I'm back. Awake from my Thanksgiving coma.

All things considered (mainly meaning being away from my family  our yearly ritual of going to our beach cottage on hatteras island , plus this being my first time to cook a din all alone,) Thanksgiving went really well. Brian said I made the turkey closest to perfect he's ever tasted! That meant a lot! And "Yes," I answer you; I choose to think he was telling the truth.  The turkey  turned out super duper moist, but I think it was due in part to the fact it was boderline under cooked. That was a bit indicative when you looked at the dark meat.  It wasn't pink...but not quittte as dark as I am used to seeing it.  But hey, the white meat was perfect.   If I took it out just a minute sooner...it would have been a potential toilet hugging night.  Brian and I decided to do the traditional side dishes both our families shared in common, and then also decided to make one new dish. A pretty simple casserole.  Having only one oven is a bit tricky while preparing a feast like this! ( a feast where I want to prove my culinary and domestic skills!)  How do I bake my casserole and pies (ok, well, heat up the frozen pies. Baby steps,) all while the turkey is cooking away?! Dangit! Let the stressed out-control freak-in attempt to minimize anxiety level- Abby begin! But at least I realized that in advance.  So Brian and I had fun preparing the casserole the night before together. He was trying so hard to be helpful. But apparently I'm a "cookzilla." I believe he said "Abby you weren't a bridezilla...but you are  a cookzilla!". I took a few breathes, and responded with "Well you are stressing me outtttt." I'm a jerk.  Then I said sorry and suggested maybe he break up and separate the bread crumbs a bit that were toasting with butter on the oven. I thought they looked like they were clumping together a little too much. Well, Brian then proceded to grab a measuring cup, turned it up side down, and started banging the bread crumbs with it, like he was hammering nails into a wall. He was then given a glass of wine and told to go watch tv and not come back in the kitchen.  I was mildly horrified. Bread crumbs were now ...dust.
One of my best friends Kristyn bought me a cook book for newly weds, and they are all recipes, not too complicated, for a couple to cook or bake together. That'll be  real interesting ! Maybe I should just provide a hammer this time. But, in all seriousness, Brian is so patient with me and he still is willing to give the cooking thing a try with me, and he promises not to hammer any food.  Not to be cheesy, but creating this meal with brian , and then brian bowing out on helping (upon my request )and not giving me a hard time about it...just saying "Whatever makes you most comfortable," gave me one of those moments that i stood back and really , REALLY appreciated him.  I know it's hard to believe b/c I'm so amazing, but I can be a bit high maintenance at times...only AT TIMES! And he balances me out and handles me no less than perfectly.  I'm not trying to toot my own husband horn (but toot toot. jk.) I'm just feeling sentimental and appreciative, I guess.  Anyways. The morning after Thanksgiving I woke up and my head fell harrrd back on the pillow til atleast 1030. I came downstairs then and Brian had cleaned the entire kitchen from the day before (we had a lot...ahem...) and was then starting on cleaning the bathroom.  I love to cook.  If he struggles with cooking  and can't ever conquer the skill past a PB&J, but he is a cleaning machine ...I do believe this living together thing is going to work out quite beautifully! I think going to VMI and being in the marines has instilled his cleanliness and organizational skills he so generously contributes without anyone asking and without him pointing out all he did.
 This was such a random blog.  But years ahead, if I'm blessed enough to get to look back and think of this first Thanksgiving , just Brian and I, these are the moments of this holiday that will stay with me.

 I guess I've been thinking about my experience living with Brian so far...and having him as a real partner now in life , compared to just a BF. I'm liking what I'm seeing :)  Before I leave I'd like to say:  I'm not one of those annoying women who think their husband can do no wrong and that we never have a tiff.  Y'all are probably thinking "Oh, she's still so in the honey moon phase, she has no idea!" But sharing tiffs between Brian and I, as well as some random ranting, is just not what this particular post is about. So I hope you can take it for what it is :) I think that's what I'm trying to do with my life right now..!

 I shall be back soon friends. Maybe we'll have a small and stupid fight  I can write about?! Nahhhhhhh!

Post Turkey Spicy Alabama Chili and Some Banter

Okay, so I totally promise that most of my posts will not be recipes. 
The thing is, I feel like I've been drowning in recipes, coupons, special casserole requests, etc..all thanks to the HOLIDAYS.  I say "Holidays" and not just Thanksgiving, because, understandably enough, I assume it will not stop until after the New Year.  However.  I appreciate the energy and excitement, and all that interaction people want to have (or some feel obligated !) with each other.  I wonder what percent of people sit back and recognize the sense of humility and  genuinely count their  blessings.  And that doesn't count listing all your living relatives on facebook. 
Anywho.  Let me share this recipe with you that allows not all that extra turkey meat to go towards sandwiches, soup or the garbage can.  Besides this recipe, the only better solution I can think of is the food bank  :)
Enjoy, folks!

SPICY ALABAMA ONION BEER CHILI:

Ingredients:
*INSTEAD of 2 lbs ground beef, pull and tear your left over turkey meat, or if you want, do 1 lb beef and 1 lb turkey! You can always ask someone at a store the amount of turkey that equals a lb...but if you think about one package of ground beef or one package or ground turkey that you have bought in the past...that is usually a lb. Guess-imating is fine! :) And if you arent as much a meat person but want the protein...supplement more veggies!
*2 chopped white or yellow/brown onions
*2 (14.5 oz) canned diced tomatoes in juice.  If youre feeling home betty and green enough, finely dice and marinate your own tomatoes. Never marinated my own tomatoes. But in the can it's a bit sweet so I am guessing some brown sugar?
*2 (15 oz) cans tomatoe sauce, only
*1 can of beer (if you dont care about price, one with a lime flavor, or one that often has a lime accomodate it like corona or dos equis...as always there is a "lite" version to save calories!)
*2  (15 oz) cans spicy chili beans
*1/4 cup worcesteshire sauce
*3 TBS tobasco sauce, or to taste
*1/3 cup chili powder
*4 FRESH jalepeno peppers, SEEDED and finely chopped
*3 TBS red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

*turkey (or beef, or your combination) over medium heat until browned; drain the grease!
*Move meet to large soup pot
*Add onions,diced tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, one 12 oz beer, and chili beans
*Season with worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, chili pepper, jalepenos and red pepper flakes
*cover the pot and simmer over low heat for two hours.


~~~~~if you have a slow cooker or "crock pot," follow the same exact directions as above, and the large soup pot they are requesting will be your crock pot, which you will cook on medium heat for two hours.    *Also, if you wanted to cook it all day while you were gone at work, throw all the ingredients in together on low/med heat for at least 4 hours and/or until is browned.

* I personally go to the crockpot for neccessary needs when working late and i know nothing can go wrong.  If I could choose I'd chose to cook this over two hours in a large soup bowl, monitoring :)

Side Note: A lot of people like to add brown sugar to their chili. Try a shot of bourbon instead . It will give you that sugar, an extra bite...and it'll help cook the meat better, too, for sure ;)

Spinach Feta Onion Chicken recipe!

I love sharing recipes with friends. And I also love throwing ingredients together myself and try to create something myself, and prove to my husband we can eat decently healthy and it still be delish!!! As a recovering chubby 5 foot 2 lady with 36D boobs, maintaing weight and health is def a priority! Enjoy :)

"Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken"
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

10 ounces spinach, fresh

1 teaspoon lemon, zest of

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 teaspoon table salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

Directions:In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil; sauté onion until golden, 5 minutes.
Wilt spinach (steam spinach or heat damp spinach over medium heat in nonstick pan); stir in zest, feta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Set aside.
Divide spinach mixture between chicken breasts

Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.
Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Remove toothpicks.

** I added bertolli's ravioli as a side, a cup serving each! I sauteed garlic, sundried tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives.  You can saute this all in extra virgin olive oil, but often sundried tomatoes come in jars filled with heavy oils. I try to blot them off as much as possible.  Toss the sauce with the ravioli and enjoy as a side next to the stuffed chicken :))

**Remember it's really helpful to have all your ingredients prepapred ahead of time all your dishes out so you're not scrambling. Because when you're cooking chicken or sauteing vegetables, time can be of the essence :)  This was a weight watchers recipe! Use low fat feta if you want to decrease the cals :)

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-and-feta-stuffed-chicken-49414#ixzz1eIS8gsnG

As JLo said on her most recent hit, "Let me Introduce myself, to the party people."

Aloha. Oh my. Where do I start, with my first blog entry? What do I say that's witty, indepth and captivating enough to keep people visiting and reading? That is the goal, right? Or maybe this just some sort of therapy for me. I'm going to assume people are dying to read what I have to say and what I think. Well this blog would not be possible without a few special people and situations that can not go unacknowledged!! I would like to thank the fact I moved out of state from VA where I've lived all my life, to  come to AZ for my hubs. I'd also thank the fact I have no friends here. This greatly contributes to the birth of this blog.  Couldn't have done it without ya, zero friends! Also a large factor is that Brian has been gone for two weeks for military training and left immediately after we moved in. You can imagine the sense of stability that gave me! Oh! And not to be forgotten! The small issue that I tore my meniscus. Let me tell you how fabulous the timing of this is.  Well. I'm supposed to go fly back to VA (thank GOD) in a couple weeks to dance my ass off for our wedding reception. Probably not happening unless I continue very painful hydrocoristone injections into my knee.  Which I'm going to do. Because dance my ass off, I will!! Also, just recieving a high paying nursing position, then having to inform them..."wait...syyyke, I can't start yet...I kinnndda need some surgery. No big deal, right, Nursing Supervisor? Oh, it's not ok? You want me right away bc you're understaffed like hell at the prison?" Shitttt.  Welp.  Looks like I'll be spending a little more time on my tushy resting my knee and celebrating nightly with a pity party. At least most parties have wine. To get back on track, all these contributing factors i'd like to say, THANK YOU! Without you and these series of events, this blog would not be here for you to read today.   If you're still unsure of what i'm doing here, and what to expect let me give you a few examples:
-A guy ran a red light and almost hit me, but had the nerve to flick me off for some reason as he passed my nearly destroyed jeep...I'm going to rant on that. Whatta jerk.
-I'm a nurse that will probably starting a job at a correctional facility soon, and the inmates are more polite and well behaved than I thought...have I been biased or do I need to realize I could be getting manipulated so they can create a friendship w/ me and then take advantage?  Or maybe they're minding their own business and it just happened to be those particular individuals that acted appropriately and the next group of guys will be total dicks? II'll have lots of reflections, comparisons and thoughts like this.
If you're looking for bitchy rants, some introspective thoughts, and maybe even a cool recipe or a DIY project I felt like sharing...look no further my friends. Look no further. And, welcome :)