My Boyfriend Dated A Chef

I feel like I found the biggest hidden secret. This Won Ton Noodle Soup recipe is absolutely awesome. No other words to describe it. Initially, I thought it would be labor intensive since I would be physically making and wrapping won tons. Not so much. In under an hour, I was eating my second bowl!

Serves 4. Recipe from Steamy Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound ground pork
2 stalks scallion, finely minced
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 pound won ton wrappers, at room temperature, covered with a damp towel
1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1/4 cup cool water (cornstarch slurry)
2 quarts chicken broth
8 ounces dried won ton noodles (or thin, egg noodles or chinese style noodles)
1/2 pound bok choy, leaves separated and washed well
1 teaspoon sesame oil
chili garlic sauce (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the pork, scallion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar and sesame oil. Mix well. Follow the youtube video towards the end of this post to visually see how to wrap the won ton. As an exception, use the cornstarch slurry (listed in the ingredients above) as the “glue” instead of just the water suggested in the video. Place on a clean, dry plate in one layer and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining.

In a large stockpot, add all but 2 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a boil. The 2 cups of reserved broth should be room temperature or just slightly chilled. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the won tons. Bring pot back to a gentle boil. When it reaches a boil, add 1 cup of the reserved broth. Bring back to a boil and again, add the remaining 1 cup of reserved broth. When boiling again, it’s done. Adding broth a little at a time like this prevents your delicate won tons from breaking and bursting in rapid, hard boiling water.

Keep the heat on the pot on (you still need to cook the noodles and bok choy) while using a sieve to scoop up the won tons and distribute amongst the bowls. Cook the noodles in the pot according to the package instructions. Add the bok choy (to see how to cut bok choy, reference the youtube video and photo below) to the pot during last minute of cooking noodles and let simmer, until cooked through.

Ladle broth, noodles and bok choy to bowls. Drizzle just a few drops of sesame oil in each bowl.

Serve with chili garlic sauce if desired.

TIPS + TRICKS:
Folding Won Tons

Chopping Bok Choy

FINDING THE INGREDIENTS:
Sometimes finding all the ingredients in the grocery stores takes longer than cooking the food. Here are a few tips:

• Won Ton wraps can be found near the bag salad section in most grocery stores. Super Walmart has them too. I ended up finding the Nasoya brand wraps and chinese style noodles shown below.
• Ground pork is not found in all grocery stores. My Shaws had it, my Stop + Shop did not. It looks like ground hamburger and can be found in the meat/pork/chicken section.

I love spicy food and this is just the perfect amount of spice for a salad to peak my interest and it’s low-fat (less than 5 grams)! At first glance, it looks ingredient heavy but, I had almost every one of the items necessary to make it…it’s just a bunch of basic spices and chicken.

Serves 2. Recipe from Top Secret Recipes.

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Marinade
1 cup water
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire

Dressing
1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Cajun Spice Blend
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons light butter

Salad
8 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1 large tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS:
Combine water, lime juice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire in a medium bowl, and stir. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade, cover bowl and keep in refrigerator for several hours. (2-4 will work)

Make dressing by combining ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well by hand. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until salad is ready.

When chicken is marinated, preheat a frying pan or skillet (an iron skillet, if youve got it) over medium/high heat. Also, preheat your barbecue grill to medium/high heat.

Combine the spices for the Cajun spice blend in a small bowl. Sprinkle a teaspoon of the spice blend over one side of each of the chicken breasts. Cover the entire surface of the chicken with spice.

Melt the butter in the hot pan, then sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on the side with the spices. While first side cooks, sprinkle another teaspoon of spice over the top of each chicken breast, coating that side as you did the other. Flip the chicken over, and sear for another 2-3 minutes. The surface of the chicken will be coated with a charred, black layer of flavor. This is exactly what you are shooting for.

Finish the chicken off on your barbecue grill. Grill each breast on both sides for 2-3 minutes, or until they are done. (I used my George Forman Grill).

While chicken is cooking prepare the salad in one large bowl with lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cheese and diced tomato. Split onto two plates.

Slice the chicken breast, across each breast in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spread the chicken over the top of the salad and serve immediately with dressing on the side.

This homemade chocolate turtle recipe is just plain awesome and a whole lot cheaper than the bakery. 5 minutes and 3 ingredients, how could you not give it a shot? I promised one of my favortie people that I would send the first batch to her at school but, I think I’m going to have to make another one. They are on their way kiddo…I promise.

Recipe from Twig and Thistle.

INGREDIENTS:
mini salted pretzels
Rolos
pecan halfs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 220°F

On a cookie sheet, arrange the pretzels and place a Rolo on top of each one.

Bake for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately start placing the pecans on top, pushing them down, squishing the Rolos.

Enjoy and try to share!

**Store refrigerated in an enclosed container between layers of wax paper.