Pad Thai

I was worried that this week would be a little hard after going home for the weekend. Sometimes the city can seem so unromantic with all the running around and stressing.....especially when you are studding how to debone and break down a chicken all day. It makes me so very queazy, all the slicing, dicing, and bone popping. I squirm just thinking about it.

Nothing much had changed since coming back. I got up, went to school, had a coffee at my local spot, went to school, smiled at the cute boy (we never talk........just smile at each other), did my work and then came home.

A couple of lovely things happened though. I dropped into work, and all the girls were so lovely to me it made Melbourne feel like home. Having some amazing friends really makes a difference.

A man walking down the hall called me 'Cinderella' and this also cheered me up a lot too. I love it that there are some cheeky boys out there, that go out on a limb to compliment and make you feel special, even when it makes them look silly.

There I always a little magic to be found, no matter how bleak and cold Melbourne can me.

Tomorrow night one of my friends is coming for dinner. I'm planning to cook up a mini feast for us. If all goes well I'll take some photo's and post up the recipes.

Tonight I made some Pad Thai. It was such a yummy treat. Its sometimes nice to know you can make your favourite take out meals at home for half the price. Here's the recipe incase you feel like an easy dinner to eat at home with a movie and some wine.

Pad Thai

You will need

• Half a pack of flat rice noodles
• One chicken breast
• One lime
• One tsp grated ginger
• Two cloves of garlic crushed
• Quarter of a stem of lemon grass sliced finely
• Three quarters a cup of coconut milk
• Two tablespoons of Peanut butter
• Two tablespoons of crushed peanuts
• Two tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
• One carrot, sliced finely
• One capsicum, sliced finely
• One handful of snow peas, sliced finely
• One button onion, sliced finely.

What to do:

1. Place a wok (or fry pan) on the stove top. Cook your sliced chicken in a little oil until its almost cooked through. Take out and set aside.
2. With some more oil in the wok sweat your onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass.
3. Add your vegetables. Stir continually. They wont take long to cook (depending on how small you cut them). You still want them to be a bit crisp so don't overcook!!
4. In a pot of boiling water cook your noodles for 3 to 4 minutes (or as it says on the pack)
5. Add peanut butter to wok with sweet chilli, lime juice, and coconut milk.
6. Through in your drained noodles and stir. Cook for five minutes, stirring all the time.
7. Plate up and sprinkle with some chopped peanuts. Yummm.