G&C at US Open

I not only got to watch the US Open on my computer I got to see Greta and Charles there too.

This one was August 28

and this one was from Aug 31

Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

This recipe was in the Weight Watchers Weekly this week.
I saw it first on Tuesday, did the marinade on Wednesday and we cooked it tonight (Thursday).
Highly recommend it.   My only changes were that I made more of the salsa than the recipe called for since I used the whole can of black beans and more onion and mango because I didn't want the leftover amounts.

The original recipe is here:  http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=142381

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice  
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped  
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice  
2 tsp olive oil  
2 tsp minced garlic  
1 tsp ground cumin  
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste  
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  
1 1/4 pounds uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, four 5-oz pieces  
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained  
1 cup mango, fresh, cubed  
2 Tbsp uncooked red onions, chopped  

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine orange juice, cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; remove 1/2 cup and place in a large zip-close plastic bag. Add chicken to bag and turn to coat; seal bag and refrigerate up to 12 hours. 


Meanwhile, to make salsa, add beans, mango and onion to bowl with orange juice mixture; toss, cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours. 


When ready to cook, coat grill or grill pan with cooking spray; preheat over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade.


Grill chicken, turning as needed, until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plates and spoon salsa over chicken; pour any liquid left in bottom of bowl over top. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1/2 cup of salsa per serving.


Note:
Marinate the chicken and bean mixture the night before you want to serve it. Then when it's time for dinner, just grill the chicken and your dinner's ready fast.

Feel free to use papaya or pineapple instead of the mango (could affect PointsPlus values).

A Happy Camper

For the first time in two weeks I felt great!!  No headache, no neck ache, no back ache. or any other ache I have recently had.  I went out to do a couple of errands and realized I felt really good.  Nothing hurt so I kept going.  One store, then another until all of a sudden four hours had passed.

I went home and suggested we take a hike since I felt so good and didn't want to sit down.  I just wanted to keep moving.

We went to Webster Park and walked for a few miles and it was peaceful, beautiful, and pain free.

Champion Hills

We played at a new course for me today out in Victor and it was just so pretty.

First hole

Nectarine and Blueberry Bread

I had some nectarines in the refrigerator that had been there too long for just eating in their present state but they were fine for cooking. Just needed to find a recipe and this is the one I found and we love it.

Nectarine and Blueberry Tea Bread recipe adapted from Shove It In Your Face which was adapted from Lynne's Country Kitchen

1 1/2 Cups Flour, divided

3/4 Cup Sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup (75 grams) Butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon Orange Zest (I used grapefruit) (I skipped this)

1/4 Cup Orange Juice (I used grapefruit) (I used pineapple)

2 Eggs

2 Nectarines (I used 4 small)

1/2 Cup Blueberries, fresh or frozen

Topping:

2/3 cup Almonds, chopped well and divided

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Combine 1/4 cup almonds, sugar and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F/175C

Combine 1 Cup of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice and salt in a bowl or stand mixer.   Add in butter, orange juice and orange zest.  Mix on low for about 30 seconds, then on high for 2 minutes.  Add in eggs and remaining 1/2 Cup of flour.  Mix to combine.   Fold in fruit and remaining almonds.

Pour batter into a loaf pan and add the topping.  Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan for ten minutes then finish cooling on a rack.  Enjoy!

Great Quote

At the end of Yoga this morning Lynn shared a quote with us that she particularly liked but couldn't remember the source.  I liked it too and remembered enough of it to Google it and find out all the details.

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. 

We are spiritual beings on a human journey."
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The above is the paraphrased version.

The original is  

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.

from The Phenomenon of Man (1955)

Le Phénomène Humain (1955)

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ (May 1, 1881 – April 10, 1955) was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist.

OK - now back to doing something other than googling around the internet.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

I saw this recipe in the D&C 7/27/12 and finally tried it.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120727/LIVING/307270014/Recipe-Week-Lemon-blueberry-bread-provides-sweetness-zing?nclick_check=1
 
According to the article the blueberries will not sink to the bottom because they are coated in flour first and that this will work for other fruit as well.
" Coating berries or other fruit with flour absorbs moisture that is released during the baking. That moisture is what causes the fruit to fall precipitously to the bottom."

Out of Town

On Wednesday I drove to Greta's for a couple of days.  I didn't have my usual sitting in the car for 6 hours look.  For some reason I decided to dress nicely and even put on makeup.  I must have had time to kill but it was all worth it when I got a compliment from Charles when he came home.