Perfect Summer Noodle Salad

If you're ever looking for something delicious to make or even just a little chuckle, visit the Pioneer Woman's blog. Along with yummy recipes, you get gorgeous pictures showing step by step processes AND a good few chuckles at her clever writing style. The stuffed mushrooms featured on this blog before and the corn and avocado salsa to be featured soon are all treats from that excellent ranch.

Asian Noodle Salad

 Salad Ingredients

• 1 package Linguine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled
• ½ heads Sliced Napa Cabbage, Or More To Taste
• ½ heads Sliced Purple Cabbage, Or Less To Taste
• ½ bags Baby Spinach, Or More To Taste
• 2 or 3 Red, Yellow, and/or Orange Bell Peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 bag or box of Bean Sprouts
• Chopped Cilantro, Up To 1 Bunch, To Taste
• 3 whole Scallions, Sliced
• Optional: 3 whole Cucumbers Peeled And Sliced, 1 can (about 10 Oz.) Whole Cashews, Lightly Toasted In Skillet (I've never added these but I'm sure it'd be good

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 whole Limes, Juiced
• 12-16 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 16 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 4 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
• 2/3 cups Brown Sugar
• 6 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger Chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic Chopped
• 1-2 whole Hot Peppers Or Jalapeno's, Chopped
• Chopped Cilantro

1. Cook the noodles. Drain them and rinse with cold water.
2. Chop all the salad ingredients and mix them together.
3. Whisk dressing ingredients together OR I found it easier to shake them together. My 21st birthday present shaker came in handy!
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix it all together with tongs.

That bizarre topping in this picture is indeed purple cauliflower. I saw some in Kroger and I just thought I had to have it. This salad is so colorful on it's own it only added to the rainbow of colors. And in case you're wondering, I'm pretty sure it's just dyed purple because when I cooked it, the water turned purple. The health hazards of dyed cauliflower are debatable.


****WARNING! Chopping Jalapenos and other hot peppers can be dangerous! Do not touch your eyes or nose and wash hands well afterwards. Do not taste the pepper. Even if it doesn't look/smell hot, trust me it is. If you are my mother you might even wear gloves.****

Day of Infamy

Yesterday, I put confectioner's sugar into my famous mac and cheese instead of flour...


But can you blame me?
This looks exactly like flour in my mother's nondescript glass container.

The Culprit

But good news it, my famous mac and cheese is SO good, that everyone ate it anyway. The slightly sweet notes were only somewhat noticeable BUT i think I will stick to the real recipe.

Famous Mac and Cheese

One box of elbow noodles
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 tsp. of pepper
1/4 tsp. of garlic powder
1/4 tsp. of red cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups half and half (Or I used heavy whipping cream once because I had some leftover and that worked too)
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar, shredded (You'll never find this pre-shredded sorry)
16 oz. sharp chedder, shredded, halfed

Isn't it lovely?!                                                                 My Cheese Grater

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Cook the pasta while you make the roux.
3.Melt the butter in a deep frying pan over medium high heat.
4. Whisk in the flour for about 2 minutes. As someone once told me, you need to cook the flour or your dish will taste like raw flour.
5. Add the next 4 ingredients (spices).
6. Gradually whisk in the milk and half and half. Whisking constantly, cook for about 8 to 10 or until thickened.
7. Add the extra sharp cheddar cheese and half the sharp cheddar. Remove from heat when mixed in.
8. Mix the cheese and the noodles and spread into an ungreased 9'' x 13'' pyrex pan. Sprinkle the remaining sharp cheese on top.
9. Cook for 20 minutes. The cheese will look a little bubbly, maybe a few golden spots when done.
10. Let rest for 5 minutes and enjoy!

And the best part is, this mac and cheese reheats for days and keeps on giving!


The Moral of the Story: If you put ingredients in new containers, please label them.