs.)

7 Pack of Black Leggings. I kept telling myself that I couldn’t wear black leggings everyday. Idk why I was so set on it. But once I let myself it was so freeing! I bought a pair for each day and they have really held up! I’m currently 5 months pregnant and still wearing them!

New Water Bottle. I had been using the same water bottle for many years and anytime it got knocked over it leaked no matter what (and it gets knocked over a lot). So I bought this new one and its been so nice!

Maddie’s Picks:
Hot Pop Microwave Popcorn Maker. I was influenced to buy this after seeing it in a Youtube video from See Mindy Mom. I love that it is so easy to use and we can control all of the ingredients in our popcorn. We use it weekly for movie night.

Dining Room Rug from Wayfair. We bought this to replace our old dining room rug and I got the 8×10 size on sale for $164. It’s an indoor/outdoor rug, so very durable and the subtle pattern adds a little something to the room without being distracting.

Ever Go Blazer from Maurices. I bought three of these blazers in different colors for my new job that I started in April and I wear them all the time. They are so easy to dress up or down! My favorite way to wear them is with a v-neck tee, jeans, and loafers.

A Mellow Thanksgiving

Emily here! Sharing how I celebrated Thanksgiving this year. I’m doing my best to be more intentional with our holidays and celebrating how we want to celebrate and not how society tells us to celebrate. So with that in mind we went non traditional for our Thanksgiving dinner. My husband doesn’t like the classic thanksgiving spread and I don’t think my boys would have eaten it either. And it’s a ton of work and I didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen (because I usually spend all day in the kitchen). So here’s what we did!

Menu: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Ruth’s Beans, Mac and Cheese. Pecan Pie with Whip Cream.

The day before during Bud’s nap time Pal and I made a pecan pie. If you’ve never made one it’s very easy! I do a pre made pie crust and use this recipe. Thanksgiving morning I prepped the pork loin in the slow cooker and Ruth’s beans. Everything cooked all day and before we ate I made some Kraft Mac and cheese for Pal and Bud. I shredded the pork added bbq sauce and then put them on Hawaiian rolls with pickles and cheese. My husband and I loved it. That day both Pal and Bud decided they no longer like Mac and Cheese lol. I got to spend the day snuggling on the couch with Pal watching the Macy’s Parade. I got to take a nap and we went for our usual afternoon walk before dinner. I wasn’t stressed at all!

If you’ve never gone non traditional for Thanksgiving I highly recommend it. Give yourself permission!

Homemade Pizza Dough

Emily here! I have been on the hunt for many years to find the perfect pizza dough recipe. I have it here folks! I would title this blog post “The Best Homemade Pizza Dough” because I truly think it is. BUT I hate when people on the internet do that so on principle I won’t. Also if you’re naming a post like that I feeeeeel like you should literally have an award or something. Or like enter it in a county fair and have a blue ribbon? Anyway moving on.
The original recipe is from Bread Baking for Beginners by Bonnie Ohara (amazing book that has served all my bread needs). I have made a few changes to that original recipe to make it my own.

Homemade Pizza Dough
Makes 2 Pizzas
Total Time 2hrs 30min (ish)

Ingredients
8 grams instant yeast
375 grams warm water
400 grams all purpose flour
100 grams whole wheat flour
10 grams salt

Steps
1. Measure out yeast in a small cup. Next fill a measuring cup with warm water (I usually shoot for the water to be slighter warm to the touch). Place a glass bowl on your scale. Start pouring water until you reach a weight of 375 grams. Add measured yeast. Mix and let sit for a few minuets.
2. While yeast and water are resting measure out salt in a small cup.
3. Next weight out 100 grams whole wheat flour and 400 grams all purpose flour into your glass bowl with water and yeast mixture. Add measured salt on top.
4. Mix ingredients until just combined then pour them out onto a lightly flour and clean counter. Knead the dough until it is smooth (2-3 min).
5. Flour your bowl and place dough in it. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour and 30 minuets.
6. After the rough has risen preheat your oven to 525°F and add a pizza stone if you have one. Removed the dough from the bowl and divide into two balls. Reshape balls and let them rest while you prep you pizza ingredients (5-10min).
7. Cut parchment paper large enough for your dough. Roll dough out in parchment paper. Once rolled to your preferred shape and thickness you can begin to assemble your pizza.
8. Once your oven comes to temp put your pizza in there for 9-13min. I prefer 13 for a darker crust.
9. Remove pizza and let rest for 5 min. Then dig in!

Some notes:
-You can use 500 grams of all purpose flour instead of the 100 grams of wheat but I think it really adds to the flavor of the crust.
-Sugar shouldn’t be in pizza dough.
-When putting the pizza in the oven asked a loved one for help. My husband and I each take a side of the parchment paper to get the pizzas safely in the oven.
– Set a timer when you put the pizza in the oven. I have nearly burnt many pizza not setting one.

Easy Roast Chicken

Emily here! With an easy roast chicken recipe. I can’t take total credit for this recipe as it’s really from my mom. But this is how I make a roast chicken.

Finished Roast Chicken. I feel like this picture looks like Martha Stewarts food tweets. (If you know you know). But it is so yummy!

Total Time: About 2hrs 30min
Note: This is for a 6-8lb whole chicken

Ingredients
Whole Chicken
Onion
Lemon
Seasoning (I use Johnny’s and some extra garlic powder. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll add some sage and a bay leaf.)
Melted Butter or Olive Oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Quarter Lemon and Onions.
Clean chicken and remove innards. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle seasoning inside. Stuff a few pieces of onion and lemon inside the chicken. Put the rest around the chicken.
Pour olive oil and butter over chicken and sprinkle generous amount of seasoning. Rub in with hands.
Tuck chicken wings under the bird if possible. Place foil over chicken.
Cook for 1 hour. After an hour change oven temp to 350°F and cook for another hour.
Remove foil and check chicken temp (should be 165°F). If temp is met cook chicken for 20min (you’re just trying to brown the outside). If temp isn’t met cook for 30 more min with foil on and check temp again.

Helpful hint: If you are scared to remove the innards use rubber gloves to remove them. You can also buy it removed.

I make this chicken for all occasions. I made it this year and last year for Thanksgiving. I also cook this on week nights. It would be great to make on a Sunday too as part of a meal prep to eat off for a few days.

I like to serve this roast chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a green veggie. I have also used this roast chicken inside burritos, as a salad topper, and in enchiladas. The possibilities are endless!

Easy Crockpot Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala

Emily here! I wanted to share a favorite recipe in my house. Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala. This is easy and so flavorful. I hope you enjoy!

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic (I purchase precut garlic for a shortcut)
1 tbsp ginger (I purchase this in a tub for a shortcut too)
2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 can coconut milk

Combine all ingredients, except coconut milk, in crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
After 6 hours remove chicken. Using an immersion blender (or put sauce into a regular blender) blend sauce until smooth.
Shred chicken and add back into crockpot.
Add coconut milk and stir. Serve with white rice and naan. I like to use this recipe for making homemade naan.