What's Cookin' Wednesday

The bun in my oven is getting bigger. Or so says the doctor who checked out my little peanut yesterday. Heartbeat at 150 beats a minute . . . belly getting rounder but my total weight gain in the first trimester is -1 pound. I literally did a dance in the doctor's office (just ask John who looked on in utter embarrassment.) The doctor just wanted to check to make sure I was indeed eating enough. HA! John (remembering the tater tots and sloppy joes) rolled his eyes and replied, "Oh yeah. Don't worry. She's eating enough."


Perhaps the exercise really does count for something!?! I guess it mitigated the damage done by too many trips to the Mexican restaurant.


I love to sneak in some exercise when I'm cooking. I like to blast some music, shake it in the kitchen with Megan, and cook up something tasty.

Try it . . . play this . . .





Now get up and dance. Imagine you're Sasha Fierce (instead of Sweatpants Sally) with those legs, those hips, that rockin' body. Just don't tell anyone you're doing this - they'll think you've lost it for sure. (My friends are used to this odd behavior but yours may not be. Husbands . . . now they are a whole other story. They just might like Sasha, so you can keep her around after he comes home if you like.) Be the vixen that lives in your mind! Who cares if you're in a sweatshirt with your hair in a ponytail. You're hot! You're Sasha Fierce! Now go cook . . .

Crockpot Stuffed Chicken Breast with Feta,
Spinach, and Tomatoes


6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. feta cheese (drained)
3 c chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/3 c oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
½ c oil cured olives, pit in* ( I used small can of sliced black olives instead)
1 t minced lemon zest
1 t dried basil
½ t garlic powder
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes, including juice

Ground black pepper

Directions:
*If using pitted olives, add to Crock-Pot slow cooker in the final hour of cooking.
Place 1 chicken breast between plastic wrap and using the back of a skillet or tenderizer mallet, pound breast until about ¼ inch think. Repeat with each breast.
Combine feta, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, zest, basil, garlic powder and pepper in a medium bowl.
Lay chicken breasts smooth side down on work surface. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of feta mixture onto the wide end of the breast. Roll tightly. Repeat with each breast.
Place rolled breasts seam side down in slow cooker. Top with canned tomatoes and olives. Cook on Low for 5 ½ to 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Serve with rice.

(I made half the recipe and had enough stuffing for 4 chicken breasts. I put the tomatoes, olives, and juice over brown rice with the chicken.)

P.S. Skip the "smack your own butt" move and tone down the hip gyrations when your 2 1/2 year old starts imitating. One Sasha Fierce per household is enough!