simple fried rice + general tso's chicken

I haven't been keeping a running tally of the number of fried rice recipes I've tried. And honestly, it doesn't matter because I finally found "the one"!

While on my weekly grocery store trip, I was looking for a new way to eat chicken [a weekly dinner staple for the hubs and I.] A light bulb went off and I shuffled over to the international food aisle and tossed a few Asian sauces into my cart. The one I was most eager to try was the Archer Farms General Tso sauce [only 40 cal for two tbsp!] 

I searched and searched and finally settled on this recipe for fried rice--hey, I had to cook something from scratch since the chicken was going to be so darn easy. This meal was so fun and easy and best of all delicious. I'll definitely be making it again. Bonus: You can make the rice in bulk to have throughout the week! What's your favorite way to eat chicken? xo.

Simple Fried Rice

Ingredients
[4 servings]

Adapted from this food.com recipe
3/4 cup finely chopped onion [I had red onion on had so I just used that]
2 1/2 tbsp oil
1 egg [or more if you like]
2 tbps plus 3 drops low sodium soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 cups cold cooked rice
4 green onions, chopped [I used dried chives instead]
1 cup frozen broccoli, thawed

Directions
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok; add chopped onions and stir-fry until onions turn brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from wok.
2. Allow wok to cool slightly. Mix egg with 3 drops of soy sauce. Set aside.
3. Add 1/2 tbsp oil to wok, swirling to coat surfaces. Add egg mixture; working quickly, swirl egg until egg sets against wok. When egg puffs, flip egg and cook other side briefly. Remove from wok and chop into small pieces.
4. Heat 1 tbps oil in wok; add carrots, peas, broccoli, and cooked onion. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add rice and green onions, tossing to mix well. Stir-fry for 3 minutes.
6. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce and chopped egg to rice mixture and fold in. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Serve.

For the chicken, simply cook until the center is no longer pink. Cut into pieces and toss on a small skillet with the General Tso's sauce. I added a dash of soy sauce and a significant amount of crushed red pepper flakes for extra flavor. Let the sauce and chicken simmer a few minutes and you're done!

fort worth foodie review | the woodshed smokehouse

One of my favorite haunts when the Texas temps reach what I call "patio weather" [aka 85 degrees or so] is the Woodshed in Fort Worth. This rustic-cool restaurant headed by Chef Tim Love sits right on the Trinity River with the coolest outdoor/indoor dining concept I've seen. The food is outrageously good, the atmosphere is perfect for a both casual date night and a group of your closest friends. On the weekends you will find live music to kick back and enjoy while sipping on any one of their selections of beer, wine, margaritas or cocktails. I highly recommend this joint if you're looking for a great atmosphere to soak in the beautiful spring weather. xo.

Where: 3201 Riverfront Drive, Fort Worth

Hours: Sun-Thurs, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. / Fri-Sat, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

What to try: Smoked hummus, smoked white fish dip, pulled pork sandwich, brisket stuffed piquillo peppers, burger, and ribs. For the more adventurous, my hubs and friends have testified that smoked red fish, bowl of ramen, and rattlesnake sausage are awesome.

spring 2013 workout playlist

Bikini season is just around the corner, y'all. Here's my latest and greatest music mix to help power you through some cardio or weights sessions. The beats are pretty fun and great for a morning jog, bike ride, or circuits! Let me know what some of your favorite tunes are lately! xo.

beachy waves tutorial

Oh, how I love beachy waves! I can't get enough of this laid-back look. After trying various methods to achieve this effortless style, I finally found one that works on my straight hair that looks fairly natural in my opinion. The best part is that it requires no heat! I've gotten many compliments on my new go-to 'do and wanted to share with you guys. Let me know if it works for you! xo.

Method

You'll need: 
Sea salt texturizing spray [I am loving Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray]
Hair tie [I am obsessed with these from Sephora]
French braiding skills [see Lauren Conrad's video or ask a friend!]

Directions:

1. Start with damp hair [read: not soaking wet]. Spritz your hair liberally with the sea salt spray. Make sure to avoid the roots and stick to middle of the strands to the ends.

2. French braid your hair. Don't worry about being perfect--the messier the better, in my opinion. The smaller the sections you use, the more waves you'll get. Bigger sections=subtle, larger waves. Secure the end of the braid with a hair tie. If it's nighttime, go ahead and sleep on it. If you're getting ready before work or just going out during the day, leave the braid in until it is mostly or fully dry.

3. Remove the hair tie and use your fingers to gently loosen the waves. Feel free to spray more sea salt spray onto your hair and use a scrunching motion to add a little more texture to the waves. And voilà--you're ready to go!

project cupcake | hummingbird sweet shoppe

In the second installment of my Project Cupcake series, I introduce Hummingbird Sweet Shoppe.

This bakery on wheels has been on my "to try" list for quite sometime, and I finally caught up with it at Fort Worth's newest food truck park, Clearfork! I ordered the "Hummingbird" cupcake, which had decadent flavors of banana and pineapple topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans. It really knocked my socks off, y'all. I can't wait to go back and try a new flavor!

Address: Check their schedule online or follow them on Twitter for daily updates of their whereabouts!

Twitter: @HBirdSweets

xo.