Chicken Salad and Havarti Cheese Wrap

This is one of my favorite lunch wraps -- I usually double or triple the measurements when making it so I can have wraps for the week. I tore it out of an issue of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart years ago and taped it in my trusty spiraled recipe notebook.

Once I used dill Havarti -- it wasn't bad -- but regular is the way to go. Havarti is a creamy cheese so it adds a nice texture and flavor to this wrap. I love the flavor punch of the shallot, but it can be overpowering at times, so add or reduce the amount as desired. It gets stronger the longer it sits in the fridge.

via

Chicken Salad and Havarti Cheese Wrap


Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half (6 to 8 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1/2 shallot, minced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 spinach-flavored sandwich wraps (12-inch)
• 6 thin slices Havarti cheese (about 2 ounces total)
• 1 cup baby spinach, washed and dried 

Directions

1. In a small skillet with a lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let steam, still covered, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes; remove chicken. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice crosswise.
2. While chicken is cooking, stir together mayonnaise, shallot (if using), mustard, vinegar, and thyme in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.
3. Lay sandwich wraps on a work surface. Leaving a 1-inch border all around, layer with cheese, spinach, then chicken mixture.
4. Fold in sides by about 1 inch, then roll up tightly from the bottom. Wrap each tightly in plastic or waxed paper. Refrigerate up to 1 day.

Move-in update

It's been a month now since the moving truck arrived. We've steadily unpacked upwards of 100 boxes of our belongings, and have, as neatly as possible, played Tetris with all the empties and packing paper in our dining room.

There is still much to do and organize, but I'd say it's coming along. I've found creative ways to transport heavy boxes and items without too much straining...I'm trying to be a good pregnant person...but there are some things that just have to wait for Justin (like lifting the box of our weight sets off the mantle -- that box was a surprise even for JT).

All the boxes are still in our abode because removal is a perk of the moving service. Well, what they didn't tell us (or we just didn't hear them say) was nothing other than other boxes and packing paper is allowed in the boxes. Nothing. Not even a scrap of plastic here or there.

Oops.

Over the course of the month, we've made several purchases, purged ourselves of unnecessary goods and even used a box as a garbage can in the bathroom until we unpacked the actual bathroom garbage can -- all of which adds up to a lot of garbage and scraps mixed in with the packing paper.

Soooo...we have to go through them ALL. I made a good dent yesterday with the boxes on the ground. I even managed to consolidate much of the packing paper and flatten more of the boxes as I went. Yea me!

The boxes have become a norm in our living space. We maneuver around the boxes, use the boxes as shelves, use the boxes as craft tables, lean on the boxes for a quick break...you get the point.

Why yes, I always sew with a large picture of the Thompsons nearby ;) Just kidding, we're finally getting around to unpacking all our frames. 

The place is going to look barren when Tuesday rolls around and the disposal service comes for removal. I can't say I'll miss the boxes, but I don't know what I'll do with all the open wall space!

O-Yea-yer

This is what it feels like BT enjoys doing most days...

"Throw your feet in the ai-ir

and wave 'em like you just don't care!" - BT

I LOVE feeling little one all squirmy in there!

24 Weeks

I know I say this every time...it is expected, after all, since the baby is doing what it should be doing...growing...but BT is definitely bigger and stronger! Seemingly overnight the light nudges changed to strong bumps and I can feel them in more than one place at the same time. Little one seems to like stretching just like mama.

Well, really, who doesn't like a good stretch now and then?

Like clockwork, BT is quite active around 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., whether or not I've had any food. BT always moves a lot after a meal, but the 7:30 and 10:30 moves are usually unprovoked.

I'm still feeling pretty well overall, though I'm definitely feeling pregnant now. I believe I'm showcasing the telltale waddle, and you can usually find me in sweat or yoga pants and a t-shirt, unless I have some impressing to do. However, in just the last two weeks I've discovered that even my trusty ol' sweats are not the best pants choice. Also, the t-shirts are starting to protest under the pressure. Looks like I'll be hitting up Justin's t-shirt drawer before long ;)

I've still had no cravings or wanted any weird flavor combos...well, a Cheeto did fall into my applesauce the other day; that combo was surprisingly delicious. After the first accidental fall, I allowed more Cheetos to fall into the applesauce. OK fine. I basically used the applesauce as a Cheeto dip. There, I said it.

I shouldn't have been that surprised -- apples and cheese go well together as it is! Peanut butter? I still eat it quite often. Sometimes it's the only thing that satiates my hunger.

So, here are the pics and stats. This week's photo is brought to you by stripes. My, my there are lots of different stripe patterns and colors in this picture!

In case you're wondering, I think it just looks weird when I smile into the mirror for a self portrait, so I opted for a no-teeth pic.

On being the "pregnant one"

A deliciously delightful bonus to having family come visit, except for the loving company, of course, is all the restaurant visits.

If there is one event that reminds me (and likely those dining with or near me) that I'm pregnant, it's dining out. I wouldn't say that I had a large appetite before pregnancy. If I ordered a large sandwich or large-portioned dish, I would usually announce that there was no way I'd finish it, and would then box the remaining half to take it home. Unless it was pizza...I can put away pizza like it's no one's business...anytime, anywhere.

I still think to myself now, "My, that's a big serving of eggs benedict!" or, "There is no way I'll finish this whole sub sandwich, I'll save the other half for tomorrow."

Then the next thing I know, I'm licking the last of the hollandaise from my plate and looking longingly at Justin's last few hash browns to see if he's really going to eat all of them.

And that sandwich...? Not even a little scrap of lettuce or a drop of mayo is left when I'm done with it.

I'm going to miss mayo after BT is born and I go back to my regular diet. Damn you, Jimmy Johns!

So...this all hit me over a couple weekends ago while we were out with Justin's parents for breakfast at the Old European (yes, like the one in Pullman). I'd ordered a tomato & artichoke eggs benedict with hash browns. When most of the crew had finished their meals, I was still working away at mine. Then Curtis announced that one of his remaining Aebelskivers was up for grabs. No one else wanted it (or no one spoke faster than me...I can't remember how it went down), so I said I'd take it.

Then, it happened.

A woman with an infant walked by. Karen said to her, "oh we're going to have a baby too!"

The woman with the infant scanned the table and locked eyes with me.

At first I figured it was because I was of childbearing age.

Then I realized it was because I had shoved my mouthful of eggs benedict AND hash browns equally to both sides of my mouth...looking like a squirrel storing up for winter...all to make room for the Aebelskivers I was hastily sawing in half so I could shove it too in my mouth. Only after I dipped it in the syrup, of course.

That's right...I was so excited about the Aebelskivers that I didn't even bother swallowing the mouthful of MY OWN breakfast before shoveling in MORE FOOD.

Aebelskivers. Sort of like a cross between a donut and a pancake. 

They're simply delightful! Photo via Spokane Workshop blog.

When I realized what I was doing, I started laughing. Then I couldn't stop laughing.

Then I finished the Aebelskivers, swirled a few remaining browns around in the last remaining swatches of hollandaise, shoved them in my mouth and announced I was done eating for the day.

Until about five hours later when it was time for dinner.

Of Easters long ago

In the spirit of Easter, I thought I'd direct your attention to a hilarious blog post penned a few years ago by my love.

Summary: Early-morning egg hunting was new to Justin when we first met, but he learned quickly that egg hunting happens before church in the Emerson family.

Enjoy: READ JUSTIN'S POST

Bring it, bunny.

30 Rock

This post is VERY late, considering it's from October. If I remember correctly, October was a busy month for us. Justin had a few business trips, I went to WA for a wedding, my parents came for a visit and both Justin and I had a terrible, awful, no good, very bad flu. Not to mention my birthday was sprinkled along in there, and we also went to an awesome Halloween/costume-themed birthday for Heather B!

That, dear readers, is what this post is about.

Justin and I enjoy the show 30 Rock. Justin pointed out long ago that at times it seems I'm quite Liz Lemon-y in my walk, attire and overall approach to situations. At least at home. At work I usually head-scream things like, "Nerds!" "Where's my mac n' cheese?" "What the what?!" and "Shut it down!"

Also, I have more cardigans in my closet than I should admit. Furthermore, I've come to realize, over the last six seasons of the show, that Liz and I have a similar Gap-based wardrobe.

Anyway...

We hemmed and hawed over what to dress as for Heather's Halloween/costume birthday party. At one point I was going to wear a spare lampshade on my head and Justin was going to dress as Brick Tamland from Anchorman because he "loves lamp."

We shut that down.

Then, in the night, it came to me. We would be 30 Rockers. Justin would wear a suit and be Jack while I'd wear what I usually wear, along with my glasses, and be Liz. A few days ahead of the party, we changed our minds because wearing a suit on a Saturday was not what Justin wanted to do. He also wasn't too keen on the idea of shaving off his beard.

30 Rock's Liz and Jack (via)

So we used the beard to our advantage and instead dressed as Liz Lemon and Frank Rossitano.

30 Rock's Frank Rossitano (via)

Selecting a hat phrase was a big decision -- there are many from which to choose. I liked "Extra Cheese" (are you surprised?), another runner-up was "Expert Ninja," but we settled on "Night Beast." I also printed some TGS signs to tape to our clothes, making them more official.

 Justin and me as Liz and Frank

Good thing I'd saved a pair of 3D glasses from our trip to Avatar. They made the perfect accessory! 

The exciting thing? As soon as I opened the door for a guest at Heather's place, the guest guessed, "You're Liz Lemon?!"

And she was right.

We also really liked Brandon's costume. He went as Joaquin Phoenix during his I'm Still Here situation. Pretty good impression if I do say so myself!

Brandon as Joaquin Phoenix from I'm Still Here.

And Heather, the cake master, also made this awesome cake, inspired by Martha Stewart. Heather makes some sweet looking and tasting cakes! It was a great way to end the day.