Life on the Prairie: Fall mornings and a brief country commute.

I recently went from living in town and 5 minutes from work, to living out in the country 27 minutes from work. Luckily the majority of my commute is country roads and the in town journey  is on quiet secondary streets with one school zone and a couple of lights. Commuting is not my favorite thing. My time in the country should be limited to just a year, and by then I hope the commute will return to a few walkable blocks. 

Most mornings my husband and I carpool, he drives. Some days I fill the ride with crocheting, reading, playing games on my phone, but I also am learning to enjoy the moment. This morning as we left the house and started down the dirt road hill the fog was rolling into the pockets of valleys. As we turned onto low speed country road I soaked in the orange glow from the sun rise flooding the horizon. I remind my husband that the speed limit is only 45, and that he needs to watch for four legged creatures dashing across the road. We pass the farm house where mom and daughter are awaiting the country school bus. The daughter is amused by the warmth of her breath in the crisp morning air. The flock of turkeys are out in the field, we commonly see them morning and night. We approach the main road connecting the bedroom community to town it seems as if there is always a long line of traffic headed to town, different people headed different places, the pickup in front turns into the landscaping business, headed to work. As we make our way into town we follow traffic around the roundabouts almost like an amusement park ride, eventually descending down though the hustle and bustle of the main thorough fare. Work begins to fill my mind as we start making our way through the lights. I start to lose track of the events of the outside and begin to center my mind on upcoming meetings and tasks to be completed. Before I totally lose myself in future events, I notice three children making their way to school, running, jumping, and laughing. Teachers collecting and sorting kids by the morning bus. My ride is almost over, just a few blocks. My day is awaiting me. 

I am aware country living has a lot to offer, mostly time, quiet moments, and a different perspective on life. I am looking forward to sharing them over the next year, and including more posts about life on the prairie. 

From Mothers Recipe Box: Cowboy Coffee Cake

This was a Sunday morning favorite for church fellowship hour. 

Preheat oven to 375, grease an 9x9 baking pan.

Ingredients

Cake:

1/4 c canola oil

1 egg, beaten

1/2 c milk (not skim)

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c sugar

2 t baking powder 

Dash salt

Topping:

1/4 c brown sugar

1 T Flour

1 t cinnamon 

1 T melted butter (unsalted)

1/2 c ground mixed nuts (optional)

Combine oil, egg, milk and mix well. 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and whisk to mix. 

Stir in your wet ingredients to your dry, mix well.

Spread into greased 9x9 pan.

Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle of top of cake mixture.

Bake at 375 for 25m.

Serve warm or cool, also topped with powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the top.

  

Homemade Milk Bread sort of from Joy of Cooking

Homemade Milk Bread #food #bread, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

If you aren't familiar with the bread making process I suggest you check out the Joy of Cooking from the library and look up the full instructions. I am not good with the details of the process.

3 T of Warm Water (105-115 deg F)
1 PKG of Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
Add your yeast to the warm water and let set. Be careful not to overheat your water.
Let set 5m

While it was doing its yeasty thing, I prepped the next step, and put in my handy dandy stand mixer with dough hook. Don't have a stand mixer get your arms warmed up for Grandma's got great arms workout!

Heat 1 Cup of Milk (this is not the time to reach for the skim milk either, go with 2% or higher), heat it to 105-115 deg F.
Melt 5 T of Unsalted Butter
3 T of Sweet (white sugar, or honey)
1 t of Salt (optional to me, however the recipe doesn't make it an option)

After the 5m mark on the yeast, mix in mixer, or with a wooden spoon in bowl, for 1m. All the above ingredients with yeast & water mix.

Then slowly add
2 C of AP Flour or Bread Flour or Whole Wheat Flour (if you do whole wheat, use honey instead of sugar above)

Let it mix away happily in your mixer.. or if your doing it like Grandma feel the burn in those arms.

When it starts to come together, add 1-1/2 Cups to 2 Cups of AP Flour or Bread Flour (if you used whole wheat before, I strongly suggest you opt for a white flour on this go around).

You want to slowly add that flour and watch for the dough to pull away from the bowl and leave the bowl clean. Thats when you know you have enough flour..

If your working it my hand, there will become a point when the bowl is pain and you will be able to begin working it on the counter, the dough will be tacky but not sticky. If your not sure what it should feel like, consult a bread book. Once you do it a couple of times, you'll just know.

Now, once you have added all the flour that you can-- let mixer knead the dough for 10m.
If your kneading by hand, you will know, but it should be roughly about the same. Do not abuse your dough, pull then push and fold and repeat a lot.

While its going in the mixer prep your bowl to rise in coat with butter, and after 10m put bread in a neat ball with a little butter on top. Cover and keep in a warm spot (75deg), for 1 hour or until doubled.

If your working it the old fashion way, once your done kneading you can leave it to rest on the counter with a clean tea towel over it. Or do the same as above.

Now after its rested, there is no more machine work.

Several people say punch, but you don't have to be so mean. Push the air out of the dough and peal out of the bowl and work on a lightly floured surface for a few mins, work into the shape you desire, make sure when you put it in to your pan or rolls or whatever, seam side down.
This will fit into a 9x5 loaf pan. and yes you should grease with butter.

Ok, once you have it shaped cover and let rest for and hour to hour and half. Once again, double in size.

Melt 1-T of butter and let cool while its rising. Also at some point begin to pre-heat your over 375deg F.

Once your ready coat your bread with the cooled melted butter and put into your preheated over for 35-45m, or until you tap it and it sounds hollow.

Let rest in pan on its side for 10m. Then you can pop out and let cool for 10m more, then you can cut your nice warm slice of bread.

Most books say to let cool completely, but seriously who does that?

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Fresh Peach Dutch Baby #breakfast

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Fresh Peach Dutch Baby #breakfast, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Dutch Baby
1/2 C Milk
1/2 C Flour (AP)
1/4 C Sugar
2 Lg Eggs
Mix together, add any flavorings you wish, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, etc...
Melt 2 T of Butter in a medium 8-10in oven proof skillet, we use cast iron.
Add batter to the melted butter and let cook on stove 1 m
Put in pre-heated 425deg F oven for
10in pan 12m
8in pan for 15m
It will fit either, and just depend on how thick you want your pancake.
If you want fruit put it on as it comes out of the oven.

Coconut Cream Poke Cake with lite frosting

Coconut Cream Poke Cake with lite frosting #cake, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

This was cake recipe I found on Pintrest. It was pretty basic, make box cake (white), after it comes out poke it all over with a fork and pour can of cream of coconut over it, let cool. Here's the part I changed... it called for just a tub of Cool Whip over it, yes that is ok, but what if you could make it better?
I have used this frosting recipe before and it is always a hit!
1 Cup of Milk (2%, Skim, whole, whatever you fancy).
1 Pkg of Pudding (for this cake I used vanilla, but I have used chocolate)
Mix with a whisk for 2 min, then fold in 1 small tub of Cool Whip.
Now for coconut cake I did add coconut extract 1tsp, and some shredded coconut.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (or as I knew it Z Bar Ranch)

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

We started out from Topeka going south to Emporia, then to 50 HWY to Strong City, and worked our way out to Cottonwood Falls, then back through Strong City, then on K177 N through Council Grove, and up to Lower McDowell Creek Road to Manhattan. Which helped to avoid the KSU game day traffic, although it wasn't bad. We spent some time in Manhattan, then drove to Topeka, on HWY 24, although it was dark by that time.
Ponds were all but empty up until north of I-70 on Lower McDowell Creek Road, although I wouldn't call them full by any means, just not bone dry. We could use rain really bad. Tallgrass also had up information about invasive cedar trees, which I was glad to see. I grew up in the Flint Hills, and they can be so beautiful, but if they are left to become overgrown with cedar the beauty will be gone.

Summer Surprise

Homemade Pork Tender Sandwich, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Its my first day of stay-cation, or at least vacation from my day job. I am off for a whole week. I came home early from helping my husband out today, and decided to work on supper.
Last week, it seemed we had a thousand things going on in the evenings. We had intended to eat these pork chops on the grill one night. We never made it around to it and by now I really figured they were bad. After given them a good sniff they smelled fine, the looked fine, so I decided it was time for a mid-summer treat! A lettuce and tomato pork tender sandwich.
I tenderized my pork chops and fried them the good ol' fashioned way, breading, buttermilk, oil. I put them in one by one and let them sit and cook on med-heat flipping them when they were golden brown. Whiles they were cooking I cleaned up, washed the lettuce, toasted the bread, cut the vine ripened tomato, heated up some beans I had forgotten about in the fridge. It was a great easy going night. Why can't cooking dinner be this nice when I come home from work?

Razberry Jam & Balsamic Red Pepper Jelly

Razberry Jam & Balsamic Red Pepper Jelly, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

My canning adventure continues. This time I made two different batches, and had my husbands help. Which was really nice, because when we woke up this morning we had no hot water!
As I had already been thinking about canning this morning, I knew I was going to make some sort of berry jam. I had my husband pick about 2 cups raspberries at my parents house. I used the same basic recipe as I did the last time, except I used mostly raspberries and then filled in a with a few blueberries and strawberries.
However, yesterday I had been at the grocery store and picked up a red bell pepper it was sweet and yummy. So, when I ran across the recipe for Balsamic Red Pepper Jelly it seemed like a great idea. It was even already set to be made in 4oz jars, double YEPPIE! I chopped up the red bell peppers and my husband chopped up the jalapeno peppers they sit and made a "juice." Then you cooked the juice with vinegar and pectin. It took quite a bit of sugar over 3cups. It smelled a lot like sweet and sour sauce. Aside from having to boil/heat water to clean everything. The day went really well. I am looking forward to trying it later.

Learning How to Can

Jam Day!, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

So, this is my third time canning, but my first time using the waterbath method. The batches of chicken stock we made earlier this spring both required pressure canning.
By comparison this was simpler.
First off, I didn't feel the need to make truck loads of jars to use throughout the year. I was satisfied with a few small jars to have on my toast or bagels, and I knew that I could make a larger variety. Besides once you open a large jar it seems like it can take forever to finish it and move on to a new flavor. I suppose if it was more than my husband and I it might be different.
Secondly, once I found a small batch recipe. I didn't feel like I needed small bushels of berries to make the jam. I only needed two cups of crush assorted berries.
After I got things set up it only took me about an hour to complete a batch of 5-6 jars. I did the three berry batch first, not knowing how long or how it would go, and then once I felt more comfortable and took a small break I made a second batch of Double Berry.
Set up and tear down wasn't to horrible either. I started out preparing my waterbath, then washed my jars. Because my jars were so small once they were cleaned I could put eight of them in my crockpot to keep warm. Because my house is also on the small side, I then prepared my berries cleaned up then prepped my canning space. The only flaw that could have been disastrous was I over filled my waterbath canner and had to carry it over filled with hot (not yet boiling) water and dump out over half of it in the sink. While I could see the potential danger all worked out ok. I used some of the hot water in the sink to clean up the dirty pots and utensils.
After they boiled away in the waterbath for 10m, and the sat in the hot water for another 5m, I pulled them out and then listened to the lids popping. "Pop! Pop!!! PopPop!" It probably took me a hour to set up, I was very slow and trying to think through the set up and process. I don't believe it will take me as long next time to set up. I had the kitchen cleaned up in about 30m, so I didn't feel like that was overly bad either. When all was said in done, later that night I had toast with jam. Not to bad a of day, if I say so myself.

Santa Maria Pinquitos Baked Beans

Santa Maria Pinquitos Baked Beans, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

I have been cooking with dried beans for sometime now. When you are working with dried beans, it may seem more complicated but really its quite easy. Just make sure to plan a little bit ahead.
Night Before: sort through beans for rocks and bad beans, rinse, and soak in water and salt. We use about 1T per 4 cups of water.
Morning: Rinse beans and put in crock pot, season and cover with lid.

These beans I seasoned with:
Onion Flakes (I was out of real onion)
1 Garlic Clove
2 Bay leaves
Covered with Chicken Broth (homemade see earlier post)

I let them cook on high for 2-3 hours. (Each type of bean will cook at a different rate, check bag for suggestions. If I am gone all day I cook on low). Once they were done I drained them and let cool, put in fridge.

When I was ready to bake them, I mixed them with:
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 (15oz) can of Tomato Sauce (low sodium)
1 T of Worcestershire Sauce (low sodium)
1 T of Chili Powder
1 T of Garlic Powder
Mix well and put in baking dish
uncovered with (4 uncooked slices) bacon and another 1/4 cup of brown sugar, baked uncovered for 1 hour at 350.

Easy Crockpot Chili w/Dried Beans

I recently read a recipe in Midwest Living Magazine that talked about using dried red kidney beans in chili. Whiles they liked the flavor they didn't care for all the presoaking and precooking. My thought was well soaking isn't a problem, but pre-cooking? Really I had just made a batch of chili using dried beans instead of canned beans the other day, and I didn't precook. I have made this recipe twice this winter and both times it turned out just fine. Sorry I didn't get a photo, it was chili and I was hungry!

This fits in a medium sized crock pot. Its the only size I have so I have no idea what it holds.

This is important, the night before you have to soak your beans. However, I put most of my it together the night before.

Night Before:

Soak 1-1.5 cups of dried beans, in water (follow bag instructions)

Heat 1 T oil in large skillet, coarsely chop 1/2 med onion, 1/2 of med green bell pepper, and mince 1 T of garlic, saute in skillet add:

Brown 1lb of Hamburger or Ground Turkey (if you use Turkey up the chili flakes)

As it browns add the following seasoning mix (adjust as you like)

2 T of Chili Powder

2 t of Cumin

1 t of Garlic Powder

1/2 t of Chili Flakes

1/8 t of Cinnamon or Coco Powder (which ever you prefer)

1/4 t or to taste of Kosher salt

Black Pepper to taste

Add to your meat and pepper mix in skillet, once browned add to crock pot.

There is a new product from Rotel called Rotel Sauce. It comes in a small can and I found it with the tomato sauces at the store. Add 1 Can.

1 Can of Crushed Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Stir in with meat, cover and place in fridge. Leave beans in water, cover, and leave on counter.

Before I leave for work in the morning I just do a few more steps:

Drain soaked beans and rinse, and add to crock pot.

Stir to incorporate everything, add 1.5-2 Cups of V-8 Spicy Hot Low Sodium Vegetable Juice, to lightly cover everything and fill crock.

I also put a few frozen cinnamon rolls in a pan in the oven to rise. When I come home I pull out and warm up oven, and the bake according to package directions.

Cook chili covered on low for 8-9 hours. If you happen to be home for lunch stir, if not, don't worry it should be fine. Stir and taste before serving make sure beans are done, if by chance they are not turn on high, and they should be done in a hour.

Trying something new... Canning!

Trying something new... Canning!, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Earlier this fall I was thinking about making and freezing chicken stock. I usually make a batch in January and freeze it to use throughout the year, but as I thawed some out to use this fall I noticed it getting watery. As I was contemplating this problem, Thanksgiving approached and I needed a container to put some turkey stock in that I had made I reached for a quart ball canning container. It all clicked for me as I looked at the jar sitting on the counter. After Thanksgiving I began to research the process of canning stock, and discovered I would need a pressure canner. I did some online research and some shopping around town and realized that this would be quite an investment for something I wasn't even sure I wanted to do.
Over the next week I looked at several recipes for canning stock, googled canning, and watched several videos before deciding that this would be a good investment. One evening I was discussing my new idea with my Dad and he asked if I would like a pressure canner for Christmas, I told him I would have to think on it. He was kind of excited and thought this could be fun and different.
Mom on the other hand quickly remembered her days of being forced into canning the entire garden with her mother. She informed me of how hot and miserable it was, and that it takes all day. Any fantasy I had that it would be quick and easy she made sure to shoot down quickly.
After giving it some thought and discussing it with Dad I said that it could be a nice Christmas present. I woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa had a box special for me, and indeed it was a pressure canner. A nice big one too!
This last Saturday afternoon we all got together in my parents nice big kitchen and made 16 pints of chicken stock, with more ideas of items to come. A new hobby for me and my family.

Mom's Sugar Cookies

Mom's Sugar Cookies, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

A holiday tradition in our house is making cookies to give to people. One of the stars of the basket is mom's sugar cookies.
Yes, thats the original card. People ask me all the time what is the ingredient that makes my sugar cookies so good. They ask if its milk, sour cream, or cream cheese, truth is nothing. My mom's recipe is simple, and what makes it special is that I use the original card that she used when I was a kid. She even wrote out the information to double and triple the recipe on the side of the card not shown. There are only two ingredients you don't see in the photo on the card, one is flour, and the other is baking powder. Until I met my husband I didn't even time them when they were in the oven, I could always smell when they were done. He likes a timer, so I time them now, they are slightly more consistent in color. People ask for me to give them recipe, but I am hesitant to give it up. I love to make them for people, and its a pretty straight forward simple recipe. I even screwed up the recipe this year, but you'd never know it. They are a big part of my christmas traditions, and I hope they always will be.

Pea's & Radishes

Pea's & Radishes, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Adapted from the French Food at Home on the Cooking Channel.

1 Sm Bag of Frozen Peas
1 Bunch of Radishes
2 T Butter
2 t of Fresh Dill
2 t of Fresh Chives or Green Onion

Clean and quarter radishes.
Melt butter in skillet, add radishes, let cook for a few min add frozen peas. Cook until Radishes are soft and peas are warmed through. Remove from heat add in herbs and salt/pepper to taste.

Garden Fresh Stuffed Tomatoes, Steak Kabobs, and Herbed Rice

Garden Fresh Stuffed Tomatoes, Steak Kabobs, and Herbed Rice, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Stuffed Grilled Tomatoes

First get good hearty tomatoes. We purchased three that fit firmly in our hands.
Because I knew I wanted an onion flavor we picked up an onion roll out of the bakery case at the grocery store, we also grabbed a wheat roll to make bread crumbs out of. When we got home we cut up the bread into cubes and laid it out on a cookie sheet to dry it out, about 30m before I was about to cook dinner I put it in the oven for 5-10m on low 200deg to continue to dry out the bread to make crumbs. When we pulled out the bread we put it in a food processor and pulsed it a few times, so we had mix of sizes. Set aside.
Warm up grill.
Cut the tomatoes in half (side to side) and carefully pull out inside, we had one top that I put my thumb through. Which I had planned on having one or two that I screwed up. No big deal. Put the tomato meat and juice in a bowl and set aside. Put your hollowed out haves in a roasting pan for the grill. Line with foil or coat with oil.
Stuffing:
Add one clove of minced garlic to the bread crumbs, along with fresh -- 1t of thyme, 2t of parsley, 2 leaves of sage, and 2 T of green onions chopped up. Add in 1 egg and 1 T of Olive Oil, and if you need more moisture add a tablespoon or two of the tomato water to the stuffing mix.
Fill your tomatoes with stuffing, and top with slices of parmesan cheese.
Grill for 10-12m, until tomatoes are soft but not falling apart, and cheese is browning-slightly crusty.

Cooks Country Daisy Mae's Delight Cake

Cooks Country Daisy Mae's Delight Cake, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

This is less about the recipe for the cake and more about my experience making the cake. I started out wanting to bake, I haven't done much all summer and it seems that I rarely have the time even when I want to. Usually I am too tired or stressed to even crack open a box and add some eggs and oil. However, Saturday I was determined and it seems that determination had to be tested by the kitchen. After reading several recipes and deciding that I was going to make a cake. I set out to make Cook's Country Daisy Mae's Delight out of America's Best Lost Recipes.
This recipe is different from regular cakes, instead of flour it has a special ingredient, graham crackers, and that I had plenty of in my cupboard. Due to summer fun and lots of Smore's I had three half opened boxes of graham crackers. After reading through the recipe I got out the cuisinart and started grinding up graham crackers.
I followed the recipe and even set-up two 9 in round pans to make a layer cake like the recipe suggested. I was out of Baker's Joy flour spray, and opted for the old fashioned grease and flour method. Put the cakes in the oven and went about cleaning up and taking care of other things around the house. Cakes smell wonderful. Timer dings and I pull them out and let them set according to the directions. Go to remove them from the pan and they stick, and then crumble out. I clean up the cake mess, and try a bit, surprisingly good. Upset that they tasted good but looked like mess, I decided making a layer cake isn't in the cards today. I quickly find a recipe for an old favorite Texas Sheet Cake and continue on. My husband comes into help out and starts on part of the cake and I work on the other, we get it together pretty quickly I double check a few measurements, and we begin to put the ingredients together in the kitchen aid mixer. I begin to think it looks thin, but keep on adding in the liquid. I get it all mixed and notice that it looks like soup. Give the recipe a quick glance, and I doubled the buttermilk. Frustrated and heartbroken, I go to the other room and my super sweet husband cleans up. I also believe he sampled a little bit of the cake soup. I have the items to make Daisy Mae's Cake one more time, yes I had that many graham crackers in my cupboard! We decide to put in a 9x13 and call it good. It bakes up lovely, and I made the frosting took it out to my parents house. We had fun playing guess the ingredient. With the cream cheese frosting it tasted more like carrot cake or zucchini than graham cracker. My husband said the kitchen missed me and that it played havoc on my baking so I would spend more time in there... I suppose I shall try to bake more regularly.

Coconut Curried Chicken

Coconut Curried Chicken, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Its adapted from time to time... see notes

1 can of light coconut milk, use 1/2 C for the recipe, and use the rest when you cook the rice.


1- T Oil
Mince up one small onion
add it and oil to skillet and cook until onion is soft add
2 Chicken Breasts cubed
that have been tossed in:
1 t of curry powder

cook in skillet with onion and oil until almost done, whiles your waiting on chicken to cook mix up sauce:

1/3 C of lt Coconut Milk
1 T of Fish Sauce
1 t of red curry paste
stir until curry paste is incorporated and not settled at the bottom.

Check you chicken and if it is close to done, add your veggies which can be snow pea pods or green beans. On the night of the photo we had green beans.

Let cook a little with chicken and onion mixture. Then add sauce, and let cook down. If you need to to thicken add a T of Corn starch to 1/2 C of water mix and add slowly. Once the sauce thickens, add
1 SM can of cubed pineapple with juice.
Let pineapple heat through, stir and coat with sauce. Serve with rice, and top with shredded coconut.

Asian Crock-Pot Pork

Asian Crock-Pot Pork with Veggies and Rice, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

Country Style Ribs
Marinate over night in:
1/4 light brown sugar
1 c low sodium soy sauce
2 T Olive Oil
2 T Rice Vig
2 T Lime Juice
2 T Minced Garlic
2 T of Ginger
1 t of Asian Hot Chili Sauce

Drain off sauce and discard in the morning or after 8hrs.

Cook on low for 6-8hrs depending on crock pot, ours took 6, but it cooks things quickly. Pull pork off bone and shred which shouldn't be hard.

New Potatoes and Peas

New Potatoes and Peas, a photo by KS Girl on Flickr.

One of my favorite summertime dishes my Grandma Wilson made for me as kid.

I didn't measure the potatoes, sorry.
New Potatoes with skins on, wash and cubed, boiled till tender.

In a skillet:
1 SM bag of peas (fresh or frozen) I had to use frozen.
This time I used 3 small leaks, but you don't have to, onion will work. I had leaks from my CSA bag so I used them.
Once your peas are warm and your onion or leaks are soft, scoot them to one side of the skillet.
Add 2 T of butter and let melt, add 2 T of ap flour, whisk and let cook for a min or two. Add salt and pepper at this point, I also added a teaspoon of garlic powder, but it is optional.
Whisk in one cup of milk then stir in the peas and leeks and let come to simmer it will get thick. When the potatoes are tender, drain off, but save back some potato water incase you need to loosen up the sauce. Incorporate the potatoes with the peas and sauce. Serve. I put a little parsley on top, but you don't have to... grandma certainly didn't.

Thai Cliantro-Peanut Noodles

This is a lot like Pad-Thai, however I combined several different ideas from a couple of different cookbooks. Sorry there is no photo

Boil Water for Rice Noodles, as soon as it comes a boil turn it off add handful of noodles. Stir occasionally, until soft.

Sauce:

Cook the following ingredients in a sauce pan over med-high heat, stirring occasionally:

1/4 C balsamic vinegar

2.5 T of sugar

2 T of brown sugar

2 T of low sodium soy sauce

1/4 t of Red Pepper Flakes (or more for more heat)

1 minced garlic clove

After sauce comes to a boil add:

2 T of Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter

stir in then add:

1/2 C of chopped Cilantro

Set sauce aside.

For the Chicken Mixture:

1 Chicken Breast Small Cubes

1 Nappa Cabbage (chopped up and cleaned)

1/2 of Red Onion diced

1 Garlic Clove diced

2 Carrots shredded

In a warm large non-stick skillet heat 1 T of Sesame Oil, add to it:

Onion & Garlic let soften then add chicken and let brown, once browned and cooked, add carrots and cabbage. Once things are mixed together and beginning to heat through add drained noodles (reserve some water, if pan is dry add to help soften cabbage and keep pan moist)

after noodles are incorporated add sauce and stir.

Top with Peanuts (chopped or not) and squirt with fresh lime juice.

Enjoy.

Serves 4