Spiced Coconut Oats and Chicken Cacciatore

I haven't been much in the mood to cook lately. I think I just needed to take a break...but I think I'm ready to get back into it. 

I made oatmeal...again.  Usually, even though I've tried a few different recipes, I make my oatmeal the same old way. Oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, maybe vanilla, and milk. No matter how many ways I try and like...I'm just lazy I guess. I actually really like trying different oatmeal recipes though. This one reminded me of the Cinnamon and Spice Oatmeal..except this was 100x better. I don't like oatmeal that comes in a packet anymore and haven't for years.

Anyway, I switched the steel cut for regular thick cut. I don't really like steel cut and they take so long cook. I made my own coconut milk. Honestly I can skip the coconut milk. I like regular milk. Everything else I did the same. Well..except the almonds. I couldn't find slivered almonds (found some in my fridge after the fact) so I bought whole almonds. I like the whole almonds better actually, they taste better! It was good and I would make it again. Click here for the recipe

Doesn't look great but it was.

Then yesterday I made Chicken Cacciatore. It was ridiculously easy to make. It just needs time to cook down. And it was pretty good. Easy, weeknight meal. Nothing ground breaking but good. And makes a lot of leftovers that taste better the next couple of days. I even threw the whole mushrooms in it and I didn't mind it at all. The only thing I did different was to use boneless thighs and chop it into small pieces because I wanted to throw it over pasta. I used box pasta and I really missed my homemade pasta- it actually does make a difference.  Click here for the recipe.