Roasted chicken breast and veggies

Here are some LONG overdue pictures from the holidays:

My sweet husband took me to the mountains for a weekend away!

View of our cabin.

We got some apple cider at The Apple Barn after dinner...yum!

Neighborhood we stayed in.

Co-workers

Hubby and me before my 10 year HS reunion!

This is my SIL helping to decorate our Christmas tree

This is less of a recipe and more of an inspiration for all you guys who throw out all those unused veggies at the end of the week.  I threw this together when I looked in our fridge and had a ton of left overs.  Be creative and use whatever you have!

Roasted Chicken Breast and Veggies

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• 2.5 lbs. red potatoes
• 1/2 red onion
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• salt
• pepper
• all purpose seasoning
• garlic powder

Bake at 375-400.  Cut all your veggies and coat in olive oil.  Spread out on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning, and garlic powder to your liking.  Top with chicken breasts that are also covered in olive and oil and the same seasonings.  Finally sprinkle fresh garlic on top of it all.  Bake until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Ratatouille

Who participates in meatless Monday's???  While I have attempted a few times, we have not been successful.  Even if you are a meat lover, I think you will find this recipe fulfilling.  I know my picky husband did!

I served this with brown basmati rice.

Ratatouille
Source:   Southern Living Magazine- January 2012
Ingredients:

• 1 green bell pepper (I omitted because I don't like peppers)
• 1 red bell pepper  (I omitted because I don't like peppers) 
• 1/2 pound zucchini
• 1/2 pound yellow squash
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 3 Tbps. olive oil
• 2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 small eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. of dried basil (what I used)
• Cooked Brown Rice

Directions:

1. 1. Cut first 5 ingredients into 1-inch pieces.
2. 2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or just until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or just until eggplant begins to soften. Stir in bell peppers, zucchini, and squash; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced. Stir in basil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and sauté 3 minutes.

Serve over or with brown rice.

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

Hello?  Are you still there?  I am so sorry for my prolonged absence in the blogging world.  I have noticed a trend, when we are going out of town I stop blogging.  I think the stresses of traveling take over my brain!

I am hoping to get you all caught up on the happenings of The Tutterrow's over this next week.

Going back to a a few weekends ago, I had the honor of celebrating the engagement of one of my best friend's, Ali and Jamil.  I have known Ali since 5th grade when she transferred to my elementary school, Immaculate Heart of Mary.  We became quick friends, but our friendship truly grew in high school at Lakeside.  Ali went on to college at Georgia Southern while I attended University of Georgia.  Our friendship has stayed strong and I am grateful to be living so much closer to my dear friend.

Ali and Jamil met in preschool, but did not start dating until high school.  With only a short period of time apart in college, they have been falling in love over the past 10+ years.  We were so thrilled when he FINALLY popped the question!  I look forward to February when I will be standing next to Ali on her wedding day on the beautiful beaches of Mexico!  Yes, I will be headed back to the same resort that we stayed in back in March.

Here are a few pictures of us on my wedding day, April 22, 2006.

Ali always knows how to make me laugh

Love her!

Here is a peak at the super fun engagement party!

Ali and Jamil

Molly with Ali's new niece, Ryan

Isn't she adorable!  Lauren had a cutie!

Ali and her sweet mom, Lynn

Ali and her sweet friend, Sara, from Georgia Southern

Kendra, a childhood friend, and Ali

Grandma with her sweet new grandchild

I was kinda obsessed with Ryan!

Me, Molly, and Sandi, high school best friends!

They had a mariachi band!

The Lakeside crew

Jamil and Ali with her parents

Ali with her family

Love, love, love these amazing girls!

Most of the bridesmaids

Come on Mexico!

With my garden growing like crazy, I decided to branch out and make something other then sauteed zucchini. I found this recipe in my Bread Beckers recipe book.  Super easy and yummy!

My picky husband told me he wouldn't eat them because they had zucchini in them.  After a little coaxing, he was chowing down on one of his new favs!

If you are a new follower, you can see my opinion on using freshly ground wheat with a gluten sensitivity.

Zucchini Bread or Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini 
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Beat together with electric mixer, oil and honey.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in grated zucchini.  Combine dry ingredients and add to liquid mixture.  Stir in raisins.  Pour into greased 1 1/2 lb. loaf pan or muffin tins.  Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes for loaf pan or 12-15 for muffins.  

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

One of Alex's best friends, Scott, and his wife, Katie, are having a baby!  Alex always gets frustrated when I say "they are having a baby" and quickly reminds me that "they" are not having a baby, but "she" is having a baby.  Details, details.  I was so excited when I heard the news and couldn't wait to start planning a shower.  With the help of a few other girls, we put on a good spread of food and Katie got many of the essentials for their new baby boy!

 What is a baby shower without a diaper cake?

 The food table:  we served brie bake, veggie platter, chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, sausage balls, hamburger sliders, pasta salad, and my spinach artichoke dip.

Summer and Jessica

Scott's mom (soon to be grandma to baby Buchholz) and my wonderful mother-in-law, Susan

Joanna, who is due one month after Katie, Jessica, and Summer

Yummy desserts!  We decorated with blue hydrangeas since it is a boy!

Katie's friends

There's the mom to be, Katie, Mrs. Kimberlin, and Kay (another one of the grandma's to be)

Unfortunately, the next night I came down with a stomach bug and couldn't enjoy all the left over food.  It was a rough experience.  My stomach took a full week to recover, but only missed one day of work thank goodness.

Since I wasn't feeling so hot the next week, we kept our meals simple.  I grabbed a package of Trader Joe's chicken sausage and figured we could mix it in with some veggies from the garden.  

This recipe was super easy and quick!  Feel free to change it up with whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator.  

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 zucchini's, chopped
• 1 squash, chopped  
• 2 chicken sausage links, sliced
• 1-2 tsp. minced garlic (your preference depending on how much garlic you like, I did 2 tsp.:)) 
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Add onions and garlic, saute for 1 minute; add zucchini and squash, saute for 5 minutes; add sausage and cook until sausage is browned.  Add salt and pepper to taste.