Pork and Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce
If you ask my husband what my favorite food is, he will instantly tell you anything with noodles in it! I adore noodle bowls! There are so many options, the combinations are endless! This Asian inspired Pork and Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce is sure to impress your family! Tender pork, lots of fresh crunchy veggies, soba noodles, and that awesome spicy peanut sauce make the ultimate noodle bowl! Made with mostly pantry staples and things you have in your refrigerator, it is budget conscious as well as delicious. As with many of my recipes, this one is completely flexible! Chicken or tofu are great swaps for the pork. Cucumbers, purple cabbage, and bean sprouts are great swaps for the bell pepper and carrots. You can customize this to your family’s taste! Have fun with it! Let’s get cooking! How to Make Pork and Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce Spicy Peanut Sauce Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. It will look grainy at first, then it will blend into a smooth sauce. Set aside. Noodles In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Set aside. Sauté While noodles are cooking, sauté the pork in 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. When it is nearly cooked through, add in the ginger, garlic, whites of the scallions, and Napa cabbage. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes until cabbage softens. Add Noodles and combine Turn off the heat. Add in the soba noodles and ½ of the spicy peanut sauce. Toss well to coat with the sauce. Add additional sauce as needed. Serve Divide the noodle mixture evenly between 4 bowls. Arrange the red bell pepper strips, carrots, and the green parts of the scallions in each bowl. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Drizzle additional spicy peanut sauce over the top. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze on top. Enjoy! Asian inspired Pork and Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce is sure to impress! Tender pork, lots of crunchy veggies, soba noodles, and that awesome spicy peanut sauce make the ultimate noodle bowl! You might also enjoy
Corey’s Reuben Sandwiches
There is something irresistible about a big, messy, two-handed reuben sandwich. It is an explosion of flavor and textures in your mouth! The juicy corned beef, gooey Swiss cheese and tangy sauerkraut all hugged together with a smear of Thousand Island dressing and toasty rye bread. It is HEAVENLY! My favorite version of the classic Reuben sandwich is by far, my husband’s! As soon as that hot, crispy reuben hits my plate, I’ve got it in my hands and my eyes roll back with pure pleasure in that first bite…yeah…it’s THAT GOOD! His secret for making sure you have a crispy Reuben and not a soggy one? Preparing the sandwich open-faced. This gives each side time to toast evenly and the cheese to melt perfectly. He also insists on making sure the corned beef and sauerkraut are hot before assembling this yummy goodness! I dare you to eat just one! Lol! How to Make Corey’s Reuben Sandwiches Prepare all of your ingredients. Have all ingredients ready. Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium-low heat and a medium skillet over low heat. Divide portions Divide the corned beef into 4 equal piles and place one one side of a medium skillet with a splash or two of water. Add the sauerkraut on the other side. Steam gently, turning occasionally, until hot. Warming Warming up the corned beef and sauerkraut will help melt the cheese and keep the sandwich from getting soggy. Prep the bread While the corned beef and sauerkraut are warming up, butter one side of each slice of marble rye bread. Then spread Thousand Island dressing evenly on the other side of the bread. Lay the bread butter side down on the griddle in pairs to toast. Layer it up Layer two slices of Swiss cheese and ¼ of the corned beef on one side and ¼ cup of sauerkraut on the other side. Grill until the bread is crisp and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Toast Carefully flip the sauerkraut side onto the corned beef side, pressing down slightly. Cook for an additional minute. Serve hot and crispy! Enjoy! Our favorite pub style Reubens! Stuffed with corned beef, gooey Swiss cheese and sauerkraut – you can't eat just one bite! You might also enjoy
Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
It’s that midway point in March where everyone is ready for spring to start but then we have that late winter Nor-easter. The past couple days have been cold, blustery, and snowy. With the sudden return of winter, and St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I was craving comfort food and something healthy so I raided my pantry and refrigerator and came up with my version of Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie. Easy to make, very adaptable to what you have in your fridge, and YES, healthy! If you have a cast iron skillet, this can be a one-pan meal. I chose to prep the filling in the skillet and transfer to a casserole dish. This dish reheats really well and is perfect to take for lunch! How to Make Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Preheat Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash sweet potatoes and poke several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for one hour until tender. Prep Filling While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the shepherd’s pie filling. Heat Skillet Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté the ground turkey, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. Add in the carrots, leeks, shallot, and frozen peas. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until carrots are tender. Make the Sauce Stir in the tomato paste, Worchestire sauce, chicken Better than Bouillon, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix in well. Add the fresh herbs and stir through. Turn off heat and set aside. Mash the Sweet Potatoes Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and let cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl. Mash well and add the sour cream, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend. Assemble Grease an 8×8 pan or 2.5 quart casserole with olive oil. Turn the ground turkey filling into the dish. Top with the sweet potato mash. Swirl the top with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of salt and dust with chili powder. Bake Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Want to speed up dinner? Peel and cut sweet potatoes into cubes. Steam in the microwave. Don’t Like Chopping Veggies? Substitute 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables for the carrots, leeks, and peas. Quick Chicken Flavor Use ½ cup of chicken broth instead of the water and bouillon. Substitute 2 tsp. dried herbs for the fresh (Parsley and thyme are good choices!). Meat Options Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. I used ground turkey for this recipe. Any protein would work great – feel free to use what you have available. Ground beef and plant based meat crumbles are awesome choices! Healthy comfort food that the whole family will love! Seasoned ground turkey with veggies topped with creamy roasted sweet potatoes. Easy to make ahead! You might also enjoy
Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries
I am a texture girl – I love eating foods that are crunchy, tender, and full of flavor. But I am always looking for a way to get that deep fried crunch without the added fat and oil. Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries fit the bill perfectly! Using Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese creates a light, airy, crunchy texture with tender zucchini inside. No deep frying, no turning halfway through the baking time. Just coat and bake! Using a baking rack allows the heat from the oven to evenly bake the zucchini fries without any oil! Perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or a healthy side with your meal! Pair with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy! Some of my favorites are my Spicy Mayo, Southwest Ranch Dressing, and marinara! How to Make Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easier cleanup) and a baking rack. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside. Wash and cut the zucchini into batons. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg and water together. Add the paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well. In another shallow bowl, combine the seasoned Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Place the flour in a large Ziploc bag. Take half of the zucchini fries and place them in the bag. Seal shut and shake until the zucchini is well coated. Take the zucchini fries out and dip into the egg wash, coating thoroughly, and then dredge in the Panko crumbs. Press the crumbs on to coat. Put the breaded zucchini fries on the baking rack, leaving space in between each one. You want the hot air to circulate around the fries to crisp them. If you have a lot of fries, you can divide them between two baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden and crispy. Enjoy! Air Fryer Instructions Place zucchini fries in a single layer in the air fryer. Lightly spray with non-aerosol cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes at 400°F until golden and crispy. Perfectly crisp outside and tender inside. These addictive zucchini fries bake up crisp and crunchy without any oil! Great with burgers and chicken! You might also enjoy
Buffalo Chicken Burger
About a year ago, my mother-in-law shared a recipe from her Good Housekeeping magazine that I absolutely loved! It was a healthier version of a buffalo chicken burger. I want to share it with you today – I made a few adaptations to streamline prep time so you can have it on the table in 30 minutes. Trust me – you need to try this – you will not be disappointed! A thick, juicy chicken burger, packed with flavor, is tucked into a buttery brioche roll. Then it’s topped with a spicy mayo made with buffalo wing sauce and a crunchy celery slaw. Bite after bite, it is so good!!! Serve it with a side of my Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries and a side of spicy mayo for dipping! Even my husband, who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, loves this meal! How to Make Buffalo Chicken Burgers Prepare the Spicy Mayo In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, buffalo sauce, honey and cayenne pepper. Set aside. Prepare the Celery Slaw In a medium bowl, toss the celery, onion, and parsley together. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Mix well. Fold in the feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Prepare the Buffalo burgers In a medium bowl, add the ground chicken, Buffalo sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Gently combine. Form into patties (3- ⅓ lb. patties or 4- ¼ lb. patties). Cook Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Then add the burger patties. Cook burgers until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip and brown the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through (165°F). Assemble Spread spicy mayo on the top and bottom of the buns. Slide the Buffalo burger on the bottom bun. Add the celery slaw and the top bun. Enjoy! A thick, juicy chicken burger packed with flavor is tucked into a buttery brioche roll and topped with spicy mayo and a crunchy celery slaw. Bursting with Buffalo wing flavor! You might also enjoy
Easy Basil Oil
I love when my food has bright, vibrant colors! It’s a sign of FRESH, wholesome ingredients that are good for me to eat. Easy Basil Oil is packed full of nutrients, flavor, and adds so much punch to your favorite dishes! I had a large bunch of beautiful basil on the windowsill that I needed to use and found this awesome recipe from www.skinnytaste.com! I made some small changes since I prefer sea salt. It’s so simple and quick – it was a perfect way to use my basil! Drizzle this on your favorite pasta, on your omelets, or use as a dipping sauce! Soo good! How to Make Easy Basil Oil Place basil, water, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a mini-food processor. Pulse to break down the basil and garlic. Add the olive oil and pulse until you have a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides as needed. Drizzle on your favorite pasta, omelets, or just use as a dipping oil! Easy Basil Oil is flavorsome and aromatic! Drizzle over pasta, omelets, or use a dipping oil for fresh bread!