Asian Steamed Dumplings

Steamed dumplings oh how I love thee. I used to make these many years ago and decided to dust off my old recipe to share. You know how you just get a craving for something.

Many moons ago I would go over to visit my friend Becki when her son Nathan was just a little guy. Without fail he would ask his Mom if Debra was bringing the dumplings. So I mastered this recipe many times over for the little guy. To this day I can not make or eat a dumpling without thinking of that little guy Nathan that stole my heart so many years ago (he's a young man now). My they grow up so fast. Enjoy!

Asian Steamed Dumplings

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey (93% lean)
• 1 tsp. garlic (chopped in jar)
• 1 tsp. freshly peeled and grated ginger root
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 green onion sliced thin (green top too)
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Teriyaki Sauce (Kikoman) and extra for dipping
• 1 ten count pack Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits 7.5 oz. can

Mix above ingredients together well, except for biscuits and flour, set aside. Meanwhile roll out one pack of the biscuits on a lightly floured surface into 4 inch rounds.

Add 1 heaping Tbsp. of meat mixture to center of biscuit round. Moisten 1/2 of biscuit edge with water and fold in half then press down and seal edges with a fork. Now you will have a half circle. Refrigerate up to 4 hours in advance or you may steam immediately.

Place dumplings in a steamer basket sprayed with cooking spray above boiling water, cover and steam them for 20 minutes. Do not open lid. I like to use a stackable steamer, be careful not to let the dumplings touch or they will stick together.

After they are done remove immediately to a serving plate and use more Teriyaki sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Fresh ginger is easier to grate if you keep it frozen. This makes 10 dumplings.

Norma's Brownies

When I was a little girl my Mom made these brownies for our family and it was my Mom's friend Norma that gave her this scrumptious recipe, hence the recipe's name. So this recipe came all the way from Oklahoma City, just a mere 5 decades ago. Oh how times flies! I cringed when my Mom first gave me this recipe because it called for Crisco in it. I thought this would be much better with butter, but trust me, butter does not work. So with an open mind try these babies. I'll tell you it spoiled me and I was never able to enjoy a brownie mix baked from the box. These brownies are moist and chocolatey in the center but with a light thin crisp of a top. Spoil yourself.

Norma's Brownies

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 10 Tbsp. powdered Hershey's cocoa
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup Crisco
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup nuts (optional) pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With an electric mixer cream together Crisco, sugar and eggs. In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt and cocoa until mixed well. Then add to Crisco mixture along with the vanilla extract, mixing until well blended.

Spray a 13" x 9" x 2" Pyrex dish with cooking spray, evenly spread batter into dish (the batter will be thick) and bake for 30 minutes or until pick into center come out clean.

Let cool for one hour then you can cut into squares and store in an air tight container.

Do not use margarine or butter.

Frozen Dog Treaties

I am a big dog lover and always try to find a way to give them different treats. If you have a dog that loves to eat peanut butter and ice then this will be a win-win for you and your beloved pooch. I went to the Dollar Store and picked up some ice cube trays for my boy Teddy. He's a loveable knucklehead.

Frozen Dog Treaties

• Peanut Butter
• Water
• Ice cube tray

Place a small dollop of peanut butter into each ice cube tray section and top off with water.

Place in freezer until frozen solid.

Empty into a Ziploc freezer bag and store in freezer. Pull out a cube for a treaty as needed.