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Egg Rolls

Egg Rolls

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Yield: 8 Egg Rolls

Adapted from many

My version of real deal egg rolls. They have a nice thick, bubbly wrapper (see photo). Not to be confused with the spring rolls that so many restaurants pass off as egg rolls. Spring rolls have a thin wrapper that looks smooth when fried.

Use the extra wrappers to make wonton strip snacks or semi-hard chow mein noodles.

  • ½cup diced pork loin
  • 114 oz bag coleslaw mix

Seasonings for vegetables

  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp white pepper
  • 1tsp sugar

Marinade for pork

  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp white pepper
  • 1tsp Shaoxing wine

Wrap & Fry

  • 1quart peanut oil for frying
  • 8(7-inch square) egg roll wrappers
  • 1egg mixed for sealing wrappers


Cook pork:

Mix pork with the marinade ingredients and set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat 1 TBS oil in wok, add pork and stir fry until well done. Remove to a bowl.

Clean wok.

Cook filling:

Heat 1 TBS oil in wok, add vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute. Add seasonings, stir fry for 30 seconds. Add pork and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables are wilted. Remove to a sheet pan and set aside to cool.

Wrap & Fry:

Add ⅛ filling to wrapper and roll up. Paint the point with egg wash and seal.

Deep fry at 350°F until golden-brown, 5 to 7 minutes depending on oil temp. Drain.

Make Ahead:

These freeze well in a quart freezer bag.

Reheat:

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400°F. Place desired quantity on foil or small pan.

Heat for 20 to 25 minutes, turning after half the time.

 

You will have extra wrappers. Slice into strips 1/4 – 3/8-inch wide. Separate and deep fry in batches for a couple of minutes. These make either a great snack, or can be used like hard chow mein noodles.

Thighs B/S Grilled Middle Eastern Herb and Garlic Chicken

Thighs B/S Grilled Middle Eastern Herb and Garlic Chicken

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from: Melissa Clark / NY Times

This recipe was inspired by the Middle Eastern dried seasoning mix called za’atar, a combination of herbs (usually thyme, oregano and marjoram), sesame seeds and sumac, often spiked with salt. Here, plenty of lemon and garlic, are used to marinated boneless chicken thighs.
Optimum marinating time here is 8 hours. But feel free to leave it for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 24 hours. If you would rather use white meat, substitute boneless skinless breasts but reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.

  • 6boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1¾ lb)
  • 6garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane or minced
  • juice and zest of 2 lemons
  • 3TBS extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
  • 2TBS minced fresh parsley, more for serving
  • 1-2TBS za’atar
  • 1½tsp kosher salt, more as needed
  • 1TBS sesame seeds, more for garnish (optional)
  • ⅔cup plain Greek yogurt, preferably whole milk yogurt
  • ¼tsp ground black pepper


Marinate:

Combine chicken with all but 1 tsp of the grated garlic (save that tsp for the yogurt sauce), the zest and juice of 1 lemon, oil, parsley, za’atar, 1½ tsp salt, and the sesame seeds. Cover and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature; you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.

Grill/Broil:

Heat grill or broiler. If grilling, cook chicken over high heat until charred in spots, 4 to 7 minutes. Flip pieces and continue grilling until just cooked through, another 4 to 7 minutes. If broiling, arrange a rack 3 to 4 inches from flame. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spread chicken out in a single layer. Broil chicken, turning halfway through cooking, until well colored and charred in spots, 4 to 7 minutes per side. Be careful that it doesn’t burn.

Make dipping sauce:

While chicken cooks, place yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserved grated garlic and lemon zest and season to taste with salt. Serve the chicken drizzled with olive oil, remaining lemon juice to taste, black pepper, parsley and sesame seeds and sumac, if using, with the yogurt alongside for dipping.

Colombian-Style Zucchini Rellenos

Colombian-Style Zucchini Rellenos

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Yield: 2 servings
Adapted from: https://www.skinnytaste.com/colombian-style-zucchini-rellenos/

These Stuffed Zucchinis, which are low-carb, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free, dairy-free and Paleo, are inspired from the Colombian dish, Pepino Rellenos.

  • 2medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
  • 4oz 90% lean ground beef
  • kosher salt
  • ¼tsp cumin
  • 1½garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓cup onion, diced
  • 1cup plum tomatoes, chopped fine
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • black pepper, to taste
  • ¼cup low sodium chicken broth

Using a small spoon scoop out and discard the seeds from the zucchini. Then use a spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of the zucchini halves, leaving ¼-inch thick shell on each half.

Chop the scooped-out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside ⅓ of a cup to use in the meat filling, saving the rest to use in another recipe.

Drop the zucchini in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and drain.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp cumin until browned and cooked through, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.

Add the oil to the skillet and cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes, until it creates a sauce.

To the skillet, add ⅓ cup of the reserved chopped zucchini and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

Return the cooked meat to the skillet and simmer covered for about 8 minutes until tender. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, adjusting salt and pepper to taste as needed.

On a clean working surface, fill the hollowed-out zucchinis with the meat filling, dividing equally between each one.

Place the broth in large deep 6-quart saucepan with a fitted lid. Heat over medium heat and add the stuffed zucchini halves into the saucepan, cover and reduce heat to low, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and cooked through.

Serving: Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 15.5g, Protein: 17.5g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 129.5mg, Sodium: 119.5mg, Fiber: 4.5g, Sugar: 5g

Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

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Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from: Eating Well

Kale sucks! There is no excuse for actually making this dish unless you have some genetic predisposition to Kale. I’ve reduced the original recipe by 4 to yield 2 servings. Just remember, kale sucks.

  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • ½tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1 bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely torn
  • ⅓cup water
  • 1medium shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1tsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1pinch cayenne pepper
  • ½TBS cider vinegar

Heat 1 TBS oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ¼ tsp salt; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the kale and stir until starting to wilt. Stir in water. Cover and cook, stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. You may need to add more water to keep it from burning.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining TBS oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Sprinkle with brown sugar, cayenne and the remaining ¼ tsp salt; cook, stirring often, until golden-brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.

Remove from heat and carefully stir in vinegar.

Pour the dressing over the kale and toss to coat and serve warm.

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

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Yield: 2 Servings
Sue & Gambo

Yum. Tasty, tasty, tasty, but Gayle didn’t like it. She’s not a fan of sesame oil and thought the dish was spicy, but nothing but a couple twists of pepper in it… Maybe the ginger?

Premix sauce:

  • 2TBS of cooking sherry wine
  • ½TBS of sugar
  • ½cup of water

Shrimp:

  • ½lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS soy sauce

Stir-fry:

  • cooking oil, divided
  • 1tsp ginger, sliced
  • 1tsp garlic, minced
  • 1oz red onion, sliced thin
  • 1bunch asparagus (about 1 lb), cut into 1½-inch pieces on the diagonal
  • 2oz red and orange peppers, sliced thin
  • 1TBS sesame seed oil
  • 1TBS of oyster sauce

Slurry:

  • 1TBS cornstarch mixed with 2 TBS water
  • 1pinch of black pepper

Mise, Mise, Mise, get your mise together! This means me! This happens so fast, that you must get everything prepped and measured before cooking starts.


Pre-mix sauce:

Stir wine, sugar, water, and 2 TBS soy sauce in a small bowl.

Slurry:

Whisk together 1 TBS of cornstarch and 2 TBS of water in another small bowl.

Blanch vegetables:

Bring a wok with a quart of water to a boil. Add some salt. Add asparagus and boil for 2 minutes. Remove to an ice water bath to cool. When cool, drain and set aside.

Stir fry shrimp:

In a hot wok add some cooking oil. Season shrimp with salt and black pepper, add to wok. Cook the shrimp until it’s browned up. Remove the shrimp and set aside.

Stir fry vegetables:

Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir fry 30 seconds.

Next add blanched asparagus and orange and red peppers to the wok, stir fry until lightly browned. 1 to 2 minutes.

Finish:

Add premix sauce to the wok and let it boil for a couple minutes.

Next add 1 TBS sesame oil and 1 TBS oyster sauce.

Add the slurry slowly to your stir fry until the sauce is to the preferred thickness.

Then add the shrimp back into the stir fry and stir everything together.

Skillet Chicken Thighs

Skillet Chicken Thighs

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with Potatoes, Carrots, and Greens

Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from: Simply Recipes

This bistro-style crispy chicken is braised with carrots, potatoes, and, for good measure, greens in a mustard and lemon seasoned chicken broth. It all comes together easily in a skillet and adds up to a satisfying, flavorful meal.

  • 8bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs
  • ½tsp salt
  • ⅛tsp pepper
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1½lb (about 4 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 12oz baby carrots
  • 3whole, unpeeled cloves garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife to break the skin
  • 1bunch Swiss chard
  • 1½cups chicken stock
  • 1TBS Dijon mustard
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • ½tsp dried thyme
  • ¼cup chopped parsley

–
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Trim and season the chicken thighs: With scissors or a sharp knife, cut off excess flaps of skin and fat from the thighs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.

Prep the chard stalks and leaves: Tear or cut the stalks from the leaves. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Slice the leaves into 2-inch-wide strips. Keep the stalks and leaves separate.

Brown the chicken and par-cook the potatoes and carrots: In a large (12- to 13-inch) ovenproof skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken with the skin side down. Cook on the skin side only for about 5 minutes without disturbing it, or until the skin lightly browns.

Transfer to a plate. (If the chicken doesn’t fit in one skillet, cook in batches or use two smaller skillets and divide the ingredients between them.)

Add the potatoes and carrots to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, or until they brown lightly.

Prep the braising liquid: In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk the chicken stock, mustard, and lemon zest to combine.

Braise the chicken: Add the chard stalks, smashed garlic and braising liquid to the skillet with the vegetables. Set the chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with the thyme.

Transfer to the oven: Transfer the pan to the oven. Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Remove the pan from the oven.

Add the chard leaves: Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Taste the broth and add more salt, if you like. Set the skillet over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir the chard leaves into the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until wilted. Remove the garlic cloves.

Serve: Set the chicken on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve from the skillet, or transfer to a large serving platter. Serve as is, or with a salad.

Pork Cutlets with Tomato Sauce

Pork Cutlets with Tomato Sauce

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Onions, Mushrooms, and Zucchini

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Say some nice stuff about the recipe Jed. Well, I had an urge for a new pork cutlet dish, and it seemed something like a Swiss’ed Steak would be good. I tested this theory and it needed work. The pork was really dry. This version uses the same sauce but the cutlets are sauteed first and then added just to the sauce at the finish.

  • 46-oz boneless pork cutlets
  • salt & pepper
  • 1-2TBS olive oil
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1medium onion, sliced
  • 1-2tsp garlic, minced
  • 15oz can diced tomatoes
  • ¼-½cup water
  • 1TBS Better than Bouillon, chicken (BTB)
  • 1tsp dried oregano,
  • 1tsp dried basil

Options:

  • 1-2zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick on the diagonal

Pat dry and season cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering.

Add cutlets and cook until just brown, about 2 to 4 minutes per side, until they reach 140°F. Remove to dish, cover loosely and set aside.

Add a little more oil if needed and sauté mushrooms and onions until mushrooms are nicely browned and onions soften. At the end, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to remove raw flavor.

To the skillet with onions and mushrooms add diced tomatoes, water, BTB, oregano and basil. Mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. If using, season and add the zucchini to the skillet for 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Return cutlets to skillet and spoon sauce over cutlets. Simmer for a couple of minutes to reheat cutlets.

Serve with pasta or potatoes.

Side dish suggestions:

Vegetables Starches
Zucchini Penne, Fusilli, or a long pasta
Asparagus Roasted Potatoes
Green Beans Spaetzle
Broccoli Ciabatta, Focaccia, etc.
Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

Chicken and Vegetable Kabobs

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Yield: 6 Servings
Adapted from many

These Greek-ish chicken kabobs are flavorful and a perfect option for both outdoor and indoor grilling. Chunks of chicken breast are drenched in lemon, garlic, oregano, and olive oil before being skewered with loads of colorful vegetables. Everything comes off the grill tender, juicy, and insanely delicious.

Note: So easy to over cook chicken this way. Simplify and skip the grill and sauté in a pan.

Marinade

  • ½cup olive oil
  • ¼cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼cup lemon juice
  • 2tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3-4garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½tsp dried oregano
  • 1tsp salt
  • ½tsp black pepper

Chicken kabobs

  • 1½lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 large chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces.
  • 1red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-Inch pieces
  • 1yellow bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1red onion, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
  • 1zucchini, sliced
  • 8oz mushrooms, cut into 1½-Inch pieces

To make the marinade: whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
Note: Reserve half of the marinade for finishing kabobs.

Marinate chicken:

Place chicken pieces in a freezer bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.

Grill option:

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Thread the skewers with pieces of red onion, chicken, zucchini, mushroom and bell pepper. You can alternate the order.

Place the kabobs on the preheated grill and cook for 5-7 minutes per side. The kabobs are done when the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are lightly charred, about 15 minutes. When done, brush with the remaining marinade or move the kabobs to a platter and then brush.

Sauté option:

Heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat.

Add 2 TBS oil to pan then sauté chicken until almost cooked through. Remove chicken to bowl.

Sauté vegetables until they reach the desired doneness. Return chicken to pan. Pour reserved marinade into pan and mix to bring marinade to a boil to finish chicken.

Serve with Jasmine rice and naan.

Salad Dressings

Salad Dressings

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Homemade Italian Dressing

Yield: 1 cup
Adapted from: Carlsbad Cravings

This Homemade Italian Dressing is quick and easy to make, 1000X better than store bought, fresh and natural and is wonderfully versatile! It’s a balanced tangy and testy blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, pantry herbs and spices and the best part – Parmesan Cheese! This Italian Dressing recipe elevates and enlivens everything it touches from salads to vegetables and makes an excellent marinade for chicken, fish, pork and steak. This Italian Dressing also keeps for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator!

  • ¾cup olive oil
  • ¼cup red wine vinegar
  • 2TBS lemon juice
  • ¼cup finely freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1tsp dried parsley
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1tsp onion powder
  • ¾tsp salt
  • ½tsp dried oregano
  • ½tsp paprika
  • ½tsp pepper
  • ½-1tsp sugar or more to taste

Add all the ingredients to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously OR combine add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Taste (most accurate taste comes by dipping lettuce in dressing) and adjust according to taste. For less acidity- add more sugar, less tang – add more olive oil, more tang – add additional vinegar.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Shake to recombine before serving.

Notes

The sugar mellows out the acidity of the dressing, but you may add more or less to taste.

Grate the Parmesan on the smallest hole of your grater.

Don’t substitute the garlic for fresh unless you expect to use your Italian Dressing within a few days because minced garlic does not keep very long.

For a great shortcut, you can whisk up the dried herbs and spices in advance and keep them in a sealed container or bag.

Vinaigrette

Yield: About 1 cup
J. Kenji López-Alt / Serious Eats

A super-simple vinaigrette appropriate for all lightly dressed green salads.
A 3-to-1 ratio of oil to vinegar makes for a perfectly smooth, thick emulsion.
Dijon mustard helps emulsify the oil and vinegar/water while shallots add mild sweetness.

  • 1small shallot, minced (about 2 TBS)
  • 1small clove garlic, minced (about ½ tsp)
  • 2tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3TBS white wine vinegar
  • 1TBS water
  • ¾cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and water in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tightly sealing jar, seal, and shake vigorously until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Italian Dressing

Yield: 1 cup
Adapted from: FiveHeartHome
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil OR neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower or safflower
  • ¼cup white wine vinegar OR red wine vinegar OR a combo of the two
  • 2TBS water
  • 1-2tsp honey
  • 1tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3TBS freshly grated Parmesan
  • ¾tsp garlic salt
  • ¾tsp dried parsley
  • ¾tsp dried basil
  • ⅛tsp dried oregano
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a jar, cover and shake vigorously OR combine add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Yield: About ¾ cup
J. Kenji López-Alt / Serious Eats

When it comes down to it, an emulsified Caesar salad dressing like this one is essentially a flavored mayonnaise. But because of the Parmesan and black pepper it contains, it’s far easier to emulsify a Caesar dressing than a standard mayonnaise. The absolute easiest way to do it is using my Foolproof 2-Minute Mayonnaise technique.
An emulsified dressing clings well to the surface of waxy, hydrophobic lettuce leaves, for even coating and better flavor in each bite.
This recipe calls for up to a half dozen anchovies for plenty of savory depth, though you can scale back that amount if you like.

  • 1egg yolk
  • 1TBS juice from 1 lemon
  • 2-6anchovy fillets (see note)
  • 1tsp Worcestershire sauce (see note)
  • 2medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
  • ½oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
  • ⅓cup canola oil
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and parmesan cheese in the bottom of a cup that just fits the head of an immersion blender, or in the bottom of the mini-chopper attachment of a food processor. With blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in canola oil until a smooth emulsion forms. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste generously with salt and pepper. Caesar dressing can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Thighs, B/S Honey-Citrus

Thighs, B/S Honey-Citrus

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from: WaPo

The chicken thighs are seasoned and browned on both sides in a skillet. Then, they are removed and set aside, so that the chicken drippings can form the tasty base for a honey-citrus sauce made with fresh orange juice and thinly sliced onion and lemons, along with a healthy dose of honey and a pinch of dried oregano.
Once the sauce has simmered a bit, thickening enough to coat the chicken pieces, the thighs are returned to the pan and turned a few times. Add a crispy salad or a side of al dente vegetables, such as green beans or asparagus, and, voila, you’ve got dinner.

  • 8boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1⅓ lb)
  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾cup thinly sliced red onion (about ½ a large onion)
  • ¼cup fresh orange juice (about 1 large orange)
  • 3TBS honey
  • 2TBS water
  • 1thin-skinned lemon, halved and thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • ½tsp dried oregano
  • 2TBS chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

Pat the chicken pieces dry with a clean towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Let the chicken rest at room temperature while you prep other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

In a large, nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Reduce the heat to medium. Working in batches, if necessary, and without overcrowding the pan, add the thighs and sear, without moving, until golden-brown on one side, about 10 minutes. Flip each piece and repeat on other side until browned, about 6 more minutes.

If the chicken sticks, use a thin spatula to gently loosen. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Transfer the browned chicken to an ovenproof dish, cover and keep warm in the oven.

In the same pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the orange juice, honey, water, lemon slices and oregano and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes, scraping any browned bits that stuck to the pan.

When the lemon slices are softened and the sauce is thickened, return the chicken thighs to the pan, turning each piece several times to coat in the sauce.

If desired, place the chicken on a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with the fresh basil, if desired, and serve.

Serve with a veggie-filled green salad.