Pork Egg Rolls

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Pork Egg Rolls

Homemade egg rolls were one of the first things I learned to make at home, thanks to my mother-in-law. She’d been making egg rolls for her hungry boys for years, and her teaching me the craft was time that we really enjoyed spending together when we were first getting to know each other…long before Jon and I were actually married!

I remember the process being kind of frustrating in the beginning – before I got the feel of rolling them correctly, and my knife skills weren’t really up to par (would take me 2 months to shred a head of cabbage!). But now after making them for a good 10 years, I can make a batch for an easy weeknight dinner with no problem. I usually go for the chicken version – which is the “OG” for us, but sometimes I like to switch it up with other meats…in this case, ground pork. Shrimp is also great!

They can be made and rolled a couple of hours in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend any longer than that – as the wrappers tend to dry out and rip. Also, a great shortcut with the veggies is to use a couple of bags of shredded coleslaw mix instead of shredding your own cabbage and carrots. Saves a little bit of legwork at least!

I like to serve them with some veggie fried rice, and plenty of Chinese hot mustard and sweet chili sauce for dipping. Once you’ve made and enjoyed them at home, every egg roll you’ll get from a Chinese restaurant will always pale in comparison. Just a forewarning! You’ll be making them for years to come.

Pork Egg Rolls

1 lb. ground pork
3/4 head cabbage, shredded thin
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts (about 2 packages)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp soy sauce
4 scallions (green and white), sliced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 3 tbsp cold water (for sealing wrappers)
Vegetable oil, for frying

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok or large pot over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the ground pork along with 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the wok, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Cook about 5 minutes until pork is cooked and browned. Remove pork to a small bowl and set aside to cool. To the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add shredded cabbage carrots, garlic, and remaining soy sauce. Use tongs to “toss” the vegetables. Cook, over high heat, for about 2 minutes. Or, until cabbage begins to wilt. Toss in the bean sprouts and the green onions, and cook for about 1 minute more. Off heat.

Add the ground pork to the vegetables, tossing to combine well. Place a colander in your sink, or over a large bowl. Add the filling mixture to the colander. Using several layers of paper towels, press down firmly on the egg roll filling, pressing out as much moisture as possible. Repeat process several times. Let filling cool for 30 minutes before rolling into wrappers.

Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a dutch oven to 375 degrees. While the oil is coming up to temperature, wrap the rolls according to the package directions using the cornstarch slurry to seal the rolls.

Place into oil 4 or 5 at a time, turning over occasionally, until golden brown. Usually about 5 minutes. I usually add the rolls, wait one minute, then turn over with tongs. It seems like if you try to completely fry the first side, the gas released from the cabbage “blows out” the raw side, and then it doesn’t want to flip. I’ve found that a initial flip right from the get-go corrects that situation.

Remove from oil with tongs, and place VERTICALLY into a large pot or casserole dish that has been lined with paper towels. This vertical drain is key, as it really helps the rolls not to become soggy.

Serve with plenty of soy sauce, Chinese hot mustard, and sweet-chile sauce.

Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Pasta Bake

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Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Pasta Bake

Even when the weather is warm, sometimes I still find myself craving a big bowl of comforting baked pasta. But, it’s nice to switch it up from the standard red sauce and ricotta cheese variety. When I came across a recipe a couple of months ago in a recent issue of Taste of Home, I thought I’d give it a try.

I did end up changing it a bit, mainly by adding chicken as well as a dose of homemade Alfredo sauce to the pasta bake. I loved all the flavors together, almost reminiscent of a spinach-artichoke dip. It was pretty easy to bring together too, as it doesn’t require all the layering that something like a traditional lasagna would.

I had leftover roasted chicken from the night before, so I just used that – but a store-bought rotisserie chicken would be ideal for this application. Or you could certainly use boneless skinless chicken breasts that you roasted or sauteed as well. Whatever works best for you!

I kept it simple and just served it with a salad topped with a light lemon vinaigrette. Everyone really enjoyed it, and with most baked pastas the leftovers were even better the next day for lunch.

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake

16 oz rigatoni pasta
1 batch Alfredo sauce (or 1 jar of your favorite store-bought brand)
3 cups cooked chicken, roughly chopped or shredded
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach
1 (14 oz) can water-packed quartered artichoke hearts, drained
8 oz whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

Boil a large pot of water and season with 1 Tbsp salt. Add pasta and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and return back to large pot.

Add the sauce, chicken, spinach, artichokes, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to the pasta. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Pour half of the pasta into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan. Add the remaining pasta and top with remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and turn on broiler. Remove foil and place pasta under broiler for about 3 minutes or so, until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home Magazine, February/March 2014

Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

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Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Guys, this is one of my favorite side dishes of all time – and frankly I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to share it here on the blog. Slow roasted garlic, butter, fresh parsley, and tender red potatoes mashed up into a delicious heap of goodness.

It’s a nice change of pace from the traditional mashed potatoes and gravy, and the flavor is just wonderful. It takes a little bit more time and forethought, as you have to roast the garlic ahead of time before mashing the potatoes – but trust me, it’s worth it! Roasting the garlic, as opposed to just using garlic powder, really mellows and deepens the flavor – so it doesn’t have that harsh bite that many garlic mashed potatoes have.

I like to add parsley, for a little pop of color and bright flavor, but it’s great with other herbs as well – I’ve used some chopped rosemary and thyme in the past, and both were wonderful. This side dish would be great on your Easter table, paired with ham or turkey. Or, it’s always my go-to side to serve with a homey traditional dish like meatloaf. It’s a favorite in my family, and I know it will be one in yours as well.

Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

10-15 cloves garlic (about 1/4 cup), peeled
2 tsp olive oil
2 lbs red potatoes, washed and scrubbed
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup half and half
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place garlic cloves in a shallow ramekin or baking dish with the olive oil. Toss to coat. Place in oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until garlic is golden brown. Remove from oven and turn off heat. When cool enough to handle, chop into relatively small pieces and set aside.

While garlic is roasting, prepare the potatoes. Fill a large dutch oven or saucepan with water, add 1 Tbsp of kosher salt and stir to combine. Using a potato peeler, remove about half of the skin from each potato. I usually take the strip off of the center, leaving some skin at the top and bottom. Cut potatoes in half vertically and place in the pot of water.

Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife – about 20 minutes. Remove to a colander and drain, then return to the pot and let sit on the stove, uncovered, for a few minutes to dry out.

Place the butter and half and half in a microwave-safe dish. Place in microwave and warm until butter is just melted – about 45 seconds.

Add the roasted garlic, as well as the melted butter mixture to the potatoes. Using a potato masher or pastry cutter, gently smash up the potatoes. You want them cohesive, but still a little but chunky. Add about 1 tsp of kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, as well as the chopped parsley. Using a rubber spatula, mix to combine. Season to taste with additonal salt and pepper if necessary before serving.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

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Broccoli & Cheese Soup

A good recipe for a soup that doesn’t take all day to make is a real lifesaver. Especially one as hearty and filling as this broccoli & cheese version. It takes only a few short minutes to throw together, and the flavors are just out of this world.

It’s rich and hearty, but still doesn’t weigh you down the way many dairy-based soups do. The addition of fresh broccoli really adds a freshness to the flavor, and you can never go wrong adding plenty of cheddar cheese to anything in my book.

My girlfriend came over for lunch about a month ago or so, and I made this served with some crusty bread and a salad. We both loved it, and I’ve been thinking about making it again ever since. It reheats great as well, which is always a plus. Would also be great for a last minute, easy dinner!

Broccoli & Cheese Soup

4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups half and half (or 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream)
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2  carrots, peeled and shredded
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
kosher salt and black pepper

Cook the butter, onion, and garlic on about medium heat until tender.

Slowly add the half and half and chicken stock. Mix the corn starch with a little bit of water until there are no clumps and add it to the rest. Add the nutmeg and bay leaves and cook on medium low until thickened.

Add the carrot and broccoli and simmer until tender. Discard the bay leaves. Add the 3/4 of the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with additional cheddar cheese.

Source: slightly adapted from Yammie’s Noshery