That's how I roll!!!

To coincide with my Lettuce Wrap recipe from yesterday... Today's post is for Spring Rolls!!!



Spring Rolls

First of all, let me start by saying this, you need to use spring roll wrappers not eggroll wrappers. Spring roll wrappers will get crisper when fried than eggroll wrappers.

Things you will need:
•Spring roll shells (25 per package)
•Filling (see recipe)
•3 tbsp. flour + 3 tbsp water, paste consistency
•Brush
•sheet pan or large plate to set spring rolls on

For the Filling:
•1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
•2 carrots, shredded
•3-4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
•1/2 lb. chicken, shredded
•2 Tbsp. corn oil
•2 tsp. salt
•1 Tbsp. sesame oil
•2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
•2 Tbsp. Char Siu bbq sauce

Pour corn oil in a wok heated to medium high. Add cabbage, carrots, sesame oil and 2tsp. salt, stir-frying consistently until cabbage begins to wilt (4-6 minutes).

Add chicken, oyster sauce, char siu sauce. Stir fry for another 4-6 minutes.

Set aside to cool, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

Now for the wrapping:
Thanks to Soupbelly for the pictures...

To start, put a spoon full of filling in the corner of a spring roll wrapper.



Then begin to roll it covering up the filling.





Next you will need to fold the ends inward, to where it almost looks like an envelope. Use your flour/water paste and brush on the edges around the top.



Lastly, finish rolling the spring roll and place it on a cookie sheet or plate, then continue to roll the rest of your spring rolls.



For frying:

Heat corn oil on medium high in a pot. Size of pot is determined by how many you will be frying. Pour enough oil so the spring rolls are able to float without touching the bottom of the pot. When oil is heated and ready, drop a few in at a time (4-6). Spring rolls will only splatter if there are gaps or holes in it, so fry with caution. Fry until golden, turning if necessary. Place on paper towels to soak up excess grease, cooling for at least 5 minutes. Serve.

For baking:

Preheat oven at 425 degrees. Brush oil on both sides of rolls, place on baking pan. Bake for approximately 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve.

Happy Friday! Everyone have a good weekend!

Lettuce Wraps and Lots of Love

First of all, let me start by saying that the last few days have been extremely busy and in the midst of all my business, I didn't get a post on Sunday. Sunday just so happened to be a very special day and I refuse to not acknowledge it. August 8th was my parents anniversary! They are two of the most important people in my life and I couldn't let the recognition go by. I love them with all my heart and wish them many, many more years of happiness!



So since I'm talking about my favorite people, I'm going to give out the recipe today that is an imitation to one of my favorite restaurants- PF Changs!!!! Today's recipe is for Lettuce Wraps!!!

Lettuce Wraps



1 pound ground chicken
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
12 large lettuce leaves (romaine works well)
Chinese hot mustard (optional)
Dried rice noodles

Combine chicken, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl.
Blend soy sauce into cornstarch in cup until smooth.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; heat until hot. Add chicken mixture; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
Stir soy sauce mixture and add to wok. Stir-fry 30 seconds or until sauce boils and thickens. Add water chestnuts, onions and peanuts; heat through.
Spread the mixture over the dried rice noodles and serve.

Makes 12 wraps.

Happy Thursday!

Baklava, it's good for the soul not the wasteline!

I made these baklava cups before Thanksgiving last year and had the guys at Fight Night be my guinea pigs. They didn't know what it was, but they disappeared before I knew it! They were surprisingly easy to make, other than my love/hate relationship with phyllo dough. :)

Baklava is a greek dessert with nuts, so if you're allergic you better stay away.

Baklava



1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, divided, melted
1/4 cup honey
12 sheets phyllo dough or pre-made phyllo cups

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place almonds, walnuts, apricots, breadcrumbs, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a food processor. Run the machine until mixture is finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. melted butter and honey and stir to combine.

If using the pre-made phyllo cups- you can fill the cups and place in the oven, on 350F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

If making your own phyllo cups- on a dry work surface, lay out a sheet of phyllo, brush with pastry brush and melted butter. Add another sheet, brush with butter, repeat. Continue brushing sheets until you have about 7-8 sheets. Cut the sheets into 12 squares and line a mini muffin pan. Fill the cups with the mixture and then bake.

Happy Tuesday!!

What could have been...

Today is what could have been one of the most influential men in my life's birthday, my Pa.



He was honestly one of the funniest, jovial, friendly, and smartest people I know. You could say I get my desire to dabble in many different creative things from him. He was always doing something, from making lye soap to breeding chinchillas. Yes, chinchillas. He always made cinnamon rock candy every Christmas and I loved it! I think he secretly liked being in the kitchen because he was known in our family as the best banana pudding maker.

He loved to sing country music and I loved singing with him when I was a little girl. I used to tell him that I didn't like country music just to watch him squirm. I was ornery, what can I say!

Pa was quite the jokester. He had a joke, as cheesey as some were, for everyone who graced the doors of his house. Even the pastor. For many years I had a joke written in every birthday card I received. The last one that I remember was something about a monkey and a lawnmower. haha!

Cancer took him from this life 9 years ago and it still saddens me to this day that he's not here to walk through life with me. To hear me sing at church, to walking down the proverbial aisle (I got married at the lake). But I have peace in knowing that he is with the good Lord above telling him jokes and making him laugh. He would have no shame in that. hee hee!

So in honor of Pa's birthday, the recipes for today are Banana Pudding and Cinnamon Rock Candy.

Banana Pudding



2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies

In medium saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Add eggs and stir well. Stir in milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat and continue to stir, cooling slightly. Stir in vanilla and butter until smooth.
In 9x13-inch dish, layer pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers. Chill at least one hour in refrigerator before serving.
Pa always added cool whip to his. So be sure to add it to yours too!

Cinnamon Rock Candy



1 cup water
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1 teaspoon red liquid food coloring
1 teaspoon cinnamon oil
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine water, sugar, corn syrup and food coloring. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals.

Uncover; cook on medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F (hard-crack stage), about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cinnamon oil (keep face away from mixture as odor is very strong). Immediately pour onto prepared pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Break the candy into pieces using the edge of a metal mallet. Sprinkle both sides of candy with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight container.

Happy birthday Pa! What do John the Baptist and Winnie the Pooh have in common??? Their middle name!!

Have a good Monday!

Gnocchi, a great alternative to pasta!

Some days I just sit at home and wish that I was of Italian heritage so badly. I mean, what's not to like about great food, women with great hair, and olive skin!? As I was daydreaming today (about being an exotic Italian goddess) I am going to prove that it doesn't take a real, bonafide Italian to make great Italian food! Today, my recipe is for Gnocchi. It's a great alternative to pasta and you can serve it a multitude of ways. I'll even give you some ideas later in the post!

Gnocchi


4 large russet potatoes, fork-pricked
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour, plus more for dusting.

Bake the potatoes at 425F until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, then halve and scoop the flesh into a medium size bowl. Mash the potatoes well with a fork. Add the egg, cheese, butter 1 tsp. salt, and pepper to taste; stir with fork until combined. Add the flour and stir to make a rough dough, then mix well with hands until smooth.
Gather the dough into a ball on a floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12" long, 1/2" thick log with your hands. Cut the logs into 1" pieces.
These are able to be frozen and useable for up to a month in a sealed container.


When you are ready to use the gnocchi in a dish, you will need to boil them in a pot over medium heat. They should rise to the top when they are cooked through. Once cooked through, you can serve them with your favorite sauce: alfredo, traditional red, or a fabulous bolognese sauce.



Another option would be to bake the gnocchi. Set your oven to 350F. Toss the gnocchi with salt, pepper, and a little bit of olive oil. Lay them out on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a marinara sauce for an appetizer.


Have a fabulous Saturday Gnocchi style! Ciao!!

Fun Friday!!

First of all I just have to share my latest happy customer. Is he not the cutest thing ever!?



His mommy said he was so proud of it that you would've thought that he had painted it himself! That's what I love about painting!

So in keeping with the fun things for this Friday I've got a great recipe for a fabulous GNO (Girls Night Out)!!

Cosmopolitan Cupcakes with Pink Lime Buttercream Icing!

Cupcakes
• 1 box SuperMoist Vanilla Cake Mix
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1-1/4 cups ready-made Cosmo drink mixer

Make cupcakes according to box directions, swapping out 1-1/4 cups Cosmopolitan drink mix for the 1-1/4 cups water called for on the box.

Pink Lime Buttercream Icing
• 8 Tbsp butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp Cosmo drink mixer
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 5-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Red or pink gel icing colors (a little red gel will make hot pink)
• Clear sugar sprinkles

In a large bowl: combine butter, cream cheese, lime juice, Cosmo mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. Tint icing with food coloring. (Gel icing colors enable you to tint icing without watering it down.)
Spread or pipe icing onto each (completely cooled) cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles, a lime twist, or a lime wedge.

Happy Friday!!

My first restaurant review!

I had a lunch with a girlfriend from high school that is vacationing with her family and her sweet little baby boy. We tried out a restaurant that I hadn't been to before and it inspired me to do restaurant reviews for local places here that vacationers can look up and try!

Today we went to Ciao Bella in Silver Sands.

I had heard nothing but great things about the food there and today was my day to try it out.

They have a very extensive and reasonable menu. And if you haven't gathered already, it is an Italian restaurant. They have many bistro-gourmet type pizzas as well as pastas and sandwiches. I would consider them average priced for the beach ($8-$20 per person). The portion sizes were large.

Today I had a calzone with procioutto, spinach, and onions. It was delicious.

So for all you outlet mall shoppers I would highly recommend Ciao Bella. It is a rather small establishment with self serve seating, so you will need to plan ahead. The peak eating times get packed fast. So for a convenient place with great food, good air conditioning, and a place to rest your weary feet, check them out!

Happy Thursday!