Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

This week I made one of my favorite meals so far on my quest for repeatable meals.

HONEY SESAME CHICKEN

It was quick and pretty inexpensive, plus we both loved it.  I served it with chopped peanuts and some sweet and spicy cucumbers.  (Although I left out the spicy because I forgot to buy chili flakes, so I guess they were just sweet...)

These were good too, but I think they got a little watery and they totally needed the spice.  Can't blame the recipe, next time I will make sure I buy chili flakes!

If you want to make the chicken, you can get the recipe on my blog here.  It is definitely worth a try and if you don't have a crock pot, you could make it on the stove top too.  Just boil your chicken and shred it, and make the sauce in a sauce pan.  Easy and delish!

Anybody have any great recipes to share?  So far, we usually rotate between a few standard meals:

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches (slow cooker)

Enchiladas (veggie and beef)

Lasagna (veggie and beef)

Raviolis

Baked Chicken Tenders

Pasta with Salmon

BBQ Ribs (slow cooker)

Pizza/flatbread

and now this Honey Sesame Chicken (slow cooker)

We are in need of inspiration and variety though.  I would love to have 20 really good meals to rotate so we don't get bored.  Any suggestions??

Cooking Up a Storm

Since having baby boy, I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  Gone are the days of dinners out and lunches on the town.  The only place we sit down to eat lately is our kitchen table.  I'm not complaining. The food is good, company great, and the price is right.

Here are a few of the things we have been cooking and eating.  The baked chicken tenders have been my favorite savory item.  So GOOD!

Blueberry Crumb Cake was a huge success.  Here's a tip though: don't eat it without double checking for mold after a week in a tupperware on your counter.  That was a big bite I wished I could take back.

I love pancakes and french toast.  I had an abundance of blueberries last month, so I made these pancakes for breakfast one morning.  I had mine with greek yogurt, blackberry syrup, and fresh berries on top.

Mmm.  Corn bread.  So American-delicious.  I served these with bbq ribs and garlic green beans.  I like them sweeter than these came out, but they were good enough to eat all twelve so...

On the agenda for this month:

Carnitas

Orange Chicken

Homemade Pizza

more Baked Chicken Tenders

and if I am really lucky, DONUTS!

I will let you know how they come out.  For recipes, you can check my personal blog here.

3 months old

My little man is already 3 months old.  Actually 3 1/2 months old!  Crazy stuff.  I was telling Cody today that we hadn't even told anyone we were pregnant yet at 3 months along.  I feel like we have had this little guy forever, and yet, only days.  It's crazy to watch him grow and change so fast.

I tried to take some pictures of him the other day.  He is such a mover and a shaker that I took 50 pictures and got about 10 clear ones!  Gone are the days of still baby legs and long naps.  He is so active!

This is a new one.  He is about to give a little yell.  He has lots of cries now, and his yelling is getting PRETTY good.

We went to the farmer's market and the library this morning.  He loved it.

I took these last week when I got home from work.  Cody had dressed him in his White Sox outfit and they were both going to be all White Sox'd out and watch baseball while I worked.  Well...  Arlo had a different plan.  He wanted to scream and cry all day.  Guess who won?

He has become quite opinionated this week.  He likes to sit facing out and he likes to be carried.  All the time.  I like to tell him we can't always have what we want.  {He is learning.}

I have about 20 pictures that are just like this.  Almost perfect, and then he moves. He really likes to wave those arms and kick his legs.  Love it.

 After being away from him for a few hours while I worked the other day, all I wanted to do was cuddle and hold him.  Lucky guy, he was in heaven.  I can't wait to see what changes another 3 months brings.  Crawling, drooling, and grabbing everything in sight.

Evening Stroll

Arlo and I try to get out and walk a few times a week.  It is a little tricky because we have to time it right to beat the heat.  Today I missed out on the morning walk and opted for an evening stroll instead.  He goes to bed before sunset, but it was still really pretty and almost bearable temperature wise. 

We just made the switch this week to riding in the stroller without the little car seat attachment.  He seems to enjoy his rides a lot more, but now I can't see his face to see if he is awake, frowning, or super stoked.  Oh well, he lets me know if he is really unhappy with a loud yell.

He loves being outside.  His eyes get huge and he turns his head from side to side.  He is just realizing he controls where he can look, it is hilarious.

3 months old and looking chubby.  I love him so much!

His little face peeks just over the side.  Hey buddy, what's up?  This is a little different from your usual white box we call an apartment, huh?

I can't wait until Fall when it is a little cooler and we can go for walks anytime we want.  Yay for cooler weather on the horizon.  For now, we bask in the sunrise and sunset time period.

Tucson Beauty

Living in Tucson has it's challenges: the heat, lack of water, brown landscape, rattlesnakes, and crazy drivers.  It also has it's beauty and shining moments: flowering succulents, wildlife, a variety of extremely good food, stunning sunsets, and abundant shopping.  I have learned to embrace the good and forget about the bad.  After living in Hawaii, it's hard to think anywhere is quite as nice, but Tucson could definitely be worse.

 

 

I took these photos one day last Spring and really couldn't believe how beautiful the cactus were.  My favorite are the prickly pear.  They have an array of colorful flowers and the fruit can be juiced and used in things like lemonade, margaritas, and popsicles.  Last year I did a little tutorial on how to juice them by hand if you are feeling ambitious.  I know what you're thinking, "Is it worth it?"  Totally.

 

 

 

 

Newborn Photography Session in Tucson

While my brother Zach was in Tucson, he took some amazing pictures of the family.  Cody, Arlo, and I were so lucky that he even took some of just us.  They turned out beautifully.  We love them.  We would have easily paid a few hundred dollars for photos that most likely wouldn't have been as good.  I put together a few collages in Lightroom that I thought really captured the best poses, perspectives, and us as a family.

 

 

This is one I would love to print onto a big canvas and hang above our bed.  It is so simple all in black and white and makes me smile just looking at it.

 

This one can be used as a facebook timeline page cover.  I think these would look great for his business page.  What do you think?  There are a lot of pictures of me on it, but you get the idea.

 

These are some of the best poses to me.  They really capture the feeling of our little family and show off our new arrival.  These are definitely something we will keep forever and show off to friends and family for years to come.  Who took the photos?  Check him out at www.10picturesinpohang.com.  He does engagement style shots, family portraits, landscape, and business photography too.  His blog is so much fun to read through.  Korea never looked so beautiful than through his lens this past year.

 

Visit to Arizona

The whole family came out to Tucson to meet our new baby Arlo.  We had so much fun and now Arlo is missing his Aunts and Uncles AND Grandpa of course.  He wants to be played with non-stop and held.  Thanks guys...  I think he misses the pool time with everyone the most.

 

Splish Splash!

 

I miss my baby hot tub.

 

Play with me! (Arlo screams while I try to comfort him.)

 

An heir and the spares (and Arlo.)

 

Makes you want a little one, huh guys?  :)

 

 

Arlo, Dad, and Grandpa.

 

My Uncles rock!  Please don't dunk me in the water.

 

 

Loving Grandpa.

 

We still have Grandma here to play with but it just isn't the same without everyone!

An Heir and the Spares

We are a family of 5.  A set of twins, big brother, and the folks.  We are an heir and the spares.

Nothing like cheesy Hawaiian shirts!