Whats for Dinner - Vol 1
March 22, 2013
So, a few weeks ago (four actually) I decided it would be a really nice treat if I was to stop at the store on my way home and grab some stuff and surprise Hubs with a really great dinner when he got home from the gym. He cooks almost everything that we consume in this house, with the exception of anything baked and the occasional meal I might have to create when he isnt home... that is of course when he hasnt already prepped something and had it in the fridge for me (yes, I do know how lucky I am in case you were wondering).
Having said all that, you can understand why I thought it would be nice to surprise him for a change! That I did... and he loved what I made!! It was pork, and it was cooked PERFECTLY (I had done some major damage on pork I tried to cook years ago and never tried again). I was really happy and so was he! The next weekend, it snowed. We were stuck at home for the day and went to the gym late. We had invited some friends over for dinner. Hubs had to get to the store to pick up something we couldnt get at our usual store and I started dinner. Low and behold... I made dinner again!! And we all survived!!
I figured I was on a roll so last Friday night and tonight I just expected to make dinner. Hubs has clearly caught on that I am going to take over this Friday night duty (yeah I said duty, not doody) so now the trick has become surprising him with what I am going to make!!
Ok, so I said all that... now heres the deal. I am going to make this the "Friday Night Installment" of my blog. So every Friday night I am going to post a new recipe that I tried... and what the experience was making it. Starting TONIGHT.
Whats on the menu? Baked Chicken with Artichoke Sundried Tomato Tapenade (find it HERE) and Sweet Potato Banana Mashed (find it HERE)
How easy was it to make? Well, I have to say, I am afraid of chicken. I dont like to make it because I am scared that I am going to under cook it. This was quite an adventure for me. So I started to mix up the tapenade ingredients as they are listed in the recipe and I wasnt really happy. The quantities of the ingredients were hard to understand (because I didnt know if it was before or after chopping them up or whatever) so I just started to eyeball it. I mixed everything in the food processor first except for the artichoke, than added that slowly. I tasted it than added things I thought it needed more of. Than I followed the rest of the recipe for the salt, pepper and garlic on the chicken... than the tapenade... than in the oven with olive oil.
The sweet potato was easy peasy... mostly because we had some already mashed in the fridge. I just popped the bananas in the convection oven for 15 minute at 400 with holes poked in (as it instructed) than mashed them into the sweet potatos as I heated them up.
Hubs came home and everything was timed out right. It was done.
So... how was it? I am sure hubs will give his honest opinion as well, but I thought overall it was pretty good! The chicken had sort of a weird consistency I think because it was baked in the oil. I am so used to crock pot chicken that has been in the fridge a few days so that could be it too. It was really "moist" (damn I hate that word). The tapenade had great flavor... the only thing that could have made it better was cheese, but I didnt use any. The sweet potato... all I have to say is YUM! I thought they were great and it was really nice to have something a little different from the normal sweet potato that I have all week.
Will I make it again? I think this one can go it the "yes" pile on both accounts. The chicken and the sweet potato!
WARMUP:
3 Rounds
- Bear Crawl
- 10 Shoulder Dislocates
- 10 Abmat Situps
- 10 Spiderman
- 10 Toy Soldiers
1 X 9 Fundamentals w/Bar
Couch Stretch
WOD: Reaction Time
(Done as a recovery WOD)
For Time
500m Row
-than-
3 Rounds
- 10 HR Pushups
- 15 SDHP (55)
- 10 Toes to Bar
- than-
500m Row
(10:40Rx)
.
So, a few weeks ago (four actually) I decided it would be a really nice treat if I was to stop at the store on my way home and grab some stuff and surprise Hubs with a really great dinner when he got home from the gym. He cooks almost everything that we consume in this house, with the exception of anything baked and the occasional meal I might have to create when he isnt home... that is of course when he hasnt already prepped something and had it in the fridge for me (yes, I do know how lucky I am in case you were wondering).
Having said all that, you can understand why I thought it would be nice to surprise him for a change! That I did... and he loved what I made!! It was pork, and it was cooked PERFECTLY (I had done some major damage on pork I tried to cook years ago and never tried again). I was really happy and so was he! The next weekend, it snowed. We were stuck at home for the day and went to the gym late. We had invited some friends over for dinner. Hubs had to get to the store to pick up something we couldnt get at our usual store and I started dinner. Low and behold... I made dinner again!! And we all survived!!
I figured I was on a roll so last Friday night and tonight I just expected to make dinner. Hubs has clearly caught on that I am going to take over this Friday night duty (yeah I said duty, not doody) so now the trick has become surprising him with what I am going to make!!
Ok, so I said all that... now heres the deal. I am going to make this the "Friday Night Installment" of my blog. So every Friday night I am going to post a new recipe that I tried... and what the experience was making it. Starting TONIGHT.
Whats on the menu? Baked Chicken with Artichoke Sundried Tomato Tapenade (find it HERE) and Sweet Potato Banana Mashed (find it HERE)
How easy was it to make? Well, I have to say, I am afraid of chicken. I dont like to make it because I am scared that I am going to under cook it. This was quite an adventure for me. So I started to mix up the tapenade ingredients as they are listed in the recipe and I wasnt really happy. The quantities of the ingredients were hard to understand (because I didnt know if it was before or after chopping them up or whatever) so I just started to eyeball it. I mixed everything in the food processor first except for the artichoke, than added that slowly. I tasted it than added things I thought it needed more of. Than I followed the rest of the recipe for the salt, pepper and garlic on the chicken... than the tapenade... than in the oven with olive oil.
The sweet potato was easy peasy... mostly because we had some already mashed in the fridge. I just popped the bananas in the convection oven for 15 minute at 400 with holes poked in (as it instructed) than mashed them into the sweet potatos as I heated them up.
Hubs came home and everything was timed out right. It was done.
Going in the Oven
So... how was it? I am sure hubs will give his honest opinion as well, but I thought overall it was pretty good! The chicken had sort of a weird consistency I think because it was baked in the oil. I am so used to crock pot chicken that has been in the fridge a few days so that could be it too. It was really "moist" (damn I hate that word). The tapenade had great flavor... the only thing that could have made it better was cheese, but I didnt use any. The sweet potato... all I have to say is YUM! I thought they were great and it was really nice to have something a little different from the normal sweet potato that I have all week.
Will I make it again? I think this one can go it the "yes" pile on both accounts. The chicken and the sweet potato!
Get in my Belly!
WARMUP:
3 Rounds
- Bear Crawl
- 10 Shoulder Dislocates
- 10 Abmat Situps
- 10 Spiderman
- 10 Toy Soldiers
1 X 9 Fundamentals w/Bar
Couch Stretch
WOD: Reaction Time
(Done as a recovery WOD)
For Time
500m Row
-than-
3 Rounds
- 10 HR Pushups
- 15 SDHP (55)
- 10 Toes to Bar
- than-
500m Row
(10:40Rx)
.
I would say yes to this again, I might pound out the chicken so it's a little thinner next time. Good flavors though.
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