Baked Parmesan Chicken & Pureed Chicken Patties

Greetings from Sick-ville!

Do you notice how alot of food bloggers blog NO MATTER WHAT?!? What is that postman's credo?... Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night...

Yeah... So... that's not me. 

Man, I have been so stinking SICK lately. I cannot even remember the last time that I actually spent several days doing absolutely nothing. Not working, not reading, not playing on the internet. Nothing, but lying on the couch in misery. If I had had children, Ryan would have had to stay home from work. Blech!

Needless to say, I haven't really been much of a cook lately. Mostly because everything tastes like the rearend of a goat. I can taste sweet, but savory tastes like slow cooked crap. Terrible!

Yesterday, however, I cooked mostly out of boredom. It was the first day I could really get up and walk around. Hubby was thrilled. I think he missed my cooking.

I decided to make Parmesan Chicken. Note, this is by no means a low-fat recipe. However, I haven't really eaten much in the past few days and it seemed as good a time as any to make it.

Baked Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients
2 Whole Chicken Breasts, cut into tenders
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1.5 Cups Non-fat Milk
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I cut up two chicken breasts and soaked them in non-fat milk. Next, I created a dry mixture of parmesan (I use the powdered kind because it's what I had), black pepper, and a bit of sea salt.

Next, dip the chicken tenders into the dry mixture. Coat well. Place on a lightly sprayed or aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes. If you want them crispy, bake for 40-45 minutes. Smaller ones may need to be removed earlier.

I served mine with fresh collards and (canned) fava beans.

Today, I was very disoriented. I actually went to Starbucks to work, but felt so dizzy, I knew I needed to get out of there. Once the sun hit me (it's beautiful here in Cali today), I felt better. I went over to Vons to pick up a couple items. Again, I became so disoriented, I wanted to crawl out of my skin, so I came home to nap. I think I have a pretty good sinus infection, so it's affecting my head or something.

Anyway, so in all that chaos, I forgot to lay out the chicken burgers I planned to make for dinner. When it came time to make them, they were a bit frozen in the middle, so I nuked them. Not on defrost.

Big mistake. Sigh.

I only nuked them for one stupid little  minute, but the damage was done. These "organic chicken patties" are apparantly actually pureed meat prior to the freezing process. The "chicken" became liquid when microwaved. I basically had to pour them into the skillet. Let me tell you, this process was NOT for the faint of heart...Yum. 

 

Good news is, they tasted fine. Served them on sandwich thins with a side of broccoli/carrots/snap peas and fresh grape tomatoes.

Ate mine by myself, actually. Hubby is still at the gym. Julie & Julia kept me company though.

I'm extremely tired again. This bug has me worn out. I should take my computer to the bedroom and write, but most likely, I'll probably spend the rest of the night kickin it with J&J. We shall see.

Tootles!

Roast a Radish, Microwave a Roast

Sunday is my favorite day of the week...

I really enjoy how laid back Sundays feel. For some reason, Saturday always feel a bit stressful to me. It's like I feel like I HAVE to get out and do something. Sundays, the pressure is off, and I can just enjoy myself. Love it!

I had a late lunch today, from one of my favorites: Chipotle!

Oh! I also picked up the book club book from the library. It's Daughter of Fortune. Not a typical read for me, but it's an Opera Bookclub Pick, which usually means it's pretty good.

Dinner tonight was quick, easy, and delicious. I made a microwaveable Hormel Pork Roast. These are tasty and quick for those nights you don't want to spend alot of time in the kitchen. I served the pork roast with a side salad and roasted radishes.

Our salads are usually different. Ryan's is always bigger and  includes more mushrooms because he loves them. Mine usually includes more tomatoes. His almost always had walnuts or cheese. Tonight, I cut up a colby jack cheese stick, because I had a feeling he wouldn't eat very many of the radishes. I know my husband. 

How to Roast Radishes

1. Wash and cut off their little tails and any bad spots.

2. Cut into quarter pieces.

3. Toss with a bit of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.

4. Spread on a cookie sheet. Make sure you only do a single layer.  

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I am soooo full right now. Radishes are seriously filling. I think, to my knowledge, this is the first time I've ever had a cooked radish. They were good!

I'm about to curl up in bed with my new book. I just finished The Handmaid's Tale by M. Atwood. All I can say is "WOAH." I really wished that had been a bookclub book because I felt the immediate need to discuss it. There is so much going on there. It made me wish I had been asked to read that in college, just so we could disect it in class! That was by far my favorite part of school.

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday night.

What's your favorite day of the week?

Tootles!

Defining My Space

A writer needs a place to write...

Today was a very productive day, despite the fact that my house was rather chaotic. With President’s Day, both of my roommate’s kids were out of school. My little dining room is not exactly the most private space to attempt to keep an office space. It’s frustrating to say the least.




No problem, though! We move in April and I’ll have a whole room all to myself! I’m a writer, and as I grow older (and become more serious about my profession), my writing space becomes even more important. There was a time where I could write anywhere. I was younger, my world was smaller, and I had a lot less going on, I suppose. All that mental free space allowed me to crawl inside myself and be a “writer turtle,” as my ex-husband once called me.



Now, I really require a space that defines me. I have so many things in life competing for my attention: my husband, my cute little apartment (and its endless chores and small tasks), my friends… Not that it’s a bad thing, but these things definitely combine to make it harder to truly focus on the job at hand. Right now, writing my book is the number one goal in life for me. Hubby and I have put a lot at stake so I can MAKE IT HAPPEN. I suppose that’s what makes me so adamant about my writing space. It’s become my “real” office.



What about you? Do you have a special space in your home for whatever you’d call your passion? Where do you blog?



Food Stuffs…

Breakfast: Overnight Oats w/Vanilla Yogurt, PB, and Blackberries

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lunch: Leftover Veggie Patty Sub from Subway, Grape Tomatoes & Green Banana (my fav)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dinner: Pork Chops, Salad, and Purple Cabbage and Quinoa Mix
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Night night...

Love is a many splendored thing...

My facebook status is currently Jasmine Myers loves love!

And I do! But... I love it everyday, not just on a Hallmark holiday.

This is going to be a quick post, as I want to spend this evening cuddling up to hubby and reading my book, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I just finished Lost in the Forest by Sue Miller. I'll review the book at the end of this post.

We did our taxes this weekend (insert curse words here), went to the new apartment office to pay our holding deposit, had dinner with a friend, went out to dinner and a movie, and went grocery shopping. It was busy! Because of all that, my food pictures were sporadic.

I had a yummy tofu and tomato lunch this weekend.

After going grocery shopping, I came home to a surprise lunch made by hubby. It was sliced Yukan potatoes, green pepper, and chicken with a little chunky red sauce. He even took pictures. Is that cute or what?!

And, my gift to hubby was a giant heart-shaped brownie.

Review of Lost in the Forest (Sue Miller)

A true artist at her craft, Sue Miller is a master of inuendo, sexual and otherwise. Her writing focuses on complicated and oft-unexpected family dynamics. Lost in the Forest is a beautiful, yet tragic portrait of a family affected by so many contemporary issues: divorce, death, single parenthood, rape, and the problems of coming of age in a broken home and in a complicated world. 

Miller has the unique talent to interweave her characters' issues with your own world. This is the second book I've read by her, and with both books, I've had to put the book aside and pace or just breath because it hit so close to home. By placing her characters in situations that are, at the time, completely realistic and so full of moral dilemma, she demands her readers to answer one of the most difficult questions of all: What would you do in this situation?

Just as there's no easy answers in life, there's no easy resolutions in the world of Sue Miller's characters. I implore you: read Sue Miller!

lol... I just gave you guys my real "writer voice," didn't I?

I hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day weekend and that you use this day to energize your relationships all year long. Love is the fuel. Keep the fire burning. :)

xoxo

-Jasmine

Question for the women...

What (if anything) did you buy your man for Valentine's Day?

Turkey Taco Thursday

Can you believe it's almost Friday?...

Where did the week go?!?

It seems like days just rush by anymore. The older you get, the more you have to do, and the more you have to do, the faster life goes. It seems like I'm getting to a point in my life where I can truly appreciate the moments, not just the big picture. But, I feel like those moments are so fleeting. I'm married now (well, I've been married before, buy that was just practice). Soon, we'll have babies, then they'll be kids, and then teenagers. Before you know it, you're a grandparents, and then... what?... Life is so beautiful, and by the time you realize that, almost 30 years have already gone by. How does that happen?!

Am I the only person that thinks about this stuff or what? :D

Tonight, I did a hard 45 on the upright bike at the gym. Then, we came home and I made Turkey Tacos.

To make Turkey Tacos, I use a taco seasoning packet. I could make it without, but honestly, it just saves me so much time.There's a variety of brands and flavors to choose from, and they're super quick. I usually by a low sodium seasoning packet. Tonight, I used an old favorite, McCormick's Cheesy Taco. It's a higher calorie one, so we use it rarely. It sure is tasty, though.

We mix up our taco fixings by putting half of the fridge out on the counter and choosing whatever calls to us. The bananas were not considered part of the fixings. :)

Tonight, I had Smart Balance Sour Cream (This is new, and I had a coupon. It's okay. I prefer yogurt, actually.)...

Meat, lettuce, and chopped tomatoes...

After dinner, I finished the book I've been reading, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

You've probably seen me reading it for a while.

It was... interesting.

It started out incredibly slow. I read half the book before I was at all interested in the storyline. The story is set during the Depression and follows a young almost-Cornell Grad named Jacob. His parents die in a tragic auto accident, and he literally runs away and joins the circus. Long story short, the circus owner is shady, Jacob falls in love with a crazy man's wife, and all hell breaks lose before the novel ends. It includes alot of twists and turns at the end that left me absolutely elated when I read the final page. I actually ran into the bedroom to tell Ryan how much I loved it. Yes, I get ridiculously excited about books.

So, I liked it. Alot, actually. It's an incredible book by a first-time writer. However, I do wish Gruen could have found the plot line a little sooner in the book because I have a feeling alot of people would quit reading. Which would be a shame, because in the end, it was a fabulous read!

Do you like to read? What do you read? Novels? Nonfiction? Memoirs? How-To?

Honeydew this, Honeydew that...

Today, Mr. Myers and I were lazy. It was pure greatness. The only time I left the house after our morning run was to go to the grocery store. The awesome find at the grocery store was a box of Dreyers Coconut Fruit bars. AWESOME! Much needed in the summer hotness.

I also picked up a honeydew melon. The problem with melon is that you can never tell if it'll be a good one or not. This one was a dud. Ryan chopped it up anyway, so we could have some for dinner.

We spent the afternoon doing odds and ends around the house. I did a little cleaning, some stuff for work and enjoyed my hubby's company.

This evening, I made the stirfry I'd intended to make last night. First, I sauteed a red bell pepper and some chicken with a little crushed black pepper and EVOO.

Then, I mixed in a bag of frozen stirfry vegetables. I haven't had frozen vegetables in months. I guess I've become spoiled. To me, these frozen veges ruined the dish.

Added in brown rice.

Ryan liked the meal, but like I said, the frozen vegetables really detracted from the meal for me. It was just okay.

And, don't forget a dab of this:

I've cleaned up the dishes, made lunches for tomorrow and now I'm going to finish The Magician's Nephew. I've started re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia. Such a lovely series.

Have a beautiful night!!!

tootles,
-Mrs. Myers

Short Stories and Chili Dogs

Today was super busy, punctuated by some fun moments. Ever so often my mom and I will have one of those conversations that are just plain fun. Today was one of those days. I call her most days on my way to school. It gives me something to do while weaving in and out of traffic (not that San Diego really has much traffic). Usually it's a fill-me-in on what Dad's doing, the brother, my work, Ryan, etc. Today, we were discussing the new book I'm reading, which I'm really loving. Always, after I've read a truly heavy book (and the last book was that times 10), I try to read a plot-driven book (ie: a plain ol' good story). Well, who better to tell a story than Stephen King? He's not my favorite author, but for a story that asks nothing of me except to be entertained, he's my go-to guy. His current book is a collection of short stories, titled Just After Sunset. So far, it's fantastic! When I'm not reading it, I'm thinking about reading it. In fact, it's got me excited to write a short story again (which are honestly the hardest creative pieces to write). Anywho, I'm rambling and it isn't about food, so... on with the show.

Tonight, I made chili dogs. Turkey franks with vegetarian chili (yes, canned). No, they weren't overwhelming healthy, but they weren't too terrible either. And, best of all, they were easy and yummy! The perfect dinner combo!

Chili Dogs w/Nutritional Yeast... Yum

Lunch today was TJ's Lentil Soup and an apple.

For some reason, I forgot to picture snacks. I'll do better at that. At work, I tend to just forget. I'm working at buckling down a little more. As I search for a happy medium in my healthy lifestyle, I seem to only yo-yo from strict to terrible. It's funny how balance seems to come so naturally to some and for others it's nearly and impossibility. I guess we all have our things.

School today was painful. I'm still in a lot of pain, but I did manage to do circuit (on very low weights). And, in fact, by the end of circuit, I felt decent. I was so excited when I walked to my car, I was dreaming of going for a jog when I got home. I stopped at Vons to get the hot dog buns, tried to scramble out of my car and got hit in the face by that stupid horrible pain. I limbered up only for a short time, I guess. Sigh... It's better today though, and tomorrow, it will be even more so. It really makes me appreciate my normally pain-free body.

Well, it's time to clean up the dishes, make lunches and settle in for some quiet time with Mr. King (Oh, and Mr. Myers, too, of course). :)

Goodnight!

-j

Little Bits of Books, anyone?

I was doing my usual afternoon quick read of all the new posts by my favorite bloggers when I see that Kath over at Kath Eats Real Food has posted about this amazing website, called DailyLit. So, I click through and I'm excited to discover this GENIUS website that allows you to read a book in either daily, weekly or some other denomination of installments and many of their titles are FREE!!! Little bits of books daily! Is that not the coolest idea?!

So, I picked Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) as a test and provided my email address. Voila! At 4:30am every morning, I will receive an installment of Wuthering Heights to read while I eat my quick breakfast before the gym. A nice feature is that you can customize your "bit" to suit your needs. You need to eat your book in smaller bites, choose "short". For the quick readers, you can pick "normal" or "long". Nice.

This is perfect for the person who can never find time to curl up with a good book, which, actually, isn't me considering I devour books in big gulps, but I'm sure it describes somebody out there perfectly! :p

Let me know if you decide to try it out and what book you choose!

P.S. I'm making Cottage Cheese Pancakes tonight for dinner. This is a first for me, so I'll try to take pics and tell you how it goes. Cross your fingers they turn out!

xoxo - j