Chicken and Cashews in Lettuce Cups

I love lettuce wraps. Here's a recipe I got from my friend, Becca so Matt and I tried it out last Sunday. I love it—especially for the price, and it didn't take too long to make.

Chicken & Cashews in Lettuce Cups
Becca Fluhman

3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce (I use regular sometimes.)
3 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
Pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. grated ginger (I use powder)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced (I usually never add this.)
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup cashews (I add more)
1 small head Boston or Bibb lettuce (I use whatever I have or can find.)

Combine the soy sauce and honey in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until it browns (about 3 min.).

Lower heat to medium and stir in garlic and ginger. Add scallions and cook for 1 min. Stir in water chestnuts and half the soy sauce mixture and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 min. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cashews.

Put your mixture into your individual lettuce cups; serve with the remaining soy sauce mixture for drizzling.

Mr. Considerate

Sunday night Matt and I were stilling on opposite ends of the couch.

Me: "Why are you so far away?"
Him: "Because you take up so much space."
Me: Dirty glare
Him: Rolling with laughter
Him: "Just kidding. You really don't take up so much space—yet."

Me: "It's not funny."

Him: "Then why are you laughing so hard?"

More laughing from Mr. Considerate

Thanks. Thanks a lot, Buddy.

(It really was funny. But if I wasn't the tolerant, understanding, willing-to-put-up-with-my-husband's-teasing type of girl—I'd have busted out my kickboxing moves. And then I'd be the one with the last laugh.)

Tha Dentistht

I just got back from the dentist. My mouth is numb on both sides. Now I remember why I don't like the dentist. It's not the needles--or the drilling that make me feel like my mouth is a construction zone.

It's the numbness afterwards.

I'm sitting at work, and I really hope that nobody talks to me because this is what they'd get...

"Shorry, I justh got back from tha denthist, and ma mauthh ith numbth. Ith soundth like I have a listhp.

I actually did have a lisp when I was little.

Yeth. Ith true.

Matt in Medical School

Because I don't usually blog about what Matt's doing...

A Few Facts About Matt's Life in Medical School
(Not complaining. Not bragging. Not exaggerating. Just stating the facts, so we remember what medical school was like. Maybe we'll realize how easy we had it when Matt's in residency. Haha!...That's not really that funny, is it?)

• Matt's almost done with his second year of medical school at Des Moines University.
• This year is by far busier than his first year because he's preparing for boards—probably the most important test he'll ever take (no pressure, right?). His test results will factor heavily into what opportunities are available to him in the future.
• COMPLEX preparation courses are in full swing now. These are classes he attends on some weekends to prepare for boards.
• Most of Matt's spring break was spent studying for boards, including his birthday eve and from 8-5 on his birthday. Poor guy.
• Matt's life consists primarily of studying, eating, sleeping (sometimes), and spending a little time with me and friends.
• Matt's admitted that in all of his life, right now is the least enjoyable. He loves hanging out with me and friends, but he's sick of the never-ending studying.
• Each week he usually takes at least two exams. He spends tons of time preparing for these tests, and the night before an exam he usually studies all night.
• Matt usually doesn't study on Sundays, but this day still isn't really a break for him. Last Sunday he was gone from before 8 a.m. until around 6:30 p.m. taking care of other responsibilities.
• This past year he's been the president of the largest club at DMU, S.O.M.A. (Student Osteopathic Medical Association). In this capacity he's gone on some cool trips to Las Vegas and Washington D.C.
• He takes boards on June 26, and then we'll have an entire month of freedom before he starts his third year rotations the first of August! (I already have our calendar booked with all the cool stuff we're going to do.)
• Matt hasn't decided what type of a doctor he wants to be. He's considering a lot of things. Some of them include ER, pediatrics, oncology, internal medicine, and something else but I can't think of the name right now. He's ruled out that he doesn't want to go into surgery. I think.
• Rotations—for those not med school geek-ified—is where Matt will be spending 4 to 12(?) weeks with doctors in different specialties (i.e. general surgery, family practice, OBGYN, ER, etc.).
• Matt's looking forward to getting out of the classroom and into rotations. He'll be doing most of his rotations here in Des Moines but will probably go to outlying areas in Iowa for some of them. Maybe he'll do one in Utah next January. We've heard that the third and fourth years of school are more fun and less work, overall.
• He's going to Africa for an international rotation during his fourth year. So cool! Our friend, Nick just got back from a rotation there. Click here to read about it.
• Matt says medical school is about as hard as he thought it'd be.
• Matt and I have a deal that for his graduation present I'm giving him a trip to Hawaii (I get to go too, of course). And for Matt's gift to me, I get a kitchen table. (I got my present last month, thanks to a great deal on Craig's List. And I even share with Matt and let him sit at it, too.) The Hawaii trip probably won't happen, but we can dream, right?
• Residency is still a long way off, but Matt's mentioned that he thinks the East Coast would be a cool place to be for those years. Maybe Virginia.

Happy Birthday, Matt!

If he hadn't been born 27 years ago:

• I'd have no one to wake up and talk with when I can't sleep at night.
• I'd probably be really close to a vegetarian, but since I'm married to the ultimate carnivore--I'm not.
• I'd still be single or married to a shmuck like this:

• I'd wouldn't have a running buddy in the mornings.
• No one would serenade me with weird and corny made up songs.
• I'd have to make my own meals all the time. Ugh!
• No one would call me psycho (but cute in their own way) names like "Urn" or "Lover Buns".
• Little kids wouldn't see me and automatically go wild looking for my better half. "Where's Matt?" they always say.
• I wouldn't be as spoiled as I am. (Anything I want, Matt's okay with me getting.)
• I'd still think that a guy as amazing as Matt only existed in my dreams.

Happy birthday, Babe. Love you!

A couple funny stories about Matt:

#1
Earlier this week we were on a walk…

Matt: "Erin, let's dance in front of that video camera!" (there was one attached to a house nearby)
Erin: "Really?" (Matt's usually not the romantic, slow dance in random places type of guy.)

We got closer to the camera, and Matt busted out his wild dance moves. So funny (you had to be there to get the full affect)!

#2
Once when talking about when I'm in labor…

Matt: "You'll have to get an epidural right away so you can make sure to focus totally on me. I am going to be the most important person in the delivery room, after all."
Erin: "And how should I focus on you?"
Matt: "Just rub my hand, and make sure I'm comfortable and that I have ice chips if I want them."

I'm pretty sure he's joking. :)

#3
The other night when browsing through a Kraft magazine together…
I saw one of those quick quizzes, the ones where you answer a few questions and then you're able to figure out--in this case--what type of cook you are.

Matt: "There's no research to this! A ring tone has nothing to do with the food you eat."
(The medical student was totally coming through right then. I laughed really hard.)

Minneapolis Trip

In celebration of Spring Break/Matt's birthday/a chance to get away before the bambino/a arrives, Matt and I headed to Minneapolis for an overnighter last Friday. It was a much needed break, and I loved every minute of it! (I'm pretty sure Matt had a good time, too.) I can't remember the last time Matt and I got to spend 36 hours together straight, just the two of us. Loved it! (I'm pretty sure we won't get another chance for over 103 days—that's June 26—when Matt takes boards. But who's counting?)

We stayed at Hyatt Place in Eden Prairie, which is a few miles away from Mall of America. But the hotel was new, nice, and we got a great deal—so no complaints here.

We ate at Mexican place on Friday night, and on Saturday we hit Mall of America for a few hours. Highlights include Lego Land, the American Girl Store, the massage chairs, and getting free samples at all the chocolate shops. Yum!
Erin in Lego Land
Matt seemed a little terrified.
Matt was in heaven trying out the foot massages and massage chairs. I liked them, too. "We should get a couple of those chairs someday," Matt said as we left the store. (They're $2,000 each—and really—what would we need two for?) But the idea of never having to give Matt a massage is pretty tempting. ;)
At the American Girl Store I told Matt ALL about the books and my childhood doll, Kirsten. This store is little girl heaven! Girls can bring their doll to get its hair done, and there's even a a bistro upstairs where girls can have a meal with their dolls! So cute!

After a visit to Olive Garden, we headed home. The only bad thing about the trip was that it had to end. :(

16 Weeks

The Budah-Bump has emerged.