*This dish comes together in under 30 minutes! It's a quick and easy dish, perfect to spoon over pasta, crunchy bread, or just plain if you are watching your carb intake. It's loaded with summer vegetables, but they can easily be changed to what you have on hand!* _________________________________________________________________________
I remember my first crush like it was yesterday. His name was Joshua, he had dark curly hair and for some reason, I knew I would marry him. (I didn't.)
I remember sitting in the back seat of my dad's car with my friends and shouting, "I LOVE JOSHUA!" My dad looked at my oddly, probably because I was only 5 and he didn't expect raging love hormones at such a young age...
Sadly, Joshua moved away when I was in 1st grade to a small town in Idaho and the dreams of our future together seemed nearly impossible. But then, when I was in high school my parents got a call that Joshua and his family were in town and wanted to stop by and say hi.
I remember running upstairs and putting on my best clothes, getting my makeup just right, and giving a few flirty smiles to myself in the mirror. The man I was going to marry was coming back to get me, and darn it, I was going to be ready!!
I'll never forget when we opened the door and standing right in front of me was Joshua...wearing overalls.
For some reason his curly hair wasn't so cute any more, he had a hick like accent and well...the sparks were just not flying! I was immediately crushed because I figured our story would be the most romantic one to tell our friends and future children. But I just couldn't get past...the overalls.
Odd because my husband wears overalls every weekend like it's his job! ;)
Things haven't changed much when it comes to young girls and raging love hormones in this house. Every time we sit down to dinner, my girls pull out their pretend cell phones and start talking to their imaginary boyfriends. They laugh as my husband "pretends" to get upset as they repeatedly say, "Oh Cruz, I just love you so much! Muah Muah Muah!"
Obviously family dinners will change in the next 15 years because my husband won't be pretending any more, and most likely we will lock them under out stairs till they are 25...
Don't worry, we will let them out to eat. That's it though.
Skillet Artichoke Chicken Marinara Dish
Ingredients
- 3 TB. extra virgin olive oil
- 10 ounces canned artichokes
- 1 large or two small yellow squash, cut into chunks
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 c. water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1/3 cup chopped basil, plus more for topping
- 2 slices seed whole wheat bread,I used Dave's Bread
- 4 ounces sliced mozzarella
- 1/3 c. freshly grated parmesan plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil to medium heat. Add in the garlic, artichokes, and squash. Cook until brown spots appear, about 5 minutes. Toss while cooking.
- Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to simmer. Allow the sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally. This should take about 10 minutes.
- During this time, add the bread to a baking sheet and place under the broiler for a few minutes until the bread has toasted. Break up into crunchy breadcrumbs.
- Add in the chicken and basil to the marinara sauce.
- Then stir in the 1/3 c. grated parmesan. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs, lay the sliced mozzarella on top, plus a little more parmesan cheese.
- Add the skillet to the broiler, and cook until the cheese begins to bubble, about 3-5 minutes.
- Take out of the oven, top with more fresh basil.
- Serve over pasta, crusty bread, or just eat as it!
3.5.3208
Literally as I am trying this my 3 year old just told my 5 year old, "No I like the guy with dark hair and white pants..."
Kids. Under the stairs. NOW!