Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

What I've been up to....

I am finally starting to feel a little better.  I get to find out what the baby is in just three weeks.  I was in a complete panic the other day because I have only gained three pounds and am 15 weeks pregnant, I thought something was wrong.  Luckily my doctor said that was completely normal.   I am not trying to brag, I seriously was on a get fat diet because I thought the baby wasn't growing, I may or may not have made myself feel sick a couple times because I was trying to eat a ton.   I also found a new hobby, genealogy!  I always thought family history was a little boring until I started reading stories online about the pioneers in my family line.  I also found out that through my Grandma Leora I am related to the same person my husband is.  So technically we are fourth cousins twice removed.  The reason why family history is so fun is because its kind of like a mystery you are trying to solve.  I found eight kids that were not even linked to their parents through different documents I searched through online. We are actually going to take a trip to Safford soon because tons of my relatives are buried there.  I'm not going to talk about the election because it's just too sad.  I think we all know who the smart people in this country voted for. 

I started watching the cooking channel the other day and decided to actually write down the recipe and try it.  It turned out really good.  But I decided it was too much work for my lazy cooking self.  I only like meals that take thirty minutes or less haha.  This chicken lasted us all week.  So it was worth it.  I used the left over chicken to make a big pan of chicken enchiladas. 

Chicken marinated with herbs/butter:


Chicken marinated with herbs/butter:

I was at costco the other week and usually buy chicken once a month because its so expensive to buy it organic.  I usually buy the normal chicken breasts that I can quickly make on the stove or put in the oven.  Next to the usual chicken I buy were two whole chickens.  They were the same price as the other chicken I normally buy and were three times as much chicken.  So I guess for a little more work it was worth it.  You definitely get more for your money.

Here is the recipe:
-thaw out your chicken and place it in a pan wing side down.  (The opposite of how you normally cook a chicken).  Then combine half a stick of room temperature butter in a bowl with some chopped up rosemary and thyme.  Mix the herb butter and spread half of it all over the chicken.  Try to get the butter underneath the skin.

-In a separate bowl cut small potatoes in half and mix with olive oil and salt.  

- Bake the chicken (wing side down) at 425 degrees for about fifteen minutes.  Then take the chicken out and set the oven to 350.  Move the chicken to a different pan and put all of the potatoes in the pan you are cooking the chicken in.  Then move the chicken and put it on top of the potatoes.  Put the chicken back in the oven at 350 degrees (wing side up) or the normal way you cook a chicken.  Let the chicken cook for about an hour and ten minutes.  Make sure to buy a thermometer so you can check the temperature of your chicken to make sure it is cooked enough.  Stick the thermometer in your chicken and make sure it is at least 170 degrees. 





New Recipes

  My cute cousin Alex has a new blog and I love all of her recipes she posts.  I bought ingredients to try three of her recipes.  They were so delicious!  I have been eating taco bell ( can't believe I am admitting this) because I haven't been feeling good and for some reason it doesn't make me want to barf.  I would never ever go to taco bell before I was pregnant.  But now I will pretty much eat anything that doesn't gross me out.  Having a baby takes forever....I am the least patient person alive.  I haven't even gained any weight yet!  I just want to wear cute maternity clothes all the time.  I guess it will come soon enough.  I am trying to be as healthy as I can for the baby.  I have been swimming and riding a stationary bike on the days I don't feel sick.  I'm trying to drink a spinach smoothie at least once a day for some vegetables.  Its crazy how strict I was on what I would eat before I was pregnant.  You could not pay me to eat at a fast food place.  I just don't care as much now, when you are sick you kind of stop caring a little.  Here are the recipes I made last week:
                                 
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Pasta




Orzo pasta


Pumpkin chocolate chip bread

Recipes:

Tomato Basil Motz Pasta
Angel Hair Pasta
Tomatoes - diced the size you like
Mozzarella cheese - diced
Basil - chopped
Chicken - cut up
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Olive Oil
SALT! and pepper

Once the pasta is done I add the ingredients right away so the cheese will get melty.

Orzo Pasta
Orzo Pasta
Olive Oil
Tomato 
Basil
Feta
Garlic
Onion Powder 
Salt & Pepper

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
By Alex
3 cups white sugar
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I put more because this is clearly not enough chocolate) 

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
  2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.
  3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. 


I have way too many shows that I am watching right now.  There are so many good ones on!










Favorite Dinner!

Last night I tried this delicious recipe I found on pinterest  What in the World did I make for dinner before pinterest?  I think it was the best recipe I have ever made in my life.  It was the best thing I have eaten in weeks.  I am definitely making it again in a couple days.  Or maybe tomorrow!  It was so fresh tasting, lemony garlic pasta with lemon and herb chicken.  Delicious!  It is definitely a recipe worth trying.  Don't be overwhelmed by the directions, I almost didn't make it because there were too many steps and ingredients.  It really didn't cost that much to make and was worth the hour in the kitchen.  Just make a ton so you can eat it the rest of the week.  



Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes


Ingredients:
500 grams spaghetti pasta (cooked al dente)
1 pound chicken breast fillets (skinless and boneless, sliced into 1 inch chunks)
For the chicken marinade:
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (if using dried, use half of the amount)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)
-  Add all the marinade ingredients into the chicken and marinate for 20 minutes (if making this dish in pronto) or over night (if making this dish the next day… much better).
-  Saute the marinated chicken in extra virgin olive oil until cooked (about 4-5 minutes) then set aside.
For the garlic gravy:
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, chopped (to sprinkle/finish the pasta)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
-  Place sauté pan over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
-  Saute garlic until fragrant and soft.
-  Add the flour and cook for a minute.
-  Add chicken stock and simmer gravy until thickened then add the chopped basil.
-  Season with salt and pepper.
-  Add the sauteed chicken in the gravy then toss the cooked spaghetti into this  sauce.
-  Add the cherry tomatoes and finish the dish with the chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese (serve extra on the side).
Makes 5-6 servings