Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles

I've already shared a couple great meatless recipes with you- Garlicky Clams Linguine and Shrimp Rotini. While delicious, those recipes both require some seafood which is not really a "pantry staple" (though the canned clams are easy to have on hand) and can sometimes be pricey. Plus, not every family enjoys seafood as much as mine!

Without a doubt, my "go-to" meatless recipe-- and one my husband requests at least every other week-- is Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles. Made from simple, on-hand ingredients, this quick, protein-packed meal always gets rave reviews.

Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles

12-16 oz. thin spaghetti (vermicelli)

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth/stock

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, based on your family's tolerance for heat

1/2 tsp (or so) minced garlic

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Into hot pan (but you can turn the burner off), add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.

Add noodles and toss.

This dish can stand alone like this, but it's even tastier if you add some things. Last night, I served it up with some chopped broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, and zucchini mixed in.

Sometimes, I DO add meat-- chicken and pork are both equally delicious. We love it with mushrooms. The sky's the limit really-- just rely on your family's tastes and you can't go wrong. I've even made this recipe using rice instead of noodles-- still tasty!

People will look at you funny as you dump peanut butter in with spaghetti but trust me on this...you've gotta try it! Super easy, super fast, super budget-friendly. Now that's using your noodle. (Sorry... had to do it.;))

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This post is linked to:

$5 Dinner Challenge

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

"My Story..." Monday: Getting Pregnant After A Preemie- The Surgery

I enjoyed my last weekend before surgery. It was a fun time with my family! Throughout it all, though, one little thought kept nagging me...

Could I be pregnant?

You see, during my pre-op work that previous Friday, one of the questions the nurse asked me was a common one- When was your last menstrual period?

"October 3rd," I'd answered. It was November 7th. Now, that didn't necessarily mean much. I realized I was a little late, but that wasn't unheard of, especially given the fact that I was nervous and under a lot of stress about this whole surgery. I figured it would start some time over the weekend.

It did not.

One of my lab tests had been a pregnancy test, so I decided to call the doctor's office to get the results on Monday. Keep in mind, I had not told my husband ANY of this whole saga yet. I dialed the doctor's number Monday morning and was informed that the office was closed until 1 PM. Grrr.

That morning felt very long but, after lunch, I dialed those digits again. This time, I was able to speak to a nurse who pulled out my file.

"Hmm, Mrs. S., you say they did a pregnancy test?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it."

"Well, let me see... um... it looks like maybe the results were inconclusive."

"Inconclusive? I've never heard of an inconclusive pregnancy test. So what does that mean?"

"Well, don't worry about it. They'll do another test first thing in the morning right before your surgery to be sure."

"Oh, ok. Well, thank you."

I hung up the phone. I was pretty sure that this woman hadn't been able to find the results and that's why she had given me that whole "inconclusive" response and all. But it didn't really matter why she'd told me that, the fact was... I still didn't know.

I also didn't want to wait until Thursday. If I did happen to be pregnant, what sense did it make to have my mother-in-law come over to babysit, go to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning, and get prepped for surgery only to have them send me back home?

I took a deep breath and dialed my husband's cell number. I prayed for his voice-mail and let out a little sigh of relief when that's what I got. After the beep...

"Hey, hon! It's me. I just got off the phone with the doctor's office and apparently the results from the pregnancy test they gave me on Friday were inconclusive and they say they'll give me another one right before the surgery but that seems kind of silly to me to wait until we're at the hospital and all before just finding out for sure so would you mind running across the street to CVS and picking up a pregnancy test before you come home today?Okay, thanks, love you, bye."

Click.

He didn't call me back, but when he walked in the door, he hugged me and handed me a bag.

I finished making dinner and we all sat down and ate as a family. After I'd cleaned up the kitchen, I went into our bathroom to take the test.

I walked back into the living room, where my husband was playing with the 2- and 3-year olds. I handed him the test and said, "Well, that's the fastest positive I've ever seen."

In that moment, our eyes met we both realized we were facing something much bigger- and better- than the surgery I'd had planned.

I was officially pregnant after a preemie.

Cutting Coupons: You're Not Too Busy, Part 1

I hear it all the time:

"I'm too busy to cut coupons!"

I hear it from everyone. Stay-at-home-moms. Work-outside-the-home-moms. Young people. Older folks. Rich people. Those barely making it. And you know what? It's an excuse that doesn't hold water, no matter who you may be. Trust me-- there is someone out there who has more kids, works longer hours, and juggles more responsibilities than you and still manages to cut coupons.

For the next four Fridays, I'm going to be offering up a total of forty, yes, FORTY times during a typical week when you could get that coupon clipping done. Now, I'm not saying that all forty will necessarily apply to you. But I bet you can find a few...

For this first segment, here are ten times you can...

Clip in the Car

1. While you wait for your kids- This right here is your number one time to clip coupons. We spend an awful lot of time waiting in cars at bus stops or outside of schools/gyms/libraries/etc.
2. While you wait in a drive-thru lane- Especially at the bank or drugstore. These transactions tend to take a few minutes and, if you're prepared, you can get quite a bit done.
3. When you're a few minutes early arriving someplace- If you don't need to go in the building for five or ten more minutes, may as well get some clipping done!
4. When you have sleeping children in the backseat- Am I the only one this has happened to? If your babies fall asleep and don't transfer well, why not get some something done while you sit in the car with them? Play some happy music and CUT!
5. When you're on a trip- If you're on a longer trip and you're not the only driver, you have the potential to get caught up on a lot of clipping.
6. While you nurse a baby- If you have to feed your baby while you're out and you choose to do it in the car, you can get some clipping done. This takes a little juggling but most mommies will tell you that they learn to do all manner of things while nursing! (I often wonder just how many posts get written one-handed while feeding a baby...)
7. While you pump gas- True, unless you drive a gigantic vehicle, you're not going to get much done while your gas pumps... but you could certainly breeze through 3 or 4 sheets of internet printables!
8. When you're waiting on a friend- This is kind of like the kid thing. If you're waiting for a friend who you're picking up or meeting someplace, you can keep yourself busy rather than get frustrated if she's less-than-prompt.
9. While you prep to go in the store- This is my least favorite option but, if need be, you can clip some coupons in the parking lot right before you run in. Sometimes I find myself with a few minutes of wait-time while I wait for someone with a cart to show up. (Occasionally those cart-retrievers are too on top of things!) It's difficult for me to schlep three kids five and under, a diaper bag, my coupons, and reusable grocery bags in the store without a cart. If this happens, I can clip some coupons while I wait!
10. On your way to or from church- This is my very favorite time to get this chore done. The coupons come out in the Sunday paper anyway. If you go to church with your spouse, whoever is not driving can clip. Easy peasy!

Keeping your to-be-clipped coupons in a simple folder with a pair of scissors is really all you need to do to be prepared to get some clipping done in the car!

I'll be back again next Friday with ten more times you can get those coupons clipped!

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How about you? Do you clip coupons in your car? When?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

Babies Drinking From Straws

At her six-month check-up, my baby girl was given the go-ahead to try sipping some water from a sippy cup. Since she's exclusively breastfed, she's never really taken a bottle so that's not something I even want to introduce. She's also never been one bit interested in a pacifier. I admit there are times when it may have been nice for her to like one, but, still, it's one less thing to have to wean from. I was pretty delighted to just go right to the sippy!

My girl? Not so thrilled with the whole thing. I gave her a hard spout and a soft spout. She wasn't overly fond of either. Then I offered her a straw.

Voila.
I'm delighted to find these Munchkin cups that are relatively leak-proof, but offer a straw instead of a spout.




Not only is this simply my daughter's preferred method of drinking, but it's also a great one for other children too. I'm not saying that all 8-month olds need to be drinking from a straw... not at all. But the simple truth is that drinking from a straw is a socially acceptable way to consume beverages for, well, your whole life! It's a good skill to have. Drinking from a sippy cup? Well, that becomes age-inappropriate much sooner. And I've already made my thoughts on extended sippy cup use abundantly clear..


Great cup. Happy baby. Happy mommy.

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This post is linked to:
Things I Love Thursday

FYI: I bought my G's Munchkin cups when I discovered them. I was just so happy to have a leak-proof cup with a straw! I was not paid or in any way compensated for this post. If Munchkin needs a young model to demonstrate their awesome product, however, I've got someone in mind... ;)

The Micropreemie Roller Coaster

Ask any parent of a baby born WAY too early and they'll tell you-

It's a roller coaster ride... the doctors, nurses, and other parents warn you about that. Three steps forward, two steps back. Four steps forward, ten steps back. You want to think it will be different, but we all pretty much ride similar bumpy roads. The entire time you're in the NICU, you know this... you wait for the other shoe to drop.

What no one does tell you is that you don't get to climb off the ride just because you were able to go home. You've signed on to enjoy this wild coaster for the rest of your life.

Now, for some of us, the ride gets much calmer... you get to just slide along, most of the major dips and drops a thing of the past that you remember but don't have to dwell on. It feels more like a carousel now, or a ferris wheel... fun, at times breathtaking, but largely predictable and smooth.

Until a storm arrives and the whole ride changes again.

You go in for a routine check-up and find out something's wrong... or has gotten much worse. A common cold sends you reeling with panic about RSV and how your chronic-lung-disease-child will fight the virus. You get a call from a teacher or therapist and learn there are still more concerns about your child's development... and that it's time to meet with yet another specialist.

The micropreemie roller coaster is a life-long ride... and one with a very pricey ticket.

But it's also one of the most inspiring journeys one can undertake... there is so much to learn, so much to discover, so much awe to be had as we witness these tiny miracles making their marks on the world. And our hearts. So we just hang on.

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Note: We did have a recent event in our own lives that helped to inspire this post- more on that another time- but it was mostly written because this is what I hear all the time from other micropreemie parents. I am blessed to have heard from so many of you... hang in there. You're always in my prayers.

Shrimp Rotini

Last week, I shared the recipe for Garlicky Clams Linguine with you and promised more meatless man-pleasing main dishes. This week? I'm serving up some...

Shrimp Rotini

Ingredients:

2/3 pound rotini (most of a box is fine)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 1/2 frozen shrimp in bite-size pieces (or use those little salad shrimp- they're cheap and work well here!)

4 oz. imitation crab meat, chopped

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth or stock

1 jar (or can) meatless spaghetti sauce (OR 3 cups of your own sauce), divided

1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese-- but ricotta has a better texture for this)

1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

black pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare rotini according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over med-low heat and add garlic. Cook for about 2 mins until fragrant. Add crab and shrimp (both in bite-size pieces) and reduce heat to low. Stir frequently. Heat spinach until hot (about 1 minute on high in a microwave or a few minutes in a saucepan over medium should do it). Add ricotta to spinach and stir until smooth; cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.


Add broth and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce to seafood mixture. Sprinkle generously with black pepper and heat through. Add remaining spaghetti sauce to drained rotini. Stir. Serve as follows- Spread a layer of rotini on each plate. Ladle seafood mixture over. Finally, top with a generous dollop of the spinach/ricotta blend. Serve immediately.

Approx. time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

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This post is linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

$5 Dinner Challenge

My Story Monday... Getting Pregnant After A Preemie- Not Trying... And Not NOT Trying

When C. turned two, I was in excellent shape. That past summer, we had purchased a tread mill and I had put it to very good use. I also had a balance ball that I worked out on regularly and I had the abs to prove it. I felt wonderful and strong. Truthfully, I felt like I had back in the early Spring just before I got pregnant with my first child.

I remember that time of my life as being very content. We were all healthy and happy. Our just-turned-three son had finally (!) started to talk and that eased a lot of worries we'd been having. C. no longer needed any extra doctor visits for anything, save the eye doctor. My husband's job was secure and predictable. I had actually made a mommy-friend through preschool and was feeling less disconnected than I had in years.

THIS was the time when I started thinking I might be ready to have another baby. I wasn't in a rush, but I felt like, should it happen, I would be fully happy and ready. I also thought the likelihood of my getting pregnant had probably gone up significantly since I was no longer under great stress and I was in good shape.

But I didn't get pregnant. And that was okay too. I never felt desperate or depressed about it.

Life went on with our sweet little family.

Until C was 2 1/2 and I noticed a lump in my lower right abdomen. A lump that caused me a great deal of pain and would sometimes bring me to my knees. A lump that, eventually, caused me to see both my general practitioner and then my OB/GYN.

We scheduled surgery... and I signed the paper giving consent to the removal of my ovary if need be.

I was devastated.

My surgery was scheduled for November. I lined up guest posts so I could recover. We arranged child care for A. and C. so my husband could be with me. He took time off work so I could rest for a few days post-op.

On November 6th, my brother came to town and took my kids and me out to lunch. It was wonderful to see him and a great distraction from the pre-op tests and blood work I had to have later that afternoon! We had some yummy food and good laughs and then I rushed home to meet my husband so he could watch the kids while I went to the lab.

I breezed through all the surgery prep with no issues and headed home.

I was ready to enjoy my last weekend before the operation.