Rosemary Roasted Chicken & Vegetables with Bacon

Just a heads up-I HATE this meal for a weeknight meal. It's a lot of chopping/slicing/dicing. But? If C is home to help me? I don't mind. It's worth every minute it takes to prepare it! So tasty.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken & Vegetables with Bacon

Serves 4

What you need-

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 red bell peppers, sliced

1 large leek (I use yellow onion), sliced

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary

3/4 tsp salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

What you do-

Preheat oven to 425. Combine potatoes, peppers, leek (onion), oil, 2 tsp rosemary, and salt in a large shallow roasting pan, toss to coat and roast for about 20 minutes.

While that's roasting, sprinkle the chicken with the remaining rosemary. Spray a skillet with non stick spray and brown the chicken, it takes about 5 minutes. 

Put the chicken on top of the vegetables and roast, stirring occasionally, for about 20 more minutes (or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender).

Meanwhile, cook the bacon and drain it on a paper towel. Once you take the chicken and vegetables out of the oven, sprinkle the chopped bacon over the chicken and veggies.

The serving size is 1 1/4 cups, and it's 7 PPV. Yep, another WW recipe. 

I usually serve mine with something green, a salad of some sort.

Spend It Like We Got It

I'm sure you all remember the whiny wecan'treallyaffordawedding post last week? Well a week or so before C proposed, he took me on a shopping spree of sorts. You see, I'd been begging for chairs to match our dining room table since...well since I bought the dining room table back in 2008 (it was a steal at PB Outlet okay? I learned my lesson-don't purchase a table sans chairs). I know, right?! Anyway the day started out with us going to look at chairs. 

Okay, so I'm not a good window shopper. I know this. Somehow C managed to finagle 4 chairs in his smallish car. And yes, he strapped them in. He'll be such a good daddy some day. ;)

Ahem.

And then I couldn't stand looking at our dinky TV stand one more minute. Truthfully, I'd been begging for something, anything! to get rid of that thing. 

If I were pregnant, I would have called this nesting. But I'm not so I didn't. I just called it, 'Ashley's Spoiled Rotten Weekend 2012'.

So I had to get something. Pronto. Off to Ikea we went.

Once again, C made large boxes fit into his smallish car, and I nearly had to take a taxi home because there wasn't any room for me in the back seat!

The next day...

Yep, I just had him slap that bad boy up in the middle of the wall and I didn't move another piece of furniture. A month later, and it's still like this. I need to do something with those shelves...I did get more wicker baskets to fill out the bottom of the entertainment center though. Progress, people.

Oh, but the cherry on top?

He then took me to buy this...

OMG I'm so rotten.

For the record, we'd been using a 6 ft tree for the last 5+ years. I'd gotten my $20 worth, mmk? I'd been begging for a 7 1/2 foot tree for a couple of years now. We just recently moved into a place where we had enough space for a tree that large to make sense. 

Or so I thought. 

This thing is a beast. The height? Perfect. The girth? OMG we had to rearrange half of the house. It's so...ROUND. I still love it though. Even if we did have to buy over 500 more lights to put on it and if we have to sit in the dining room to watch the TV that's in the living room.

Ha.

So yeah. I'm spoiled. And by spoiled I mean grateful and thankful. C is too good to me. That wedding? I know if I really want it, I can have it, but I just really need to think about it some more. And if one more person asks me on a Monday morning, 'Didya get married this weekend?' I will lose my shit. 

Cincinnati-Style Beef Chili

Ok, so another beef recipe. Shoot me. But? A cold front moved through at the beginning of last week and I needed a chili fix. This is not your ordinary chili recipe. We were all pleasantly surprised, and we fought over the left overs too (unheard of)!

Cincinnati-Style Beef Chili

Serves 4 plus leftovers

What you need-

2 tbs paprika

2 tbs cocoa powder (trust me)

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cinnamon (weird, right?)

1 tsp allspice (super weird!)

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef (I used 7% fat)

1 (15 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 onion, diced

8 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 (14 1/2 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti (this is where it gets good!)

1/2 cup diced red onion

4 tbs shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

I also added another can of beans (I don't remember what kind, and this will also effect the ppv) and garnished with a dollop of light sour cream, oh, and the boys added cayenne pepper because of course it wasn't spicy enough for them!

I realize there are quiet a few ingredients, but don't let that scare you away, it's so simple to make.

What you do-

Stir together the first six ingredients in a small bowl. Brown the meat in a skillet with 3 tablespoons of the spice mixture. Set remaining spice mixture aside. When the meat is browned, add it to a 4 quart slow cooker. Add in the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and vinegar. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. 

About 20 minutes before it's time to eat, add in the rest of the spice mixture and the beans (the cayenne if you want that too). Stir to combine and then cook your pasta until al dente!

Serve 1 cup of spaghetti with 1 1/4 cups chili. 7 PPV, more if you added garnishments like cheese, sour cream, or extra beans like I did.

I should really get my good camera out and snap photos, instead of my phone. Anyway, I was so nervous to try it. Noodles? With chili? But we all loved it!

It's Good To Be Back

I forgot to mention that we finally gave in and got the internet. And by we I mean C. He's super picky about that kind of stuff (speed and all kinds of crap I don't understand) and he finally got tired of me bitching about not being able to use the laptop we just spent way too much money on. 

So we got the interwebz and it's decent. Better than what we had (nothing) at least. So that's what all of this random catch up posting is about here recently. A lot of these recipes (photos) and things I posted on Instagram a while back but I'm just now getting around to posting the actual recipe. 

I do hate a good catch up post.

You guys! Christmas is just days away. That means? I get to see my dad and brothers who are coming! And almost better than that?! 

11 days off of work, PAID. 

Yes please. 

Also, this Friday, C and I are going to his work Christmas party. He failed to tell me that it's like a dance type thing (WTH C, I DON'T DANCE). But to make it up to me, we're staying at a fancy schmancy hotel downtown for the night. 

Bow chicka bow wow. 

Just kidding, but I do get to wear my awesome dress that I wore to E's wedding back in September, again.

So that's exciting. 

Now just let me get through this week...

N. Family Photos

Thank goodness my sweet family lets me practice my mad photog skillz on them. Here are a few of my favorites from their shoot a few weeks ago-

To see the rest (and better quality) click up top where it says 'Photography'. 

Happy Weekend!

Weight...Loss?

It's been a while. But I'm still on the weight loss train. I did cancel my Weight Watchers account. Everyone kept asking me why, so let me explain- I hadn't tracked a single thing since September 14th. Honestly. I was not getting my money's worth as far as eTools and things like that. I was still enjoying the meetings, and weighing in, but it wasn't worth $45 a month (to me). 

So I'm going to try this on my own. I'm not counting points really, just watching what I'm eating and being aware of my portions. And I have to keep my movement up. I know what it takes to be successful at this, and I feel like I learned so! much! 

I'm still hovering between 30-33 pounds lost since May. I hit my all time low (in years), 169 pounds on Thanksgiving! morning, and no, I haven't seen that number again since then. But I will. 

Another thing I accomplished? I completed the 30 Day Shred. 

I really really enjoyed it. I felt so great every day when I'd finish. I took my measurements before I started The Shred, but I FORGOT to take my measurements when I was done. I was so mad at myself, I know I lost inches in my upper body for sure because my bra was fitting all weird toward the end. My last day of The Shred was Black Friday, and yes, I did shred on Thanksgiving. 

I've seriously had so much support during this whole weight loss journey. My brother, who moved in with us in July, did The Shred with me every single day. C's work schedule didn't allow him to, but T did it with me. It worked because when I didn't feel like doing it, he did and vice versa. I typically don't enjoy working out with another person, but I probably wouldn't have finished without his help. 

I was nervous when I did cancel my WW account, but I was prepared. At my last meeting, I bought every single cook book (new YUMMY! recipes coming soon) and a calculator so I can still calculate points if I want. 

I only want to lose 10-15 more pounds. But I'm not going to freak out if I don't. I've been hovering around the same weight for a couple of months, and I feel good, and that's what matters to me. Not a number on a scale.

Last week I started the C25K app. I'm scared to death that I won't be able to run the 5k at the end of the eight weeks. I was also scared I wouldn't finish The Shred though too. I am not a runner. I can not run. Can't. I think the most I've ever run without stopping is around 3/4 of a mile. Embarrassing, right? I would pay for someone to teach me how to run. Anyway, we'll see how this goes, and by the end of January, I might be running my first 5k. 

Crazy.

Herbed Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

I don't love beef. I usually go for chicken. But sometimes I do crave red meat. It's rare, but it happens. Recently, I tried this new (to me) WW recipe. I changed it up a bit, the original recipe calls for leeks, not carrots, but we aren't fans so I used carrots instead. 

Herbed Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

Serves 4 plus leftovers

What you need-

1 2 pound boneless lean beef bottom round roast

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp olive oil

1 pound baby carrots (you can use leeks if you want!)

1 pound small red potatoes (scrubbed and left whole)

1/2 yellow onion sliced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

What you do-

Pat the roast dry. Sprinkle the roast with the herbs and salt. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the roast on all sides. 

Transfer the roast to a 4 quart slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook, covered, on low for 8-10 hours. 

That's seriously all you do. I'm not going to lie, the first time I made this, I called my grandma (The Roast Making Queen) and asked her if I should put some liquid in it. I was worried it would be dried out. It wasn't! There is a bit of a sauce that it simmers in once it's been cooking for a while.

I served mine with fresh steamed green beans.

7pp per serving!

Can I Just Whine?

Really. I am so overwhelmed right now. 

I've never thought about what my wedding day would be like. Ever. Maybe it's because my parents didn't have a wedding? It was never a big thing. No wedding photos around the house or any of that. Heck, I can't even remember my mom ever wearing her wedding ring, or my parents' anniversary date. I think it was in May? Anyway, I can count on one hand how many weddings I've attended. It's just never been something I've thought about. Of course I've always wanted to be married, I just never thought about the actual ceremony and stuff.

A few weeks before C proposed, we'd talked about the whole wedding thing (for the five millionth time). I assured him that I still didn't want a big to-do as far as a wedding was concerned and he was on board. There are a few factors that make a small wedding/elopement make sense for us-

Our moms are both deceased. That takes a lot of fun out of it. 

And we have to save whatever money we can for kids. We have to pay to have kids. IVF isn't cheap y'all. And we don't want a house full, we'd be happy with just one. 

But of course, I feel like I'm missing out on something if we just go to the courthouse and do it that way. I hate that feeling and he doesn't want me to feel that way either. But spending a lot of money that we don't have (and asking our dad's to help out is basically out of the question) is irresponsible. 

I have been doing a bit of research (I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START!) on a small ceremony and reception but I can't even think of a number for a budget, much less pin down a specific date! The only two dates that have any meaning for us are January 15 (the day we started dating), and November 17 (the day he proposed). I am a date girl. It has to mean something to me. 

The last time I checked, January 15, 2013 is just a little over a month away, and in the middle of the week. We could do that-if we wanted to be hasty about it.  

November 17, 2013 is on a Sunday, which would work, but do I really want to go down that road of planning/spending money we shouldn't/stressing over a wedding?

People keep asking what we're doing and nearly a month after the engagement we still don't know! 

I do know that I keep going back to this photo-

Via

Thanks a lot Pinterest. 

I love everything about this except for the cake. 

I also like the idea of dark purple accents, and Persian buttercups, and a ceremony in the exact spot he proposed at, and wedding dress shopping (I know right? Who am I?). 

Mostly I just want to be married.

Let me throw another curve ball-C has a short term goal of moving us to Cupertino, CA for his job. So that's all up in the air. 

I just don't know. 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

I'm all ears. 

Check Up Update

C had his yearly cat scan/blood work/test results last week. 

Everything still looks good and he's still cancer free! I don't think we were as nervous this year for some reason. Maybe it happened so long ago (really only 3 years) that we've forgotten some of the emotions and seriousness of it all. 

Anyway, Dr. K told him to go celebrate or something. We never do. We both just exhale loudly and enjoy the fact that we're both healthy!

Check ups are now only once a year for the next two years and then he's done. I told Dr. K that I wouldn't be ready to cut the cord then and he laughed at me. He said that in all of his years of being an oncologist, he's only seen testicular cancer recur 3 times. Everyone else has always been cured. 

That's a huge relief. But then, me being me, I just had to know that if the cancer came back where would it come back at? The answer? The stomach, and usually you don't know it's back unless you're having routine blood work/tests. That's a little scary, but we aren't going there.

As we were leaving, Dr. K said, 'It's almost like it never even happened, this whole cancer thing.' I was like, 'Uh, almost.'

In my head I was thinking about the whole wecan'thavekidsnaturally thing. COME ON ASHLEY! Be grateful that your fiancé is alive and healthy! I'm sure when he said that, C was thinking, yeahexceptforthewholemyhairwillbethinandannoyingfortherestofmylife thing. 

Cancer sucks!

Our Photos

I know I'm getting all crazy with the whole engagement thing around these parts, but I promise this is the last engagement related post for a while. I just wanted to share a few of my favorite photos from our recent engagement shoot. To see the rest, click up top where it says 'Photography'.

That bench? In the second photo? That's the bench we were on when he proposed. I can't wait to hang these in our house!