I got a new laptop!
Insert Happy Dance and Jump for Joy here!
I got it at Costco…hence the chicken and greens. The BOY has been telling me for well over a year that I am in need of a new computer. Yet when things came up (oops I’m out of memory), I was able to come up with strategies (moving all music to external drive). Yikes! So when a few new things came up this weekend, I finally told the BOY to do a little research. And after checking out Windows 8 on a demo computer, I was sold. Now I have barely touched my computer. It has been in the tight grasp of the BOY who is ‘setting it up’ for me. But I am super excited!
While the BOY worked away on my computer, I got busy working on dinner. I made classic lasagna for the BOY which is quite a labor of love, but totally worth the effort. I went with the entire recipe this time (I usually just make half) and brought leftovers to share with my coworkers.
I apologize for the poor quality photo above but as always the BOY was on the move with his dinner while I was trying to snap a picture. The BOY thinks I’m crazy but I just never liked lasagna. So I made my own dinner from my new slow cooker recipe book.
Chicken + Sweet Potatoes + Figs
With the temperatures dropping below zero and and my efforts focused on the lasagna, I was excited to try a new crockpot recipe. I love figs and was intrigued by this Moroccan looking dish. Especially since I had almost all of the spices in my cabinet.
I was playing with my crockpot settings, so I think I slightly overcooked the chicken. Yet even with the less than juicy chicken, the flavors of this dish are wonderful!
And the leftovers warmed me up after my cold commute home. You should most definitely bust out your crockpot this week and try one of these awesome recipes! Let me know if you are looking for suggestions!
In other news, we are back to meal planning this week.
Well, at least we are attempting to get back into it with an easy week…
Monday:
For Him Lasagna
For Her Chicken with Figs
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Shrimp Stirfry
Thursday: Leftovers (I hope!)
Friday: Raid the Fridge/Wing It!
Breakfast: Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal Bars
Healthy Weekday Snack: Clean Garlic Hummus
Chicken with Figs
From The Big Book of Slow Cooker Recipes
Serves 8
Ingredients
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts*
3/4 cup dried figs, halved
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground orange peel
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice (I used the juice of one orange freshly squeezed)
Directions
1. Cube the chicken. Quickly sauté the chicken in a dry nonstick skillet until it starts to turn white. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Place the chicken and remaining ingredients into a 4 quart slow cooker (I have no idea what size I used). Stir. Cook for 6 hours on low. Stir before serving.
*NOTE: I just used 1 pound of chicken breasts and no thighs
Do you use Windows 8? Any tips for me?
Luv What You Do 
Oohh…a new laptop will be fun!! I am scared of losing all my old stuff if I get a new one. I am sure there is an easy way to transfer it but I would struggle trying to figure it out. I am pretty computer illiterate so I am not sure if I use Windows 8? If it is a newer program then probably not.
Our new favorite crock pot recipe is salsa chicken. So easy and good. Chicken breasts and cover with salsa and let cook all day. We eat it just like that with side dishes but you could shred it up and make tacos,etc. with it.
That is the best crockpot recipe ever! I love doing it with a really smokey salsa. I have herad you can do it with pork too but haven’t tried that.
My game plan is to just move everything to an external drive and then onto the new computer. However, for now I am going back and forth because I probably wont’ have time to do it until this weekend.
I haven’t demo’d Windows 8 yet, but I have had a Toshiba Satellite laptop for quite a while now & it is a steady rockin work horse! I love it!! My kids have HP & Mac & I can tell you, the HP has had bios issues since day 1 – runs hot! Trying to sort out all the every expanding googah with computers these days’ll make a person NUTS!
Agreed! That was what I told the BOY…I really wanted to stick with Toshiba because I love it and as you said they work HARD! My old one is still kickn’ despite all of the abuse I have done. Ha ha! Thanks for the comment!!!
Nice!!! Enjoy the new laptop! I have a mac, so I Won’t be much help haha but enjoy!
That’s okay…I think learning a computer by trial and error is the best way to do it!
Chicken, sweet potatoes and figs?!? Sounds delicious!! I bet adding a bit of goat cheese would put this over the edge for me–what an awesome comfort meal!
For sure! You’ll have to let me know how it turns out. I am already trying to figure out what comfort foods we will need to get us through the weekend. Ha ha!
YAYA congrats!! I am going to need a new laptop soon..mine is slowing down!
My old one is ancient! Costco is totally the way to go!
Yum figs with chicken sounds so good! And the sweetness from the sweet potato must amplify the flavors. Yay for getting a new laptop!
Yay! I love it! So shiny and new : )
Yes, I was just thinking as I ate leftovers for dinner tonight that it is nice and sweet without any added sugars.
I love figs and new laptops. I got one a couple weeks ago, and I’m still trying to figure out the workings on Windows 8. The touch screen is cool though, even if I rarely use it.
Your Boy is one lucky fella to have you making two dinners a night.
I know…right?! I don’t do it often but I do like getting a few meals done on Monday beause they last for most of the week when I get home from work late. I’m not sure if I have the touch screen. Do all computers? Are you using Live Writer or another blogging program?
I think the touch screen is a newer feature for computers. The Hubby is into all the bells and whistles so of course we have to get the lastest and greatest features.
I use Word Press for the blog so not sure about Live Writer.
Chicken with figs sounds like an amazing flavor combo! Yum!
Yay for new laptops! Wish I had some tips for you, but I’m a Mac girl 🙂
I think most people I know are Mac people. The BOY and I have always been PC peeps, but so far I am figuring it out. Love it! Working on moving my photos, etc over there now so I’ve got double computers going…total bonus!