I like recipes that are easy, very adaptable to what’s in my hand, and frugal, and this recipe qualifies. It’s incredibly frugal, amazingly adaptable, and also super easy.
We can change the ingredients daily and have the same thing in a different flavor several days in a row.
Here is the original recipe
Here’s what we do:
Ingredients:
2 packets uncooked Ramen Noodles (Healthier alternative: we have also made these with leftover spaghetti noodles, you just have to remember to add extra seasonings. Would work with buckwheat soba noodles or linguini noodles. Might work with bean threads, haven’t tried it)
1 1/2 cups of diced or grated vegetables such as carrots, onions, bok choy, sweet potato, homemade lentil sprouts… We’ve also grated carrots that had frozen in my temperamental refrigerator, and they were just fine, and I’ve used nearly double this amount of vegetables with good results.
1/2 to 1 cup leftover diced, cooked meat. We’ve used turkey and turkey ham,
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk (once I made these and I was out of milk, so I substituted sour cream and water)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour, plus
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoons baking powder,
dash salt.
Method:
If using uncooked ramen noodles, soak noodles in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes while running the other ingredients through the food processor or under your knife.
Drain noodles and add to bowl (or just put your cold leftover soba or other noodles in a bowl) and add rest of ingredients to the bowl, add the noodle seasoning or other herbs and spices of your choice* and mix it all well with a fork.
Heat oil in a skillet or on a griddle, and spoon some of the noodle mixture onto the griddle. I spread it just a little, fry a couple of minutes until the bottom is golden, then flip and fry the other side.
This is not the FYB’s favorite, but Blynken and Nod have seconds. This recently made enough for Blynken, Nod, the FYG, the FYB and me to have a good lunch with enough leftovers for one or two extra servings. We serve them with fruit, usually, and a glass of milk.
This meal costs approximately 2.50 for five or six people, especially since I can use carrots that accidentally froze and I might otherwise have thrown away.
Suggested spices and herbs if you are not using the ramen noodle packets- onion and garlic powders, lemon pepper, thyme, parsley, sage, salt and pepper in any combination. Try cooking the noodles in chicken broth for extra oomph.