Dumplings -- kate's favorite

A bit time intensive, but worth the efforts when 4 out of 5 enjoy the meal. I got the recipe originally from Cooking Light.

1/4 c. sliced green onion
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
2 T water
2 t. minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. dark sesame oil
1/2 lb. deveined peeled shrimp
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 garlic clove, halved
1 large egg white

Put all these ingredients in a food processor and process until coarsely ground.

36 wonton wrappers

working one by one, place a tablespoon of the filling onto a wrapper, wet the sides and fold up forming a triangle. Hold each triangle by the top point and tap on counter to flatten the bottom.

Heat 2 t. of oil in a large skillet and brown the pot stickers in batches. When they are all browned, return the first batch to the pan, pour in 1/2 c. water, cover and steam for about 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook another 2 minutes, remove the pot stickers and keep them warm while you steam the next batches.

Dipping Sauce
1/3 c. thinly sliced green onion
1/3 c. chicken broth
1/4. c. orange juice
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
2 t. fresh grated ginger
1 t. dark sesame oil.

Lasagna With A Twist

Every fourth Saturday we bowl with our friends the Drissels. Their kids and our kids usually hang together while the parents bowl -- and we usually feed them dinner. Last Saturday I made this dish, I think it was pretty successful. My sister Karen sent me the recipe.

1 lb. ground beef (I used meatloaf mix)
1 jar (30 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. (14 oz) twist pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb. ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 T. grated Romano Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet brown the meat, drain the fat. Add sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes. Combine pasta and meat sauce. Combine the cheeses in a medium bowl. Place half the pasta mixture in a 13x9 inch pan, top with cheese mixture and then the remaining pasta. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. I usually top with some additional mozzerella cheese.

Perfect Pizza Dough

One of my latest obsessions has been the pursuit of perfect pizza dough. I found this recipe in the Washington Post, and have tried it several times, and I think I've finally nailed it.

The kids love getting involved in the process (althought, truthfully I think the secret to the success of the pizza we made the other night was that I did everything and let their contribution act as "icing" on the process). Oh, and I went out and bought a $10 pizza peel -- the device used to move the pizza onto the pizza stone. I think I need to buy another so I can make two pizzas at once -- but I definately think it's worth the money.

Here's the recipe -- and this is definately going on the weekly hit list.

Heat the oven to 500 degrees

Heat 1 c. water in the microwave for 45 seconds
Add one package of yeast and 1t. honey
Let sit for 5 minutes

Combine 2c. flour, a pinch of salt in a food processor. Wtih the motor running slowly pour the water/yeast, until a wet ball forms. (HINT: Here's the place where, in the past, things have gone wrong. This time, I kept sprinkling in flour and running the processor until an actual blob of dough was in there)

Transfer dough to a work surface and kneed for 10 minutes (plus whatever the kids want to do)

Divide dough into two halves, forming two equal balls.
Put in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for one hour

After the rise, punch down the dough and form into 2 10" pizzas.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until cheese melts and crust is crisp.

Pacific Rim Salmon

Okay, I know it's been awhile. I've been really busy. And although we've been eating (a lot) -- I feel like I just haven't been trying anything new lately.

The other night our dear friends came over for dinner and amidst the wine and fun, I somehow assembled a meal that everyone enjoyed (perhaps it was the wine and fun that made it so tasty...) Anyway... here's the recipe

Marinade for the Salmon
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. rice vinegar
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T. firmly packed brown sugar
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 t. ground giner
2 t. sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 t. lemon pepper
1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillets

1. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, ginger, sesame seeds and lemon pepper.

2. Pour over salmon in a shallow glass dish

3. Cover and let marinade for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

4. Grill the salmon, flesh side down first, directly on the grill grate, for about 5 minutes

5. Carefully turn the fish, for another 5 minutes

We also had oven roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese (oven at 450, brush with olive oil and cover with cheese) roast for about 5-7 minutes -- and basmati rice.

Does Carbonara mean "with bacon"?

Okay, there were so many wonderful things about this dinner --
1. Everyone ate it
2. It had bacon in it
3. My husband made it
4. It had bacon in it

He's been surfing Yahoo Food every evening and found this recipe. He made it while we were at the school fair, so I came home to a plate full of pasta AND bacon! There is nothing wrong with that. Even my kids (who were already stuffed with cotton candy and popcorn) ate it. So totally make again... I couldn't even take a picture it flew off the plates so fast...

Linguine Carbonara
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1/4 lb. bacon, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c. red wine
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
2 eggs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
3/4 lb. linguine
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil and butter over moderate heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown but not crisp (about 4 minutes). Add garlic, wine and pepper. Simmer until the wine is reduced to 2 T., about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese and salt.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the linguine until just done (about 12 minutes). Drain the pasta, add it to the egg and cheese mixture and toss quickly. Pour the bacon mixture over the linguine. Add the parsley and toss just until mixed.

Serve immediately with additional Parmesan.

Paella Fried Rice

This is a recipe I found in my Gourmet Cookbook, they even said it was "wacky" so I thought I'd try it. Being the big gambler that I am, I made it for the first time for a church potluck. I forgot that I'd bought a red bell pepper and overlooked adding the baby peas -- and I doubled the rice, oil and chorizo, but kept everything else the same -- and it was STILL good. One lady even asked me to send her the recipe! Next time I'll stick to the actual instructions...

“Paella” Fried Rice
From the Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl

¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. cumin
½ t. red pepper flakes
1 large onion chopped
1 large red bell pepper cored, seeded, chopped
2 links mild Spanish chorizo, cut into chunks
4 c. cold cooked long grain rice (1 ½ c. uncooked rice)
11/2 t. salt
1 (10 oz.) package of frozen baby peas
1/3 c. pumpkins seeds, toasted
1 c. finely chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a 12” nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add cumn and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo, increase heat to moderately hgh, and cook, stirring, until sausage begins to brown, about 3 minutes (or longer, make sure sausage is completely cooked).

Add rice, crubling it to break up lumps, and salt. Cook stirring until some grains of rice begin to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add peas and cook, stirring just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

This Blogging Thing Is HUGE

One of my work assignments was to reach out to "Mommy Bloggers" to promote Take Your Kids 2 Vote (and organization that advocates....wait for it.... taking your kids to vote). I got to spend all day yesterday looking for and emailing these women who are hugely talented and have either the fastest minds in the world, or lots of time on their hands... but it's amazing -- there are so many of them out there!

I want to sign up for the BlogHer convention and go make a difference TODAY. No more recipes and picky eaters -- I want to change the world (and get free trips to Disney on the way).

Anyway, back to brass tacks -- I found a great recipe for Spicy Peanut Butter Chicken last night and made it for the kids (Chris, the king of pickiness has been unavailable for dinner since Sunday -- and you know that means MEATLOAF tonight!)

Here's the link to the chicken -- PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN

Here's the recipe, in case the link ever fails:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup water
2T soy sauce, or Tamari (which is basically gluten free soy sauce)
1T brown sugar (if your peanut butter is sweetened skip this)
2T veg oil
3 cloves garlic, minced OR 6 cloves roasted garlic (30 minutes at 325)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (use more if you would like this anything but mild)
4cups broccoli
4 chicken breasts
Mix all the ingredients through the crushed red pepper into a mixing bowl.
Brown the chicken in a bit of oil in a large pan (do it in batches if you don’t have room)

Once browned, put all the chicken in the pan, add raw veggies (I used red pepper and snow peas, the recipe calls for broccoli) add some water, bring to a boil, put a lid on the pan, and then reduce heat to simmer, to steam everything for 7-9 minutes.
Once steamed, remove chicken and veggies to serving bowl, top with peanut butter sauce. Serve with rice.


I'll start my world changing blog (and promotion thereof) tomorrow.