Foodie Adventures

I just had the need to make this dish, and I didnt follow any instructions, it was about 65% successful.

The pork filling:
- 1 lb ground pork from the store
- soy sauce
- dried ginger powder (also could used the fresh minced stuff)
- Finey diced fresh carrots and green onions
- red pepper flakes

I used a peeler for the carrot and once it was peeled and simply kept on peeling and then chopped up the carrot ribbons to makes sure there were no big hunks. Then dumped it all in a bowl and mixed it up until all ingredients were evenly dispersed. I rolled the meat into links and flash fried them on a skillet in seasame oil. I removed them from the heat and let them cool.

While the pork links were cooling I made the sauce:

- Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- White vinegar
- Seasoned rice vinegar
- Honey
- ginger
- Hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
- Seasame oil (a light dash)
- More diced green onions

Just mix it all together until everything is dissolved and evenly mixed. if you want a thicker sauce, you can simmer on low heat and add some corn starch.

then I pulled the pork links aside and wrapped them in cabbage leaves. I used Savoy Cabbage which is easier to work with, the leaves are thinner and less rigid.

Wrap you cabbage and sausage rolls in the egg roll wrappers and heat up some oil.

I used vegetable oil mixed with small amounts of sesame oil and hot pepper oil.
** Make sure your oil is HOT! I set the stove eye at level 8 and let it heat up for 10-15 minutes. **

Drop egg rolls into oil and wait until skin is browned, it took about 6-7 minutes for me.

Let cool dip in sauce and enjoy!

**side note - I made the links too fat and had a difficult time folding the egg roll wrapper properly which resulted in some leaky egg rolls. Did not effect taste at all but was a bit messier when eating.

Traditionalist might feel that good fudgey brownies need no modifications.

However, unless you have tried playing with recipies, you dont know what you are missing.

I didnt take a picture of this, because a pan of brownies is looks like a pan of brownies, nothing special.

For this recipe I wanted to mimic a coconut and chocalate candy bar.

I got regular fudgey brownie mix and followed the directions on the box. Before I poured the batter into a greased pyrex dish, I added:

- Coconut extract
- Coconut flakes
- Chopped pecans that had been roasted with salt cinnamon and sugar
*However if you wanted to stay true to te candy bar, slivered almonds would work*

The result was magnifiscent, but only made better with one scoop of vanilla bean ice cram on top.

Good summer time favortie!

Burgers
Ground beef
Japapeno Peppers (pickled or fresh, finely diced)
Onion Powder
Salt & Black Pepper
Cumin
Lime Juice

Soft Flour Tortillas
Corn Chips
Guacamole
Lettuce
Onions
Tomato
Pepper Jack Cheese
Cilantro

For the burgers, mix the raw beef and all other ingredients to taste. I went heavy on cumin and jalapenos. Then press beef patties slight flatter than usual, about half an inch think. Grill them medium.

Heat up a skillet with some oil on it. Put a burger patty on the soft tortilla. Put a slice of pepper jack cheese followed by a think layer of corn chips. Then guacamole, onions, lettuce, tomotoes and cilantro in that order. Wrap it all up and brown the outside of the tortillas on the skillet.

Serve with Coronas and lime or mojitos, and serve left over corn chips with salsa of choice.

I find that pizza crust is challenging to get right at home. I also find the flavor of croissants very enjoyable. I wanted to make a unique pizza, and I didnt thing the red sauce would compliment the chicken or croissant very well. So, I thought on it some and this is what I came up with.

- Pillsbury Crescent Roll Dough
- Fried Chicken peices (lightly tossed with sweet honey BBQ)
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dip
- red onion
- green onion
- coutry salted ham
- colby jack cheese (shredded)

I rolled out two rolls of dough flat on a greased cookie sheet. Applied a light layer of hidden valley ranch dip. I put coutry salted ham in the food processor until it was finely minced and sprinkled that on next. Then finely chopped the red and green onions (which added nice color, I dont mind saying) and then the chicken and cheese. Baked at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

The end result:
It wasnt nearly tangy enough. After the cooking process the Ranch and BBQ flavors faded into the background. The Crescent rolls tasted very much like breakfast food and the whole dish tasted a little salty. Dont get me wrong, it was very VERY good. Good enough to make for guests, but just not as tangy as I expected.