A Working Mom's Meal Plan

The hardest part of my day is when we get home and everyone is immediately hungry. I love to cook and prefer
home-cooked meals, but I don't like to cook much during the work week. And yet, dinner has to get on the table...
My solution: make-ahead meals, freeze-ahead meals and recipes so easy that I'll make them on a Monday. I cook
mostly on the weekends, always doubling recipes, and rely heavily on my extra freezer and a decently-stocked pantry.
This cooking style saves me time and money, and it makes my life simpler—so I can actually enjoy sitting down
to supper at 6 with my family. I hope these recipes will make the witching hour a little better at your house too.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Peanut Butter Noodles

A quick one that makes enough for family dinner and great weekday lunches. It's good served either warm or cold, so it's also ideal for summer picnics and potlucks. (from my sister Carolyn and Cookie magazine)

box of whole wheat spaghetti
bottle of Annie's Asian Sesame Dressing
one cup of creamy peanut butter
shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, sliced red pepper and/or edamame
one or two tablespoons of vegetable oil
a few shakes of sesame oil
soy sauce for serving, optional
honey roasted peanuts for the top, also optional

Cook the spaghetti until just al dente and reserve some of the cooking water before draining (see note below). Rinse quickly with cool water.

Meanwhile, combine the sesame dressing and peanut butter in a food processor or blender until smooth. Heat the vegetable and sesame oil, then lightly saute the carrots, broccoli, red pepper and edamame.

Toss together the cooked pasta, veggies and sauce until well mixed. Top with a handful or two of peanuts, if you like. Can serve with soy sauce on the side; mix in a little for extra salty-sweet flavor.

*I like the sauce to be thick (and this sauce amount is doubled from the original recipe). If you prefer it lighter, just mix in the cooking water a few spoonfuls at a time until you reach the right consistency.

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