Come on Down!

Well, it has been a week and I have officially lost 2 pounds! I think that is pretty good. If I keep this up steadily I will reach my goal weight in 20 weeks. Right now that seems like a long time away (5 months), but I know that in 5 months I will look back and think that it came quickly. Also, by that time we will have passed our 2 year ttc anniversary. The best case scenario would be that I will have managed to get a bfp that stuck. The second choice is that I will have lost all the weight I want so at least I will feel good about my body... and hopefully getting a bfp will be easier.

In other news, hubby and I are full swing into our new schedule (with opposite days off, me working during the day and hubby on swing shift). I have not seen my husband in two straight days (unless you count our sleep laden hellos and goodbyes). Maybe when one of us has a day off it will be better. This week I am working a lot of over time, but after Christmas I get some down time so that will be nice.

Oh, I also found a great recipe (see below) that would like to share. It's very yummy and full of veggies so it is really good for you.

Sicilian Chicken Stew
from Rachael Ray

This hearty dish incorporates all the flavors of Sicilian cooking in one delicious stew! Be sure to serve with some crusty bread for mopping!
Ingredients
· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
· 1 1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
· Salt and freshly ground pepper
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 4 stalks celery from the heart, chopped into large pieces
· 2 cubanelle peppers, chopped into large pieces
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped
· A pinch of red pepper flakes
· 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
· 2-3 cups chicken stock (use a little more or less depending on how thick you like your stew)
· 1 can San Marzano tomatoes (28 ounces)
· 1 cup big Italian green olives, chopped
· 1/4 cup golden raisins (about a handful)
· 1/2 cup basil (about a handful) [optional]
· 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley (about a handful), chopped [optional]
· 1/4 cup pine nuts (about a palmful), toasted [optional]
· Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for topping
[**I also added 1.5 carrots, diced and a small handful of wheat spaghetti, broken up into 1 inch pieces]
Preparation
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO.
Season the raw chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the EVOO starts to ripple, put the chicken in the skillet and brown all sides.
Add in the onion, celery, peppers, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the balsamic vinegar, a cup or so of the chicken stock and the tomatoes to the skillet. Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher and mix in the olives and raisins. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors blend, adding more chicken stock to reach the desired consistency of your stew.
To serve, top each portion with basil, parsley, toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serve with some crusty bread alongside.