Cold Sesame Noodles

Another Arcadia Ward Cookbook favorite. They're almost as good as the noodles you can get in NYC's Chinatown!

And, I've tried A LOT of these noodle recipes to find a Chinatown replicate.

1 lb linguine or lo mien noodles

Sauce:
3 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
2 T packed brown sugar
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 T sesame oil
1 t grated gingerroot (or 1/3 t ground ginger)
1/2 c chicken broth
1/4 to 1/2 t red pepper flakes

Noodles: Cook al dente according to the directions on package. Rinse

Sauce: Cook all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat. Stir until thickened and smooth. Cool. Toss and garnish with chopped scallions (and I like to add chopped cilantro and squeeze a little lime juice over the top).

2 Easy Side Dishes

Sometimes, I like to pretend that if I make a delicious vegetable side dish, my kids will eat it all without a fuss. Well, at least they tried these:

Asher-safe Broccoli Slaw (see here for the original version)
Bag of pre-cut Broccoli Slaw
1 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil1
1/2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
a sprinkling of craisins and/or toasted sunflower seeds (optional)

Whisk vinegar, ginger, oil, and chili-garlic sauce in small bowl to blend; pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and serve.

Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion (see here for the original version)
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the green beans in a large baking dish with the oil and onion and season with salt and pepper. Roast until just cooked through and golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. Combine the zest and parsley in a small bowl. Transfer green beans to a platter and sprinkle with the mixture.

Mint Tea Sandwiches

I thought mint in sandwiches sounded kind of gross, but when the mint takes over the garden, this is an excellent way to use it.

Minted Radish Tea Sandwiches (this makes lots of extra lemon mayonnaise, but it seems to keep for a while, and it's so refreshing on an ordinary turkey sandwich)

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches (a new take on the traditional cucumber sandwich)

Grilled Summer Salad

Ok, I haven't tried this, but it looks so good and I love peppers and goat cheese.

I also like what he said about not needing to eat so much meat.

See, Emily, you're not the only one who posts on here! (but, I'm not doing the post, just adding a link: a little lamer, but hey, it's a start!)

EXII recipes

I blog on a Mormon feminist site and used to do a monthly recipe feature. After a while, I thought I was the only one who was enjoying my monthly recipes, so I stopped.

Hmmm, come to think of it, I may be the only one who enjoys the recipes on this blog, too, but I still think it's worthwhile to have them all in one place (and isn't blogging all about naval-gazing anyway? :)

Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta
Carrot Ginger Dressing
Flan
Miso Eggplant
Red Lentil Soup
Sweet Potato Casserole
Summer Produce recipes (peaches and tomatoes)
Homemade Bread
Choi Sum
Black Beans and Rice
White Trash Dip
Barbequed Pork Tenderloin
Arugula and Grilled Chevre Salad
Artichoke Pesto

Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Cake

Last Fourth of July, I thought, I want to make a really neat 4th of July dish. So, I made this ice cream cake. It's delicious (each sorbet would be fabulous on it's own) and beautiful. A stunning dessert. But, it takes FOREVER to make.

I think this year I'll just enjoy the Epicurious slideshow of patriotic dishes.