Back among the working! And Chicken :)

Well, the working that get paid, that is.  I'd like to think I have been "working".  Let me tell you, it has definitely not been any sitting around eating bon bons, and I haven't watched a single soap opera!

It has been a busy few days!  I have an 11 year old now, who enjoyed his birthday imensly!  I started my classes for the semester, and I got a job!

Starting Monday I will be a Group Fitness Instructor at the YMCA fitness center here in town.   I am taking over the Senior Fit class on MWF, and the Cardio Class on Tues and Thurs evenings.  I am really excited about Tuesday and Thursday, it's an open canvas for me, I can do whatever kind of class I would like, I just need it to be mostly cardio, because they have strength training classes Monday and Wednesday evening.  So I am going to write up so Cardio intervals this weekend, and test them out for time and make sure they flow ok.  Now hopefully people show up for my class! :)

So, aside from that news, it has been business as usual around here.  Yesterday I got out to the high school later than normal.  But since it was light, I wasn't nervous to go alone, and since I was alone, I figured I would try a new work out!

Warm Up

Walk 1 lap

Walk up and down one flight of steps twice

Work Out

Jog 8 laps

Run one side of the stadium in a "S" patter, two times through

Jog 1 lap

Run other side of stadium in a "S" pattern, two times through

Jog 1 lap

Repeat first side (2 times through)

Jog 1 Lap

Repeat 2nd side (2 times through)

Jog 2 laps

Cool Down!

So it was nice and simple, but it was something different, and it allowed me to get my run in at the same time.  Including the stadium running it was a little over 4 miles in 50 minutes, not a great time, but not bad since the stadium running slows down my time.  I did a shorter version of that this morning when I went as well.  Then I went to Intervals class, it was half cardio, half weights.  Luckily none of it was the same muscles we worked in Muscle conditioning last night, so it wasn't agonizing!

Tonight's dinner is Jalapeno Popper stuffed chicken Breasts.   The picture doesn't do it justice, you can slightly see the bacon and pepper filling peaking out of the chicken. 

Here is the original  recipe:

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
Source: adapted from Allrecipes

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 strips of bacon, diced
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used regular bread crumbs and seasoned them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

2. Stir together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, and jalapenos in a small bowl.

3. Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of each chicken breast, and fill with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Secure with toothpicks.

4. Roll the chicken breasts in bread crumbs to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 8 minutes per side. If your chicken breasts are thick, like mine were, they can be finished in a 350-degree oven.

Here are my changes:

- Butterfly breasts, and flatten

- No breading, I just seasoned the chicken breasts with dry ranch mix (who doesn't like a jalapeno popper with a little ranch dressing??), pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

- I seared the chicken breasts, then set them in the oven to cook, 350 for 30 minutes, or until no longer pink.

They are in the oven as I am typing this, so I can't give you a review quite yet.  But I can tell you this.... the filling...?  AMAZING.  Oh my.  I could eat an entire batch of it with a spoon!  I think it would make a GREAT party dip!

Tomorrow we are revisiting carne asada. Yum.