Cooking Light Night- Chinese New Year- Stir Fried Shrimp, Stir-Fried Bok Choy, Chinese Dumplings, Long Life Noodles, and Double Mango Pudding

Happy Chinese New Year!

When I got the January 2009 issue of Cooking Light, the Chinese New Year menu caught my eye. It looked like the perfect menu to serve up at a party. I have never celebrated Chinese New Year, but thought that this menu was a good excuse to invite people over and have a party. We actually celebrated the Monday before since everyone was out of school and a few people were off of work. We had 12 adults and 5 kids that ate with us and the amount of food was perfect. This menu appealed to me because we love to eat stir fry and potstickers are also a family favorite. Also, all of these dishes came together really fast, so we didn't have to spend all day in the kitchen. I made the Mango pudding the night before and got the potsticker filling ready early in the day.

Overall, we loved this menu. The stir fries were delicious and the sauces were flavorful. We topped the pudding with whipped cream when we served it and it was a big hit.

I asked my husband if he liked these potsticker more than the ones that I make very frequently (Check them out HERE) and he wasn't sure because these ones were really good. If you need something quick to celebrate Chinese New Year tonight, try one of these- any or all of them are real crowd pleasers!

Just click on these links for the recipes:

Chinese Pot Stickers
Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Lettuce with Mushrooms

Long Life Noodles
Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Chile Sauce

Double Mango Pudding from Cooking Light January 2009

Orange mangoes symbolize gold and riches. Prepare and chill pudding the night before. Whip the cream just before serving, and allow guests to dollop some on their own desserts.

3 mangoes, peeled and divided

2 1/4 cups water, divided

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup whipping cream

1. Coarsely chop 2 mangoes. Dice the remaining mango.
2. Combine coarsely chopped mangoes and 1/4 cup water in a blender; process until smooth. Press puree through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids.
3. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add sugar to pan, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over water in the saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Add the mango puree, stirring with a whisk. Pour the mixture evenly into each of 8 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Cover and chill overnight or until set. Top evenly with diced mango.
4. Place cream in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Serve with pudding.

Up Next- Tuesday's with Dorie- Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread

Turkey Pot Stickers and Prudy's Asian Chicken Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

I have a couple recipes that I make all the time because I know that my husband loves them. These Pot Stickers are one of those recipes. He doesn't want me to make them when people come over because he wants them all to himself. Well, they are designed to be an appetizer, not a meal (he stills eats 12 or so at a sitting), so I decided to try out Prudy's wonderful Asian Chicken Salad, check her post HERE for the recipe in it's original form. I had to omit the avocado and add a green pepper, other than that it is pretty much the same.
I like to make the pot sticker filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge and then it isn't as time consuming. It is a little time consuming the first time, but the taste is worth it and it is easier each time you make them. I also always double the recipe and freeze some for later because then I can use the entire pkg of won ton wrappers and my husbands always wants more! These two dishes really went well together. It was a perfect dinner!


Turkey Pot Stickers adapted from Cooking Light
2 teaspoons canola oil

2 cups angel hair coleslaw with carrots

1/2 cup water

1/2 pound ground turkey breast

1/3 cup minced green onions

1 tablespoon minced peeled gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 egg white

1 garlic clove, minced

30 won ton wrappers

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

1 cup water, divided

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add coleslaw; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. While cabbage cooks, add 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep cabbage from sticking to pan. Spoon cabbage into a medium bowl; let cool completely.

Add chicken and next 6 ingredients (turkey through garlic) to bowl; stir well.

Working with 1 won ton wrapper at a time (cover remaining won ton wrappers to keep them from drying out), spoon about 1 tablespoon turkey mixture into the center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water, and bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring the remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch; cover loosely with a towel to keep them from drying out.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place half of pot stickers in bottom of skillet; cook 3 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet; cover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Place pot stickers on a serving platter; set aside, and keep warm. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable oil, remaining pot stickers, and remaining water.

You can freeze uncooked potstickers- just place on a baking sheet, place in the freezer until frozen and transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag. When ready to cook, thaw and repeat cooking procedure. You can also cook them from a frozen state, it just takes a few more minutes to get them cooked through.

Prudy's Asian Chicken Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing adapted slightly from Prudence Pennywise

8 fresh won ton sheets

cooking spray
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
6 oz baby spinach

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 small cans mandarin oranges

1/2 cucumber, halved and sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts

Ginger Soy Dressing: Recipe Below

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat won tons with spray and cut into strips. Bake on foil lined cookie sheet until crispy, turning once, about 8 minutes; sprinkle with sesame seeds. On serving plates, layer greens, chicken, cucumber, oranges, green pepper, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, and won ton strips. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Ginger Soy Dressing:

4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 generous teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of salt

Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Chefs In Training Cooking Class

At our house we have renamed this "French Toast Pie" because some members of my family think that it sounds gross otherwise. It is fun to make and a great dessert!

Whole Wheat Bread Pudding
1 1/2-pound loaf sliced whole wheat bread
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups half-and-half or milk
1 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Step 1 Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish or 9 1/2-inch round deep-dish pie pan, preferably ceramic or glass. You'll also need a shallow casserole that's large enough for the buttered baking dish to fit into.

Step 2 Trim the crusts from the bread, then cut it into 3/4-inch cubes (you should have about 7 cups of cubes) and spread them on large baking sheets. Place the sheets in the oven for 10 minutes to dry the bread slightly.

Step 3 Pour about 1/2 inch of hot water in the larger casserole, then place the casserole on the middle oven shelf.

Step 4 Whisk the eggs and yolks into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the half-and-half or milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.

Step 5 Spread half of the bread cubes in the buttered baking dish and scatter the raisins over them. Pour just enough of the egg mixture over the bread to cover it. Let the bread soak for 10 minutes, occasionally pushing it down so it all gets saturated.

Step 6 Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle half of it over the bread. Drizzle on half of the butter.

Step 7 Add the remaining bread to the pan and pour the rest of the egg mixture over it. Wait another 10 minutes, then add the remaining sugar mixture and butter. The dish may be quite full.

Step 8 Place the baking dish in the larger casserole and bake the bread pudding for about 1 hour. When it's done, the top will be well crusted and the entire surface will be puffed up. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 to 35 minutes before serving.

Serve with Cool Whip or Vanilla Ice Cream
Makes 8 servings.

This is a family favorite. You can use any vegetables that you want, even though the recipe only calls for zucchini and carrot. Last night I used red pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, and broccoli. The sauce is mild enough for kids and picky adults.

ZUCCHINI AND CHICKEN STIR FRY

Marinate: 1 pound sliced chicken meat
1 Tbls oil
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbls soy sauce
Halve and slice ½ inch thick: 1 ½ pds zucchini
Thinly slice 1 round onion and 1 large carrot
Finely mince: 1 tsp gingerroot and 1 clove garlic
Sauce: Mix and set aside until needed- 1 Tbls cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, ¼ cup oyster sauce, ¼ cup water

Heat 1 Tbls oil in wok until hot. Stir in half of the chicken and cook until done.Remove chicken and repeat with other half.
Heat 1 Tbls oil in wok and stir in vegetables and flavorings. Stir fry veggies until tender and then add cooked chicken. Stir in sauce mix, stir and cook until thickened.
Serve with hot rice and 1 large wedge of tomato, if desired.

This is one of my husband's absolute favorite dishes. It is supposed to be an appetizer, but if I make these, he will eat 10 or more. He also requests that I don't make them when people come over, because he wants to eat them all himself!

Chicken Pot Stickers
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup water
1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey breast
1/3 cup minced green onions
1 tablespoon minced peeled gingerroot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 egg white
1 garlic clove, crushed
30 won ton wrappers
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup water, divided

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. While cabbage cooks, add 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep cabbage from sticking to pan. Spoon cabbage into a medium bowl; let cool completely.

Add chicken and next 6 ingredients (chicken through garlic) to bowl; stir well. Working with 1 won ton wrapper at a time (cover remaining won ton wrappers to keep them from drying out), spoon about 1 tablespoon chicken mixture into the center of each wrapper.

Moisten edges of wrapper with water, and bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring the remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal.
Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch; cover loosely with a towel to keep them from drying out.

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place half of pot stickers in bottom of skillet; cook 3 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet; cover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Place pot stickers on a serving platter; set aside, and keep warm. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable oil, remaining pot stickers, and remaining water.
Yield - 24-30 appetizers (serving size: 1 pot sticker)