It's Not That Simple

     Writing my last post made me realize how much I miss blogging, and writing in general.  Life got pretty hectic for a while there, and although I don't foresee it slowing down any time soon, I want to attempt to reclaim this blog.  After all, it's good to have an outlet, especially when life gets crazy.

     So, what do I plan to blog about today?  Nothing so profound as my last entry, that's for sure.  I shed enough tears writing that one to last me a while.  Instead, I thought I'd revisit an old favorite: shopping exploits with J.  Now because the pediatrician (and my better judgement) suggested we not bring little Monster out to crowded places such as the grocery store until he's gotten his shots, J's been in charge of groceries.  Anyone who remembers the time he was in charge of finding something for dinner will understand my trepidation at placing him in charge of foraging for two weeks worth of groceries.  To my surprise, however, he did really well, which makes this almost unfair to even mention...almost.  You see, because I just had a tiny human exit my body, I found myself in need of some feminine hygiene products.  And since J was headed to the commissary anyway, I figured it would be simple for him to pick up a pack of pads for me.  I even made it dummy-proof by sending him pictures of different products that would suffice (in case they were out of one brand or another).  Well, apparently, it's not that simple because this is what my darling J came home with:

     It even says "discreet bladder leakage protection" on the package.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't my bladder needing protection, but hey "A" for effort, right?  He was even a trooper and brought them back in exchange for what I actually needed.  By the time I head back to work, he'll be an old pro at perusing the commissary.  Maybe he'll even be making the grocery list himself....or not.

     Despite the fact that my shopping requests aren't always simple, this recipe I'm about to share certainly is.  Simple and delicious!

Salmagundi (aka Really Fancy Salad Full of Yum)
(From Syrup & Biscuits)

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
8-10 mini sweet peppers, stems removed and cut in half lengthwise
3-4 shallots, peeled and halved
olive oil
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 oz salad mix
4 oz each of ham, turkey, and roast beef, diced
4 oz each of Swiss and cheddar cheese, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2-3 boiled eggs, sliced

Preheat oven to 450.  Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Arrange potatoes, peppers, and shallots on baking sheet, keeping them separated for presentation, if desired.  Drizzle with oil.  Add seasonings and toss to coat.  Bake for 30 minutes or until veggies caramelize.  Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile place salad mix on a serving dish and arrange remaining ingredients on top.  Once cooled, add potatoes, peppers, and shallots.  Serve with or without your preferred dressing.

Enjoy!

     As you can see in the picture, we had to forgo the shallots, roast beef, and turkey.  J said he couldn't find diced turkey or roast beef, and the thought never crossed his mind to buy the regular lunch meat and cut it up later.  The shallots were MIA because J had no clue what they were and didn't ask anyone or Google it.  I  may just have to pump an extra bottle for little Monster and go myself next time.

Ramblings of a Pregnant Woman

     I feel like my brain is pulled in 50 different directions these days.  I can feel my mommy ADD kicking into overdrive as my mind tries to focus on any one of the following: baby, work, Disney, running, labor, J, Monkey, and the list goes on from there.  I think I get where the whole "baby brain" theory comes from; it's just a lot to think about at once.  Sometimes I wonder why baby #2 isn't a little less overwhelming to plan for, after all this isn't my first rodeo.  But then I remember that it has been about seven years since I've gone through all of this with Monkey.  And I wasn't working.  That's a bit of a game-changer.  It's not a bad thing though;  thankfully I have a career I love which makes being away from home easier.  It also makes me more aware of how I spend my time when I am home.  Soaking up as much time with J and Monkey has become priority one these days.  Just yesterday we spent the day in NOLA using the membership to the Audubon institutes Monkey got for Christmas to visit the Insectarium and then the Aquarium.  We had a great time, and Monkey's grandmother even came out to meet us for the Insectarium.
     Of course, between work and my agenda to make as many memories with my little family as I can before it grows means that I've had less time for other things, like this blog.  Sometimes I think of something to write, but then I get home and can't remember a thing I wanted to say.  Oh, well.  There's that "baby brain" again.
     That being said I've finally decided to take advantage of this opportunity to hop on here as I "supervise" J and Monkey as they put together Wolverine's crib.  So, let's talk Disney.
     In July....well it actually starts long before that.  For a few years now, my sister and I have passively made comments like, "We should do a Disney run one day."  Well in July we finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Princess Glass Slipper Challenge, which is the 10K Saturday followed by a Half Marathon on Sunday.  I was pumped, thinking of how great it was to have a goal that would motivate me to pick my running back into high gear after Nursing school ended in August.  Well, of course, I found out I was expecting Little Man the week of graduation.  I'm stubborn, however, and decided I'd be one of those super badass mommas who runs up until she gives birth.  These days, however, I find myself questioning my own sanity every time I pull on my running clothes and lace up my running shoes.  My pace, which was a decent 9'30" pace back in July, has plummeted to barely-qualifying to not get swept.  Monkey is faster than me these days.  I feel like I am working so hard to move so slow.  I get winded.  I get heart burn.  I get cramps.  I get thirsty, and boy do I get hungry!  But you know what else I get?  I get a rush of pride from knowing that I'm still getting out there.  Yes, I look like this guy:



But when I finish even a one-miler, I feel like this:

     That being said, the upcoming race still has me nervous, but what would a race be if it didn't get my heart going?   I've even decided to embrace the extra girth around my middle by forgoing the typical princess route and dressing up as this voluptuous baddie for the half:

     Meanwhile, my sister will be going as the little mermaid herself.  I'll be sure to get plenty of pictures for sharing later.  It's less than a month away.  Eeeeek!!!

     Well, I think I've rambled enough, and J's almost finished with the crib, so let me wrap this up with  a recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
 2/3 cup milk
2-9" unbaked pie crusts (I use Pillsbury)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery.  Add enough water to cover and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent.  Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium-low heat until thick.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread bottom pie crust in pie plate (or if you're like me and don't have a pie plate, an 8x8 baking dish should work). Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.

Pour hot liquid mixture over top.

Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.  Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.  

     Enjoy!  It may not look the prettiest, but it's become a house favorite, as it's so yummy and filling.

And Just Like That, It's Over

     Yesterday was my final day of preceptorship.  Preceptorship was the last leg of this long, arduous journey to obtain a BSN.  All that's left to graduate is turning in my paperwork to my instructor, and then I will be set to graduate in two weeks.  I think I'm in a state of disbelief.  It didn't feel real on the way home last night.  It took hearing my mom on the phone saying again and again, "You did it. You're done" before it began to sink in a bit. 

     Although Nursing school seemed to drag on and on indefinitely with new hoops to jump at every corner, now that it's moving to the rear view  mirror it seems like it was too short.  I'm going to be responsible for lives soon.  I will be an advocate, an educator, and a safeguard for my patients.  That's a lot of responsibility, and I'm going to be honest and say that I wonder if I'm ready.  My preceptor, who is an amazing woman, and an equally wonderful nurse told me that she felt that way too when she started.  Maybe that's a good thing.  I don't ever want to take my job lightly.  I don't want to ever become flippant about a patient's wellbeing.  I want to be a good nurse.  No.  I want to be an amazing nurse who makes a difference in people's lives.  I want to be the kind of nurse that people remember.  Not necessarily my name or even my face, but I want them to remember that I cared, that I helped them, and that I was their rock to lean on.  That may sound cheesy, but every word is true. 

     I'm hesitant to put too much here, but I am looking forward to the future with great enthusiasm at my prospects.  Once I pass NCLEX (and I will pass!) I'll be looking for doors to open where I never expected them to be.  I hope that as I close this chapter and begin the next one God will guide me to where He needs me, since He knows where my heart lies.  I will definitely be keeping y'all updated as I move through this next stage of life with joy and enthusiasm. 

   

 A rare selfie before my last day.

         

     It seems a bit out of place to tack on a recipe at the end of this blog entry, but then again, it would feel wrong not to. So here you are, an easy recipe for any weeknight that's also not terrible for you. 

Balsamic Chicken and Veggies

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

3 TBS balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 TBS honey

1 1/4 lbs chicken breast tenderloins

2 TBS olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 2 inch pieces

1 1/2 cup matchstick carrots

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

In a mixing bowl, mix together salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a skillet over mediun heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the skillet, and cook 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through. Add half of the dressing mixture to skillet, and turn the chicken to coat. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, leaving the sauce in the skillet. Add the aspargus and carrots to the skillet, and season as desired with salt and pepper.  Stir frequently, cooking until tender, or about 4 minutes. Transfer veggies to serving plattet. Add remaining dressing mixture and tomatoes to the skillet, and cook for about a minute. Return chicken and veggies to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve warm. 

Race You to the Castle

     My poor little neglected blog needs a bit of an update.  I've been busily finishing out the last bit of Nursing school, and as a result I've been adjusting to the life of a "real nurse".  The schedule is not the typical 9-5 I've been used to, with twelve  hour days 3-4 times a week, and it's taken some getting used to.  Poor J has had a time trying to navigate this blog for various recipes, and I've had one too many nights where I've come home to a disaster in the kitchen with a note on the table saying, "The kitchen's a mess; don't judge me".  It's all a learning experience though, and I think we will make it out of nursing school alive after all... I hope.

     In my down time I've still been cooking as always, and of course I have a recipe in store for y'all, but in the meantime I am super excited to announce that my sister and I will be participating in the  2016 Glass Slipper Challenge :-D  This is a runDisney event that consists of the Disney Princess Enchanted 10K and the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  Ultimately it's a Disney fanatic/insane runner's dream come true, and I'm going !    

     This is coming at a good time because the heat has me needing some motivation to run.  I've recently begun a weight training program by Jamie Eason, but I miss running.  With school ending soon, I'll have fewer excuses to not get out there.  Now I get to have fun picking which princess I want to be for a day :-)  

     Now I think I owe y'all at least two recipes since this poor blog has been so neglected lately. 

     

Baked Oatmeal

Adapted from The 36th Avenue

3 cups old fashioned oats  

1½ cups brown sugar 

5½ cups milk 

½ cup peanut butter 

3 eggs, beaten 

1 cup walnuts 
1 cup dark chocolate chips 

In a large pot, combine oats, milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, and eggs. Mix well and simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly, 20 minutes or until thickened. Once mixture is thick, stir in raisins. Pour into greased 9x13 inch pan and top with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm; top with milk or additional brown sugar if desired.

This made for a yummy breakfast for dinner meal.  That is, for everyone except Monkey, who has found peanut butter personally offensive for some reason.  Oh well, you can't please everyone.  This next one had a much better reception from all parties.   

Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus 

From Cooking Classy

1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces

• 4 1/2 tsp canola oil, divided
• 1 lb asparagus, end portions trimmed and remainder diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
• 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced*
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, then more for garnish if desired
• 1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• In a 12-inch non-stick wok (or large and deep non-stick skillet), heat 1 1/2 tsp canola oil over moderately high heat. Once oil is hot, add diced chicken and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through, tossing occasionally, about 6 to 7 minutes. Pour chicken onto a large plate and set aside.
• Return wok to burner, reduce to medium-high heat, add remaining 1 Tbsp canola oil. Once oil is hot, add asparagus, yellow onion and mushrooms, and red pepper flakes and sauté until tender-crisp, about 4 - 5 minutes, adding in garlic and ginger during the last 1 minute of sautéing. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl (or in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup) whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, honey and cornstarch until well blended. 
• Pour chicken broth mixture into skillet with veggies, season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring mixture to a light boil, stirring constantly. Allow mixture to gently boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Toss chicken into mixture and serve warm over white or brown rice, sprinkled with additional red pepper flakes if desired (note that this is best served immediately as the liquids from the veggies will begin to break down and thin the sauce).

    

I'm Hungry....Perhaps Blogging About Food Will Help

     I'm in time out.  Well, more of a self-imposed exile, actually.  You see, tonight my loving husband decided he would save me the trouble of cooking by preparing dinner without any help from me.  He and Monkey have been in the kitchen since 4:30, and I've been sitting here waiting on my food.  I'm starting to think I may have to eat the dog if it isn't ready soon.  At least J bought chips and salsa for the meantime.

     I was passing the time on Pinterest, pinning all kinds of yummy foods, but that didn't help my situation (go figure, huh?).  Then it dawned on me that I haven't blogged since the beginning of the month.  So that's why I'm here.  And because I have no food.  You know, cause blogging about food when you're starving makes perfect sense.....yeah.....

     Let me start by sharing a few more fun lunches I've been making for Monkey.  Over the Christmas break she told me she wanted to start eating cafeteria food.  I told her that was fine with me, but J piped up that she wouldn't get any say in what they feed her at school.  She quickly decided she preferred Mommy's lunches.  That didn't last long at all!

Monday: DIY Tacos
We've done DIY Lunchables and DIY Pizzas, so we kicked it up a notch for this lunch.

    Using a circle cookie-cutter, I cut circles out of 2 burrito-sized flour torillas.  I brushed the front and back of each tortilla with oil and sprinkle a little bit of salt over each.  Next I fitted the tortilla rounds into a mini-muffin tin and baked them in the oven at 350 for about 8 minutes.

     I chopped up some leftover chicken into tiny cubes.  I then added a bit of shredded cheese.  You can throw in some shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes too, but I just added a bit of leftover salad from the night before.

 Tuesday: Hello Kitty Sandwich

    
     I know I've mentioned these cute sandwich cutters before, and I know I've even used the kitty one before and shared it, but that just goes to show how versatile this one set of lunch gadgets can be.  I cut the bread and meat out with the cutter, and then I indented the top piece of bread with the kitty face stamp.  I used my food markers to color in the indentions.  I added some grape tomatoes, a bunch of grapes, and a cheese stick with a little message written in permanent marker on the wrapper.

     One of the things I love about packing Monkey's lunch is that I can slip little notes into the lunch box.  It's even more fun when it's on her food :-)

Wednesday: Ham, Cheese and Spinach Pinwheels

     As you can tell, tortillas are a staple in this house.  They last a while, so when we've devoured all the bread, there's usually still some tortillas on the shelf, so they make for a quick lunch.  For this one, I rolled a couple of sliced of ham, some cheddar cheese, and a bit of spinach into a log, and then I sliced the roll into pinwheels.  I also used a fun butterfly cutter to cut the cucumbers.  I added those, some grapes, and a granola bar (not pictured) to Monkey's lunchbox.

Thursday: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons Lunch
     As most of y'all know from Facebook, Monkey entered her school Reading Fair with a project on the book, "Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons".  She got 1st place at the school fair, and then again at the district fair.  To celebrate, I packed this extra special lunch just for her.

     Using a round cookie cutter, I cut four circles from a burrito-sized tortilla.  I colored each one with food markers to look like four buttons of varying colors.  I then thinly sliced some turkey pepperoni (you could also used diced chicken like the mini tacos), diced a bit of tomato, shredded some lettuce, and added a bit of cheese.  The idea was she could make her own little soft tacos with the "button" tortillas.  I added some fruit and veggie sides, and sent her on her way.  She loved this one!

 Friday: BLT Wrap---Bacon, Love, Tomato

      For this wrap, I layered a slice of ham, a couple of slices of cooked turkey bacon, a sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, and a bit of Ranch onto a tortilla and rolled it up.  I added a special message with my food markers.  Then I threw in some colorful Goldfish, a bunch of grapes, and a bit of broccoli and called it a day.

Update:  My husband finally fed me, and it was delicious!  Well worth the wait.  I would post his recipe, but I was too hungry to take pictures.  I should have though, because he says that was so much work he's not sure he'll be doing it again any time soon :-/  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

     Since I don't have pictures of tonight's feast, let me share a recipe that doesn't take 2 1/2 hours to cook.

Taco Soup
1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
3 cans sliced olives
1 package taco seasoning or 2 TBS homemade (recipe below)
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
Shredded cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional) *We substitute plain Greek yogurt.  It tastes the same and is bester for you.

Brown ground turkey (or beef).  Add taco seasoning and the amount of water listed on package (if using homemade add 1/2 cup water).  Cook until 1/3 of water is left.  Dump in all the canned foods.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream, if desired.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

This doesn't make a ton, so I typically double or triple it when I make a batch.  Then when I see I'm getting low I'll add some more.

Enjoy :-)

Chef for a Day

     Okay guys, I know I post a ton of recipes onto this blog, but I've never really considered myself a chef.  "Cook" or "Foodie" seem much more appropriate to describe my dabbling in the kitchen.  Yesterday, however, I felt like a real chef for a bit.

     Years ago, I read the novel Julie and Julia and although I heartily enjoyed the story, I had no desire to master the art of French cooking myself.  Yet, when I found this link on Pinterest, my interest was most definitely piqued.  Upon seeing my pin, my sister commented, "Once you master this, blog it with a recipe, then I'll try ;-)".  I laughed it off, and the pin got lost in the sea of other food I wanted to try.  This past week as I was going through my Main Dishes board on Pinterest I rediscovered the pin, and, curious, I finally clicked on it.  I was taken to a site in which the first thing I noticed was the following video.  Before reading anything else I watched video, and I was hooked.  Pepin made deboning a chicken look so easy with his fluid movements and his simple explanations.  After the second viewing, which J watched with me, I decided I would do this.  This statement was met with apathy from J, and a comment of, "okay, but no spinach".  I didn't care; I was going to debone a chicken, stuff it with deliciousness, and serve it for Sunday dinner.  It would be an epic challenge with glorious results that the muses would one day sing about!

     As it got closer to the day I decided to invite some friends over to revel in the glory that is good food.  Then the day actually arrived, and I set to work early in the morning in order to make sure everything was perfect.  I viewed the video once again before getting started.  Confidence oozed out of me as I danced around my kitchen to Alicia Keys' "I am Super Woman" setting out my cutting board, knifes, a pot for all the bones to make stock, my computer so I could reference the video, a kitchen towel, and the garbage can (just in case).  Finally, I was ready to begin.

     I rinsed my chicken and patted it dry.  Then I moved it to the cutting board, and (with my non-chicken-y hand) hit play.  I followed Pepin flawlessly as he cut the wings and made "ze little lolliPOP" (which I threw in the roasting pan with the rest of the chicken).  My confidence wavered slightly as I struggled to remove the wishbone. (He makes it look so easy!)  I got it out finally, though, and was read to move on.  My ego took another blow as I cut the skin of the back, because my cut was not nearly as flawless nor as easy as his.  I blamed his experience and amazing knives and moved onward.  Finding the articulation was easy. (Thank you, Nursing school!)  Then I heard it, that mocking comment Pepin makes right around the 3 minute mark, "It should not take you but a minute to bone out a chicken"....... I frantically looked at the clock and realized I had already been at it for 15 minutes.  (I kept having to call J into the kitchen to pause the video for me.)  I began to wonder if this was all a big mistake, and then I envisioned my friends arriving to see my sloppy chicken that somehow managed to be burned on the outside and raw on the inside.  I comforted myself with the knowledge that they wouldn't judge, and that there was always Domino's in a pinch.  I pressed forward again.  (I didn't literally press anything as my hands were full of chicken goo, but J obliged by pressing the play button.)  At this point my confidence began to grow again as I started to undress the poor chicken.  I had no problems getting the carcass out, and I called jubilantly to J to come feast his eyes on my brilliance.  He obliged by glancing my way and nodding, which I took as adoration and praise.  Next I removed the fillets, apologizing to Pepin for resorting to the use of my knife.  Then Pepin and I scraped the chicken fillet from the sinew.  Next I followed Pepin's lead in taking the bones from the legs and wings, only growing slightly frustrated when my bone did not break on the first hit...or the second...or third, but ultimately, the sixth time was the charm, and we pressed on.  Finally I had a completely deboned chicken.  I celebrated my victory by waving the floppy chicken suit in J's and Monkey's direction while singing, "I deboned a chicken, I deboned a chicken".
   
                       

     I stuffed my bird with a stuffing of my own creation, the recipe for which I will gladly share below.  I was inspired by this recipe I found, but I meddled with it quite a bit before I was ready to use it.  After stuffing my bird, I tied it up under Pepin's careful guidance.  Finally I was done!  I was so proud of myself for this epic achievement.  All other cooking journeys seem pale in comparison.  For one glorious moment, I was a chef!  Then I came back down to reality this morning as I woke up exhausted and fed my child cereal.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted :-)

Chicken Galantine with Pork Stuffing
1 large whole chicken, deboned
10 red potatoes, quartered
2 large carrots, sliced
2 lemons
1 garlic pod, separated and ends trimmed off
Baby bella mushrooms (I used 1-1/2 8oz containers of mushrooms)
3-5 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
minced garlic and 1/2 stick butter (if cooking mushrooms separately)

For the stuffing:
1 cup Garlic and Herb bread crumbs
3 small cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion, peeled and quartered
18 fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
5 sausages, skins removed ( I used Johnsonville's Sweet Italian Sausage)
1/2 TBS garlic powder
1 tsp Tony's

Debone chicken by watching Pepin's video (above).  Cook rice.  Combine cooked rice and remaining stuffing ingredients in a food processor until combined.  Stuff chicken as shown in the video using half of the stuffing.  Once chicken is tied up place in a greased roasting pan.  Add potatoes, carrots, and garlic cloves to roasting pan.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl; add garlic salt and chopped sage leaves.  Rub over the chicken.  Cut the other lemon in half, and the juice from one of the halves over the carrots and potatoes.  Reserve remaining lemon half.

Remove the stems of the baby bella mushrooms and stuff with remaining stuffing.  arrange around chicken in roasting pan or bake separately in an 8x8 dish with minced garlic and butter.

Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Remove pan from oven; remove and discard foil.  Return roasting pan to oven and bake for another 45 minutes.  Removed chicken from over, and squeeze juice of the remaining lemon half over the chicken.  Return to oven to bake for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cover mushrooms with foil and bake at 350 for the entire time the chicken is baking, an hour and a half.

Once chicken is cooked through, removed from oven and transfer to a serving platter.

Slice the chicken and serve.  Enjoy!

     I am happy to report that all the hard work was well worth it.  My friends arrived just as this chicken was finished roasting, and we all enjoyed digging into the scrumptious meal immensely.  We had a good night with great food and even better friends.  

Here's to a New Year

     Tomorrow is New Year's Eve.  Another year has come and gone, and I'm amazed at how fast this one went by.  It seems the older I get the faster the years fly, not to mentioned that ever since Monkey was born they seem to be reaching lightening speed.  As bittersweet as it is, I'm looking forward to this new year.  This year Monkey will be 6 years old.  I will finally graduate from Nursing school in the fall.  I'll take the NCLEX in September, and (hopefully) I'll begin my first nursing job before the year is out.  Just as 2015 will mark the beginning of my Nursing career, it will also bring the close of J's Navy career.  Who knows what new adventures that alone will bring. At any rate, I think it's safe to say that 2015 will be a year of many firsts, and I'm ready to meet them head on.

     As with many of you out there, the beginning of the New Year makes me think about what changes I can make in my life, and although I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, the holidays and all the goodies they entail have me wishing for a bit healthier fare in the near future.  Thankfully, my awesome MIL gave me a Magic Bullet which will come in handy as I get back on the smoothie wagon.  In the meantime, though, I have been indulging a bit too much in food like this:

Easy Crockpot Burritos
Adapted from FoodPusher blog

2 lbs stew meat, ground beef, or chicken
19 oz can mild red enchilada sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 can refried beans
7 burrito-sized flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce

Place beef, bouillon cube, and enchilada sauce into a crockpot.  Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender and flakes easily.

Once beef is tender, heat refried beans in a microwave or on the stovetop according to package directions.

Grease the inside of a 9x13 baking dish or spray with cooking spray.  Set oven to broil on high.

Assemble burritos by placing about 1/2 cup drained meat in the center of a tortilla.  Add a about two scoops of beans to the center.  Fold the sides in and roll up like a burrito.  Place inside the greased baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas or until all the meat is used up.  Pour leftover sauce from the crockpot over the top of the burritos.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with optional toppings.

     I love that this recipe can be adapted for your preferences (and budget).  J prefers ground beef burritos, but I like the stew meat best.  Chicken is always a good compromise, and it's easier on the bank than beef, not to mention it has less fat than beef.  Plus I like any recipe that gives me the choice to mix things up without becoming a whole new recipes I have to memorize.

    Anyway, I hope everyone has a fun-filled New Year's Eve, and a wonderful New Year!

The Best Ruined Soup Ever

     I love this time of year!  It's starting to get chilly here in the South, and it puts me in the mood for warm soups, gumbo, freshly baked bread, and savory desserts!  C'mon, y'all have known me too long to be surprised by the fact that I ended that sentence with food.  Which brings me to the reason I'm writing tonight.  It was chilly earlier this week, so I decided it would be a nice change of pace to make some grilled cheeses with some tomato soup.  I started following this one recipe before realizing that it was not the same one I had used to make my grocery list.  I quickly switched over to following this recipe, convinced that I had ruined the whole thing, but too stubborn (and cheap) to throw the concoction out.  I'm glad I didn't, though, because what resulted was what J deemed, "the best tomato soup I've ever had!"

Ruined Tomato Soup

1/2 onion

1 medium-sized carrot, peeled

1 celery stalk, end trimmed, but leaves still attached

1 garlic clove, peeled

2 cans diced tomatoes

46 ounces tomato juice

3-6 tablespoons sugar

3 chicken bouillon cubes

black pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

shredded Mozzarella, optional 

In a blender, combine onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.  Puree until smooth.  Add diced tomatoes.  Pour contents of blender into a large pot over medium heat.  Add tomato juice.  Next add the sugar.  (This is to contrast the acidity of the tomatoes, start with 3 tablespoons and taste your way to the right amount.  I wound up needing 5 tablespoons, but it just depends on your tomatoes.)  Add chicken bouillon.  Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add heavy cream, stirring to combine.  Add basil and parsley and stir.  Top with mozzarella if desired.

     As I said, this was the best soup I had ever tasted!  J polished off three bowls of it, and I enjoyed dunking my grilled cheese in it like I was a kid again.  The only one not too impressed was Monkey, but that's okay.  I had plenty soup left over to freeze and some for lunch the next day.  J downed another bowl that day before heading back to work.  That's when I decided it might be a good time to clean out the refrigerator.  As I was getting rid of certain items I found an extra bottle of heavy cream in the corner.  I checked the date and was surprised to see that it hadn't expired yet.  In fact it still wouldn't be expired for another month.  With a sick feeling in my stomach, it began to dawn on me that perhaps I should have cleaned the refrigerator out sooner.  I quickly grabbed the bottle of heavy cream from the night before and checked the date only to find that, sure enough, I had mixed up the expired one with the new one.  The cream I used in the soup had expired September 9th.  I was mortified.  I don't know how none of us got sick, especially after I got brave enough to do a sniff-test.  There goes my world's best tomato soup....

     My dear husband wasn't nearly as horrified by this discovery as I was, but maybe that's for the best, considering how much of it he ate.  He just shrugged and said, "Well, it was still delicious!"  

I've Come to Terms With the Fact That I'm Annoying

     Over the years, I've had to come to terms with the fact that some people find me annoying.  It's cool.  Not everyone can handle my brand of cheeriness.  I'm no stranger to being told that my happy-go-lucky morning-person attitude is revolting.  Probably because I heard it every morning from my mom as I tried to serenade her out of bed.  Friends at school would groan when I would be bouncing around at 6 am.  Coworkers would roll their eyes and keep walking when I would exclaim "Good Morning!" at 6:30 am.  My own daughter tells me to "go away" when she hears her door squeak open on a typical weekday morning.  I get it, but these days I have managed to find a whole new crowd of people to piss off with my happy.  I now have patients!

     This past week while working at the nursing home for school, I was asked to help feed one of the dementia patients who was not feeling too well that day.  I walked over to this sweet-looking elderly woman, who was holding her head in her hands and not even acknowledging that her food had been getting cold for the past 15 minutes.  I pulled up a chair next to her, sat down, and introduced myself.  The introduction was met with a groan, which was expected.  The woman clearly wasn't feeling well, so I gently asked her if she wanted to eat.  She shook her head no.  I prodded a little more, gently of course, and said that she needed to eat to feel better.  To that she snapped, "I'll eat when I'm darn good and ready to eat."

     Now, this was the first time my happy smile had been met with a grumpy retort, but I shrugged it off and walked over to the worker at the facility and told her that the woman clearly didn't want to eat.  She told me to go see if I could get her to at least pick her head up.  I steeled myself for more combat and return to my chair by the lady's side.  I asked again if she would like to try a little bit of her food.  She merely groaned at me.  That's when I was struck by a stroke of brilliance!  I would get her chatting with me, gain her trust, and then get her to eat!  Yeah, that would work.  So I began enthusiastically asking about her BINGO game I had seen her partaking in earlier in the evening.  That was met with more groans.  I asked about her family: more groaning.  I asked about her roommate, how long she'd been there, what she liked to do, anything to get the woman to acknowledge me and stop groaning.  Well, it sort of worked.  She stopped groaning.  In fact she stopped acknowledging me at all.  She just sat there with her head in her hands, ignoring her food.

     At this point I started to feel really bad for her.  I knew she needed to eat, but I knew she was probably getting sick of me flitting around her like an annoying fly, so I decided to quit beating around the bush and tackle the problem head-on.  That's when I asked if she wasn't feeling well, to which she replied that she wasn't.  I asked if she wanted to go lay down, and she said she did. That's when I offered a proposition: if she would eat a little bit I would help her to her room to rest.  I thought I had finally convinced her because she finally picked her head up and looked me in the eyes!  Then she said, "Would you just shut up?"  My classmate, who was sitting nearby feeding another patient, busted out laughing, as did the worker.  Not missing a beat I replied with a grin on my face, "I'll shut up if you eat for me."  (Yes, I was desperate at this point.)  To which, the patient simply put her head back in her hands and sighed.

     After my dismal failure with that particular patient, the worker rescued me, laughing that I would probably get hit if I kept trying to make her eat, and asked me to go feed another patient.  Something about the twinkle in her eye when she told me which patient I should feed next made me think I was being set up to fail again.  Then I saw my next patient.  She looked like she had led a rather rough life, and her wild eyes suggested she was a scrapper, so I knew I was in for it when I sat down next to her.  I introduced myself to her, and she looked at me like I was crazy when I offered to help feed her.  The guy across from us confirmed my fears about her when he said, "Now, don't go fighting this one, she's here to help you."  Great!  Well she couldn't communicate verbally, but I could tell right away by her body language the last thing she wanted to do was patronize me by eating that nasty-looking, foul-smelling, glorified baby food, but then I had another stroke of brilliance.  Eyeing the ice cream on her tray, I made her a deal:  eat your baby food, and I'll give you some ice cream.  Expecting the same reaction I had gotten from the previous patient, I was so relieved to see this patient break out into a huge grin and nod her head in agreement to my deal.  From then on out we were the best of friends, cracking up and laughing at each other, even when she threw her water across the table just for giggles.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

     Well now that you've sat through another silly story of mine, I'll share some lunch ideas :-)

Monday: Ballerina Bento Box

      This idea is straight out of Everyday Bento, which I love!  It has such cute ideas for be not boxes for your kids, and even a section about adult bentos.  The ballerina slippers come with a side of carrot sticks, cheese cubes, raisins, grape tomatoes, and cucumber "wands".

Tuesday: Sandwich on a Stick
(or if you're Jose Jalapeño, "Sandwich on a steek!")

     I don't know why, but every time I try to pack my daughter a simple ham sandwich, she won't eat it.  She complains that by the time she gets it at lunch the bread is soggy.  So, I decided to send her to school with these little "sandwich on a stick" kabobs, and she loved them!  She told me the bread wasn't soggy at all, which makes no sense to me, but whatever, she ate it.   Simply thread some bread cut into cubes, some ham rolled up, and some cubed cheese onto a skewer, and there you go.  I added some pickles (her favorite), some tomatoes and broccoli, half of a banana, and a bit of Ranch to dip her veggies in.  Typically I'm not big on Ranch for her veggies; I feel like it defeats the purpose of eating healthy veggies if you douse them in preservative-filled, saturated-fatty, creamy sauce, but she asked for it specifically, and I knew it would gather to eat more of her veggies than usual, so what the heck!

Wednesday: Princess Quesadillas

      This was a super simple lunch.  I made ham and cheese quesadillas for her that morning, and use cookie cutters to make the different shapes.  I cut some cucumbers into cute little hearts, added some grape tomatoes, and gave her half of an apple to go with it.  She ate all of this one too.

Thursday: Breakfast for Lunch

      I love breakfast for dinner.  We have that at least twice a month.  I like it because I typically have more time in the evening to make all the things I really wanted to eat for breakfast.  Plus, J's more awake, and more likely to help.  Well, this is the same basic concept.  I took a waffle, and cut it into strips for Monkey to dip in the syrup I provided (I only gave her a little bit, so her teacher wouldn't kill me for giving her a sugar rush at school).  I added some turkey bacon, a boiled egg, half of a banana, and some edamame.  Yes, the edamame has nothing to do with breakfast, but you know I like to throw a little green into her lunches.

Friday: Asian Chicken Salad

      This one is actually used some leftovers from the previous night's dinner of Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps from SkinnyTaste (recipe to follow).  I chopped up some lettuce, added the leftover chicken, and supplied the homemade Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce in these adorable little sauce holders to use as a dressing.  I then packed Monkey some crackers, tomatoes, and half of a banana as sides.  This was another one caused her to clean out her box, which makes Mommy happy :-)

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1 TBS soy sauce, plus 1/4 tsp dark soy sauce (or more of the regular soy sauce)
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 TBS rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
pepper to taste
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ground
1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 TBS diced scallions
6 iceberg lettuce leaves, rinsed

Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce
4 TBS Hoisin Sauce
1/2 tsp chili sauce (I use Sriracha)
1 TBS warm water

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl filled with hot water to soften a few minutes.  Remove stems and chop fine.  Set aside.

Combine soy sauce(s), oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, rice wine, sugar, and pepper in a separate bowl.

Combine ground chicken, mushrooms, and water chestnuts in a new bowl.  Add soy sauce mixture.  Mix and let marinate for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix ingredients for Spicy Hoisin Dipping sauce, and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add garlic, cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.  Add chicken mixture, stir fry until brown, breaking chicken mixture up as it cooks, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve by spooning 1/4 cup of chicken into each leaf.  Top with scallions and hoisin sauce.

Enjoy :-)

Mary had a Little Lamb, Whose Meat was Tender and Delicious

     It never fails.  Every time I get the wild hair to take both my husband and my daughter to the commissary for groceries, I wonder if I'm a glutton for punishment or if I simply block out the memories of how horrible the last time was.  Thankfully, this time the car didn't magically disappear on me, but I do think my daughter is permanently scarred from the experience.  Let me fill you in on the conversation that took place in the meat section.

Monkey:  Daddy, what's that?

J: That's veal.  It's a type of meat.

Monkey: What's veal?

J: Well, it's baby lamb that was killed when it was really young.

Me (only hearing the tail end of that statement):  What on earth are you telling her?  Don't tell her stuff like that.

At this point I noticed a random onlooker stifling giggles.

J: Well it's true!

Monkey:  Mommy!  Do they really make veal out of baby lambs?

Me: No, of course not!

J: Yes they do! Don't lie to her.

Me (whispering):  It's not a lie; veal is actually baby cows.  They use the babies, because the meat is more tender.

J (to Monkey):  I'm sorry, kiddo.  Mommy's right.  It's not baby lamb.  It's baby cows that they kill for their soft meat.

Monkey: crying over sweet baby cows being killed for their meat

Me: Oh my goodness!  Are you freakin' kidding me?  Why would you tell her that?

Random passerby is now outright laughing.

J:  What?  She'll figure it out eventually.

Me: You're going to turn her into a vegetarian!

     At this point Monkey was crying/whining over the fate of baby cows; I was flustered and worried about my child's sanity, and the random passerby walked by and commented, "that's awesome", which of course, encouraged J to do it again with the remaining products in the meat section.  Someone, please remind me next pay day to leave one or both of them at home!

     On a less disturbing note, couple of weeks ago I posted a week's worth of lunch ideas for little ones.  Well I think it's time I share another.  Here's a week of yummy, healthy lunches for your kiddo.

Monday: Hawaiian Kabob Bento

     For a bit of a tropical twist on the Ham and Cheese Kabobs I shared last time, try these by threading diced ham, cubed mozzarella cheese, and pineapple chunks on a wooden skewer.  I added some pretzels, chopped cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and black grapes as sides.

Tuesday: Under the Sea Sandwich Box

     This is my favorite so far.  No, it's not as flawless as the original that was my inspiration, but I was proud of it.  (I know; I need a life.) It's a ham sandwich that I cut into the shape of an octopus using a pair of meat scissors.  The head and two front arms are all one piece, but the remaining limbs were cut out separately and arranged so that they resembled an 8-legged octopus.  I added the spots using bits of grape tomatoes.  I cut the eyes and mouth from a cucumber, using the peel for the green pupils and the mouth.  Next I used a cookie cutter to cut out 4 dolphins from watermelon.  Then I drew a swirly design on a boiled egg using food markers to resemble a conch shell.  Lastly, I threw in some goldfish, and voila! Under the sea fun!

Wednesday: Tuna Fish Sandwich

     As cheesy as this one was, it made me giggle when I thought of it.  To make the fish I used one whole English muffin, and another English muffing cut to look like a tail using a heart-shaped cookie cutter.  I filled the sandwich with some tuna salad.  I sent Monkey to school with the sandwich and a few sides that aren't pictured.

Thursday: Not-so-sushi Tuna Rolls

     I like this one because it's something I would fix for myself, but Monkey liked it too.  I made two rolls, using one tortilla each.  I layered some julienned cucumbers on the tortilla, and then spread the tuna salad on top.  I rolled the tortilla and sliced it like a sushi roll.  I added some cheese cubes, grapes, grape tomatoes, snow peas, and broccoli as sides.

Friday: Rainbow Bento

   
     I thought that this bright, colorful box was just the thing to help Monkey end her week at school on a high note.  The bottom of the box held grape tomatoes, a bit of corn, sliced carrots, broccoli, and black grapes.  The top layer held colorful goldfish, an eggs dotted with food markers, and ham and cheese on an English muffin with a fun rainbow drawn on top by yours truly.

     When I'm not packing lunches or attempting to repair the damage to my child's psyche caused by her father's frankness, I'm usually trying to come up with meals for my family.  I like to do one meal each week without meat to cut down on the grocery bill, but since J is such a carnivore, it's not always easy to find things that he'll truly enjoy.  Tonight, I think I succeeded, since he ate 3 servings, and then fussed at me for putting the rest in the refrigerator for later.

Penne with Roasted Marsala Mushrooms
From "Quick from Scratch Pasta"
Serves 4-6

1 lb mushrooms, cut in halves or quarters depending on size (I used baby bella mushrooms) 
2 TBS cooking oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS butter
3/4 lb penne pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a roasting pan or dutch oven, toss the mushrooms with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes; some liquid will remain in the pan.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add penne, and cook until just done, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the mushrooms from the oven, and transfer them to a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-low heat.  Stir in garlic and Marsala.  Simmer until liquid is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes.  Add the broth and tomato paste and simmer until about 1/4 cup of liquid remains, about 2 minutes longer.  Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the butter and remove from heat.

Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and parsley.

Enjoy!