it was a good week.

It has been a great week. I got 100% on my first math test, an A on my first english paper, and I maked the most delicious meal that I have ever made, hands down.

You know what is really funny? I feel like I have grown up a lot over the last year, or at least I have realized a lot about myself. Most recently I have come to realize that I don't hate math, but rather, I'm intimidated by it, and I'm actually excited to learn it! If you would've asked me even a month ago how I felt about math I would've said " I HATE IT!".

School is going really well for me. I don't care for my french class. I feel like the instructor is ALL over the place. I haven't learned anything yet, but that is probably because I'm taking french 103. I decided to stay with a beginners class because I haven't taken french for a few years, but I would have been just fine with a more advanced class.


now on to more important things... FOOD! This week, as I have already said, I made the most delicious meal ever.

The recipe was called " Penne Pasta tomato bake"

I took a recipe and added a lot of my own ingredients, and I made my own pesto to add to it :)

Pesto recipe:
*2 cups fresh basil leaves
*1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
*1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 cup almonds
*3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

I took all of these ingredients and put them in a blender because I'm lame and I don't have a food processor (hopefully I will get one for christmas...that and a kitchen aid mixer;)
I mixed that up for awhile then put it in the fridge while I worked on the other stuff.

Pasta bake ingredients:
* 8 oz 100% whole grain penne pasta or similar shape
* 1 tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
* 1/2 medium chopped onion
* 1 can organic tomatoes ( I get mine from Costco)
* 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled
* 1/2 a package of fresh baby portabella mushrooms, chopped.
* 1 1/2 chicken breasts
* freshly grated parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup organic tomato sauce
* 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese, Mozzarella , divided


Directions:
cook pasta as directed on package, set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375.
sauté mushrooms on medium high heat for about 5 minutes in some butter. when done cooking set aside. Next, sauté onion and add the canned tomato (drained) and cook for about 3 mins. OH! I almost forgot about the chicken. To make some AMAZING chicken for this recipe take two thawed chicken breasts, and cook in your crock pot for 8 hours on low in 6 oz chicken broth and 1/2 cup white wine. This chicken will be so tender that it will break as you try to take it out of the crock pot, which is a little annoying, but more so exciting :)

okay, now that everything is prepared add it all to a casserole sized dish for baking! Once it is all in the dish add about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan throughout the casserole. Once that is finished pop it into the oven for 25 minutes, then ENJOY!