Perfect Potstickers

My husband and I absolutely love potstickers it is our favorite appetizer. I could not find the recipe I was looking for so I searched on the food network and came across this easy one from Alton Brown. They were delicious but it tasted as if something were missing. I have made potstickers before ( I wish I could find that recipe--did someone borrow it?) and they were the best.

1/2 pound ground pork

1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

2-Tbsp. finely chopped red bell peppers

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp. ketchup

1 tsp. yellow mustard

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. light brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

35 to 40 small wonton wrappers

3 to 4 vegetable oil, for frying

water for sealing wontons

1-1/3 cup chicken stock, divided

• Preheat oven to 200F.


• Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (pork through cayenne), set aside.


• To form dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush two edges of wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded tsp. of pork mixture in the center of the wrapper.


• Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of filling is gone.


• Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes without touching. Once two minutes are up gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to pan, turn heat down to low, cover, and cook for another two minutes.


• Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in warm oven. Clean pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze.


• Repeat until all wontons are cooked. Serve immediately.


• cook time: 20 minutes yield 35 to 40 potstickers.

Peabody's Chocolate Malted Cupcakes with Chocolate Malted Milk Whipped Cream Frosting

OH MY!!!! These are to DIE for! You will never try another chocolate recipe after tasting this one. I found this recipe on a another blog I frequent Meet Me in the Kitchen and http://culinaryconcoctonsbypeabody.com/ where the recipe originated from.

Chocolate Whopper Malted Cupcakes
1-2/3 cup of AP flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup malted milk powder ( I used Ovaltine)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Mix flour, baking powder, salt, malt powder, cocoa together and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, on at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Alternately add flour and milk
• Add vanilla and beat well
• Spoon batter into cupcake paper, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes (15 for minis) or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool.

Chocolate Malted Milk Whip Cream Frosting

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup powdered sugar

4 T. malted milk powder

2T. unsweetened cocoa powder

• In a lg bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
• Add sugar, malt powder, and cocoa powder. beat until stiff.
• Frost cool cupcakes with whipped cream frosting.
• Top with whoppers.

Chef Saige

Meet the next "Rachel Ray". My neice, Saige loves to cook and pretends to have her own cooking show every time we cook together. She is so much fun and there is never a dull moment!

Fried Rice with Ham

I have been craving fried rice all week! This dish only took 15 minutes to make no excuse for not making dinner. I cooked the rice in a rice cooker the night before my husband and I both had to work 12 hour shifts the next day. Sometimes I don't feel like cooking after a long shift I wanted something quick and easy.

2-Tbs. peanut oil ( I used canola oil)

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/2-tsp. peeled and minced fresh gingerroot

1/2-tsp. minced garlic

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4-tsp. salt

1/4-tsp. sugar

1/3 lb. finely diced cooked lean ham

1/2 cup frozen tiny peas

2-Tbs. soy sauce

2 cups cold cooked rice

1/2-tsp. sesame oil

• Heat oil in wok until hot. Add next 3 ingredients; stir-fry 1 minute. Add eggs; scramble loosely; break up with spatula. Add next 5 ingredients; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add rice; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add sesame oil; stir and serve immediately.
• For best results with fried rice recipes, be sure rice is cold before stir-frying.
• makes 4 servings.

(This recipe was adapted from Wok Cookbook)

Orange-Rosemary Cornish Hens

I wanted to make a romantic dinner for two. I saw this recipe in First Magazine (2/16/09 issue) and thought it would be very simple to make and I already had the ingredients on hand.

2-Tbs. butter

1 orange, zested and quarterered

2-Tbs. orange juice

1-Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

1/2-Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

2 Cornish game hens (about 1 lb. each)

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In small saucepan over medium heat, cook butter 30 sec., or until melted. Stir in 1/2-tsp. orange zest, orange juice, parsley and rosemary. Cook 1 min., or until heated.
• season hens with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide orange quarters among hen cavities. Tie together legs of each hen. Placed hens on rack set in roasting pan.
• Roast hens 1 hr., or until thermometer inserted in thigh, not touching bone, reads 175 degrees F, brushing with orange-herb mixture after 30 min. Remove from oven; brush with remaining herb mixture. Let hens sit 10 minutes before serving.
  

Strawberry-Perserve Cake

I made this cake for my husband's grandmother. Happy Birthday Grandma T!

2-1/2 cups cake flour

1-1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup strawberry preserves

4 large eggs

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 recipe Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)

1/2 cup buttermilk

Red food coloring paste

PREHEAT to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of 2 (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly coat each pan with baking spray; set aside. IN A LARGE BOWL, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together;set aside.

IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer for approximately 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add preserves and then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl and add vanilla extract and enough food coloring to achieve desired color. REDUCE mixer speed to low and add flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk, ending with flour mixture. Divide batter equally between prepared pans and spread evenly. BAKE, on the middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack. SPREAD, icing between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

Yield: 1 (9-in ) cake, prep: 10 min, bake: 30 min

STRAWBERRY CREAM-CHEESE ICING

Yield: 3 cups Prep: 5 minutes

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

1-tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 pinch salt

IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL, beat cream cheese and butter at medium-high speed with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add strawberry preserves and vanilla, beating until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and salt , beating until smooth.

(This recipe was adapted from Taste of the South magazine Feb/Mar 2009)-

Smashed Red Potatoes With Garlic

I wanted to roast these potatoes but my oven was in use cooking a pork loin so I decided to make them mashed. This recipe is so quick and easy.

2lbs. small red potatoes

4 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced

3-Tbsp. butter

1/4cup to 1/2 cup milk or half & half

Salt & pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes and microwave for 20 minutes. In a bowl add potatoes, milk, butter, salt & pepper and mash. Serves 4 to 6 people.

This recipe was adapted from About.com:Southern Food

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

My husband likes it when I make him breakfast so I thought I would make him some homemade biscuits.

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2-tsp baking powder

1/4 -tsp baking soda

1-tsp. salt

1/3 cup of butter or shortening

3/4 cup buttermilk

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles rice kernels.
• Stir in milk with fork just until mixture clings to itself.
• Form dough into a ball and knead gently 8 to 10 times on lightly floured board. Gently roll dough 1/2 inch thick.
• Cut with floured biscuit cutter or knife, using an even pressure to keep sides of bisuits straight.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet, close together for soft sided biscuits or 1 inch apart for crusty ones.
• Bake at 450 degrees 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Corn Muffins

I forgot to set the timer as you can see...I caught these just in time! I served these corn muffins with Dirty Rice for dinner tonight.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 can (14.75oz.) cream-style corn

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 can (4oz.) diced green chilies

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together corn, buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and diced green chilies. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Divide batter among 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake (oops). Remove muffins from tin and cool slightly on a wire rack. Best if served warm!

(This recipe was adapted from taste of home magazine. I used plain cornmeal instead of yellow because I wanted to use what I had and I did not add the chilies because I didn't have any. I don't normally use buttermilk so this was the perfect recipe to use that up and I had one lonely can of cream of corn that I bought over the holidays I wanted to use )