Pesto Grilled Chicken Salad

1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup prepared pesto
sea salt to taste
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bags triple hearts or romaine lettuce
12 baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup jicama, cut in matchstick pieces
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Combine pesto, lemon juice, oil, and salt and mix well. Put chicken in plastic bag and pour 1/2 cup pesto mixture over. Turn bag to coat chicken evenly. Refrigerate 30 min or up to 4 hours.
Place lettuce, carrots, jicama, and tomatoes in serving bowl and toss well.
Grill chicken over medium heat until no longer pink inside, about 7 minutes per side. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch slices and place on top of the salad. Whisk remaining pesto mixture and pour enough over the chicken salad to moisten it and pass the rest of the dressing at the table. Sprinkle toasted pecans over the salad and serve right away.

I had to start the post off with this delicious recipe in case the rest is too boring to read through to the end. I adapted it from a newspaper clipping and it is great!

Do you ever think you should do something but wait too long so that when you finally do it, it appears that you have ulterior motives? It happens to me all the time and I fear it causes me to seem insincere, one of my biggest pet peeves...I am honestly a very sincere person, but it may not look that way sometimes. My kids' gymnastics teacher from 9 1/2 years ago moved across the street last summer and I stopped by a few times, left note once to invite her to the Ward Halloween party, but since I didn't have her phone number, I couldn't call her and just kind of forgot. Imagine my surprise in January when I saw her and her daughter sitting in front of me in church! I knew she was a member but she hadn't been to church in a long time.

I was immediately ashamed that I hadn't done more to get in contact with her because I was afraid it would seem like it was all about church if I invited them over now. So, I waited a few weeks, which made it worse. Finally I had her come to lunch yesterday and we are just about the same person! It was amazing how many similarities we have and we talked for nearly 3 hours (while eating this salad!). I feel like I found a long lost friend and really wish I'd done more to get in contact with her and her family sooner so it wouldn't seem contrived. Well, better late than never. Luckily she is forgiving, like me, as well. I am so thankful I am getting to know her better!

Andy's 15th Birthday

Click on the picture to see it more clearly

Somehow Andy turned 15 last week! He opened his presents before school and was most excited about the jumbo pogo stick and the mashoonga sticks that he'd been asking for for 2 years. After school on Friday I took him and 7 friends bowling, then we came back to our house and they each made their own pizza. They played rock band on the Wii and arcarde basketball, then they all used the mashoonga sticks. I think every teenage boy should have a pair. In fact, that is what I am sending for Christmas this year...beware!

Andy started a tradition last year and for his cake and ice cream he has monkey bread and pink lemonade pie. Two of his very favorite things.

(Let me know if you want the recipes.)

The boys were going to watch a movie but one of his gifts was Mastermind and they started playing that and Othello. And suddenly it was time for them to go home. Parties get so much easier when the kids are older. I am sure thankful for my Andy! He is such a wonderful kid and a great example. Always helping others and making people feel welcome in any situation. Thanks for being so awesome!

Ann Louise Gittleman is a Genius

A few years ago I discovered a brilliant woman by the name of Ann Louise Gittleman. Her basic health philosophy is that if your liver is clean, your body will be able to use what you eat more efficiently and you will be healthier and feel better. So, she developed a two week "Fat Flush" plan to cleanse and detoxify your liver, and in the process you lose weight because your liver is fully functioning. Here is one of my favorite recipes, adapted a little.

Zucchini and Beef Delight

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 lb leanest ground beef

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp ground turmeric

14 1/2 oz can fire-roasted, no salt added tomatoes, diced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 cup halved grape tomatoes
chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Heat broth in large, non-stick skillet. Saute onion, pepper, garlic, and zucchini until soft. Transfer vegges to plate and set aside. In same skillet, brown ground beef with seasonings. When beef is cooked through, add cooked veggies, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste to skillet. Heat through and add grape tomatoes and fresh herbs before serving. Makes 4 servings.

So, here's the problem. Every few months when I start to feel a little pudgy or my size 2's are a little snugger than I like, I do the Fat Flush program and usually lose a pound a day for 10 days. This has never failed me until last week. At first I was really disappointed, but then I realized it just means I have a really clean liver, right?

The Dreaded Derby

One more down, just a few more to go...Ryan actually did okay this year and was very happy with his 6th place finish! That tells you how we usually do.

Our friend with better tools than we have helped Ryan cut out his car. Then he sanded it until he was happy with the shape. He painted it several times before he settled with the blue and red stripe look. Our grass will never be the same!

I am so glad he was truly happy with how the car placed. I love the look of genuine joy!

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Last weekend Ryan said he wanted to make Reeses' Peanut Butter Cups. So, I got everything out and we made them the next day! I try so hard to follow through and really wanted to help him make them right away. Ryan could have make these by himself if he wasn't so worried about getting the chocolate even in the cup. It really doesn't matter because you just eat them anyway.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

12 mini cupcake liners

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter + 1 heaping Tbsp to add to the melted chocolate

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 t pure vanilla extract

pinch fine sea salt

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds to make sure they don’t burn. Add the extra Tbsp peanut butter and stir to incorporate. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Place a heaping teaspoon of melted chocolate in each mini cupcake liner and spread it up the sides with the back of a spoon. Repeat with all 12 liners.
Place the chocolate-covered liners onto a plate and let the chocolate harden in the freezer.
While you wait, stir together peanut butter, vanilla, salt, and sugar. When the chocolate is hard, divide peanut butter mixture into all 12 liners, pressing down gently to make sure the cups are filled evenly. Top with heaping teaspoon of chocolate, spreading carefully so that all of the peanut butter is covered. Chill in fridge for at least one hour, until ready to devour.
Makes 12 mini cups.

Freedom of Speech!

For the past few months (Dave may say years...) it seems like we can't have a family conversation. Someone always ends up interrupting or starting a loud side conversation or giggling so obnoxiously that no one else can hear the original person talking. It has been frustrating! So, one day I told the kids they weren't allowed to talk. Just have a silent dinner.

When dinner was over and the kids were excused, Becca and Andy came back with these signs:

"Let us talk when we want to talk! END THE SILENCE. Do you hear the interesting conversation? No? Why not?

YOU WON'T LET US HAVE THEM!"

"Creative converstation is being killed!

SAVE SPEECH!"

I guess silent dinner didn't go over so well. All I want is for the kids to take turns and to listen to each other respectfully. Maybe it IS too much to ask. But I refuse to give up!

Carrots!

I was going to post some other things but I am really behind on my book club book reading (for tomorrow!) so I'll just post the recipe for the most amazing carrots in the world. I adapted this from Rachael Ray cookbook and ate the entire 4 servings with one of my daughters. It's a good thing she was here because would have eaten all of it myself.

Roasted Carrots with Rosemary and Lemon
6-8 long carrots, peeled and cut into 2" chunks
Olive Oil
Sea salt
2 1/2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
Rosemary Seasoning
1 lemon, juice and zest

Peel carrots, then cut into 2-inch chunks and quarter the chunks. Put carrots on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle all over with olive oil. Toss well, then sprinkle sea salt and rosemary seasoning over and toss again. Roast carrots at 400 F for 13-18 minutes, shaking pan during roasting to cook evenly. At the same time, zest and juice the lemon and put in a serving bowl along with the butter. When the carrots are done, quickly pour them into the serving bowl and gently toss until the butter is melted and a sauce is made. Serve warm. Really good stuff!