Hello, friends! I wish I had an update on life around here but things have been pretty tame and boring, which isn’t a bad thing. I’m finally feeling over the cold I’ve had for the last week. Although, my stamina at the gym this morning was…well…not great. Have you ever used the stair master machine? Usually I trip over myself once, maybe twice, while I’m on it. I haven’t actually fallen off, so no biggy. Today, though, I tripped a little more than I care to admit. It was one of those moments where you look around the gym to see if anyone saw that, but thank goodness there was hardly anyone there. 10 minutes in I decided it was time to move onto something else.

The rest of the week was either spent laying on the couch catching up on Game of Thrones, or trying to get through the long and arduous days at work. It’s no joke feeling sick and spending the majority of your day talking to people. By the end of a 45 minute appointment, it sounds like I’ve been screaming at a metal concert. But I made it through!

Today (Friday), is typically my laundry day. I don’t work on Fridays, but I try to spend the whole day blogging, creating recipes, and catching up on laundry as much as I can. While I was washing our sheets today, I couldn’t help but notice our washing machine smells like mildew. Like, seriously?! TMI, but it’s just so crazy given we’ve only been living here just over 1 year and the appliances were brand new. How the heck do you clean a machine that is responsible for cleaning things? It’s like having a dirty dishwasher, which is also starting to look a little grungy. Does anyone have tips for cleaning a washing machine? I’ve used the washing machine cleaning detergent that you can buy from the store, but I’m thinking the problem is much deeper, because even washing machine cleaner isn’t getting rid of the mildew smell. Ugh…at least this is the extent of my problems right now.

This weekend, Michael and I are planning on finishing our Christmas shopping and then we’re gonna drive around and look at all the Christmas lights. I can’t believe it’s just 1 week until all the Christmas festivities begin!! The part I’m looking forward to the most this Christmas is seeing my parents. I love that the holidays bring us together, I just wish we lived closer so our visits weren’t so far and few between. But, I guess that’s what makes it so special when we do get together. 🙂

Okay. Now that you’re up to speed on the exciting, ahem…not very exciting…details of my life right now, it’s time to jump into this oh, so delicious recipe! When Michael and I first got married, I wasn’t a very good cook. I kicked myself for all of the times I didn’t listen to my mom when she was trying to teach me skills in the kitchen. After a few months of marriage, we decided to go vegetarian and then we went vegan. We were vegan for 2 years or so. When we went back to eating meat products again, I was the worst at cooking chicken. We would buy frozen skinless chicken tenders from Costco and then bake them in the oven until they were almost completely dried out. That was how I knew they were cooked all the way through so we wouldn’t get any food-borne illnesses.

This went on for a couple of years until I decided to buy a cooking thermometer, and now we cook them until they reach the safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Even then, sometimes our chicken breast can be a little dry and boring. It wasn’t until I started experimenting with my cast iron skillet did I realize how good chicken can taste with a little extra effort! It also helps to include chicken with a little more fat on it every once in a while, too.

So, now we’ve been having more chicken thighs, and the results have been delicious! I decided to try adding the Cranberry Pomegranate Relish I made for my Cranberry Pomegranate Bruschetta to flavor the chicken thighs, and O.M.G. This was money. The chicken was so juicy, and the relish added the perfect amount of sweet and spicy to the chicken. Michael and I gobbled these right up, and I’m sure your guests this holiday season will, too!

Skillet Chicken Thighs and Cranberry Pomegranate Relish

You can find the recipe for the Cranberry Pomegranate Relish here. Serve with Cranberry Pomegranate Bruschetta, and Pear and Pomegranate Holiday Salad for a delicious and festive meal that will WOW your guests! And, as always, enjoy!