We're back! And today's theme was "easy peasy"

Since it's been so long, we decided to bring back our cooking adventures with something easy but man did we hit the jackpot with these two recipes (found with the help of Pinterest and good ol' Google).

First up was "Peanut Udon Noodles with Snowpeas"

Ingredients:

8 oz. dried udon noodles (we just used one package)
4 oz. snow peas (we used sugarsnap peas, and highly recommend it)
1/2 c. peanut butter (make sure it's creamy)
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger, grated (or finely chopped)
1 garlic clove, minced (we used 3 medium-sized cloves because we love garlic)
pinch of red pepper flakes
2-4 tbsp. water
1/4 c. chopped roasted peanuts (we used way more because peanuts are delicious!)

We added:
2 (or more, if desired) green onions, chopped
Half a red bell pepper and half a green bell pepper, cut into strips
Crunchy fried tofu

Directions:

Cut the block of tofu in half, so it's half as thick, and put both halves on some paper towels on a flat surface. Put more paper towels on top, cover with a plate, and set a weight on it. Leave tofu draining for 30 minutes (if you drain it for less, it won't be as crunchy).

While the tofu is draining, chop everything and cook your noodles using the directions on the package. Right before they're finished, throw in the peas and bell peppers (let everything boil for about a minute).

We did the next step in a wok, which worked really well; mix together peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Mix in the water one tablespoon at a time until your sauce isn't too thick to coat the noodles. We used the hot water from the noodles to do this because cold water won't mix well into oils. Make sure your sauce isn't too watery (you can always add more water if the whole thing is too thick).

Dump noodles, peas, and peppers into the wok and mix well until everything is thoroughly coated.

Once your tofu has been drained, cut it into strips, fill a frying pan (or deep-fryer if you have one) with a half-inch or so of vegetable oil, and fry tofu strips on each side until they are golden brown and crunchy.

Serve noodles with green onions, tofu strips, and peanuts to put on top in individual bowls, in amounts according to individual preference.

This peanut sauce recipe is STELLAR - so we're going to use it on just about anything we can put peanut sauce!

(Original recipe from ohmyveggies.com)

Dish number two was the "Crunchy Cabbage Salad" - which was even easier! (and very pretty)

Ingredients (we didn't quite follow any of the measurements, and the original recipe called for radish and celery, which we didn't have/don't like):

2 tablespoons or more white or red wine vinegar (we used apple cider vinegar)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste
Salt and black pepper
2 carrots, chopped
1 small red onion, minced
3 or 4 radishes, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped (we used some green pepper too, highly recommend)
1 small cabbage, cored and shredded.

We added;
(Toasted) sesame seeds!

Directions:
Chop everything and mix it together!

We recommend using less vinegar and less olive oil but it depends on how much salad you're making. The sesame seeds were a super duper good idea and gave it an extra crunch.

(Original recipe found at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/weekinreview/02recipes-3.html?_r=0)

I can't believe we've never made sushi before

With only one of us having ever rolled sushi, we set off on the adventure early this evening.

We decided to make salmon and yellowfin tuna rolls - but learned a few things on the way. First thing's first - FISH IS EXPENSIVE. And finding sushi-grade fish is even worse, and probably more expensive - so lesson number 1, don't complain about how expensive sushi is at your favorite sushi joint. Lesson number 2, however, is that you can make delicious sushi with cooked fish at home - which is just what we did (instead of hunting for sushi-grade fish). Thanks for not being as cool as we thought you were, Whole Foods.

Ingredients:
Bamboo sushi rolling mats
1 cup Sushi rice, prepared (see below)
2 ounces each of salmon and tuna (or your choice of fish), seared 
1 package nori (seaweed) made for sushi rolling
Whatever you want in your sushi roll

We chose:
Mango (1/2 champagne mango, julienned)
Cucumber (1/2 small cucumber, julienned)
Avocado (1/2 avocado, julienned)... yes, there's a pattern here
Scallions (1 onion, julienned)

Sushi rice:
1 cup sushi rice
1.5 cup water
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (we used apple cider vinegar and recommend using less if you use a stronger vinegar)
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/8 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt

This will all make you 6 rolls, 6 pcs each

Directions:
Make the rice first. Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander until the water runs clear. Combine with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed. Cool until cool enough to handle.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves (about a minute or two). Stir into the cooked rice. Keep stirring and the rice will dry as it cools. Set rice aside to cool. Don't roll your sushi until your rice is room temperature.

(Rice directions from allrecipes.com/recipe/perfect-sushi-rice/)

If you're fancy and have raw, sushi-grade fish, you can slice it into the thickness of about your index finger and start rollin.

If not, however, sear your fish for just about 2 or 3 minutes on high heat, until it's cooked through and then slice it (or let it fall apart and use the small pieces to roll).

Now you're ready to roll your maki.

Set sushi rolling mat in front of you on a flat surface. Put a sheet of seaweed, shiny side down, on the mat. Take about 2 tablespoons of your sticky rice and with fingers dipped in water and vinegar solution, spread it out over the bottom half of your seaweed (the half closer to you). Make sure it's not too thick and as evenly distributed as possible.

Put a row of fish and filling on top of the rice, a little bit away from the edge (so you have some seaweed to grab onto when you start rolling). You can double or triple layer ingredients, but too much won't roll as easily.

Take your thumb and index finger and grab onto the mat that's closest to your body, while with the rest of your fingers, holding onto the filling (stuff in your roll). Holding the filling, curl your fingers over and start rolling the mat until the seaweed at the edge closest to you touches seaweed on the mat. Remove fingers from seaweed and tuck one hand over the mat to "tuck your seaweed in" while holding on to the far end of the mat so it doesn't move. Release your grip, roll the mat some more, and repeat motion, tucking it in as you go until you reach the end and your seaweed is all rolled up!

Take a serrated knife and cut into pieces - dip in soy sauce and ENJOY!

We also added sesame seeds and panko (tiny bread crumbs) for crunch for the inside of our rolls.

Rolling takes a lot of practice but if you make your rice correctly it will be super-sticky and none will end up in your soy sauce bowl (our accomplishment for the evening).