A Call Weekend that did not suck

Yes the weekend's over.  I'm sorry I'm not sorry though, because the Hubs worked it.  However, he did get out in time for us to go see this guy:

And today I am STILL smiling.  That concert was incredible!  Rob Thomas and Matchbox 20 sounded live exactly the way you would expect.  Even better.  Thankfully we were under a covered portion of the pavilion and the rain abated after the opening opening act.  The Goo Goo Dolls opened for MB20 and I remember thinking to myself "Wow, the oldest Goo is looking old..."   Soooo that makes me old.  Clearly.


From the Grams.  Yes, he wore a Pink Floyd T-shirt under his polo to the MB20 Concert.

Anyway, I can't stop listening to MB20's new album and especially the song "I Will".  Sooo lovely, especially live.  Mesmerizing.  It's a nice change from "Blurred Lines" that's been on repeat on my playa the past several weeks, lol. #Probnotappropriate #Always

Tell me you didn't just fall in love a little bit there?

We hit up the library some more over the weekend.  We are now professional book-checker-outers.  We attended a cousin's birthday party.  We played outside and I got a wild hair to start running while pushing my little piggies in the double stroller through the hills in our hood.  That's always a workout.  I can do without the sympathy waves from people though.  An older lady actually fist-pumped me from across the street last week. True story.

Playing nicely before someone started hoarding all the trains.

This weekend I got sick of hearing myself complain to myself about the 10 pounds that I haven't lost since January.  Really? In 6 months I've made zero progress?  I slacked off big time in June.  So I'm refocusing my efforts.  I truly believe the way you look is 80-90% a result of what you eat.  That's just the plain truth.  And eating pizza & beer & cupcakes is not going to get me where I want to be.  Once again trying to clean it up in that department.  Which means STOP eating the kids' leftover chicken nuggets & goldfishies & graham crackers.  Start making veggies a large part of every meal. You know, the basics.

I made this meal tonight from The Yummy Mummy Cookbook.  I'll confess, the reason I bought this cookbook in the first place was to make this particular meal.  Everything else in it just happens to also look amazing.  So today I finally made it happen and *TA-DA*!  It was SO DELISH.  I will definitely be making it again.  The kids even gobbled it up, Cous Cous and all!


The usual disclaimer of a food photographer I am not. Yadayadayawn.  My fancy plate was used to cut up & portion the kids' food first. 

And Marina's professional picture, just sliiiightly better than mine.

Goat Cheese & Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Peaches in White Wine.

Serves 2

 

1 1/4 cups good white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 sprig thyme

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 peach, cut into half slices (does that even make sense?)

2 small chicken breasts (ours were very large, so we only ate half a breast each)

4 oz. goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

couscous

Make the white wine sauce:

Simmer wine, stock, thyme, and honey over medium heat for 25 minutes, until reduced by half. Discard the thyme sprig. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and peaches. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

 

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound until 1/4 inch thickness. I didn't have a meat mallet so I used a heavy flashlight. I don't recommend that method though. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

 

Stir together the goat cheese and basil. Spread a log of cheese lenghthwise over the center of the chicken breasts, and roll the chicken. Secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks. Heat the olive oil in a large frying/sautee pan over medium high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides until cooked through.

 

While chicken is cooking, cook some couscous. It only takes 5 minutes and will soak up all the juices.

 

Place chicken on top of couscous, and spoon peach white wine sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh basil.

Evening times are the worst for my bad eating habits.  I'm studying (Or Gramsing, whatever) and always wanting to snack my little face off.  So excuse me while I try not to gnaw my arm off over here.

What else do I need to share...hmmm...Morgan continues to make everyone around her laugh with her sayings and bossiness.  Joey is almost walking (?!).  It's been really strange lately, I'll say something to him and he'll answer me (Ex:  "Joey did you poop your pants?"  "Yes".)  Yesterday I kept asking him how old he was and he'd hold up his index finger and say "One".  Do we have a genius on our hands?  lol.  While I was able to get some repeats yesterday, sadly today yielded nothing of the sort.  The only repetition he found enjoyable was pulling all of my storage bowls out of the cupboard over.  And Over.  And Over again.  So I just look like Mommycrazypants  telling people he was talking.

In other exciting news, I didn't kill my living Basil yet.  Yet.  And I apparently have an addiction to buying colored shorts.  Somebody stop me.