Inspiration

    When I started this blog, it was for a number of reasons, but the main two that stick out are: 1.) I wanted an easier way to answer all those, "Can I have the recipe?" questions I was getting on my "food" photo album, and 2) I wanted to kill time until my J came home from deployment.  Well, since I post more food pictures here than on facebook now, and my beloved J is home, I've sort of lost the "umph" behind this blog.  I mean, what's the point of doing something unless you're trying to get somewhere?  Or as my fortune cookie told me, "You can only find true happiness when you're in the pursuit of a goal."  So here I go, I'm setting a goal for myself and for this blog.

     I have never read Julie and Julia, nor have I seen the movie, but I've heard enough about it to know that I would probably love both the book and the movie.  There's a big hint for those of you trying to think of a Christmas present for yours truly ;-)  What I love most is the idea of someone taking something that inspires them and applying it to her own life.    After all isn't that what we should all be trying to do?

      So what is it that inspires me?  Well in this case, I'm inspired by one of my personal favorite chefs: Paula Deen.  As it so happens, my closest friend bought me an early Christmas present yesterday, and do you know what it was?  Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible!  So can you guess what this is all building up to?  Yep!  I will be attempting at least 2 of her recipes each week and blogging about it.  There are many things in this book that I've never attempted.  Some of them are simple things, like an omelet, some are a bit more complicated.  I'm hoping this goal will help me to not only be more consistent with my blogs, but also I hope to put the fun back in writing.  I don't want to feel like writing is a chore anymore than I want to feel like cooking is.    And, hey, even if I burn every chicken, overcook every egg, and undercook all the pork, it'll be fun for me and (hopefully) entertaining for y'all.  So let's bring on the butter!

    That being said, tonight I'm going to cheat a little.  I made a recipe that was actually not from the Southern Cooking Bible, but it is a Paula Deen recipe, so it still counts.  This one was featured in her November 2011 magazine issue.  It's called Creamy Chicken and Broccoli over Baked Potatoes.  It was super yummy, and really quick and easy.  Here's what you need:

2 TBSP butter
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chopped green onion
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 (5.2 oz) pkg garlic and herbs cheese
6 baking potatoes, baked

In large skillet, melt butter.  Add chicken and green onion; cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Add flour, salt, and pepper; cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes.  Add broth; cook for 3-4 minutes or until thickened.  Add broccoli and cheese, stirring until cheese melts.  Serve over baked potatoes.

Here's what I did differently:

I had leftovers from our "mock-Thanksgiving" so I tore off enough turkey to make about 1 1/2 lbs.  That shaved a good ten minutes off of the cooking time.  Also I tried to do the quick baked potatoes in the microwave.  I say "tried" because it didn't work very well.  The potatoes were not cooked all the way, and although that made for some funny faces at the dinner table, it wasn't quite palatable.  I think I just didn't let them cook long enough.

    The topping was quite amazing, and the picture I took does not do it justice.  I wish I could let you smell it though.  It had the most appetizing smell in the world.  And, as and added bonus, there was a bit leftover, so I'm going to put it over some mashed potatoes I have sitting in the fridge for my lunch tomorrow. :-)


      And for those of you worried about my eating habits possibly leading to a heart attack, worry not.  My darling J has me running two miles every other day in the soft sand!  I'm hoping this will mean Paula's cookbook has more influence on my cooking and my blog than it does on my hips.