My two favorite things!

Hello Dear Readers! I know you have been waiting with bated breath for another installment of Miss Mollie's Guide to Life!

Bated. Bated breath.

Never fear, my friends, you shall not be disappointed because this week I have TWO new favorite things!

1. My first new favorite thing: Trader Joe's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

I love salad, I do. I always make my own dressing (cheaper, yummier, healthier) but on Monday I was le tired and the thought of making dressing was just too much! So what did I find?

This TJ's vinegar is not super vinegary...and sprinkled on top of salad is a perfect dressing all on it's own. The label also suggests adding it to sparkling water with ice for a nice beverage, which I did with a squeeze of lemon and a little tequila. It was an excellent skinny margarita.

2. My second new favorite thing (thanks Mom): Pumpkin Smoothies

I know that that cup of green stuff doesn't look delicious, but it is. Here's what's in it:

• 1/2 banana (or whole if it's smallish) - I usually use a frozen one
• Scoop of raw canned pumpkin
• Unsweetened almond milk
• TJ's Power Greens (baby spinach, kale, other stuff...)
• Pumpkin spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg)

If you are afraid of green you can leave the greens out, but I PROMISE you can't taste them. I usually use a frozen banana but I didn't have any today.

There you go my Dear Readers. Go get it!

Pinteresting

Dear Readers, I have a confession:

I love pinterest. I'm pretty sure if they ever start hiring professional pinners, I would be the perfect candidate. I would be AWESOME at that job.

My new favorite pinterest recipe is this gem I made last night:

http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/slow-cooker-mediterranean-chicken/

Oh my dear readers, it was SO delicious. I tweaked the recipe a little. Also, I don't eat rice so Mr. McHusband roasted some brussels sprouts (just olive oil, salt, and lemon pepper) and we ate it on top of those.

• Instead of 2 TBS brown sugar I put in about a teaspoon of agave, put next time I'd just leave it out. The prunes are sweet enough.
• I didn't measure the prunes or the olives, I just threw 'em all in. Classic me. 
• I used 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of what the recipe calls for.

I added a half cup of (homemade! what!) chicken stock because it needed a little more liquid. We had seconds!

This brings me to my new favorite thing: Homemade Chicken Stock!

Don't be scared, dear readers, it was SO easy (and you know I love easy). I made a roast chicken for dinner on Monday and really wanted to try making stock BUT it was late, I was tired, etc. So what did I do? Give up? No way suckaz! I put that carcass in the crockpot with pretty much all the veggies I  had some carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, covered it with water, and turned that sucker on low. In the morning BOOM DONE! 

Now, if I hadn't been late to get moving I would have used my handy-dandy fat separator, but I was so I put it all in a big tupperware. When I got home that night and it was cold I scooped that fat right off. For dinner that night I roasted some brocolini, warmed up the leftover chicken, and put it in the broth. Simple, delicious, and healthy!

With that, dear readers, I leave you. But not before sharing a really lovely song with y'all.

http://youtu.be/w0CdXaOS5_o

Happy weekending!