since I've been gone

We have internet!

It's literally been a week, but it feels like longer and I have so much to say! But I don't want to drown this post so I'll try and keep it fairly short and sweet.

Being out of the hotel has been great and settling into our new place has been even greater. We've hit some bumps, but I'm excited to call this place my home. 

 I've been drinking my wine on the reg. With my DirectTV and home cooked meals.

The Steel Magnolia has landed (or sailed) to Hawaii...but unsafely...

We picked up my precious Ford from the shipping processing center and as I was about to drive off into the sunset my husband called me and said, "Um, your muffler is about to fall off."

WTF

I am like...not a car person, if my car even shakes in the slightest I freak out and take it to the shop (I've been stuck on the side of the road one too many times with my mom's van, riding dirty in high school, a story for another day, but anyways... I take car issues very seriously).

So, I turned my car around just for the man to zip tie my muffler and tell us to take it to a car dealer! WAH. The zip tie didn't melt, despite my brain telling me otherwise. But the part needs to be ordered, though it is a quick fix that won't cost me a fortune so I'm fine with that shenanigan.

Something that I'm so happy to be doing is cooking again! This lady loves to cook. I'm an avid pasta lover and I claim it to be my specialty.  But every once in awhile I try something different and I fell in love with this lemon chicken one pot meal I made last weekend!

pan-roasted chicken with lemon-garlic green beans
photo courtesy of pinterest;)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans*
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)**

*note: I used asaparagus

**note: I don't like bones in any meat, creeps me out. I used boneless and it turned out just fine if that's all you have in your freezer/fridge!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Another post is headed your way, but Grey's Anatomy finale is about to call, being 6 hrs behind has it's pros and cons.

sweetly,