Red Beans and Chicken with Wild Rice

Red Beans and Chicken over Wild Rice

Red beans and Rice isn’t my favorite dish in the world. My indifference to the stew is why it took some time to develop it. When I originally started making it, I tried adding more spices such as ginger, cinnamon and so forth. The boyfriend and I agree on the older results: Keep trying (however, I later discovered he’s not partial to cinnamon flavors). A few versions later, I’ve learned the characteristics of an excellent bowl of red beans and rice is in its simplicity. Read more

Pretzel Peanut Butter Chicken Strips

Pretzel Peanut Butter Chicken Strips with a savory peanut butter sauce
The Peanut Butter & Co. asked MyLifeRunsOnFood.com to join their All-Star Recipe Blog to create five unique recipes using their different flavors of peanut butter. Who could resist the challenge? I’ve waxed poetic about peanut butter before, especially peanut butter and chocolate candies, and a guest post was written for She’s So New York about the aphrodisiac affects of peanuts. Then there’s the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies made last fall. A favorite summer meal is Spring Shrimp Rolls with Peanut Sauce served with a Pineapple Tomato Salad. Read more

Radicchio Chicken Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette

Radicchio Chicken Salad Sandwich

My boyfriend and I are both strong forces of nature. He’s always right. I’m always right. Learning to let go of expectations and going with the flow of life is more gratifying as winning a fight with my planned solution. As the “foodie” in the relationship, my tastes are quite difficult, confusing, and demanding. It’s not just about the food. There are opinions about synthetic perfumes. Using natural cleaning products that are better for the environment. Purchasing unhealthy snacks for the midnight hour. Buying mattresses made with natural materials. After all, my opinions are always right. Read more

Chicken Thighs with Ginger Rhubarb Sauce

Baked Chicken Thighs with Ginger Rhubarb Sauce over Brown and Wild Rice

One of the initial plans when returning back to a full-time career was to immediately start saving for a washer and dryer for our apartment. There were few times in my early life I remember going with Mom to the laundromat. As a young child, laundry day was dreaded. It’s a boring place. The afternoons were worst, because the televisions only ran soap operas. Back then, there were only a few channels. The wash and spin sound was irritating. The combination of various dryers turning consistently was boisterously loud. As a young family working hard to better our lives, we eventually moved out of apartment living into a newly constructed house with our own laundry room. Even in college, I would come home on weekends to do laundry to avoid the school’s laundromat. Today, using a public laundromat at my age is beyond the farthest imagination of how I was going to live as an adult. Read more

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

This economy is real to me. Like most people in 2008, I was laid off. Coincidentally, I received a part-time job. Receiving a part-time job during that time period was extremely lucky, but it also meant several of my bills went unpaid for two years into now. Then last November; I was let go from the part-time job. Unemployment covers the rent and utilities. There’s a little left for food and limited transportation. Each week, I’m down to a few dollars before receiving unemployment benefit. Between the financial instability, I’ve dealt with a few emotional blows. So, yes… these past few years have been financially difficult. Read more