Thursday, January 12, 2012

RECIPE: Chicken Giardino (olive Garden)


CHICKEN GIARDINO
(Olive Garden)
Ingredients
Sauce:
1 Tbsp butter
¼ tsp dry thyme
½ tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic pepper
1 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup water
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced width-wise into ½” strips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small rosemary sprigs
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Vegetables:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ bunch fresh asparagus (remove bottom inch of stem; cut remainder into 1” pieces)
1 zucchini, julienne cut
1 yellow summer squash, julienne cut
2 roma tomatoes, cut into ½” pieces
½ red bell pepper, julienne cut
1 cup broccoli florets, blanched
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup spinach, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup carrots, julienne cut
1 lb farfalle pasta (bow ties), cooked according to package directions

Sauce Preparation:
MELT butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in thyme, garlic pepper and rosemary. Whisk to thoroughly blend and cook for 1 minute.
COMBINE chicken broth, water, wine, milk, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until cornstarch has dissolved and there are no lumps.
ADD liquid mixture to sauce pan. Whisk all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
Chicken & Vegetables Preparation:
COMBINE all chicken ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well.
MARINATE for 30 minutes.
HEAT a saute pan over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil.
SAUTE chicken strips until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
ADD all vegetables and sauté until cooked through.
ADD cooked, drained pasta and sauce to sauté pan. Stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.
TRANSFER to a serving platter and garnish with shredded Parmesan Cheese

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Getting back to blogging and random thoughts.

It's been a long time since I have blogged. I managed to take a lot of time in raising my kids and healing myself after having a hard time with Postpartum Depression after the birth of my second son in 2008. It was very scary and I do not remember much about that time. (that can be another post in and of itself)

My boys are now 3 and half and almost 6. It feels like life is finally getting into order, an order that I enjoy. We are out of the baby stages. Life feels so much easier without all the baby stuff. (not to say I dont love having babies and seeing them) just glad things are easier. Now If I can just get my three year old to potty train and we will all be golden and saving bucket loads of money! YAY!

My oldest is in Kindergarten 5 days a week all day. It's so crazy to think about. he will be turning 6 on January 17th. It feels like only yesterday that I had my chin to my boobs and my knees at my ears pushing for over 2 hours! But it was worth it because I had a beautiful baby with olive complexion and black little eyes. Since he was born he has had to be in control and dictating everything around him. he is stubborn but is a sweetheart. He always thinks he is right and ALWAYS needs to have the last word ( he definitely gets the last two things from his father!)

Benjamin was my light haired, blue eyed baby! he was my snuggle buddy and was such a sweetie and always needed me over everyone else. now he is this talkative, loud, naughty, sweet, puppy- loving, crazy 3 year old. Oh, and his eyes changed to this really cool looking greyish green color.

After everything i went through with the PPD I feel like this past year has been the best for me. I no longer suffer the lasting effects of the PPD and I do not have horrible panic attacks any longer or feel like my surroundings are swallowing me up whole. I take time to enjoy life and do things for myself after the kids have gone to bed. Jewelry making was a huge help in getting me to stay focused and relaxed and letting my mind be still for awhile. I still do it and seem to get many compliments for my work. I am very proud of that work because it comes from a place in my life where I was so low yet, I was still able to produce some beauty out of it. I am a few classes away from getting my associates degree in Liberal Arts and Studies. It has been a long drawn out process doing online classes 2 or 3 at a time for the past few years while the kids are in bed. It will all be worth it though.

All kinds of changes! but good ones that have brought us all to where we are now. I never imagined life to be like it is now when I was younger and full of angst and anger and pain from a not so good childhood. There is a silver lining sometimes it takes a long time to get there but its all worth it. Having HOPE is good! it keeps you striving for something.