Chilled to the bone

I am cold. C.O.L.D. Cold. I've been chilled since I went to bed last night and have not been able to warm up. My baby sister turned me on to these amazing fleece sheets that make one's bed like a cocoon of coziness, but even their warm embrace left me feeling nippy.

My job has yet to kick into high gear so I had the morning off to attack the leaves that seem to endlessly appear in the yard. It's as if I finish raking and bagging one half of the yard, turn my back and the trees giggle, give me the middle finger and drop another bag's worth of leaves. I called a tree an asshole this morning.

Despite raking and bagging and swearing at trees, I was still cold. I brewed another pot of coffee, yes that was two this morning, and headed to work on some homework. Being the queen of distraction, I decided it was paramount that I move pictures from my computer to my external hard-drive rather than work on homework, and I stumbled upon my family's trip to Southern California this summer. Sunny, Southern California.

I would give just about anything to transport back to that beach right now, surrounded by my favorite women -- my mom and sisters, listening to the ocean crash (actually we listened to this woman bitch to her bank about an overdraft charge for what seemed liked hours, but that skews the image I'm going for). We had a Dora the Explorer boogie board that was the envy of the entire beach. We saw dolphins. We napped with our toes tucked in the sand. We were sun-kissed. And, you know what? We were warm. Toasty warm.

I returned from class with fingernails still tinged purple and decided it was time to end this nonsense. I had planned on making the following recipe for dinner, but desperate times call for desperate measures: SPICY CURRY NOODLE SOUP. Yeah, you did just read noodles again. I'm sorry. I love them. I wish I could describe how amazing this soup smells. The curry and lemongrass are so fragrant and wonderful. If there is a reason to make this soup, it's solely to smell it. It is heavenly. It doesn't taste half bad either. Am I still cold? As soon as I finish this post, I'm going to sit in the hot tub.

Spicy curry noodle soup with chicken and sweet potatoes

adapted from bon appetit

1 package rice stick noodles

3/4 lb chicken breasts, thinly sliced

3 tbs shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbs lemongrass, minced (tough outer leaves and ends discarded)

2 tbs ginger, peeled and minced

3 cups snow peas, trimmed

2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3-4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

2 tbs yellow curry paste (I could not find this ANYWHERE! I just doubled the curry powder)

2 tbs curry powder

1 tsp chili paste, like sriracha

2.4 tbs fish sauce

2 tsps sugar

2 14 oz cans coconut milk

5 cups chicken broth

2 tbs canola oil (not olive oil)

Optional: thai chiles, thinly sliced (I'm afraid so I left them out)

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in curry paste, curry powder and chili paste. Ad 1/2 cup of the coconut milk (scooped from the thick liquid at the top of the can). Stir until thick and fragrant, about another two minutes. Add remaining coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, sugar and bring to boil. Add sliced chicken and allow to cook through.

In the meantime, cook snow peas in a pot of boiling salted water until bright green, only about 20 seconds. Remove and rinse until cold water. Set aside. In the same pot add the sweet potatoes and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove and repeat the same process as the peas. Bring water back to a boil and add the noodles. Cook until just tender, about five minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Cut noodles with a scissor if they are too long and place in bowls. Divide the peas and potatoes among the bowls, and ladle the hot broth over the noodles and vegetables. Top with green onions, cilantro and garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately.