Rice Paper Spring Rolls

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These rice paper spring rolls are best described as "pretty". The translucent paper gives them a fancy air, although they can be filled with just about anything you like, fancy or not. I had wanted to use shrimp for this recipe, but as sometimes happens, things changed. I used chicken, and they tasted great!

Rice Paper Spring Rolls

Rice Paper Spring Roll Wrappers

Rice Vinegar

Shredded Chicken

Asian Basil

Diced Onions

Saifun Clear Noodles

Baby Bok Choy

Beans

 Set a pot on the stove and fill with water. Boil the water.

Add the noodles, turn the water off,  and let 

them sit in the water for 20 minutes.

 Rinse peas.

Place warm water in a pie plate. Put rice paper in water.

Get paper completely wet. Don't make it too soft.

It should still be a little stiff when you take it out.

Immediately put the paper on a

clean kitchen towel to dry quickly by

blotting with the towel.

Build your wrap by adding noodles, peas,

baby bok choy, onion, 

chicken, and basil.

Roll the wraps like you do an egg roll. Lay the rolls 

on a paper towel and cover with plastic, and put in the fridge.

This can all be done the day before you want to serve these.

I served these with ranch dressing, but they

would taste great with a dip made with soy sauce.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today!

 

Join me next time for our dessert of the week,

Apple Pie Bundles!

Stuffed Meatballs!

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Todays addition to our Football Extravaganza is Stuffed Meatballs! These meatballs are moist and delicious and the mozzarella centers make them extra special.

 

Stuffed Meatballs

(adapted from Perfect Party Food)

1 pound Ground Beef

1/2 cup chopped Onion

1/2 clove Garlic, minced

Grated zest of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

3/4 cup Parmesan Style Bread Crumbs

2 Large Eggs, beaten

Oil for frying

Chop your onion.

Put the ground beef and the onion in a bowl.

Add chopped garlic.

Zest the lemon and add it to the bowl.

Add the black pepper, bread crumbs, and the eggs.

Mix together.

Use a scoop if you have one, if not just form with your hands.

Then flatten the meatball just slightly, and

insert a piece of cheese in the middle of the meatball.

Form the meatball over the cheese until it is a round ball again.

Make all the meatballs.

Start cooking the meatballs in the oil in the pan.

Turn the meatballs as they get brown.

While the meatballs are cooking, cook the marinara.

Canola Oil

1 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

1/2 cup Finely chopped Onion

San Marzano Tomatoes, peeled 

1 teaspoon Sugar

Put the tomatoes in the food processor  and chop.

If you don't have a food processor, cut by hand into small

bite size pieces.

It should look like this.

 

 Cut the onions.

In a pot, heat your oil, and the add the onions. Cook the 

onions until they are clear. Ignore the tomatoes in the pictures.

I dropped a spoonful in the pan when I was moving them. Sorry!

Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar.

Let simmer. Then let the sauce cook for 30-45 minutes.

Stir occasionally until thicker.

As the meatballs brown, add them to the sauce. Let

them cook in the sauce for about 1/2 hour. Then serve.

Enjoy!

Thanks for joining The Freshman Cook today!

Please stop  by tomorrow when we will be baking

up a storm making 

"The Boys of Fall" Cupcakes!!

See you then!!

Rustic Bread Sticks

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This bread recipe was a little on the long side when it comes to time, but easy to make. I decided when I was making it that bread sticks might be a good way to enjoy the bread.

Rustic Bread Sticks

(adapted from Perfect Party Food)

1 package Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Vegetable Shortening

1 1/4 cup warm Water (105 degrees)

3 cups all purpose Flour

Put the flour in a large bowl.

In a 2 cup measuring cup stir the yeast, sugar,

salt, shortening, and water together. 

Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

It should bubble up by this time.

Add the yeast to the bowl of flour.

Mix until well combined.

Start kneading the bread on a lightly floured surface.

Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. 

This should take about 10 minutes. Add enough flour

to keep the dough from being sticky.

Place the dough in a bowl sprayed with pan spray.

Cover the bowl with plastic that is sprayed with 

pan spray. Let it rise in a warm, dry place. If you

don't have such a place, use your oven to create

a warm box. Heat the oven to 200 degrees for 10 minutes.

Then turn the oven off, and put the bread in for about

45 minutes to double in size.

Take the bread out. To test to see if it doubled in size,

stick 2 fingers in the dough. Pull them out and if the holes 

from your fingers don't close up, it has doubled!

Punch the dough down. 

This means to put your fist in the middle, 

and then pull the sides in. Cut the dough in half.

Weigh the dough to make sure.

Place each dough ball into a sprayed pan.

Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with pan spray,

and let it rise to double the size again.

Use the oven like above. It should take about 1 1/2 hours.

Set your oven at 400 degrees. 

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 

375 degrees, and bake until bread is golden brown.

It should take about 40 minutes. Let the bread cool, and then 

cut the pan into strips.

Let the bread cool on a rack.

Cut the bread in to strips and serve with marinara.

Enjoy!

This Weeks Side Dish - Garlic Knots

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These garlic knots are good. They are also simple to make. I started with Rhodes frozen bread loaves, and within no time at all, I had garlic knots! You will love these. The amount of garlic you put on them is up to you. I only used a little, and I brushed it on, but if you want more, you can dip the finished knots into a saucepan of butter and garlic. They are good, no matter how you do it!

Garlic Knots

Rhodes White Bread Loaves

Butter

Garlic Powder
Pan Spray
Plastic Wrap

Start with one loaf.

Spray a piece of plastic wrap with pan spray.

Place the bread on a plate, cover with the plastic wrap,

and let it sit for about an hour to defrost.
Once it is softer, cut the bread loaf in half, and then each half
in half~you end up with 4 pieces. From each of the 4 pieces,
cut 5 slices. I'm sorry for no pics of this,
but you know what I mean. You will end up with 20 pieces,
which will become 20 rolls.

Start rolling your roll into a thin rope.

Roll until the rope is 9" long. Try to make it as close to
the same diameter the entire length.

Now, let's form the knot.
Fold like above....

Cross over....

Then through the loop!
There's your knot!

Place the knots on a cookie sheet covered with
parchment paper.
Spray plastic wrap like we did earlier, then cover the knots
and place it someplace warm to let them rise. It may take
about 3 hours. The sprayed wrap will ensure that
the plastic won't stick to the dough.

When the rolls have risen, set your oven at 350 degrees,
and melt about 6 oz. of butter in the microwave.

Add 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
You could use garlic salt, about 1 teaspoon.

Mix the butter and garlic powder together, then brush on
the knots. Brush softly, because you don't want to
damage the dough, or make it fall.

Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes. Brush with butter
and garlic powder again, if you want.

Serve and enjoy!

Serve with our Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo!

Thanks for joining me today!

Tomorrow we will be baking a
Key Lime Cheesecake!

I hope you stop by!!