So I cooked dinner. For like the 3rd time in a month. And I felt like it was kind of a big step.

And “I cooked” isn’t code for called to have Chinese/pizza delivered. Because that’s what “I cooked” has meant for the last month.

My dad passed away unexpectedly in February and, well, I lost all motivation to cook. And being the oldest and just the kind of person I am, I jumped in head-first to arrangements and decisions and cleaning and phone calls and to-do lists and everything in the world but being at home and cooking. Because in cooking, I have always found relaxation and peace and quiet.

And I wanted absolutely nothing to do with that. Because the sads come out when there is quiet.

But when the lady behind the Subway counter nearly perfectly recalled all three sandwiches in my order, I thought, you know, it’s really not that hard to throw some sandwiches together at home. And “homemade Subway,” is now how Landry refers to sandwiches. [shrug]

And that coincided with you know, I’m kind of tired of crying and not wearing pants* and sweet Jesus would you look at my eyes!. (*Just kidding. Who needs pants.)

Homemade sandwiches became the gateway dish to Zoodles and Cheese, became more zoodles (because seriously, I. freaking. love. my. Spiralizer), became Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken because asparagus at .98/lb? That’ll get a girl’s attention. And send her running straight to the cheese case for a log of garlic & herb goat cheese.

So we look to find a new normal. One in which I tell Jason daily, “I can’t believe I’m not going to get to argue with my dad again.” Or get to give the life-long Oiler fan, who made sure his 10-yr old daughter knew more about football than most grown men, and hard time “What do you mean you want The Cowboys to win?!”

I hope he found his endless supply of chocolate pie and kolache in heaven – rumor has it that blood glucose levels don’t count up there.

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Asparagus and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

Chicken breasts stuffed with Garlic & Herb goat cheese and fresh asparagus.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 4 oz log Garlic & Herb goat cheese
• 15 spears asparagus (thinner is better)
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Pound the chicken breasts thin in a gallon zipper bag.
3. Season the "bottom" side (the rougher side) with salt and pepper and then spread 1/4 of the goat cheese over the chicken.
4. Top with 5 asparagus spears and roll up, placing seam-down on a plate, and seasoning the tops with salt and pepper. Repeat with the other 2 chicken breasts. (If you need to, use toothpicks to secure the chicken rolls.)
5. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe pan (or prepare to transfer them to a baking dish after searing) and place the chicken in the pan seam-up.
6. Sear for 3 minutes, flip, and then transfer the chicken to the oven to finish cooking, 25-30 minutes.
7. Let chicken sit for ~10 minutes before slicing into rounds and serving with the remaining goat cheese crumbled over top.

Notes

Yields: 3 generous servings

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 45 minutes