Our week at the beach was one long party from morning to night. There is nothing quite like waking up and lying in bed thinking about what to do first……should I run, should I go to the bakery for pastries, what time should I hit the beach…..all such trivial thoughts…..and I loved every second of it!
When the Life Guards ended their shift at 5.30pm, bottles of wine and cocktails emerged from the depths of people’s coolers (including ours) and the evening took on a whole new atmosphere.
It was really fun mixing drinks on the beach and then settling in to watch the light changing.
By this point we had usually lost one or two of the kids who were exhausted from the sun and ocean and had no excuse as delicious as ours to linger on the beach.
Chat was non-existent at times as we each sat in our own quiet reverie sipping our lovely drinks.
When we did talk it was mostly about dinner preparations and who was on what task. Nothing would be done however until after a visit to the cool and invigorating outdoor shower!
The last evening my daughter stayed in the water until the last possible moment. The only company she had were the waves and a pod of dolphins swimming further out.
We packed up on Saturday morning and left our little spot on Cape May Point for another year. It rained all the way home.
I made a great Asian Noodle Dish one night and here is the recipe – it was scrumptious and a big hit with everyone!
🏄
*This is a great Blood Type A Recipe if you substitute the beef for Salmon or Tofu*
You will need:
3-4 tbs olive oil
2 lbs top sirloin beef – cut into very thin pieces (or salmon fillets without skin – two 3 oz pieces per person)
2 medium sweet onions, sliced in half and sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 carrots – grated
4 cups chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro (leaves and stems)
1 cup chopped peanuts (simple place the peanuts in a plastic bag and roll with a rolling-pin or bash with a mallet)
1 lime cut into 6-8 wedges (for serving)
1lb rice noodles (I use rice noodles from Thailand. Try to find imported rice noodles if you can. They are the same price as the brands produced in the United States but are so much better in texture and taste – anther good importer is any rice noodle from the Roland company)
Dipping Sauce & Marinade (I used this mixture for both as it was less hassle):
Mix together in a medium bowl with a whisk:
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin (sweetened sake found in the Asian or Ethnic section of your supermarket or Specialty Store)
2 tbs soft light brown sugar
2 or 3 cloves garlic – finely minced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbs tomato ketchup (sounds odd I know but this adds another layer of acid)
Method:
*put big pot of water on to boil for the rice noodles and cook according to instructions. Drain in colander and rinse throughly with cold water to stop cooking and to rinse out the starches*
1 – Put sliced beef in a bowl or ziploc-type bag and add about a 1/4 cup of the soy mixture. Mix it all up to coat everything and leave in the fridge for at least a half hour or overnight.
OR
Place salmon fillets into a baking pan or shallow casserole and add a tbs of marinade/sauce for every 6oz of salmon and turn to coat. Place in fridge for up to 30 minutes (or several hours)
*set aside the rest of the marinade/sauce for the noodles and for the table to be passed as needed*
2 – Place a big saute pan or wok on high heat and add 2 tbs of oil. When the oil is hot, stir-fry the beef in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until all the meat is cooked. Transfer to a bowl as you go and add more oil as needed. Keep meat warm in a low oven (170*) while preparing the rest of the dish.
*If using salmon, fry in oil on high heat for 3 minutes per side and reserve and keep warn in a low oven*
3 – Turn heat down slightly and add the onions and garlic and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes before adding the carrots. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes or so.
4 – Turn the heat to medium/low heat and add the drained and rinsed rice noodles. Add about a half cup of soy sauce mixture and stir. Add the cilantro and spinach at this time. When noodles have warmed turn the heat off (or down to low if not serving straight away).
5 – Divide between shallow bowls or large plates and top with a serving of the beef, (or salmon), a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and about a tablespoon of peanuts. Use more garnishes if you love them!
At the table pass more cilantro, peanuts and some Sriracha sauce.
This dish can also be prepared with a fish protein or with no meat whatsoever. If using no meat, you can fry tofu (using the same method as the salmon)

This can also be served with fish like salmon – since the protein is prepared separately from the noodles and veggies, it is easy to make two different proteins to satisfy all tastes and diets (instructions for using salmon are given in this recipe)