A quick and easy delicious dinner is a real find. During the pandemic, the women in my family started cooking together on zoom every few weeks. We’ve kept at it and have made some great things but more importantly we catch up, we laugh and we see each other’s smiling faces. And we eat, of course. It’s our thing. Not long ago my Aunt suggested a quick pork and noodle stir fry dish, a recipe she had ripped out of a magazine at her dentist’s office (sshhh … don’t tell.) She sent me a picture of the recipe, recommending that we double the sauce so I typed it up for everyone and sent it off. It was an overwhelming favorite – really very tasty and came together super quick with items I had in my pantry and freezer. A keeper for sure.
The picture she sent didn’t indicate the magazine but some internet sleuthing tracked it back to Good Housekeeping. Sounds about right for a dentist’s office. I’ve made it a few times since, tweaking a few things along the way – I add some fresh ginger, garlic and a smidge of sesame oil and toss the noodles in the work first with a splash of soy sauce to get a little char and deepen the flavor. I used homemade udon noodles from the last post in my most recent batch and it was outstanding. But you don’t have to do any of these things. Instead of pork, any type of ground meat or finely minced tofu would work. I prefer a fat Asian type noodle – udon, lo mein or chow fun – but my Aunt says it’s delicious as well with linguine or spaghetti. Lacking spinach, I made it once with swiss chard from my garden. Great. Don’t have a wok? Use a big old skillet (Avoid non-stick though. You need to get it screaming hot and non-stick doesn’t take well to high heat.) The point is just to make something delicious. That it’s also very easy is an added bonus. You don’t always need nor want a big production to get dinner on the table. Take the win.
STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: BREATHE EASY. This is basically ground meat, noodles and a green vegetable with a few saucy things. However you mix-and-match to make it, it’s going to be good. A few extra steps – char the noodles, add some ginger and garlic – and it’ll be better. The whole thing comes together so quickly it’s a bit surprising. Whatever road you take, you’ll get there. Do you boo.
fourteen years ago: Khachpuri (cheesy Georgian bread)
thirteen years ago: Classic White Sandwich Bread, Simple Jam Tart
twelve years ago: Quiche Lorraine & Caramelized Onions, Molasses Bran Muffins, Rosemary Shortbread
eleven years ago: Posole Verde, Sweet Corn Cookies with Salt & Pepper Buttercream , Potstickers for Chinese New Year
ten years ago: Creamsicles, Caramel Corn Rice Krispie Treats, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Spicy Peanut Brittle
nine years ago: Potato Pizza, Baked Jelly Donuts, Cassoulet Sunday
eight years ago: Rumaki (chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon)
seven years ago: Cranberry Pecan Harvest Crisps, Whole Wheat Fig Bars, Homemade Chili Powder
six years ago: Greek Peasant Salad, Chicken & Wild Rice Soup, Date Nut Bread, Chinese Almond Cookies
five years ago: Pretty Good Simple Chocolate Cake, Moroccan Baghrir (1,000 Hole Crepes), Haitian Beef Patties
four years ago: Chili Crisp for Hot & Spicy Food Day, Dooky Chase’s Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cinnamon Toast Blondies, Peco Brittle (peanut-coconut brittle)
three years ago: Crispy Chewy Ginger Cookies
two years ago: Peaches, Halloumi, Mint Vinaigrette
last year: Small Batch Raspberry Rhubarb Jam
SPICY PORK NOODLE STIR FRY
Serves 4
12 ounces fresh udon or lo mein noodles (or dried linguine)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces ground pork
6 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons sriracha
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled & finely minced
2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely minced
10 ounces baby spinach
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions (or 5-6 minutes for freshly made noodles). Drain and rinse quickly with cold water.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sriracha, ginger and garlic. Set aside until needed.
- In a work or 12” skillet, heat the vegetable oil on high until hot.
- Add the ground pork; cook about 5 minutes or until browned breaking up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the pan.
- Add a bit of oil and the noodles, tossing to coat. Add a good splash of soy sauce, spread the noodles out in a single layer and let sit for a few minutes. Stir, spread the noodles out again and let sit to pick up some char along the edges.
- Add the pork back to the pan along with the sauce mixture and spinach, stirring to quickly combine.
- Cook 2 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the spinach has wilted, stirring occasionally. Serve hot though the leftovers are particularly good warmed or cold.
STRESSCAKE 