Weekend Shenanigans

This weekend actually felt like a real weekend. It has been a while, a loooong while, since my husband has had two consecutive days off, let alone an entire weekend. I actually don't look forward to weekends; due to the fact that everyone else gets to have their husbands home and Miss A and I are left to figure out what to do on our own. Shopping on the weekends with her stresses me out with the crowds and busy parking lots, so we usually stick to home and stay pretty low-key when my husband has to work on a Saturday or Sunday.

We spent the early part of Saturday finishing up Miss A's very own swing set! Her grandparents (my parents) bought her this swing set as a very early birthday present and it arrived at our house a few weeks ago. I've been dying, waiting for the hubby to have enough time to put it all together. He had the majority done earlier last week and only needed to attach the swings and anchor the whole thing down. I knew she was going to love it.

After Miss A woke up from her nap we all went on the swings. The three of us, with our adult bums being squished from the tiny seats, but any time either of us got up, she'd say, "Dada swing" and "Mama swing." We happily obeyed. :)

Later that evening we decided to head for dinner. We walked around the outdoor portion of the mall (which was packed with girls in colorful, vibrant prom dresses!) and found a place to eat dinner. That's where all the fun ended- Miss A was NOT having it in the high chair and I had to hold her in my lap, somehow managing to eat a burger and fries with her on top of me. By the end of the night we were exhausted and crashed on the couch to catch up on our DVR.

The next day we invited our friends over to grill and check out the swing set! It was a beautiful day, with highs in the 80s. Perfect day to spend outside on our deck. I marinated some chicken, chopped up some veggies, roasted potato wedges, and served slices of bread with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. 

I absolutely LOVE this new outfit I got for Miss A at Old Navy, along with these clear jelly (!!!) shoes. THAT ARE SCENTED. Oh my God I've never loved a pair of shoes more, and neither has she, because she refuses to take them off!

We had lots of fun letting the girls take turns on the swings and play with the balls and cars we had on the deck. Then, I managed to snap this picture.

For dessert I made a no-bake Oreo pudding pie. It was the perfect addition to a grilled meal. Layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and Oreo crumbs! Very easy to make and very thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. I only wish I remembered to take a better picture before we cut into it!

She's definitely my girl, what a sweet tooth! 

Crispy Baked "Fried" Chicken

Life could not get any better right now.

We just found out baby is a little girl (big fat YAY), food is tasting a-mazinggg to me, and I made the crispiest chicken ever.

Hubby and I are not football fans, but I made this on Superbowl Sunday to "celebrate." In an effort to sort through the junk and clutter living in the nooks and crannies of our home I've been purging through old cooking magazines and tearing out recipes long forgotten. They're on top of my kitchen counter right now in a pile, but at least I was able to get rid of a considerable mountain-sized stack. This crispy chicken awaited among that stack.

It is time-consuming, but I promise it's actually really easy to make. Crumbling up corn flakes and rolling chicken through a bowl is fairly simple, it's the prep time and cook time that eats up your time. Make this on a weekend when you do have the time or as a fun Sunday supper.

Source: Food Network Magazine
Serves: 4-6

8 chicken pieces (I used 6 pieces, 2 legs, 2 breast, 2 thighs)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cornflakes
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground sage

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet. 

Rinse the chicken in cold water; pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a plate, season the flour with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken piece through the flour so it's fully coated, tap against the bowl to shake off excess flour and set aside. Discard the flour.

Crush the cornflakes by placing them in a big resealable plastic bag, carefully pressing the bag to push out the air. Seal up the bag (with as little air inside as possible) and run over the flakes with a rolling pin. Open the bag and pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or onto a plate.

In a large bowl (big enough to dredge the chicken pieces), mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath and then roll in the cornflake crumbs.

Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack and place in the hot oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy. The juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.

Weekend Bites + Menu Plan Monday 10/3

I'm loving every minute of October so far.

Saturday: Cleaned the house from top to bottom. Took a trip to the farmer's market to pick up these beautiful Fall mums. My favorite plant because I can't seem to kill them. Yay! 

Saturday night: A movie and DVR'd shows on the couch with hubby. <3

Sunday: Hubby had to work. Boo. However, he did just manage to come home early- yay! I went to the store and found this pumpkin cream cheese spread. Love.

These are my favorite cookies in the whole world. Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip. I only make them in October because I'm weird like that.

Sunday night: Salsa chicken in the crock pot. Finishing up with our DVR'd shows. Perhaps some hot chocolate with our pumpkin cookies? Oh the possibilites.

I love Fall. How was your weekend?

Menu Plan

Salsa Chicken in the Crockpot

Bacon Mushroom Honey Dijon Chicken

Bacon Burgers with Balsamic Bacon Jam

Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Mushroom Herb Mac and Cheese

How have you been enjoying the start of October? What's on your menu this week?

Weekend Bites

This weekend was filled with friends, driving, a wedding, and cookies.

I found biscoff spread!

These cookies are out of this world.

I only cooked once- Sunday night. Mexican Chicken Rice Bake. It was really good!

Bear with me until I am able to return to regularly scheduled programming. Hope you had a great weekend!

Weekend Bites + Menu Plan Monday 9/19

Wohooooo, I ended up feeling much better than I thought I would this weekend! Saturday morning I woke up feeling a little sickly, but as the day moved on I gradually improved. So weird. I don't get sick very often and when I do, I'm not sick for very long. Go me!

I laid around on the couch for most of the morning until I had the sudden urge for a pumpkin latte. I headed out to Target and ordered my first pumpkin latte of the season. It's the only form of coffee I'll drink. I hate coffee! With latte in hand I perused the Halloween section. Hubby, you should be very proud. I didn't buy anything. :)

Inspired, I went home and opened up my fall box.

I spent an hour decorating and re-introducing our home to fall scents.

Afterwards, high on my fall kick, I proceeded to the kitchen to make a pumpkin cream cheese loaf. Have you bought any pumpkin yet? I still have three cans from last season.

On Sunday I was feeling even better! Hubby was given the day off (yay!) so we went apple picking!

First we had to get some donuts. You can smell those babies from the parking lot.

Then we headed out to the orchards.

Empire, McIntosh, Jonathan, and Cortland were all available for picking. I whipped out my real camera for you.

Such a pretty day.

So ready for fall!

Afterwards hubby and I made a mad dash to the store to pick up what we need for dinner this week. It's going to be a busy week for me, so this is a tentative menu. Even still, I can't start the week off without some sort of plan. Here goes:

• Tomato, Sausage, Pecorino Pasta
• One-Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice
• Smothered Pork Chops with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Honey Dijon Chicken Salad

I had such a great weekend I don't want it to end! What did you do this weekend? Or, what's on your menu plan? 

Menu Plan Monday 9/12 + Weekend Bites

Hello friends! How was your weekend? Do anything fun? I had a pretty good one! Let's review.

On Saturday I baked with pumpkin for the first time this season.

Pumpkin white chocolate muffins. Recipe coming soon! Then I made my grocery list, menu plan, and shopped. Hubby came home early and we sat on the couch and watched Human Planet. Awesome show. You should watch it.

On Sunday I went to a new yoga studio and took a class with a friend.

source

I loved the instructor. I'm hoping to go at least once a week. Later on in the afternoon I went shopping with some friends. Winter's coming folks. I've gotta update my wardrobe. For dinner, I attempted to make hot pockets. 

Meh. They were just okay. Too much bread and not enough filling. Needs to be modified.

I didn't get much baking done as I would have liked. Hopefully next weekend. What did you do this weekend?

If you're interested, here's what we'll be eating this week around these parts: 

• Chicken Tomato Herb Pan Sauce with Garlic Rice Pilaf and Veggies
• Baked Penne Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Caramelized Onion Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries
• Pan Seared Salmon with Rice and Roasted Asparagus
• Spaghetti and Meatballs

What did you do this weekend? 

Weekend Bites + Menu Plan Monday 8/22

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun, pick up a new hobby, ride a bike, make something new? I did a few of those things. I'd like to wish a happy first day of school back to everyone back home in Miami. I hope you all have a great day and like your teachers/professors/students. Show them who's boss! Or, be respectful. :) 

This weekend was a low key one for us. On Friday the hubbs and I tried to grilling pizza for the first time.

We were 89% successful. There was an incident with plastic and a tabletop (more on that to come). The bottom corner of our crust was also burned. But it was still really good! Thanks to MJ from MJ's Kitchen for the recipe!

Then there was an incident with cupcake frosting. Also a first time thing to happen in the This Woman Cooks! kitchen. Piping frosting. Who would've though it would turn me into a crazy person. I was determined to get it right before going to sleep Friday night and stayed up perfecting my circular design. If you're a follower on Twitter and Facebook, I shared this picture triumphantly with you when I was done. I was so proud.

A typical weekend lunch. Homemade mac and cheese with spinach!

Chocolate muffins for the hubby to take for breakfast.

Lastly, we've recently adopted a new weekend tradition. Gelato! We're obsessed with a small gelateria that just opened and changes out their flavors every week. Talk about a sure-fire way to get me going back. I had maple bacon and evil- a chocolate gelato with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. SO GOOD.


What did you do this weekend?

I almost forgot- it's Monday, here's my menu plan for the week!

BLT Pasta
Orange Honey Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
Smothered Pork Medallions with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Grilled Chicken and Lemon Basil Pasta
Pulled Pork Sandwiches

What's on your menu this week?

Menu Plan Monday 8/15

Happy Monday! I'm embracing this Monday as it's one of the last few that I'll  have all to myself before school starts again. I've got big plans to sit around, read Thirteen Reasons Why, bake something in the kitchen, run some errands, do some cleaning, and watch Masterchef. Sounds like a productive day to me.

How was your weekend? The hubbs and I spent a lot of time together, watching movies, going out to eat, and having some ice cream.

 Lunch from Zingermans. My first time, can you believe it?

A cute, small gelato place just opened nearby. I think this is going to become our weekend treat.

Doughnut muffins. Recipe coming ASAP.

We also went to see Sarah's Key. I thought it was a good adaption from the book. Intense.

 Anddd we went out for sushi with some friends.

What did you do? 

I got my menu together pretty quickly yesterday. That never happens. I had a lot of options to choose from! I'm excited to try out a lot of these new recipes, many that I got from this week's wrap up.

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice
Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream
One Pot Southwest Chicken and Rice
Grilled Pizza
Caramelized Onion Burgers with Spicy Mayo


What's on your menu this week?

The Rumble of Thunder

Have you heard? Borders is going out of business. This saddens me to such a severe degree. Are you a reader? What have you read recently? Why do you think people don't read anymore?

I ran to the one my house and bought three books: Sarah's Key, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Love. These are just a few books off my Must-Read-Soon list. Especially Sarah's Key. I bought the one with the movie poster on the cover. I didn't even know it was going to be a movie! Which brings me to The Help. Has anyone read that book? I can't wait for the movie!

Booknerd. That's me.

Now I'm home, it has started to pour, and thunder is rumbling in the background. Love. So I thought I'd show you my new favorite snack.

I go through phases with my snacks. My most recent one was grapes. Grapes, grapes, grapes, every day, after work, with lunch, cheese and crackers on the side. Now it's Stonyfield vanilla yogurt, Granny's Apple Granola from Trader Joe's (swoon), strawberries, and chocolate chips. The perfect yogurt bowl!

Love.

Goodness I'm chatty today.

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

4th of July Weekend

Food.

Picnic.

Family.

Popsicles.

And canoes. 

Priceless.