Lemon Garlic Ginger Chicken

It seems like all I’ve been doing the last few days is cooking and that might be true, but I love it! And I especially love lemon and garlic chicken. I tried to photograph the process this time. One of the rules for my life is to “Enjoy the Process” so I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything out. I found a recipe on Pinterest and tweaked it. Hopefully, I’ll remember what I did. ;)

This is Lemon Garlic Ginger Chicken with Asparagus.

For the marinade:
– pepper
– chopped garlic
– lemon juice
– ginger

One tablespoon of garlic and ginger and a whole bunch of lemon juice and pepper. Let sit for a couple of hours.

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Cut chicken in tiny cubes. This helps if the chicken is a little frozen.

Cut asparagus tips off and then in half.

Cook the asparagus first.While cooking, sprinkle salt, lemon juice, and a little soy sauce. Steam for 3-4 minutes and push to the side.

Add the chicken.

Cook the chicken until all pink is gone. I like garlic, a lot, so I sprinkled some garlic powder on it while it was cooking.

Mix together when chicken is cooked and let it sauté for about a minute or so.

Serve and enjoy!

I added a fresh salad with ginger dressing and some jasmine rice to go along with it.

Delish!

Darn Delicious Lettuce Wraps

This post is brought to you by:

I love P.F. Changs, like a lot, but I can’t afford to eat there every night. I’ve been on a mission to find the recipe for the lettuce wraps that they serve there which are to.die.for. Finally, with the help of Damn Delicious (excuse the language) I made them last night!

And oh, sweet mother of Jesus were they soooooo good. My sister and niece came over and we devoured them in less than 5 minutes. The recipe calls for a bajillion ingredients such as ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water chestnuts, siracha sauce, onions, green peppers, and… I think that’s all of them, but took about 10 minutes to make. I can’t decide if they are better than the real thing, but they are close.

I will definitely be doing this again!

 

Tips for an Outdoor Movie

Tuesdays are tips days. Todays’ tips are for planning the perfect outdoor movie party!

For my Sweet 16, my fabulous parents created the ultimate outdoor movie party for me. I had about 20 friends over including my new boyfriend (which was Jimmy) and I wanted it to be super special. It was pink and zebra themed and we watched Racing Stripes. Lame. At the time it was an awesome birthday party. One I would never forget.

Summer is almost over and what a perfect way to end it then with an outdoor movie party. I can’t wait to throw one at my house… except we might have to improvise because I live in a townhouse community. We might party outside, but keep the electronics inside! A couple of the things you’ll need are rentable and the rest are either super cheap or can be brought from your friends’ homes.

1) Hang mini lanterns throughout your yard and in the trees. You can pick up some at World Market for $17.

2) Show a classic like Dirty Dancing or if you’re entertaining kids show something fun like Over the Hedge!

3) If you have a flat area, tell your friends to bring a lawn chair to sit in. If not, see number 5.

4) Buy a set of these adorable mini milk glasses from Antherpologie and fill them with your movie favorite candies.

5) Grab all your extra blankets and pillows and tell your friends to do the same. I’m sure you both are hoarding at least ten each.

6) Rent a projector or ask around. Somebody’s got to have one. You might get lucky asking your church if you can borrow one.

7) Rent a vintage popcorn machine from your local party supply store for under $50 for the day. This will be the highlight of the party!

8) Get to poppin! Buy a pack of old fashioned popcorn paper bags. Etsy has hundreds for under $5.

9) Pick some good ‘ole Coca-Cola or Jones soda in glass bottles. Your guests will feel extremely fancy!

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With these simple tips, you’re on your way to a summer night of fun. All you need now are the people! Start a Facebook group or send out cute invitations by mail to get your friends in the movie spirit. End summer the right way!

Happy partying!

The Truth About Paper Towels

Like my mother always says, “There are some things you shouldn’t cheap out on.”

When I moved out of my parent’s house, the first time I went grocery shopping like to have killed me. I didn’t realize how much things actually cost. Let me reiterate: how much the good stuff costs. I started adverting my attention to the off-brands really quick. Soon I learned that my mother was right, as always. There are some things that are worth the extra few dollars.

One thing that I can’t stand are lousy paper towels. You know what I am talking about. The ones that fall apart into tiny little pieces when they hit a substance. So instead of using one, you end up using five to clean up a small spill. It’s really rather embarrassing. Instead of just investing in good paper towels we settle for the cheap ones.

But why?

I’m here to spread the good news. The news that is Viva paper towels.

I’m sure you’ve all passed these guys and eyeballed their high price tag, shook your head and happily picked up the “Store Brand” selection instead. Trust me, you’re doing the wrong thing.  I get it. You shave a buck or two off your grocery bill by tossing these bargain towels into your cart, but please just hear me out.

Viva paper towels are soft, stretchy and hold a gallon of water (not really, but close) in one sheet. You will literally save money by purchasing these because you will use one towel on a spill verses the five you were using. According to TIME magazine, you’re actually loosing money because you are using more towels.

Don’t believe me yet? Just watch this 30 second video.

So just throw those generic ones away and go buy you a pack of Viva. If you sign up for their free newsletter, you will instantly receive a $0.50 coupon plus you’ll get hundreds of them through your email. Viva is owned by Kleenex so that means you get the coupons for ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTS. :)

Try the new Viva Vantage for those bigger messes.

You’re welcome.

Happy cleaning!

*This blog post has no affiliation with Kleenex and all opinions are my own.

Freebie: Sweet Tea Printable

If you’ve ever been in the South for more than a day, you’ll be offered a glass of sweet iced tea. It’s a thing. Yes, sugar goes IN your tea. If you decline and ask for an unsweet, you will get talked about and laughed at and then brought a glass of “dirty water.”

I’ve been drinking sweet tea since I was a toddler. It’s in my blood. I couldn’t imagine life without it. I created this fun printable for you Southerners [or wannabes] so that you can always have a little sweetness in your home. Simply, click and print. It’s already formatted to fill an entire page. Hang it in your home with pride.

Happy Friday!

Creating The Perfect Backdrop

I love throwing parties and I love finding cheap ways to create a memorable moment. If I could, I would throw a party every week! I have so many ideas and not enough people to do them for. I have Pinterst to thank for that. One thing I love to do is creating backdrops. Whether they are for the food table or a impromptu photo opportunity, backdrops can really bring a lot of life to a party. Here are 10 backdrops that I love dearly.

I love this simple heart garland backdrop. The colors are endless and it would be perfect for a fun Valentine’s day party!

This glitter backdrop from Team LC is super clever and cute. Perfect for NYE or any festive party.

Unlike a lot of photographers I know, I love props, especially antique furniture. They are classic and so elegant.

Okay, I know y’all remember this in school. Every time the class did something good you got a chain link and when it hit the floor you got a pizza party. And how awesome were pizza parties? This one makes for a super simple and perfect backdrop for any occasion. And I love chunky babies!

This is so delicate looking. I’m not sure what it is and there wasn’t a tutorial. Maybe lace, maybe paper? Who knows, but I love it!

I love these ombré balloons. Definitely an inexpensive way to get a WOW result. And…another prop! Love it!

This one has potential. Write the lyrics to your favorite love song or movie/book and you have a unique backdrop for your wedding. Finding someone will really good calligraphy is a must.

I love the idea of striping tissue paper and adding pearls or beading. This backdrop has hundreds of color possibilities and themes. Imagine this one for an under the sea or fairy tale party!

This one has a little Asian influence, but I like it. It definitely creates a statement.

Which one is your favorite?

For 3 super cute DIY backdrops, click here.