Sunday, February 15, 2009

The second week; my Crock Pot Meal

The second week of my panel is over! Whoo-hoo! With the help of my two awesome undergraduate assistants, I'm ahead of schedule! That means in my "free time" I can edit my journal article and thesis drafts which have been on my desk for weeks. I am starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Oh and what is this light? Graduation!!!!

Let's not forget that the husband also helped and labeled over 5,000 cups prior to the panel. As he has said numerous times, yeah, it's not fair that I am getting a PhD and he gets nothing for being my lab grunt and reading over my thesis drafts. He's way smarter than me, so smart that he was wise enough not to go to grad school. I love you Mike! He's back in Hawaii working longer hours at work than me. He works 6-7 days a week and has been pulling 12-hour shifts. With the time difference and our hectic schedules, we were lucky to have a phone date and celebrate Valentine's Day by playing online Scrabble. For now I have my "temporary husband" Aaron taking care of me. (I'm allowed to say this because Mike knows Aaron and is comfortable with our long-distance marriage.) He makes sure that I am eating, brings me beer chips (when I'm stressed, I am a chip binge-eater), and goes on lunch food runs with Erika.
So here's the crock pot meal that was waiting for me at home on Wednesday.
Recipe:
2 large chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes-Mexican flavor(?)
1 can of corn (drained)
1 can of pinto beans (drained)
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic
1/2 c. water (I would have omitted it, so it wasn't so soupy)
1 T. kosher salt (add more to taste)
1.5 t. cumin
1/2 t. Mexican chili
1 T garlic powder
1 chicken bouillon cube

Instructions: Throw everything in a crock pot. Turn the heat on to low, let it cook for 8+ hours. I let mine cook for about 12 hours. Stir and fix up the flavors to taste. Shred the chicken with a fork. Serve and eat.

For my first crock pot meal, it was not bad. It took less than five minutes to prep, and it was nice to have a meal waiting for me at home. I even threw the chicken breasts in frozen. If I were to make it again, I'd also add some chopped onions and chipotles or something to add heat to the dish.

Frozen dinners. blah! Hello crock pot meals!

4 comments:

Chou said...

Mike rocks! And Aaron too. :) I'm so glad you survived week 2. You are amazing.

Michelle said...

That looks lovely! I"m glad you're surviving these panels and that you have people who are taking good care of you while you're so busy!!

Diana said...

Mmmm, that sounds similar to my green chile chicken stew. Spicyness definitely makes it. I'm sorry you and Mike are so far apart right now. That's tough. How long does it last? Aren't you so thankful for the internet and phones? When my mom and dad were long distance it was too expensive to do anything but write letters!

genkitummy said...

thanks chou, michelle, and diana.
diana-the long distance marriage thing sill last a few more months until mid-May. Then a few more months in the summer. By then we'll be apart longer than togehter. but I'm glad for family-plan cell phones!