Spring Clean and Cook

Fresh flowers, fresh drawers

fresh air

Spring and clean!  Now that the sun shines down on all of the dirt and grime, one must tackle the areas of life that have been overlooked. 

My utensils and baking drawer were the worst, but only the beginning.  I won't want to post the before pics, I do have some pride...

While it is a cold weekend, I need to keep working on the forgotten corners and give the vacuum a trip around the house. 

I was perusing some clothing stores near my home today, looking for inspirations. Coldwater, Ann Taylor and H & M.  $58.00 dollars for simple tops embellished with ribbon and pearls, lots of ruffles out of chiffon, tank tops with a crepe edge. (I tried to grab some pic examples here, but all I could get was thumbnails.)

 I always leave the expensive stores with the thought in my head, "I could do that for less".  Famous last words, my next trip was to JoAnn Fabrics, where I met a fellow Etsian, amyben2.etsy.comlooking for bargain fabrics she turns into purses.  I picked up some bargain chiffony fabric to make some scarves, I saw at Coldwater Creek,  and a tank type pattern to try my hand on embellishment, ala Ann Taylor. I love the luxe fabrics I find, but most are sized for the waifish model type figure, which I no longer am!

Tonight, my son was able to pass his two online college classes, so to celebrate, he cooked the meal.  I know he likes spicy and stir fry, so a search on Allrecpes.com landed me on this recipe.

 Sweet and Spicy Pork and Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry with Spicy Noodles! 
 A mouthful! And very good, here are some pics of the steps with the recipe following:

Ingredients

12 ounces dry Chinese noodles


3 tablespoons soy sauce


3/4 cup sweet chili sauce


1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


3 tablespoons sesame oil


1/2 cup soy sauce


1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


1 (1 pound) pork loin, cut into 2-inch strips


2 tablespoons cooking oil


2 onions, cut into bite-size pieces


1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes


3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce


3 cups chopped napa cabbage


3/4 cup sliced celery


1 cup sliced carrots


3 red bell peppers, chopped


2 teaspoons cornstarch


1/4 cup cold water


Directions


1.Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the Chinese noodles, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.


2.Whisk together the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, the ground ginger, and the sesame oil in a large bowl; add the drained Chinese noodles and toss to coat; set aside


3.Whisk together the 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl; add the pork and stir to coat. Allow to marinate 5 minutes.


4.Heat the cooking oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork, onions, and red pepper flakes to the oil; cook until the pork is browned completely. Stir in 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, the napa cabbage, celery, carrots, and bell peppers; cook and stir until vegetables are completely heated, about 5 minutes. Whisk together the cornstarch and water and add to the stir fry, stirring until the mixture thickens. Serve the stir-fry over the noodles.


Nutritional Information


Amount Per Serving Calories: 527
Total Fat: 19.3g
Cholesterol: 36mg

We left out the red pepper flakes, and didn't miss it, the chili sauce gave the dish a nice kick.


I had a job interview last week, for teaching Pre-K and part time child care. I have mixed feelings about giving up my dream to teach Home Ec again, but I was so grateful for the chance to have a paycheck again. I will make up my mind when I get the offer, so I have to keep up my spring cleaning before I have less time to finish it. Prayer requested!