Saturday, September 5, 2009

Gyozas

Gyozas

These are delicious! My Dad went to Japan on his mission and I remember my parents making these when I was younger. We gave it a go on Friday. They turned out amazing!
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken (or pork)
1/2 Napa cabbage
1 bunch green onions
Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sesame chili oil
gyoza wrappers/skinsWhat to do...
-CUT up cabbage REAL FINE, sprinkle with salt, mush up cabbage with hands for 2-3 minutes.
-ADD very finely cute up green onions.
-ADD ground chicken/pork with garlic powder and ginger,salt and pepper, soy sauce,and sesame oil,
- MIX with hands like meat loaf...mush well.
- Put in wrappers- COOK on med-high in 2 T. vegetable oil to coat pan. Make sure the pan is HOT. Be sure to not over-crowd the pan. Roll them to cook them on ALL sides.Sauce: white vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame chili oilServe with Rice or eat alone....just EAT them...they are so good!

{ We also added shredded carrots, and finely cut bean sprouts to ours and
they were SO good, and yes we ground our own chicken.
Which took forever, but it was much cheaper.
We doubled this recipe and are freezing some.}

Thursday, August 27, 2009

FEATURED!

Guess what!?!?!?!
Samantha's baby shower was featured on Creative Parties and Showers


Go check out there site...It is packed full of amazing party and shower ideas!
We are excited to have our new followers!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Candy Grahams

The first time Patrick took me to meet his mom he told me that she was making his favorite snack/dessert- Candy Grahams. Now the only experience I've even had with a candy graham was in Jr. High where you could buy a candy graham for $1 and it consisted of some card stock where you could write a message and then add a sucker and it would be delivered to the recipient. So I was very surprised that something like that would be his favorite. Boy was I wrong! Candy grahams are NOTHING like candy grahams of ole!

THE INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Margarine
1/2 C graham cracker crumbs (@ 1 sleeve)
1 Can Eagle brand sweet and condensed milk
1 Pkg of choc. chips
1 C angel flake coconut
1 C chopped nuts (pick your favorite)

Now I always double this recipe, quadruple it if there is a potluck at work!




Step 1: Crush graham crackers into crumbs and mix with melted butter. Spread, and push to flatten in a 9x13 pan (or biggger if doubling)
This is also known as the worst step of the process.... takes forever and my fingers always hurt!



Step 2: Pour Eagle brand evenly over the top. Top with choc chips, coconut and nuts. Press gently.




Step 3: Bake 25-30 min at 350 degrees . Cool thoroughly, then cut!
Now this part is very important. Cut all the corner parts and bring them to my house because those are the BEST parts!!!





Thursday, July 30, 2009

Cookie Dough Cuppy-Cakes!

I saw this recipe here and was waiting for the right occasion to try it out. Lucky for me my manager asked me to make cupcakes for a team members birthday this week and try it out I did!


THE INGREDIENTS:


1 package yellow cake mix (I recommend Pillsbury low-sugar yellow cake mix)
1 package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package chocolate chip cookie dough
Your favorite frosting, enough to frost 24 cupcakes


THE MIXING:



1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake wrappers in 24 muffin pans.
2. Combine all cupcake ingredients (except cookie dough and frosting, of course) in bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low until combined, scrape bowl, then mix on medium for 2 minutes. Batter will be very thick.



THE PREPARATION:

3. Divide batter between cupcake pans (about 1/4 cup in each cupcake wrapper), each cupcake wrapper should be about 2/3 full. Roll cookie dough into 24 balls and place one on top of each unbaked cupcake.

*Now this is where the recipe and I differ. In the original post the cookie dough was pushed into the batter. I was afraid that this would result in uncooked cookie dough, which is never good overnight, and I made the cookies the night before. Also important to make sure you have regular cupcake wrappers not just Christmas ones, or else you might have to run back to the store.



THE BAKING:

4. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched. Cool 2 minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


THE RESULT:


5. Frost with your favorite frosting (chocolates always good) and garnish with a baked cookie (cut in half placed in the frosting), sprinkles, or toasted pecans.

While I myself didn't try one out (I wasn't feeling like something sweet at the time) they were a HUGE success! People are work are STILL talking about them! Someone even said I bake better then his grandma. I don't know about all that, but I do know they were super tasty!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Lime Meringue Pie!

Okay, so if you like Key Lime Pie, you should like this as well.

Pie Filling
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
½ teaspoon grated lime peel
1/3 cup lime juice
Use whatever kind of crust you want! My husband whipped up a graham cracker crust for me real quick on this one.

In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over moderately high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
Stir a moderate amount of hot mixture into egg yolks (so the yolk doesn’t cook itself in the pan) then return to hot mixture in the pan. Bring to boil and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add butter and lime peel. Slowly add lime juice, mixing well. Pour into your crust.


Meringue
3 egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

Beat egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form and all of the sugar is dissolved.
Spread Meringue over pie filling. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool. Enjoy!

P.S. If you're not into meringue, just put cool whip on top of the pie because the filling is seriously delish!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

NEW button

I just made a new button by following April's directions... and I actually did it!
Thanks April!!!!

oh snap button



So GRAB ONE!
It matches now :)

Saturday, July 18, 2009

New Peeps

Guess What?!!?!
I am super excited to announce we will have some more people posting to this here blog.
Why am I so excited you ask?
I'll tell you...
These girls are AMAZING!!!
Seriously!
I would not ask them to post if I did not think they were. Honest.
Are you on the edge of your seat curious as to who these amazing women are???
I thought so...

There will be more info about them soon.
Right now here are the links to their blogs!
Go check them out :)

Natalie
Jessica
Samantha