Baby's Gotta Brand New Job! And Jalapeno Chicken Bites!

I've been working at an advertising agency for the past year and have experienced the in's and out's of working under high amounts of pressure, stress and was able to assist and complete more than 150 individual marketing materials (no, this is not me publicizing my resume - you can find that on LinkedIn!). And from it all, I learned just a little bit more about myself.

I value my personal time. Amen.

My positivity towards my coworkers goes around and comes back around.

I can control my sensitivity when it comes to business - hey, this industry gives you a thick skin!

And I couldn't have survived this past year without the love and support from the people I worked with, my friends, my family and my loving boyfriend. They've all experienced this journey with me. I knew the time had come to move on when I realized I was being consumed, trapped under the constant pressure to perform.

I put my name out there and 3 weeks later I landed a brand new job! I am so relieved at having found the new place, getting settled and reaching a new potential - once again focused on those dreams I've never left sight of. You might be wondering if I'm still in the advertising world. In a way, yes. I'm still in the creative department and still pushing out marketing pieces but working in an independent marketing organization. A.K.A the hours aren't crazy any more but still focused on creating unique materials for clients.

Now, enough with work because I want to share an easy recipe perfect for a small party or heck, pile these little guys up and make a meal out of it. They're addicting!

Jalapeno Chicken Bites

You'll need....
- Chicken breasts (2-3 depending on who's chowin' down)
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese (grated)
- Jalapenos (finely diced)
- 4-5 slices of bacon
- Butter
- Vegetable oil

Take some chicken breast and slice it thinly and cut into strips.

Salt and pepper on both sides and add about 1 tbs. of cream cheese to the middle.

Next, take some jalapenos and dice it up. I used 1 fresh jalapenos but in the end, it didn't pack a lot of heat. I would recommend the sliced jalapenos from the jar - dice those for something a little spicier.

Add jalapenos on top of the cream cheese.

I did 2 versions, one without cheddar and one with. Believe me, cheddar also makes everything better.






















We all agree, bacon just makes everything better. Cut one slice of bacon in half, lay the chicken with cream cheese and jalapenos on top of bacon, and roll the thing into a ball. Secure with a toothpick.

Get a skillet on medium to high heat. Add a love of butter and vegetable oil (about 2 tbs.) and get it poppin'!

Get your bites ready to go and fry them up in the pan, turning the pieces about every 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and browned on top. The cheese will start to ooze out but don't worry, this is the goodness every master chef must be patient with.

I served this with a little ranch but having them plain is equally satisfying. Bring these to your next social gathering and I promise you won't have any leftovers!

Hello, Digital

Wow! So much for the New Year's resolution of being a better blogger. Work is crazy - one minute I'm crying and ready to quit and the next minute I'm celebrating alcoholically on a recent bonus. Such is the world of advertising. It makes you do crazy things.

I have been cooking up a storm and trying out some really tasty things. Most of my creations have been inspired by my addiction to Pinterest. My misfortune in not posting these treats comes from the fact that I can't find my battery charger for my camera (damnit). It has gone amiss and I'm going crazy without the ability to capture my food endeavors. Maybe it's a sign from the camera gods that it's time to purchase a new point & click. Any suggestions??

I made these baked wontons from Tracey's Culinary Adventures for the boyfriend and they were so easy!



You'll need...

2 tablespoons sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup crab meat, drained (because I'm newly employed and have student loans, (blast!) I bought imitation crab meat and it turned out great)
wonton wrappers (found these in the organic section - kinda weird!)

Preheat oven to 415 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese, scallion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sugar together until well combined. Roughly chop and fold in the crab meat.

Lay a wonton wrapper on your work surface. Place about 2 teaspoons of the filling mixture in the center of the wrapper, then brush two adjacent sides of the wrapper lightly with water. Fold the wrapper over on the diagonal. Press around the filling to remove air pockets, then press the sides to seal the wrapper tightly. NOTE: I found it easiest to take a fork and press the edges down to create a tight seal.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Spray the tops of the wonton wrappers lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crisp.

Makes 20-24
In addition, I picked up some sweet chili sauce pre-made from the grocery store (find it in the Asian aisle). It was so delicious! We actually just had this as our meal plus homemade fried rice.

This one is easy to prepare, just takes some time putting the filling in the wonton wrappers and making sure they are sealed properly. Hope you'll be able to make these in your down time - make an assembly line out of it with your significant other :)

Peace, love and wontons.

The World

The world is amazing. It is scary, dark, beautiful, bizarre and mind-blowing.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the day-to-day. What's the next fire drill? What's for dinner tonight? Wake up, go to bed, await the dreadful sound of the trash man in the morning.

I watched a documentary tonight called Life in a Day. And it really got to me because there are so many wonderful and crazy things that happen every single day. And here I am. Worried about what's going to happen at work tomorrow when there are thunderstorms, prayers, lives being born, mountains towering over cities.

I want to be a part of that.

I want to witness these things in the world. Take in different cultures and see Earth's natural beauty. I want to stop overanalyzing. Ughh, I hate when I do that!!! I do it constantly and I just want to relax and let be. Why was I born with a Type A personality?!

I want to have a sense of direction. Everything seems so chaotic. Success is important to me and I know I will get there, I am being impatient. Once more. So here I go - taking a deep breath and stopping the rush that I continuously feel. Work is work and it cannot consume me. I am seeking out some of World's best hidden treasures. I know I am just starting but I am determined to make it all over the world. Don't believe me?

Wait and see.