Pesto Bruschetta Chicken

My Italian self has been CRAVING pesto I knew that it was that time again to start cooking up something Italian.

Now, because it is June, and I spend every weekend in a bikini, I thought for my sake (and the sake of everyone who may see me in a bikini) that a pasta heavy meal was not in the cards.  So, I thought to mix an old recipe with some of our 2013 variety pesto, to make some Pesto Bruschetta Chicken.  

Normally I would take you through a picture tour, but since I forgot, we're forgetting the picture book today, I hope you forgive me...

Here is what you will need:

3 Chicken Boneless Chicken Breast

6 Ounces of Pesto

1/2 Cup of Fresh Grated Mozzarella (you can use the bag stuff.... I won't tell)

1/2 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar to taste

Directions:

1. Generously cover the bottom of a casserole dish with olive oil.

2. Use a knife to butterfly (cut in half longways) the chicken.  Place the chicken breast in the oiled casserole dish.

3. Divide the pesto in half.  Take a spoon and generously cover the inside of the chicken with pesto.  Fold the chicken and place the remaining pesto on top of the chicken.

4.  Place the tomatoes on top of the pesto with mozzarella.

5. Cover your casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Depending on your stove, it may take an additional 5 to 30 minutes to cook the chicken thoroughly.

6.  When the chicken is cooked thoroughly (No pink  or translucent appearance when the chicken is cut in half.  The chicken should feel firm and have no hint of rubbery feel to it when poked.) pull it out of the oven and allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.  

7.  Before serving, top with balsamic vinegar to taste.

The Urban Farmer and I enjoyed this dish with a side Greek salad, some Italian bread and wine.   

Results:

The Urban Farmer is REQUIRING me to make this for him AGAIN.  We both enjoyed this dish!  And most importantly, I got my Italian kick.

Tonight, I can go to bed knowing that all is right in the world.

What is your favorite Italian Dish?  What have you been craving lately?

How the Busy Girl became the Busy Wife

How the Busy Girl became the Busy Wife ...

And Other Wives Tales (and excuses) on why I have Neglected my Blog

A long time ago, I was just some gal in my early twenties who thought it was a GREAT idea to start a blog and chronicle my crazy, beautiful life.  Well hear I am, over two years and 67 posts later, and I am still working on getting my blog started.  Some may call it an epic fail, but for me, I like to think of it like a diet -- Every time you fall of the wagon, you gotta get back up and try again!

So here I am today round 3 (or maybe 4, 5 or 6) of reviving my Blog.

But in all honesty, I have been VERY busy.  Last time I wrote on here I was just some young Busy Girl, trying to figure out life and love, today I write you as a Busy Wife who is STILL trying to figure out life and love  (and now MARRIAGE).  But I hope that as I navigate through this crazy beautiful life, you come along for the ride.  Sometimes you may laugh, other times you may cry.  Or you may just find that in 2 weeks I stop posting on here again (if so, I am sorry I have wasted your time, yet again) but in the end I hope that by sharing my ups and downs, you laugh at my jokes, cry when I fail and in the end we both learn a little from each other.

XOXO,
The Busy Wife


(Love our wedding photos?  Check out Gronde Photography -- they are AMAZING!)

Wedding Planning: Right after the Engagement

When the Urban Farmer and I got engaged it was AMAZING how quickly people started asking us questions....  Have you picked a date?  What are your wedding colors?  How's in the Bridal party?

Now getting engaged is a whirlwind of emotion and excitement!  You are so excited and happy that you feel like you are on cloud nine!  For me, those first couple days of being engaged was so overwhelming, I did not even know what to do.  

Now, since the Urban Farmer and I were camping that weekend, it meant that we got a little time to enjoy the engagement before we started to share our excitement.  For any future couples to get engaged, I highly recommend that you take a little time to enjoy your engagement by yourselves.  

I know how exciting it is to call your family, your best friend and your sorority sisters, but those couple hours where we got enjoy being engaged alone were some of the best moments of the engagement.  

After the Urban Farmer and I left our little piece of Heaven on the New River, we went and spent some time at a winery together and alone.  

Us at the Winery!

  

Then on the way home we started to call people to share with them our exciting news.  

Of course, I told my parents right after we got engaged, but the Urban Farmer had to tell his family, and we both had friends to tell.  

Now, since the Urban Farmer's Mom, sister and brother lives 30 minutes from us, we both decided that we were going to tell them in person.  

So while driving home, the Urban Farmer and I called close friends to tell them our exciting news.  

Then, the Urban Farmer called his Dad to let him know.

Then after that we told his family.

And this may sound surprising in today's day and age, but we didn't put anything on Facebook for two days!  Crazy I know.  Most people do it immediately.  

It wasn't that we were trying to hide our engagement or keep it a secret, the truth is we wanted to do things our way.  We wanted our engagement to move at our own pace and to enjoy the privacy.  Remember your engagement is about the both of YOU, not anyone else. 

Now I love all the Facebook love, but I was already overwhelmed.... I didn't need to add anymore to it.

When we finally told social media and Facebook, the Urban Farmer and I had an outpouring of love from our friends and families.  We were both surprised and happy wit how many people were happy with us.

After sharing our engagement with everyone it was time to focus on the next part -- wedding planning.  

In my next couple of posts I would like to share with y'all my experiences planning.  The happiness, the tears and all the emotions in between.  I hope that you will enjoy reading this exciting part of my life with you.

Love,

The Busy Girl!

Engagement Photos

Not to long ago, the Urban Farmer and I got our engagement photos done.

Living in the D.C. area, we thought that we would do our photos in the city that we love so much.  Now the Urban Farmer and I got VERY lucky, our photos were taken two days before the government shut down and all the monuments closing!  We should have played the lottery... I know!

Well I hope you enjoy viewing some of our Engagement Photos!

"Zombies" Video

If you haven't checked out the Urban Farmer's band, Old Rag Mountain Remedy's new song!  If you like Zombies then you definitely will like this song! 

Plus, the Urban Farmer is playing the Bass in it!

https://www.cdbaby.com/m/cd/oldragmountainremedy

Recipe: Potato Bacon Soup

So the weather is cooling here in Northern Virginia.  Sweater weather has set in and soup season is upon us, therefore the Urban Farmer and I are celebrating with one of my FAVORITE soups... Potato Bacon Soup!

What you Need:

6 Slices of Bacon
1 Small Onion
8 Red Potatoes
1 Clove of Garlic
6 Cups of Chicken Broth
3 Tbs. of Flour
1 Cup of Milk
1/2 Cup of Half and Half
1 Tsp. of Salt
1 Tsp. of Pepper
1 Tbs. of Fresh Minced
Grated Cheese to Taste

Directions:

Slice Bacon to Bits and add to a soup pot.  Cook over medium heat until bacon is crisp.

Had to use my soup pot.  Waiting for my Dutch Oven for my Registry

Remove bacon and set aside.

Remove most the grease, but keep a little for seasoning.

Dice onions and garlic.  Peel potatoes and dice.

Replace pot on stove over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes, onions and garlic.  Cook for five minutes.

Add salt and pepper to the pot.

Pour broth into pot.  Turn on high to reach boil.  Allow to boil for ten minutes until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, mix the flour and milk in a separate bowl.  Combine till smooth.
Pour into soup and cook for five minutes.

Remove half of the soup and place in a blender.  Blend until completely smooth.  Combine blended soup with pot.

I know, I know, I need a new blender.  Ugh!

Stir in half and half.

Pour into bowls adding fresh, minced parsley, cheese and bacon.

Yes, the Urban Farmer and I have a Fresh Parsley plant in our kitchen.  We LOVE Fresh Parsley!

The yummy soup!

Results:

Sooo yummy!  The Urban Farmer and I not only had one bowl, we had TWO!  And they were both utterly DELICIOUS!  I will definitely be making this soup again for us over the winter.  

Recipe: Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

The Urban Farmer and I brought a dish to a party recently.  I know that the Urban Farmer loves his Buffalo Chicken so I wanted to make him some Buffalo Chicken Dip!

What you need:
2 Cups of Buffalo Chicken  (I used the leftovers from my Buffalo Chicken)
1 Package of Cream Cheese
1 Cup of Ranch
1 Cup of Cheese

Directions:
Add all the ingredients into a Crockpot and stir.

Put on High for one hour.

Serve with crackers.

Results:

We had NONE left.  Always a good sign of any dish you make!  Will definitely be making this again!