A Handy Dandy Go-To

I've been so crafty and creative lately. (Creativity is relative, my friends.) I've even busted out the sewing machine. AND USED IT! Successfully, I might add.

Usually I just get stuck threading the bobbin. After taking 30 minutes to figure out why no fabric is being sewed together. i know. i know. I claim nothing more than amateur sew-er.

Well, with the help of a few thorough, all-be-it cheesy YouTube tutorials on how to thread the bobbin, what a straight stitch is, and other embarassingly basic things, etc. I made a few VERY cute onesies! Complete with ruffles on the butt! I can only show you one, because I have yet to give away the others and I don't want to ruin it. :)

All that to say, I spent 3 days drowning in crafts when I wasn't corralling the sweetest little walker in all the land and I completely abandoned all housekeeping. Sorry, dear husband of mine. Dinners included leftovers and sandwiches. And one really great salad. Which is the reason for this post. It's such a delicious and easy salad that I have to share.

I don't have any pictures. Because Tyler and I literally ate every little bit of it. And I was ravenous after all my crafting and didn't have the presence of mind to think about this post before the frenzy. You'll just have to trust my words that it's delicious.

Tastiest Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

-Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (about 1 per person) Grilled and sliced thin

-Your choice of lettuce. (My favorite is Spring Mix, but all we had last night was Romaine, which was also crispy and delicious.)

-Grated Carrots

-Red Bell Pepper cut into thin strips

-Cucumber sliced thin

-Snow Peas (We didn't have any last night, and it was still fabulous)

-Totilla Strips or crumbled Tortilla Chips

Other great additions:

-Peanuts

-Avocado

-Zucchini

-Cilantro

-Sprouts

You get the idea. Just take any veggies you've got in the fridge and throw them in there.

Dressings- BOTH are crucial to the tastiness of this dish

Honey Lime Dressing:

1/2 cup lime juice
4 tsp honey mustard
1/3 cup + 1 Tbs honey
4 Tbs vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced fine
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Peanut Sauce:
4 Tbs peanut butter
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs hot water
4 Tbs honey
1 Tb ground ginger

Directions:

1. Toss veggies of choice and thinly sliced grilled chicken together.

2. Mix dressing in separate jars. or large measuring cups. whatever works.

3. Serve yourself a generous and mostly healthy portion.

4. Enjoy.

Easy. You're welcome.

And because everyone loves a good baby update :)

Elle is most definitely walking. I thought, for some reason, it would take much longer for her to figure out that she could actually GET places on her feet than it did. A couple of days ago, I found her toddling across the living room. And she hasn't stopped. She's OFFICIALLY official. Sheesh. Where's my little teeny tiny baby girl? I'm not going to be one of those sappy, "I MISS MY NEWBORN" moms. But, there is a twinge of sadness in watching her grow into a little girl. I can't say that I MISS my teeny tiny because I am so much in love with my on-the-brink-of-toddlerhood lady. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I never thought fondly of my tiny, cuddly, swaddled, coo-ing baby girl and got a little sad because that's gone forever for her.

The little walker with a freshly busted lip. Looking especially pathetic and sweet. She got lots of cuddles after this mishap.

I'm going to go look at all the pictures of Elle before she was 6 months and cry now. Kidding.