Soooo… big news around these parts. I’ve been cooking. And baking. And using my oven and stuff. I pretty much took a fairly lengthy hiatus from all things involving the kitchen appliances after each baby and really challenged that whole, “man cannot live by bread alone,” theory. Okay. Not really. I mean, we had more than the typical jail eats but nothing fancy was coming out of my kitchen. And then, wellllll… over the last year I pretty much just ate whatever showed up on my doorstep or in my fridge {which was so freaking amazing, people. Like so amazing. Like ridiculously incredibly amazing. Does that accurately cover how amazing it was? I hope so}.
Part of taking care of my body post-cancer is knowing what’s in my food. And while I was good about what I put in my body prior to cancer inhabiting my mounds, I think I am getting even better at fueling my body now and including the kids in the process.
So. We’ve been cooking more. See, the hubs realllllly likes to cook. And I sorta was over it with the kids because they basically gag every time they sit down at the table. It’s like the chair actually triggers their reflex. So I was pretty much gone fishin’ on the food front. So I just let the hubs cook because he likes to. But when he gets home after a day, it pushes dinner back to start the process after the 5:00 whistle blows. But for awhile, if it were up to me, we would have eaten pb and j every night. Also, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches always remind me of this guy in my high school who would bring bags and bags of pb and j to school each day because he was super athletic and apparently pb and j is the thing for athletes. Anyhoo. Back to the point.
I’ve been COOKING. I know. Not a big deal to you people who have been the cooks all along. But if it wasn’t a salad or spaghetti or tacos, I pretty much wasn’t the one prepping it over the last two years. But the thing is, I really like it. Like, not like Martha Stewart likes cooking. But I’m trying. And wearing an apron I’ve had for a decade. And looking for new things to try. And that’s really all one can ask for, right?
And last night, I made up a little Asian-inspired dish to delight the tastebuds {okay. That might be strong. But the hubs and I liked it. And the kids didn’t gag. And the baby slurped up the noodles like it was his job}. So, I thought I’d share my cheater chinese takeout if you, too, are one who likes to cook. If not, I can supply the number of a very good takeout option. It’s still way better than what I made but at least when you make it at home, you know exactly what’s in it. And, you get the joy of dealing with raw meat. And really there’s nothing better {gag me with a spoon}.
Peanut Butter {and no jelly} Chicken
Ingredients:
3/4 cup of peanut butter {divided}
1/2 cup of soy sauce {divided}
1/3 cup of sesame oil
1/8 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup of siracha {divided}
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
Stirfry veggies {I bought the pre-sliced one at the store because SANITY. It was carrots, pea pods, onions, red pepper, and mushrooms}
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/2 package thin rice noodles
Directions:
POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF WINE. PUT ON YOUR APRON. AND SOME GOOD TUNES. SET THE MOOD, MAMA. In a large pan, stir together 1/2 cup of the peanut butter, 1/4 cup soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut oil, 1/4 cup of siracha {more or less depending on how spiccccccy you like to get}, garlic, and ginger on medium heat until mixed well and bubbling a bit. In a separate saucepan, boil water for your noodles. Once water is boiling, add noodles according to directions. Once noodles are done, take off of burner and strain in colander.
Add in raw chicken cubes to the sauce mixture and turn heat to low, coating chicken with the sauce. Go break up a fight that your children are having over one looking at the other and come back and take a drink of wine. Once chicken is cooked to your liking {assuming it isn’t overcooked after you have refereed three fights and drank your first glass of wine}, add in the stirfry veggies. Cook on low for 7-10 minutes or until veggies are cooked the way you like them {or the way your kids won’t throw them up}. In the other saucepan, add the rest of the siracha, peanut butter, and soy sauce and stir sauce on medium heat. Reduce heat as it bubbles. Add noodles back to pan and coat.
Pour more wine.
Drink wine as you stir the chicken and veggies. Once all is ready, plate a heap of noodles under a scoop of the chicken and veggies. Serve with store bought egg rolls or fry your own wontons {but really. You don’t have to be an overachiever}. Drink the rest of your second glass and pour another for dinner. Call for dinnertime and prepare yourself for the fight that occurs each night as your children fight over washing their hands. Sit down at table and put ear plugs in and ignore whatever your children are saying about the dinner during no thank you bites. And when in doubt, just sip your wine. It’s alllll good.
I mean. I’m no chef. This isn’t making it on the cooking channel anytime soon. But it was easy peasy and I used what I had around to make the sauce. Also, the pre-cut veggie pack — it’s just easier at this stage. So I do it. Because you have to decide what you’re willing to pay for in order to have sanity. Right?
So, if you like peanut butter chicken when you dine out, try this one in. And just tell your kids it’s basically like a pb and j. Sort of.
Happy chowing!
