chicken for everyone

Last week I had Lisa and Kirsten over to my new apartment for a sleepover. Yes, I'm 25 and still have and call it a sleepover. Lisa spent most of the day working and was coming over right after so I offered to make us all dinner. This will be one of my go-to dinners where I have everything I need always in the fridge. It is super simple, and extremely delicious.

Here is the "recipe":

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Fry on both sides (not cooking all the way through). Add a couple sprigs of rosemary at the end and cook together for about a minute.

2. Set chicken aside and cook veggies in the same pan with olive oil. This is where it will vary, the first time I just used carrots and onions, then I added zucchini the second time. Really just throw in whatever veggies you like. This time again, season with salt and pepper and just brown the veggies.

3. Place veggies and chicken (individually) in foil and completely wrap together.

4. Cook in 390 degree oven for 20 minutes.

I realize there is nothing new about the chicken/veggie in foil meal, but I'm doing it myself and that's the point. The cooking part of my new years resolution is doing wonderfully. I've made most of my own meals and am happy to have recipes that I will be making again and again.

Lisa Loved It!

photo inspiration

My motivation needs your help. On Sunday I went out to take more photographs and came back with nothing really good. It was freezing outside, I wasn't feeling good, and just really wanted to sleep forever. So, I'm still somewhat stuck in the same spot. Although the weather is a little warmer, I'm still drawing a blank on what to photograph. Which leads me to my questions for you:

Do you have a good location idea?

Do you have a subject idea?

Where is a good spot to get the St. Paul skyline? (does this exist?)

Where can I go to get a shot of the UofM library? (Preferably from the vantage point of the Washington bridge. Can one go on the bridge?)

(oops, I meant the art museum, not the library)

I'd like to hear your ideas, because I am running low on inspiration.

onion soup

I haven't even lived in my new apartment for a week, and I've already started tackling my resolutions. Tonight, I made dinner for myself. For five days all I've eaten has been crap! McDonalds, cookies, pizza, funyuns and coke does not make for a healthy diet. But today the first grocery trip finally happened.

My mom got me this great little cookbook from Ikea. It has 365 recipes and is organized by month (so ideally making one recipe a day). No, I won't be making one recipe a day, but I will try random recipes that sound appealing. They are laid out simply and are quick to make. Each recipe has a photo, since I'm very much a visual learner this is awesome! Tonight, Onion Soup. I have never made a soup that didn't involve opening a can and heating it up!

I cut the onions myself and browned them and even used cooking wine! I ended up leaving some things out because I couldn't find them at the store, or I didn't want them. It was pretty good, although would have been much better with the ingredients I left out (caraway, scallions and cranberries).

PS: the apartment smells so much better after a home cooked meal rather than McDonalds :)