Korean-Style Noodle Bowls

Yesterday was an exciting day in the land of All Things Ferguson.  Not only was it my 100th post, which due to exhaustion of recent sleepness nights thanks to 3 of my 4 little Ferguson’s, I was only semi-excited about, BUT I also had my largest blog day EVER. 

EVER!!!!!!

  Funny how God works, because yesterday’s sleep-deprived post, just happened to be the post that over 2,000 people came to read. 2,040 visitors as of 9:30 pm last night to be exact! I have never hit over 300 before now, which is great by me, but really Lord, did it HAVE to be that post that the multitudes visited?  

  Oh well, I’ll take it, and count it for the blessing it is. I can see by the numbers, they stuck around on the site long enough to read the About Me and About Us pages, as well as 4 little Ferguson’s, 4 Big Miracles.  Besides, here’s the low-down about this subject….

  This blog is a peek in my world.  And like true life, sometimes it’s happy, sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s funny, and sometimes it’s exhausted and uninspired.  Sometimes exciting things are happening, and sometimes I do nothing but laundry all day long.  These post can’t always be amazing, and I am ok with that.  I blog for me, for my kids. I aspire to print off the entire blog one day, bind it and give it to them.  What a fun way to remember all the great things they did and said! 

  So why all the extra traffic you ask?  Well, it was due to the fact, that one of my recipes was featured on Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen step-by-step food blog, by my TK friend of Eat, Live, Run, a blog I frequent thanks to her yummy recipes & beautiful food photos.  Now THAT is a way to celebrate 100 posts, it made my day! Thanks Jenna!!!!  🙂

  So, on to the recipe you clicked on here to see.  Oh man, was this ever GOOD! I am talking like, P.F. Chang’s good!  This is based off a great recipe my friend, Sarah sent me!! (Thank you, Sarah!)

(click on title to print)

Salt and pepper

1 box (13.25 oz) whole wheat spaghetti

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 large cloves garlic, pressed                                                                                                      

1/2 c tamari or soy sauce

6 T honey

4 T tomato paste

4 T rice vinegar

2 T sesame oil

1 t Sriracha hot sauce (do 2 t. if you like heat)

[found in the ethnic section of your local grocery store, it’s Dale’s FAVORITE hot sauce]

2 T oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken meat, cubed

1/2 bag cole slaw mix

½ red pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced mushrooms, sautéed in butter                                                                    

1/2 cup chopped carrots                                                                                                                  

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

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

Combine in a small pot, a splash of water, the ginger, garlic, tamari, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, sesame oil and hot sauce whisking until smooth and heated.  Pour sauce over noodles and keep warm.

Get all of the remaining ingredients ready for a quick stir-fry. 

  In an oversized skillet, saute mushrooms in 2 T butter, remove from pan.  Add 2 T oil, and heat over high heat.  Add the chicken cubes and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes.  Add the cabbage, carrots and bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the green onions and toss for 1 minute.  Add back in the mushrooms and empty skillet contents over noodles and top with sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

  Take a bite, and marvel at your fantastic creation! Pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming…..

Yup, you just made something THAT delicious!

For dessert I made CHEESECAKE BARS. [Read that:What I had for dessert, after the kids went to bed, while watching the Bachelor, was a delicious Cheesecake Bar.]  

YUMMY!  

  The dessert that is, you didn’t think I meant Bachelor Brad, did you?!

Scandalous!   

  I found this recipe here on The Country Cooks blog.  I love her site, she has great recipes! 

   Now don’t get me wrong, I love No Bake Cheesecake like nobody’s business, but sometimes you just need the texture of a baked cheesecake!  You know, the kind you make in a springform pan. 

  Alas, I have no such pan, so I was very happy to find this baked version I could make in my 8 x 11 baking dish. (Brandie used a lined 8×8, which I also do not own.) Oh, and I was a rebel and did not line my dish as directed, just lightly sprayed it.

  My favorite part was how much crust there was!  Look!  It’s as thick as the cream cheese part and just plain FANTASTIC! 

  I used the canned cherries I had on hand, because I was too lazy to thaw the Blackberries we have in our freezer from last year’s Blackberry patch.  Maybe next time?  And YES, there will be a next time!!

  Go on, make these recipes for supper tonight, you know you want to! 

 And go buy the Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil, and Sriracha, don’t try to substitute, you’ll be sorry you did!  It’s SO worth getting them, and I know you’ll use them again.  Especially if you make Pioneer Woman’s Simple Sesame Noodles sometime, a GREAT side dish for a Chinese night, with Sweet  Sour Chicken and your favorite stir-fried veggies.

  And if your husband loves hot stuff like mine does, he’ll be putting Sriracha on EVERYTHING!

According to the back of the bottle:  “It is excellent in soups, sauces, pastas, pizzas, hot dogs, hamburgers, chow mein or on anything else to give it a delicious, spicy taste.” 

  I swear the only thing Dale hasn’t tried it on is ice cream………yet!

Happy Cooking!

~T  🙂