The Cookbook Junkies

I’ve been following Shelby of The Life & Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch since I learned of food blogs.  She  makes comfort food and happens to prepare many Asian inspired dishes which are my favorite!  Today is Shelby’s birthday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBY!!!

Katrina of Baking and Boys! reached out to some of us to do a round up of recipes from Shelby’s blog to celebrate her birthday and I thought it was a marvelous idea!

Since my house is in disarray with construction work being done – it would have been hard to bake during the week – so I choose to do Garlic Noodles with a Kick! for last Sunday’s dinner.  I deviated slightly from the original recipe to add some cilantro because I am one of those folks that love it and I doubled the recipe for the most part.  These were out of this world good – one pound of pasta and there is only a small container left for Jim’s lunch tomorrow.  Andrew even gobbled them down – but kept saying “oh these are spicy but good”.  I served them with some Trader Joe’s pot stickers and everyone was happy!

Garlic Noodles with a Kick

One pound of dried pasta, cooked until al dente. 
3 scallions, chopped, setting aside the green part of the scallion for garnish
1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes (adjust to your preference)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons (dark) brown sugar (I used dark)
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 tablespoons butter
Roughly one tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Melt butter over medium heat until bubbly.  Add dried chili peppers and cook for about 1 minute (be careful not to burn the butter).  Add the minced garlic and scallions and saute about 1 minute, until softened.  Mix together brown sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce.  Add to butter mixture and cook for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved (this doesn’t take long).  Add pasta to the sauce and toss to mix.  For some color, toss in the green part of the chopped scallions and cilantro  Serve and enjoy!

As we sat down to dinner – I told Andrew and Jim that these were made for a special friend’s birthday celebration and we toasted you, Shelby.  I hope you have a wonderful birthday full of love, happiness and good food!

Love,
Jenny

An open message to Ree Drummond – don’t be alarmed Pioneer Woman – I am not going to give you a run for your money.  (Even though I wrote many a romance before you even had your tractor heels saga!)

Now that that is out of the way, I will state I never intended to start a food blog even though I enjoy many a food blog myself.  I don’t believe I have the time nor patience for food blogging.  My family wants to eat the food I make and they want to eat it hot.  I post pictures here and there on Facebook – because I have no one in my immediate “real life” that enjoys cooking as much as I do.

My promise to you is that I will never use the words “mouth water” or any variation thereof…my mouth has never watered…except in my sleep and then that was during a period of drooling that has since rectified itself.  Also I promise never to type “the arugula is peppery” oh dear heavens even starving children in third world countries know that arugula is peppery. I will also never type the phrase “layers of flavor” — shun me if I do. (I had to throw the word shun in here – my husband is in the living room watching Breaking Amish.  I don’t even know who this man is any more!)

That being said Friday I made pesto.  My basil was on its last leg and it was use it or lose it.  I decided to mix up the pesto a little and used macadamia nuts and it was really incredibly good – buttery (I will let that description pass this time) and flavorful.  My son and husband said it was fantastic and they enjoyed it more than the regular pesto with pine nuts.

Macadamia Nut Pesto

Approximately two cups of basil leaves, rinsed and blotted dry
Four cloves of garlic, minced
Approximately 3/4 cup of diced macadamia nuts
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Approximately 3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil, approximately 1/2 cup maybe more

Into the bowl of the food processor add all the ingredients – and give them a few pulses.  Look at the consistency – and add more oil or cheese to your liking.  Store in a container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent discoloration.

I used half the pesto I had made to coat some pasta to which I added one-fourth cup of heavy cream and additional Parmesan to finish it off.  I served it with a crusty garlic bread.  I think Andrew ate five pieces of that bread – and a giant bowl of pasta.  High praise indeed as Andrew is a red sauce man all the way…he’s eight but he has discriminating taste.

I hope you give the pesto a try.

Jenny

I am worried and sad.

Andrew’s anger is growing.  It has taken a life of its own.  He turns on a dime and had even been acting out at camp where he scratched a child.  He really has never struck another child in camp or school – I am saddened to think those days are over.  In his defense, he states the child was kicking him and he did come home covered in bruises and he had a scratch above his eye. No matter, we have gone on ad nauseam about things he can do instead of hitting.  Typing “in his defense” makes me gasp in fear about his future.  I don’t want to be one of those moms being interviewed after their child has done something heinous.  Please.  People we are doing everything we can which includes looking for additional therapy and adjusting his medication – his neurologist is out of town until September 4th when we have an appointment.

He isn’t going to be one of those kids that go into a group home.  He is very smart and typical a great deal of the time – his anxiety and anger pepper our days and we never know when they will appear. 

Saturday we went to a birthday party and he was crazed.  There is no way to describe it – there are no words.  It was awful.  Screaming, hysteria, anger, aggression – we got out of there.  He wanted to go – our friend was hurt last year when we didn’t go.  I know now without a doubt – we cannot do these things – birthday parties …because even one out of two times when he is okay – isn’t worth the anguish of the times when he isn’t.

Yesterday he pounded me in the face and hit my back with such force it was sore all evening all because of his new obsession Club Penguin.  What are we suppose to do?  He loves computer games – he needs structure and I’m up to my ears in packing and getting this house ready for (1) yard sale and (2) construction so we can put the house on the market by October 1st.  The therapists always say – “if it upsets him don’t let him play with it”.  EVERYTHING upsets him.  What am I suppose to do?  I punish him – I take away the game for the day but nothing seems to work.  

This morning again – the screaming, whining and anger have begun.  He woke up at 1 a.m. crying for me.  Jim went in and slept with him for a little while.  Even though Jim works ungodly hours -he knows that I need my strength for what I have to accomplish as well as dealing with Andrew when he is not in a good place.  At 5:30 Andrew was in our bed – kissing me and telling me he loves me. By 7 a.m. he was agitated.  In the last two hours – he has run the gambit of emotions and I have gone from laughing to crying to resignation. 

Things will get better they always do – it’s just the dips on the ride that are hard to stomach.