Hey Kids!
Long time no chat! The reason for my recent blogging absence is that my computer died on me, and I had to wait for it to be fixed! Major bummer. As luck would have it, I have an incredibly smart and fabulous Dad who fixed it for me and shipped it back as good as new! :)
As I blog to you, I want you all to know that I am watching Bridesmaids for the fifteenth time (seriously!). For some reason, I cannot get enough of this movie. The first time I saw it I didn't think it measured up to all the hype, but I swear each time I watch it I laugh harder. I guess I'm kind of like a child- you know, they find the one book they love and want you to read it to them every day, all day. I'm kind of like that with movies. I'm sad to admit that Bridesmaids is not the first movie I have cycled on repeat. I think it all started in my childhood with absurdly frequent trips to the video store (remember those? haha) to repeatedly rent Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Cutting Edge. I guess we all have our vices, right?!
I forgot to tell you I was in the movie!
Anywho! I have so much to catch you all up on, but I'll try not to dump it all in this one post. Last week, I made a fantastic stuffed pepper recipe concocted by my bff Katie. It was such an easy, healthy, and filling weeknight meal!
Satisfying Stuffed Peppers
(adapted from Katie !)
What you'll need:
1 package of ground chicken ( I used Turkey)
4 Peppers
Quinoa
Onion
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Chili Powder
Parsley
Basil
8 oz can of tomato sauce
Walnuts (raw)( I used pine nuts )
Lemon
Cheese (gorgonzola, parm, mozz -- optional) ( I chose the gorgonzola route!)
Turn oven on to 350 degrees.
Cook 1 cup of quinoa (per directions).
Cut tops off pepper and clean out the peppers. Wash and set aside.
Saute half an onion and 2 garlic cloves.
After about 3 minutes of sauteing on medium heat, put whole package of ground chicken in pan (with onions/garlic). Cook until no longer pink.
In a bowl, mix quinoa, meat, onions, peppers, chili powder, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, a little lemon juice, and 1/2 can of tomato sauce. ( Taste the mix to make sure it's to your liking). ( I added Siracha and cumin to my mix!)
Stuff peppers with mixture. Top with a little bit of tomato sauce and walnuts.
**If using cheese, do one of two things. IF parmesan, sprinkle on top of peppers. IF gorgonzola or mozz, mix with above mix.
Once done stuffing, place in 2 inch deep pan and cover. Put in oven for 30-35 minutes, until pepper and mix are cooked.
I added a little teeny bit of truffle oil to the top of the stuffed pepper once the pepper came out (that's obviously optional). (The truffle oil drizzle was awesome! However, I would bathe in truffle oil I love it so much)
**NOTE** I had leftover filling so I froze it and will have it on hand for the next time I want to whip these babies up!
Voila! There's your dinner. :)
In other news, I have been a single lady this weekend. PJ is away in Chicago for Lolla Palooza, and he is actually staying with my best friend and her husband while he is there. Needless to say, I am majorly jealous that he gets to be with them and I don't :(
Unfortunately, someone had to stay home and watch this little angel :
On Friday evening, I took a trip to Chelsea Market for dinner. It certainly was a neat space! There are stores, restaurants, and bakeries (and a lobster pound!?) all inside this maze -like building!
LL and I had dinner at this farm to table restaurant. It was fab!
Amazing chicken liver pate with a yummy sauce! This was definitely my favorite dish of the meal. Instead of ordering entrees, we ordered a few apps and split a main dish. It worked out perfectly! We were able to try a bunch of things without feeling so stuffed that we needed to be wheeled out of the restaurant ! :)
We enjoyed roasted chicken with kale and spaetzel for our main dish. Both LL and I discussed our avoidance of ordering chicken as a main course when out to eat because it is something we both make so often at home. For some reason on Friday night, chicken was what we both wanted despite other great options on the menu! The chicken was delish, but the spaetzel was PHENOMENAL. I could have eaten a whole plate of just that!
Candle in a mason jar. Such a cute idea!
All in all it was a wonderful little Friday. I was in bed reading by 11pm and snoring at 11:01 :)
Breakfast Saturday AM. Lox plate with a whole wheat bagel. Get in my belly.
After breakfast, I hit up the farmers market, got some things done around the apartment, and did a little yoga. As luck would have it, a friend of ours moved into an apartment in Jersey City on Saturday and he has a pool on his roof! Clearly, I am living in the wrong building! He invited some of us over for a little sun and swimming.
I felt like I was on a cruise ship, not in the middle of a city! Awesome :)
Saturday night consisted of some fun with friends!
Sadly it is Sunday again and another great weekend comes to a close. I am happy in a way because PJ comes home tomorrow night !I might miss him a little... just a little :) I topped my weekend off with a late afternoon Soul Cycle class with LL and Katie -I don't know if LL is ever going to talk to me again after I coerced her into joining me for the class! At the end of the class ,the instructor said "hopefully you are still going to be friends with the person who dragged you here today!" I looked at LL and she looked back at me and said "No, Swin - we are not still friends!" hahah. The class is definitely an intense workout especially for a Sunday!
The girls came back to my casa and I cooked up some dinner for us. I will post pics/recipe tomorrow. LL also gave me an ADORABLE gift marking my one month blogging anniversary! Sweet :)
Measuring spoons from Anthropologie. Totes Adorbs.This was the perfect gift because last time LL and I cooked together, she was intrigued ( or concerned!) by the fact that the measurement readings on my crappy plastic measuring spoons were totally worn off (and that I had been "guestimating" my measurements for quite some time). We had to cross our fingers and hope that we were using the tablespoon and not the teaspoon while we cooked. Ahh! The adrenaline rush ! What can I say, I'm a sucker for a cheap thrill. Hehehe.
On that note, I am going to take Toby for a stroll, get in my jammies, and hop into bed! I'll see you all tomorrow! P.S. Here is a pic of an awesome coffee mug I saw while walking around Friday night. The message really resonates with me and maybe it will with you , too :)
xo
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