Spicy Thai Noodles 01.28.2013

Oh boy it’s been a long time since I’ve written.  It’s the usual pile of excuses (work, kids, catching up on two seasons of “Homeland”…) and as usual, lots of good eating, cooking, and conversation has gone by without documentation.  And I wasn’t nutty enough to make a ridiculous New Year’s resolution about writing at least once a week or some such thing.  Not going to happen.  I know my life, I know my limits.   Which is why I’ve decided to make a late January resolution to write at least once a week.  Quit looking at me like that.  Just wish me luck.

Okay, on to some good food!

During the fall I was perusing Pinterest – you know, the time suck that is completely, extremely glorious? – and pinned a recipe for Spicy Thai Noodles. Every word of that recipe title appeals to me.  I’ve now made it numerous times and have modified the original recipe, which is really good as it is; I added more of some ingredients and one new ingredient.  I’ve also read about people adding chicken, but this is just so good without any meat.   Also, this is good hot or cold.  

Warning:  if you don’t like heat, cut back on the crushed red pepper.

Make it and I dare you not to love it!  Happy eating!

Spicy Thai Noodles

Ingredients

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

2 tbsp crushed red pepper

¼ cup vegetable or peanut oil

½ cup roasted sesame oil

6 tbsp soy sauce

8 tbsp honey

1 pound thin spaghetti or lo mein noodles

1 bunch chopped cilantro

1 cup shredded carrots

1 bunch chopped green onions

¾ cup crushed peanuts

1.  Boil a pot of water for the noodles and cook until ready.  Eric recently made this recipe with lo mein noodles and it was fantastic.  And while the noodles are doing what noodles do….

2.  In a small cast iron pan (or whatever you have on hand), roast the sesame seeds on high heat until the white seeds start turning brown.  Put aside.  The original recipe does not call for sesame seeds, but Eric added black and white sesame seeds, it was delicious, and now I must include it every time I make this recipe.

3.  In the same pan, roast the crushed red pepper for a minute or so and then add the vegetable/peanut and sesame oils and cook for two minutes.  Let it foam for a few seconds and turn off the heat.  Keep this mixture sitting until ready to pour over pasta.

4.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey and soy sauce.  Just before the noodles are ready, strain the pepper and oil mixture in to the honey and soy sauce mixture.  Pour the liquid mixture over the drained noodles.

5.  Scatter the sesame seeds over the noodles; combine.  

6.  Do the same with the carrots, cilantro, green onions, and crushed peanuts.  I’ve greatly increased the amount of cilantro due to the fact that my love for cilantro knows no bounds.  None.  Not a single bound.

6.  Eat!

Now…about “Homeland”... I’m a little late to the game but all caught up and the fact that season three does not start until September 29, 2013 is making my left eye twitch. WHO CAN WAIT THAT LONG?!?  Ugh.   

Did Brody do it? I do not know.  And not knowing is torture.

Hurricane Sandy is Here and We Have What It Takes to Make a Dirty Martini 10.28.2012

The soup aisle pre-Hurricane Sandy of our local grocery -- empty!

We are hunkering down for Hurricane Sandy!  I love saying that:  hunkering down.  You hunker down when there is impending doom, but before a weather-related doom arrives, you gather food and drink, and get organized.  It is Sunday night, Hurricane Sandy is approaching our way and we have no idea what the clash of three weather systems is going to do in our neck of the woods, but we are stocked and as ready as we’re going to be. 

So, in preparation for Sandy, we are charging all electronic devices, have batteries and candles, and anything else that needs to be done to ensure our safety is done.  And food.  Let’s not forget about food!  Whenever I’ve had to hunker down in my life, there are some staples I simply cannot do without.  So, what’s really important food-wise before destruction strikes?  Here are my thoughts and recommendations:

Go to the Store.  If you don’t do this, you will miss out on the mass panic that ensues as soon as TV weather people start showing maps of swirling clouds.  Everyone is at the grocery store grabbing what cannot be lived without or whatever is left.  People aren’t choosy because they just want to freaking survive.  I’m staying choosy but that’s just me.  BTW:  I noticed the horrible scented candles at our local grocery were gone.  That is the level of panic we’re dealing with.

Think Long Term.  We live in a neighborhood that is constantly losing power and with a spectacle like Sandy, we must have meal plans that extend beyond the next day.  Tonight I’m whipping up huge batches of chili, chicken curry, lentil soup, and spicy Thai noodles, and freezing everything except the noodles.  We have a gas stove so we’ll be able to heat food if the power is out and – most important of all – not bother with cooking for the rest of the week.  As they say on Wall Street:  net net.  Or in consulting.  Can’t remember.  

Don’t Settle for Bad Booze.  It is imperative that you do not get crap wine or subpar vodka.  Remember after 9/11 when there were alerts and panics that drove people to buy loads of milk and duct tape?  I bought six bottles of Pol Roger, my favorite champagne.  If we were going to be Under Attack and Possibly Die, why the hell would I drink milk? For Hurricane Sandy, we stocked up on red wine (mostly Spanish), vodka, two kinds of gin (dirty martinis are my new favorite drink), and single malt Scotch (The Glenrothes Select Reserve).  For the kids, their favorite orange juice and San Pellegrino.  Yeah, my kids are fancy with their water.

Coffee and Other Warm Beverages.  Sitting down with a warm beverage is comforting ritual for me.  So getting caught in the Path of Destruction without my favorite warm beverage would really, really suck.  Really.  My comforting warm beverage is green tea and I have loads of it.  My husband drinks coffee and I got an extra pound of his favorite (French Roast) and a French press.  We're not taking any chances with this crazy-ass storm.

Protection. I’m talking about condiments silly!  So, I bring this up because as I mentioned, my new favorite drink is the dirty martini.  The dirtier the better.  Can you imagine if everything was closed, we have no power, and the kids are clawing at my heels and there is no OLIVE JUICE to put in my martini?!  THE HORROR!!  Someone at some point in history said “it’s the little things” – this is what that brilliant person was talking about. 

So, let’s review:  Be safe.  Have the nourishment of food and drink at the ready.  Hunker down everyone!