Yakisoba translated literally is fried noodles. It’s a very yummy Japanese dish. I have never run across anyone that didn’t love it.

First of all, you can usually find the Sapporo Ichiban “Chow Mein” noodles/sauce mix in the international aisle of many grocery stores across the country. It looks like this:

Or if you’re lucky enough to have an Asian Market that carries Maruchan’s Fresh Yakisoba you can use that as well. It looks like this:

I really like the Maruchan’s noodles the best for consistency. However, the sauce packet is powdery rather than liquid like the Sapporo Ichiban and I find it easier to mix in the liquid sauce base. Both are delicious.

I use 1 pkg per person of the Sapporo Ichiban or two (2) whole packages of the Maruchan Fresh Yakisoba to feed my family of four. This usually leaves us a serving or so for leftovers.

OK on to the recipe:

Yakisoba

pork, beef sirloin or hamburger (the amount will vary based on the number of servings you are making. I use a pound of pork or sirloin or about half pound of ground beef), slice pork or sirloin into stirfry sized strips
1/2 head of regular cabbage (sliced)
handful of bean sprouts
1/2 pkg of matchstick cut carrots (or 2 med. carrots sliced into small thin sticks)
1/2 onion (sliced thin)

1) Brown meat in large skillet or dutch oven, set aside.
2) In same pan, add a smidge of cooking oil and saute veggies until tender, set aside
3) follow directions on your yakisoba package to boil noodles until water is mostly gone. (usually 3 mins, do not overcook noodles or it’ll be mushy)
4) Add sauce packet to noodles and mix in well.
5) Add meat and veggies back to the pan and stir in well
6) Enjoy!!!!

Most instructions tell you to put the meat and veggies in before the sauce packets, but I find it harder to get the sauce to spread evenly in the noodles if you do that. You may like to have more veggies or less than the amounts I use so feel free to play with those to your tastes. Happy eating!

One guess… more to follow soon!

It’s the Real Fruit Pineapple Slush. It’s more than just a great drink on a hot day, it’s a snack too. There are so many chunks of fresh pineapple in it! You literally can suck a frozen piece of pineapple-ly goodness in every sip. Who am I kidding? I don’t sip this drink, I devour it. It’s soooooo tasty. There really aren’t even words that I could use that would adequately describe my love for this drink.

You should go try one. Now.

As summer draws to a close, many states across the country are celebrating their State Fairs. With that, comes competitions for the best pickles, the best cows, the best sheep, well you get the idea. The masses swell for concerts by favorite artists, to ride the rides, get creeped out by the fair game carnies and to view the spectacle that is the Butter Cow, if you’re at the Iowa State Fair. But let’s face the facts, you and I both know the real reason that anyone vists the State Fair is the food.

Every year I look forward to several items of food from the Fair, most of them served on a stick. All of which I will name for you now! OK, no I won’t…but I started feeling like I was channeling Tina the Tour Guide from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure for a moment. During the normal course of a year, you probably couldn’t pay me to eat some of the things I will consume in just one day at the fair. OK, there’s a few things here I would eat everyday if it wouldn’t ensure that I’d be dead of a heart attack before I turn 50.

Corn Dogs (Yes, on a stick) – these are a major staple at the Illinois State Fair. It amazes me because the line is forever and a mile long, so we naturally had to stand in this long line to see what all the fuss was about. We still don’t know. It was, to us, just a corn dog. However…the people in Springfield, IL seem to thing it’s the bomb.

Pork Chop on a Stick – Oh my goodness what yumminess is that. Tender, juicy, and it’s on a freaking stick!

Pizza on a Stick – My stepson had one of these, they look more like a Calzone on a Stick, I guess the difference is there was sauce in it. He said it was just ok. I thought they looked “just ok” myself.

Chicken, Beef or Various Meats – on a stick. I’ve never personally tried these but they do exist so are worth a mentioning.

Grilled Corn on a Stick – I’ve always wanted to try this, but I’m afraid the corn would be tough. Some of you readers will have to chime in and let me know if it’s good or not.

There’s the Candy Apples, ice cream bars and the Cotton Candy, all served on sticks, for those of you with a sweet tooth.

But for me, the Mother of all “on a stick” foods is the Deep Fried Twinkie on a Stick. Oh Jeezy Creezy (he hates being called that by the way, Eddie Izzard says so), those things are like well…heaven on a stick. I was going to say sex on a stick, but that sounded somewhat, obscene. I thought the mere idea of a deep fried Twinkie sounded disgusting. But OMG, I could be wooed by one, definitely. This isn’t something I, or anyone else for that matter, should be eating on a daily basis, but man, would I like to. I’d be as big as a house in less than a year, but my tongue would be happy, happy, happy! You can usually get the Deep Fried Oreo (a dissapointment to me actually) and Deep Fried Candy Bars (Snickers, Milky Ways, etc) at the same stands. But no thanks to all that for me, just gimme my Deep Fried Twinkie and I’m REALLY satisfied, sick, but satisfied. Seriously, you almost need a cigarette after eating one, and I don’t even smoke. It’s THAT good.

I always have to chuckle at the “international” sections, that seemingly never have people from the actual countries serving up the ethnic foods.

My husband would be dissapointed if I didn’t mention the Strawberry Crepes from the Illinois State Fair, they are delectable. Picture the thinnest pancake ever, filled with vanilla pudding (probably from a giant can) and strawberries in syrup. Top that with a significant portion of fake whipped creme and voila! Yummbly in your tumbly!

I personally enjoy the spirally potato chip things…I can never eat one order by myself and usually the whole family pitches in to devour that. Deep Fried Veggies – They remind me of tempura. YUMMO but man they make me feel like crap. Funnel Cakes and/or Elephant Ears are the food of choice as you’re leaving the fair for us. I personally love on the Funnel Cakes, but there are those among my family that prefer the Elephant Ears.

I usually feel like a greaseball at the end of our visits to the State Fair, but I figure one day of culinary debauchery each year can’t be a totally bad thing, right?

What are some of YOUR favorite fair foods?

You can choose not to order the Triple Yummy Heartstopping Burger of Death with Ginormous-size fries and the Big Bubba Pop (Yes, I said pop, because soda is what you put in your fridge to keep it smelling nice!). Or you can choose to order the Heartstoppers Super Duper Non-Value Meal and stick your foot one inch further into the grave.

Myself, I enjoy a yummy cheeseburger w/fries and a regular Coke. I can’t help myself. I always feel like crap after I eat them, but hey, I’d rather die because I enjoyed my food than to eat or drink chemicals (diet pop with whatever chemical of the day is en vogue). Everything should be within reason. That’s the problem, it’s not just the food choices that we make, it’s the sheer volume that we consume that is the problem. I must admit there are times where I WANT, no, NEEEEEEED that 42oz caffeine buzz in a cup just to make it through the day without just smacking someone.

But, is it really the responsiblity of the restaurant industry to limit people’s choices like some sort of food parent? I think not. If you can’t help yourself but to order the triple sized whatever you’re ordering, then isn’t that just a bit like natural selection taking you out of the gene pool a little bit earlier, thus strengthening it for the future?

What do you kind folks think? Is it the restaurant industry’s responsibility, or do you think you should be forced to wear the big girl/boy pants and police yourselves?

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