#Tofu Pad Thai by Denise Swanson

My father was a farmer and because of that we always belonged to the Illinois Farm Bureau. When I got married, the best insurance around was Country Companies, which required an IFB membership so my husband and I joined and remain members to this today.

The Bureau sends a monthly magazine and a few months ago, it featured tofu recipes. At first, I was surprised, then I realize, duh, Illinois farmers grow soybeans, What is tofu made of? soybeans.

All of the recipes sounded great, but as my husband and I love Asian food, we tried the Pad Thai first and it was amazing!

I made a few tweaks and here is my version of the IFB's Tofu Pad Thai.

• 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
• 8 ounces flat rice noodles
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (this sounds like a lot, but it's fine)
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 egg whites, slightly beaten (I'd use the whole egg next time)
• 14 ounces (1 can) bean sprouts, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, divided
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges  

Wrap the tofu in paper towels. Place a heavy cookbook or frying pan over it and press for 15 minutes. Remove the paper towels and cut the tofu into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package’s instructions. Rinse under cold water; set aside.

In a small bowl, make the pad Thai sauce by whisking together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and hot sauce; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, garlic and bell peppers and stir-fry about 5 minutes, or until the tofu is lightly browned.

Push everything to the side of the pan. Add the remaining oil and eggs. Scramble the eggs, breaking them into small pieces with a spatula as they cook.

Add the cooked noodles, pad Thai sauce, bean sprouts and peanuts to the pan. Toss everything to combine.

Top with green onions, remaining peanuts, and lime wedges.

We like egg rolls with our Pad Thai!

OUT NOW:  A CALL TO CHARMS (FIRST IN THE FOREVER CHARMED MYSTERY SERIES)

 

AMAZON

BN

KOBO

 

Chocolate, men, and magic. Who can turn down that inheritance?

     If life had gone as she planned, Lexie Green would have been teaching English at a prestigious university, not persuading spoiled, rich women to buy overpriced clothes they didn’t need and often looked ridiculous wearing. Can you say electric yellow see-through skirts and Torn jeans with unfinished hems?    

     Still, although this isn’t the life Lexie would have chosen, all is going well. At least until Lexie is fired and her deranged ex-boyfriend tries to kidnap her.

     Deciding that it’s better to accept a mysterious inheritance from a great aunt she’s never heard of rather than end up kept in a cage as her ex’s pet poodle, Lexie packs up and heads to Kansas. So, what if she has to go by a new name and live in a town that she can’t find on a map?

     Unfortunately, once she arrives in her new hometown, everyone there seems just a tad off-kilter and Lexie’s cousin insists that the citizens are magical. At least there are a couple of hot guys hanging around for eye candy.

     Even though Lexie doesn’t believe the nonsense about her being the Ravenscraft Shield, she does believe her father was murdered—a father she never knew existed, and she investigates his death.

     Too bad, whoever killed her father, now wants Lexie dead as well.    

 

***

OUT NOW: THE NEWEST IN THE WELCOME BACK TO SCUMBLE RIVER SERIES

 

AMAZON

There's something fishy just below the surface of Scumble River...

 

School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd is getting ready to return to work from her maternity leave and hoping for a peaceful year in her job as a school psychologist. But when an elderly woman disappears on her first day back and a disgruntled parent threatens to sue the school, Skye realizes that her return will be anything but quiet.

 

When the parent suing Skye's school is found dead and with the missing woman's case is still unsolved, Skye suspects the crimes are somehow linked. With her chief of police husband, Wally, at her side, Skye dives into the investigations. But as tensions rise and Skye and Wally's suspect list lengthens, they start to wonder whether a member of their own tight-knit community could be behind it all...

The Newest Chef-to-Go

Once again, it looks like Dani Sloan will get a slice of the action...

 

In the small town of Normalton, IL, there aren't a lot of opportunities for small business owner Dani Sloan to cater big-ticket events. But that's about to change—a client named Yvette Joubert is marrying Franklin Whittaker, the richest guy around, and they want Dani to cater their engagement party! The swanky event is the perfect opportunity to put Dani on the map for wealthier clients.

 

But when a storm hits the party after guests arrive, it becomes clear that more than the dinner is ruined: Yvette is found dead beneath the marquee. Is her death a tragic accident, or a perfectly orchestrated murder? Then the case gets even juicier—it turns out that Yvette's ex-husband is Spencer Drake, Dani's almost-boyfriend, and the police start circling. Now Dani must follow an unending list of clues to save her business, her better half, and catch a criminal. Let's just hope they get their just desserts!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0861BHQLX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

 

 

 

 

 

For more information, please visit www.DeniseSwanson.com
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