YE LONGE OVERDUE BLOGGE POSTE

I’ve written posts in my head so many times. Life happens. New Year, New Posts. Helloooo, creative outlet.
Tonight I crafted a quick meal that was wicked easy, filling, low-carb, and tasty. To come up with recipes, I usually Google the main ingredients I have or have in mind (tonight was “chicken broccoli”), read through a few recipes, draw out the common ingredients, and then do what I feel like anyways. Here’s what I came up with this evening. It has a similar flavor profile to the spinach and artichoke dip that Bugaboo Creek used to do oh-so-right.
Cast-Iron Chicken Broccoli Cheese Broil
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs/whatever size pack of chicken breasts you can find. I bought some pastured chicken on sale at Whole Foods and it was the best chicken I’ve ever had. Pastured chicken is usually $$$. I like sales. 
2 T. olive oil
1 packet Good Seasons Mild Italian dressing mix ​

***If you haven’t had this mix yet, it is essential. It’s so versatile. You can use it for an alfredo hack, for a quick dip in sour cream, on ground beef, in meatballs…
2 big stalks of broccoli (about 1 lb.)
¼ cup sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
1 bag shredded Italian-blend cheese (e.g., Sargento 6-cheese Italian)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in Lodge cast iron pan (as the kids would say, cast iron is everything) on medium heat. Add cubed chicken and dry dressing mix and brown, then turn to low and cover for a bit until temp registers 165F. There may be a real name for this technique. My mom does it, and I call it fry – poach.
2. Steam broccoli either in microwave or on stovetop.
3. Stir mayonnaise, sour cream, broccoli, and cheese into cooked pan, making sure to generously cover top with cheese.
4. Place pan in broiler on high, 5-7 minutes or until all bronze-y and fancy-looking.
5. Eat.
6. Feel like a champ for eating low-carb (however, this recipe would also work well with rice or noodles. FOOD HACK: use microwaved Trader Joe's organic frozen brown rice in recipes. Cheap, delicious, hearty.

     7.   Daydream about Toscanini’s ice cream.