Peanut noodles – simple, quick side dish for 1 or a crowd

Peanut or Dan Dan noodles are a staple at Sichuan Chinese restaurants.  You can make them easily and less expensively at home. If your pantry contains a few Asian condiments, noodles and peanut butter, you're in business.  The recipe is easily doubled for a crowd and it keeps well for eating over a couple of weekdays when you don’t have time to make complicated meals.  Hint - the condiments are typically cheaper at Asian markets than at big grocery stores and often have more brands and sizes to choose from.

                                      

My recipe is a melting pot version - Japanese buckwheat noodles or Italian spaghetti work fine instead of Chinese noodles and good ole American peanut butter is the base for the sauce.  The end result can be as spicy as you like and you can add veggies or shredded chicken.  Any way you like them, peanut noodles are a simple side dish that you can make in a hurry and eat right away. 

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Top 10 pantry food basics

The last time I had a bare pantry may have been never.  (Ask my family or friends. The thought of me without food just doesn’t compute.)  I can always rustle up a meal because the basics are at hand.  Where to start if your pantry is empty or you just moved and have to set up a kitchen?  If you want to start with the basics, here are my top 10 pantry foods.  

I'm not a neatnik, that's for sure. Glad you can't see my office or my bureau drawers.

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3 Tips for stocking the kitchen in your new place

Earlier this week, I got a question from a summer intern reader that really “spoke” to me:

Dear MotherWouldKnow,

I just moved to (name a city) for an internship.  My summer sublet is an apartment downtown.  I don't have a car.   My apartment is either walking or bus distance to pretty much anything.  The nearest big grocery store is 15 blocks away.  I'm trying to figure out how to efficiently buy food so that I get everything I need but don't break my back carrying a ton of food for numerous blocks. Do you have any suggestions for me? – Summer Intern 

Dear Summer Intern,

First of all, congrats on landing a job and an apartment.  Don’t feel overwhelmed by the emptiness of the shelves and refrigerator in your temporary home.  

I know that feeling of "how will I ever make this place livable & what will I eat?"

You can make great food with simple ingredients. The key is planning and an organized approach. 

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