Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

     

 

This was a quick and tasty dinner.  I didn't have any rice noodles (I thought I did...oops) so I used GF spaghetti instead.  Broccoli was not in the original recipe (from Eat with Clarity) but I wanted to include a vegetable.  The recipe can be made as spicy or as mild as you want by reducing the amount of sriracha.   I used regular sesame oil since I did not have toasted sesame oil and it turned out fine.  And to make this quicker I used "jarlic" (minced garlic in a jar) and ginger from a tube.  In order to make this easier to eat with chopsticks, I completely went against my Italian heritage and broke the spaghetti in half!  You can sprinkle chopped peanuts on top but my granddaughter doesn't like small bits of peanuts (or anything else) in her food.

 

10 ounces of noodles—thin spaghetti or Thai rice noodles (not vermicelli)

3 large cloves garlic or 4-5 small, minced

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon oil

⅔ cup creamy peanut butter  

4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce  

1/3-1 cup hot water hot water  

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1-2 tablespoons sriracha  

1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets (optional)

 

Microwave broccoli if using until done to your taste.

 

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Heat one tablespoon of oil over low heat.  Add garlic and sauté until golden.  Add ginger and sauté for another minute.

Remove pan from heat and add remaining ingredients.  Use as much hot water as necessary to thin the sauce to your liking.

 

 

 

Pour sauce over cooked noodles, add broccoli if using, and toss.

 

 It's never too early to start the season...!

 

  

 

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . . 

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Shrimp and Peanut Noodles #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

This was a quick and easy dinner that everyone liked.  The only change I made was to leave out the chili garlic sauce since I didn't have any and the red pepper flakes since I thought the sriracha would make it spicy enough for those with sensitive palates.  I ate the leftovers cold for lunch and it was still good!

Ingredients

1 lb linguine noodles, spaghetti or Thai rice noodles

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

⅔ cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/2-3/4 cup hot water

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp sriracha or to taste

1 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional--to taste)

2 tsp chili garlic sauce

1 lb large, raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced then halved

Optional Toppings

1/4 cup chopped peanuts  

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup chopped cilantro 

 

Cook linguine or rice noodles according to directions. Drain and rinse.

Heat 1 TBL olive oil and saute garlic and ginger for 1 minutes.   Lower heat and add peanut butter, soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, syrup or brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and chili garlic sauce; stir and bring to a gentle simmer. 

 

Add the remaining olive oil to a pan. Once hot, add the bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes.

 

Add the shrimp to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes or until pink and cooked through and peppers are tender.

 

Add linguine to the pot, along with the peanut sauce; toss to coat and heat through for 1-2 minutes.

 

Shrimp and Broccoli with Peanut Noodles @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: Last Saturday was going to be a very busy day--including Tonka's participation in the charity Dog Wash to benefit the SPCA. He didn't enjoy the experience nearly as much as I did:)--though the dog washers couldn't have been more solicitous. 

The day would be capped off by the Final Four basketball game, featuring our beloved UConn Huskies. We were having a friend over for dinner, too, so I needed to make something nice but quick enough to finish off during halftime so I wouldn't miss a minute of the game.

I am crazy for sesame and peanut noodles, and always in search of the best recipe. My sister-in-law is famous for her noodles, which I will bring to you another day. I also love this recipe, which was adapted from one I found in Bon Appetit. Then I spotted another version in The Baker Upstairs, and I thought I could tweak it to suit my purpose, including shrimp and broccoli--fast and delicious!


8 ounces good quality pasta
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/2 - 1 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
6 green onions, chopped
chopped peanuts for garnish
fresh lime juice to taste

5-6 large shrimp per person, cleaned and marinated for an hour in 1 tsp sesame oil and a teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)

1 large stalk broccoli, trimmed and cut into small branches

To make the sauce, saute the ginger, garlic and green onions in a little olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the broth, peanut butter, hot sauce, honey, and soy sauce and stir over low heat until combined. Squeeze in 1/2 lime and taste to see if it's spicy enough for you. That can be done ahead of time.


Fifteen minutes before you plan to serve dinner, drop the pasta into boiling water. Three minutes from the end, add the broccoli to the pasta water. When broccoli and pasta are tender, drain them and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and stir to coat.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute the shrimp for 3-5 minutes until pink. Serve the shrimp next to the broccoli and pasta, and turn your attention to the big game! (The pasta should be garnished with chopped peanuts, and maybe next time I'd add some chopped cilantro too.)

MURDER WITH GANACHE, the fourth Key West mystery, is in stores now!

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