Did everyone have a great weekend? It’s getting unbearably hot at Texas, so we mostly did indoor activities. I was able to re-organize my closet and that was a huge task, a fantastic one that still makes me smile from ear to ear! The whole project took less than $50, my little girl was especially excited about my new cork board accessory display, so we made her one also. The funny thing is she has more accessories than I, this means either we shop too much for her, or I need to shop more for myself! 🙂
Here is a peek at one corner of my closet:
OK enough about my closet, it’s time to talk about food. Since it’s Monday, and truly a long one, I decided to cook a “One Dish Meal” for dinner. This really is simple to make, and quite a crowd pleaser. We can pay up to $12 per order for stir fried flat noodles in a decent Chinese restaurant, to make this at home, you can pretty much just throw any available meat and vegi in, pour in the sauce and Voila, dinner is served!
Ingredients:
1 packet of pre-sliced flat rice noodle, separated
2 shallots, or 1 small onion, chopped
1 bunch of baby bok choy, washed and cut into bite size
1/2 pound of shabu shabu beef slices (marinate with 1/2 tbsp of low sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp corn starch, 1tsp oil), set aside
2 tbsp chicken stock
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 handful of bean sprouts, cleaned
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 stalk green onion, chopped and reserve for garnish
Sauce:
3 Tbsp. Black Bean Garlic Sauce
1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. sugar
Method:
1. In a wok, heat up some oil. toss in garlic, shallots, stir until fragrant. Add in sliced beef, stir fry quickly until no longer pink, take them out of the wok and set aside.
2. Toss in bok choy. Stir-fry until veggies are cooked. pour the separated noodles into the wok, add chicken stock, stir fry until hot. Add the beef back into the wok, mix well with noodles and vegi.
3. Pour the sauce into the wok, stir fry until everything’s coated evenly, toss in the bean sprouts last, stir fry a little, serve hot into individual bowls. Sprinkle some green onions on top for garnish. Enjoy!
Weeknite Meals 
I love that board idea to hang the accessories. Saves space and they don’t get tangled 🙂 Also the recipe looks appetizing. and you added garlic sauce.. my fav garlic 🙂
The cork board idea is pretty awesome, I’ve been reading up home organization/decorating blogs along with all the food blogs, people can be so creative with limited budget!
Yes to garlic!
Jeno, your noodles look lovely. Home-made noodles are not only cheaper, but always 100x better and healthier than the takeaway (even if made by a European home cook 😉 )
The cork board is definitely something I should get!
I never cook bok choy. I should try it one day! It’s available here in every Asian shop.
Thank you Sissi! The noodles were so easy and fast to fix, I should think up more 1 dish meals! You are right, it certainly is healthier to cook at home, though we eat out every weekend to give me a break…
I have been looking up home decorating/organizing blogs, and people come up with the best ideas on a limited budget! Also Real Simple magazine is the bomb, I am so impressed with how they reinvent everyday items for other usage.
Have a good day!
Ohhhh now the picture was here. I was going to ask you to show some pictures of your lcoset on FB but then I thought I’m intruding your home… hhehee.. um just one photo only? LOL just kidding. I can’t wait to de-clatterer my closet. I love the black bean garlic sauce! I haven’t used the flat noodle in my kitchen (only eat in restaurant) but this particular sauce goes really well with flat noodle. Could be mental but it’s true to me! Looks delicious! I used to order Real Simple but no time to read…
Hahahah Nami you crack me up! Yes I am only showing 1 photo, the other side is less organized looking, I need to color coordinate or re-hang clothes up by season, it’s a work in progress!
I LOVE Real Simple magazine, tho it’s kinda expensive to subscribe, so I just read them in the book store (I know I sound so cheap!)… : )
Aww, you have a closet you can walk into? 😀
I’ve never tried black bean sauce so far, but I’ve been sneaking around it … 😉
Yup, walk in closets are the bomb! We’ve lived in this house for almost 10 years, I am just now getting better with house keeping… The closet still makes me smile, I am looking for a pretty tray to sit on top of the card board cabinets so I can display cute container or something like that…
Hi Jeno! I love your cork board accessory display idea and it’s so neat! 😀
I’ve lots of accessories too but seldom wear them bcoz I’m so lazy to keep changing so they’re always ‘sleeping’ in those small lil boxes.. lol 😛
I love flat noodles, esp. stir-fried ones! I love trying out your dishes bcoz they’re always so simple & easy to cook w/o much hassle! 🙂
Btw, I cooked your ‘Herb & Lime Pan Fried Fish’ the other day and it was so delicious! My mom loves it! 😀
Oh Yay! I am so glad the herb and lime fish worked out, it was one of those surprising dishes I thought for sure would not be that tasty, but the family fought over who gets the last piece!
I don’t have many accessories, the ones hanging on the cork board are all I’ve got, and even then I don’t usually wear them, don’t know whether it’s out of laziness or not really know how to accessorize, I’ve been looking up stylist’s blogs and trying to get more inspirations, hopefully the accessories will be put to good use soon!
Hi Jeno! I’m so sorry for my super late reply. 😦
Now I’m trying my best to hurry finish all the posts that I’m going to write and hopefully I’m able to post out your Herb & Lime Fish! 😀
I’ve got so many earrings but I’m just too lazy to change and as for other accessories, I don’t really know how to mix & match them to look nicer so just forget it! lol
Actually the main biggest reason is whenever I’ve got the mood to really dress up, my hubby will just spoilt my mood by saying: “Why do you need to dress up? We’re not going to any special functions or anything, it’s just a small gathering at the pub with few friends.” So from then on, I’ll just have VERY casual wear of a top and denim shorts everywhere we go! Then some times he’ll ask me ” Aren’t you going to change?” I’ll tell him anyway we aren’t attending any special functions right?? lol
Oh hahahaha, one of my friend’s husband does that to her also, but she has decided why waste a closet full of nice clothes. So now a days no matter what he says, she will dress to please herself, and he’s gotten so used to taking out a beautiful wife, there are no more complains. My husband doesn’t make comments about how I dress, so on Friday and Saturday nights when we go out to eat, I would try to take a little more time to look nice. Rest of the time? I look terrible but no complains either. haha!
Awww! How nice if my husband is the same! I really has got SOO many clothes, shoes, bags etc all sleeping in my closet & shoe boxes! Yet he still complains about my closet full of clothes that I can open a boutique! lol
This is the difference between a working mom and a SAHM… you get to (Need to) dress up when you work while I’m always staying at home, don’t really have to/need to dress up… hahaha
Maybe I should try your friend’s method to get no more complains huh! lol
Lyn, I actually work from my home office, rarely do i need to leave the house, so most of the time I am very casual or in workout clothes to motivate myself to get on the treadmill. Yes, try my friend’s method, then your husband won’t have to complain about your beautiful clothes and shoes not being utilized on a regular basis, and you will will feel good taking care of your inner princess!
Oh really!? I thought you need to go office.
Alright I shall try that! hahaha 😀
I need to organize mine too…and I have a problem with my daughter’s stuff too! With boys not too much bit me and her have just for us one large walk in closet and it is full…Love the cork board idea, very cool!
Finally to get to the food section LOL! That meal sound so good, and look very delicious! I made yesterday some chicken and fried rice with veggies but got to try this one..i cannot get enough of stir fry, I think that is my fave way to cook since we have so many options and cook very fast. This weather is driving me bananas, with 108F fast prepared meals are all that I can look forward to:)
Thanks for sharing and have a lovely weekend!
Hi Sandra! The cork board accessory organizer has been working out pretty well, it’s no longer a chore trying to find the right necklace or earrings to go with our outfits!
Fried rice with chicken sounds good, I know what you mean about trying to cook quickly in the hot weather. Stir fry seems to not heat up the house as badly as starting up the oven. I am not that great of a baker anyway, and most of the dishes I try are stove related, so it hasn’t bee that bad. Hope you have a cooler weekend, it’s going to rain here and there, which means humid but hopefully not above 100 degree temperature, too bad for the mosquitoes that are surely going to develop after the rain!