Asian Noodles with Beef and Snow Peas

Asian Noodles with Beef and Snow Peas

Updated - see below.
Right off the top, I have to say this one is as low-brow as it is tasty. It is about as Asian as chicken balls. We're talking middle of the week comfort food, cooks up in less than 15 minutes start to finish. And the best part is that it makes fantastic left-overs to bring to work the next day (assuming you have a microwave).

This could be made fancier by using "real" noodles and not the instant $0.99 packages, "real" beef slices and not supermarket extra-lean, and fresh ginger instead of powdered. But who is going to do that when you just got home late at 6:45pm, and are starving and grumpy? Not me.

The recipe comes from SO's former co-worker and friend. It got published in one of those small-town raising money for something coil-bound cookbooks you buy for $10. Fantastic deal if you ask me. There are a few questionable things in there, but it is worth the price for this idea alone plus there are lots of other "my momma's recipe" dishes. I mean, even Julia Child's cookbook has a section on Aspics. Yikes. Good luck trying to find a copy of "A Taste From Our Homes" though, from the Goulbourn Jubilee Singers Community Choir. This link (familyoven.com) is almost identical to the one from the book.

Update:
So we needed something for lunch, and I had 10 minutes to make it. I saw a couple of the $0.99 noodle packets in the cupboard, so thought I'd make this again. We always have ground beef in the freezer. No snow peas, but that was my inspiration to do it a bit differently. Not having something is often great for inspiration. The difference? Started with diced onion and garlic, then added green beans, frozen peas, and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Turned out excellent!

Slightly different version, with garlic, onion, gr. beans,
peas, and Worcestershire sauce

Next time: this is so simple, there is nothing to change or do differently. Maybe make a bigger batch.

Me: 9/10
SO: 8.5/10
SSO: n/a, but I would guess 5/10 once he tried it

Asian Noodles with Beef and Snow Peas

This makes enough for lunch for 3 people

Ingredients

• 2 packages instant noodles, the kind that comes with the little sachets of powder inside
• 1lb ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, diced or pressed (optional)
• 1 sm onion, diced (optional)
• large handful of one or more veggies, such as snow peas, gr. beans, etc.
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, or 1tsp ginger powder
• 5 or 6 good squirts of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups water

Method

1. Brown the beef in a large saute pan, transfer to a dish for later.
2. If using garlic and onion, soften them in butter.
3. If using harder/crunchier veggies, soften them a bit. Peas or snow peas can be added at the end.
4. Add the water, bring to a boil.
5. Crunch the noodles up while still in the packages, and add to the water. Cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the little powder sachets, the ginger, and wordestershire and stir well. Add any veg that isn't already in the pan, and also the beef. Heat through and serve.