Pork Gyoza

Total Time:  1 hour prep, 4 hours chill time, 1 hour cook

Servings:  48 Gyoza, serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as an entree

Hardware:

Stainless steel or cast iron pan (no non-stick pans) with cover

Ingredients:

1 package wonton skins (normally comes with 48 skins per package)

1/2 pound lean pork chops

5 TB unsalted butter (1 TB melted and 4 TB)

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 TB packed minced green onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chicken powder

1 tsp shoyu (soy sauce)

2 cups of chicken broth

Directions:

1.   I prefer to mince my own pork for the gyoza, I feel that it gives the filling a meatier texture.  If you’d rather use store bought ground pork, please omit the extra 1 TB butter.

2.  Prepare meat mixture at least 4 hours prior to cooking for the flavors to meld properly.

3.  Trim and mince pork chops.  Add grated ginger, minced garlic, salt, pepper, shoyu (soy sauce), chicken powder and 1 TB melted butter.  Mix thoroughly.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.

4.  Prepare a baking sheet with a few wet sheets of paper towels to keep the gyoza moist after assembly.  Also keep an extra wet paper towel to cover the wonton wrappers that are not being use to prevent the skins from drying out.

5.  Put one rounded teaspoon of the meat mixture into each wonton wrapper.  Seal with a little water or egg white, forming a triangle.  Try to push out any air bubbles before sealing.  Crimp each sealed edge at least once, this helps ensure the seal stays and doesn’t open when cooking.

6.  In a pot, simmer the chicken broth along with the 4 TB butter.

7.  Heat the pan over medium heat.  Once the pan is up to temperature, place the gyoza into the pan.  They will stick, once placed in the pan, do not try to move them.  I am able to get about 8 gyoza in the pan per batch.  Let sit for a couple minutes, letting the bottom of the gyoza crisp.  Add a splash of the chicken broth/butter into the pan and immediately cover the pan.

8.  Let cook for about 3 minutes.  Uncover and use a metal turner to scrape the gyoza from the pan.  Repeat until the gyoza are done.

Serve and Enjoy!

Apple Pie Milkshake

Total Time:  10 minutes

Servings:  Serves 1 (multiply recipe as needed)

Hardware:

Blender

Ingredients:

1 medium Fuji apple, skinned and cored

2-4 ounces apple juice (I prefer using Simply Apple)

3 scoops vanilla bean ice cream

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 graham cracker squares

Directions:

1.  Blend the apple and apple juice together first.

2.  Add the cinnamon and graham crackers.  Blend.

3.  Add ice cream.  Blend.

Enjoy!

Hamburger and Mushy Smushy (aka Hamburger and Mushroom Soup)

Total Time:  1 hour

Servings:  Serves 6 (or 4 plus some leftovers)

Ingredients:

2 lbs of ground beef (I prefer 70/30)

2 slices of white bread

2 large eggs

2 packages of onion soup mix

2 cups milk (keep each cup separate)

3 cans of condensed Cream of Mushroom soup

Directions:

1.  Soak the slices of white bread with 1 cup of milk.  After bread has soaked up milk, break down with fingers, add eggs and onion soup mix.  Thoroughly combine with ground beef.  Divide mixture and form into 12 evenly distributed patties.

2.  Sear off each patty over medium high heat in a large pot for 3-4 minutes on each side, should be able to sear all patties in two batches.  After all patties have been seared, set aside.  Drain excess fat from pan.

3.  Add all three cans of mushroom soup to pot along with the last cup of milk.  Mix thoroughly until gravy mixture is smooth.  Add back in all hamburger patties.  Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.  Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Serve and Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

Total time:  3 hours

Servings:  Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, rinsed

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

2 cups carrots, chopped into large chunks

2 cups celery, chopped into large chunks

1 large onion, diced

1 stick butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

Biscuit Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 stick of butter

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Using a large stock pot saute carrots, onion, and celery using 1 stick butter.  After sauteing add chicken and enough water to cover chicken.  Add garlic powder and chicken bouillon.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.  Remove chicken and let cool for 30 minutes.

2.  Prepare a roux in a separate pot, skimming the fat off of the top of the stock and adding 1 cup of flour.  Cook roux over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Slowly add milk, 1 cup at a time to the roux, combining each cup of milk with the roux completely before adding in the next cup.

3.  Separate the chicken from the carcass, saving only the meat and setting aside the bones and skin.  Do not shred the chicken, leave the chicken in fairly large bite-sized pieces and add back into the stock.  Add the roux-milk mixture to the stock.

4.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Cut the stick of butter into the flour mixture until crumbly.  Slowly add the milk until the mixture just comes together, all of the milk may not be needed.  Roll out on a floured cutting board until half an inch thick.  Cut into 1/2 inch squares and add to the pot, stirring until all dumplings are coated.

5.  Cover and cook for 15-30 minutes.  Stir and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Bake

Total Time:  1 hour, including baking time

Servings:  4 servings

Hardware:

9 x 9 pan

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces

2 bunches of broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 package of chicken stuffing

1 cup of shredded medium cheddar cheese

1 can of Campbell’s condensed soup (I usually use either cheddar cheese soup or cream of mushroom)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 stick of butter

1 cup of French’s Fried Onions

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter and combine with the dry stuffing in the bottom of the pan.  Pat down gently to create a level surface.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the broccoli and chicken.  Season with the salt and pepper.  Stir in the can of condensed soup and mayonnaise.

3.  Layer chicken mixture on top of the stuffing.  Top with cheese.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.

4.  Carefully remove foil.  Top with French’s Fried Onions.  Return to oven uncovered.  Bake another 15 minutes.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

Tera’s Famous Fried Potatoes

Total Time:  45 minutes, including cooking time

Servings:  3-4 Servings

Ingredients:

3-4 large russet potatoes

1 large Vidalia onion

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Louisiana Hot Sauce

Directions:

1.  Heat large skillet over medium flame.  Add olive oil.

2.  Chop onion finely.  Add to skillet.  Skin and chop potatoes into small cubes.  Add to skillet.  Add butter.

3.  Add salt and pepper.  Stir every 2-3 minutes.

4.  After 25-30 minutes the potatoes should be fully cooked.  Add Louisiana Hot Sauce, adjust to taste.  I normally add about 10-12 good shakes of the bottle for every pan of potatoes.

5.  Cook potatoes for another 10 minutes.  Potatoes should be a little crunchy and the onions should be on the verge of caramelized.

Serve and enjoy!

Monkeybread

Total Time:  10 minutes plus baking time

Servings:  8 servings

Hardware:

1 bundt pan

Ingredients:

2 cans of Grands Flaky Layer biscuits

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Melt the stick of butter.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.  Cut the biscuits in quarters.  Dip each biscuit piece in the melted butter then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Evenly place all of the pieces in the bundt pan.

3.  Cook on the center rack of the oven for 40-45 minutes.

4.  While the bread is cooking, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract together.

5.  After the bread is done, drizzle the cream cheese frosting mixture over the hot monkeybread.

Oatmeal Raisin (Oatmeal Chocolate Chip) Cookies

Total Time:  30 minutes, plus baking time

Servings:  2 dozen large cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

1 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) flour

3/4 cup wheat germ

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (1/2 pound) golden raisins (or substitute for 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated.  Stir in the vanilla extract.

3.  In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until just combined.  Gently fold in the raisins.

5.  Scoop 1/4 cup dough for each cookie and slightly flatten them, leaving 2 inches between each cookie (they will spread).  Slightly flatten the top of each cookie and bake one tray at a time, on the center rack, for consistent baking and coloring.  The cookies will be done when set and lightly colored and the edges are slightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.