Noodles

If you look at your calendars, you’ll notice that today is February 2 and that means it’s Groundhog Day. If you’ve been experiencing February 2nd for several days now, sorry but I can’t help you there. I’m not covering THAT movie. This may be Punxsutawney Phil’s day, but I’m giving some love to a different groundhog: Pardon-Me-Pete from Jack Frost. He’s the one that spilled the beans on the whole Groundhog-seeing-his-shadow bit. I knew there was something funny going on because how often do we really see an early Spring? Jack Frost is nipping at noses well into late March and even April. (So much for Father Winter’s sign from Nature.) But it’s hard to say no to Jack Frost. He’s just so cute and sweet and he breaks my little heart when he sings “It’s Lonely Being One of a Kind.” So because I love him so much, you can guess that I’ve got some issues with this special. After watching it again and again and it always ending the same, I practically banned it in my house for years. Of course, that never stopped my dad from going around saying, “Hello, Kubla,” every time he got the chance. (He actually does a pretty decent Dummy impression.) Well I couldn’t stay away from Jack Frost forever and it’s now my first stop when I’m looking for some Groundhog Day animated goodness. (Even if it is considered a Christmas special.)

Jack Frost is the special to check out for wintertime goodness in general. I love the idea of the Kingdom of the Winter Clouds and how Snip, the Snow Gypsies, the Sleet Sisters, and the Hail Fellow all create and provide the snow and ice that falls on us all year. And I can’t get enough of January Junction’s ice money. I could watch Papa cut coins all day. Ah, and now we’ve come to the part where you ask why the residents of January Junction need ice money. That’s because Kubla Kraus rules over them with an iron hand. He owns all the timber and the brick, the only horse, and all the gold. He’s got everything, except human and animal companions. I love how Kubla Kraus is such an awful guy, that no one could stand to live with him. He had to build himself a horse, a butler, ka-knights, and even a friend. And Dummy is still pretty harsh. (“How can you woo her? She doesn’t like you.”) Kubla Kraus is such a great character, I can’t help liking the guy. So when I saw him slurping up his noodles, (Well, noodle.) all sad and alone, I knew that I had to give a little love to the villain and make some.

Recipe makes about 4 cups of noodles, cooked.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups flour

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon salt

 

Directions

In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter, water, and salt. Add the flour and mix until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle an 1/8 inch thick and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and roll into a cylinder. Cut into 1/8 inch thick strips. Spread out and let rest for 15 minutes.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 5-6 minutes and strain. Enjoy!

Variations:
Kubla Kraus seems to have just one continuous noodle, so you can cut out a ridiculously long noodle if you want. The noodles are perfectly fine on their own but you can also toss them in a bit of melted butter before serving.

Kubla Kraus can build a machine that can serve noodles and he wants to be a cruel ruler? He totally missed his calling. Whether he was a pharaoh, a rajah, or a shogun, he’d still end up alone. Oh well. Villains will be villains. That’s why he loses because this is Jack’s story. (Although Jack kind of loses too.) I think the one who has it best in this special is Pardon-Me-Pete. The worst he gets is a kick in the butt and a little scare and then he’s rewarded with six more weeks of shut-eye. Speaking of the little forecasters, I just checked the news on Punxsutawney Phil and he saw his shadow. (I’m not too surprised.) And I wasn’t there so I don’t know, but some people are saying that it was too cloudy to cast a shadow. Hmm. I see what you did there, Jack Frost.

 

Tune in next week for more Cartoon Cravings!