Jalapeno Popper Chicken

This recipe just screams Texas. Obviously, I had to give it a shot. Chicken can get so boring, so I am always looking for new ways to make it tasty. This recipe was the perfect way to create a tasty weeknight meal for the husband and not spend hours in the kitchen doing it. I deviated slightly from the recipe the first time I made it, and that was a mistake. This recipe has been tweaked to perfection, so follow it to a tee and you will be set!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1/2 cup panko
2 tsp canola oil
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 egg
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spray lightly with Pam.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the panko with the canola oil. Cook until the panko is golden and crispy, stirring often.
3. Place golden panko in a small bowl, add taco seasoning, and stir to combine.
4. In another small bowl, lightly beat an egg.
5. In a third small bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos.
6. Cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast until it is almost butterflied. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper, and divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between each chicken breast's pocket. Use toothpicks to secure, if necessary.
7. One at a time, dip the chicken pieces first into the egg and then into the panko, making sure to coat the chicken completely.
8. Place the chicken on the greased cookie sheet and bake 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

 Enjoy!

My Life Is Over: I Got Married Before I Turned 23... Wait, What?

Has anyone seen the article about 23 things to do instead of getting engaged before you're 23? It's circulated Facebook for the past week. I hadn't read it, but my husband skimmed the article and immediately said " You should write a blog post about this". I didn't pay much attention to the idea but asked him to send me the article so I could read it. Sitting here having read the thing, I am beyond annoyed. You can read the article here, but in a nutshell it is a list of reasons why young marriages don't work and should never happen in the first place.

The author is completely entitled to her opinion, and I respect the fact that she wants more time to figure out who she is and what she wants in life before getting married. That's fine. That's her. This is me: I got engaged when I was 21 and married when I was 22. My husband and I are 24 and (gasp) still happily married. That is the story God wrote for us. We met early, fell in love early, and got married early. If Parker and I knew we were meant for each other and wholeheartedly felt ready for the commitment of marriage, what is the point of waiting? So I can "make out with a stranger" or "date two guys at one time and wait for it to blow up in my face"? Those are 2 of the author's reasons for waiting to get engaged. That lifestyle isn't for me. I may be naive. I may have gotten married before traveling the world or dating a sea of men. I may not have a ton of life experience under my belt. But you know what? I am so happy. Being married to Parker brings me so much joy. Instead of traveling the world alone and discovering what makes me happy on my own, I get to do it with my best friend.

When I see lists of things to do before you get married, I usually laugh. 9 times out of 10, the things on the list are things Parker and I do together in marriage. Travel? Check! Bake an entire roll of cookie dough and eat it in one sitting? Yeah, that's happened since the "I do's". Accomplish a fitness goal? I've been training for a half marathon for the past couple of months and can't wait to run it. Adopt a pet? If you've read this blog for any length of time or know us personally, you know we adopted the Jen pup and couldn't be more in love with her. I would do these things if I were single too. The point is, being married doesn't mean I trade in an exciting life for an apron and a vacuum cleaner.

Nobody is forcing young women to get married. This isn't the age of arranged marriages. People that get married, for the most part, truly want to be married. Why judge them for doing what makes them happy? I have friends who want to wait to get married until they are 28 or 30. Good for them! That is what will make them happy, so they should do it. Let's not condemn and judge others for living life in a different way than we do. We get one life, one shot. For me, I wanted a husband and a family. I wanted to be married young and to experience life and growing older with my husband. I prayed for this, and God blessed me with a best friend to do just that with. My story isn't everyone's story. Maybe it isn't most people's story, but it's still a beautiful story. Single or married, dating or engaged, I think we all need to show respect to each other. Less judgement, more love. Comparison is the thief of joy, so why compare? I got married young, but I don't think my life is dull or unadventurous. In fact, I think it's quite the opposite.