01 January

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January 1, 2012

Won Ton

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Won Ton

Won Ton

January: National Soup Month

Have a ton of fun by cooking crispy won tons or boiling them in a broth. For our new year’s festivities, we frequently feature fried won tons as an appetizer. For cold weather comfort food, we savor the soup. We doubled up on this delightful dumpling recipe post for our blog to wish our readers both a Happy New Year and Happy National Soup Month!

Recipe

(Adapted from Daddy)

For the crispy won tons

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 small can water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 large carrot, washed and peeled
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • won ton pi (wrappers)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten with a little water

Directions

Dice the water chestnuts finely. Grate the carrot. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the diced water chestnuts and grated carrot. Season with black pepper, garlic powder and oyster sauce.

Won Ton

With a won ton pi point down, place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the middle. Moisten the top edges with the egg wash. Press upwards to seal the triangle. Join the bottom points together, sealing with the egg wash.

Won Ton

Place each won ton in a tray lined with waxed paper. Freeze until firm. Transfer to a zipper-top plastic bag until ready to cook. For crispy appetizers, heat the oil and fry the frozen won tons in small batches until golden brown. Be careful not to splatter the hot oil while fyring them. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a favorite dipping sauce.

Won Ton

For the won ton soup

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sherry
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 bunch of baby bok choy leaves, cut into two-inch pieces

Directions

For a hearty soup, do not fry the won tons. Instead, boil the chicken broth in a large pot. Mix in the soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil. Add frozen won tons and lower the heat to simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the filling is cooked through. For the last few minutes of cooking, add the boy choy leaves. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot.

Won Ton

Notes

  • February 4 is National Homemade Soup Day.
 

January 31, 2011

Brandy Alexander

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Brandy Alexander

Brandy Alexander

January 31: National Brandy Alexander Day

A contractor once gave a holiday gift of a few bottles of Courvoisier V.S. Cognac to the group of engineers at Highlander’s work. While we ourselves do not really drink brandy, it has proven to be a luxurious addition in some of our liqueur-based desserts. But it finally came time to try brandy as a cocktail and blog about it for National Brandy Alexander Day, since we already have the rest of the ingredients to make the mixed drink. It tastes slightly sweet yet strong with a spice of chocolate that is quite warming during the winter season.

Recipe

(Adapted from Brandy Alexander)

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces of brandy, traditionally cognac
  • 2 ounces white crème de cacao
  • 2 ounces whipping cream
  • ½ cup crushed ice
  • ground nutmeg

Directions

Fill a shaker with ice. Add the brandy, crème de cacao and whipping cream. Shake well to combine all the ingredients. Strain the liquid into a chilled cocktail glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg on top. Serve immediately. Yield: 1 drink

Brandy Alexander

Notes

  • Brandy Alexander is said to have been concocted as a signature cocktail for the royal wedding of Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles in London, England, in 1922.
  • The International Bartending Association (IBA) rates the Brandy Alexander as the top after-dinner drink.

 

 

January 29, 2011

Frito Pie

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Frito Pie

Frito Pie

January 29: National Corn Chip Day

There are some unusual fare being sold at state fairs. Funnel cakes, cotton candy and corn dogs are still favorite foods at festivals but sometimes we find deep fried Twinkies, cheesecake-on-a-stick and Frito Pie on the menu. In Oklahoma, where we used to live, and especially in Texas, where we currently live, Frito Pie is a popular concession stand concoction. Not even a pie, it is basically chili con carne and shredded cheese (and sometimes topped with other vegetable garnishes and a dollop of sour cream) traditionally served right in a bag of crispy corn chips!

Frito-Lay Company, based in Dallas, Texas, created its Fritos Chili Pie recipe in 1932 to market its new corn chips as a key ingredient. Since then, Frito Pie has become an American/Tex-Mex classic with various versions for a remix.

We present two methods of making Frito Pie—served in the bag of Fritos corn chips and baked in a pie dish—for National Corn Chip Day.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 small bag of Fritos corn chips   http://www.fritos.com/
  • 1 small can of chili con carne, heated (stove top or microwave)
  • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
  • cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)

Directions for the traditional in-the-bag Frito pie

Cut open the side of a bag of Fritos. Scoop some hot chili con carne over the corn chips. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese (the heat from the chili will melt the cheese). Add onions and the cilantro garnish (optional) on top. Serve immediately.

Frito Pie

Directions for the baked Frito pie

A “cleaner and classier” method to making Frito pie is to bake it in a pie or casserole dish. Layer it with corn chips, chili and cheese.

Frito Pie

Sprinkle the onions over the layers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and add the cilantro garnish (optional) on top. Serve immediately.

Frito Pie

Notes

  • Try our Texas chili recipe for the filling in Frito Pie. We made the “no beans” style chili for National Chili Day on February 25.
  • Other toppings on Frito Pie may include chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños and shredded lettuce. This fully-loaded version is also called a Frito Boat or “walking taco.”
 

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