New Recipe: Thai Chicken Enchiladas

On our first date, Jesse and I went to a Thai restaurant. Before we met, I discovered he liked Thai food and I had told him Pad Thai was one of my favorite dishes, so for our first date, when Jesse drove up from Virginia Beach for the day I must have had that piece of information in the back of my head and I was already super nervous, so I drove on autopilot to the neighborhood I had moved from a week earlier to a restaurant named Old Siam. The food, and most importantly our first date was amazing. We still go to Old Siam as often as we can - it's nice to visit the place where it all began almost five years ago - but with our schedules and where we live now it's not always easy to get there. This week, however, I discovered a way for us to be reminded of our first date in the comfort of our own apartment - Thai Chicken Enchiladas.

These babies are amazing! They include all of the amazing flavors you find in Pad Thai and Thai Curry in the style of a classic enchilada. Yum, yum, yum. I am already thinking about when we will make them again. Test these out!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then heat a large skillet over medium heat and add canola oil. Throw in onions, cabbage, carrots, garlic and 1/4/ teaspoon salt, stirring to mix. Let cook until vegetables are soft (about 6-8 minutes) stirring occasionally.

Add in chicken, green onions, peanuts, cilantro, remaining salt and pepper, tossing to coat, and let cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add in 3/4 cup coconut milk and 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce, mixing thoroughly to combine.

Turn off heat. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk together remaining coconut milk and sweet chili sauce. Pour about 1/2 a cup or so on the bottom of the dish.

Slightly warm tortillas if desired to make them more pliable, then place a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in each, rolling up tightly and placing in the dish. Cover with remaining coconut milk and chili sauce mix.

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and top with additional peanuts and cilantro.

Enjoy!

 Right now Recipage is experiencing technical difficulties, but it should be back to normal shortly. Once it is, find this and other delicious recipes on my What's Cookin' Page. If you absolutely cannot wait to enjoy this dish, email me and I will get you the recipe.

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You Grow Girl

Forever XXI Blazer/ Calvin Klein Dress from Burlington Coat Factory (similar)/ Joan & David Shoes from DSW (similar)/ Etsy Pearl Necklace/ Similar Blue Belt (can't remember)

Hello my friends! How are you all today? Do you like the beautiful plants I took a photo with this morning? I planned that especially for you.

Ok, you caught me. I didn't, but I do think they complement today's outfit nicely.

The owners of the apartment building Jesse and I live in have been planning a garden behind our apartment for several years. Yes, you read that right. Years.

At first it was just a patch of land with lots of overgrown vines. It was then cleared and became a patch of dirt and mulch. Then it sat and began growing weeds. Now it is back to a patch of dirt with bags of potting soil on top of it. I expect the next step is to plant these babies in the patch of dirt using the bags of soil (I know, I know, I should have become a detective!).

Anyhow, it was nice being able to add a bit of color to this morning's photo. Maybe I should try to color coordinate more often, but who knows what I could come up with.

Hope you all have a lovely Wednesday!

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Working Girl

Forever XXI Flower/ United Colors of Benetton Dress (similar)/ Target Belt (similar)/ Nine West Shoes from DSW (similar)

I took piano lessons beginning in second grade all the way through my senior year of high school. Overall, I actually enjoyed taking piano, not because of the music I had to learn, or the recitals I had to play in, but because at the end of every lesson, my teacher let me choose three stickers out of her sticker collection. Yes, I enjoyed this even when I turned 17 - just think about how many stickers I collected in 10 years. I had enough to help me fill up my sticker books and fully cover my TI-81 calculator.

Anyhow, this past weekend I decided to open the now very out of tune piano in my parents' house and some old sheet music to see if I still had it.

I obviously had been a bit too preoccupied by the stickers because every song I played sounded terrible, until I broke out the song book containing various hits of the past by Bette Midler, Whitney Houston, Genesis, and Carly Simon (go figure). I found Let the River Run (sung by Carly Simon, and the theme song of the one of the greatest 80s movies ever, Working Girl) and after a few minutes, I almost got through the first half of the song without any mistakes. Go me!

All of that has nothing to do with today's outfit, but when I began thinking about what to title today's post about this outfit for work, that song made its way back into my head. Aren't I a dead-ringer for Melanie Griffith minus the shoulder pads?

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Bubble, Pop, Electric

Old Navy Trench/ Ann Taylor Blouse (similar)/ J.Crew Factory Skirt/ Nine West Shoes from DSW (similar)

Happy Monday Friends! Hope you all had amazing weekend and if not, this outfit helps brighten your day.

This cropped trench is by far, one of my best purchases of the year, meeting all of my requirements for purchase - on sale, yellow, good fit, fun, works well with other articles of clothing in my wardrobe. Worn along with a pop of pink and polka dots, I dare you not to smile.

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Friday Favorites: Friday the 13th Edition

Ok, so there's not actually anything Friday the 13th-related included in this post, but I thought I would highlight the date anyhow since we only get a few each year.

Hope you enjoy my favorites from the week and that you all have a great weekend!

Despite the fact that I am lactose intolerant (TMI?) this was my favorite dessert recipe discovery of the week - Tres Leches Cupcakes from How Sweet It Is. Yum, yum, yum!

My favorite savory recipe discovery of the week also goes to How Sweet It Is for her Thai Chicken Enchiladas. I love when the best of several worlds come together into one delightful meal. I can't wait to test this out in the next few weeks!

Here are a few of my favorite styles of the week.

Speaking of mint...oh, we weren't? Well anyhow, the last outfit above leads to my favorite color of the week, and of the season - mint green. It's everywhere! (and if someone can recommend a pair of minty green pants to me, I will be forever grateful).

Next, favorite... It all starts with a favorite pair of pink shoes...

Then, next thing you know I will own a favorite pink tractor. How awesome is this?

My favorite crafty idea goes to this much lovelier take on Screen on the Green. Sorry, but the National Mall's got nothing on this.

This is my favorite future destination of the week. Wherever this is in Texas' Hidden Hill Country, I want to be there, relaxing with my family and friends in my kayak.

 
This is my favorite quote of the week. I am going to keep this in mind every time I am tempted to purchase something at J.Crew when I want to eventually own a house :-).

My favorite song to run to this week is Wild Ones by Flo Rida, featuring Sia. It's super catchy and it's a great song to listen to as motivation to finish the last mile of a long training run.


Ok, I lied before. I have just one Friday the 13th favorite. My favorite "scary" photo of the week goes to Tony Romo, Candice Crawford and their new son Hawkins (thanks Laura M.). It's not Hawkins' fault, but that look frightens me a bit.

Happy Friday everybody!

XO

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2012 North Face Endurance Challenge - Washington, DC

Hey all you runners out there. Check out my new post over at Messy Jess C: Personal Training to learn more about the 2012 Washington, DC North Face Endurance Challenge.

You can also now follow Messy Jess C: Personal Training by using one of the tools on the right hand side of the Messy Jess C: Personal Training page.

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10,000 Maniacs

Scarf purchased at the Nashville Airport when I was looking for something to keep me warm (similar)/ J.Crew Dress (similar)/ Nine West Shoes from DSW (similar)

This morning I woke up thinking it was Wednesday, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it is, in fact, Thursday.

It is also beginning to warm up again which is a good thing because, like my hair and precipitation, cold and I don't mix well.

Finally, because of you all, Messy Jess C. has been viewed over 10,000 times in just four months. I can't thank you enough for taking time out of your day to read about mine. It means the world to me. I hope you will stick around for 20,000 views and beyond (you can do that by clicking on any one of the 20 buttons on the right side of this page to follow along and receive updates :-)).

Hope you all have a happy Thursday filled with fun surprises also!

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