What motivates you? Spinich, Chicken and sun dried tomato pasta

I have been thinking all day about motivation. What motivates me today, how it has changed and why. I am not sure that I have the answers but I am thinking about it. Has what motivates you changed? Are you happy with those changes and why....have you given this question any thought before say, ummmm NOW???

I am not sure that I have in a direct and thoughtful manner asked this question of myself. I am beginning to recognize that what motivated me 10 years ago is very different from what moves me today. This last statement in itself opens up a whole question and conversation that I know I do not have the answers to, yet. I do know that my motivation has changed and I am starting to think that if the motivation changes.....does the path as well? Clearly the same path will not be as satisfying if the goal is not there to excell, so then what?

I have identified so much of myself with those goals and have felt pretty lost in  the grey area I have been floating in for the last year (or so..). Just conceptualizing the idea that what moves me has changed may seem simple and clear to you but goodness knows, it has not been clear to me. The mucky waters of expectation and the weight of not having desire to meet those goals, has been hanging on me like a lead x-rey blanket.

I feel better today just uncovering this question, thinking of the possability and knowing that I can do anything I set my mind to. Have you faced this? Are you there now? The idea of a new, different road is both exciting and frightening. I prey for the courage to choose well and not get derailed by fear, either mine or others. I ask those I love and that love me to take my hand with an open mind so that we may discover these unchartered waters together.

Think about it, what really motivates you? What do you get giddy and excited about, is it part of your everyday life or is it a back room gig? Why?

Ok, enough about thinking let's get on to eating!!! So I made some of my first chocolates tonight, real chocolates - so exciting! I wish all of you lived on my street so I could share them with you NOW, see you taste and enjoy them. Ultimately that is really the best part, watching others enjoy what you have created with love. I am asked again and again does it bother me to see the cakes I have made cut and I always answer the same way~ they are made to be cut, eaten and enjoyed. Gezzz, what else is cake for but to gobble up!!! Eat up buttercup! I will have to post a photo later of the chocolates as I have not finished decorating them just yet. Tomorrow..

When David and I first met we would go to Via Piacerre (where we ultimately got married) a wonderful resturant on Ventura between Topanga and Shoup in Woodland Hills. They made a spinich with sun dried tomato and chicken dish that we loved and that after many tries I was finally able to duplicate. They have since taken it off the menu to our dismay, but lucky you.... as I have it here!

Spinich, Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta:

1 package sliced chicken strips
1 bag baby leaf spinich
3-4 tbsp. minced garlic
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
sun dried tomatos - either in a jar with oil or packaged and you can blanch them. I usually use the jar brand as I have found them to be more flavorful and they save time in preperation. Cut them up.
Garlic powder
Pasta of your choice

Wash the chicken and cut each strip in half or thirds. Wash the spinich and cut off the stems. Bring your sun dried tomato's over to the pan so you are prepared and ready with all of your ingredience.
In a pan, coat the bottom with a medium layer of olive oil and let it get hot on the burner.

Add the garlic, being careful not to burn it. Add the chicken - making sure that it is DRY when you put it in the pan or it will not get that yummy brown crust add a pinch of salt. Let the chicken brown on each side in the oil. When the chicken is cooked, add about 1/3 a cup more of olive oil and your tomatos, let those flavors merge for just a few moments and then add the entire bag of spinich. You may get worried that there is too much spinich and that it is too big for the pan, don't worry. Just wait, spinich cooks down VERY fast. As all of this is coming together make sure that you have enough oil in the pan to use over your pasta, if not ADD some! Season with salt, pepper and if you like add a little cyanne. I usually dust it with garlic powder and remove from the heat or it can get overcooked.

I serve this over pasta with fresh french bread and a salad. This is a fast and easy meal to make and everyone usually loves it. Goodness knows we liked it enough to serve it at our wedding, duplicate it and now to guests in our home and.......with you!

Enjoy!

p.s. - if anyone out there knows how to spell check in blogspot, please enlighten me. If there are spelling errors in this post, please forgive me..