This recipe is beyond simple! It is a great way to use up last night's fried chicken that is sitting in your fridge. Grilled or rotisserie chicken leftovers are yummy with this ramen, too!
I recommend Sapporo Ichiban ramen noodles for this recipe. Sapporo Ichiban is a Japanese brand that is widely available in most supermarkets and Asian grocers. It is not usually sold in bulk, and usually runs about 70 cents per package. When using the seasoning packet, I recommend this brand for its more natural chicken taste. With 533mg of sodium per package, Sapporo Ichiban ramen does not rely on as much salt to give it flavor as the more popular Maruchan and Nissin Top Ramen brands, each with 790mg and 933mg of sodium, respectively. In fact, I rarely recommend using Maruchan or Nissin Top Ramen unless you just need the noodles and are going to throw out the seasoning packet.
You may wonder why this recipe calls for boiling the chicken bones along with the noodles? This is because the chicken bones will render a lot of flavor to the broth. You may want to go ahead and discard any small pieces of bone, so you don't accidentally eat them, though. Also, don't peel off the fried chicken crust - or skin if you are using grilled or rotisserie - as this will also give your soup more flavor.


Ingredients:
Sapporo Ichiban ramen noodles, chicken flavor
leftover fried chicken, white or dark meat, deboned (don't throw out the bones!)
fresh baby spinach or nori (dried seaweed)

Directions:
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil - the water will not be discarded, so use as much water as you want broth. Add the ramen noodles, seasoning packet, and chicken, including the bones to the pot and cook the noodles to desired tenderness. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in fresh, uncooked spinach or dried nori to the pot and cover for about two minutes.

Serving suggestion:
Eat the noodles right out of the pot or pour the whole thing into a large soup bowl. I recommend eating these noodles with chopsticks, as it will be easier to pick out the chicken bones as you enjoy your soup - and don't forget to eat the broth when you've finished the noodles! It will be so tasty after absorbing all the natural flavors of the chicken you added!

This is one of my favorite meals to make when I'm on a budget but still craving something a little different. It is my take on some of the peanut sauce dishes I've had in Thai restaurants. This meal can be made vegetarian, but it is also great with sliced, grilled chicken or shrimp on top.
For this recipe, I really recommend using regular, creamy peanut butter. So-called "natural" peanut butter does not work well with this recipe, as it will yield a very thick, paste-like sauce.
For the veggies, I like to use a mix of broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, carrots, and water chestnuts. You can use any blend that you like, though.
If you can afford pricier ramen, I recommend Korean Shin Ramyun for this recipe. No matter which ramen brand you use, you will discard the seasoning packet. Shin Ramyun, however, includes a dried veggie packet that adds a little something special to this dish.

Ingredients:
1 package of Shin Ramyun (or your favorite ramen brand)
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup hot water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
cayenne pepper, to taste
1 package frozen Asian veggies
1-2 tsp oil (wok, olive, or canola is fine)
grilled chicken or shrimp (optional)
garnish: cilantro sprig, lime wedge, and/or unsalted, crushed peanuts

Directions:
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Discarding the seasoning packet, add the ramen noodles to the pot and cook to desired tenderness. If you are using Shin Ramyun, add the dried veggie packet while the noodles are cooking. Strain the cooked noodles (do not rinse) and set aside.
In a small, microwaveable mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, hot water, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Microwave for just 30 seconds. Whisk the ingredients again to ensure they are evenly blended. Microwave another 15-30 seconds again, if necessary, but if you used hot water, it should only need to be microwaved the first time.
Take your frozen veggies and sauté them in a frying pan with 1-2 tsp oil - for a healthier option, steam the veggies, instead. You may choose to season the veggies with a little black or cayenne pepper - I do not recommend salting them, though, as the peanut sauce already has enough sodium by way of the soy sauce.

Assemble:
In a large dinner bowl, combine the cooked noodles, veggies and peanut sauce with a wooden spoon or chopsticks. Add chicken or shrimp, if desired. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro, a lime wedge squeezed over the noodles, and/or unsalted, crushed peanuts.
 This dish is best served right away. If you let it sit for very long, the sauce will start to thicken, making it difficult to eat - so enjoy it when its nice and piping hot!

This is a beautiful and delicious recipe that is sure to impress your dinner guests! They'll never have to know how easy it was!
Not expecting company? Treat yourself over the weekend, steaming just enough spinach for yourself with each serving.


Ingredients:
1 Hormel Natural Choice Parmesan Crusted Pork Loin Filet (update - I think this item was discontinued or has been rebranded - use whatever pork loin you like, preferably with Italian and/or Parmesan seasonings, though)
1 jar of Barilla Marinara sauce
minced garlic, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
bunch or bag of fresh spinach
lemon juice
salt, to taste
extra virgin olive oil (optional)
crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Place thawed pork loin in casserole dish and bake for 1 hour. While pork loin is baking, prepare sauce and spinach.
Empty marinara sauce into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in two or three spoonfuls of minced garlic and shake a generous portion of red pepper flakes into the sauce. The garlic and pepper amounts can vary, according to your own tastes. I like strong garlic and pepper flavor!
When the sauce starts to simmer, reduce heat to low and cover. Stir occasionally while the pork is still baking to make sure it doesn't scald on the bottom of the pot.
Steam your spinach - I use about two large handfuls of fresh spinach per serving. It looks like a lot when you pull it out of the bag, but the spinach will wilt quite a bit, leaving you with the perfect amount.
I like to use my rice cooker's veggie steamer. If you don't have something to steam veggies in, just put your fresh spinach in some simmering water for a couple minutes (or until it is wilted) then strain it really well! Be careful not to overcook your spinach if you are putting it directly into the water.


Assemble:
On a large dinner plate, spread out your spinach to cover most of the plate. Sprinkle some lemon juice on the spinach and lightly salt it. You can also drizzle a little olive oil over the spinach, too. Slice two or three 1/4-1/2" medallions of pork loin and place them on top of your bed of spinach. Add a generous amount of marinara on top of the pork and spinach, but don't drown your plate! Sprinkle the top of your plate with crumbled Feta cheese.

Enjoy!