Sort-Of-Thai Noodles

This recipe comes from Ruth Reichl's novel Garlic and Sapphires. Check it out, if you're a foodie that is. It is a story about a food critic and is peppered with recipes throughout. The two that we've tried have quickly become favorites in our house. Enjoy!


Yield: 4 servings

1/2 lb. rice noodles (rice sticks)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 TBSP peanut oil
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. ground pork or turkey
4 scallions, sliced into 1/2-inch lengths (including about half of green parts)
2 eggs
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
Fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Soak the noodles in hot water (I brought mine to a near boil) to cover for 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar together and set aside.
3. Heat oil in wok till smoking. Saute the shrimp just until they start to change color, about 1 minute. Remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Add garlic, then the pork and half the scallions. Saute just until the pork loses its redness, then add the drained noodles and mix quickly. Add the reserved fish sauce mixture, reduce heat to medium and cook until the noodles have absorbed all the liquid, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Move the noodles to one side and crack one egg into the wok, breaking the yolk. Tilt the wok so you get as thin a sheet of egg as possible, and scramble just until set. Then mix the egg into the noodles. Repeat with the second egg.
6. Add the shrimp, remaining scallions and red pepper flakes and mix thoroughly. Add the lime juice and cook, stirring for another minute.
7. Transfer noodles to a serving plate or individual bowls, sprinkle with some of the peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, remaining peanuts and chili sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Shrimp with Basil and Tomatoes

Ok, so you are getting a double whammy from me today, since I have a day off to catch up on things. This recipe was so easy to make, and it was very healthy as it does not call for a lot of oil or any butter at all (of course, you can add some if you like :) This was another great dish I found on Shine by Yahoo.

ingredients

* 12 ounces fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
* 1 tablespoon cooking oil
* 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups chopped, plum or common tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
* 1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta, cooked and drained
* 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
* Fresh basil leaves (optional)

directions

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Set aside.
2. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry onion and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from the wok.
3. Add shrimp to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque.
4. Return onion mixture to the wok. Add tomatoes, basil, capers (if desired), salt, and pepper. Stir all ingredients together. Cook and stir for 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Pork Marsala

I tried this for the first time last week and thought it was too awesome not to share, mostly because it is SO easy. I got the receipe off of Shine by Yahoo. They have a lot of great quick meal ideas on their website.

ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, quartered, halved, or sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 4 teaspoons margarine or butter
• 8 ounces medium slices pork tenderloins
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup dry Marsala or dry sherry
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

directions

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook mushrooms and green onion in 2 teaspoons of the hot margarine or butter for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cut veal into 2 serving-size pieces. Place one piece of veal or one chicken breast between 2 sheets of clear plastic wrap. Working from center to edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining veal or chicken.
3. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. In the same skillet cook veal or chicken in the remaining hot margarine or butter over medium-high heat about 1 minute on each side or until light brown. Transfer to warm dinner plates; keep warm.
4. Add Marsala or sherry and chicken broth to drippings in skillet. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Return mushroom mixture to skillet; add parsley. Heat through.
5. To serve, spoon the mushroom mixture over meat. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings

I also made sliced potatoes and cooked them over medium heat with a little bit of butter for about 15 minutes. I used a vegetable mix for the other side. It was super tasty!