Do Doug and I Want Kids? & What I Cooked Last Week

On Having Kids, Five Minute Chili Butter Udon, Mom’s Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, and Benihana Hibachi Chicken Rice Bowl

Hi everyone and happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. How is it already Halloween?! I’m dressing up as Medusa and Doug will be Hades. I’ll try to share a pic on Instagram stories this weekend :)

Today we’re changing things up a bit and going in reverse order. Below you’ll find the featured recipe for all subscribers (a silky chili udon, perfect for these cooler fall days), and then I’ll answer a question I’ve been getting a lot lately: Do Doug and I want to have kids? Because it’s a little more personal, that part will be for paid subscribers. 

I’m also excited to share that we added 10 new recipes to the archive this week! You can check them out here. Highlights include Crispy Chicken Marsala, Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup, and Deconstructed Eggplant Parm. 

Now onto the fun stuff… Thank you so much for reading and I appreciate your support!

What I Made Last Week! ↓

Five Minute Chili Butter Udon

These noodles are mind-blowingly good and cook in just 5 minutes on the stove. Use frozen udon noodles (you can find them in the freezer section of most Asian stores or online, though I’ve even found them at my local supermarket), as those are chewier and thicker than the dry variety, making them perfect for coating in a buttery chili sauce. 

Five Minute Chili Butter Udon

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Ingredients

• Kosher salt

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 to 2 tablespoon(s) chili oil crisp (I used 2 tablespoons but Doug and I like spicy!)

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for sprinkling

• ½ teaspoon sugar

• 1 pound frozen udon noodles

• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Make it vegan: use a plant-based butter for the butter.

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it starts to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add the chili oil crisp (1 tablespoon if you prefer medium spice), soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sugar. Cook, stirring, until the flavors combine, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

3. Add the udon noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions (mine only needed 30 seconds of boiling). Using a mesh skimmer or tongs, transfer the noodles to the skillet. (Alternatively, you can drain the noodles in the sink and add them to the skillet.) 

4. Return the skillet to medium heat and toss the noodles in the sauce until evenly coated, about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar. 

5. Divide the noodles between two plates and top with the scallions and some sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Serves 2

Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 10 minutes (plus how long it takes for the water to boil, hehe) 

You can watch the video here :)

Do Doug and I Want Kids?

Now back to that question! I’m 32 and Doug is 37, and people often wonder whether we want to have kids.