Remember how last year I had a job that I loved and allowed me to travel and be creative and I made a lot of money?
Well, I finally got around to doing my taxes this weekend, and let me just say that I don't miss it quite as badly as I thought I did. I may as well just promise my first born to the government now. Anyway, that's how I spent my quiet Saturday athome my parents' house (my mom went to Alabama with her sisters to visit their aunt and check out their grandfather's old house and my dad worked in his garden most of the day).
Today, my mom and I drove up to the mountains to get some apples and for me to gather some inspiration to finish the last bit of my book. Obviously, I did not make it to Charleston this weekend to take Gabby to the beach - you wouldn't believe the week of work I've had (it never fails - when I plan something that requires extra cash, my clients get difficult, and this week was no exception), but I'm aiming for next weekend.
Anyway, one of my favorite blogs, Kelly's Korner, is doing a CrockPotalooza link-up, and as of late, that's my specialty. Sort of. I've been trying my darndest to eat healthier, which mostly means cooking more and eating out less. Also, I was getting tired of eating grilled chicken all the time, so I went on a mission to find some new recipes. I found both of these on Pinterest, but I modified them to my own tastes.
The first recipe isn't something you need a Crock Pot for, but it's is sooooo good! It tasted like something from a restaurant. And if you love spinach dip, you'll really love this.
For recipe #1 you need:
McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning
Italian seasoning
Apple cider vinegar
Oil (I use olive or canola)
Chicken
Spinach
Green onions
Cream cheese
Parmesan cheese
Sour cream
Bacon
Using the first four ingredients (measure based on your own tastes and how much chicken you use) to create a marinade for the chicken. Marinade for as long as you like; I like to do it overnight.
In a bowl (again, use the ingredients to your own taste - the amount is not important as long as there is a good balance), mix spinach (I use fresh and just tear it up with my fingers), chopped green onions, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream.
Take each piece of chicken, fold it in a piece of wax paper and hammer it until it's as flat as it can get. Spoon some of the mixture into the center and fold the chicken around it. Wrap a piece of bacon around the whole thing, stick a wet toothpick into it, and bake it at 350 until done. That is, without a doubt, the best chicken recipe I've ever made myself!
For recipe #2 you need:
Chicken
Can of black beans
Jar of salsa
Container of white cheese dip
Green onions
Sour cream
And, of course, your crock pot.
Basically, I put the chicken, beans, half the jar of salsa, most of the white cheese dip (I kept a little out to eat by itself... sigh) and the chopped green onions into the crock pot and cooked it on low for a couple of hours. I tasted it (forgetting the chicken wasn't done) at this point, and it was soooo good.
The recipe I read called for you to add eight ounces of sour cream after two hours, and honestly, if I could go back in time, I wouldn't have done that. It was much better before the sour cream. Either way, you cook it until the chicken's done, shred the chicken, and then cook it for another half hour or so.
It makes a pretty good dip or you can spread it over tortilla chips with whatever you'd put on top of nachos on it (I added lettuce and a little more sour cream). I also tried making fajitas out of it (it makes a lot and it's just me eating it, so I've had it for several meals this weekend), which was good, too.
I don't have any pictures of either recipe or my trip to the mountains (or my taxes), because, well, I still haven't been able to replace my drowned iPhone, and I don't lug a digital camera around with me. Just use your imagination!
And with that, I'm off to get some work done so I can hopefully take the Gabs to the beach next weekend!
Well, I finally got around to doing my taxes this weekend, and let me just say that I don't miss it quite as badly as I thought I did. I may as well just promise my first born to the government now. Anyway, that's how I spent my quiet Saturday at
Today, my mom and I drove up to the mountains to get some apples and for me to gather some inspiration to finish the last bit of my book. Obviously, I did not make it to Charleston this weekend to take Gabby to the beach - you wouldn't believe the week of work I've had (it never fails - when I plan something that requires extra cash, my clients get difficult, and this week was no exception), but I'm aiming for next weekend.
Anyway, one of my favorite blogs, Kelly's Korner, is doing a CrockPotalooza link-up, and as of late, that's my specialty. Sort of. I've been trying my darndest to eat healthier, which mostly means cooking more and eating out less. Also, I was getting tired of eating grilled chicken all the time, so I went on a mission to find some new recipes. I found both of these on Pinterest, but I modified them to my own tastes.
The first recipe isn't something you need a Crock Pot for, but it's is sooooo good! It tasted like something from a restaurant. And if you love spinach dip, you'll really love this.
For recipe #1 you need:
McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Chicken Seasoning
Italian seasoning
Apple cider vinegar
Oil (I use olive or canola)
Chicken
Spinach
Green onions
Cream cheese
Parmesan cheese
Sour cream
Bacon
Using the first four ingredients (measure based on your own tastes and how much chicken you use) to create a marinade for the chicken. Marinade for as long as you like; I like to do it overnight.
In a bowl (again, use the ingredients to your own taste - the amount is not important as long as there is a good balance), mix spinach (I use fresh and just tear it up with my fingers), chopped green onions, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream.
Take each piece of chicken, fold it in a piece of wax paper and hammer it until it's as flat as it can get. Spoon some of the mixture into the center and fold the chicken around it. Wrap a piece of bacon around the whole thing, stick a wet toothpick into it, and bake it at 350 until done. That is, without a doubt, the best chicken recipe I've ever made myself!
For recipe #2 you need:
Chicken
Can of black beans
Jar of salsa
Container of white cheese dip
Green onions
Sour cream
And, of course, your crock pot.
Basically, I put the chicken, beans, half the jar of salsa, most of the white cheese dip (I kept a little out to eat by itself... sigh) and the chopped green onions into the crock pot and cooked it on low for a couple of hours. I tasted it (forgetting the chicken wasn't done) at this point, and it was soooo good.
The recipe I read called for you to add eight ounces of sour cream after two hours, and honestly, if I could go back in time, I wouldn't have done that. It was much better before the sour cream. Either way, you cook it until the chicken's done, shred the chicken, and then cook it for another half hour or so.
It makes a pretty good dip or you can spread it over tortilla chips with whatever you'd put on top of nachos on it (I added lettuce and a little more sour cream). I also tried making fajitas out of it (it makes a lot and it's just me eating it, so I've had it for several meals this weekend), which was good, too.
I don't have any pictures of either recipe or my trip to the mountains (or my taxes), because, well, I still haven't been able to replace my drowned iPhone, and I don't lug a digital camera around with me. Just use your imagination!
And with that, I'm off to get some work done so I can hopefully take the Gabs to the beach next weekend!
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