Tip Tuesday {Recipes}

If you're like me, sometimes you don't know what's exactly for dinner until you look in the kitchen around 3pm.  I try to menu plan, but it may be vague like, "chicken thighs."  I had no idea what exactly I was going to make the chicken thighs with, but I knew that I wanted to cook them up.

I found this recipe via Tastefully Simple as I had the ingredients on hand.  If you're a mom, or just a busy person in general, you need to check out their dinner ideas!

The recipe called for chicken breasts so that you could make chicken tenders/fingers and dip them.  I only had thighs on hand, so I just used a previous recipe's baking time:

Chicken thighs:
450 degrees
40 minutes

Follow the rest of this recipe here. 

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Brown Sugar
Onion Onion

I did some steamed brussels sprouts with garlic cheese. (Wegmans)

The chicken came out so so SO good.  You definitely need to make the dipping sauce too!  For more amazing recipes, follow my friend Cathy on FB here! 

I also highly recommend this combo for a lazy/cozy Sunday by the fire with your lover.

What's cookin in your house this week?

Breakfast For Dinner

Happy Hump Day!

I don't know about you, but when I cook

breakfast

lunch

dinner

Pretty much every single day,

I get in a rut from time to time.

My husband and I love food, trying new foods, experimenting in the kitchen,

but as hot as it's been, {and as prego as I'm getting...} I just don't have the stamina 

to whip out Food Network 5 ***** meals at every hour.

I did make an awesome Thai dinner last Saturday that required a bit of effort,

so much in fact I busted out a real camera and have yet to upload it to my computer.

:)

Anyway, for my birthday my sister gave me a waffle maker.

I have wanted one since we gave my mother one and I used to love making

egg white waffles in that thing!
They were so fluffy and light, and I remember how cool it was when we could have

Breakfast for Dinner

Now, my husband didn't seem to thrilled at the idea when I mentioned it months ago,

having breakfast foods at dinner time,

but when you're pregnant, and you don't get "lazy mornings" lately,

you do what what you need to do.

Besides, this week he's had to work 9-9 Monday-Wednesday, 

so I figured a lighter fare would be good for his finicky {Crohns} belly.

So last night?
I give you, our Brinner.

 It said it would take between 3-6 minutes

I did 5 and probably could have checked at 3-4

But they were still yummy!

I wasn't impressed with the recipe, so I'd like to try more.

It came with the waffle maker and was called
Basic Waffle Recipe

and that's what it was.

I am happy that I froze the extras and can now eat them whenever!

I had some different toppings...

[not my preserves, we bought them]

and of course Pure Real Maple Syrup

I'm on a butterscotch craving lately??

I totally ate two.

We enjoyed them! 

I have eaten all of the fresh fruit in the house, 

otherwise I would have made a fruit salad to go along with it.
I did boil some eggs & used my new Tastefully Simple product:
Howlin' Horseradish Seasoning

I modified this recipe:
 Howlin’ Deviled Eggs
Maureen Grener (OH)
6 peeled, halved hardboiled
eggs
11⁄2 tsp. Howlin’ Horseradish
Dip Mix™
4 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. sour cream {used non-fat greek yogurt}
1⁄4 cup finely diced ham {omitted}
Place yolks in small bowl;
mash with a fork until
crumbly. Add remaining
ingredients; blend well. Fill
each egg half with yolk
mixture. Chill 2 hours. Makes
5-6 servings.

What are some of your favorite
Breakfast for Dinner creations?

Any of you had this crazy Chicken & Waffles dish I hear Paula Deen rave about??

Bucatini all'Amatriciana {aka Bacon Pasta}

Giada makes it.
Theresa from the Housewives makes it.
Everyone has her own version!!
One of my no-fail, easy go-to dinners, and one of Joe's favorite {score!}

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

aka

Bacon Pasta

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta of choice {bucatini is like spaghetti but is thicker & hollow}

6-8 slices of applewood smoked bacon {In Italy, they'd use pancetta, but the kinds we have here aren't as good, instead you can use bacon}

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

1 onion diced

2 crushed garlic cloves

a few splashes of red wine 

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

a few pinches of red pepper

salt/pepper to taste

EVOO for the pan

Directions:

In a large pot, boil water & follow directions for pasta.

In another large pot, saute onions in about 2 T of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat

Tip: Salt the the onions to tenderize a bit quicker

Once softened, add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Don't burn/brown, just soften.

Add crushed tomatoes, paste, seasonings and bring to a boil.

Add wine & simmer to reduce a bit.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay bacon without overlapping. 
Place in a 400 degree oven and bake until cooked  (10-13 minutes or so).

You can cook bacon on the stove, but if you're already using 2 burners, the oven may be easier.  I just started baking the bacon a few months ago!

 Once the bacon is patted with a papertowel to remove excess fat, tear into small pieces and throw it in the sauce.  

Add the Parmesan cheese.

Toss with the pasta.

enjoy.

Beautiful Bracelet Giveaway!!!

As you read this, I am most likely out in a tree stand, with my husband, hunting. 

What?!

More on that later....

I am thankful for bacon.applewood.smoked.to.be.exact.{Sunday's gratitude}

Today I am thankful for awesome people like Joette, 

who want to share the love of style by donating an item for my giveaway!!

Here it is!!!!
I'm extremely excited to announce my first sponsored
giveaway from one of my favorite boutiques in town.

Joette's Gifts has a few locations, and an awesome online site you can order from!

She specializes in fun flirty pieces, costume jewelry, bridal pieces & the best part is that it is all so gorgeous AND affordable!!

I knew I didn't want to wear a necklace with my bridal gown, so I was on the hunt for some huge bling earrings.

I think I found them!!

I also had on a bracelet from here as well.

And onto the good stuff: 

Ladies.

I was given a gorgeous bracelet for our first major giveaway.

It's perfect for those holiday parties {fast approaching!}

I could see it on a pretty wrist, ringing in the New Year

Or, you could always give it away as a gift. 

Either way, it is one of yours, lucky ladies.

What do you have to do?  

Required:

1. Follow me via GFC

2.  "Like" Joettet's Facebook page (if you have one)

3.  Check out Joette's Gifts online and tell me what your favorite piece is!!

And please leave me  a comment telling me that you did each!

Extra comment entries:
Follow my page on Facebook Bliss to Bean

Follow me on Twitter

Blog about this giveaway.

[You can have a total of 6 entries]

Giveaway opens Monday 11.14 & will end Monday 11.21 at midnight

I will use Random.org to draw the winner
U.S. shipping only

It's so pretty, I cannot wait for one of you pretties to win it!!

Best of luck & spread the word!
xo

Bacon Wrapped Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4-6  Organic Chicken breasts

1 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

2 chopped shallots

4 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

2 bacon slices per breast

salt/pepper to season

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

• Combine the cheese, shallots, parsley & salt/pepper to taste in a small bowl & mash together.
• Cover baking sheet with tinfoil
• Place a small rack over foil {So the bacon drips onto sheet and off of chicken}
• Place chicken on rack & cut a slit --1 inch deep x 1 1/2 inches wide
• stuff the chicken with the mixture
• Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each breast & secure each with a toothpick
• Bake in the oven for 35 minutes (Until chicken is no longer pink & bacon is cooked!)

Serve & eat yummmmmmmm!

Fabulous Fridays

Friday was the first day since 10.2 that Joe actually had off....what'd we do? For starters, slept in until almost 10!!  No waking up at 7am to have him rush out the door by 8:30.  

Then I made him breakfast in bed {I've been doing it since we met, it's just routine on some days off, which are far and few between, he gets his eggs & bacon in bed.}  The key to that is, SLOW COOK THE BACON.  Seriously. I put it on low, don't touch it and let it cook for at least 20+ minutes.  If you cook it too high, too fast, it either gets too crispy or too much of the fat never cooks up.  Plus it needs to be Applewood Smoked Bacon. Yes, it matters!

We hung around the house for a bit, then went out for Acupuncture. He actually got me to try it when we first started dating, it was a bit scary but intriguing at the same time. 

He has Crohn's Disease, so anything to try and ease his pain, he was willing to try. 

Now that we've been going to T, Joe feels physically well, and I the over-analyzing, worry wart, Type-A, has calmed down immensely.  I can do yoga and completely zen out at the end, as opposed to staring at the ceiling and thinking of the ten million things that need to get done.  I started seeing her in the midst of my wedding planing, honeymoon booking, wrapping up the school year as an 8th grade English teacher....and a bunch of other things going on that just don't matter now, but back then, all of it combined was too much.  So I figured I'd rather go the more natural, holistic approach to dealing with my stress {I didn't want to pop prescriptions, just my preference.  Everyone is different.}

 

So if you've got an issue or ailment, and thought about giving acupuncture a try, GO!

 

The worst is that you see no results. The best? 

 

Well, you feel emotionally, physically, & mentally well and whole.

 

Joe~hooked up to a stim

 Just a few in my wrists....and my legs, toes, belly, forehead! No, it really doesn't hurt!

And then it got a little interesting.  Joe noticed glass jars and wanted to know what they were used for...

That's my back. Thanks babe!

This is what is known as, "Cupping."  I found an article if you want to know more, click here

And of course, what treatment wouldn't be complete without a little Moxa?

 More about moxa

Not going to lie, when I heard the word blow torch, I got worried.  But it really didn't hurt at all...I just smelled like burning skin the rest of the night haha.

So, acupuncture--does it hurt? No.  You may feel a 'dull' sensation of the needles, but really I fall right to sleep on my stomach. 
Cupping? Yeah, that definitely was more of an annoying suction feeling...I still have marks on my back 3 days later, so don't do it if you have to wear a skimpy outfit! {luckily, i do not.}

And we ended our fantabulous Friday with a night out {off--no cooking for me wow!} At Plum Garden, where I enjoyed a nice glass of Pinot Noir and sushi.

We are sushi addicts!!

What natural ways do you help deal with stress or other health ailments?