20 Minute Spicy Peanut Noodles

Sounds good, I would need to switch out the shrimp (allergic) for Tofu or chicken. I will have to tame the fire some so I can tolerate it, but Hubs will go for it as written. I would add my thoughts on saving time for any night’s meals. (Who wants complicated meals on Summer weekends, or any more time in the kitchen than absolutely necessary during Summer heat) 1) Catch the long range weather forecast late in the week, then 2) Meal plan for the meals for the next week, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. 3) Check kitchen, fridge, freezer, and pantry for needed ingredients and low staples 4) Make up your grocery lists, 5) Shop Friday, Saturday, Sunday, whatever’s convenient for you, consider evening, overnight(24 hour groceries and pharmacies) or early mornings. It’s helpful if you want to shop without trying to keep an eye on the children while you shop. It’s cooler to shop during those hours, the markets are much quieter. Night stockers are working and new items are being put on the shelves. Night managers are less frazzled and more happy to help you find things. The meat counter is usually stocked in the late evening, but a night meat person is often on. The deli is often closed at night, but an order called in earlier can be prepared and placed with the night meat man for pickup. A good idea for any time of day, if you’re needing several pounds of different meats. It can be prepared and ready for you when you arrive. When you’re finished, it’s not blazing hot outside. You can hit a 24 hour gas station for gas on the way home. No long lines as during the heat of the day. Once you’re home, if you’re a night person unpack and do meal prep then, if you’re not get fridge and freezer stuff where it belongs, catch some zzz’z and do meal prep when you get up, after breakfast. These are tricks many Nurses, Military wives, and women with large families, or very young children use to organize their time. I know this from meeting so many at the 24 hour market after my own evening shifts, and in the morning after my overnight shifts at the hospital. Many of you have outdoor grills to cook on, I rely on my slow cookers (3). Instant Pot, and Electric Skillets for a cooler kitchen. Counter top convection oven, broiler, Air fryer units, are much cooler than the range. A microwave is cooler and suitable for 80-85% of stovetop work. The electric skillet does the rest. Keep the fridge rotating and cleaned out so additional produce and more chilled dishes can be accommodated. Tailor staples lists to the season for more useable storage space. Keeping all your appliances in mind as you meal plan goes a long way to lessening or easing meals preparation during the summer, along with pre prepping the veggies. If meats are stored in the freezer ( I highly recommend this) label with name, meal, and date, then organize them into the freezer according to date needed. That way you can easily pull and place the items in the fridge at night. I store meats and fish in Zipper bags, in the freezer. Easier to label, better protection, and highly leak resistant. My Mother used to freeze deli meats and meat leftovers very successfully. Keeping goods fresh and tasty for as long as possible is a must in the summer. When you set up to make a preplanned, preprepped meal, you don’t want to find essential ingredients un useable. So take time to prep them properly for storage until you need them, your patience is worth it.