Detroit

Jer and I went to Detroit last week to attend a Drive and Ride for Ford Dealers. Basically I got to drive one of these:

 

around a crazy curvy course with hundreds of Orange cones.

*I am guessing that my reader base is mainly female so I will not go into detail and post a bunch of car pictures :)*

Hoarders the TV show here we come!!

If you come to our front door this week, you may think we belong on that show Hoarders!! But don't worry I am just getting ready for our garage sale so I don't end up like the show :)
(and yes our front room is boring normally--but when you decide to go back to school it puts all the big purchases on hold--books are expensive!!)



I have made some changes with my decor. I saw these keys in the PB catalog and decided I had to have them!! I have them hanging above our front door and love them :)




I also added some summer theme to our mantle. You should have saw the look of Jer's face when he saw me walking around Kohl's with them *lol* But I noticed a theme in my PB catalog and found this pair for $3 total(they were 55% of and I had a $10 off coupon).

Family Room Update

I still have to paint the brick and mantle of the fireplace but otherwise it is done!!

Before Picture:


After Pictures:

Not the best picture but I can't wait to cover up the ugly brick!! and yes hubster picked out the bulky black furniture!! and not sure about the mirror on the shelf but it was only $5 at garage sale may do some re-arranging...



and someday when I have time I have picture in my head of what I am going to do with this:

Made it!!

We made the recipe below last night and it was delicious!! I forgot to take pictures--ok that is a lie, my kitchen was a disaster during the entire process!!(it took a lot of dishes but I think I can improve that the next time)

Normally I leave leftovers for Jeremy to eat at lunch but I am taking them with me to work today :)

It has a citrus flavor with a litttle bit of a zing.

Please

can someone please make this for me?!?!

general dawn’s spicy tso chicken from www.vanillakichten.blogspot.com
by Dawn

Vegetable oil, for deep frying
4 boneless chicken breasts (you can use dark meat)
3 eggs
2 ts cayenne pepper
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 TB cornstarch
1 – 1 ½ cups of panko crumbs

Sauce:
1 large orange, zested
1 ¼ cups orange juice (with pulp is best)
½ cup dark brown sugar
3-4 TB plum sauce
1 stick of unsalted butter
2 ts hot pepper flakes
2 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 – 2 TB cornstarch

1 red bell pepper, cut into small strips
¼ - ½ cup of sweet & spicy pecans (I found at Trader Joe’s)

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, use about one bottle of veggie oil or enough oil to cover your pot about 1/3 of the way full. Heat pot over medium heat until oil reaches 350 degrees F.
Cut chicken into 2 or 3-inch pieces.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cayenne, salt & black pepper, set aside.
In another large bowl mix the flour, cornstarch and salt & pepper, set aside.
In a medium bowl put the panko crumbs in.
Dip the chicken in batches, first in egg mixture, then in the flour mixture and shake to coat. Then coat in the panko crumbs, making sure to push down and get them nice and coated. Line them up on a tray to get ready for frying. It’s best to let them sit for a few minutes to absorb all the dry coatings.
To prepare sauce use a large sauté pan, melt 6 TB of the butter, then add in the orange zest, orange juice, dark brown sugar, hot pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add in the 3-4 TB of plum sauce, bring to a boil again and sprinkle on the cornstarch (use your hands or a sifter to avoid any cornstarch clumps). Stir well, let cornstarch dissolve, taste as you go, it might need a pinch or two of salt. Let simmer a bit till thickened—maybe 10 minutes? Add the last 2 TB of butter, stir until melted.
Carefully place chicken in hot oil and fry in small batches until golden and crispy; should take about 5 - 8 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to paper towels to dry a bit. (this recipe belongs to dawn finicane)
Add the cooked chicken to the sauté pan with the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Then add in the red pepper strips and pecans, toss again and serve with white sticky rice.

Missing....

Yesterday when I got home from work the neighbor boys(maybe 7ish) came by with a flyer of a missing dog. They told me that they knew we had a little white dog and thought maybe she had played with the missing dog. I told them, "Sorry but we keep Roxy in our fenced in yard." They proceeded to say, "Well you know they are offering a $100 reward if someone finds the dog." Yep it wasn't their dog they just wanted the $100!!

random questions

Q: What is your most memorable childhood memory (vacation,trip, birthday)??
-hmmmm........I have a lot of great/crazy/not-so-fun memories!! We used to vacation a lot with my Schriver Family(which is HUGE, i lost count after 120, jer was 98) we would spend a week at OuterBanks, NC--we would go crabbing, climb the sand dunes, hunt for ghost crabs at night, play lots crazy canasta and of course spend lots of time playing on the beach and in the ocean. Another memory I have is: my brother and sister were suppose to get me buckled in our van but they didn't! So is little Janelle(maybe 4)standing on the side-rail as my mom is backing out of a parking space!! I remember banging and screaming until she saw my little head trying to peak through the passenger window--my siblings go in lot of trouble that day!!

Q: Do you plan to have kids anytime soon?
-That would be a no.

Q: What is your favorite way to relax after a long day?
-Depends what kind of stress it was....big test=shopping :)...crazy day at work=bubble bath.

Q: How would describe the style of your home?
-That is a hard one. I would say I have my own style........ummm...VinatageFarmhouse Style. translation=my kitchen is 1950's style complete with chrome legged kitchen table and red vinyl chairs.....i love pottery barn-i love their furniture and a lot of their 'stuff' reminds of a farmhouse style......

Q: If you could live anywhere would that be?
-honestly where I live now, it has all of our friends and a majority of our immediate family.......cheesy I know!! if I could move the whole county to the beach, then that would be awesome :)