I am a noodle fanatic. I love all types. And if you take a look around my blog, you’ll find several noodle recipes. I prefer noodles to rice with Asian dishes. There’s something so satisfying about every saucy bite. Richard bought me a pasta attachment for my mixer a couple of years ago. I made homemade egg noodles for soup and beef & noodles in no time flat. Before that, I had a Marcato pasta maker and I’d hand crank them out or make sheets of pasta for ravioli. There’s nothing like homemade noodles. And there are so many shapes of dried pasta available at the store, too. I’ve been known to loiter in the pasta aisle at the grocery just to look and see what’s new. It’s my favorite grocery aisle.
One noodle I’ve not served before were Asian rice noodles. No, I did not make them – some things are worth paying for. I’ve made dishes with udon, eaten my fair share of lo mein, and everyone’s had ramen at some point in life. But rice noodles didn’t appeal to me for some reason. They looked wimpy. They’re translucent. They looked brittle and fragile. I just wasn’t sure if rice noodles would have the same toothy bite as pasta and egg noodles. Well, I was wrong. They do. As an added bonus, rice noodles are gluten-free.
One day I was perusing one of my favorite food blogs Half Baked Harvest. Tieghan posted her recipe for Saucy Garlic Butter Shrimp with Coconut Milk and Rice Noodles. I was smitten. There was something about her rice noodles swimming in a garlicky, coconut milk, butter sauce surrounded by perfectly cooked shrimp that pushed me over the edge. I had to try rice noodles.
Before I dived into Tieghan’s recipe, I wanted to cook something simple with rice noodles first just to get the hang of preparing them and to test the texture. I hopped over to my favorite Asian market where they have the best noodle aisles. Not just one aisle, but two. Yeah, I was there for a while.
A simple pad thai recipe was the way to go for my experiment. I found this great bag of pad thai noodles that were the perfect width – not too wide and not too skinny. And I found a quick and easy chicken pad thai recipe over at Tasty – One-Pot Pad Thai. Believe it or not, I have a good supply of Asian cooking ingredients in my pantry. Really, the noodles were the only ingredient I needed to buy.
Let’s talk a minute about cooking rice noodles.
The package instructions were worthless for someone who’s taking the rice noodle maiden voyage. Something like “cook in boiling water until done.” Hmmm.
And I wasn’t quite sure about Tasty’s boiling instructions. Again, “cook noodles in boiling water following package directions.” Hmmm.
I finally landed on very simple instructions on the Internet. “Put noodles in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the noodles. Stir until they’re done.” Hmmm – but that’s the way I went. I figured I could check for noodle doneness without overcooking, which the instructions said would ruin any pad thai dish. The process took about 8 minutes for the width of my noodles, just a little short of al dente.
One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is categorized as “gluten-free.” Soy sauce is made with fermented wheat. Be sure to use tamari or soy labeled as “gluten-free in this recipe if you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity
Any stir fry dish comes together quickly. Once you begin the cooking process, plan to be committed until the dish is finished. I don’t think the cooking part took more than 20 minutes. I get all my slicing and dicing and make the pad thai noodle sauce in advance of going to the stove.
First, boil four quarts of water. Place dry noodles in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water over the noodles and stir around with tongs to make sure the noodles are submerged. Every once in a while, stir the noodles to make sure they aren’t sticking together. After 6 minutes, start checking for doneness. Finished noodles for pad thai should be slightly short of al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse with cold tap water to stop the cooking, and run your fingers through the noodles to make sure it’s all cooled down nicely. Shake the colander to remove as much water as you can. Pour one Tablespoon toasted sesame oil over the noodles. And using tongs, toss them until they’re coated with oil so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
PREP:
Cut one large chicken breast in half horizontally, slice into strips and dice into 1″ cubes. Set aside.
Crack two eggs into a small bowl and lightly whisk. Set aside.
Slice 1/3 cup of shallots or one large shallot into thin rounds. Set aside. (In a pinch, I’d sub red or sweet yellow onion.)
Seed one medium fresh red chile. Cut into thin slivers. Set aside.
Slice 3-4 green onions into 1″ pieces. Set aside.
Rough chop 1/2 cup fresh cilantro. Set aside.
In a 2-cup measure mix 3 Tablespoons each fish sauce, rice vinegar, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, lime juice, sriracha. Mix and set aside.
OK – you’re ready – let’s go! Time to tell your people to wash their hands, set the table, and get a beverage. Your saucy hot pad thai will be ready in minutes. In my beloved family, that process takes at least 20 minutes – just enough time to pull everything together.
Heat a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add lightly beaten eggs to the skillet. Scramble until very lightly browned. Remove to a bowl. Return skillet to the cooktop.
One large chicken breast will make four servings. I sliced the breast in half and cubed it into 1″ pieces. Over medium-high heat, brush the skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil. Add the chicken cubes, stir, and saute until there’s no more pink in the middle. Remove cooked chicken to a bowl with the cooked eggs. Return skillet to the cooktop.
Right now your skillet is pretty hot. You can see the beautiful brown bits of flavor leftover from browning the chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots and peppers. Quickly saute for 1-2 minutes. Add to bowl with chicken and egg. Set aside.
Here’s what your lovely reserve bowl should look like after all that quick stir-frying. Time to move on to the star of the show.
Add cooked rice noodles to skillet. Remember – your noodles are coated with toasted sesame oil – don’t worry immediately about sticking to the bottom of your pan. Using tongs, toss noodles in the skillet.
Return the chicken, veggies, and scrambled egg to the skillet. Continue to toss with tongs until all is incorporated.
Pour sauce into the skillet and toss to coat
Add cilantro, green onions, crushed peanuts, and bean sprouts. Toss to combine. Divide onto individual plates or bowls and garnish with crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Enjoy!
One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai
One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is an easy and quick stir fry recipe with favorite Asian flavors and a nice sauce with a bite of heat. Crushed peanuts add a nice crunch.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Ingredients
4 SERVINGS
8 oz pad thai rice noodles
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 large chicken breast, cut into 1" chunks
1/3 cup or 1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
1 red chili, stem and seeds removed and cut into slivers
1-15oz can bean sprouts, drained OR 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts, crushed
3-4 green onions, cut into 1" pieces
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For the Sauce
3 Tablespoons each fish sauce, rice vinegar, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, brown sugar, lime juice, sriracha
Instructions
Prepare rice noodles Place uncooked noodles in a large bowl. Pour 3-4 quarts of boiling water over the noodles. Toss lightly with tongs to make sure noodles are submerged. Let steep for 6 minutes, tossing occasionally to keep noodles from sticking together. Check for doneness - noodles should be just short of al dente - maybe 1-2 minutes more. Drain in a colander. Rinse noodles with cold water to stop cooking and shake to remove excess water. Return to bowl and add 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Toss until noodles are coated. Set aside.
Over medium-high heat, brush the inside of a 12" skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add beaten eggs. Scramble until set. Remove to a bowl. Set aside.
Brush the skillet again with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add peppers and shallots. Stir fry for 1 minute. Remove to bowl with eggs. Set aside.
Brush the skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add chicken and stir fry until the meat is no longer pink in the middle. Remove to bowl with eggs, peppers, and shallots. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add noodles and toss just to warm.
Add reserved chicken, eggs, peppers, and shallots. Toss to combine.
Add sauce. Toss to coat.
Add bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
Divide into individual servings. Garnish with extra crushed peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.
Notes
One-Pot Chicken Pad Thai is categorized as "gluten-free." If you have gluten allergy or sensitivity, please be sure to use "gluten-free" soy sauce or tamari.
I watched Ree Drummond, aka “The Pioneer Woman,” make this recipe “Steakhouse Pasta” on the Food Network Channel. Quite literally, my mouth was watering. I strayed from Ree’s recipe a wee bit based on ingredients I had on hand.
Rather than skirt steak, I had a package of chuck steak in the fridge waiting to be transformed. The steaks were only $3.69/pound at the grocery and Richard loves chuck steaks although I rarely buy them. In the “Wayback Days”, my dad used to buy chuck steak not for a family meal, but for his cherished buddy, Harry, his dog. Harry was spoiled and happy.
I also added some fresh mushrooms and used frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh. Ree’s recipe calls for crumbled blue cheese. I opted for freshly grated Parmesan and cream cheese. The Pioneer Woman was shooting for a steakhouse-like pasta dish, thus the blue cheese, spinach, and horseradish – all steakhouse classics. And she uses pappardelle, which is a wide pasta – wider than fettuccine. I had linguine on hand so that’s what I used.
I must say that this was an easy and delicious dish. Plenty of creamy, cheesy sauce punched with a flavorful variety of veggies for the pasta. And the grilled steak that goes with it is perfect, even if it was chuck steak which turned out to be flavorful and tender. No wonder Harry was so happy!
Let’s Make Some, Shall We?
First thing, fill a large pot with water, cover, and bring to a boil. This is for the pasta. Be sure to save 1-2 cups of the pasta water after cooking to use for the sauce. Prepare the pasta while you’re cooking the sauce. If you’re using frozen spinach, thaw it in the microwave for 45 seconds, drain it, and squeeze it dry using paper towels.
Here are all my lovely assembled ingredients for the sauce except the heavy cream and half-n-half. I had a partial container of cherry tomatoes in the fridge, so I halved them and threw them in with the canned tomatoes. I quartered baby portobello mushrooms – I use portobellos because I think they have more flavor than white buttons. Notice there are no onions used in this sauce. However, I wouldn’t judge you if you threw in 1/2 a diced or sliced onion.
I love horseradish and its addition gives the sauce a nice kick without an overpowering flavor. The horseradish I use is from St. Elmo’s Steak House, an Indianapolis institution. St. Elmo’s is famous for their shrimp cocktail served with a memorable eye-watering, sinus-clearing, breath-stopping cocktail sauce. Their sauce is HEAVY with freshly grated horseradish they prepare every day. It’s legendary. St. Elmo’s sells their cocktail sauce and horseradish commercially and it’s now easy to find in grocery stores. Theirs is the only horseradish I use. There’s little horseradish in this recipe – don’t be afraid. If you hate horseradish, leave it out.
Next, in a 12″ heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat add one Tablespoon olive oil and the mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms around for 5 minutes or so until they begin to soften and brown. I don’t use lots of oil when I brown mushrooms. I like to heat them up so they release their liquid and the liquid reduces a bit. I think it adds a little umami to a dish. Mushrooms are perfect to add subtle flavor.
Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and stir for one minute or less until the garlic becomes fragrant.
See how the mushrooms cooked down and left flavorful browned bits at the bottom of the skillet? Lovely. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, if using. Stir and cook until the tomatoes just begin to wilt. Then stir in 1/2 cup of white wine or chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Quick – 2-3 minutes.
Add canned petite diced tomatoes with their liquid along with 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes or so stirring every once in a while.
While the sauce is cooking, it’s time to get the steak ready for the grill. My chuck steak was thin enough, 1/2″, that I cooked it quickly on our gas grill, but you can easily use a grill pan or large skillet on top of the stove. Sprinkle the meat with a little salt and pepper on both sides. When your grill or skillet is hot, sear the meat for 3-4 minutes on both sides for medium-rare. When done, remove from heat to a plate and loosely cover with foil until you’re ready to serve.
Here’s the finished beautiful sauce and how to make it:
Reduce the heat to low under the tomato and mushroom mixture.
Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of half-n-half. If you don’t have heavy cream, use all half-n-half. Stir until it’s all incorporated.
Stir in 2-3 oz of cream cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted into the mixture.
Add 1 Tablespoon horseradish, if using. Stir.
Add 3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until it’s all incorporated.
Add 3 cups of fresh spinach OR run a knife through the thawed and dried frozen spinach to break up the clumps. Stir until incorporated
I had 1/4 cup or so of roasted pine nuts hanging around on the kitchen counter, so they went into the sauce, too.
Add the cooked, drained pasta. Using tongs, toss everything together until the pasta is well coated. You may have to add some of the pasta cooking water to help loosen the pasta – I find doing so actually makes the pasta sauce creamier. I topped my finished pasta with shredded mozzarella cheese – why not?
Slice your steak into strips and serve on top of the pasta or serve into individual pasta bowls with steak on the side like I did here and top with more freshly grated Parmesean at service.
And there you have it! This dish is filled with flavor from all the vegetables and cheese, and so satisfying.
Thanks, Ree, for your inspiration! This recipe is going on my regular menu rotation!
Yield: 6
Steak with Creamy, Cheesy Pasta, Tomatoes & Mushrooms
This dish is inspired by The Pioneer Woman's Steakhouse Pasta. It's filled with flavor from all the vegetables and a creamy, cheesy sauce perfect for pasta. Delicious and so satisfying!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds dried pasta, I used linguine but pappardelle or fettuccine works, too
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8oz baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, optional
1 15oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup half-n-half
2-3 oz cream cheese at room temperature and cut into chunks
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for serving
1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry with paper towels and chopped again to break up clumps OR 3 cups fresh spinach
1-2 cups reserved pasta cooking water
1 pound chuck steak OR skirt steak, flank steak - any thin steak that will grill quickly
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, make the pasta sauce.
Heat a 12" heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes or so until the mushrooms begin to brown and release their liquid.
Add minced garlic, stir, and saute for 1 minute or less until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add white wine, stir scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet and gently simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add cherry tomatoes, if using, stir and cook until the tomatoes are just softened.
Add petite diced tomatoes and dried basil, stir. Gently simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Get steak ready for the grill. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Or use a grill pan or large skillet on the stovetop. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Allow to rest until service.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta cooking water. Drain cooked pasta. Set aside.
Reduce heat under tomato sauce to low. Add heavy cream, half-n-half, and horseradish. Stir until warmed.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
Add Parmesan and stir.
Add spinach and stir. If using fresh spinach, cook until it begins to wilt.
Add the cooked, drained pasta. Using tongs, lift the pasta until coated with sauce. You may need to use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce so it coats evenly.
Cut steak into 1/2" strips and serve on top or along side the pasta.
Notes
Feel free to substitute 1/2 cup grated fontina cheese for cream cheese. You may use 1 cup half-n-half in place of 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 cup of half-n-half.
This is such an easy, quick and economical meal! In 30 minutes, you’ll have dinner on the table – no kidding. Mimi’s One-Skillet Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, and Cheesy Casserole is flavorful and satisfying. All the cooking is done in one skillet – as you would expect from the title. Ha!
I like this recipe for a couple of reasons. You don’t need to use any canned cream soups. As the rice and chicken cook, the liquid becomes creamy from the starch in the rice. The chicken and rice cook together in the skillet, so there’s no need to cook the rice separately. You could add a handful of toasted, slivered almonds or toasted pine nuts. Or how about some browned sliced mushrooms – that would be delicious, too.
Once the onions and chicken are browned, you’ll add the uncooked rice to the skillet and saute until the grains become translucent. Then add chicken stock. The brown bits in the bottom of the skillet dissolve in the liquid and give the cooked rice such an appealing light brown color.
The picture above doesn’t have the melted, cheesy topping. I wanted you to see how beautifully green the broccoli turned out. That’s because you add it halfway through the chicken/rice cooking process, so it steams perfectly and is tender-crisp. I used fresh broccoli, but you could substitute frozen if that’s what you have on hand.
Yep, nice and cheesy, too! Now I’m hungry! Time to reheat leftovers for lunch. Another perk.
Yield: 4-6
Mimi's One-Skillet Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, and Cheesy Casserole
This is such an easy, quick and economical meal! In 30 minutes, you'll have dinner on the table - no kidding. Mimi's One-Skillet Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, and Cheesy Casserole is flavorful and satisfying. All the cooking is done in one skillet
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grained rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack or a combination of the two
Instructions
Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and quickly saute until translucent. Push the cooked onions to one side of the skillet. Put the minced garlic on top of the onions.
Add chicken to skillet. Saute until the chicken is browned - 5-7 minutes.
Push the cooked chicken to one side of the skillet. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and rice. Stir and saute rice until the grains become translucent.
Add chicken stock. Lower heat to a simmer. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed and the brown bits at the bottom of the skillet are dissolved in the liquid. Put a lid on the skillet and cook for 12 minutes.
Remove lid and distribute broccoli florets evenly over the top. Put the lid back on and cook for another 8 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Replace lid and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
Optional Additions: handful of toasted, slivered almonds or handful of toasted pinenuts, sliced and browned mushrooms.
We all need a quick and easy meal like this one in our arsenal. And everyone likely has a pantry and freezer with the ingredient staples on hand. Easy Crustless Taco Pie is not only delicious but gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly. And did I mention this taco pie is kid-friendly, too? A win-win in my book of tricks.
There’s nothing special that you need. Ground beef or ground turkey, eggs, cheddar cheese, taco seasoning are the staples here.
Serve with a dollop of full-fat sour cream (keto-friendly), guacamole, spicy salsa and a simple shredded lettuce salad on the side with diced tomatoes.
Here’s a tip! I like to buy ground beef in multi-pound packages from a big box store. The meat is usually leaner, 85-15% fat and I find it is cheaper per pound than buying ground meat in the grocery. When you make this recipe, why not brown 2-3 pounds at a time. Then separate the cooked meat into equal portions, load a freezer bag or two and store in the freezer. You’ll have cooked ground meat at the ready for another recipe Sloppy Joe’s or quick meat spaghetti sauce or tacos. Looking for even leaner meat? Use ground turkey instead. I’ve found ground turkey may be substituted for ground beef in most recipes.
I had to share this recipe if only to show the beautiful rise from the eggs. Yes, the dish deflates a little while it cools. But look! Isn’t it pretty out of the oven?
You’re happy! Your kids are happy! Everyone’s happy!
Yield: 4
Quick and Easy, Crustless Taco Pie - Gluten Free & Low Carb!
We all need a quick, simple, and easy meal like this one in our arsenal. And everyone likely has a pantry and freezer with the ingredient staples on hand. Quick and Easy Crustless Taco Pie is not only delicious but gluten-free and low carb. And did I mention kid friendly? A win-win in my book of tricks.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Ingredients
In a small bowl combine:
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 Mexican oregano
1/4 - 1/2 cayenne pepper, if desired
For Meat Filling
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons taco seasoning, above
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream or half-n-half
4-6 oz shredded cheddar cheese, or Monterey Jack, or Monterey Pepper Jack depending on your pepper heat
Instructions
Taco Pie Assembly
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Spray 9" pie dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a 12" skillet, brown ground meat over medium-high heat until cooked through and no pink is showing.
Add diced onion and minced garlic. Saute for 1 minute.
Add 3 Tablespoons (or one package) of taco seasoning to the browned meat. Continue to cook for 2 minutes until the mix becomes fragrant.
Spread the meat filling into the prepared pie dish.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream or half-n-half. Pour slowly over meat mixture in the pie pan.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center has nicely risen and begins to brown. 30-40 minutes.
Remove taco pie to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with accompaniments, if desired.
Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is one of my favorite types of dishes. Crushed red pepper, orange zest, and garlic lend the simple sauce a bright delicious bite. And it’s so quick and easy! Orange Shrimp any time of the year but is a fabulous dish when your schedule is tight and fast food is not an option. You know, like during the holidays!
I always have a pound or two of raw shrimp (21-25 count) in the freezer. It’s handy for lots of quick meals like Shrimp Tacosor Shrimp Scampior Shrimp and Grits. Frozen shrimp don’t take long to defrost, either. Measure out what you need for your recipe. I use a scale for an accurate amount. Then I put them in a colander in the sink and run cool water over them until the shrimp are ready. I also use raw shrimp rather than cooked frozen ones, because raw shrimp will absorb all the lovely flavors either as they’re marinated or as you cook them. Garlic and lemon are two of my favorites, but you could use coriander, red pepper flakes, cumin or curry. Seriously delicious!
Here are a couple of things to remember when cooking raw shrimp:
Rinse shrimp after the shells and tails are removed. Remove the black vein at the top. Most frozen packed shrimp come deveined, but it’s a good idea to check anyway.
Once rinsed, place shrimp on a baking sheet lined with paper toweling. Use another layer to pat dry the top. Shrimp should be dried off to get a proper sear.
Don’t overcook your shrimp! It’s easy to do. Place shrimp in a hot pan with a little olive oil. As soon as they become translucent, turn them over to cook the other side. Really, 2-3 minutes per side is more than enough. You want a nice crunchy bite, not a rubbery one. It’s a texture thing.
Yield: 4
Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic
Quick and light, Orange Shrimp with Broccoli and Garlic is perfect for an easy and informal dinner with a little citrus and spice. Yummy!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound shrimp (21-25 count) peeled, deveined, and rinsed under cool water
3-4 cups fresh broccoli, separated into florets
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
Zest of one orange
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how much spice you want, or leave it out
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sliced green onion for garnish
Sesame seeds for garnish
3 cups Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
Instructions
Line a sheet pan with a couple of layers of paper toweling. Place shrimp on the toweling in a single layer. Take another sheet of paper toweling and pat the shrimp dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil into the skillet. Add broccoli florets for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is tender. Remove broccoli from the skillet into a bowl or plate and set aside.
Use the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Add minced garlic and let sizzle for 30 seconds or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add red pepper flakes, if using. Place shrimp in the skillet in a single layer. (You may have to cook in 2 batches.)
As soon as the shrimp becomes translucent, flip over the cook the other side. Total cooking time is 2-3 minutes per side, at most. Remove cooked shrimp and garlic, pepper flakes to bowl/plate with the broccoli.
Return the skillet to the stove. Add orange juice, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened.
Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water. Add to skillet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce becomes shiny. Add orange zest.
Pour finished sauce over shrimp and broccoli. Garnish with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over cooked hot rice.
Before I dived into Tieghan’s recipe, I wanted to cook something simple with rice noodles first just to get the hang of preparing them and to test the texture. I hopped over to my favorite Asian market where they have the best noodle aisles. Not just one aisle, but two. Yeah, I was there for a while.
Let’s talk a minute about cooking rice noodles.
