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Oh. My. Goodness! These first two weeks of school have been INSANE!! Sorry that I haven’t been posting. My days have been filled with work. I’ve continued getting up extra early to head to the gym by 5:15. Whatever I’m doing there in conjunction with weight watchers is absolutely working. I’ve lost gotten rid of 3.5 pounds this last week (and I’m down more this week even though I don’t weigh in until Friday). We’ve been getting to work around 7:20 and staying until about 5 each day. That’s a long day. By the time I cook dinner, clean up, throw in a load of laundry or vacuum the house it’s 8:00 and time to plan. By 9:00 when planning is done I read for a bit and sleep. It doesn’t really leave a lot of time to write. So let me fill you in.

We’ve started playing volleyball at Hotshots again. Rusty Nutz dominated last week with three wins and continued this week shutting out the first team we played and winning two out of three for the second match; we had a double header. It feels sooo wonderful to be back in the sand. I’m feel at home when setting for my team. I wish I could play every night of the week.

Even if I haven’t been writing, I have been cooking. I have two recipes that BOTH make it to the “regular rotation” list to share with you; as well as another recipe we made a few times and a little project. First up: Cherry Tomato & Ravioli Soup from Rachael Ray Look & Cook. 2 pints of cherry tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves crushed or chopped (I like mine minced), salt and pepper to taste, 4 cups of chicken stock, 16 ounces of cheese ravioli (I used Wegman’s brand), 1 cups of whole basil leaves, 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped (make sure you save some for garnishing), a little bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I sprinkled grated over mine but you can shave some off of a chunk).

Here’s the super easy part: in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes then add the garlic and salt and pepper. Cover it and cook about 10 minutes, shaking occasionally until the tomatoes burst and a thick sauce forms. Add the chicken stock and 2 cups of water. and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Next time I think I’ll try it without the water and see if the broth is a little more flavorful. Add the ravioli and cook for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, wilt the basil in, and stir in the scallions. Serve and garnish with scallions and parmigiano-reggiano. My husband thinks that peas might be a good addition and of course bread is always wonderful. I chose not to add the extra points and temptation to finish a whole loaf. This is 10 points plus but worth every spoonful. I also added a glass of wine.

Cherry Tomato & Ravioli Soup

Tonight we had Pesto Presto Chicken also from Rachael Ray’s Look & Cook. 3 tablespoons of slivered almonds, about a 1/2 cup of basil leaves, 1.4 cup flat leaf parsley, 1 (5.4 ounce) round of Boursin garlic and herb soft cheese, 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, salt and pepper to taste, 4 pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 12 slices 1/4 inch thick of vine-ripened tomatoes (about 2 tomatoes).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a food processor combine the almonds, parsley, basil, Boursin cheese, parm, and salt and pepper. Combine until smooth. Butterfly each piece of chicken and pound until about 1/4 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. Use 1/4 of the pesto mixture in each chicken and fold back over. Top with 3 slices of chicken. Bake for about 20 minutes. I input this recipe to the weight watchers online recipe builder and it’s 11 points plus. I however forgot to drizzle with oil before baking so I’m thinking it’s more like 10 p+. Again I highly recommend this recipe. It’s easy and super tasty!

Pesto Presto Chicken

The other recipe is a glorified grilled cheese. Get some sandwich sized English muffins cut them open and butter the inside. Put the buttered sides down in a frying pan top each with a slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese, melt. I cover my pan  so that the cheese melts better. Then add one slice of beef steak tomato to one half of the English muffin. Top the side with tomato with a side that only had cheese. Let it cook a little longer. Enjoy with a bowl of tomato soup.

Fancy Grilled Cheese

I decided to make another pinterest craft. Get a foam-ish type wreath thing from JoAnn’s ($4.99), some yarn ($2.99), and a little bit of felt ($1). Wrap the yarn around the foam. Be sure not to pull the yarn too tight. Hot glue the ends. Create flowers by cutting out a circle (I traced a coaster). Then cut in spirals. Here’s the tutorial http://www.littlethingsbringsmiles.com/2010/12/felt-fun.html If you’re not in the mood to make one yourself, I’d be happy to make one for you 🙂

Wreath Step 1

Wreath Step 1 Completed

Completed Wreath

Izzy really, really wanted to eat the flowers!

Izzy trying to be sneaky and get a flower

Hopefully I’ll get into a routine that allows me to write more frequently. As it is I should be creating a Smart Board lesson on Union and Intersection for my Integrated Algebra kids. So until next time have a great day!