by Stella Lancaster | adventures, featured guests
India? Yes!! Last year my husband applied to attend a tech conference in Mumbai and then we conveniently forgot about it as we focused on our wedding. While we were housesitting in Asheville a few weeks ago, he received an email inviting him to the conference. The kicker? They provide airfare!
Photo: Afar.com
On the way home to Charleston, we stopped in Charlotte to discuss the breaking news with my family. The conference is going on during the week of Thanksgiving. It’s my German Mom’s most FAVORITE holiday. And the first year her nest will be empty, as one brother lives in Tampa, my sister lives in LA, and my youngest brother shipped off for bootcamp two weeks ago. We all agreed this was an opportunity that we should not pass up!
We love adventure!! In fact, the “bible” for our wedding was a vintage book called I Married Adventure, by Osa Johnson. We braced ourselves for less than 6 weeks of visa applications and vigorous planning. This is our first trip backpacking! EVER!!
Photos: Afar.com
So with two weeks to go, we are still awaiting our visas. Anxious! We might have to drive to Atlanta to expedite the process. In the meantime, we’ve been busy planning. We’ve been testing backpacks, prepping our electronics, scouting accommodation, and dreaming about ELEPHANTS.
The plan? We’ll fly into Mumbai (aka Bombay) for the conference. We’ll then spend three weeks exploring southern India via Goa, Kerala down to the tip of the continent, and then back up the coast north via Pondicherry, before shooting west through Bangladore and back to Mumbai. Kissing ALL the elephants along the way.
Have you been? We need all the tips we can get!!
XOXO
-Stella
by Mandi | recipes
So, I love trying new recipes and I LOVE bang bang shrimp. I read a few recipes, and decided to take a stab at the recipes myself! This was so easy you guys and most of the ingredients you will already have at home. We added a side of frozen asian vegetables from Trader Joe’s and had a pretty amazing meal!
Ok first up is the bang bang shrimp. I call it this because it is similar to the amazing shrimp at Bonefish Grill… However, I just made a dish based on what I thought would taste amazing… and, it did!
Make At Home Bang Bang Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb peeled and cooked shrimp (I used frozen shrimp from Trader Joes)
- 3/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder (I added a little over – we love garlic)
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (you can get this at any grocery store)
- 1/4 cup Sriracha
- Dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
- Heat oil in large frying pan on your stove top to 350 degrees – (you will need enough oil to fry the shrimp).
- In a medium size bowl, mix the cornstarch and all dry ingredients
- In a second medium bowl, mix the mayo, chili sauce and Sriracha. (We added red pepper flakes to this as well to add more spice)
- Coat the shrimp with the corn starch mixture and fry shrimp for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Drain shrimp on paper towel and let cool for 5 minutes
- Coat the shrimp in the mayo/chili/sriracha mixture and serve immediately.
Next up – my take on homemade Fried Rice!
Make At Home Fried Rice
Ingredients
- Cooked Rice (I made enough for 6 servings)
- soy sauce to taste
- toasted sesame oil to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2-5 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 of a Shallot
- 1 can peas and carrots
- 1 egg
Directions
- Cook your rice beforehand. I cooked mine to be a little more dry than normal.
- Heat oil in frying pan and scramble one egg.
- Remove egg, wipe out the pan and reheat oil in frying pan and add in rice and chopped shallot. Cook for 5 minute on medium heat.
- Add butter and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in drained can of peas and carrots and scrambled egg a mix well.
- Add soy sauce to taste – I used enough to make the color look like I imagine fried rice to look!
- Add toasted sesame oil. This is one of my most favorite seasonings to cook with, but it has a VERY distinct taste! I would add and taste to see how much you would like to add.
- I let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy!
This was such an easy meal and we both LOVED it! Let me know if you try it and what you think!
by sunnyslideup | sunny slide up
To wrap up our month of birthday celebrations, we received the best news last week…. We were awarded one of The Best Lifestyle Blogs of 2013 by Carolina Style Magazine!
We are among great company and so honored to be a part of this awesome list of local Carolina bloggers! Remember In The Queen City that guest posted earlier this year here on Sunny Slide Up? She made the list too! Congrats Kseniya 🙂
Don’t forget, today is the last day to enter our local Charlotte giveaway!
