Sorry...

It's been so long since I've done a post! Life has gotten in the way. I do, however, have some things to share.

First, I tried the Peaches and Pork recipe on Chicken...it was Super Yummy! I served it with some baked beans and home made potato wedges.

Wedges:
Cut up some "New Potatoes" (I used the red skinned kind and left the skin on)
Put some olive oil in a zippy bag or in a glad ware container.
Seal and Shake.
Add in your favorite seasonings. (I used Rosemary and some parsley)
Shake some more.

Pour onto a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 until done. Simple, easy and delicious.


J hasn't been feeling the best lately, and he wanted something bland and some sort of soup...I decided I would try making Chicken and Stars.

2 Chicken breasts
1 box of Swanson's Chicken Broth
Seasonings (Italian Seasoning)
Handful of Frozen Mixed Veggies
Pastina

I diced up the chicken breasts and browned them, then slowly added in the broth. I then sprinkled some seasoning in until it smelled right and added in the frozen veggies. I let it all simmer for about 15 minutes and then added in the Pastina. ( I added WAAAAAAYYYY too much. I would guess I used 1/2-3/4 a cup of Pastina, and probably 1/4 would have been plenty.) I then let it simmer another 5-10 minutes then served.

The next time I make it, I'll take more time, and make sure to have better soup veggies (chopped celery, onions, carrots) and let it simmer a lot longer to let the flavors blend better, however over all it was really really good. I'm not sure how it would take to re-heating, since I added so much Pastina by the time we were done eating and cleaning up the boys etc to put away dinner, it had turned into a giant casserole, so we just tossed it.

One last thing to add, I've been trying to count calories and watch what I'm eating and tracking my calories here. I'm cutting back on Diet Coke and drinking more water. I'm (gasp!) exercising.
A couple of things I've learned I like in the last week or so include Greek Yogurt (It took a few tries to decide I liked it...the consistency is a lot thicker than regular yogurt but its good!), lots of fresh veggies for my snacks (rather than hitting up the vending machine for yet ANOTHER package of PB M&Ms). I've been making "old fashioned" oatmeal in the morning--still in the microwave, but it's supposed to be healthier than the instant. I bought some Agave nectar I've yet to try, but I'm excited to do so.

Last but not least, I've found a new (to me) way to enjoy salad.

Broccoli slaw
Chopped Cucumbers
Sliced Mushrooms,
Diced up Cheese Stick
Chopped Broccoli
Chopped Green Peppers

I then add 10 sprays of Ranch, put a lid on the bowl and shake. The 10 sprays usually coat the salad really well, adding a great flavor without too many calories.

So, that's what I've been up to....not as much cooking lately, but I'm excited for the fall weather and the delicious recipes that come with it.

What are you most excited for?

Lazy much?

So, lately, due to several different reasons (sick kids, myself, J...) I've been lacking in the cooking department, but a quick summary of the meals we've enjoyed:

Chicken and Biscuits

1 can cream of chicken
1/2 large bag or 1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup sour cream
Milk
1 large can of chicken breast, rinsed(I'm sure you can use cooked chicken breast chunks as well)
1 tube of biscuts (I like the non-flaky kinds for this)

I cook the veggies some, mostly to get them un-frozen and warm, then drain them.

In a large bowl I mix the cream of chicken, sour cream, veggies, drained/rinsed chicken (I always buy the stuff that's packed in water, but I drain it/rinse it then kinda...shred it up so the chunks aren't so huge) and the I add the milk. The amount of milk I use varies, it's supposed to be creamy, but not runny, and. A good general rule is about 1/2 cup, but it gets a little runnier as it cooks, so you will probably want it on the thicker side rather than the runnier side.

I then heat this up either in a microwave safe bowl for about 10 minutes or on the stove top until it's just starting to boil, then pour it in an 8x8 baking dish sprayed with Pam, of course. Then open the biscuits and toss them on top and bake until the biscuits are done, probably around 15-20 minutes. The recipe doubles nicely for a 9x13 pan.