8.31.2015

Chicken & Shrimp Pad Thai with Zoodles + A Winner

I don't know about you, but I love Thai food.
I really love Pad Thai.
This summer I have gotten a ton of zucchini from our garden & I got THIS to make zoodles with, so I have been experimenting with different recipes. I decided to make a pad thai & it turned out amazing!
Here is what you need:
 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon Asian chili paste
1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper (more or less depending on taste)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 cup julienned mixed vegetables (carrots, yellow squash, zucchini)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, sliced into strips
30 medium to large shrimp
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
3 green onions, diced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 or 2 zucchini's for zoodles (or you can use rice noodles)
Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions:
in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, red pepper and chili paste until smooth.
So much flavor in one bowl!
Heat a large wok (or pan) over medium heat, and add the veggie oil, ginger & garlic:
When the oil is hot, add the garlic and let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken & cook for 5 minutes:
  Add the carrots, chicken, and shrimp & green onions and cook for 1 minutes
Wtir-fry until chicken and shrimp are browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes. 
Add peanut/spice paste, brown sugar and cider vinegar and toss to distribute. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
 While your sacue is simmering it's time to make the zoodles!
Last month I got THIS zoodle maker:
 I love this thing!
 It's so easy to use!
 Put your zoodles in a bowl:
 Pour your sauce over the zoodles:
 Stir together:
 When you serve it, I add some chopped up peanuts as a garnish!
This meal tasted like we ordered it at a restaurant!
 So full of flavor & it has a kick to it, so if you don't like spicy, don't add the crushed red pepper.
If you don't like shrimp, you can leave it out & double the chicken.
If you don't like zoodles, put it over rice noodles!

Kevin and I licked our plates clean after this meal! SO good!
Enjoy!

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The winner of the $100 Target Gift Card is:
Morgan
Leave me a comment or email me to claim the gift card!

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8.26.2015

What's Up Wednesday :: August 2015

It's the last Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for our What's Up Wednesday Link Up!



Link up with  me, Sheaffer & Shay the LAST Wednesday of each month so we can read about What's Up with YOU!

Here we go!
What We’re Eating this week.....
 Monday - Sliders Trucks at our school's Back to School Picnic
Tuesday - Chicken Apple Sausage & Sweet Potato Fries
Wednesday - Chinese Chicken Salad
Thursday - Cheeseburgers & Avocado Bacon Corn Salad
Friday- Friday Night Pizza Night!
Saturday - Out to dinner
Sunday - Back to School Feast (I'm still working on the menu)

I also like to make treats during the week.
Because it's Back to School Week, I am making some cookies to give to the girls teachers.
I am making my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies:
{I put these cookies in a mason jar & attach THIS to them for their teachers}

And, the Best Ever Snickerdoodles since they are my kids favorite & I wanted to make them a special treat for this week!
I am also making my Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins for the kids to have after school this week since these are their favorite muffins:
 
Lots of baking this week! Just adds to the craziness of Back to School ;)
 What I'm Reminiscing about.....
 I am reminiscing about our wedding since our anniversary was on Monday!
Look how young we were!!!
We had our 13 year anniversary on Monday, but we celebrated on Sunday night by going on a date night downtown to one of our favorite restaurants. We rode our cruisers, of course!
 Caprese Salad for an appetizer:
 Cheers to 13 years!
 Kevin had the double stuffed pork chop:
 I had the jumbo prawns:
 They gave us a free dessert....our favorite....creme brulee! Yum!
 It was so nice to have a date night on one of the last night's of summer!

What I'm loving.....
 I am loving the Rodan + Fields Reverse Regimen!
I use it to get rid of Sun Damage (and my pregnancy melasma) 
I love that it helps keep my skin from getting more sun damage! 
Did you spend too much time in the sun this summer? 
Do you have sun damage, age spots or pregnancy melasma? I can help!!

 I love seeing before & after pics when people use Rodan + Fields products! How awesome are these Reverse Results withal few months of use? Reverse does just what it says...reverses sun damage, gets rid of melasma (mask of pregnancy), age spots & sun spots and helps lighten freckles. Reverse also helps reverse the signs of aging, fine lines & wrinkles. Did you know most aging is caused by sun damage? I am so thankful for R+ F products and how they have helped change my skin, sun damage & got rid of my pregnancy melasma!
 
Are you (or your child) struggling with acne? Our Unblemish regimen is one of my most popular products! It works for teens & adults. It also helps with post acne scarring!
Get your skin ready for Back to School!

For my Back to School special, all new preferred customers who buy a regimen will get get $20 cash back, 10% off your order, free shipping AND a FREE EYE cream  (a $60 value for FREE!!)  


Our eye cream helps with bags under your eyes, puffiness & fine lines!

It is currently SOLD OUT again because it is so popular, but I have some on hand that I can giveaway for my Back to School Special!

We have products for ALL skin types...fine lines, wrinkles, acne, sun damage & sensitive skin! Email me to claim this deal: melissa_larson17@yahoo.com

All our products come with a 60 day 100% money back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose :)

  What We've been up to.....

 Our last month of summer was mellow.
Swim Team was over, so we had a lot of down time.
Kevin & the girls had a backyard campout:
 We watched a movie outside on our lawn:
 
Went to Lake Tahoe again:
We celebrated Luke's 3rd Birthday with a Firetruck Party
More party pics {HERE}
We went to a Giants Game:
 
We did glo stick swimming at night:

 The kids helped me set up my classroom last week:
 The girls played school in my classroom & Luke played trains & firetrucks:
I also chopped 5 inches off my hair:
What I'm Dreading.....
Making school lunches for the next 9 months!
Claire is in 1st grade now (our kinder was only 1/2 day)
So this year I will be making lunches for her & Kate.
Making school lunches is one of my least favorite things. 
Sigh.
Here is today's lunch:
Kate wanted turkey sandwiches & Claire wanted a bagel & cream cheese.
I also cut up some peppers & gave them a Babybel cheese.
 I am also dreading all the paper work that comes with the first few weeks of school.
Here is what came home today:
Sigh.
 What I'm Working On.....
I am working on school!
Sooooo much planning goes on for the 1st few weeks of school.
 This year we also got new textbooks, so I am planning out all of that also!
What I'm Excited About.....
 I am so, so, so excited about the teachers my girls got this year!!!
Claire got the same teacher Kate had for 1st grade (LOVE HER!!)
And, Kate got a really great 3rd grade teacher. I have heard nothing but awesome things about her!
So thrilled for my girls.
Yesterday was their first day (more on that later!) and they both came home with big smiles!

What I'm Watching........
We don't watch very much TV in the summer...too much other stuff going on!
 We are still watching House of Cards (almost done with Season 2)
And, I have seen a little bit of Bachelor in Paradise....YIKES.

What I'm Reading.....
I have been reading A LOT the past month!
Here are the books I have read since our last What's Up Wednesday:
 
 
I loved all of these books!  I'm sad that school is starting & I won't be able to stay up as late & read!

What I'm Listening to.....
 I am still loving Today's Hits on Pandora when I do my running! 

What I'm Wearing.....
Well, the past few weeks since it was still summer, I wore running clothes or my swimsuit.
But, school started yesterday, so that means I am back to wearing "normal" clothes. LOL!
Here is what I wore on the first day of school:
Dress { Stitch Fix }   Shoes {HERE} I have them in nude also! So comfy!! 
They don't have the peep toe wedges anymore, but they do have several closed toe wedges!
Yes,  I sure did take a 1st day of school photo! Kids don't get all the fun ;)
What I’m doing this weekend.....
I have a Mom's Night Out on Saturday night with my friends (who are also moms from my girls Elementary School)
I am SO excited!!!!  
What I'm Looking Forward to next month.....
I am looking forward to Claire's Birthday!
I can't believe she is turning 7.
Her party is going to be a Tea Party....it's going to be so cute.
Speaking of which...this weekend I also need to make her invites & mail them out! 

What else is new.....
Just the new school year...I am looking foward to getting into a routine again. We had no routine at all this summer. It was nice for a few weeks, but I need routine in my life!
Question of the month is:
What is your favorite Back to School Tradition?
I have so many favorite Back to School Traditions (I posted about all of them HERE)
My favorite one is our Back to School Feast that we have the 1st week of school.
We pick a family theme for the school year & talk about our goals for the year. 
My other favorite Back to School tradition is giving my kids teachers these:
 
I made them 4 years ago when Kate was going into Kinder.
I love giving them to their teachers & getting to know them better & so I know what kinds of treats I can spoil them with throughout the year. 

You can download it {HERE}
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Feel free to follow along! 
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Can't wait to read about What's up with all of YOU!


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