A Widow of Technology, or, My Rival is a Computer.

By definition, a widow is a married woman who has lost her spouse due to death of this spouse. However, there are other forms of widowhood where the spouse is very much alive and well. There is the "sports widow" whose spouse is so engrossed with various seasons of a sporting event (baseball, football, basketball, Nascar, etc) that he might as well be dead. There is the "hunting widow" where the spouse is up in the morning even before a rooster has time to realize it's morning and time to crow. I am a victim of technology, a "computer widow:, but often I feel that the computer has replaced me in my husband's affections, and it is, therefore, his mistress.

As other "widows", I am noticed when food is desired, clean laundry, or another beverage is wanted; the man has the inability to leave his obsession and get it himself. Then it becomes, "honey, can you get me a....(fill in the blank)"; and they have the nerve to wonder why we get so angry, we could spit blood. His "honey-do" list has 5 items on it, still unfinished; while my list has 50 items, and 35 have been done already, and where is he when I need his help...on the computer.

I swear, if he could have sex with it, he would. He's on the internet before he goes to work, at work, when he comes home from work...he's virtually kissing the computer before he even remembers me, and give me a kiss. I often go into the tool shed, pick up the sledge hammer and fantasize the destruction of my rival. I understand that he is a graphic artist and the computer is a big part of his art, and his making a decent living for us; but come on now.

...and so I have vented.

In my March 28, 2011 blogpost, Convenience Cooking? Avoid the Box", I discussed pre-prepping vegetables, and packaging them up for later use. Today's recipe is a perfect example of pre-prepping veggies for a stir-fry, adding chicken and Ramen noodles, and you're good to go.

Oriental Chicken, Vegetables and Noodles

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp peanut oil, divided in half

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into ¼” strips

1 small onion, julienned

1 small of each: red and yellow bell peppers, julienned

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 cup sugar snap peas

½ cup each water chestnuts and baby corn

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground ginger

½ cup Hoisin sauce

3 packages chicken flavored Ramen noodles

3 cups water

Preparation:

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in large skillet, medium high heat, and brown chicken strips; remove to plate.  Into skillet, add remaining oil and sauté onion, peppers and broccoli till slightly tender.  Return chicken to skillet; add snap peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, garlic, ginger, Hoisin sauce; mix thoroughly and cook till warmed thru, about 10 minutes.

To skillet, add in Ramen noodles, broken up, seasoning from packets and 3 cups water; mix together with chicken and vegetables.  Bring contents of skillet to boil; reduce heat to low, cover and let cook an additional 15 minutes.  Turn off heat, uncover and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Mary Cokenour

June 30, 1996