seattle

Danny had a work thing in Seattle the week after we got back from Ireland, so I went with him. It was a little crazy to have trips back to back like that, but I love Seattle and it's close to our favorite B&B, so we extended the trip and stayed there too.

Poor noodlebug, she was SO SAD when we left again.

Short flights! Wooooo!

We arrived at our hotel and went in search of food.

And we found it! Cheesesteak at DeliNoMore.

The next day I went exploring while Danny met his coworkers for their whatever they were doing.

Post Alley was one on my very favorite coffee blends made by Seattle's Best back in the day when I used to drink coffee at coffee garden a million years ago. Oh, and Henry's Blend. Mmmm. That was Mike and I's favorite. 

I got a muffin from Three Girls Bakery, raspberry cream cheese- sooooo good. The mocha sucked.

That night we ate a restaurant in Pike Place, so I got to go back and see it again, all lit up. I had an amazing pork tenderloin, Danny had scallops, and I got to know all the really cool people that he works with.

The next day, I felt awful. Getting a cold. I loaded up on zinc, and then went to the library, right across the street from our hotel for a hot chocolate and some quiet time.

I read this amazing book cover to cover, and felt so inspired afterwards.

I love this place. I love exploring, in total silence. This place is filled with people, yet it's totally peaceful.

I realized that's what I hate about flying for hours and hours- it's all the people, crammed together, all making noise, in a noisy airplane, for hours on end. I hate crowds, and I actively avoid them. If I go out into the city for the day, I come home and I am just exhausted. 

I am an introvert, and people, interactions with people, whether I know them personally or not, exhaust me emotionally. I need my alone time to recharge. Most of the time, recharging with Danny by my side is what I need, but sometimes I just need to be alone. 

For many years, I was your classic co-dependant. I couldn't go anywhere without someone with me. It caused a huge problem when I was learning to drive, because I wouldn't practice unless I had someone with me. I couldn't be alone with myself, I hated being alone, and if I was alone I was freaking out. Over the years, especially after I started drinking, being alone meant I was drinking. And you know what they say about drinking alone. 

I learned in rehab how to be alone. I was pretty much forced to, due to terrible circumstances where I was being treated. What happened was so awful, and it hurt me deeply, almost as much as the drinking had done, but I learned. I finally got it. 

I learned how to love myself, and to love one's self, you need to be comfortable being alone. Spending quality time with yourself. 

In a library full of people, I learned that I can spend quality time with myself, and it's wonderful. In the future, I will spend more time at the library to offset time spent on planes.

Coolest escalators. They go on, and on....

We were told about Salumi, so went on our last day for lunch. That sandwich was so goooood. Danny had the spaghetti one, he loved it.

Then we rented a car, checked out of our hotel and drove to Snoqualmie.

We've been here a million times, but never in sunny weather! 

I love this place, it's my home away from home. Deanna is such an amazing host, I just love her to pieces!

Uh-oh. Halloween candy.

House in the country. The Old Hen, the best B&B in the world.

I love the chickens!

Danny trying to lure the bunny out...

....and the duck bossing everyone else around.

Pretty creek bed.

It's that time again!

Cherry Pie!!!!!

(although it's really not that great anymore. Like waaaaay lower quality than it used to be, which is so sad!)

Danny had a shake.

We went and had dinner at the Great Northern. It wasn't all that great, but the view was spectacular.

So pretty. I just love this place, I can't wait to come back!

chicken for everything

Here's the first recipe post! Enjoy! 

(My recipe posts won't have photos. I know! I'm sorry. But I cook at night. And we have those lame energy efficient light bulbs, that make everything look terrible. So use your imagination!) 

I'm grossed out by raw meat. But who isn't? I use vinyl gloves when handling it, I put it in the sink so the gooey gross juice won't get on my counters.

I used to cook chicken breasts for dinner- and I carved the hell out of them, searching for veins and fat and pretty much anything that looked gross- I'd chop it off. And then be left with almost nothing. Then, since I was so grossed out by what I cut off, I would only eat half of it.

Ridiculous. Right?

Then I'd just unconsciously start cooking vegetarian, since I used to be a veggie and that is how I learned to cook for myself, so it's second nature for me. And then a month would go by and Danny would say "Um, sweetheart? Could we please have some meat for dinner?" And I'd be all "What are you talking about I made, um, last week, wait, oh dear. Sorry. And yes."

So I started cooking not only chicken, but all meat in huge batches, shredding it, then freezing it. It cuts prep time down, and I actually eat what I cook, with minimal waste. (I'll elaborate on that part later.) Plus I have no excuse not to add meat to what I'm making. It's already cooked! The gross part is done!

I get that package of chicken breasts from Costco in the refrigerated section that has 6 packets with 2 breasts per pack. Usually $18-20.

I dump the gross juice out, then plop them into my crockpot. I like to vary my seasoning options, but currently I'm loving a recipe that I found here.

I like to do this the night before, so I pour on the seasonings, cover it with plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge.

I cook it on low in the crockpot for 8 hours. Then I let the pot cool down, put the plastic back on and stick it back in the fridge.

I discovered this wonderful way out of pure laziness. It makes juicy chicken thats so easy to shred. One late night I decided just to stick the pot full of cooked chicken in the fridge and deal with it later. 2 days later, (like I said, I'm lazy)- I snapped my gloves on and pulled a breast out to shred, and it just fell apart in my hands. And it was so juicy!

I used to shred it while it was hot, burning my fingers and using forks and whatever still looking for the veins. And then you have to pull them out... gag! But once they are cooled- they will just fall apart with your fingers. It's SO easy it's crazy. And its easy to find the gross disgusting veins, without carving the crap out of it and grossing yourself out. Easy. I love easy.

I shred the chicken into a huge bowl, then portion it into 2 cup portions and into Foodsaver bags. Then I freeze them, then vacuum seal them, and put them back in the freezer. I'll take one out the night  before I use it, and let it defrost in the fridge. It makes a TON. Like 2 whole months worth for us. It's awesome!

I use it for everything- tacos, soups, enchiladas, pasta, burritos. You could even use it for chicken salad. But cold chicken makes me want to die, so I don't do that.

I do have to note that my husband misses the meals I used to make using whole chicken breasts. I have some great recipes for breading and coating and whathaveyou, I just can't bring myself to cooking them again. But he is getting fed delicious food regardless, so he's just fine.

 (P.S. get a decent crockpot. I got a cheapo one on sale at Target once, and it quit in the middle of making roast one day, so Danny and I got food poisoning. Good thing we had two bathrooms at the time. Ewwwww.)