March 13: Oriental Noodle Salad

1 pound Yaki Soba noodles
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. Thai peanut sauce (You can get this in the Asian food section of your local supermarket)
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup water
1 red bell pepper, julienned

Combine vinegar, sauces, sugar and water in salad dressing container and shake well until combined. Toss with noodles and pepper until well coated. Saute noodles in 1 Tbs. canola oil plus 1 tsp. sesame oil over medium high heat. Cook about ten minutes until noodles have fully absorbed the marinade. Place in salad bowl and chill in refrigerator until cold, 3 hours. Top with 2 Tbs. sesame seeds and 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Serves 8-10

Conversation starter: What movie have you seen that best describes your life?

January 2: Happy, Angry Chicken

(My sincerest apologies to the chicken above. She's actually a laying hen and won't meet her demise.)

This is one of our family favorites. You can substitute a fleshy white fish (like halibut) or pork tenderloin, or even scallops.

Rice hint: the proportion is typically 1 to 2. 1 part rice to two parts water. Bring to a boil, place a lid on the conglomeration, then let it sit on the lowest setting for 20 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (aka Happy, Angry Chicken)

1 Tbs. Cornstarch

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbs. Soy sauce

3 Tbs. Ketchup

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup chicken broth

Combine above ingredients in a lidded jar and shake until combined. Set aside.

1 red onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp. Sesame oil

2 Tsp. Canola oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into one inch cubes

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

¾ cup sugar snap peas

½ cup chopped carrots

In wok, or non stick skillet, sauté onions and garlic on medium high heat in oils until onions are transparent. Add chicken, peppers, peas and carrots and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add sauce to mixture and cook through until sauce thickens, about two minutes. Serve with sticky rice. Serves 4.

Conversation Starter: Describe a time when you were "chicken" about something. Did you overcome your fear? How?