new year's appetizer

crab and cream cheese wontons

Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons Recipe

4 oz. Dungeness or lump crab meat
2 oz. cream cheese
1/4 t. grated lemon zest
1/2 t. lemon juice
1/4 t. Kosher salt or to taste
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. snipped chives

18 wonton wrappers
vegetable oil for deep frying

Egg Wash
1 large egg whisked with 2 T. water

The filling:
Pick through the crab to remove any remaining bits of cartilage and shell. Mix the crab, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and chives together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Folding the wonton:
Place a heaping half-teaspoon of filling on one corner of the wonton skin, leaving the edges clean. Moisten the edges with egg wash. Bring one set of opposite corners together and seal all the edges, making a triangle. Next, bring the long ends of the triangle together, overlapping the corners slightly and sealing with more egg wash. Turn the third corner up if it isn't already, forming a small tortellini or hat-shape.

Alternate folding method:
Cut the wonton skins in half, diagonally. Brush one side with egg wash then place a small dollop of filling a bit off the middle of the triangle. Bring the open edges together and seal, forming a small triangle.

Meanwhile, heat the oil to about 350° F. Fry the wontons until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Drain well on a rack lined with paper towels.

I copied this recipe.  I really want to make these.  These are my favorite thing from the Chinese restaurant and I can make a meal out of these and sweet and sour sauce.  Soo good!

country fried steak

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt and ground black pepper
4 to 6 cube steaks
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup Bisquick or other buttermilk baking mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine the flour with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the steaks in the seasoned flour, dip in the egg mixture and coat with the Bisquick.
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steaks over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and keep warm.  I serve this with country gravy (I use the packets from the grocery store for gravy.  I suck at making homemade gravy.  I can cook and bake many things but I cannot make a passable homemade gravy.  Oh well. We all can't be good at everything)

Twice baked potatoes

4 large baking potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

dash of milk

garlic salt to taste

1 or 2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Clean and scrub baking potatoes. Pierce skin with a fork once or twice. Bake at 350 degrees  for approximately 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft and firm.
3. Let potatoes cool slightly. Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out pulp within 1/4 inch of the shell edge. Mash the pulp with sour cream, milk, garlic salt and butter to taste. Stuff shells with mashed pulp mixture sprinkle tops with grated cheddar cheese. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees  for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

bread machine pizza dough

Ingredients
1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups of bread flour
1/2 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
2 teaspoons yeast
dash of garlic powder
dash of oregano

 

Add everything in this order to your bread machine and set it on "dough" setting.  After it's done, shape the dough into 2 pizzas. I brush the crust with olive oil and then you need to let it set for another 30 minutes. Use a fork and poke a few holes in the dough.  Preheat your oven to 400 and preheat your pizza stone.  Put a little cornmeal down and then put your risen dough on the hot pizza stone and bake it for about 10 minutes.  Take it out and add your sauce and toppings. Bake for another 10 minutes and enjoy!

Read more from the original source:   adapted to my tastes from this recipe on this blog. 

quick and easy pizza sauce

1 6 oz. can of tomato paste

3/4 cup water-add a little more if you like it thinner

1/3 c. of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 

1 teaspoon oregano

dash of garlic powder

 

Mix it all together and let it sit. It's better to make this earlier in the day so the flavors have time to really meld.

 

Adapted to my taste preferences from the screaming penny blog.

potato skins

6 medium potatoes

1 lb. hamburger

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 package taco seasoning

1 (12 oz.) package mozzarella cheese

2 (12 oz.) packages cheddar cheese

onion chives

bacon bits

sour cream

Brown hamburger with onions. Add salt & pepper; drain grease. Add taco seasoning and simmer.

Bake potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out center of potato, leaving 1/4" around edges. Place potatoes in baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Add about 2 tablespoons seasoned hamburger and top with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on onion, chives and bacon bits. Heat until cheese is melted.

Merry Christmas Everyone

My kitchen is closed for today. Enjoy your holiday and see you back tommorrow for a delicious potato recipe. 

Merry Christmas

~Jess~