The past couple of months have certainly been a test of Mommy endurance. Obviously, I am now working, which is still a trip. Youngest started school, which was traumatic for both of us, and promptly caught every germ he had missed in his life with a stay-at-home mom. We’ve been through swine flu and four separate stomach viruses in less than two months, all while I try to settle into the new job and not look like a yahoo. (And of course what better time to catch swine flu than the week before my first big business trip?)

However, I can finally say that I am getting life under control and adjusting to the new routine of a working mom. The transition has taken a time and patience, and copious amounts of red wine.

In the meantime, I am getting a crash course in how to make dinner in less than 45 minutes. Hoooolllyy cow, if that is a bit harder than I expected. I have been guinea-pigging my poor family to death with new recipes in an effort to streamline my weeknights. This endeavor has definitely been hit and miss, but I am committed to home cooked meals, job or no job. We have had some success, like the following recipe I got from (where else?) southernliving.com. It is yummy, but I recommend serving it over rice…not enough sauce for noodles in my opinion.

Balsamic Garlic-and-Herb Chicken Thighs

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 envelope Lipton Savory Herb & Garlic seasoning mix
• sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

 

• Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
• Brown half of chicken in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken and oil, reserving drippings in skillet
• Add wine and vinegar to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and green chiles and garlic-and-herb sauce mix until combined. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve over ice and garnish with green onions.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I won’t bore you with the stories of dinner failures…you have probably heard my family revolt at the dinner table from your house.