Green & Black's Prize Pack Giveaway Winner...and Spicy Peanut Noodles with Shrimp

Happy weekend...Saturday means that it's time to announce the winner in my Green & Black's chocolate giveaway. The lucky winner of the Green & Black's Ultimate Chocolate Recipes cookbook and two bars of chocolate to bake with is:

#12: Lizzy from the blog That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

Congrats, Lizzy...I can vouch that you definitely have mad baking skills, so I can't wait to see what you decide to cook from the cookbook!! I'll be in touch via e-mail to get your shipping info so I can forward it to Green & Black's this week.

My brother spent the past couple of days with us while he was doing some research for a grad-school paper. One of his favorite foods is chicken with peanut sauce, so I decided to try my hand at making peanut noodles for dinner last night. The verdict? We all loved it! The general consensus is that it's as yummy as anything we've eaten in a restaurant. Even better? It's easy to whip up, and it's very adaptable. My brother had his noodles with chicken breast, while Michael I opted for shrimp since it was Friday.

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Shrimp

adapted from Cooking Light

Step 1:   Peel 1 lb. large shrimp and place in well-salted water for at least 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the meal. A little trick I learned: this will brine the shrimp and give them a fantastic flavor and texture.  

Step 2:  Cook 8 ounces of fettuccine according to package directions. While you're waiting for the pasta water to boil and the shrimp to brine, make the peanut sauce. Combine the following ingredients in a bowl: 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1/3 cup chicken broth, 2 tbs. soy sauce, 2 tbs. honey, 1 tbs. red wine vinegar, one finely minced garlic clove, 1 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper. Whisk well to combine and set aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Step 3:  Add 1 tbs. olive oil to a skillet over med-high heat. Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with a towel. Add your favorite seasoning to them. Last night, I used a chipotle salt blend. Add 2 sliced green onions, 2 tbs. minced shallot, and 1 carrot cut into thin strips using a veggie peeler. Stir fry until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. This took about 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Add the cooked fettuccine and reserved peanut sauce to the pan. Toss well with tongs to combine.

Step 5:  To serve, place each serving of noodles in a shallow bowl. Top with chopped peanuts and more chopped green onions.

These noodles are seriously GOOD! The peanut sauce infuses the noodles with flavor...peanutty, salty, spicy, and a little sweet and sour thanks to the honey and red wine vinegar. The shrimp were the perfect addition for us, but you could leave them out or sub in tofu for a veg-friendly option. Or use leftover chicken to save a little money. The possibilities are endless, and I can't wait to make this recipe again!!

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