Cucumber Refresher
Ingredients
1 can of frozen limeade
1 2-liter bottle of 7-Up
Crushed Ice
Sliced cucumber
Directions
Place crushed ice in bottom of pitcher. Pour limeade and 7-Up over ice. Place sliced cucumbers on top. Let flavors blend for at least 15 minutes or more.
Pork Potstickers
½ pound ground pork
½ cup water chestnuts, chopped
¾ C shredded carrots
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced green onions
½ cup straw mushrooms, chopped (found canned in the Asian section)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons cornstarch
50 round won ton wrappers
Arrange dumplings in a single layer in a vegetable steamer coated with cooking spray and steam dumplings, covered, for 15 minutes. Repeat the process until all of the dumplings have been steamed. Dip the dumplings in soy sauce, if desired.
Sushi –
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked Calrose rice
½ cup rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sliced Carrots
Sliced cucumber, peeled and seeded
Sesame seeds
Crab meat
Nori (dried seaweed)
Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise)
Eel sauce
Cream Cheese
Directions:
Sushi Rice:
Wash the rice in a bowl and drain off the water. Repeat the process until the water is almost
clear. Add your measured water. Cook rice according to package directions, preferably in a rice cooker. While the rice is cooking mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil. After it is cooked let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes. While it is still hot transfer to a large missing bowl and add in the vinegar mixture and stir until it is thoroughly mixed in. Let cool to room temperature
and it is ready for use.
Roll:
1- Lay 1 nori sheet on a rolling mat and put ¾ cup sushi rice on it. Spread rice over nori sheet, leaving ¾ inch of bare nori at far side and making a small ledge of rice in front of this bare strip.
2- Sprinkle sesame seeds down the center of the rice. Lay the avocado slices, carrot slices, cucumber slices, and crab meat down the center of the rice on top of the sesame
seeds. Squeeze a line of kewpie, cream cheese, and eel sauce on top of vegetables and meat.
3- Roll mat over once, away from you, pressing ingredients in to keep roll firm, leaving the ¾ inch strip of nori rice-free.
4- Covering roll (but not rice-free strip of nori), hold rolling mat in position and press all around to make roll firm.
5- Lift up top of rolling mat and turn roll over a little more so that strip of nori on far side joins other edge of nori to seal roll. Use your fingers to make sure roll is properly closed.
6- Slice roll into bite-sized pieces.
Southwest Egg Rolls With Cilantro Cream Sauce
Ingredients
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 can black beans
1 cup roasted corn
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup cooked rice
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Juice of 1 lime
¾ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package large egg roll wraps
Directions
Heat 1 teapsoon of vegetable oil in a skillet and saute’ the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Cool to room temperature. Combine the onion mixture with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Place ¼ cup of the mixture in an egg roll wrap and wrap according to package directions. In a frying pan, heat 1-2 cups of vegetable oil to medium-high heat. Fry the egg roll until browned on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side). Place on paper towels to drain.
Cilantro Cream Sauce
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chinese Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, crushed
10 ounces cashew pieces
1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
In a preheated 350 degree F oven (175 degree C), toast the crushed noodles and nuts until golden brown.
In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, green onions, toasted ramen noodles and cashews.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 pound fresh green beans, washed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- Warm a large skillet or wok over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour in canola and sesame oils, then place whole green beans into the skillet. Stir the beans to coat with oil. Cook until the beans are bright green and slightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce; cover, and let sit about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Thai Chicken Stir-fry
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons red curry paste
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup light coconut milk 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2T cornstarch
2T cold water
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Preparation
Combine rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, red curry paste, and crus
hed red pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal and marinate in refrigerator over night, turning once.
Remove chicken from the bag, reserving marinade. Mix together the corn starch and water. Set aside. Heat 1tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add onion and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add reserved marinade, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add coconut milk and fish sauce and the water/cornstarch mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened. Stir in chicken and salt; cook 1 minute. Top with sprouts, cilantro, and juice from one lime wedge.
Serve over rice or chow mein noodles.
Ham Fried Rice
Ingredients
4 cups cold cooked long-grain rice
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup diced ham (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions
Directions
1. Break up rice with hands to remove large clumps, if necessary.
2. Heat a 14-inch wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to wok, swirling to coat. Pour in the beaten eggs. They will form a film on the bottom of the pan almost at once. Immediately lift this film gently with a fork and push it to the back of the pan so that the still liquid eggs can spread across the bottom of the pan to cook. As soon as the eggs are set, but before they become dry or begin to brown, transfer them to a small bowl and break them up with a fork. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan, swirl it around and heat it for 30 seconds.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups onion and garlic to wok; stir-fry 1 minute or until onion begins to brown. Add carrots and ham; stir-fry 2 minutes or until ham begins to brown.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add cold rice to wok; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Gently stir scrambled eggs into rice mixture. Sprinkle with green onions.
Lemon Supreme PieIngredients
1 unbaked deep-dish pastry shell (9 inches)
Lemon Filling:
1 ¼ cups sugar
6 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cups water
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
4 – 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling:
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ cups whipped topping
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions
Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy duty foil. Bake at 450 for 8 mins.
Remove foil and bake 5 mins longer. Cool on wire rack.
In a saucepan, combine ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water; bring to a boil over medium –high heat. Reduce heat; add the remaining sugar. Cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat; stir in butter, lemon peel and food coloring if desired. Gently stir in lemon juice (do not overmix). Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and
lemon juice. Refrigerate ½ cup for garnish. Spread remaining cream cheese mixture into pastry shell; top with lemon filling, Chill overnight. Place reserved cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag and place a dot on each piece. Store in the refrigerator.
Yields 6-8 servings
Ice Cream Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
Cake:
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup butter (no substitutes)
4 squares (1-ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1-1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
Filling:
½ gallon cookies ‘n cream ice cream, softened
Directions
1- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. In a saucepan, melt butter and chocolate; cool. Pour chocolate mixture, water and vanilla into flour mixture. Beat on low for 1 minute, then on medium for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Divide batter among two, 9-inch round baking pans that have been greased, floured and lined with waxed paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Cool completely.
2- Heat cream in small saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear around edges. Remove pan from heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until ganache mixture is smooth. Refrigerate ganache until cool and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Spread ganache over top and sides of each cake. Refrigerate cakes for 1 hour or until ganache is set.
3- Line one 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, allowing 3 inches of plastic to hang over pan sides. Using spatula, spread ice cream in prepared pan, forming smooth, even layer. Freeze for 3 hours or until frozen solid.
4- To assemble the torte, place 1 cake layer, ganache side up, on serving platter. Remove ice cream circle from pan; peel off plastic. Place ice cream circle on top of cake. Top with second cake layer, ganache side up. Freeze until ready to serve. Let finished cake stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.
The Decor:
