Mozzarella Chicken with Olive Tomato Sauce

This was so delicious!















1 lb. boneless skinless chicken cutlets
1/2 Italian or Greek dressing
1 tblsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves sliced thin
1/4 dry white wine
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsley chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 jar marinara sauce
part skim mozzarella cheese, sliced

Marinate chicken in dressing for at least 4 hours.

Heat olive oil in large pan over high heat. Add garlic and stir quickly until the garlic lightly browns. Place chicken pieces on one layer in the pan and cook over medium high heat for 7 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Deglaze the pan juices with the wine. Add the olives and tomatoes and cook while stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pan, covering the pieces with the tomato sauce. Cover each chicken piece with a slice of mozzarella, cover, and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Serve with vegetables (like spinach sauteed in olive oil and garlic).

Making Plarn

Yesterday I made another batch of plarn from a month's worth of plastic bags.


Here are the bags organized by color and stacked flat.




Two hours later the bags are cut...

And then later the following day the cut pieces are joined and rolled into balls of plarn.

Easter at the Guggenheim and Central Park

John and I spent Easter day together at the Guggenheim Museum and then Central Park. It had to be one of the most beautiful days we've ever shared. The weather was incredible and the park was in full bloom. I've never seen so many blooming trees in my life. I couldn't resist taking a multitude of pictures...

Coffee, Cooking, and Strawberries

I've been having so much fun with the macro feature on my camera which I just discovered after owning the camera for almost 3 years now. Here are some of my experimental shots:

My new coffee cup that my friend Stacey gave me for my birthday while I was in Texas a few weeks ago.

My first attempt at Chicken Piccata from the Martha Stewart cookbook my dad and Leslie gave me last week...also a birthday present.

And, finally, a pretty little pile of strawberries that Kristina laid out for a small birthday cocktail party in mine and Paula's honor.

Met Opera - 125th Anniversary Gala

John and I were very fortunate to be invited to the 125th Anniversary Gala at the Metropolitan Opera Sunday night. It was amazing!
We watched performances from 23 different operas which was incredible. It was basically a review of all the greatest operas ever written. At the end of the evening, three angels "floated" above the stage and sprinkled silver confetti on the performers as they took their final bow. It was so magical!
Here we are at the dinner afterwards. Woody Allen was sitting at the table just behind us!
The decorations at the dinner were inspired by vintage Met Opera play bills.
The centerpiece at each table was a cluster of luminaries wrapped in vintage play bills surrounded by red roses and candles. Our menu was an upscaled version of comfort food classics: wedge salad with chipotle dressing, Kobe beef meatloaf, and mac-n-cheese with truffle oil. We had such a memorable night! Happy Birthday Met Opera!

Peppermint and Licorice Plarn Purse

I call this the Peppermint and Licorice purse because of the colors. Why do so many things remind me of candy and food?

This is the purse as of Saturday night, but I wasn't happy with how it looked.
Tuesday night I decided to experiment with weaving plarn through the crocheted portions which turned out to be the perfect solution. The four woven stripes continue all the way around the surface of the purse.

I finished it off with a tiny bow which I think is adorable!

Latest Plarn Purse

Here is my latest plarn purse which I finished Monday night. I LOVE this purse even more than the first plarn purse. I added a little bling by sewing a faceted crystal to the center of the flower.