chicken potstickers (from reier)

My brother, Reier, is another cooking fool. Love to cook with he and his girlfriend, Whitney Jo. So much fun! They frequent Minneapolis occasionally and a good portion of our time is spent in the kitchen. Here is a recipe that my brother is known for... Potstickers. MMM. A great appetizer and in some cases, main course. The sauce adds divine greatness to the potstickers. I hope you enjoy. Thanks, Reier.

Chicken Potstickers

Recipe courtesy of Food Network / Bamboo Restaurant
Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 cup chunky peanut butter (may cut this down to 3/4 cup or adjust to taste)
1/4 cup brown sugar (may omit, depending on your desired sweetness)
2 tablespoons Thai hot chili paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
30 wonton wrappers

In a hot pan saute ground chicken, garlic, ginger and shallots together until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Drain off the excess fat and mix the chicken together in a bowl with the peanut butter, brown sugar, chili paste, basil and cilantro. Chill the mixture, and then wrap in wonton wrappers. Bring the edges into a corner or simply fold into triangles, using a dab of water to "glue" the edges. In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Steam the pot stickers in the steamer basket for 8 to 10 minutes until the wrappers are translucent. I like to pan fry mine to get brown and a little crispy on each side. Serve with chili mint dipping sauce.

Chili Mint Sauce:

1 small bottle Thai sweet chili sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Puree ingredients in a food processor for 1 minute. Serve at room temperature.

the perfect cup

I admit, I'm a coffee snob. For someone who only started drinking coffee after getting married (almost 13 years ago), I've quickly acquired a discerned palate for a "proper" cup of coffee. It's funny how my preferences have evolved, really. When I tried my first cup of Starbucks, I couldn't handle what I thought at the time to be a STRONG cup of coffee. If I only knew then what I know now.

Bear with me for a moment while I reminisce...I remember waking up to the smell of coffee when I was younger and living at home. What was so special about that smell? I mysteriously wondered (as my own kids do today), what was so fabulous about that cup of steeping hot liquid? The aroma of coffee meant my parents were up and starting their day. During the work week, my dad would come down the steps in his suit and tie, faint smell of his cologne, ready to enjoy a cup of coffee before he headed out the door. He may have also had a bowl of corn flakes with sliced bananas and strawberries or a slice of peanut butter and jam toast.

On the weekends, my parents would be in their robes, drinking their coffee, reading the newspaper and enjoying that peaceful time before everyone awoke. I can so appreciate those moments myself, now. The beauty of a quiet moment while everyone is still asleep. The weekends usually meant a trip to the Donut Hole in Bismarck. I can still taste the old fashioned sour cream doughnuts. We used to stick them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up. MMMM. Delish. Coffee was always a part of my parents' morning, whether it be during the week, on the weekends, while camping or a family hotel stay. Thanks for the great morning traditions you created for us, mom & dad.

I love coffee - it brings people to the table, it encourages conversation and it makes my morning. Jeff and I have always bought whole bean coffee and we grind it fresh every morning. I prefer the dark roast. And, I make it just like the package says....this one's for you dad!

My "proper" cup of coffee has to be made like the package says, served with raw cane sugar (or agave nectar) and most definitely, a hefty helping of half and half or the more indulgent heavy whipping cream. mmmmmm. Sometimes a dash of cinnamon is great. Oh, and it must be steeping hot - forget lukewarm. Call me a snob, but I like my coffee how I like it. As this package says, "Adjust to taste. Experiment. Only you know how you like your coffee." Well stated.


How beautiful is that?

Cup of the morning to ya.

kortney's chile con queso dip

This queso recipe has sort of evolved over time, and continues to increase in intensity each time I make it. When my sister started making it, I couldn't handle the heat. We always had to make two separate batches - how lame was I? Anyways, now my craving for spice and heat is up to par with the rest of my family.

There are many variations you can add to change it up each time. Note: be careful handling the peppers with your hands. You don't want to end up touching your eyes after dicing them. Another Note: this is the one and only time I eat Velveeta. Not a big fan of processed cheese food otherwise. I'm just sayin...

Here is the basic recipe:

2-3 jalapeno peppers, diced
2-3 seranno peppers, diced
1 anaheim pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans Rotel (tomatoes & green chiles)
3/4 - 1 log of Velveeta cheese, cubed
olive oil for sauteeing peppers & onions

Saute peppers and onions in olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Once soft, add Rotel and cubed cheese and melt over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Once heated through, remove from heat and serve with tortilla chips.

Variations:

If you're really into heat, add a diced habanero pepper.

To make it more of a "meal," add a pound of cooked and crumbled hamburger or I've also done cooked chorizo sausage - it adds a nice change of spice. And, Trader Joes has a good soy chorizo. You can't tell the difference between the real stuff.

My sister likes to add 3/4 to a can of beer, sort of adds that "beer cheese soup" flavor. She also likes to add cilantro and cumin.

My suggestion is to experiment and find your best mix of flavors. You will not be disappointed.

fridays with d & e

My Fridays are fairly routine - early morning work out with hubby, freshly brewed coffee, send Brendan & Clare off to school and pack up Dane & Eleanor to run errands at our favorite places - Target & Costco. Usually, Dane has Swedish Fish on his request list. Eleanor just sits and smiles while I load up the cart.

Disclaimer: Sounds perfect, doesn't it? Note... I'm usually under a time limit - the kids only last so long and tantrums start to erupt like molten lava from a volcano. That happens, and depending on where I am in the midst of the errand - I will halt everything and leave the store. Just not worth it to me to battle the toddler urges and temptations of the checkout lane and the end cap displays (why do they do that to us anyway?) And, why wouldn't I give in? Even just once? Because I'm most definitely doomed from then on. Toddlers and preschoolers remember that stuff and will play on emotions and get their way each and every time. So, I carry on.

Most of the time, I get all my groceries and necessities into the car before anything like that happens. :) Today, I did buy some junk - yes, I did. Here's a sneak peek.

I know. I can barely stand to look either.

I made up for it by getting these - and not just one bunch, but two!

If you haven't been to Costco to pick up some Clem'n Tina's - GO! They are amazing right now. And, still in season. The perfect combination of tart and sweet and can't get enough of them goodness!





Here's what Dane & Eleanor were doing while I was making them their nutritious Kraft macaroni and cheese lunch. Oh, and served with clementines. :)

Look at these goof balls.
Eleanor and Dane

Happy Friday!
tk

facebook social networking pays off

Viking facebook page

So, I'm a Viking Facebook fan and regularly comment on their wall posts as well as continue to enter chances to win the crown jewel of Viking - a Viking range. I'm so in love.

I happened upon a posting about National Tortilla Chip Dip Day and the question was - "What is your favorite dip to serve with tortilla chips?" Immediately, Kortney's chile con queso dip came to mind. Kortney is one of my fabulous sisters and also a fellow foodie and gourmet cook. The first 3 to respond with their recipes would win a Viking hand blender and chopper attachment. So, I fired away, typing everything from memory and submitted. Not thinking anything of it for the rest of the day, I checked Facebook in the early evening and noticed the following post...

Viking is totally impressed at how fast the recipes have been flying in! The ladies take the prize today: Sharmila Shah Sil with a spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip, Tenley Thompson Kanwischer and her Chile Con Queso, and Susan Kraus Lovelace's Salsa! Congratulations to this lucky trio and thanks to all of you who shared recipes!

So cool! I can't wait for my new hand blender... and thanks to my sister for sharing the chile con queso recipe with me. It's something my friends look forward to when they visit. It's so spicy and yummy and soooo addicting. I will post the recipe soon.

alton brown's swedish meatballs

These meatballs are amazing. You must try them. Fabulous comfort food on a crisp autumn or wintry day. Mmmmm.

Alton Brown's Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients
2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

dad's green exotic dessert (aka G.E.D.)

My dad makes a mean "GED." It's one of my faves and it remains a family favorite. He's made it so many times, he's able to whip it up by memory, and it's always a success. The hardest part is waiting for the dessert to chill and set before digging in to the pistachio goodness. Mmmmm. Delish. I hope you enjoy this as much as me and my family do.

Dad's Green Exotic Dessert - GED

Take out 3/4 of a 1/2 gallon box of vanilla ice cream to start to soften.

1st layer: Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine . Crush 45 Ritz crackers with a rolling pin on top of wax paper and mix with the butter. Smash that all to the bottom of a 9x13 in pan and flatten out hard with spatula then put the pan in the freezer while preparing the 2nd layer.

2nd layer:
3 packages of pistachio pudding (3 1/2 oz pkg)
3 cups of 2% or whole milk
Mix until well blended. Then add softened ice cream by blending it in with an electric hand held beater. Pour that on top of the first layer and refrigerate.

3rd layer: Any type of cool whip or real whipped cream - spread out as thick as you want.

4th layer: Crush up 4 heath candy bars or skor bars. Use a sharp knife to shave off the candy bars into flakes or cut into chips. Either sprinkle on top of entire dessert or reserve and top each individual piece with crushed candy.

Keep refrigerated, not in freezer.

Dig in and enjoy!