Evolve With Mary

Today is a great day; this will be the best week ever. Why??? It’s my birthday week!! I will be 31 on Thursday, and I’m looking forward to the big day.

I plan on relaxing all week, I can’t promise I will post everyday, but I will do my best.

Last weekend I went to New Orleans. I love that city, the music, the food, the people, the drinking, the nightlife, what’s not to love?

Enjoy the pictures.

When we got home, and did the math, my boyfriend and I realized we will be traveling a lot these next few weeks. We both want to make sure we stay healthy, void jet lag and packing on extra holiday weight so early in the holiday season.

I’m heading to DC on Friday, then off to Ohio on Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with my Sister. I should be back in Cali next Friday, but who knows what will happen.

I haven’t been cooking as much as I like to. My man usually doesn't complain, but when I asked if I should cook last night or order out he defiantly shared his opinion. Cook babe.

Those 2 words were all I had to hear.

The weather is changing, yesterday was the perfect day for chicken stew. I know I always say everything I make is excellent, but this dish was extraordinary. The vegetables were perfectly tender, the potatoes where flavorful, and I was told, the chicken fell right off the bone.

Enjoy this recipe. I found it in a cookbook my Mother gave to me called

Weight Watchers One Pot,the ultimate kitchen companion with over 300 recipes.

I didn’t fully follow the recipe, I’ll indicate what the recipe calls for and what I did instead. Enjoy

Chicken in White Wine

7 PointsPlus value, per serving

Serves 6

~~3 slices turkey bacon chopped~~

I used fake bacon, a morning star product, all the flavor for ½ the fat

1 (3 ½ -pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

I used drumsticks, was worried chicken breast would dry out

1 Onion Chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 head garlic, cloves peeled

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 cup frozen small onions

Couldn’t find these onions, used green onions instead

1 (14 ½-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

I used Traders Joes Vinas Chilenas Sauvignon Blanc 2013

½ pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

used small buttery potatoes from Trader Joes

4 carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

I purchased a Dutch Oven, for 50 bucks at Cost Plus World Market, just for this recipe. I can tell it's going to be a staple in my kitchen.

Heat nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring until crispy, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.

The only trick with Morning Star fake bacon is to make sure you don’t burn it, it looses all flavor if it's even slightly overcooked

Add chicken to Dutch oven, in two batches, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to plate as it is browned

Since there is only one carnivore in our house, I cut the meat portion in half

Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion, celery and garlic to Dutch oven; cook, stirring, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until smooth. Add mushrooms and frozen onion; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, wine, potatoes, and carrots; bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot.

I added all vegetables and browned them at the same time.

Return chicken and bacon to Dutch oven. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until vegetables are tender and juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour and water in small bowl until smooth. Stir in about ¼ cup of hot stew liquid until blended. Add liquid to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid bubbles and thickens, about 3 minutes. Serve sprinkle with parsley.

I like my chicken to have more color too it, once I let it boil for 20 minutes, I transferred the Dutch Oven to the oven and broiled it until the chicken had a nice color to it.

Per serving (1/6 of chicken and about 1 ½ cups vegetables with sauce); 295 Cal, 7g Total Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 0g Trans Fat , 96mg Chol, 360mg Sod, 22g Carb, 7g Sugar, 4g Fib, 33g Protein, 76mg Calcium

FYI Originally this classic chicken and red wine stew was prepared with a rooster. Slow cooking it in red wine ensure the very flavorful meat would become meltingly tender. Nowadays, chicken stand in for the rooster in this ever-popular recipe

This was one of the best chicken stews I've ever tasted. I know I will be make this for my children, when I have them. Its hearty and healthy.

That's All Today Folks

I'm off to enjoy a spa day full of nails, sugar waxing, and facials.

Blessings my Friends

Mary

Lets talk about Bullying Kids

Hi Friends!!

Today is all about bullying, children and adults.

I like statistics, they make things real in my book. Enjoy these scary bullying statistics.

42% of kids have been bullied while online

1 in 4 verbally attacked more then once

35% of kids have been threatened online

58% of kids and teens have reported that something mean has been said to them online

77% of students have admitted to bing the victim of one type of bulling or another

1 out of every 4 kids will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence

46% of males follow by 26% of females have admitted to being victims in physical fights

58% of kids admitted to never telling an adult when they've been a victim of a bullying attack

I come from the home that taught me: if they hit you, you hit them back. Bulling wasn't a problem around me. I stood up to bullies and help anyone that had a problem with bullies. But kids are different now a days. I'm not sure if they are softer or if bullying is getting worst, but its starting to effect more and more kids everyday.

Bulling is getting worst in American schools and studies prove domestic violence at home are leading to an increase in bullying online and in schools.

Bullying and depression are related, depression effects bullies and their victims. Victims of cyber bulling maybe at an even higher risk for depression.

Depression can have a number of serious effects on someones life

- Low Self-esteem

-Anxiety

- High rates of school absence

-Obesity

-Physical illness

Lets talk about Bullying Adults

I found this awesome article about bullying in the work place. I know all of you will enjoy it as much as I did.

35% of the American workforce, or 53.5 million people, have directly experiences bullying or mistreatment, by one or more employees, usually verbal abuse

15% have witnessed bullying at work

72% of those bullies are bosses

Bullying in the workplace is similar to the school playground in that people are being demeaned or exploited

In the office bullying is far more subversive and challenging to overcome as grown bullies are adept at finding non-assertive victims and staying under the radar

Bosses have a need to push people around to get their way and if no one stood up to them in school then they have no reason to stop their bullying now in the business world

Different types of Bullying Bosses

On the more extreme end of the spectrum there are those who throw tirades and intimidate employees continuously, some are even guilty of sexual harassment this behavior is nefarious enough to warrant termination and legal ramifications.

At the other end of the spectrum you'll find the covert bully, the much more rampant, fear provoking voss who acts out episodically

These bosses with bullying tendencies are masters at pushing you to the limit with out giving you enough fodder to purse legal actions.

They may even attempt to disguise there horrible unapropiate behavior with levity saying

Oh I was just joking

or

You're too sensitive, you know your doing a great job.

Real Talk

Bullying has turned into an epidemic. I consider myself a bad-ass but I have been a victim of bullying at past jobs and currently in certain situations.

What to do...what to do?

I plan on continuing to stand up for myself and I will always remember my parents words

If someone hits you...

HIT THEM BACK!!!

THIS IS A GREAT QUOTE, BUT I'M GOING TO HIT THEM BACK EVERYTIME.

Blessings My Friends

Mary

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