My 2012 Resolution

I got one particular Christmas card this year that has stuck with me. It was thoughtful and sincere and a true gift on its own and included a comment that I've found myself thinking of often, since:

"You might be the strongest woman I know, you're just quiet about it."

I was enormously flattered when I read this, but like I said, it's made me think a lot. You see, the thing is you guys, I don't feel like I'm quiet about anything. When one of my closest new male friends first met me, aside from introducing himself, the first thing he ever said to me was, "wow, you are really loud." Since then, we've become dear friends, but he recently described me as a "firecracker." So, no, quiet isn't usually my thing.

But the comment in that card made me think that I might be doing something right in my life. I thought that was a good foundation to build upon for 2012. Earlier this week I tweeted the one resolution I've finally decided upon:

@SassyMarmalade New 2012 resolution: spend less time engaging in the bullshit and more time just living my own life the way I want to.

When I look back at 2011, I realize that I spent far too much time caring what other people think. I'm not proud to type that sentence. Why the hell do we care what other people think, anyway? People who judge you are unlikely to be kindred spirits or people you truly enjoy spending time with to begin with, so why do they matter? I don't know why, but I want that to change.

If others want to talk about me and spread whatever crazy lies they can concoct and tell anyone who will listen, they can go right ahead. I just don't give a shit anymore.

If something upsets me or seems wrong, I'm going to say so ... and then move on. I'm not going to pretend to be someone I'm not, but I'm also not going to dwell on those moments of disappointment.

I'm going to focus on spending more time with people who make me smile, laugh, or give me things to ponder and learn. Life is too short for boring people.

And I'm going to worry less that I might offend someone with my "firecracker" personality and worry more about what makes me happy. I realize that I'm about to be 33 years old and there is little about my personality that is going to change at this point. My closest friends love me for who I am -- emotional, outgoing, fun and spirited -- and those are the people I care about anyway. I'm happiest when I'm just being myself, uncensored, so why not embrace that?

I'm not going to apologize for just being myself anymore.

Sometimes I realize that maybe we did learn all we needed to know in kindergarten, if only we could remember that now:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." 

~ Dr. Seuss

Slow Cooker Sunday: Mediterranean Chicken & Pasta

In the winter months, my crock pot is usually fired up every Sunday. I love sitting around in sweatpants and cozy socks, watching playoff football, while the apartment fills with simmering smells of chili, meatballs, stews .. or whatever strikes my mood.

Whatever I cook each Sunday becomes my lunch for the week. I don't make big resolutions about dieting, but each new year I definitely try to get back into the routine of cooking at home, bringing my lunch, eating well-rounded meals with fresh and healthy ingredients. I think a lot of us do this -- it's a common-sense resolution for a fresh start. It worked for me last year and I lost twenty pounds in the first half of 2011. I finally weighed myself earlier this week to start the new year, and found that I was twenty-two pounds less than when I started 2011. I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping off the weight I lost in the beginning of the year during a break-up and a tough holiday season, and I'm motivated to start this year in the same way.

So, I figured I'd start sharing my recipes for each week here, hopefully with some pictures each week. I'd love to hear about your favorite slow-cooker recipes and anything that makes it easy for you to eat healthy and affordably at this time of year.

This Better Homes and Gardens cookbook is my
go-to for slow cooker recipes.

I have several favorites that I repeat over and over, but I'm trying to force myself to try new things in the coming weeks. Today, I'm cooking:


Mediterranean Chicken & Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound uncooked ground chicken or turkey
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained
1.5 cups tomato juice
1.5 cups water
2 medium carrots, very thinly sliced
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon
1 cup medium shell pasta
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)

Also: Slow cooker liners. I'm a huge fan. They make clean-up so easy and keep things from slowly burning to the edges of your crock pot!

Directions
1. In a large skilled, cook ground chicken until brown. Drain off fat.

2. Transfer chicken to a 3.5- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, tomato juice, water, carrots, onion wedges, celery, Italian seasoning, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4.5 to 5.5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2.25 to 2.75 hours.

4. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes more or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with feta cheese.

Verdict: Homey and delicious, just as any slow cooker recipe should be!