Tuesday, September 27, 2011

learning to cook.

As many of you know, I am about to be married to my best friend in about 10 months. Everyone jokes with me that Jordan will be malnourished because I am a terrible cook haha mainly because I don’t know how to cook. So this semester, I am trying my best to learn how to cook for his sake! I have been impressed with the outcome so far, so my roommates and I decided to post our work, mainly as a food diary! Haha because we all know how much I love to eat, so why not document it?
So here is day one:
This turned out to be a perfect meal for the fall :)
Jordan, you won’t even recognize me! I'm so domestic!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew



Ingredients:
1 pound of chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces   
1/2 tsp table salt   
1/4 tsp black pepper  
 2 tsp canola oil     
5 cups cabbage
1 large red onion, thinly sliced   
2 garlic cloves, chopped     
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1⁄4-inch chunks     
1 1/4 cups chicken broth   
3/4 cups water     
1 cup frozen green peas or vegetables  
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp flour  
Sprinkle the chicken with 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the same pot, then add the cabbage, onion, and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and onion are just tender, about 8 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot; stir in the sweet potatoes, broth, 1⁄2 cup of the water and the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peas and oregano; heat through.


Combine the flour and the remaining 1⁄4 cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 3 minutes.


j + k

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have been slacking on the whole blogging thing since my return back to the US. Tonight, I felt inspired to post things that have happened in my life the past couple months!

The biggest change definitely has been the new bling on my finger! I am the luckiest girl in the world to have found someone like Jordan, I cannot wait to marry him next August!

These AMAZING pictures were taken by my sister, Kristin Minshall.

abby

Here are some senior pictures of my beautiful cousin :)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

our proposal



For the past month, Jordan and I have been looking for a condo for Jordan to live this next year while he attends Regis University studying Physical Therapy. The process was tiring and we have had our hearts broken many times!! One day, Jordan found a place he absolutely loved! Being the workaholic that I am, I was working haha so I had no idea what this place looked like. I knew they made an offer on that place on Thursday, but didn't want to get my hopes up because I couldn't take any more disappointments.

So, fast forward two days later...
Jordan and I planned to go on a date night to Cheesecake Factory! That day felt like any ordinary day, but for Jordan he was on the verge of being hospitalized from his nerves. I came home, not expecting a thing, got ready, and we left, the last time I would ever be single!! Dinner was amazing as we stuffed our faces, and I kind of thought something was up because Jordan coincidentally had to go to the bathroom like 10 times!! But then, I thought, "naw something won't happen. My mom wouldn't have let me wear this."

So after dinner, we were driving home and we got lost!! I was mad and giving Jordan a lecture, as usual, because I was upset that we were in some gangbang, bars on windows, sketchy area where we could have gotten mugged...or even worse, raped! haha so the first street we recognizedI suggested we QUICK take it!! Surprisingly, it was a street the condo Jordan made an offer on is off of. He asked if we wanted to drive by and peek in the windows of the potential new condo. As soon as we got there and were walking, I let go of Jordan's hand and asked, "um is something wrong?! You're hands are INSANELY clammy and sweaty! It is like you are nervous or something!!" We got to the stairs and he stopped me and said he had lied to me earlier. That morning the Realtor called and said Jordan owns the apartment!!! We were both flipping out because it was so exciting!! 

So I ran to the door to peek in the windows and was distracted by the open window!! I screamed, "oh my gosh, someone broke in!! (Probably because we were just driving in a murder alley 10 minutes prior)." I then looked further and noticed rose petals and candles laying on the floor!! At that moment, I lost it!! I kept screaming "Oh my gosh!! this is not happening!!! Is this for real!! No, you're joking!!" We walked inside and Jordan got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife!! Not going to lie, I missed the speech because I was hysterically laughing and screaming from nerves, because the look on Jordan's face was priceless!!

So in less than 5 minutes, I found out this is the place we will start our lives together, I am marrying Jordan, and then Jordan said, "by the way, we need to go to the airport to pick up my parents!!" Needless to say, I was in shock, but I couldn't be happier!! July 22, 2011 marks the day we will start the rest of our lives together!!