Hello my friends. I'm back. I took a break for about 3 1/2 years, and I'm feeling nice and rested and ready to share my love of all things culinary with all of you. I hope you are as excited as I am. Probably not. Don't worry, I'm not offended. Either way, here we go ... I decided to start things off with a recipe that packs a little spicy punch. If spice doesn't do you right, it can easily be lessened or omitted all together - to each their own! First things first, heat your grill! The salad comes together pretty quickly, so you'll want to get the tri-tip started before anything else. I'm a huge fan of the Morton's Steakhouse Classic Tri Tip from Costco, but any tri tip will do. I would season it with a little garlic salt beforehand, if it isn't pre-seasoned already. Throw that baby on the grill and let it do it's smoky magic. Be sure to check every 15 minutes or so, and flip once during grilling time. Tri tip will take anywhere between 30-45 min to cook. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp. so you can avoid cutting into the meat. The meat needs to rest for about 5 minutes after being removed from the grill in order to let all the delicious juices settle. Okay, now that the meat is going, you can begin the noodles. I have been known to substitute the udon noodles for any kind of long skinny noodle that I have lying around the house. So, there you go. Once the noodles are boiling (according to package directions), you can begin making the sauce. (P.S. I'm not a photographer, nor do I have a fancy kitchen so just know that everything will taste delicious despite my shortcomings in other areas :) Using a blender or food processor, blend up all the sauce ingredients. The chili garlic sauce is what adds the heat, so if you want a milder version, be sure to use less than what's called for. Once you've made the sauce, begin chopping your veggies. Mmmmm .... I love all the pretty colors!!! Now cut your tri tip ... ... we like it pink in our house ... ... and toss everything together in a bowl. Voila! Delicious, spicy, noodley love. (Can be served hot, cold, or room temp.) Spicy Asian Noodle & Tri-Tip Salad Ingredients: 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground) 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (or less) 1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger 3 tablespoons (or more) low-salt chicken broth 3/4 pound linguine or dried chow mein udon noodles 4 cups thinly sliced cooked tri-tip, cut into strips 2 large carrots, coarsely grated (about 1 1/4 cups) 6 green onions, chopped 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves Directions: Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and 3 tablespoons broth in processor; blend until smooth. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water to cool and drain again. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add tri-tip, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, and cilantro; toss to blend. Pour dressing over and toss to coat, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if dressing is too thick. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Spicy Asian Noodle & Tri Tip Salad

Hello my friends.  I'm back.  I took a break for about 3 1/2 years, and I'm feeling nice and rested and ready to share my love of all things culinary with all of you.  I hope you are as excited as I am.  Probably not.  Don't worry, I'm not offended.  Either way, here we go ...

I decided to start things off with a recipe that packs a little spicy punch.  If spice doesn't do you right, it can easily be lessened or omitted all together - to each their own!  First things first, heat your grill!  The salad comes together pretty quickly, so you'll want to get the tri-tip started before anything else.

I'm a huge fan of the Morton's Steakhouse Classic Tri Tip from Costco, but any tri tip will do.  I would season it with a little garlic salt beforehand, if it isn't pre-seasoned already.  Throw that baby on the grill and let it do it's smoky magic.  Be sure to check every 15 minutes or so, and flip once during grilling time.  Tri tip will take anywhere between 30-45 min to cook.  Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp. so you can avoid cutting into the meat.  The meat needs to rest for about 5 minutes after being removed from the grill in order to let all the delicious juices settle.

Okay, now that the meat is going, you can begin the noodles.  I have been known to substitute the udon noodles for any kind of long skinny noodle that I have lying around the house.  So, there you go. Once the noodles are boiling (according to package directions), you can begin making the sauce.

(P.S.  I'm not a photographer, nor do I have a fancy kitchen so just know that everything will taste delicious despite my shortcomings in other areas :)

Using a blender or food processor, blend up all the sauce ingredients.  The chili garlic sauce is what adds the heat, so if you want a milder version, be sure to use less than what's called for.

Once you've made the sauce, begin chopping your veggies.

Mmmmm .... I love all the pretty colors!!!

Now cut your tri tip ...

... we like it pink in our house ...

... and toss everything together in a bowl. Voila!  Delicious, spicy, noodley love.  (Can be served hot, cold, or room temp.)

Spicy Asian Noodle & Tri-Tip Salad

Ingredients:

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (or less)

1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons (or more) low-salt chicken broth

3/4 pound linguine or dried chow mein udon noodles

4 cups thinly sliced cooked tri-tip, cut into strips

2 large carrots, coarsely grated (about 1 1/4 cups)

6 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and 3 tablespoons broth in processor; blend until smooth. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water to cool and drain again. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add tri-tip, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, and cilantro; toss to blend. Pour dressing over and toss to coat, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if dressing is too thick. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.