So, I’m just going to lay this out here.
Blogging can sometimes be stressful for me. And I hate using the word stressful. Blogging shouldn’t be stressful. Cancer is stressful. Losing a loved one is stressful. Not being able to pay bills is stressful. Blogging shouldn’t be. Yet it is because it is what I love to do. And it’s all mine. But so much of that love is getting my content out there and when I can’t do that due to kids and summer and moving and schedules and a lovely wedding and a killer event sometimes my loves turns into….frustration. Yes, let’s use that word instead of stressful.
I’m all like I HAVE THIS AWESOME RECIPE BUT HAVE NO TIME TO MAKE IT OR PHOTOGRAPH IT OR WRITE ABOUT IT AND SHARE IT!
Seriously, it’s the hospitality gene in me. It runs deep and strong. I want you to know what we are cooking and eating because I genuinely and honestly hope you will love it. And when I can’t share it because I’ve been with my kids 24/7 for 3.5 months amongst all the other craziness well….I sort of want to leave my kids with strangers. Kidding, of course. School starting is helping in that department for sure.
Then there are the oh so lovely individuals that ask me ‘hey, you haven’t been blogging much’ or ‘hey, can you post C’s picks? I love it for meal planning’ and little piece of me wants. to. die. inside. Because I so want to, I promise. I’m with you I just…..well, you know…. life.
If I could actually devote what I wanted to this little space it would already be so much bigger than it already is but just like with anything you make sacrifices, am I right? This summer I had help one day a week: 9:00-3:00. Seems like a great start. I had visions of typing away in some cute coffee shopping editing photos and so on and so forth.
Reality? I went to Target for my stock run because it was so much easier (and cheaper) without the boys and then the bank and gas and to Dick’s because L lost his baseball cup for the third time and then to lunch with L because he had a haircut and a hitting lesson you get the picture.
But that’s all part of it. This space….it’s real. It’s exactly what is happening in my life and when content isn’t going up as much as I’d like it’s because, well, life is happening around me. And I’m taking it in because one day I will be alone, for seven hours, in that coffee shop.
So, this recipe. Let’s chat. It came upon a particularly crazy week for me. Sandwiched in between my darling sister getting married (AKA I lived in the city for four days) and a strict Martha Stewart Living deadline I was already told I could not miss. Noted.
Barely recovered from the wedding (ahem) I hit the grocery store: I have to get content up for ALFS . I have to meet this deadline. Thank God B went back to school even though it was a short week I had a few hours each morning to plan and shop and cook and photograph.
I planned on this oh so lovely chicken cacciatore for dinner one particular night and then got a text about mid way through from M ‘I”m not coming home for dinner. Work event.’
Oh for goodness sake. Yet that’s life, right? With three other recipes to make and photograph that day I texted my mom that I made a lovely meal and could I bring it by for her and dad?
Thank goodness she wanted it. Dropped it off on the way to pick up B, made it back to finish up Martha on time, and called it a day.
The best part? Later that evening I got the text: ‘Dad and I loved it so much. Thank you!’
The pleasure is all mine, seriously. I got to make a full meal, photograph it, someone enjoyed it, and I’m writing about it!
Happy, happy C.
This recipe rocks, by the way. Crazy simple, crazy healthy and full of depth and flavors. You can hearty it up by serving over brown rice or noodles, or, to keep the health kick going strong it would be perfect over cauliflower rice.
Here’s to life settling back into place and more and more time to devote to this space that I love so much!
- 4 TBS olive oil
- 1 lbs chicken legs, bone in and skin on
- 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, minced
- 1 tsp freshly chopped oregano
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBS capers, drained
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 TBS fresh basil leaves, chopped
- In a large skillet with high edges hit up your 2 TBS olive oil over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear on all sides, roughly 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
- With the same pan on medium high heat, add a bit more olive oil with the onions and peppers and saute a few minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and oregano and cook another few minutes. Add in garlic for another minute. And lastly the capers and diced tomatoes.
- Return chicken to the same pot and cover everything with chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer away for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (I partially covered my pot to speed up the cooking time).
- Garnish with chopped basil and serve immediately.
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Courtney
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Love this post and how real you made it! Life is crazy for everyone and we all need a step back to see what is really stressful, but also agree our own stresses w family, kids sport etc are certainly noted, thanks for the great recipe,
I’m glad you like the recipe! And yes hard to find that balance…..with a summer chock full of nothing but wonderful crazy fun things, I felt bad complaining at all. But it was a lot. And I’m glad it’s over 😉
It’s funny because your blog content is chock-full of things that are actually enjoyable….like eating.
And mine is filled to the brim with the vast array of emotions I can have in any given evening. I’m sure people don’t care that I had a meltdown over a magazine, but I want to document it so I can remind myself that this time was trying, yet HILARIOUS….
Everyone struggles with their own stuff and there is no need to compare the stress of blogging to the stress of cancer. Don’t apologize. Shit is though sometimes, girlfriend, and the crazy of summer can’t be beat, even if we are all kind-of sort-of looking for any opportunity to have a friggin’ schedule again, and maybe, just maybe…find time for a nap?
Oh, who am I kidding 🙂
Tia @ Good Genes recently posted…Oh No! PIO
You’re so right 🙂 Thank you for the reminder! And ahhhhhhh a nap…….a girl can dream! 😉
Twitter: charminglyuncmp
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Honestly after being at home with the two kids all summer I was blown away at exactly how stressful it is! Is it serious like cancer? No of course not but don’t discount the stress of having literally zero time to think let alone get anything done! Replying to this on the train right now with no children at foot feels downright peaceful ha. I’m loving all of your healthy recipes lately! Totally right up our alley.
Thank you for the reminder – it’s so true. I feel like I got hit by a truck all summer long but it was ALL FUN STUFF so I felt bad complaining, at all. Yet I suppose a crazy amount of fun can be stressful 😉 Time to unwind a bit. I am SO happy you are liking the healthy recipes – many more to come!