Chinese Dumplings or Potstickers!

Dear Cooking Fans,

This was not the smoothest cooking event this girl has ever taken on.  I learned that it is VERY important to use a fresh clean pan or perhaps a nonstick pan.  The dough is delicate and sensitive and well, using the same pan resulted in bottomless potstickers.  By the third round, I started to get this down.

Would I make these again?  Oh HELL  YEA.  They were so unbelievably good!!  Would I make them all at one time?  HELL NO.  Next time, I would make them all, but freeze 2/3 of them, only cooking up about 8 of them.

I was surprised at how simple the dough was.  Flour and water.
Take 1 1/2 cups of flour, form a hole and pour in 1/2 cup of water.  I discovered that it wanted to leak out the sides very quickly, so don't talk on the phone while doing this as I did!

The Pile O Flour

The Water has been added

Then after you carefully fold in the water to the flour and it starts to actually look like dough, knead it for about 5 minutes.  Add little bits of water if the dough is too dry.  Once it's all nice and springy to the touch, divide it in half and roll into two 6 inch logs.  Sprinkle with some flour and cover with a towel.

Two Dough Halves.  Looks like a brain, doesn't it?

Logs.  

Now to make the filling!  And seriously, this was so tasty.  The Boy really liked it alot.

Here is the recipe:
2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
Kosher salt
12 oz. ground pork
8 oz. peeled, deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. Shoaxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry (I actually did have this ingredient.  Tasted just fine without)
1 1/2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. toasted Asian sesame oil
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

Put 2 tsp of salt into the cabbage and let sit for 30 minutes to remove any moisture.  Squeeze with a towel to finish up the job.

Shredded Pork!!

Cut up raw shrimp

3 scallions

Chopped Garlic

Add the cabbage to the above ingredients.  Mix well!

The dough has been cut up into 36 little pieces.  Basically cut each log into 18 pieces.  Easiest way is cut each log in half.  Cut each half into thirds and then each of the thirds into thirds.  Should equal 36 pieces.

Roll each dough coin out into a flat piece.  The recipe said to make it thicker in the middle, but honestly, I don't think it really mattered too much.  And yes, I don't own a rolling pin.  Beer bottle worked just as well.

Take about 1 tablespoon or so and stuff!  Simply fold around your filling and pinch the ends together!

Arrange in a pan to fry, using just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then pour in enough water to go about 1/3 of the way up the potstickers.  ADVICE - pour the water in with a lid on the pan!  It really makes a mess otherwise!!  Let it boil with a lid about 3 minutes.  Remove the lid and cook until the water is gone.  I did all of this on about medium heat.

The final product!  Not the prettiest potstickers in the world, but gosh darn tasty!!

Finally, make your dipping sauce!

Soy Dipping Sauce
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. hot chile oil or toasted Asian sesame oil
small scallion, thinly sliced

Dip and eat!  The dipping sauce was absolutely fabulous!!!

Creamy Cheddar Ham Broccoli Casserole

Hello Cooking Fans!

I am just in love with this recipe! Not only was it fairly inexpensive, I had all the ingredients in my house already except for the croutons. How freaking cool is that?!

The other thing I really dug about this dish was that the preparation was so easy. No joke.

Ok and one more thing I liked...I got to use up the last of a jar of mayo! That has been my new goal lately is to really try hard and use the ingredients I have in my house. It's so easy to find a great recipe and then you have to go buy a bottle of something that you never use. UGH. Waste, waste, waste.

No! Don't go! I'm done with my soap box, LOL....

2 cups cubed ham

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained (I used a bunch of fresh broccoli. I think it turned out just as good if not better than using frozen) 2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 1 package (6 ounces) seasoned croutons (I added extra croutons, well, because I friggin love them) 4 eggs

2 cups milk 1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing 2 Tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons dry mustard (be careful with adding too much dry mustard...I put a bit extra in and I could taste it..) 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

I had to use a bigger pan because I think I added alot more broccoli than the recipe called for...

Throw in these first four ingredients into a bowl,mix and then dump them into your dish of choice.

Next, Crack your eggs into a bowl and get ready to whisk them good!

Pour in the milk, then pour in the mayo (AND I forgot to take a picture of that!)

Mix in these ingredients (flour, basil and dry mustard) into you milk/egg/mayo mixture.  Plus I added salt and pepper.  I'm just a believer that salt and pepper needs to be added to just about everything.  Yes, even salad.

And POUR over the ham broccoli stuff!  Cover and put into the fridge.  Anytime you want, turn your oven on to 375 degrees and get it all ready for your dish.

After an hour has passed, removed the tinfoil you covered it with and put it into the oven for about 45 minutes.  I would stir it at least once because the eggs cooked faster in my oven.

Here's what it looked like all mixed up on a plate...it actually doesn't look that great, but it really tasted good!!  Got a big thumbs up from the Boy.

Until next time!  Happy Cooking!

Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Salsa

Pork.
Strawberries.
Papaya.
What? Papaya? I don't know about you all, but I have NEVER cooked a meal with papaya let alone actually bought one!

I have to talk about this papaya. First of all, in the store I bought it at, I only had one option for papaya. I have no idea if more choices exist or not, so I had to go with the one option.

You have to peal a papaya and then, when you cut it open, there are a ton of seeds in the middle. But, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it smelled! Seriously, papaya smells really good!

It was also slimy. Really.

But, combined with strawberries and served over pork? Seriously, you can't go wrong.

Here is the recipe with my modifications to it (because I can't simply follow the recipe!):

Two 3/4-pound pork tenderloins (I used a pork roast and cut into two pieces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I used dried parsley, about 1-2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced sage (again, used dried herbs, 1 tablespoon, because why not?)
1 tablespoon minced rosemary (same, used dried herbs - 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (I used regular olive oil)
1 pint strawberries, cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 cup diced papaya (6 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (I used about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons minced red onion (I used a small whole red onion)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Turn your oven on to 400 degrees...
and take out your pork!

As I stated up in the recipe list, it calls for two pork tenderloins. I had a pork roast and so cut that into two halfs. I think they looked like pork tenderloins. You want to rub about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper all over both pieces of flesh. You can use a little more salt and pepper if you need. I simply sprinkled each piece with S&P and rubbed. BTW, in case I have never brought it up, there is someething very therapeutic about handling dead animal flesh.

Mix up your parsley, sage and rosemary and pat all those good yummy herbs all over your pork:

Let that sit for about 20 minutes or so in the fridge.

Now, for my favorite part! The strawberry salsa. This really turned out so good!

Chop up some strawberries and place into a bowl:

Chop up your papaya and place into the bowl:

Chop up the onion. I picked the tiniest onion and used the whole thing. But, really, it is about how YOU like it. Place into bowl:

The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of lime juice. I simply believe that 1 lime equals about 1 tablespoon, so cut that lime if that's what you did and squeeze away.

Cut up some cilantro and add to the bowl. I used alot more cilantro than it called for. In my opinion, cilantro MAKES the salsa.

Stir and put into your fridge until the pork is done!

To cook the pork, heat some oil in a pan and cook on medium to medium high heat (depending on how sensitive your stove is!) and brown the meat. It takes about 10-15 minutes to do this.

Then, place the pork into the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or so. It should just barely have any pink in the middle. It will continue cooking once you remove it from the oven.

Slice it up into 1/2 pieces and serve with the salsa on top. Even the teenager ate the meat with the salsa two nights in a row..on his own...without being nagged by his mother.


Enjoy! Would love to hear from anyone who prepares this and what you thought and how you might have changed it!

TTFN

Summer Squash Casserole

Hello Cooking Fans!

Well, this recipe just has Wow all over it! Ok, and that was the corniest saying EVER...but seriously, folks. Really good recipe. It has good potential for experimenting too.

I only had 5 squash to use, so, I think one or two more would have made it even better, but I couldn't see why you couldn't maybe add some broccoli into it or even brussel sprouts!

But, for now, give it a shot once and see what you think. I love this and will definitely be making it again.

Here are the basic ingredients:
6 cups yellow squash or zucchini,
1 cup chopped onion,
1 can cream of chicken soup,
1 cup sour cream,
1 cup shredded carrots,
½ cup butter or margarine,
1 package seasoned stuffing mix

Turn your oven to 350 degrees and get the oven warming.

Put on a pot of water, add some salt and start it boiling.

Cut up your onion. I know it says one cup, but I always just use the whole thing. It's usually pretty close to that and why save a sliver of onion? Just cook it! Go ahead and just put that chopped up onion into your boiling pot of water.


Next, slice up your squash and/or zucchini and go ahead and dump that into the pot of boiling water as well.


Set the timer for 5 minutes and let it boil away. Make sure and adjust the temp if necessary to prevent it from foaming over.


While that's boiling, go ahead and grate up some carrots into a big bowl.


Add your can of Cream of Chicken Soup


Add your cup of sour cream


Stir! Now the original recipe says to stir the soup and sour cream first, then add carrots, but I just stirred it all together and it worked just fine.


By this time, it should be five minutes! Drain your veggies and add them to your soup mixture.


Stir!


Now, for the stuffing. The recipe just said to mix the butter in the stuffing. So, you wonder, dry? Are you supposed to wet it? One time, I tried it dried, thinking that the moisture from the food would moisten the bread crumbs. WRONG WRONG WRONG. Go ahead and put enough hot water in to moisten the stuffing mix and then mix in your softened butter.


Put half the stuffing on the bottom of your casserole dish


Put ALL the veggie soup mixture on top of that


Spread the rest of the stuffing mix on top of that


Put it in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until it's all bubbly and hot looking..
And let me tell you, I just loved this. It was so good.