Since I don't have my own house or lots of space to clean, I'm spring cleaning my life. This is all starting with a new routine, a new lifestyle, and new job to let me do it.
Yes - a new job. It was a bitter-sweet decision, but I knew I needed more balance in my life to pursue my goals outside of work. I was presented with a new opportunity that will allow me to spend more time doing the things I love and learning the things I want to.
I recently added the song "Something More" by Sugarland to my running playlist and it fits my feelings to leaving my job perfectly.
Monday, hard to wake up
Fill my coffee cup, I'm out the door
Yeah, the freeway's standing still today
It's gonna make me late, and thats for sure
I'm running out of gas and out of time
Never gonna make it there by nine
There's gotta be something more
Gotta be more than this
I need a little less hard time
I need a little more bliss
I'm gonna take my chances
Taking a chance I might
Find what I'm looking for
There's gotta be something more
Five years and there's no doubt
That I'm burnt out, I've had enough
So now boss man, here's my two weeks
I'll make it short and sweet, so listen up
I could work my life away, but why?
I got things to do before I die
Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate
I believe that happiness is something we create
You best believe that I'm not gonna wait
'Cause there's gotta be something more
I get home 7:30 the house is dirty, but it can wait
Yeah, 'cause right now I need some downtime
To drink some red wine and celebrate
Armageddon could be knocking at my door
But I ain't gonna answer that's for sure.
There's gotta be something more!
Cheesy? Maybe. But yesterday was my last day at my old job, and I'm excited to start living for something more!
To celebrate my new found freedom, Justin and I made a delicious dinner! I was supposed to make it for him, but I'm not that quick at prep work and needed an extra hand to help chop up the veggies and pound the meat.
We made Chicken Cutlets with Orange and Arugula. It was sooooo yummy! I again saw this recipe on Rachael Ray's show and just had to make it.
Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
* 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* A little fresh grated nutmeg
* A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
* 1 orange, zested
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying
* 2 seedless oranges
* 2 yellow or orange tomatoes, seeded and diced
* 1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves finely chopped, optional
* 1/2 small red onion or 2 to 3 scallions, chopped
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 cups baby arugula leaves
Directions:
Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg, parsley, and orange zest in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in another bowl and the eggs in a third bowl.
Cut the chicken breasts horizontally being sure not to cut all the way through to the other side so it will open like a book. Once the chicken is butterflied, lightly pound the chicken between waxed paper, parchment or plastic wrap into 4 large, very thin cutlets. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and coat with the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs.
Heat a 1/2-inch of frying oil in very large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cutlets 1 or 2 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. As cutlets are done, transfer to a baking rack to drain. Cutlets may be served room temperature but you want them to remain crisp.
While the cutlets cook, working next to the stove, peel and section the oranges and dice. Add them to a large bowl along with the tomatoes, oregano, if using, onion, extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Toss and when ready to serve fold in the arugula leaves.
Transfer the cutlets to serving plates and top with mounds of orange and arugula salad before serving.
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Here's some fun pics from our festive Friday night:
Our assembly line. Flour...eggs...then breadcrumbs mix...
Once the butterflied and pounded chicken went through the above process, we added it to the frying pan...
While the chicken was frying, we diced the oranges, tomatoes and onions for the arugula salad.
Once the chicken was cooked, we topped it with the arugula salad. How pretty!
We toasted the evening with a delicious red wine that we found at Southern Seasons. It was perfect.
Nothing like good food, good wine, GREAT company, and a great conversation to start off the weekend.
Now we're looking forward to our 3 mile Saturday run!
Next time just post some of the lyrics.. not the WHOLE song! But that dinner was delicious. Good find.
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