Fortune Cookie Fun!

Ingredients:

4 egg WHITES 
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour  
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking spray for pan

Utensils you will need:
Bowl
Hand mixer
Sheet pan
Gloves
Coffee mug
Muffin or cupcake pan

Directions:

If you want to include messages or fortunes inside the cookies, they need to measure 3 inches long by about 1/2 wide. I have found many cute fortune cookie pdf's on the internet, so Google to find the perfect inserts for your occasion.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. 

In the bowl, combine egg whites and sugar. Beat on medium speed just to combine, using an electric mixer. Mix in the flour and salt. Add butter, heavy cream, vanilla  and almond extract. Mix to incorporate all ingredients. This should take no loner than 40 to 50 seconds. you don't want the egg white and cream to whip.

Do NO more than 4 cookies at a time at a time. Once the cookies harden they can't be folded. You will need to work fast. You only have about 10 to 12 seconds to insert message, fold and bend hot cookie so you can finish 4 cookies before they get cool and hard. Use gloves if your hands are sensitive to heat. The cookies will be very warm as you work.

Pour 1 tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon in a circular motion, spread into a 5 inch circle. Fill the pan and make sure there is about 2 inches between each circle. Bake cookies until 1/4 to 1/2 inch of edges of the cookies turn golden. 

Remove cookie rounds with a spatula one at a time. Working quickly, add message, fold like a taco and using the edge of a coffee mug, bend the back of the folded cookie over the edge of the cup to form the fortune cookie shape. Place finished cookie in the muffin pan and move to the next cookie quickly.  

You can also add food color to the batter for baby or bridal showers, etc.

Have fun!

More Chinese New Year~Fried Spring Rolls

Makes 2 dozen.

Ingredients:
5 oz of pork minced
5 oz of chicken minced
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger,minced
3 cloves garlic,minced
1 carrot shredded and minced
1 cup of cabbage, chopped until you have finely minced consistency.
4 green onions, sliced very thin and chopped
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar (any vinegar will do)
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
2 tablespoon of soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

20 spring roll wrappers

vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

In a large frying pan or wok, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the minced meats. Fry until meat is almost brown, then remove to a bowl and set aside. Add more oil if necessary, ginger, garlic and carrot. Cook for 2 minutes and add cabbage. Cook cabbage mixture until soft and mixture is well blended. Add sugar vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce and mix to incorporate. Add meat back in and green onions. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

At this point you need to heat the oil for deep frying in a fryer or wok. The temperature of the fryer should be 375 degrees F.

Lay egg roll wrappers on a clean surface,  few at a time and place 2 tablespoons of the filling in each. Roll tightly, tucking in sides and sealing with a finger dipped in water.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in each egg roll. Place some water on the edge of each wrapper so you can seal them easily. Remember, you are not making eggrolls. You are making spring rolls and they should resemble more of a cigar.

Fry no more than 3 at a time until golden and drain on a paper plate.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or eat them plain. YUM!

Happy Chinese New Year!

It's the year of the snake! I'm pretty sure that was two years ago according to the way my life was going then, but obviously it had nothing to do with the lunar holiday. All kidding aside, I'm thankful to be in a wonderful place now with my amazing fiance and a wedding that's only 7 days away now : ).

We will be celebrating February 10th. with some traditional Chinese dishes and a very Asian inspired tablescape. I was wondering what I could make that would be new and different this year and I decided on a few things that I really love. Eggplant, fried spring rolls (which will be a total treat as we are Atkins only right now) and what would the Lunar New Year be without fortune cookies?

When I read about Hongshao Qiezi long ago I knew I had to try this dish.  It's vegetarian. Merely eggplant in a soy based sauce. I've put my own signature twist on this, adding peppers and sweet red chili sauce. I'm crazy about this stuff and would probably drink it, given the chance.

I'm always happy when I can do a veggie recipe for my non meat eating friends and family that are vegan and veggie peeps. This dish however, will find it's way into the hearts of even the most steadfast carnivores. This is my version of the Chinese favorite. Stay tuned for the next two recipes.

享受!

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, cut into 1 inch diagonal pieces
2 small red chiles, seeded or not depending on the heat desired
4 to 5 coins ginger, cut into thin strips
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
6 ounces Thai sweet chili sauce (or about 1/2 a bottle) I found this deliciousness at Wal Mart.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil

Directions:
Prepare all of the vegetables and put them on a plate. Add oil to a wok or frying pan and heat on high. When hot, add the eggplant. Cook for about 5 minutes. Allow to brown a bit, but stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Once eggplant has softened and browned, remove the eggplant leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Set aside.  Add bell peppers, onions, red chiles,  garlic and ginger. Stir fry moving the vegetables around the pan quickly with your spatula. Cook for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes and add egg plant back to the pan. The vegetables should still have crunch to them. Add sauces and season with salt and pepper.

Getting Ready for the Day~

Time is drawing near. Our marriage on Valentine's Day will be very informal, but even so I want the little touches to be perfect because this day means so much to us. I found the perfect boutonniere for Caz and I decided on three roses to carry...2 red and 1 pink. Three standing for the love of my children, the love of my grandchildren and our love. Perfect and so meaningful. I'm wearing black pants with an off white top and gorgeous frilly black wedges. Caz is wearing a suit. We will dress more formal in the fall, but for this day, I think it is perfect for us. I have really gone back and forth over having a small cake for just the two of us, as we  are Adkins right now and not eating any carbs, but it is one day, right? We're going to have a candlelight steak and seafood dinner and I think maybe a small heart cake since we will have a large wedding cake in the fall. Sweet, I think. It suits us. Simple and sweet and full of love. We will take one or two pics of us and maybe one of the cake and dinner. Mostly a few pics to frame for the fall and as a memento. It's how we got to where we are today and for Caz and I, that's all that matters. We love each other. We are devoted to each other. And most of all we want the same things in life...each other and all the love God allows us to share. I'm getting nervous. Eleven days to go till the rest of our lives.