There are no Mistakes in The Kitchen, Just Learning Moments!

On the way home from work with teens in tow, we made a stop at the market.  "Mom, what's for dinner, can you make it something good?"  Of course my knee jerk reaction is something to the effect of, "don't I always make something good?"  We put the Tuesday sale bananas in the cart and discussed "something good".  We decided on Chicken Stir Fry and Baked Egg Rolls.....baked?  Now that is a first!  With the help of google on my Smart phone, I saw a recipe for Baked Egg Rolls.  For the record, I tend to use the basics of a recipe and then add my creative flare....ok sometimes my creative turns into a "learning" moment.  We gathered the few items we needed and set out on a kitchen adventure!

The recipe called for a lot of interesting ingredients, so we changed this up to be basic and incorporate things we already had on hand.  Next, we followed the direction part of the recipe.  Here is where the true learning lesson came into play.  The end direction stated to bake the egg rolls at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 minutes.  What it failed to mention is that you should turn the Egg Rolls over half way through the baking time to avoid the bottoms becoming too overdone.  The Egg Rolls were edible, but would have been a lot better with that small added instruction.  After our meal, I noted this and will not give up.  The whole meal was overall tasty, we kept it within our budget and for the most part, it was healthy and we added a lot of vegetables to the end result.  Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork ( our store only had pork sausage and the spice was a nice addition.)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup shredded cabbag

1 1/2 cup shredded carrots.

4 to 5 large mushrooms chopped

1 tbs. white vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper ( if you use pork sausage, you may want to add it by taste at end of browning.)

Egg Roll Wraps ( You will find these I produce section by sprouts and mushrooms)

Directions

1.  Brown pork, onions, cabbage and carrots.  When the pork is almost browned, add mushrooms.  Drain grease from the mixture.

2.  Turn the egg roll wrap so it is in shape of diamond.  Place a serving spoon full of the mixture in the center.  You do not want to put too much of the mixture on wrap or you will not be able to roll it up without the wrap tearing.  pull the right corner and then the left over,  Start at the bottom of the wrap and roll it up.  Continue this until mixture has been used.  you should have 10 to 12 Egg Rolls when done. 

3.  Place rolls on a sprayed jelly roll pan (17 1/2" x 12 1/2" x 1") or large cookie sheet pan.  Lightly spray tops of egg rolls so that they will brown.  

4.  Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 9 minutes.  Turn Egg Rolls over, lightly spray and bake for 9 more minutes.  Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce.  

**remember, this is a basic recipe! feel free to experiment!  I would like to try some that have only vegetables in them.

You will find Egg Roll Wraps in produce section usually by sprouts and mushrooms.

Meat and Vegetable Mixture

 

1. Place wrap on plate, diamond shaped.  Place a spoon full of meat and vegetable mixture in center.

2.  Fold left corner and then right corner over the left corner, press lightly.

3.  Fold bottom up to meet center.

4. Roll them up, put on greased jelly roll pan, bake 9 minutes, turn them over and bake for 9 more minutes.  Watch them closely so they do not over cook.

"I have not failed.  I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison

Remember, there are no failures in the kitchen, just learning moments.  Find your passion in the kitchen and you will continue learning and at the same time, living healthier and happier!  Until next time, enjoy an adventure in your kitchen!

Water, Without it There is no Life!

I began thinking about the first blog of the year, what great dish could I share with you?  Then it came to me, I often tell people about the importance of water, but it gets lost in all the conversation about nutrition and does not often come up when talking about food preparation. Water struck a chord and is a perfect follow up to the topic of New Year's Resolutions.

Through the help of google, I was given it's chemical compound of 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.  I know that it gives us life, without it we die.  Our body would not function, plants would not grow, we would cease to exist.  So what does this have to do with food already?  Well, in order to be healthy, we must not forget water. 

According to Mayo Clinic, the typical recommendation by the medical community is for us to consume 8 to 12 glasses a day.  So, do you?  If not, have you thought about why you do not?   Let's dive into the subject of water, and hopefully when this blog is finished, you will make a lifestyle change to consume more water.

What reasons do you have for not drinking more water?  That is a good place to start.  My reasons vary.  I forget to drink water because I am busy, I hate tap water because it tastes bad, I forgot my water bottle and the list goes on and on.  This is another one of those things related to behavior and habit.  I am good at getting my 8 to 12 glasses of water if I am at work and in  my routine.  If I am off work for a time, then I do not typically drink my 8 glasses unless I have a plan.

  Let's look at some ideas to increase your daily water intake:

1.  Invest in a water bottle.  I purchased a water bottle at a local department store at the change of the season between summer and fall.  I paid half of what I would have originally and it has features I really like.  It is metal, has a removable cap and the cap has a hook on it so that if I take it with me on a bike ride, I can attach it easily. 
2.  Form a habit.  I never leave without my water bottle!  It is like my purse at this point.  I fill it with my familiar tap water and off I go to meet the day.  I have instilled this habit with my family as well.  Anytime we are off for an adventure in the car or enjoying time outdoors, we all have our water bottles with us.  This prevents those pesky urges to go to a convenience store and spend money on plastic water bottles or those other evil selections like pop that are calling your name.
3.  Taste, ok this is all great but I hate the taste!  Two suggestions to combat this challenge, the first is to put water in a pitcher and place it in the refrigerator.  By doing this, the chlorination of the water dissipates and it tastes better.  The second thing you could try is to cut up fresh fruit ( in season is always the best for the pocket book and also tastes better), place in water pitcher and fill it with water.  Keep this on hand in your refrigerator.
4.  Plastic water bottles:  Personally, this is the very last on my list!  I have an issue with the fact that we are filling up our landfills. Refilling them is not good as it can create toxins and this is not good for your health. 

 

Apple Citrus Flavored Water

 

1 1/2 qt. water

 

1 medium orange, washed and sliced

 

1 medium green granny smith apple, washed and sliced

 

1 small lemon, washed and sliced

 

Slice fruits and place in bottom of 2 quart pitcher, fill with water.  Place in refrigerator.  You will want this to sit for at least two hours for the fruit to flavor the water.

 

*The best part about flavored water is that you can be creative and add whatever kind of fruit you like to water.  Enjoy!

Now, you have to ask yourself, what are you willing to do to make 8 to 12 glasses of water a must in your daily routine?  Until next time, remember all the vital reasons to increase your water intake.  I leave you with Handel, Water Music.  Relaxing is also a must for your health! Cheers!