Bella Cucina

I think my strongest forte in the homemaking world has been cooking. I always have loved to cook and whip up some new creations. I love trying new things, combining new flavors, being experimental. Sometimes I gain more success than others. So goes it with the rest of my life I suppose. Everyday I add different ingredients to the mix, stir it up and see if anything special happens. There are days when I get that magic. Other days, not so much.
I think I've been in a complete rut lately. Actually, I know that I have been. Its been obvious to me at least that I haven't been desiring to eat right or exercising or even wanting to look pretty. I don't have a lot of energy on a regular basis (most of that is attributible to not eating right and not exercising) and its completely sapped my joy. I think that's whats been killing me the most. I need my joy.
So...here I am, at work, musing about cooking. I didn't cook dinner last night-it was horribly bad for you but so good its yummy KFC. I won't be cooking tonight, since I won't be home til nearly 8 pm. I won't be getting a decent workout in until this weekend (or at least I hope to).
When I went grocery shopping a few weeks back, I bought some stuff that actually made me excited. I bought scallops and clams. I love seafood. I don't make it anymore because my husband doesn't eat it. I bought prosciutto-which I love-and made prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts. I made wontons. I baked fresh muffins. I felt so homemakerly and warm and fuzzy. Hubby did not seem to appreciate the time I took in making either the chicken or the wontons. The muffins were inhaled, not eaten delicately. I stare at the seafood I bought, waiting for an opportune moment. Tomorrow, after I bring my son to school, I have to buy milk and some fruit. I think I might whip up a batch of fresh muffins again, and wait for them to be inhaled again. I might try the chicken again and force my husband to appreciate my creativity. Wontons will always be there. I love them and love making them.

Chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto
chicken breasts, 1 per person pounded flat
garlic to taste
olive oil to coat the pan
prosciutto
mozzerella or provolone cheese (depends on your taste)
1/4 c chicken broth

saute garlic in olive oil til brown. Place cheese on on chicken breast, roll up. wrap with prosciutto, hold together with toothpick. Add chicken broth to pan, heat til simmering. Add chicken. Cook until chicken is done (about 15-20 minutes). Serve immediately.

A variation: Mix pesto with 1/4 c milk. Heat chicken in pesto/milk mixture instead of chicken broth. I also add capers to it.

WonTons

wonton wrappers
1 lb ground meat
sesame oil
teriyaki sauce
ground ginger
garlic

mix ground meat, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic together. Spoon into wonton wrappers. You can either steam them or fry them, depending on how bad you want to be

Fresh Muffins
1 c bisquick
1 egg
1/4 vanilla or plain yogurt (if you use vanilla, you don't really need to add sugar)
fruit (blueberries, bananas, etc)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix ingredients together. Bake in muffin tins 10-15 minutes (til done)
Very yummy.