Simple and Delicious

Alex has this amazing app on his iPad called Recipe Book that not only can I input recipes I like, but I can also go online and directly download recipes off sites like Martha Stewart and Epicurious. My favorite site is Martha Stewart. She has awesome recipes. My favorites are her "Lighter" recipes. And "Lighter Sesame Chicken" is at the top of that list! I have made it twice, and of course the second time around is a lot easier than the first. But it was still a pretty simple to make! And I highly suggest it!

You will need:

• 3/4 cup rice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Cook rice in rice cooker or pot on the stove.

2. In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic. In large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Cut up chicken and coat with the egg white and cornstarch mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook til golden brown on both sides. Usually about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and then cook the rest of the chicken.

4. While chicken is cooking, chop scallions.

5. Return the rest of the chicken to the skillet and add the reserved sauce and chopped scallions.

6. Meanwhile, steam broccoli for about 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve chicken with broccoli and rice. I hope you enjoy! It is lighter than the deep fried sesame chicken from the local chinese hot spot and just as good. If not better :)

Sweet Southern Charm

Ok, so I know it's been awhile. It's almost like I forgot I had a blog!

I have recently become obsessed with all thing southern. By all things southern I mean, design and architecture. I haven't adopted an accent, even though some say I have, or been saying ya'll. I know plenty of sweet people that do, but it will never roll off my tongue quite the same way.

Over our honeymoon I read The Help. I'm sure you've heard about it before, but it is amazing. READ IT! I also went and saw the movie this week and loved it. Like reading any book before seeing a movie, I was constantly comparing. But overall they did a really good job. There is just so much background in the book that couldn't be included for time. So I would suggest reading and watching!

With all that said, The Help sparked my interest in southern life and architecture. Nate Berkus helped a little bit as well. He did a special show on The Help because he was a producer on the film. Part of the show was called House Proud. They feature homes around the country that are original and have a special touch. The home they featured was amazing! It was an extremely old and dilapidated home, built in late 1790's, that this family had renovated. They renovated it to keep the look and style of the original home. So it looked gorgeous! The used a special paint to show the original paint on the walls, so it still had the same feel. However, I would not be able to live in it! Number 1, they said it was a little creepy because it was so old. Number 2, they have minimal electricity because they could only add so much wiring and everything to the structure. So they use a lot of candles. Which I'm sure is beautiful and romantic, but can get a little creepy to me. :) But anyways, it was amazing.

This is what the house originally looked like.

Part of the renovation on the inside

Isn't this gorgeous?

This is the link if you want to see a clip of the show of this House Proud! http://www.thenateshow.com/videos/detail/2569/house-proud-southern-style
And here is a link to a magazine that featured it's renovation: http://www.charlestonmag.com/home/photogallery/prospect_hill_0

I was talking with Alex about this house and we were talking about how cool it would be to fix up an old house. I just think that would be such a fun experience together. I doubt we would take on a task that big anytime soon. But the thought of it is cool, right?