Baked Rosemary and Sage Chicken

Recipe is here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (5-to 6-pound) chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the parsley, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper. Using your hand, gently separate the skin from the chicken and rub the seasoning mixture under the skin, inside the cavity and on the outside.

2.Place the chicken in an ungreased roasting pan and rub with the vegetable oil, then sprinkle with the paprika. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours.

3.Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes, or until no pink remains and the juices run clear.

Back on Track!

I will get back on the diet tomorrow morning -- can't wait since I was making nice progress!  Also, I plan to write all day tomorrow.  Two goals -- reach my normal weight and finish my degree!

Exhausted...

I thought I knew what it feels like to be exhausted...  Well, the last couple of weeks added a new layer of understanding.

To Do

Just looking at my long to-do list makes me tired...

What a sweet revenge!

I can't really go into details here but I have been dealing with a particular person for the last year or so who has been mean, selfish, and patronizing.  The situation escalated during the last couple of weeks because of this person's childish yet very harmful actions.  Honestly, I was not sure what to do, other than heading to my top administrators and asking them to intervene.  All this time I have been nice and polite.

Well, my good behavior paid off.  Something happened yesterday that brought that person's childish behavior to light.  Today, the effects were even more pronounced.  As a result, this person is likely to be on their best behavior, at least for now.

I am not a spiteful person but this feels good, especially since I haven't done anything mean in return.  Things just worked out for my benefit. :)

Exhausted beyond imagination...

The last two days were grueling and I still have so much to do... No time or energy for cooking anything so resorting to frozen dinners.  Hopefully, will get back into the routine soon.

Day 70: Picnic -- Kebabs and Veggies!

The weather is so nice today that we could not resist spending some time outdoors.  I made kebabs this morning and S. sliced veggies.  I bought extra-fresh pickling cucumbers yesterday as well as crispy lettuce and vine-ripened tomatoes.  I also made tsatziki sauce -- low-fat yogurt with garlic and dill.  Perfect food for a picnic!

Here is how I usually make kebabs:

Mix lean ground beef, finely chopped parsley, finely chopped onions, and salt/pepper.  Form into small "sausages" -- the kebab shape.  Fry in olive oil or bake in the oven for a healthier version.  Drain on paper towels to remove excess fat.

Serve with sauce and veggies inside pita bread (or lettuce leaves, in my case).

Day 69: Unexpected Leftovers

S. called on his way home last night and suggested we go out to eat.  It's been a really long week and so I happily agreed.  We had a nice dinner and a long walk afterwards.  It was great! :)

And that means we can eat last night's dinner tonight... so don't have to spend time on cooking.  No complaints here! :)

Day 68: Frozen Food and Salad

Frozen food... does not sound enticing... but my choices for tonight should be tasty...

I am working all day today, trying to conquer midterm grades, so I can work on my prospectus tomorrow.  So far, making good progress!

To save time, I will cook a package of store-bought chicken and mushroom ravioli with wine sauce for S. and a package of lemon-butter grilled tilapia for myself (he is not crazy about fish while I love it).  I will also make a batch of these breadsticks for S. in my breadmaker.  Just before we eat tonight, we will make our favorite salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil).  Done!

Day 67: Chili

S. requested chili yesterday -- cooler weather is getting to him, too, apparently. :)  I had a long drive and so didn't have time to cook the "real" chili but I did improvise and he was happy.

After perusing after freezer, I found some leftover beef and mushroom stew.  Perfect base!

For his batch, I opened a can of Campbell's Chunky Roadhouse chili and emptied it into the slow cooker.  Then added leftover stew (after reserving some for my own batch).  OK, two more veggies!  I sauteed green peppers and vine-ripened tomatoes.  Added some chili seasoning...  And set on a medium setting to simmer for a couple of hours until S. got home, to blend flavors.

For my batch, I mixed leftover stew, sauteed green peppers and tomatoes, and some chili seasoning.

We enjoyed our "chili" with shredded cheese (non-fat for me).  I also made fresh bread for S. (no time for "real" bread so opened a can of French loaf).

Great dinner, with minimum efforts!  Yeah, not really "homemade" but it was good! :)

Day 66: Chicken and Veggies Soup

One deli roasted chicken lasts a long time for one person... :)

It's getting cooler so I felt like eating soup on Wednesday night, after another grueling day.

Bring a small pot of water to boil.  Meanwhile, saute mushrooms, green pepers, and tomatoes in 1/2 tbsp butter.  Add veggies and chicken (in bite-size chunks) and season to taste with salt/pepper, add finely chopped parsley.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Serve with low-fat cheese or sour cream.