The Most Versatile Chow Mein Ever!

 

Growing up, I was never a huge fan of chow mein. I didn’t care for the noodles, and preferred fried rice with its egg and veggies and bolder flavor. I didn’t realize chow mein was one of those dishes that can be made into whatever you want it to be. 

 

 

Over time, I have become more and more adventurous with my foods. While I realize chow mein is not typically an “adventurous” food, it was for me. I discovered how many different things you can do with it! You can use chicken, pork, beef, or scrambled eggs. You can use ground meat, chunked meat or shredded meat (although I prefer shredded if I have it).

 

One of the big hang-ups for me was some of the ingredients that are not my typical pantry items. When I looked more into it, I discovered some alternatives that didn’t cause my family to turn their noses up as quickly and at least give it a try. And then… they liked it! They started requesting it! Music to this mom’s ears.

 

 

Even better, this meal is quick to make, minimal dishes are messed up, and it’s a bit lighter so it won’t sit in your stomach all night. In these Covid lockdown days, we need some lighter meals in our meal plan for the week.

 

This is definitely a recipe to try… and experiment with. Try chicken one day and pork another. Use different noodles, like spaghetti, linguini, chow mein (I’ve tried all these and they are all fabulous!). Try making extra for some lunch meals to enjoy later. It’s so fast and easy, it will make it totally worth it.

 

Chow Mein Made Your Way

 

8 oz chow mein noodles (or spaghetti, linguini, etc)

2 Tbs canola oil, divided

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded or chunks (or pork, beef, etc)

Pinch of salt

½ c yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 c broccoli florets

1 c baby carrots, or thinly sliced carrots

½ c red pepper, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

 

Sauce:

1 ½ Tbs hoisin sauce

1 Tbs lite soy sauce

1 tsp canola oil

¼ tsp white pepper

 

 

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Set aside. Also, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. Meanwhile, in a wok or skillet, heat the oil to medium-high and brown the onion. Add the carrots and broccoli to soften, a few minutes. Once softened, add the peppers and cook for a couple minutes. Finally, add the garlic and allow to cook for just a minute more. Add the meat and noodles and mix together. Finally, add the sauce and mix thoroughly. Adjust any seasoning as needed, and serve.

 

Side note; add or omit any vegetables you like or don’t like. For examples, a traditional chow mein will have shredded cabbage but my family is not a huge fan so I don’t use it often. When it’s in season though, I will. Also, I have used the broccoli slaw mix in place of the onions, cabbage, and carrots and that has been well-received. It’s what I love about this recipe! It is sooooo very flexible and versatile! Have fun with it!

 

This recipe was adapted from healthy nibbles

UFO Quarentine Series #8, Babies Taggie Blanket and Books

 

Baby Taggie Blanket

 

After finishing the Rainbow Fruit Trivet, I was inspired to use more of the leftover blocks I have from various projects. Several of the blocks I have are from baby quilts. I admit, I’ve entered a new era in my life where I just don’t have many friends having babies, so I haven’t made any baby quilts or accessories for babies in a while. I have the fabrics though, and these particular blocks called to me. They were left overs from one of my first projects and needed to be completed in something new. I was ready to answer the call.

 

 

I had to put together a few triangles to make it work, but I like how each side has 2 blocks and 2 minky patches. Of course, I then added a bunch of different ribbons all around for interest to baby. I mixed up colors; blues, pinks, greens, yellows, it’s all there.

 

 

Once the ribbon tags were attached, I sewed the pieces together and then turned it right side out and finished it with a border stitch. It gave it a little flattened structure and made it more blanket like to stitch it that way.

 

This was a fun little project to get done. And it inspired me to keep going. My sister was having her second baby and I thought fabric books from my fabric panel collection would work perfectly. The books would be good for both the baby and the older sibling to enjoy. Neither would be left out.

 

 

Baby Fabric Books 

 

I pulled out my Jemima Puddle Duck panel first. This was one my children’s favorite stories when they were little. It’s why I bought the panel in the first place. Unfortunately, it was never assembled and my kids have gotten too old for it now. It was a perfect pick!

 

 

Very basic assembly for this; simply followed the instructions that came with the panel (something I NEVER do and am not particularly good at) and it’s ready to go!

 

 

The second book was a bit more challenging. While It came as a panel with the letters of the alphabet, it didn’t include specific instructions. I debated if I should make it a quilt instead, which is what I've done in the past here and here and here, too. I really liked the idea of the girls having a book they could flip through. 

 

 

 I sifted through my stash and found a couple of fabrics that go great with the colors and patterns in the letters panel. I cut all my squares and laid it all out to begin assembly.

 

 

For the front and back, I did borders instead of blocks. For the assembly, I did an inside-out sandwich approach and after sewing almost all the way, I flipped it right-side-out and finished the gaps by hand. I completed each page with a border stitch for stability.

 

 

 

 

Finally, to hold all of the pages of the book together, I attached a rivet to each page and got a large ring that is detachable. That way, they can take it apart to play or keep them together when stored. It also makes flipping easier for little fingers that are learning.

 

 

These were all fun projects to complete, and I’m so glad my sister and her two littles will get to enjoy them. Now, on to more UFO’s.

One-Pot Saucy Swedish Meatballs and Noodles

 

I love meatballs! Perfect little round bites of yumminess. They can be simple flavors with a dreamy sauce, or more complex flavors and a quiet sauce. They can be combined with noodles, rice, buns, rolls, pitas, you name it! They can also be used as appetizers or a main course, and the leftovers are always delightful.

 

 

Yes, meatballs are a wonderful food. I am always on the hunt for new recipes to add to my box, especially right now when I feel like we have exhausted every other recipe we have. After seven months of at-home eating, we needed a little shake up. It’s not that I don’t have a bunch of things I want to try, but I have limited access to ingredients right now and frankly, I’m getting tired of cleaning up the kitchen. If I can find something that limits my dishes and adds a new flavor to our dinner routine, I’m on it!

 

 

This was a recipe I found by accident. I’ve always liked the idea of Swedish meatballs, but the few times I’ve tried, they’ve been either over-seasoned or under-seasoned. I finally found a recipe that had the right balance. The meatballs themselves have a nice flavor that’s not over-powering and the sauce is creamy and rich and adds to the flavor of the meatballs. A few tweaks here and there and we found a winner! I couldn’t wait to share this one and add it to my blog recipe box. It will be making regular appearances from here on out.

 

 

One-Pot Saucy Swedish Meatballs and Noodles

 

Meatballs:

2 Tbs olive oil

1 lb ground beef

½ lb ground pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean)

½ c bread crumbs

1 medium onion, minced

1 egg

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

 

Pasta and Sauce:

4 c low sodium chicken broth

1 c heavy cream

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

3 c dry pasta (about 8 oz)

½ c parmesan cheese

2 Tbs parsley, chopped

 

Mix your meat ingredients together. Roll the meat into balls about 1-inch in size. Roll all of the balls before heating the pot. In a large pot (I prefer a cast iron enameled dutch oven), heat the oil over a medium to medium-high heat. Before it begins to smoke, add the meatballs and brown the sides. You do not need to cook them completely, let the sauce do that later.

 

Once the sides have been browned, add the broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and pasta. Bring it to a simmer and put the lid on the pot. The noodles should take 10-12 minutes to cook, depending on the type of noodles you use; make sure to stir regularly to prevent sticking.

 

When the noodles have cooked completely, remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Garnish with the parsley and serve with green beans, carrots, or whatever your favorite side dish might be.

 

*Leftovers are awesome! They make the best lunches. This is a great one to put in a thermos and send to school, or to have at lunch time at home. Simply reheat and add a little bit of cream to help the sauces flavor and body.

 

This recipe was adapted from the blog Jo Cooks