Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sunday Dinner

Dinner today is certainly not the traditional "Sunday Dinner" - I didn't roast anything! Actually, I think Sunday Dinner is whatever brings family - by any definition - together.
Chicken Fried Rice
Wonton Soup
Almond Cookies

Chicken fried rice is so easy that I don't really have a recipe for it. Technically, it's cold cooked rice, a little oil and soy sauce. I like to add garlic and ginger to mine along with diced onion and other veggies if I have them on-hand. For my family, though, the less there is, the more likely they are to eat it.

I start out with a hot wok or non-stick pan and add about a tablespoon of oil. Usually a neutral oil like canola is best, but I also use sesame oil from time to time. Toss in about 2 cups of already cooked and cooled rice - make SURE it's cool, or it will all turn to mush! Day old cold rice is best. Stir it around and toss in soy sauce to taste - a tablespoon or so - and stir until heated through. That's it! If I'm making it with chicken-like tonight-I add diced uncooked chicken to the oil first and cook until no longer pink. Then I finish up as above.

Won ton Soup is available in two different ways where I live; order it from a Chinese restaurant, or make it yourself. I like to make my own.

Here's another "no-recipe": I chop up chicken breasts, season with sherry, soy sauce - a tablespoon of each to a pound of ground chicken, garlic and ginger - about a teaspoon of each, freshly minced (and green onion if husband is not eating) and wrap up in won ton wrappers. Check out recipe HERE at A Thousand Soups.


Minced chicken with sherry, soy, garlic and ginger and wonton wrappers.



Centered on the wrapper.



Folded over.



Long corners brought together and sealed with a little water.


I set those aside - covered - and make the chicken stock.


Wontons in waiting.


To already prepared stock I add several slices of fresh ginger and garlic. Let that simmer for half an hour and strain.


Rapidly boiling.


Bring it to a rapid boil and drop in several wontons at a time and cook until they surface and stay there.


Surfaced and ready!


Add three wontons to a bowl, top with stock and sliced green onion.


Perfectly yummy.


As for almond cookies, that I have a recipe for.

Almond Cookies
Makes about 36
Printable Recipe


1/2 cup margarine, shortening or butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
whole almonds for the tops

Cream butter, shortening or margarine with sugar. Add egg and almond and mix well. Add dry ingredients - except almonds - and blend. Roll into 36 balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets lined with foil or parchment. Press an almond into each cookie and bake 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.




7 comments:

Jenni said...

Ooooh, that all looks so delicious! The almond cookies, especially, look SO much better than what I've ever had at any Chinese restaurant, no matter how fancy! LOL! Like that should be a surprise...

And I totally agree w/ your definition of Sunday Dinner!

Anonymous said...

Gotta love wontons... They sound like they'd have that nice ginger flavor that I always crave from wontons and dumplings. I hope you're using stock that you've made yourself, and not Campbell's Chicken Broth! ;)


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Anne Coleman said...

Jenni-it sure was good stuff!

Aussie-while I direct others to try and use their own - and I do make my own stock - I'm not above a quick can or two when time is tight. That wonton soup was made from fresh stock, though.

Anonymous said...

You can use fresh cooked rice for fried rice, the trick is to use a little less water than you normally would. Jeff has found that using slightly drier freshly cooked rice gives a better result than the day old stuff.

Blah Society said...

Those wontons look very good! I don't think I ever had them with ginger - not that I know of at least.

The chicken fried rice is somethign else I'd like to try. You make it sound so good!

Michelle said...

You make everything sound and look so easy! I'll be trying that cookie recipe this week for sure :)

CC said...

You recipes sound so good and your food so wonderful. I really like your blog and will visit again..
Cizzie..aka CC
mygardenfence.blogspot.com