Shanghai Fried Noodles

As I've mentioned before Mom and I have been looking for recipes using egg noodles. Click here for the link to the post about us making egg noodles: http://batsbizarre.blogspot.com/2013/08/egg-noodles.html

 One of our favorites is my version of Shanghai Fried Noodles. The homemade noodles really make it pop. Mom and I like spicy food, but if you don't simply omit one of the hot sauces and/or the chili  peppers. This is a very customizable recipe, the first two times I made it I used some of the Japanese Eggplants from the garden, but we didn't have any last night so I used broccoli instead. I used the last of the kale, but any leafy vegetable (or snow peas) can work. I used half a chicken breast the first time, the recipe I worked from called for pork, and later on I used left over barbequed pork, so really any protein will work. But if you're using pre-cooked meat you should add it after the vegetables. Without any further ado here is my recipe for Shanghai Fried Noodles.   


                                                        Shanghai Fried Noodles                          serves 2

4 oz. pork cut into strips                                            Sauce:                       
1 teaspoon cornstarch                                              3 Tb. soy sauce
Water, enough to cover the noodles                       1  Tb. sugar
2 cups egg noodles                                                 1 teas.  rice wine or sherry
2 Tb. oil                                                                  1 teas. cornstarch
4 oz. kale                                                                3 Tb.   water
half an large onion                                                 1/2 teas. sesame oil
3  garlic cloves                                                      1 teas. oyster sauce
2 dried red chilies                                                  1 teas. chili bean paste
dash of sesame seeds                                             1 teas. Sichuan sauce
1 medium carrot                                                    dash of sesame seeds
1 medium eggplant                                                Salt and pepper to taste

  Mix your sauce ingredients together in a bowl.  In a large pot bring about 2 cups of water to a boil add noodles and let boil for five minutes. Let sit. Cover pork strips with cornstarch and set aside. Chop your vegetables. Put garlic, onions, chilies, a dash of sesame seeds, and 2 Tb. oil in a pan. Cook on medium heat until garlic turns brown. Add your chicken strips and stir-fry for about two minutes or until cooked. Add the vegetables except for the kale and cook for three minutes. Add kale, noodles and sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens.

Here is a printer friendly version: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ekuyZiSZ1S7ONYk144bNcdt8ce0HUBAg2CJArHrl_Hs/edit?usp=sharing


              Thank you for reading Bats Bizarre's offical blog. Have a bat-tastic day!

An F- for AAA

   We needed to run some errands today. I thought it would be a good idea to run into town at get it over with before I wrote today's blog post or got involved in anything else. We went to buy feed, but when I went to start the truck and drive to the loading area it wouldn't start.
  Mom called AAA. She thought the truck's battery was dead, but the operator thought it sounded like something else, and told us a flatbed would be there by 3:15. 3:15 rolled around without a reactor rolling up. Mom called again... The operator had put the address in wrong! But according to the other operator that wasn't the hold up, the driver hadn't arrived at the auto parts store the first person had put in as the destination. At 3:40 he shows up, gives us a jump, because it was the battery just like Mom thought, and the truck starts right up. He didn't have a battery with him so he told us to drive home and call AAA and ask them to send someone out with a battery we could buy for $89. Mom called AAA again and asked how much a battery would cost, they said between 89 and 120, I don't know about any of you but if somebody tells me between two amounts it usually end up being the higher one. We ended up driving to O'reilly's (with the odometer dropping from the speed I was going to zero and all the lights, except for the low battery light, flashing on.) where one of the guys who works there checked to make sure the battery really was dead and replaced it for us. It ended up costing $119 without tax.
 My questions are: has anyone bought a battery from AAA and if so how much did it cost? How long is a typical wait?

                    Thank you for reading Bats Bizarre's offical blog have a bat-tastic day!   

Spider Web Over Shirt

  Add a little glam to your ghoul with this three-quarter sleeve Halloween over shirt.
  One of my favorite things about this shirt is that I can wear it no matter the weather. If we're having a hot October (which we usually do, unfortunately.) I can slip it over a tank or a tee, or if it's cold that day I can wear a turtleneck and still be rocking the Halloween style. Even better I can change the way it looks by wearing a different color under it. I've already found out that yellow looks little green under it and I look forward to trying more color combinations.
 
My one problem is that in the pictures I look fat. But most pictures do that.   

 The shirt is made out of a sheer 55% nylon 45% metallic fabric that shimmers deep purple with a metallic silver over lay in a repeating spider web pattern.
One size fits most. The bust and hip measure 23 3/4" (60.325cm) when laid flat and 47 1/2" (120.65cm) around. The waist is 22 1/2" (57.15cm) flat and 45" (114.3cm) around.
  The sleeves measure 8" wide (20.32cm) and 10" (25.4cm) from the armpit seam to the end when measured flat. The shirt is 24 1/2" (62.23cm) from top to bottom when measured flat.

  To get an idea of how this will fit you; take a tee shirt that fits you loosely, lay it flat and measure from one side to the other. If it is the same or smaller than the Spider web's measurements than you should be good. If not you will need to special order a custom size.  

  The fabric is labeled dry clean only, and says it may crock (bleed color). But I washed a piece of scrap fabric by hand in cold water and Wool Lite R, and it worked out fine.

 Here is the link to the listing:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/159454912/spider-web-over-shirt?ref=shop_home_active

               This is the last day you can use the coupon code TAXFREE for 5% off any Bats Bizarre purchase over $1.


           Thank you for reading Bats Bizarre's offical blog. Have a bat-tastic day!

Egg Noodles

    In an effort to keep up with the girl's phenomenal laying, Mom and I have been making a bunch of egg recipes. (and have been adding an extra egg, most of the time.) One of the recipes we've tried was egg noodles. Which led to use having to find ways to use the noodles. The easiest thing we made was soup. The sort of recipe for soup is after the one for noodles.
                 
                                                 Egg    Noodles
                              2c. flour                                                 1t. salt
                               2 eggs.                                                   water

    Sift flour into a bowl. Add eggs and salt. If it's not liquid enough to make a stiff dough add water one 1t. at a time. Work the dough well with your hands and drop onto a lightly floured board. Roll it out thin (about 1/16") with a rolling pin. Cover and let dry for 30 minutes. Cut the dough lengthwise into 2" stripes. Roll one strips up and cut as narrow or as thin as you want. Repeat for the rest of the strips.  Makes about 4 cups. 

Printer Friendly version here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vi0fnYHdgM26XncdXXgWTBnXmeBBOpiVcnwsohXwca4/edit?usp=sharing 

 
     Chicken Noodle Soup.

   Mom made chicken stock by boiling left over chicken parts (bones and such.) in water with some pepper and salt. But you can use chicken breasts or legs if you prefer. Once that's done, take out the meat and add your vegetables carrots and celery stuff like that, and get your seasoning right. While that simmers you debone your chicken. When your carrots are tender add your frozen vegetables, peas, corn, whatever you like. Cook for a couple minutes then add the meat and the noodles.  Simmer for another five minutes or until the noodles are tender.
It's not really an exact science.

From 8/9/13 to 8/13/13 use coupon code TAXFREE for 5% off any purchase over $1.


            Thank you for reading bats Bizarre's official blog. Have a bat-tastic day!