Mediterranean Chicken

I love it when I find an awesome quick and simple recipe, it helps make my life easier. The other day I was on the hunt for a new chicken recipe, so I started browsing some recipes over at You've Got Supper and came across this one, Mediterranean Chicken in a NY Minute. The name said it all and I was hooked! {Side note: If you have never heard of You've Got Supper definitely check it out, I posted about it before here.} Now at first I was a little skeptical to try it because (a) chicken is not Mr. C's fav and (b) he doesn't really care for artichokes - unless of course they are in my sister's crab and artichoke dip. But I decided to go out on a limb and give it at try because (a) I love chicken and artichokes and (b) I was the one doing the cooking.

Well...the hubby put his stamp of approval on it.

via

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves, boneless & skinless, 4 oz. each
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, no salt, drained
1 14 oz. frozen artichokes coarsely chopped (I used 1 small jar of the non-frozen)
8 large kalamata olives, pitted halved (these can be kind of $$$, so I used black olives)
2 oz. feta cheese crumbles ( I probably went a little heavy on this...love me some feta)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. oregano

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Lightly pound chicken just so they are all the even thickness, but don't make them to thin
3. Cut 4 12" squares of foil, place one chicken breast in the center of each piece of foil (it doesn't say to, but after this I seasoned the chicken with a little S&P)
4. Combine the diced tomatoes, artichokes, olives, and feta in a bowl. Top chicken evenly with the mixture. Then, drizzle each with a little of the olive oil and oregano.
5. Seal the chicken in the foil and then place packets on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 22 to 25  or until chicken is cooked.

For a side,  I made yellow rice but couscous would also go nice with this recipe. Enjoy!

St. Patty's Day Ideas

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. Oh how I used to love St. Patty's Day in college - so much fun! I quickly realized that St. Patricks Day for college students is like Christmas morning when your a kid. It is just a good reason to get together with friends, hang out and drink green beer. Not sure exactly what Mr. C and I will do, if anything. But I still wanted to get in the mood for this green holiday so I turned to....that's right Pinterest for some inspiration.  Here are some of the great ideas I found!

Source: browneyedbaker.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: hostessblog.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: tangledandtrue.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Source: twigandthistle.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Birthday Celebration #2

Well it's official I am 30! And, you know it's not that bad, so far so good. Everyone who knows me, knows that I love celebrating birthdays and usually they last at about a week, which is why I have two post dedicated to my birthday celebration. Last weekend, however, was the "official" birthday celebration. Since my birthday was on a Sunday and there was a home FSU game I decided to have a 30th birthday Tailgating party. It was a blast. My sister and her husband came for the weekend, as well as, one of my dear college roommates. What a weekend! I mean it has taken me almost a whole week to recover, which is why I am just now sharing it with everyone.

We started the weekend off at one of my favorite spots, The Wine Loft.


My sis and I striking a pose

Then we headed to dinner at another one of my favs, Masa.


Kira and I enjoying a little vino at dinner

Then on early on Saturday we headed to the stadium for the tailgating party. My sister and Mr. C did such a great job setting up and decorating the tailgate. Oh and the weather could not have been more beautiful - it actually was kind of hot.

I just love the cupcake toppers my sis made!

And, then on Sunday all the company left and I enjoyed a lazy, relaxing day!!

Eli Turns 1

Last weekend Mr. C and I traveled to the beach for our nephew's 1st birthday celebration. What a blast! I know people always say thier nephew's are the cutest, but really Eli is the cutest little boy EVER. He has such a fun, playful and sweet personality.

Some might think that my sister and I went alittle over board with a dinner party for a one year old, but you only have a 1st birthday once. The theme my sister decided on was "One Year Old in a Flash".  So from the invitations to the place settings, everything was based around pictures of Eli.

We planned this great elaborate dinner party with prime rib, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes - yum! (You see my sister fixed this dinner at Easter and it was soooooo good, everyone wanted a sequeal.) Unfortnatley, though we all got caught up in all the excitment of Eli opening gifts and mingling that we forgot to turn off the oven at a certain time and our prime rib ended up being more like a pot roast.  (sad face)

Oh well that's our memories are made :)

Cakes & Corks

Last night some friends and I learned the art of cake decorating at a fun event called Cakes & Corks. The event was held at a fairly new event venue called The Space at Feather Oaks - a renovated barn surraounded by beautiful oaks and stables. Learning how to decorate a cake is somehting I kind of have secretly wanted to try. A couple of times I have thought about taking one of the classes at Michael's, but they always last a for a few weeks and I just couldn't commit. So when I heard about this I didn't think twice. I mean what's more fun than learning how to decorate a cake and drink wine at the same time! (that's the cork part- in case you havent' figured it out already)

Well here is my final product. Isn't it beautiful?!?!



Me, Katie and Parker sporting our FSU cakes

Football Season

Yay! The football season is almost here - I can hardly wait. Only a few more days until FSU kicks off the season with their first game.  Mr. C and I are hard at work planning our first tailgate. So, to help with gathering some ideas, I turned to none other than Pinterest. For the last couple of nights I have been busy pinning some great tailgate inspriation.

I think have some good food ideas and decorations (depending on how elaborate I want to go on our tailgate).

 Go Noles! Scalp Em'!

Memorial Weekend

I love summertime - even though it can be HOT, HOT. I enjoy being down at the beach, going fishing and just hanging out family. Memorial weekend always seems to kick-off summer and this year it went off with a bang! Not only did we celebrate all of the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to serving this wonderful country, but also my mom's 60th birthday.

My mom's brother, Alan and his wife Jolene; and her sister, Sharon along with her Daughter Stacy and granddaughter Lynleigh, came to visit. We all had so fun catching up, eating great food and of course, playing cards. (I didn't win, but it was still fun)

My Uncle Alan got a chance to reel in a big AJ on Saturday, as a few of us went offshore. It had to be one of the most beautiful days out on the water in a loooooooonnnnnng time. It was so flat and not a cloud in the sky.

Our catch

Had to sneak in a pic of the cutest littlest boy ever!

Birthday Weekend

Last Friday was Mr. C's birthday and unbeknowst to him I planned a weekend full of surprises, including a weekend filled with two of his very good friends and his sister. Mr. C can sometimes make it difficult to surprise him, so I was so thrilled that everything went as planned and he was SUPER surprised.  We are so lucky to have such great friends, ones that we will share many more memories with. All in all I think Mr. C had a fab 30th birthday. It was a busy weekend and I am so glad that his birthday is over - he was milking it all last week. Uh...he can finally go back to doing his own laundry!



Me and the birthday boy

Everyone on the Miss Behavin' Again

Went with a bourbon theme for the party

Mags on the way home- she had was pooped.