Kay's Chinese Chicken Salad

Let me start off with, I've never really been a big fan of Ramen Noodles. Not that they aren't a wonderful little staple. But in my family, we never really ate them. Don't get me wrong. Later, when I went to college, they were a staple in my life.

Who can beat a month's worth of meals, for under $5? They're not terrific tasting. But when you're living penny to penny, well it's what you eat. It's been years, since I last had them. And I'm not even talking about the Ramen Noodle packs. I'm taking about the "Cup of Noodles."

But over the last few years, I've noticed so many recipes popping up. The first one, that I can remember, was from Paula Deen. I remember trying it. And really liking it. What happened to that recipe? I have no clue, where I put it!

So when I noticed this week's Gooseberry Patch, Recipe of the Week, I knew I had to make it! It was something that sounded interesting. Something that My Bestie wanted to eat for dinner. And well, something that we could cook up in our hotel room. :)

Kay's Chinese Chicken Salad

3-oz. pkg. chicken-flavored ramen noodles, uncooked
1 head cabbage, shredded
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 T. onion, chopped
2 T. slivered almonds, toasted
2 T. sesame seed, toasted

Dressing:
1 c. oil
3 T. sugar
1/3 c. vinegar
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
reserved ramen noodle seasoning packet

Set aside ramen noodle seasoning packet for dressing; crush noodles. Combine all ingredients except seasoning packet in a large serving bowl; toss lightly to combine. Prepare Dressing: Whisk together all ingredients. Drizzle Salad with Dressing and toss again. Serves 8 to 10.



My Guy's grandma bought me this cookbook. Last week, I was cooking this up. When we all headed to Orlando. I know, how random is that? You see, on the way, My Bestie found the recipe. She was thumbing through the cookbook. And begged me, literally begged, for me to make this salad. Weird, right? I thought so! But then again, girl eats Ramen nearly every single day!

When I found the recipe this week, I knew I had to share with you. Who knows, there might be a "poor college student" out there. Like I was, just a few years ago. Needing to "doctor" up this staple. Like I said, we didn't really have a "full kitchen," or many kitchen staples or utensils to use. Much like a college student, in a dorm room. :)

We head to the local grocery store, and picked up a few ingredients. We bought a rotisserie chicken, and shredded her up. I shredded the cabbage. And we used the toaster oven, to toast the nuts and seeds. Honestly, it took a few minutes. And the dressing was super easy.

The salad had a lot of flavor. I'm thinking, the chicken added a lot to it. It was a little crunchy. But not horrible. It reminded me of Chow Mein Noodles. The dressing, was nicely absorbed into the noodles. And it honestly, made for a nice little lunch. Now I'm on the search, for more Ramen Noodle recipes. ♥

Inspired By Spring

I don't know about you, but around here, the weather has been nuts! We were in sunny Florida, for about 2 weeks. And it wasn't very warm. It didn't feel like Florida at all! Then we come home to the South, and it's freezing!

It makes me want Spring and Summer, more than ever! My Bestie and I, we took to Pinterest over the weekend, for a little inspiration. And I have to say this, I was so inspired by the warm weather outfits! Like this one...

This outfit reminds me a lot of Easter. Can you believe, I'm already talking about Easter? I know! This year is flying by! I'm not complaining though. Spring is my favorite season. I adore everything about it! Spring cleaning, the plants blooming, birds chirping, the clothes, fresh food, holidays, and beautiful colors. Oh ya, my birthday is also in Spring! :)

I've actually been looking for something similar to this outfit. I've got a similar cardigan and jewelry. But I'm searching for a dress like this. Oh, and that bag! I'm a sucker for ruffles, bows, and pretty jewelry. Spring can't come fast enough for this gal! ♥  

Counting Our Blessings

This has been such a busy weekend. Good and bad. We've enjoyed lots of "Q-Time" with our friends. But then there was some tragedy near us. We're all praying for the family. And the families of the Empire State Building shooting. Wow! It's just been so up and down lately.

It makes what this man does for a living, seem a little...well "unimportant" this morning. His words, not mine. When you see the "Real World" crashing down around you, sometimes it just makes you think. But we're trying to get our heads on straight.

This guy has to work tonight. Not tomorrow. Like during a "usual week." It kind of throws off our schedule. But that means we have tomorrow off. And what are we going to do? Have a "Date Day," in Tennessee. Should be fun!

Until then, this guy is clowning around. We're watching Baby C this morning. As her momma, isn't feeling well. And well, this Nono is having a blast! Singing this song to her...



And she just thinks it's that best thing ever! I've got to admit, it's fun to watch him sing and dance around. With not a care in the world! Because tonight, he will be very serious, at work. And I'll probably be having a blast with Baby C. Maybe we might get a little nap in too!

But more than anything, today is about counting our blessings. With all these tragedies that are happening, and knowing that my own grandma is experiencing some health issues, we must count our blessings. Our family could really use your prayers right now.

God is GREAT! We just need to believe in him. And remember he is here, to help us carry our hardships. Happy Saturday! ♥

What a Good Day!!!

Today was one of those days, that I'm just grateful for. You see, we travel at least 40 weeks a year, for this man's job. Honestly, at times, it's a bit overwhelming.

The weeks usually go like this. Monday we wake up exhausted. It's our ONLY day off. And we usually stay in bed 'til noon. I'm not going to lie, sometimes later. Then we laze about the house. I make a HUGE meal. And we catch up on our favorite TV shows, and movies. Tuesdays we are back to work. I leave the house at 3AM for work. At the hospital. This guy heads into work, around 8AM. We're lucky, to both get home before 10PM. Lucky! Wednesday is usually a repeat. I also have to cram in study time, family time, and a little work (that pays MY bills).

Thursdays are ALWAYS a whirlwind. I leave at the same maddening hour! I get off at noon, sometimes 2PM. Rush home. Quickly pack our bags. And we're leaving on an airplane before dinner time. This is usually the ONLY day, that we eat out. If not, we wouldn't eat!

Fridays usually leave this guy working. Say 7AM to 6PM. Give or take, depending on what he's doing. Saturdays, he works 7AM to 4PM. And Sundays, he's working 7AM to 5PM. Give or take. Some weeks are different. But most are like this.

And on the weekends, I tend to get most of my studying done. Most. I write papers, do research, all that good stuff! And I hangout with this gal. Who also happens to be My Bestie. And get lots of "Q-time" with Baby C!!!

But rarely if ever, do we leave "where our guys work." You see, we stay in some pretty fancy "Homes on Wheels." Also known as "Motor Homes." And we stay in them, all weekend. Hanging out. Cooking. Napping. Things like that.

This week, I was dying to do something fun. Something out of our "Comfort Zone." I wanted to go hiking. And hiking we went!!! I also convinced some other friends of ours to go. We called in lots of sitters, for the kiddos. Let the guys know, they were on their own for meals. All day long! And we headed out.

It was magical!!! The mountains were AMAZING!!! The fresh air, felt so good. And the workout, left my body craving more. We also got to have lots of "Girl Time." With friends, that we don't usually spend this much time with. We laughed. Ate. And just had a good time.

It was something we don't do often. Something I truly wish, we'd do more often. Because, we all do so much for our men. And rarely take the time to "Recharge Our Own Batteries." Today was definitely that kind of day.

And when we got back, our men had cooked us dinner. Got the kiddos cleaned up, and in their PJs. Oh, and our "Homes on Wheels," were still in one piece. Yes, I don't think we could have asked for much more.

Our friends left about 30 minutes ago. I've taken a steaming hot shower. And just sat down. Waiting for this guy, to finish up my little treat...



Yes, that would be an "Orange Soda Float." A new LOVE of mine! Perhaps I can also convince him to give me a massage. And maybe watch some sappy movie. Because this man's girlfriend, is in a pretty good mood tonight. And is hoping for an early night. Yes, our Friday was pretty wonderful! How was yours? ♥

The Good, The Bad, And Some Fun Time!!!

Hi everyone! Long time, no chat. :) Well, this guy and I, were enjoying a piece of paradise. It was a nice time away. But turns out, the old blog, was flipping out while I was away. :(

I had a post, set for each day that we were away. Sadly, as you can tell...they didn't post. I don't know what's up. Only that in the "Edit Posts" tab, they show as POSTED. Go figure. I contacted Blogger. Hopefully, within the next few days, they'll be up. Sorry ahead of time. I assume you're feeds, are going to get a little filled up...

But back to the good things. We're in a beautiful, yet extremely H-O-T place! Filled with tons of history!!! I'm getting to spend the day with My Bestie and Baby C. :) Good times people! While My Guy and his friend, are sadly working. All. Day. Long!!!

It's nice to catch up with friends. Especially since it's been so long, since I've last seen My Bestie. And beautiful Baby C!!! Turns out, they've been enjoying tons of "Family Time!!!" And enjoying our friends' new babies. Yes, a few new babies are in town. :)

And with that being said, we're just going to relax. What can I say? I still feel like I'm on vacation. :) Maybe I'll do a little crocheting. Like this fun little project...



What do you think? It doesn't hurt that I adore cupcakes! Between don't you just adore Twinkie Chan? I do! A few years ago, I ran across her on the internet. And now, I'm a HUGE fan! Her book, I'm totally IN LOVE with it too! Happy Saturday!!! ♥

Time for Laughs :)

Tonight, we caught up with some friends. It seems like we haven't seen them in months. Really, it's been about just under 2 weeks. But an evening together, catching up and laughing, was definitely in order.

I cooked up a small feast. My Bestie was in charge of bringing a movie. We bought Baby C a few surprises, and we settled in. Half of me, was sad. Because My Bestie, Baby C, and our pal...had to call it a night...pretty early. But we enjoyed all of our time together.

Back to that movie. Have you ever seen "I Think I Love My Wife?" Hilarious! Had us laughing our pants off! Honestly, I haven't seen a movie, that funny in a looong time! And it definitely added tons of fun to our evening. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to laugh.



With that being said, time for me to join My Guy, and our fur babies. We're settling in, for a night of good movies. And maybe some more snacks. :) You can't go wrong with good movies, yummy food, and amazing company. Between, do you have any movie recommendations? We're always looking for new movies to watch. New and old. Please share! ♥

Summertime Favorite

I have to put these out there. I'm definitely what you would call a "Girly, Girl." I LOVE makeup, clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories. All that good stuff. But I've never really felt like I was a gorgeous woman.

Most of this might be, because I cheered when I was younger. And was surrounded by gorgeous girls. My Mom didn't really wear makeup. So I was on my own there. My hair has always been a "Thorn in My Side." That sort of thing.

But as I've gotten older, I've really begun to enjoy these things much more. A lot of this probably has something to do with this lady, and this lady. Oh, and because I've become a performer now. And it's my "job" to dress up, and look nice.

Well, as much as I love all these things, in the "Heat of Summer," I'm not a fan! Not at all! In fact, for the last few weeks, I've been sporting leggings, and some sort of long and flowy tank top. Oh, and those ballet flats. My hair is up and out of my face. Makeup is at a bare minimum.

But I don't think it's a "Bad Thing." Heck no! It leaves more time to enjoy life. And I feel so much "lighter." Heck, I'm pretty sure, my skin and hair are thanking me right now. But the one thing that I've always really gotten into, during the Summer, is nail color!

Yes, it's my one thing. It's definitely a "Summer Thing." I paint my nails 2-3 times a week. I probably buy 4 nail polishes a week! It's so addictive. Because it's my way of adding color, to my outfit. And honestly, painted nails are s cute!

Well, in the Summer I usually gravitate towards 2 colors. White or Essie's Turks & Caicos. I know! But they remind me of Summer. I sport the white for 3 or 4 weeks. Then add that gorgeous turquoise color for a week or so.

Last week, My Bestie needed to make a quick run to the store. She was all out of chocolate! And we all know what happens when Hills doesn't have chocolate! :) So we headed to a local CVS. She went looking for candy, and ice cream. I got caught up by this gorgeous display of L'Oreal nail polish!

And what in the world did I find? Some of the most gorgeous colors! Colors that all the "expensive brands" are carrying right now. I quickly picked 4, got my favorite magazines, and a couple of cards. Yes, I know! But it was some last minute stuff that I needed, before we left on vacation. :)



This gorgeous color is called, "Club Prive." This incredibly creamy, aqua color. Immediately, I was in LOVE!!! When we got back, I realized I'd forgotten Turks & Caicos at home. Good thing I picked this baby up!

2 things you should know. Maybe 3. This color is almost exactly the same as Essie's Turks & Caicos. But it only cost $5! It's very similar to China Glaze's For Audrey. Except For Audrey is a bit more blue. Unless you're like me, you probably wouldn't notice this. Oh, and the consistency of the polish, is AMAZING!!!

So we've been on the water, and the beach, for days now! My nails have been painted since last Friday. No base coat. No top coat. This polish is amazing!!! It might just be my new Summertime favorite! :) I can't wait to get back, to try my other 3 colors!!! ♥

Quirky and Fun!!!

Later this summer, we have a REALLY FUN event to go to! I already have the dress to wear. Which is gorgeous! Thank You Cole! And I got an e-mail with this picture. How fun is this?



Turns out, the fascinator is not optional! But that's perfectly fine with me! Because when else, do you get an excuse, to wear something like this? Between, fascinators will ALWAYS remind me of My Bestie's wedding. It's what we wore. :)

I'm so EXCITED for this Southern event. I've been counting down the days, since Christmas!!! Maybe because, it's a good excuse to get all dressed up. And have a ton of fun, with My Love! Oh, and definitely, to wear this quirky head accessory! ♥

A Lesson Learned in Life...

This week, we're in a beautiful place. The hills of the "Big Bend State." Oh yes, it's beautiful! We spent lots of time, just enjoying the area. Amazing vintage shopping! My Bestie and I, took a long stroll, with Baby C. Just enjoying the beauty, of this space. This my friends, is one of my favorite places to visit!

But now, it's work time, for My Guy. And honestly, I'm pretty excited. I myself, will be studying. But it's not so bad! I have a HUGE exam tomorrow. And a lot on schedule this week. Medical Conferences, Clinicals, and did I mention the traveling?

So I'm going to leave you with a song, that this Mr. is currently grooving on. He's having some issues, with a friend or two. I think this song, just tells it, like he feels it. "Be yourself, by yourself, stay away from me."



In the meantime, I'm going to grab some lunch. And my favorite pillow. Probably change into a comfy sweatsuit. And crack open the books. It feels good, to get to study, such life changing things.

Have a great week friends! Most of my posts this week, will be scheduled. But I will "pop in" from time to time. Happy Sunday! ♥