Molly Cookie

Korean Style Chicken or Pork Noodle Bowls

Aug 22, 2010 Uncategorized Leave a comment

When it comes to cooking, I would have to say my biggest weakness is cooking asian food. For some reason I can never really get it exactly right. Nothing ever tastes fantastic, whether it be because I can’t find a good recipe or I’m doing something terribly wrong, it just never turns out to be worth the effort. I rarely make asian food. I’m usually pretty happy sticking with Mexican or pasta dishes.

I’m always on the lookout though for good asian dishes that work. Rachel Ray led me straight to this one. Over the past few months, I’ve really started to appreciate Rachel Ray more and more. I think she has some pretty good recipes that are easy and get people cooking things they may not have tried before. I found myself recommending one of her cookbooks to a newly married friend of mine who is at a loss for where to start with cooking for her husband. Rachel has some great and simple recipes for cooks who want to learn. My mom got me a subscription to her magazine for Christmas last year and I’ve made at least one recipe every month and it’s always been great. This one was no different.

It wasn’t very spicy at all, so if you like it a little spicy I would recommend using a touch more sriracha in the sauce, but you can always add more to your bowl after you’ve served it. I added about a teaspoon to my bowl and it gave it a light kick, but improved the flavor a lot.

Korean-Style Chicken or Pork Noodle Bowls (I used chicken)
Recipe from Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine

Serves 4

Ingredients
Salt and pepper
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti (I used regular thin spaghetti. I’m sure whole wheat would be great but I used what I had at home)
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 large cloves garlic, grated
About 1/4 cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
About 3 Tablespoons honey or agave syrup
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I forgot to buy this at the store so I left it out. I didn’t miss it)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as sriracha, plus more to pass around the table
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken thigh meat, chicken breast meat, or thin-cut boneless pork chops, cut into thin strips (I used chicken thigh meat)
1/4 small cabbage, very thinly shredded
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced or chopped
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (I left these out)

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

While the pasta is working, using a blender or food processor, combine a splash of the boiling water (before you add salt), the ginger, garlic, tamari, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot sauce until smooth.

Get all of the remaining ingredients ready for a quick stir-fry. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the chicken or pork and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the scallions and ginger sauce and toss for 1 minute. Pour over drained noodles and top with the sesame seeds. Pass more hot sauce around the table.

Looking forward

Aug 5, 2010 Uncategorized Leave a comment

Can I just write today? With no recipes or pictures? Would that be alright?

Thanks.

When Brian and I were in pre-marital counseling, our pastor asked us what we “need” in life to be happy. What is it about us that makes us us as individuals. He asked us to think of three things that we need continually to be peaceful and happy in life. Three rituals or things about daily life that we could know about each other so that when the other person does that thing, then we know they are happy. Usually that kind of introspection is a little hard for me. I typically have to think about it for a while and come up with an answer later, but this was actually pretty easy for me. I came up with three things that I know I need without having to give it much thought at all.

Here are my three things:

1. I need time to write
2. I need something to look forward to
3. I need conversations with people

I’m going to talk about the middle one right now.

Up until last week, for the past few months I felt like I didn’t really have anything to look forward to. We haven’t planned any big trips, we aren’t planning on having kids anytime soon, we aren’t ready to buy a house, etc. I also felt like I didn’t have a clear direction for my career. I was starting to get really, really down about it. I felt like this blog was really the only thing that I had to look forward to doing. I really, truly did look forward to making food and taking pictures of it so I could write about it and share it with the world. This blog was my thing to look forward to, and that is a big deal. I love this blog because it did that for me. Thank you reading the past few months. I really appreciate it more than I can say.

Then, when I found out I was accepted into the Master’s program for Special Education and I’m going to school in the fall, I all of a sudden had a whole new life to look forward to. A life of helping kids like Sullivan and Cayla every day to reach their maximum potential. When I worked at the LLH as an associate teacher it was the happiest I have ever been in my life with my work. I felt like I was doing something important and that I was good at it. I was in line with God’s plan for me and I loved it. I remember when I left to go back to school a few years ago I cried and cried (during the day, all day, while the kids were there… yeah). Something about leaving that classroom felt so, so wrong, and my heart was really feeling it that day as I left.  I knew at the time that it was time to move on and do something else. After that day I pursued many different things and got on a few different paths, and I never thought that I would end up being a teacher.  It makes sense though. I every time I questioned what I wanted out of life I should have just asked myself what makes me happy, because working directly in the classroom with those kids is the happiest I have ever been. I’m glad that every time I started to question my career Brian would say, “Why don’t you just be a teacher?” Eventually I caught on.

It’s such a great feeling to have such an amazing career to look forward to. The creative ways I can teach and help the kids are endless and I can’t wait to start and see where my imagination takes me. I’m also glad that I always have this blog and food to write about, because I love food and writing about my favorite recipes. This is my favorite hobby. Thank you for taking time to share it with me.

Morgan’s Deal

Aug 4, 2010 Uncategorized Leave a comment

This is Morgan. Morgan wants to make you a deal. I promised her I’d let her tell you about it herself:

“HI!!!!! My name is Morgan and my mom says I’m the cutest thing. My mom tells everyone that when I’m big I will talk out loud and say all my thoughts. Right now I don’t talk out loud, but I run a lot everywhere I go! I like to run fast. I also give the best hugs. Everyone says my hugs are best. Sometimes kids like me and my friends are slow at some things, but we are really good at others. I’m a good runner. My school is perfect for kids like me.

I love school. I love it because there is a big gym to run fast in. I also get to have fun days like today when I get wet all over. Later my teacher will bring me inside and I’ll shiver because its colder inside and she will make me dry. Then I will sing (well, not with my voice, but with my hands I will sign) with all of my friends. My teacher taught me sign language so I can tell her what I want until I start talking with my mouth.

I’ll make you a deal. I promise I will love you forever if you vote for my school. Log onto facebook and click RIGHT HERE to vote for my school, “The Little Light House”. We are number 33 today but if we get in the top 20 we will win $500,000. My school doesn’t make my parents pay anything for me to go. They are run off donations and that’s all, so the money would help me get to keep coming to school. I love my school so please vote for it!”

Sorry, I had to let her do that. She’s been bugging me about it all day.

So I got some exciting news this weekend! I am going to be getting my Master’s in Special Education! I’m really excited about it. I love working with kids like Morgan and I think it’s going to be the perfect job for me. I start school this month and I couldn’t be happier. It’s good to have a goal and a plan, and I felt like getting accepted into the program gave me a great goal. I can’t wait to be a Special Ed teacher.

Morgan’s school is the school I used to work at as a Fundraising Coordinator and as an Associate Teacher. It’s a great school and they really could use the money, so if you haven’t voted I’m sure they would appreciate it!

Stuffed hot peppers with roasted red pepper and tomato sauce

Jul 29, 2010 Appetizers, Pastas and Sauces Leave a comment

Reader beware: consuming hot peppers with this delicious filling and sauce creates the powerful and hard to resist “addicting-spicy”. This is when something is spicy but delicious at the same time, and you are physically unable to stop eating the spicy food. Your hands simply will not stop grabbing the fork and lifting it to your mouth. The disease has not yet known to be fatal, but is sure to last until the last bite has been consumed.

Consider yourselves warned.

Peach week is over, although the peaches are not all gone. I froze some and plan to use them for something fun soon. After all the cool peach desserts, I decided it was time for something hot.

Read More..

Sweet Peach Popsicles and Sweet Peach Tea

Jul 26, 2010 Desserts, Drinks, Peaches, Snacks 5 Comments

To continue with peach week I have something to keep cool with. I had originally planned on making shortcakes with peaches and raspberries and marscapone cream, which I may still do, but I was too hot this weekend to turn on my oven. Maybe tomorrow I’ll get inspired to bake something, but yesterday I was more in the mood for something cold. Very, very cold.

I am normally never, ever, in the mood for a popsicle. Yesterday, however, I found myself flipping through the latest Bon Appetit and saw a recipe for Blackberry popsicles. They looked amazing. I wanted one, but I didn’t have blackberries. I did, however, have perfectly sweet and wonderful peaches.

Read More..