Roasted Veggie & Chicken Stew

Hello, hello!

Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner?!

I was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping and I came across this.

I just had to have it!

So, I bought it. 🙂

Hey, surely I’m not the only person in the world who’s done that?

I am?

Oh.  Well. Don’t judge me.

Anywho, it’s been a super busy physical week for me.

Raked 28 bags of leaves on Monday, smashed my fingers for good measure, 5 1/4 mile tempo/hill run on Tuesday, 9 miles on Thursday + a 3 mile walk through the park with Thing 2, and another 3 mile walk in the park with my sailor yesterday.

I was supposed to do 20 miles this morning.

Um, no.

I twisted my foot a little on Thursday and, after yesterday’s walk, there was no way my foot was going to hold up. It’s not swollen but it’s definitely stiff. It’s been healing pretty well since I did whatever to it back a few months ago but I don’t want to take any chances.

So, I’m resting it and I’ll jump back on the mileage on Monday.

I’m feeling more confident about being able to finish the marathon but I certainly can’t go into it with a hurt foot.

I’ve been so hungry this week!

And, really tired. Holy cow, am I getting a ton of sleep!

And totally craving veggies!

So, I made up a dish with some yummy roasted veggies, rotisserie chicken, and black beans.

Om nom nom!

Roasted Veggie & Chicken Stew

1 rotisserie chicken, pulled apart and bones discarded (or, roast your own chicken and shred that bad boy up)
1 sweet potato, cut into wedges
2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks
handful of baby carrots (as many as you want)
1 small red onion, cut into quarters
1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters
5-10 garlic cloves, NOT peeled (I love garlic so I used 10. You may not love garlic as much as me. Fine. Remove the papery coating but don’t peel the cloves)
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
fresh rosemary, thyme and sage (aka the poultry blend)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potato, bell peppers, carrots, onions, and garlic on large, rimmed baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

2. Shred rotisserie chicken into a large Dutch oven and add black beans.

3. Toss with roasted veggies and chopped herbs. Add broth (up to a cup) and heat over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, until heated through and seasonings mesh. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

4. EAT!

Question: Sweet potatoes – yum or yuck?

Hearty Italian Sausage and Potato Skillet

After a long day yesterday of running, work and eating all of the jelly beans on the planet, I was not really in the mood for cooking. But, alas, I was actually hungry as were the rest of my brood so, I had to cook.

Now, let’s pause for a second and talk about those jelly beans. Why must I feel like I need to eat the entire bag? *sigh* Thank goodness I didn’t but Easter and Halloween really bring out my sweet tooth. You’d think I would know better than to buy a bag of something I can’t resist (jelly beans, mellowcream pumpkins, candy corn) but, somehow, I always end up with a bag on the conveyor and, Whoops! Just paid for it. So, of course I have to eat them.  It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t.  I mean, can’t let a perfectly good *insert candy type here* go to waste, right? 🙂

But, I digress.  Dinner.  Cooking.  So, I had some Aidell’s Chicken Sausage (Italian Style with Mozzarella Cheese) and I needed something to do with it.  I frequently cook the sausage and add it to pasta sauce or I’ll just saute some peppers and serve the sausages with the peppers and some crusty bread.  I didn’t feel like doing that.  I always do those things.  I wanted something different.  And, I found it!  An amazing, ready in less than 30 minutes, and delicious dinner recipe.  And really, you could use any type of italian sausage in this recipe – your choice.  It will still be fabulous.  And you will be happy.  And your brood will eat.

Hearty Italian Sausage and Potato Skillet
Recipe from Dash Recipes
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage
1/2 sweet onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound red potatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add sausages and cover. Cook until brown, turning once. After sausages are browned, add onion, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cover. Stir often.

2. Remove sausages once they are mostly cooked through. Spread potatoes out in skillet and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Slice sausages into 1/2-inch pieces and return to pan. Add rosemary, garlic, and half of the tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes or until tomatoes are cooked. Add basil and remaining tomatoes; stir to combine.

4. Gobble it up! Who needs plates?