Auntie Heather's Lumpia

Lumpia is not something I ever heard until living here in Hawaii.  It's questionable if I would've even tried it......had I not seen it made and what went in it.  Almost a year ago, I had it for the first time at my friend, Heather's house.  We had a mom's cooking group.  The best way for me to describe it is.....it's sorta like an egg roll with lots of meat and without that less than desirable cooked cabbage in it.  No funny business in it.....except these weird, clear noodles that I've also never seen 'til living here.  ha  You'll have to try them sometime.  I'm very addicted to lumpia - Heather's recipe that is.  

Auntie Heather's Lumpia

Auntie Heather's Lumpia
by Auntie Heather

Ingredients -

Filling

• 1 lb hamburger meat
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 pkg. long rice noodles, prepared according to directions, then chopped
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• lumpia wrappers
• oil for frying

Sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed (I used my microplane to do the job)
• 1/2 c. white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp (more if you prefer) pepper

Directions - 

1. Brown hamburger 'til half done.
2. Add onions, salt, and pepper.
3. Add vegetables.
4. When vegetables are done; add oyster sauce and mix.
5. Drain in strainer 'til mixture is dry.
6. Using about a tablespoon or two; wrap filling in lumpia wrapper (kinda like a burrito) and deep fry.
7. Drain on paper towels standing up. (I'm a rebel and lay mine flat!)
8. Mix all ingredients together for sauce.  Dip lumpia in sauce when eating or cut and spoon sauce into lumpia.

I made 24 lumpia with this batch.  

Calories per lumpia - 115 (that's not including the oil it took to fry them)

 In case you end up making more or less you can figure out how many calories are in each of your lumpia. 

Calories per meat mixture batch - 1710

Calories per lumpia wrapper - 44

Somethings to note - 1.) lumpia freezes well (Auntie Heather suggests putting them in the microwave for about 15 or so seconds to thaw a bit before frying - to ensure your lumpia gets cooked completely)  2.) you can also add ingredients like - water chestnuts and beansprouts; if Auntie Heather uses beansprouts she leaves the noodles out.

Lumpia wrappers

Long Rice noodle bag
(in case you need to have an idea of what to look for)

noodles soaking in hot water according to directions

ground beef lumpia mixture

wrapping the lumpia
(kinda like a burrito)

wrapping the lumpia

wrapping the lumpia

all my lumpia...
ready for their hot oil bath!

lumpia getting their hot oil bath
I put just enough oil to cover them half way ,
once the bottom is golden - I turn them

the garlic vinegar sauce
trust me - it's really good on/in the lumpia

nice and golden
cut them in half so you can spoon the
vinegar sauce in them

Mini Penne with Spicy Chicken Alfredo

I got this recipe from my "Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20-minute meals" cookbook.   There are so many good looking recipes in this book.  Unfortunately, so ,many of them have way more nasty veggies ingredients that hubby won't eat.  So, I either don't make it or leave so much out that it's no longer Sandra's recipe!  ha.  I hope you'll try this.  It was a nice twist to regular Alfredo.

This sure was tasty.

Mini Penne with Spicy Chicken Alfredo
from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20 minute meals

Ingredients - 

• 8 ounces dried mini penne pasta (can you believe the commissary had the mini?!), Barilla
• 1 jar (16 oz.) Alfredo sauce, Classico
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, Del Monte
• 1 T. Italian seasoning,  McCormick
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, McCormick
• 2 packages (6 oz each) refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips, Oscar Mayer or Louis Rich
• 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained, Early California
• shredded Parmesan cheese, Kraft

Directions -

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well; return to hot pot.  Cover; keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, combine Alfredo sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes over medium heat.  Stir in chicken and olives.  Bring to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes.
3. Serve hot over cooked pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese. 

Serves - 4

Calories per serving - 566

A few things I wanted to note about how I made this recipe a better fit for me and my family:  

#1 - I used only half the can of tomatoes & chopped them up more in my little food processor (I can stand chunks of tomatoes....well I just can't stand tomatoes).

#2 - I used a little ground red pepper instead of the flakes.  Little Miss won't eat it if she's sees red pepper flakes.  Also, I didn't add so much to it wouldn't be too spicy for her. 

#3 - I couldn't find the chicken strips the recipe calls for, so I just did it the old fashioned way and cooked the chicken myself and cut it into strips.

#4 - I didn't add the black olives in the dish.  Hubby would have spent a good 10 minutes picking around them and Little Miss and I would be nearly finished eating.  ha  

Paula's Favorite Peppermint Cake

So, here we go again with a recipe I've had for a few years and just now making.  This recipe comes from one of my favorite Food Network cooks/chefs.....Paula Deen.  You know it's gonna have plenty of calories. 

So pretty
We took this little gem to Rachel's CF care team.

Paula's Favorite Peppermint Cake
from Paula Deen "Cooking with Paula Deen"
Nov/Dec 2008 issue

Ingredients -

• 1 c. butter, softened
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 1/2 crushed peppermint candies
• White Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)
• Garnish: peppermint sticks

Directions -

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. 
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at a medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
4. Beat in peppermint extract.
5. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating  until combined after each addition. 
6. Stir in sour cream and crushed peppermints, just until combined.
7. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into batter.
8. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. 
9. Bake for 26 - 28 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
10. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.
11. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. 
12. Wrap cake layers in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. 
13. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally to make 4 layers.
14. Place 1 layer, cut side down, on a cake plate: spread with 1/2 c. White Chocolate Frosting. 
15. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 layers.
16. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.
17. Garnish with peppermint sticks, if desired. 

White Chocolate Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients -

• 8 (1 ounce) squares white chocolate
• 3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 c. butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 9 c. confectioner's sugar

Directions -

1. In a medium bowl, combine white chocolate and cream.
2. Microwave on High in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1 1/2 minutes total).
3. Let cool completely.
4. In a large bowl, combine chocolate mixture and butter. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
5. Add vanilla, beating until combined.
6. Gradually add confectioner's sugar, beating until smooth

A couple things to note here....one I didn't bother adding up the calories.....just know/trust that it's a boat load.  Second, the baking spray with flour is a must!  If you don't have that, just the regular pan spray....be sure you lightly dust the pans with flour after you spray them.  I just used regular spray thinking it would be fine.....it wasn't - one cake stuck and well, what was supposed to be a 4 layer cake turned into a 3 layer cake!  ha. 

Miss Rach adding the peppermint
and sporting the apron Granny made for her.

Carefully spreading the frosting.

Carefully licking the frosting!

Ta-da....all done and ready to go.

.

Nacho Chicken

I've had this recipe from Nana a while.  It's one I'm just now getting around to making.  It's pretty easy and pretty tasty.  Rachel thought it was neat that chips made the crunchy coating. 

I made nacho chicken strips.

Nacho Chicken
from Nana

Ingredients -

2 T mayo
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 boneless/skinless chicken breast
3/4 cup crushed nacho cheese flavored tortilla chips (about 30)
1 T butter, melted

Directions -

1. Combine first 3 ingredients; spread on both sides of chicken.
2. Dredge chicken in crushed chips.
3. Place chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet.
4. Drizzle with butter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serves - 2
Calories per serving - 496

It was so good.....especially with the fried corn.

I cut my chicken breast into strips.  It makes it a little easier for serving kids.  It did take a little more crushed chips doing it this way.  I served this with salad, fried corn,  and milk to drink.  It was really a tasty supper.
 

Fried Corn (Sort of)

I had some ears of corn that needed to be cooked.  Little Miss has a loose tooth...so I figured I'd be a nice mommy and cut it off the cob to cook it.  As I'm cutting the kernels off the cobs, I found myself dreaming about my mom's fried corn.  I don't remember exactly how she made hers (it was too late for me to call) so I made it my way.  I was so good.  It felt like I was eating my mom's good cookin'!

so good, a little creamy and buttery

Fried Corn (Sort of)
from me

Ingredients -

4 ears corn
4 T butter
1/2 c water
salt & pepper to taste

Directions -

1. Remove husks/silks from corn, wash, cut kernel off corn and scrap corn cob to get the "milk" out.
2. Put the corn and butter in a medium skillet over a medium high heat.
3. Cook & stir until butter is melted.
4. Add the water. 
5. Let boil and reduce until a little buttery liquid remains.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves - 4
Serving size - 1/2 c.
Calories per serving - 161

Nana's Chicken Stuffing Bake

I've been a little under the weather lately and haven't really felt like cooking.  I've really missed being in the kitchen whipping up some new dishes.  This one I've had for a while.  It's one from Nana, (well, Rachel's Nana) and I'm not really sure why I'm just know trying it.  While this was baking, it made the whole house smell like Thanksgiving day!

Nana's Chicken Stuffing Bake
hot out of the oven

Nana's Chicken Stuffing Bake
from Nana

Ingredients -

3 or 4 chicken breast (I had 3)
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese (can always add more)
1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup (I used cream of chicken)
1/4 c white cooking wine
1 1/2 c or more stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Cubed Stuffing)
3 T butter

Directions -

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put chicken in casserole dish. 
3. Cover with cheese.
4. Mix soup and wine together in a bowl; pour over chicken.
5. Cover with stuffing mix.
6. Melt butter and pour over stuffing.
7. Cover with foil.
8. Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes; last 15 minutes remove foil to brown stuffing.

Serves 3
Calories per serving - 668

My lunch.

I cut mine in half and added some extra sauce mixture.

Miss Rachel's lunch.

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwich

I love going to tea rooms with Rachel.  We actually have a "tradition" of going during the Christmas season.  One of the tea rooms we really like, served salmon tea sandwiches.  I ate them up like they were going out of style!  The other day I was grocery shopping at the commissary that never has anything I'm specifically looking for......lucky for me I wasn't out shopping for smoked  salmon.....I just happened to see it!  I quickly put it in my buggy (that's Southern for shopping cart) and thought I'd figure out how to make the sandwich later. What I found & concocted is really delicious.  Rachel liked it and even said that I should post it here on my blog. 

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwich
with Tostitos Artisan Baked Three Cheese Queso
tortilla chips

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
by me - Sherry
Ingredients -

• 2 slices soft wheat bread or soft white bread (I used wheat - ya know that fiber deal)
• about 1-2 tsp fresh dill (season to taste), finely chopped (suppose you can use dry dill, we had fresh from our garden)
• 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 1 ounce smoked salmon

Directions -

1. Mix the cream cheese and dill together in a small bowl.
2. Cut the crust off the bread.
3. Spread the mixture on both pieces of bread.
4. Place the salmon on one piece of bread and then top with the other.
5. To make it look like a tea sandwich, cut diagonally creating 4 pieces.....if you really don't care and just want to eat....then by all means - it's ready, go ahead and eat.

Serves - 1
Calories - 269

My sandwich was small because of the bread I used.  I had the no-name cheap commissary bread. So, depending on the size of your bread you may have a few more calories in yours. Rachel and I ate our sandwiches with Tostitos Artisan Baked Three Cheese Queso tortilla chips (2g fiber/150 calories per 8 chips).  Also, if you've never eaten smoked salmon, it's a little salty.  Now, the only reason I have to go back to the tea room is actually just the tea! 

I still can't belive the commissary had this!

Dill cream cheese spread on bread.

The finished product.