Mini Egg Rolls

(Not the best photo.  It was dark, and I took it in a hurry.  Don't let that stop you from trying the recipe though!)

For our annual Christmas party, I thought about making potstickers -again-.  I make them every now and then, and while, they're a hit, I wanted to make something different.  Egg rolls were the first things to come to mind.  I searched different on-line recipes, and finally settled on an adaptation from Allrecipes.com.    I planned on making full sized egg rolls, but when Brian came home from the store, they were out of the full sized wrappers, and just had the won-ton wrappers. In the end, I LOVED the won-ton wrapper size for a party.  They're the perfect bite-sized morsel.  Easy to eat, and tasty too!

Mini Egg Rolls

Mix in a bowl and set aside:
     2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
     2 tablespoons water

Shred:
     3 C cabbage
     1/4-1/2 C carrots

Saute the shredded veggies with:
     2 TB soy sauce
     2 TB water

Cook thoroughly in a skillet:
     1 lb ground pork
     2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
     2 tsp garlic powder

Mix the veggie/pork mixture together in a bowl.

Place a dab of the pork/veggie mixture in the center of a won-ton wrapper.  Place a dab of the flour paste on the top corner (this will be the "glue", keeping it together).  Fold the side corners in toward the middle.  Fold the bottom corner up toward the middle, rolling upward. Continue until you've used up the rest of the pork mixture. 

Heat oil (about 1/4" in the pan) in a large frying pan to 375 degrees (medium-high heat).  When the oil is hot enough to sizzle, quickly place the mini egg rolls in the pan.  Cook until the side is golden brown, then turn over.  When both sides are golden brown, remove from the pan onto a plate or shallow bowl that's lined with a paper towel (to absorb any grease).  

Serve plain (yes, they're good enough to eat without sauce!) or with your favorite Asian dipping sauce. 

FREEZING

They're also easy to freeze.  I doubled this recipe and served half at Christmas time, and half at our Super Bowl party today.  Once I filled the won-ton wrappers, I placed each mini egg roll on a baking sheet to flash freeze.  Then I placed them in a FoodSaver bag, sucked out all the air, and put them in my freezer, Beauty (Yes, I've named my freezer!!).   To quickly thaw, I put them in the microwave on defrost for a minute.  Then I proceeded to heat up the oil, and cook them following the directions below.  In just 5 minutes the egg rolls were ready to serve to guests.  It doesn't get any easier than that!

VEGETARIAN OPTION
My daughter's a vegetarian, so I used this same recipe and replaced the pork with GimmeLean ground "beef".   There were several vegetarians at the party, who agreed these were worth making again!

Lentil-Barley Burgers

Since the girl declared herself a vegetarian 4 years ago, we've been on the hunt for flavorful, kid-friendly vegetarian recipes.  It's so easy to just pop a frozen chik patty or a veggie burger in the toaster oven, and at times we do rely on them.  But my goal is to have a variety of healthy, home-made, frozen vegetarian foods on hand for the girl's meals.  This lentil-barley burger is perfect!

Lentil-Barley Burgers
(Cooking Light)

Use leftover cooked pearl barley with lentils, veggies, and seasonings for a hearty main-dish burger sans the bun. Fruit salsa adds bright flavors. Serve with lime wedges for added zest.

Total: 2 hours
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 patties and 1/4 cup salsa)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  water
• 1/2  cup  dried lentils
• Cooking spray
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1/4  cup  grated carrot
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 2  tablespoons  tomato paste
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cumin
• 3/4  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1/2  teaspoon  chili powder
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  cup  cooked pearl barley
• 1/2  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2  teaspoon  coarsely ground black pepper
• 2  large egg whites
• 1  large egg
• 3  tablespoons  canola oil, divided

1. To prepare burgers, combine 1 1/2 cups water and lentils in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain. Place half of lentils in a large bowl. Place remaining lentils in a food processor; process until smooth. Add processed lentils to whole lentils in bowl.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and carrot; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to lentils. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, barley, and next 5 ingredients (through egg); stir well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

3. Divide mixture into 8 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 4 patties.

Cooking Light published a recipe for Fiery Fruit Salsa to serve with the burgers.  Here's that recipe as well:

Fiery Fruit Salsa
(Cooking Light)

Mis together, cover, and refrigerate:

• 1/4  cup  finely chopped pineapple
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped mango
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped tomatillo
• 1/4  cup  halved grape tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
• 1  serrano chile, minced

Nutritional Information :

Serving Size:  2 patties, 1/4 cup Salsa;  Calories: 315;  Fat:  12.8g (sat 1.2g,mono 6.8g,poly 3.5g);  Protein:  12.8g:  Carbohydrate:  39.2g;  Fiber:  9.5g;  Cholesterol:  53mg;  Iron:  3.9mg;  Sodium:  539mg;  Calcium:  60mg

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies

Last week I went through a bunch of fairly recent recipe clippings and made two new meals.  The first was Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers (from Cooking Light).  Total winner that will end up in our "Family Favorites" recipe book.

The second new recipe of the week was chicken potpies from the January 2007 issue of Sunset.  (OK...so some of the clippings weren't as new as others....)  There are a few classic American dishes that I've never made:

1. Pot Roast (call me crazy, but these intimidate me...what cut of meat?  What's the best seasoning?  How do I make sure the veggies aren't mushy?  Crock pot or a Dutch oven?)
2. Ribs  (Too much bone and fat and not enough meat. Messy.)  
3. Chicken Pot Pie (Loved them as a kid, just never tried them.)
4. Stew (Really wouldn't know where to start.)
5. Home-Made Chicken Noodle Soup.  (Would love to make this, but just never have.)
6. Potato Salad (This one is easy...I don't like things that are mayonnaise-y or mustard-y.)

Maybe this should be my cooking "bucket list"...the things I need to make before I die.  Well, if we're making a list like that, I'd really need to add all the other recipes in my "To Try" files and folders.  That could take some time!

Anyway, last week I made my first chicken potpie!  It was a bit time consuming...you have the veggies to chop, the chicken to cook and chop, the biscuits to make, and the gravy/sauce to make.  It's not a recipe that will end up in one of those "30 minutes To Dinner" type of cookbooks.  No, this took some time.  Knowing that it would take some time, I doubled the recipe and made some for the freezer.  Honestly, if you're going to go to the trouble of making a few potpies, you may as well make a dozen.  The extra time is minimal.

Results:  Our family thoroughly enjoyed the potpies!  I found the biscuit recipe to be a bit more dense than I would have liked.  So, when I make these again, I'm going to search for a lighter (maybe a simple drop biscuit?) topping rather than the heavy biscuit blobs called for in this recipe.

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies
(Sunset Magazine)

 Prep and Cook Time:  1 hour, 45 minutes*
Makes:   6-7 individual potpies

Read through the recipe and find a good time to make the biscuit mix.  It would be ideal to have a second helper who works on the biscuits while you put together the potpie filling. You can also make them ahead so they're ready to just plop right on the pies and pop in the oven.

Prep ahead

Cook and cube:
     2 1/2 cups of chicken (white and dark meat)

Finely chop:
     3 whole carrots
     1 stalk celery 
     1 medium onion 
     2 medium Yukon gold potatoes
     12 small cremini or button mushrooms
     1 tsp fresh thyme
     2 tsp flat leaf parsley
     2 tsp fresh sage

Grate:
     1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Cook
    
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil:
     2 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock

Add:
     carrots
     potatoes
     celery

Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.**   Drain  vegetables, reserving stock; set both aside separately.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan*** melt over medium heat:
     4 TB salted butter 

Add and cook until golden, 6 to 8 minutes:
     onions

Add  and cook 5 minutes:
     mushrooms

Add and cook 2 minutes:
      thyme
      5 TB flour

Slowly add, whisking constantly, until combined:
     1 C milk

Add and cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes:
     stock (that you set aside when you drained the veggies)


Season to taste:
     1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
     1 tsp salt
     freshly ground pepper

Add:
     parsley
     chicken
     cooked vegetables
     1/4 C frozen sweet peas

Divide filling evenly among 6 or 7 ovenproof containers**** (8 to 10 oz. each), leaving the top 1/4 inch unfilled.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Cheesy Biscuit Topping

Sift together:
     2 cups flour 
     1 1/2 tsp (or 1/2 TB) baking powder
     1/2 tsp baking soda
     1 tsp salt

Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work in to form a coarse meal, working quickly to keep the butter from warming up and melting into the dough:
     5 TB cold unsalted butter, cubed

Stir in:
     cheese 
     sage

In a separate bowl, whisk together and add to the flour mixture, stirring gently until a shaggy dough forms:
     1egg and
    1/2 C + 2 TB (or 5/8 C) well-shaken buttermilk


Lightly flour a counter, a rolling pin, and your hands. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll out first ball to a 1/4-in. thickness, then use a 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter to cut into rounds, scraping and rerolling dough as needed. Repeat with second ball.

Place 3 rounds of dough on each potpie, overlapping as necessary (any unused rounds can be baked on their own as biscuits). Brush dough with egg wash, put potpies on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, and bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 17 to 22 minutes.

In the end there were some biscuit scraps on the counter.  I got lazy and just put the scraps on a pan and cooked them with the potpies!

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories:  538 (42% from fat)
Protein:  28g
Fat:  25g (sat 13)
Carbohydrate:  51g
Fiber:  3.5g
Sodium:  1034mg
Cholesterol:  160mg

*From start to finish, making these the very first time, it took me about 2 1/2 hours.  That's giving time to cook and shred the chicken, wash and chop all the veggies, etc.  It always takes longer the first time.

**Don't overcook or your veggies will be mushy.

***5-6 qt. for single recipe; 10-12 qt. for a doubled recipe

****I used 4 Corning Wear small casserole dishes (12 oz.) and a bunch of 8 oz. coffee mugs (oven safe dinnerware).  I preferred the sizes from the 8 oz. cups. 


For Freezing

I thought this would freeze beautifully but I was woefully wrong!  The biscuits held up just fine, but the veggie filling just turned to mush.  So, make a single batch and enjoy!

Have a vegetarian in the family?

You can use vegetable broth and put the chicken on the side.  Add chicken to the carnivores' containers, and simply leave it out for the vegetarians.  For a complete vegetarian potpie, double up on the veggies.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Tomatillo Sauce

I was just going through my digital photo albums to tidy up and organize them, when I came across pictures of Chicken Enchilada Casserole...a simple twist on enchiladas. I have a fabulous recipe for Chicken Enchiladas with a Tomatillo sauce. They can be a bit labor intensive, so I tried to simplify it and make it as a casserole. Honestly, they may not have looked as good, but the taste was all there!

First, I will give you the original recipe, which will look so much better than the photo above!

Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
(San Francisco Encore)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat in a frying pan:*
1/2" of oil
Fry just until soft, about 5 seconds on each side:
12 corn tortillas
Lay flat and drain on paper towels.

Combine the following:
4 C cooked shredded chicken
2 C shredded Jack cheese
1 7 oz. can diced green chilies
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Spoon ½ cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Cover with 2 T of Tomatillo Sauce. Roll up the tortilla to enclose.

Lay tortillas, seam side down, in a 10 x 15 inch baking pan. Bake, covered, approximately 15 minutes or until hot.

Uncover and sprinkle with
8 oz. shredded Jack cheese

Bake uncovered, until cheese has melted.

To serve: Spoon 3/4 C of Tomatillo Sauce onto dinner plates. Set 2 enchiladas on each plate.

Top with:
shredded lettuce
dollop of sour cream

Garnish with:
lime slices

*To get the tortillas to roll up, they need to be hot...but you don't have to fry them. I get 4 paper towels damp, place one on a microwave-safe plate, and then start layering 3 corn tortillas with towels in between and a towel on top. (So it's plate, towel, tortilla, towel, tortilla, towel, tortilla, towel.) I put them in the microwave on high for 10 seconds. You'll need to figure out what timing/power level works best for you. I quickly fill them and roll. I find if I heat up more than 3 at a time, they tend to cool off and will fall apart if you try to roll them.

Tomatillo Sauce
(San Francisco Encore)

Heat in a large saucepan:
6 T oil (3/8 C)

Add, and cook until soft:
2 medium onions, chopped
1 7 oz can diced green chiles
26 oz. (2 13 oz. cans) tomatillos, drained
1 C chicken stock
3 TB fresh lime juice
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt

Simmer 25 minutes over low heat. Taste and correct seasonings. Puree in food processor or blender until smooth.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Tomatillo Sauce

This is pretty much the same thing, but instead of rolling neat little enchiladas, I tear up the tortillas and layer the whole thing.

Combine the following:
4 C cooked shredded chicken
2 C shredded Jack cheese
1 7 oz. can diced green chilies
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a baking dish, spoon a bit of the Tomatillo Sauce (recipe above) on the pan. Tear up some corn tortillas, creating a layer. Continue to add layers of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, the chicken mixture, Tomatillo Sauce, and corn tortillas. End with a layer of cheese and sauce. Cook approximately 30 minutes, or until it is hot in the middle.

Because my daughter's a vegetarian, I made a small pan of this for her. Instead of chicken, I used the Morning Star Meal Starters Chik 'n Strips.

Sesame Chicken Bites

The Sesame Chicken Bites were part of my big batch cooking session this past weekend. Tonight, I really didn't have anything planned for dinner, so I cooked up some rice, thawed & cooked my frozen bag of marinated chicken, and had dinner ready within thirty minutes. This was the first time trying these, and we'll definitely make them again. They were super easy and very tasty. Not too sweet, not too spicy, but a nice sesame/hoisin Asian flavor.

Sesame Chicken Bites (Cook's Illustrated)

Combine
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 C soy sauce
2 TB grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic , minced

Cover and marinate for 15 minutes. *

Place the chicken pieces on skewers**, and brush with
hoisin sauce (about 1/4 C needed)
Sprinkle with
sesame seeds (about 1/4 C needed)

Place on a baking sheet, and cook at 400 degrees*** until chicken is cooked through (about 15-20 minutes).

While cooking, finely chop
4 scallions (green onions)

Remove from the skewers and sprinkle with the green onions.****

Makes about 24 pieces.

So that's how Cook's Illustrated does it. And who am I to change their tried and true methods? Except I usually change something. Here's what I did a little differently:

* If you're wanting to freeze this recipe, as I did, this is your stopping point. Place your chicken pieces and marinade together in a freezer bag, get rid of all the air in the bag, and place it in the freezer for later. When you're ready to make the recipe, defrost the chicken, and continue on with the recipe.

**I cut mine into thin strips and threaded them onto the skewers, alternating with chunks of red pepper.

***As it's still grilling season here (gorgeous day today) we put the chicken right on the grill.

****OOPS. I forgot this step. I even had them chopped up! Still tasted great!

Now....for my vegetarian version:

Sesame Tofu Slices

Combine:
1/8 C soy sauce
1 TB grated fresh ginger
1 cloves garlic , minced

Lay out in a baking dish:
1 package extra firm tofu, cut in 1/2" slices

Pour the marinade over the tofu slices, let it sit for about 8 minutes. Turn over the slices, and let it sit for another 8 minutes.

Brush each slice with
hoisin sauce (about 1/8-1/4 C needed)

Sprinkle with
sesame seeds (about 1/8 C needed)

Cook at 400 degrees, until tofu is heated through.

While cooking, finely chop
4 scallions (green onions)

Sprinkle the scallions over the tofu.


Added on 9/26/08: Tonight I made them and cooked them as directed. The picture above shows an oven-baked skewer. Either way works fine!