Pepper Power

Last night I made a meal from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook recipe book. Which, by the way, I love and think all recipe books should have step-by-step instructions with pictures... for those of us who are visual learners. I tend to shy away from recipes without pictures.

The recipe I made was paprika chicken with egg noodles. Sounds yummy, I know. If you saw the picture you would agree even more. That's what got me was the picture. See, I'm a visual learner.

The main veggie in this dish was red peppers.

Now, I love peppers. Side note... I never used to. But, I tried one from my parents garden a few years ago and started liking them since. Picky eaters out there, you can't say you don't like it unless you try it. I can say that from experience. I was super picky... down-right picky it was pathetic. And no one likes to feed a pathetic picky eating child... sorry mom for all those years of mac-n-cheese and frozen green beans. Oh the food out there just waiting to reach my mundane and sad little taste buds. My taste buds are now thanking me. There are so many great things to try. And cooking is a great way to do it. Anywaaay... off my soapbox and back to the peppers.

I like them now and will eat them raw with dip or cooked in a dish. I will eat them in a house, I will eat them with a mouse...

Oh this post will never get to the point

What was I getting at? Oh yeah, I like peppers, but they don't always treat me well. It's a love-hate relationship. I love them but they don't always return the affection. That's what this is all about. But to the recipe first...

I added onions and the peppers to the skillet, after cooking pieces of chicken.

I put the chicken back in and added the spices: paprika and allspice. With some chicken stock and some mixin with my fun green spoon I was on my way.

Meanwhile, I was cooking the egg noodles and chopping up some herbies. Herbies is my affectionate name for my herb friends. When I grew my own I would run in from work each day and talk to them and call them my herbies... Needless to say Jeff looks and me a little differently since then.: )

The herbs I used were dill and chives. I had never used dill before, a new herbie friend... welcome, I liked it. It smelled like a mix between parsley and a pickle.

When the pasta was al dente I drained it... who am I kidding, I don't think I've ever mastered the art of al dente they are always a little on the over done side.

Oh yeah, I rock an apron, that's right! One day I'll post about my aprons... I have some old ones from the 50's my sister and I used to play dress up in. I'll do an apron fashion show, oh that sounds fun... I need a hobby.

So I added the herbies to the pasta and poured the chicken and peppers over it.

It's a purdy little dish. Tasted good too. I was expecting a little more flavor but I could always fix that by adding more of the spices.


Now, back to the peppers and the whole reason I brought them up in the first place.

I like them but they can be a Crohn's culprit. Ooo I like that. I'm out to catch the criminal responsible for fullness and an overall yuck feeling. Like I said, I need a hobby.

It's hard to explain how I feel sometimes. I didn't feel pain or cramping. It was just a blah, full, even gassy feeling. I got really tired and didn't feel like doing much. It went away though and I felt hungry again. Crazy how my body works. I know now that I should probably avoid peppers, at least in a large quantity like this. It can be hard sometimes to sacrifice foods you like, I recently ate alfredo sauce and it didn't agree with me, but if it means feeling good and knowing I'm making choices that will nourish me,  I'll make the sacrifice.

I am still so grateful my God is with me. Even though last night wasn't anything big or awful, I knew He was with me. I knew He would never leave me. And, I know He will always be my Healer.