{recipe box} pot stickers and lettuce wraps

Dumplings, pot stickers, pan fried, boiled ... little pockets filled with a savory insides dipped in a perfect blend of salt, heat and sweet! what ever - they are all good!

This meal was a blast. Fun to make ... so good. We made three fillings which... yes... was a bit to ambitious. (shrimp & pork, egg & scallion, and shitake mushroom). Next time I will simplify and make just one. The recipes that I worked with were from the magazine "Fine Cooking". If you haven't picked one up.. try it out...it is a fabulous cooking magazine. Great tips and wonderful steps if you like to create in the kitchen!

The shrimp and pork filling was our favorite ... next time I might just add in the mushrooms to that and maybe some water chestnuts. Remember when using any recipe try the filling. It should be tasty. If not you need to add more so it tastes the way YOU want it to! We used store bought wonton wrappers found in the freezer section. They were GREAT!

The leftover fillings made some wonderful small lettuce wraps with romaine lettuce. delicious!

And here was our very fun, family dinner of pot stickers, lettuce wraps and edamame. The kids had a blast and wanted more. Good times!

pot sticker & dipping sauce recipes found here! If you check out Fine Cooking's home page (click below on image) I think they even have a vidoe of how to make these dumplings. Resourses, resourses.... I love it!

{just for you} thanks teach!

a sweet 8 year old had to wish his teacher happy birthday today!

a note was written

and a gift given!

ps. I dumped a whole tray of cupcakes on the floor last night. Ruffer snuffer I exclaimed. In the middle of my fit I thought how lucky I was to even be able to make cup cakes... perspective. I am grateful for teachers who care and kids that care enough to give!

chocolate cup cakes - a good recipe from Martha Stewart here. I am still searching for the perfect chocolate cupcake!

{recipe box} grilled lemon chicken

This is one of my families very favorites. I just love when my family is together at the table. It is a bonus when everyone actually eats and enjoys what I prepare. The conversation gets better, there is more laughter, it is all just a little bit better. Well here is that BONUS meal!

I serve it with an asian slaw and cilantro lime rice. I have served it as an appetizer and as a main for a dinner party. It is easy, fresh and delicious and so so versatile. Get ready this one will go in your {recipe box} too! enjoy.

Ina Garten's Grilled Lemon Chicken the barefoot contessa cookbook

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I have to say don't use the stuff from a bottle - fresh lemons are so worth it)

3/4 cup good olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

ground pepper

1 tbls fresh thyme leaves (you can use dried here too just reduce the amount)

2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and pour it over the chicken and marinate for 3 - 6 hours or so. Grill the chicken breasts whole or cut into strips. Skewer with wooden sticks. Serve with peanut sauce and fresh lemon. enjoy and thanks wonderful Ina.

** If you don't have an Ina Garten cookbook you won't be disappointed. Her recipes are delicious and easy. Love them.

**I will post peanut sauce tomorrow!

{recipe box} jamie does it again - not to miss fish bake!

ok i am inspired. One of my resolutions for 2010 is to try those recipes that I have been wanting to try and never have! Well here is post number one toward that resolution. Jamie Oliver is one of my favorites. Here is his fish bake that my entire family agreed is fabulous. My youngest who started the dinner saying "I don't like salmon" ended the meal (2nd helping) saying, "I really liked that mom, you should make that like every week." Maybe not every week but again for sure.

enjoy and thanks jamie!

Tasty Fish Bake by Jamie Oliver, jamie's dinners

14 oz potatoes, scrubbed and finely sliced

4 tbls olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 onion, sliced

1 bulb fennel, sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds

4 medium fillets of trout or salmon - pinboned ( I used Salmon)

1 1/4 cups light cream

2 handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese

2 anchovy fillets

salt and fresh ground pepper

2 handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs

2 lemons

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. parboil the sliced potatoes in salted boiling water for a few minutes and then drain. Place an 8 inch casserole-type pan on a low head and add the oil, garlic, onion, fennel and fennel seeds. Cook slowly for 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

Take the pan off the heat. Lay your fish over the onion and fennel, Mix together your cream, Parmesan and anchovies, season with salt and pepper and pour over the fish. Toss the potato slices in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and layer these over the top. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a little grated Parmesan for 5 minutes or so until brown. Serve with lemons.

changes I made: I didn't have fennel so I didn't include it. I did included the fennel seed and I think that is key! I skinned my fish because I didn't think my family (or me) would go for the skin in the bake. I only had enough Parm to sprinkle on top - it was great. I added some thyme on the top as well - yummy!

I see endless possibilities here ... enjoy!

{recipe box} jamie's tomato mac 'n cheese

This dish is my kid's favorite. I wish I could take full credit for it but alas I can't. This is a Jamie Oliver recipe from his book jamie' dinners. Lots of great recipes in there so check it out. What I love about Jamie Oliver, outside of his darling personality and dashing good looks (did I just print that? - sorry honey!) is Jamie's ability to excite me about food. He loves to cook organic and fresh and he is brimming with ideas. His recipes are un-intimidating. Can't say enough.

The first time I read this recipe I gazed over the ingredients and put the breaks on when it listed 2 anchovies. I thought no way will my kids go for that. I am here to tell you it works and the dish isn't the same without it. It gives this that extra bite with NO fish, anchovy taste. You will love it. And your kids will boast that they do in fact eat anchovies!

tomato macaroni cheese by jamie oliver

12 oz macaroni

6 to 7 slices bread ( I use fresh baked crutons that I purchase from the store)

1 3/4 lb super ripe tomatoes, chopped (again if I don't have fresh I add a can of diced tomatoes that has been drained)

1 clove garlic

2 handfuls fresh basil

2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 anchovies - I used 2 tsp anchovy paste

3 handfuls grated parmesan cheese

2 1/2 cups light cream - I have used milk or 1.2 and 1.2

1 tbls red wine vinegar

1/2 nutmeg grated - or a good pinch

14 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced or broken up

fresh thyme

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook your macaroni according to directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta's cooking water. Put tomatoes, garlic, basil, sun-dried tomatoes anchovy paste and a good pinch of salt and pepper into a food processor and whizz. Then add 2 handfuls of the parmesan, cream, vinegar and nutmeg and blend until smooth. Watch out here: my food processor is not large enough to handle all of the cream so I add a little and blend then add the rest once I have transfered it to a bowl. Season to taste - it is even good at this point.

Once your pasta is cooked place it in a baking dish and pour the tomato cream sauce over it. Add a few spoonfuls of the pasta liquid 1/4 cup even. It will seem really runny but don't worry that pasta soaks it up. Place the sliced mozzarella over the top. Mix the bread crumbs , remaining parmesan cheese and thyme and sprinkle over the top. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes until bubbly and golden on the top. Enjoy with a good salad.