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Fine Dining At Home: Tuscan Chicken

photo by Neeta Lind

Fine dining at home doesn't have to be expensive or a lot of work. A simple recipe can easily be turned into an elegant evening by adding pretty placements or a lace tablecloth. Light some candles and play some soft music and your dining room is now ready to serve it's guests. By spending a few moments beautifying yourself, your table, and your meal you will relax, savor the pleasure of your meal, and increase the enjoyment of your dining experience. Whether you are dining alone or with company spend the time to create a beautiful eating experience.

Below is a variation on Tuscan Chicken that I created.

Tuscan Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless)
Garlic Cloves (aprx 1 bulb per chicken breast)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (aprx 1/4 cup per chicken breast)
Italian Seasoning
Celery Salt (optional)
Ground Mustard (optional)
Spinach
Red Bell Pepper


Pasta or Potatoes
Salad
French Bread

Slice the garlic cloves in half and place cut side up in a baking dish. (Garlic powder can be substituted and added with the other seasonings, but fresh garlic is better.) Score chicken and place on top of the garlic. Liberally pour olive oil over the chicken, be generous if you are going to serve your chicken over pasta. (The excess will become your pasta sauce.) Lightly cover the chicken with your seasonings: Italian seasoning, Celery Salt, and Ground Mustard or your favorite poultry seasoning. Celery Salt and Ground Mustard are optional, but will add a rich flavor when added. Next cover the chicken with generous portions of spinach, and garnish with red bell pepper circular slices. Cover and cook.

This dish may be prepared up to 24-hours prior to baking. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to place in the oven. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour. The chicken should be soft and tender. This dish may be cooked up to an hour longer, check at 20-minute intervals for tenderness.

Prepare your pasta as directed on the package. Put the cooked pasta in a serving dish or on individual platters. Artistically place the chicken breasts on top of the pasta and drizzle the excess seasoned olive oil sauce over the chicken-pasta combination. Serve with a salad and French bread and your favorite beverage.


For a variation serve the Tucson chicken next to a side of potatoes instead of over pasta.

Enjoy!!

Pornography a Nemesis to Healthy Relationships

photo by Meredith_Farmer

As a Therapist I discourage individuals and couples from engaging in any form of pornography. I find that pornography over-stimulates the mind and interferes with an individual’s ability to engage in and maintain healthy relationships. Below are some of the ways pornography interferes.

1. Porn creates unrealistic sexual expectations. The first thing to remember is Porn Stars are just ACTING. They are movie stars in a very specific genre of the movie field. They are selling us a story; it isn’t real. In Porn the couple is always ready for action, he is always big and hard, and she is always warm and willing. They can do it a million times in a million ways and always have out-of-this-world orgasms. This is not reality, and sets us up for great disappointment in our partner and ourselves. This artificial perception can create shame in our lack of ability to perform, create performance anxiety, and create blame and frustration that our partner isn’t delivering the way “they should”. These unrealistic expectations interfere with the natural rhythm and flow of the lovemaking process. For most couples they will sometimes have out-of-this-world orgasms, but not all the time. Various factors can inhibit our performance capabilities and we need to be able to be compassionate and understanding with our partner and ourselves in-order to have an enjoyable sexual experience regardless of the end result.

2. Porn interferes with the natural sexual arousal process. Porn is visual and designed to target the arousal centers in your brain. Individuals who view porn are quickly turned on, and it takes little for them to get excited and want sex. Most couples need foreplay to get their minds and bodies ready for sexual activity. This off timing of arousal can create conflict, lack of emotional intimacy and connection, failed expectations, and physical injury when sex is attempted before the body is ready.

3. Porn interferes with our desire to build healthy relationships. Healthy relationships require work and effort. Sexual experiences are a pleasurable part of creating a healthy loving fun connection with your partner. With porn you do not have to engage with another human being to achieve pleasure. This can quickly lead to a preference for solo play, decrease your ability to perform sexually with another person, and create desires for non-intimate sex-based relationships.

Time to Know What Makes You Happy

photo by erin MC hammer

One of the best ways to feel good about yourself and improve your love life is to know what makes you happy. The easiest way to identify what pleases you is to check-in with your five senses and your childhood past.

What feels good to your Touch?

What Smells please your senses?

What Sounds do you enjoy hearing?

What do you like to Look at?

What Tastes good to you?

When you were a child what did you enjoy hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, feeling?

When you were a child what did you enjoy doing? Do it now.

Spend some time each day thinking or doing the things that make you happy and you will feel better about yourself and your life.

Relationship Spice: Share what you’ve learned about yourself with your partner.