CHICKEN PARM MEATBALL SKILLET

Its that time of year again where you look for and crave comfort food. Not only does the consuming of such foods warm the body and the soul, but they also warm up every nook and cranny of  the coldest of homes as they bubble away on the stove.

Feeding a large family brings with it all sorts of problems. With everyone having an array of different tastes, it can be hard to please everyone, every night.
One meal that does get the thumbs up and mouths watering when I dish it up is Julie Goodwin's recipe for Chicken Parma. Easy and delicious, this recipe puts the local pub Parma to shame. Try it for yourself, I dare you to disagree.

So while scrolling through Pinterest the other night I came across a meal that I just knew would be enjoyed by everyone at our dinner table, I just had to give it a whirl.

CHICKEN PARM MEATBALL SKILLET

500 grams chicken mince

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

4 cloves chopped garlic

1 large egg

salt & pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

800 gram can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Extra Parmesan & parsley for garnishing

Crusty bread & pasta to serve.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. 

Make Meatballs - In a large bowl, combine chicken mince, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, half the garlic, egg and season with salt and pepper. Mix until combined, then form into meatballs.

In a large oven proof skillet, heat half of the oil over a medium heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining oil to the skillet and saute the remaining garlic until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir until combined.

Bring to a low simmer and then return the meatballs to the sauce, simmering for a further 10 minutes.

Top with mozzarella and bake until cheese has melted and chicken is cooked through.

Garnish with remaining Parmesan and parsley, serve and enjoy.

This dish was such a hit that it will be on high rotation in our home during the Winter months. All plates were licked cleaned at the end of the meal proving that once again Chicken Parma can warm you up even on the chilliest of Winter evenings.

Enjoy 

beck xx

* You can find the original recipe on this website HERE

Linking up for IBOT

JUNE - Health and Fitness Update

Updating my health and fitness each month is about making myself accountable. Not every month this year has been smooth sailing, but writing it all here is making me asses each month, making me aware of the things that I need to improve, and those that are now coming second nature to me. 

Thankfully Junes monthly challenge was an easy one for me. I love stuffing myself with fresh fruits and veggies. I always have, so I know that I do get a good intake of fruit and veg for my health.

Fitness wise. I need to kick it up a notch, to find the time and also put in the effort. I know that I have become lazy where deliberate exercise is concerned. Not good I know.

Can you believe that at one time I attended the gym six days a week without fail. 

Drinking water has become second nature. At one time I would go days without drinking a glass of water. I just didn't enjoy it. Now it has become my main liquid intake, and its one habit that I am happy to have succeeded in. 

Next month it is all about downsizing my portions. 

A few years ago okay make that four years ago I lost a lot of weight. Downsizing my portions was a big factor in my success. Back then I purchased a smaller sized dinner plate to serve my meals on and so I will be pulling it out from the back of the cupboard to use again. 

Please don't ask me why I didn't continue using said plate. Plain and simple, I thought that I had won the battle and would not return to my miserable self again. 

Guess what...

I did and that is just life !

I hope that your fitness goals for 2017 are going well for you, and that you are enjoying the changes that you are making no matter how big or small they may be. Now please excuse me while I go put on my joggers and make myself go for a much needed long walk.

beck xx

TAKING STOCK - June 2010

Here we are again, the first day of a brand new month. Gee this year is whizzing by, I remember being told that as you get older time passes by more quickly, but this is getting mighty ridiculous. Seven months into 2017 and I still feel as though nothing that I set out to do has been accomplished. Do you feel that way too ? The upside being that we still have six months left to get our butts into gear and tick off a few things on this years bucket list.
At least we have the gorgeous Pip to thank for Taking Stock, to remind us that even though we may not be getting the big things in life accomplished, we are still making many small things happen within our every day lives.

Making ; more time to spend pottering in the garden. The cooler months give me so much more energy and motivation to get out and about in the fresh air.
Cooking ; dinner every single night, and biscuits every weekend. Feeding five hungry men is a challenge.
Drinking ; G & T's. I know I shouldn't be but, well, you know....
Reading ; My Mothers Secret by Sheila O'Flanagan and The Good Girl by Fiona Neill.
Trawling ; Instagram and Snapchat for fabulous new accounts to follow.
Wanting ; for call backs to all the jobs I have applied for.
Looking ; for new recipes. I am always on the hunt for new easy and delicious meals to fill my hungry crew.
Deciding ; if I should cut my hair. Do you think that a new style would make me look more professional ?
Wishing ; that the days would slow down a little. Before long it will be summer again yuck My last baby boy will be graduating high school and then Christmas will be upon us Noooooo
Enjoying ; my Winter garden and the pops of colour.
Waiting ; for the chance to prove my worth.
Liking ; that is school holidays and the horrible lunchbox is hiding in the kitchen draw.
Wondering ; how much life is going to change around here when and if I start working again, and when we no longer are the parents of a school student.
Loving ; having my two eldest sons home. Yes it is still going pretty smoothly for now anyway
Pondering ; life and everything that we could have, should have done differently over the years.
Listening ; to all the nineties music of my teenage years and reliving the memories the songs provoke. Thanks Spotify.
Considering ; getting my herb garden up and running again.
Buying ; food. Always buying food.
Watching ; Mad Men and loving it SO much. I only have four episodes left to watch.
Hoping ; that I will find the perfect hall runner soon.
Cringing ; at some of the music that I thought was fabulous back when. LOL
Needing ; coffee coffee and more coffee.
Questioning ; myself and why I am finding it so difficult to loose weight at the moment.
Smelling ; freshly mowed grass, Winter rain, the first coffee of the morning and the scent of candles.
Wearing ; my PJ's for more hours in the week than I should.  I am still doing the school/work runs in them of a morning. I really must stop this
Noticing ; just how grown up my boys are these days and getting a little weepy about it.
Knowing ; that it is just a matter of time before all my boys leave home and leave me wondering what is next.
Thinking ; about changing the name of my blog but not knowing exactly what would be involved. Mrs Clueless over here
Admiring ; women who seem to have life all worked out, and wondering what their secret of faking it till they are making it is.
Getting ; tired of my cranky, horrible back neighbour. I so wish that he would move.
Bookmarking ; new blogs to read. There are so many awesome bloggers out there left for me to discover.
Opening ; the fridge and wondering where all the food I just purchased has gone.
Closing ; cupboard doors after my husband EVERY SINGLE DAY ! It is just as easy to close them as it is to open them dear........

Feeling ; like I am going to be roundand chubby for ever.  ^

Hearing ; my boys laughing and loving that they are all so close.most of the time
Celebrating ; my blogs fifth birthday. Welcoming a new fur baby into our home and my decision to return to the work force hopefully finger crossed people.

So that has been my June. I must also say that my ability to stick with my healthy eating and fitness plan has gone way out the window this month. I have no one to blame but myself of course so I am calling myelf a June fitness failure. Lucky for me July arrived today which gives me a brand new month to get myself back on track.

There is always tomorrow.

How was June for you ?
Did you do anything special ?

beck xx