Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)

Happy Friday people! It's been a long week over here, but my injured little one got a new cast on her leg and can now move her knee - and more importantly, itch the spot behind her knee. Even better, it's date night. Dinner at a new restaurant with my husband!

Tomorrow night I'm tackling Jamie Oliver's duck confit and lentils, but mid-week meals require speed and simplicity which is why I LOVE this Thai recipe. The ingredients can be a little tricky. Fresh rice noodles require a trip to the Asian market. In summer, I grow my own Thai basil, but in February, that too comes from the market. The hardest thing to find in this one is the sweet soy sauce, also known as kecap manis, a sweet and salty thick sauce. I found it at my Asian market, but there's a recipe over at Fuss Free Cooking if you need to DIY. (Local friends, just leave a comment and I'll bring you some from my gigantic bottle).

I've adapted this one to make it kid friendly. In other words, I leave out the delicious chilies in the original. Instead, hubby and I douse it with some sriracha. It's worth the alteration - the kiddoes like the noodles and pork which means 1 pan, 1 dinner and 4 full bellies. Happy mommy!

Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)
Adapted from New York Times Cooking

Typical drunken noodles are spicy, but I leave out the chilies so my kids can enjoy this too. This pad kee mao recipe takes minutes to make and taste like authentic Thai - you can make it in less time than it takes you to order take-out!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. dark sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, sliced
• 12 ounces fresh rice noodles
• 2 handfuls Thai or holy basil leaves

Cooking Directions

1. Whisk together the fish sauce, soy sauce and vinegar, and set aside.
2. Put a wok (or a large frying pan) over medium-high heat; when it’s hot, add the oil, the garlic, and the onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork and a splash of the sauce. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the peppers and noodles. Turn the heat to high, and add almost all of the sauce (save a spoonful or two to add later if needed). Cook, tossing everything together and separating the noodles if necessary, until the noodles are coated in sauce and take on a slightly charred flavor from the wok. Taste, and add more sauce if needed. Toss in the basil, and serve immediately.

Pork ragu with creamy polenta

This dish is the food equivalent of sliding into cozy pajamas and curling up in front of a fire with a glass of red wine.

So when your boss is all over you, you have one kid in a wheelchair with a broken leg and the other kid suddenly develops double pink eye, I highly recommend it - in a large warm bowl, with an equally large glass of red wine (Chianti, please). Did I mention I am glad it's Friday?

But don't wait for your kid to break a leg to make it. It's unbelievably easy. Just let it simmer on the stove til it practically falls apart. And put away the air fresheners because this will make your house smell good. Heck, even your yard will smell good.

Pork ragu with creamy polenta
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Make the pork ragu a day ahead then just whip up the creamy polenta and dinner is done. It makes enough for friends (or leftovers). And it's also yummy on pasta (which is how the kids ate it.)

Ingredients

Pork Ragu

• 3 lbs. skinless, boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 3 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 cup full-bodied red wine
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves

Creamy polenta and assembly

• 2 cups milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups coarse polenta (not quick cooking)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley

Cooking Directions

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook pork, turning often, until evenly browned, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and pour off pan drippings.
2. Wipe out any burned bits from pot, but leave the golden-brown pieces (doing this will keep the finished sauce from tasting bitter). Add onion and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to brown and caramelize, 12–15 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened in color, 5–8 minutes.
3. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half, 5–8 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves; stir in 2 cups water. Add pork with any juices accumulated on the platter; season with salt and pepper.
5. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pork is falling-apart tender, sauce is thickened (it will be thicker than a typical pasta sauce), and flavors have melded, 2½–3 hours.
6. Using 2 forks, shred the pork; taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Pork can be prepared a few days ahead. Let it cool, cover and chill. Reheat gently before serving.
8. To make the polenta, bring chicken stock and milk to a simmer in a large pot. Whisking constantly, gradually add polenta; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking often, until polenta is tender and creamy, 20–25 minutes (if polenta becomes too thick too soon, loosen mixture by adding a little water and continue cooking). Add butter and ½ cup Parmesan to polenta and whisk until melted; season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Spoon polenta into bowls or onto a platter and top with pork. Scatter parsley and more Parmesan over top.