Ready for your close-up?

Hey there, Pad Thai.  I know, it's ludicrous to even be discussing more food after the overwhelming undertaking that is Super Bowl Sunday pot lucks.  I am still tasting buffalo chicken dip {which I'm pretty ok with} and feeling a tad bloated from over-indulgence.

By the way, how was your Super Bowl?  After losing power {thanks teenage texter for knocking down THREE utility poles next to our house}, I couldn't make a new batch of mac & cheese cupcakes {but I'm SO honored by all of you that told me you made them!!}, so we showed up {ridiculously} early to our {wonderful} friends' house for the party.  Then of course, I watched 2 seconds of the game, the entirety of Beyonce {loved it.  come on, people, she was paid to dance}, shrugged about the power outage {used to live in Louisiana, those are very normal}, then fell asleep once things got good {back at our home, don't worry}.


But back to the fact that we still have to eat dinner tonight.  Hopefully, you are having a light salad and thinking healthy thoughts.  Because I'm not, and heaven knows someone needs to.


But pad thai.  Yes.  Ok, confession: I can never bring myself to order anything else on the menu at Thai restaurants.  It's too good.  And this is me: the woman who gets pouty when Mr. S&S orders the same thing as me because then I don't get to try two things.  Pad thai is the exception.

However, making pad thai at home is an undertaking.  To make the real stuff you need ingredients like tamarind and fish business- things I am not about to buy for one meal and then resent the space it takes up in my home.  No thanks.  That is where this recipe comes in.  It uses all things I already have in the pantry!


Also, it does not include sprouts.  Brussels sprouts are my friend, bean sprouts make me gag.  Blech.  Add them if you want to, but don't bring any over here.

Poor Woman's Pad Thai
Serves 3 

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bit sized chunks
1 pound/package medium size egg noodles
1 large carrot, shredded into peels
2 cups spinach

For the sauce:
1/3-1/2 cup soy sauce (start with 1/3, test if you want more)
1 tablespoon srirachi
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons peanut butter (I use crunchy, because I live on the edge)
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce (optional, if you don't already have it, don't worry)

Topping Ideas:
Chopped peanuts or cashews
More srirachi
Big squirt of lime juice
Cilantro leaves

Mix the sauce ingredients together.  Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture over the chopped chicken, then cook chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat (takes about 6-8 minutes).  Meanwhile, boil the noodles (aim to have the noodles and chicken finish cooking about the same time).  When noodles and chicken are cooked, pour the noodles into the large skillet.  Add the carrots and spinach, then reduce the heat and stir the sauce into the whole mixture.  If you think the noodles are under-coated with sauce, add another spoonful of peanut butter and a tablespoon of soy sauce.  Make sure to stir well and serve hot with toppings!


Now, anyone want to come over here and make us dinner?  Super Bowl Monday should just be for sleeping...