Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles

Have you ever started making something and said to yourself, "Oh no. This can't be right. This is gonna be gross." Well, that's what I said while I was making this, but thank goodness I was SO WRONG! This is surprisingly easy and good! It comes from The $7 A Meal Cookbook by Linda Larsen.

RECIPE
1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg spaghetti pasta (I used whole wheat... adds more nutty flavor)
2/3 c chicken stock (or water) (I used chicken stock)
2/3 c peanut butter
1 t ground ginger
2 T brown sugar
3 T soy sauce
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 c chopped peanuts
1/2 c reserved pasta cooking water

*to make this even spicier, you could add a minced jalapeno pepper, or some crushed red pepper flakes if you have some on hand

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 5 min.
2. When water comes to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, add stock, peanut butter, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce and cayenne pepper to onions. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring for 3 min.
3. When pasta is done, drain, reserving 1/2 c pasta cooking water. Add pasta to saucepan; cook and stir until pasta is coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

See what I mean, sounds a little gross, but really, it's good!

NEXT TIME
This needs chicken and some veggies. I think I'll get some cabbage and those tiny carrot sticks... does that make sense? Maybe I should look up some other recipes to figure out the veggie aspect of this dish. :)