How to Fix Bad Takeout Pad Thai (Recipe)

Photo by Hidden on Unsplash

There is one rule with Pad Thai: don't order it from anywhere but a Thai restaurant. And yet I keep doing it anyway,

Okay, maybe some non-Thai places do make good Pad Thai-- just none that I've found. I'm currently stuck in a Thai-restaurant desert. I should really find a recipe and try making it myself. But we have a Chinese place nearby that my SO likes. Unfortunately, aside from the excellent spring rolls, it has a severely limited selection of vegetarian options, which is a problem because spring rolls aren't exactly a meal. So the vegetarian Pad Thai called to me like a Siren.

And turned on me like a Siren too. 

There was no tofu. No peanuts. No fresh bean sprouts. No cilantro. Instead I got standard Chinese stir-fried vegetables and really off-putting noodles that smelled strange. Yeah, I don't know what that restaurant is thinking-- their other food is great (from what little I've tried and what I've been told). 

There was too much to waste (and it wasn't exactly cheap), so I decided to do what I could.

 

Improved Takeout Pad Thai 

fresh or leftover takeout Pad Thai

extra firm tofu

oil for cooking 

dry roasted peanuts, whole or chopped

peanut butter

hot pepper flakes/crushed red pepper 

fresh bean sprouts 

fresh cilantro 

(The add-ins are all optional. The key is to figure out what your bad takeout is missing and replace it without going to too much effort. Amounts are all adjustable, based on how much Pad Thai you have.)

Pat tofu dry and cut it into cubes. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and fry tofu cubes over med-low heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown. If you want crispier tofu, coat in cornstarch before frying and use more oil.

If noodles are cold/leftover, put them in the pan with the tofu to reheat them (drain oil first). If the Pad Thai is still hot, place it in a large bowl so that ingredients can be mixed in. 

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to the pan with the tofu and Pad Thai and stir until it softens and coats the noodles. As it's heating, stir in whole peanuts (if using) and hot pepper flakes to taste. Stir well to combine everything. Remove from heat and portion into serving dishes. If Pad Thai was set aside, add the mixture from the pan to it and stir well before dividing into serving dishes.

Top with fresh bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (if using), and fresh cilantro. Serve.

 

I got two more meals by doing this with my leftovers. The add-ins hit the spot, and though it wasn't exactly authentic, it was still really good. So good, I might even get the bad takeout again the next time I'm craving Pad Thai. 

Do you have your own techniques for improving bad takeout? Share in the comments...

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

My Books 

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

 

 

 

Hibiscus vs. Aphids

This is my first hibiscus flower in a while (the red one; the white flower is from a Christmas/Thanksgiving/Holiday cactus that decided to flower in March). I was incredibly excited to see a bud-- until I noticed it was covered in aphids.

Photo via https://plantura.garden/uk/trees-shrubs/hibiscus/hibiscus-overview

Disgusting, right?

Luckily there was some insecticidal soap on hand, and a few sprays seemed to take care of them, allowing the flower to open. But they could still be in there, dormant, waiting...

I'm going to have to stay vigilant.

Tips on Dealing with Aphids on Houseplants

• Aphids can weaken plants, stunt their growth, or even kill plants. They also reproduce quickly. Take steps to deal with them as soon as you spot them.
• Aphids can be green, black, or white, and are easy to see with the naked eye.
• On hibiscus, aphids will congregate on flower buds, or at the tops of stems, to feed on sap. They excrete a sticky substance called "honeydew" that falls on the leaves underneath and causes something called sooty black mold. Sticky leaves and sooty mold are other signs that you have an aphid problem.

Photo via https://gardeninggroot.com/black-spots-on-hibiscus-leaves/

• You can control an aphid infestation a few ways: pick insects off by hand and drop in a bowl of soapy water; knock the insects off the plant with a blast of water (then collect and kill them); use insecticidal soap or another pesticide designed for aphids.

Make Your Own Insecticidal Soap

1 Tbs (15 mL) Castile soap 

2 cups (500 mL) water

Mix and pour into a clean spray bottle.

Spray plant thoroughly, including the underside of leaves. Keep applying every few days or weekly until all the insects are gone.

If you're unlucky enough to have aphids or another insect infestation on your plants, you have my sympathy. I wish you much luck getting rid of them.

Aphids are like the vampires of the insect world, sucking the lifeblood (sap) of the plant. Distract yourself by reading about actual vampires (they're a lot more fun and far less gross)-- check out my books (links follow)!

Do you have any other tips for dealing with aphids? Share in the comments...

My Books

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

*Blood Magic

*Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

All photos by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas unless otherwise noted.

Fighting the Flu

Note: None of this is meant as medical advice; I'm just sharing what works for me. You should always consult a trained medical professional about your health.

I've had the joy of dealing with the flu this past week and a bit. I don't handle illness super well, but this time the misery was compounded by bad weather and an unexpected allergic reaction to medication! But more on that in a bit. I've been sick enough times in my life that I've ended up with a list of go-to remedies to help myself through it. Here's what I've found works for me...

Zinc

This is more a preventative, but I've found that since I started taking zinc supplements (50 mg chelated zinc, every other day), I've caught far fewer viruses. I'm prone to zinc deficiency because I have a harder time absorbing zinc in the first place, so I need to supplement. Someone without this issue, who gets enough zinc in their diet, wouldn't get much benefit from supplementing.

The berries of Sambucus nigra, aka Elder

Elder

Although it doesn't do much for the common cold, Elder is fantastic for the flu. I personally prefer to use syrup made from the berries (available at health food stores and some pharmacies, or homemade). Elder zaps a fever, eases aches, and generally makes the flu more tolerable. During this recent bout, I used it twice during the worst of the illness, and afterwards didn't feel bad enough to need it again. If I can't find the syrup, I'll have elder berry or flower tea instead.

 

By Kimchifan, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20653196 

Greek Mountain Tea 

Also known as Sideritis (S. syriaca and S. scardica are two of the most commonly used species) and Ironwort, is the perfect tea for what ails you. It's soothing, tastes pleasant (it's the only tea I liked as a kid), and any Greek (Bulgarian, Albanian, Turkish...) grandma will tell you it'll help you feel better. If you don't live where it grows, you can find it in Greek bakeries or European grocery stores (let me know if you've also found it elsewhere). You can find more info and instructions on making the tea here. Serve with honey and/or lemon, if you want.

 

Warm Liquids 

I love my coffee and tea iced, but when I'm sick, warm fluids are the only way to go. While I think Greek Mountain Tea is the best, any kind of tea is good, especially with some honey in it. Soups and broths are a must. Anything warm is soothing, and helps with the chills too. 

 

Ibuprofin 

The flu generally comes with all kinds of aches and pains. Ibuprofin is anti-inflammatory, as well as analgesic. You can get it under various brand names, or as generic ibuprofin. Whatever it's called, it has made my life easier. 

 

Daytime and Nighttime Cold and Flu Meds

I used to be opposed to taking any kind of medication-- I'd suffer through with natural "remedies" that didn't really do much. Nowadays, I'd rather sleep through the night and be able to breathe. I can't stand the taste of medicine, so I'll get this stuff in pill form (I like Buckley's, which is Canadian) and it's a lifesaver.

 

Fresh Air 

Maybe it's an old wives' tale, but I feel better when I can get some fresh air when I'm sick. If I have the energy I'll go for a short walk, but it's also okay to just sit outside or open a window. Unfortunately, this flu coincided with some of the coldest temperatures and biggest snowfalls we've had in decades. Luckily it warmed up this past weekend, so I managed to get some walks in, and (after the first one, which wiped me out) I feel stronger and more energetic for it. Coincidence? Placebo? Maybe, but it works for me.

Throat Lozenges 

This flu started with a sore throat, and I was extremely grateful for the existence of throat lozenges with benzocaine, which I've never used before. These lozenges are numbing and kill the pain of a sore throat. Awesome, right? Well... When I started having a few minor signs of an allergic reaction, I thought it was just part of the flu. But when I ended up covered in hives on my torso, I did some reading and found out benzocaine is chemically similar to another drug I'm allergic to (bactrim, an antibiotic), and can cause cross reactions. I obviously stopped using those lozenges, and the hives are mostly gone now (I've also been taking allergy pills to help minimize the reaction). Sadly, there will be no more numbing lozenges for me. Stupid allergies.

 

The Flu Shot! 

Yes, I got the flu shot back in October, and still got the flu. The way flu shots work, every year the shot is chosen based on which strain is likely to be prevalent in the upcoming flu season. Sometimes, an unanticipated strain ends up spreading. The flu I got this year was one of those. But because I got the shot, I wasn't as sick as I could've been, and that's huge. I haven't always bothered to get the shot, and the last time I caught the flu when I hadn't had the shot, it was miserable, and wiped me out for weeks afterwards. That was the year I started regularly getting the shot. Zero regrets. I've had the flu a couple of times since, including this year, and it has never been as bad as it was the year I didn't get a shot. Influenza (the flu) isn't like the common cold-- it can hit you hard and it can kill you. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not getting taken out by a virus.

 

Rest 

I know there's pressure to never take a break, never take time off, work through the pain, always be doing something. That's a great way to get sick and stay sick (and spread the illness to even more people too). To get better as quickly as possible, your body needs rest. Whether that's more sleep than usual, or just lying on the couch and doing as little as possible, do what you can to do nothing. It's more important than we realize (or want to admit).

 

If you're up for it, reading is a great way to pass the time when you're not feeling your best. Distract yourself with my books (links follow)!

 

What works for you when you're sick with the flu? Share in the comments...

 

Cheers,

Aspasia 

My Book Links

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

 

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

 

 

Best Way to Remove White Heat Marks from Wood (Even Old Ones)

Image from Better Homes & Gardens

Have you ever set something hot (or even just warm) down on a wood table, and then discovered that it left a white mark behind that wouldn't wipe off? Welcome to the club. These marks are caused by the heat causing moisture to be trapped in the wood, and they can ruin the look of a table. Luckily they can be fixed.

My sister inherited our parents' dining room table, and over the years it ended up covered in these stains (I'm kicking myself for not taking photos, but I didn't think about posting about it until it was too late). After I accidentally contributed a new mark, I decided to see if I could fix it.

Four solutions are consistently suggested:

1. A hair dryer

2. Toothpaste and baking soda

3. Petroleum jelly

4. An iron and a towel

It turns out my sister doesn't have an iron, so that option was out. For the toothpaste you need a plain white, non-gel kind, and we didn't have any on hand (which is fine because I don't trust this option anyway). We did try petroleum jelly, putting a generous coating on one of the spots and leaving it overnight, before wiping it off. It did nothing.

Photo by Andrea Donato on Unsplash

 But the hair dryer was a winner!

The instructions say to start on low heat, keep the dryer a few inches away, and gradually turn the heat up. This helped, but it took forever. So, my sister set the heat to high and moved it as close to the spot as possible without touching it. Within minutes, all the marks were gone, including ones that had been there for over a decade. The table looks amazing now.

If you're going to use high heat up close, please test it somewhere less noticeable first. We might've just been lucky that it didn't scorch the finish. The more cautious approach also works--you'll just need a lot of patience.

Have you had luck with any other methods? Share your experiences in the comments. And if you need a break from household chores, download my books (links follow)!

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

*Blood Magic

*Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Books marked * are free everywhere other than Amazon. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

 

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

 

And the Kitchen Sink

As I was getting way too excited about admiring in a dignified fashion my freshly cleaned and shiny kitchen sink...

 ...it occurred to me that I'm probably not the only person out there who appreciates a clean sink. Kitchen sinks tend to get used a lot, and for way more than just washing dishes and rinsing vegetables. Mine is often a repository for plants in the process of being re-potted or trimmed. I also clean paint brushes and palettes in there, as well as empty cat food cans on the way to the recycling bin. And repeatedly rinse out cloths that are being used to clean other things. Anyway, the point is that all kinds of unpleasantness goes on in the kitchen sink and it tends to leave a residue. I've found that even washing the sink doesn't quite get it shiny, or even that clean. So in the spirit of mutual sink appreciation, I thought I'd share what does work:

Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish

It's meant for cleaning stainless steel cookware, which it does admirably and I recommend for that purpose. But it also does a great job on stainless steel sinks too. Just follow the directions on the package (basically get sink wet, sprinkle some powder on, use a cloth to scrub gently in a circular motion, rinse). I then wash the sink (with the same sudsy water mixture usually used for washing dishes) to get all the powder remains off and rinse well. Then dry if I want it looking extra nice (although that lasts all of five minutes). If you can't find Bar Keepers Friend, you can also use:

Lagostina Stainless Steel and Copper Cleaner

Although in my experience, Lagostina Cleaner is actually harder to find in stores. It also costs a little more but, strangely enough, smells nicer than Bar Keepers Friend, which I actually think smells a little gross. Either way, both these cleaners do a great job and are well worth keeping on hand, even if you never use them on your cookware. Bonus: these are considered to be green/environmentally safe products, although they can cause irritation (I recommend using gloves, especially if you have sensitive skin).

A few minutes of effort for much dignified admiration. You can't go wrong.

(PS: I'm in no way affiliated with either of these companies, nor am I being paid or otherwise compensated for my opinion. I just like shiny things...)

 

[Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com] 

Pere Lachaise: Part 4

When I went to Pere Lachaise, I'd asked to be taken to the entrance nearest Oscar Wilde's tomb. I had a plan to make my way through the cemetery to the Menilmontant entrance, and then go see some other sights from there. The driver never said anything but as I wandered among the tombs, I realized something wasn't right. Double checking, I found I had actually been dropped off at the Menilmontant entrance. I was annoyed that my plans had been messed up, and even more so that the driver hadn't said a word about leaving me at a different place than requested. Still, I was in an awesome place, beautiful, quiet, lots of isolated nooks where I could be by myself with my camera, so I didn't stay annoyed too long. A couple of hours later, after my camera battery had died and I was heading out of Pere Lachaise, I noticed this:

Mystery of the drop off at the wrong entrance: solved. Mystery of why the driver didn't say anything (perhaps "Be careful in isolated parts of the cemetery, lone female tourist"): no idea. Anyway, I was (luckily) fine and hopefully these "attacks," whatever they were, have been stopped, but it's a good lesson in always being aware of your surroundings, even in places where you feel comfortable and that seem perfectly peaceful and safe.

On that note, here are the last of my photos from Pere Lachaise...

From a distance I thought this was a church, but it's a tomb.

This avenue within Pere Lachaise is named in honour of foreign soldiers who died for France.

This is a church within the cemetery. I would have liked to take more photos but there was a funeral just letting out and I felt bad enough intruding on them to take this.

The grave of Honore de Balzac

The grave of Hubertine Auclert. I overheard a guide saying she is the reason French women got the vote. We all owe her and women like her a debt of gratitude.

Grave of Delphine de Cambaceres. supposed daughter of the Duke of Morny. Bust sculpted by Amedee Jouandot.

This is another angle of the tomb I initially thought was a church. Jean-Francois Cail was an industrialist. His name, among others, was inscribed on the Eiffel Tower by Gustave Eiffel in recognition of Cail's contributions to the project.

I snapped this with my phone on the way out because the tiles are too pretty not to get a picture of them. Next trip I take, I'm bringing an extra battery for my camera, although my SO actually thinks the problem is my charger. Either way, I don't think an extra battery would hurt.

 

 

 

And that concludes my posts on my trip. Although I didn't love travelling on my own, I would do it again in a heartbeat if it means getting to see and experience something amazing. If you have a dream and no one else shares it, do it anyway. If an anxiety-ridden homebody like me can do it, anyone can. I'm already planning my next trip to France...

Missed one of my posts about France?

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 1 

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 2

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 3

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 4 

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 5 

Zen and the Art of Provencal Cookery, Part 6 

Provence: Maison Trevier 

Provence: Carpentras 

Provence: Lavender 

Provence the Beautiful
Paris: Part 1
Paris: Part 2
Paris: Part 3
Pere Lachaise: Part 1
Pere Lachaise: Part 2 
Pere Lachaise: Part 3

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