getting ready & going home!

this weekend jordan and i are heading to vegas. i am so excited. i havent been home to vegas since the wedding. today i planned to clean the house so that when we got home we wouldnt be cleaning for 5 days. i cleaned the bathroom and it was a WRECK-i seriously should have taken before and after pictures... while cleaning the bathroom i was doing dishes that have been sitting in the sink all weekend. [we had a lot going on-not to mention i got SUPER sick on sunday night] while doing the dishes i was trying to get rid of some oil that i made dinner with earlier this week. we dont have a garbage disposal so i had to put it in the trash-i failed at that (dont ask how) and got it EVERYWHERE. i finished the dishes then attempted to clean that mess up that i made. i got it as clean as i could but i still think i feel a film and i washed it about 5 times. i got a little more organized and threw some more stuff away. wedding gifts are still cluttering me. i want to keep everything but some stuff is just in the closet collecting dust because 1-i got 7 others or 2-i just really wasnt a fan. im going to give some of it away but the other stuff is going to be donated. the house is looking pretty good but since i have been cleaning ALL day-im done..until tomorrow. until then...

here is a request per my sister in law. orange chicken. (but it really tastes like chang's spicy chicken)

whats in it:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (cleaned and cut into small cubes)
1 cups-2 cups of flour in a zip lock freezer bag
2 eggs (beaten)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
oil for frying

orange sauce:
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon of fresh ground chili paste (you can find it on the "ethnic foods" isle of most grocery stores)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

how to do it:
heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. while the oil is heating set a plate next to the oil with paper towel on top to drain the excess oil off. then prepare the chicken. combine flour, salt, and pepper in the zip lock bag. dip the pieces of chicken in the eggs, once covered place the pieces of chicken in the bag. close & shake the pieces until completely covered. if the oil is hot-CAREFULLY drop a few pieces of chicken in to cook. (dont overfill otherwise it will take forever to cook) the chicken pieces should be a lightish brown color. if you are worried that the piece is not cooked enough cut it open and check whether its still pink. i left my pieces in the oil for about 7-12 minutes depending on the size. once the chicken is complete (or if you feel risky and want to start while the chicken is frying)-start the sauce. in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, chili paste, and onion. Bring to a boil. Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken. Enjoy-its DELICIOUS!