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.

The Healthier Nacho

• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½-1 tsp. ground chipotle powder
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¾ cup water
• 1.3 lb. Shady Brook Farms ground turkey, 99% lean
• 1 medium sized diced sweet onion
• 1 can fat free refried beans, 16 oz.
• 1 jar pickled jalapeño slices
• 1 bag Utz Baked Tortilla chips
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican reduced fat cheese

In a small bowl mix together first 7 ingredients. In a 2-cup measuring cup put ketchup, water and spice powders. Whisk together and set aside.

Brown ground turkey and onion in a medium nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking oil and cook over medium heat. When meat is no longer pink and is cooked through add spice mixture to meat while stirring well until all meat is coated. Add refried beans and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 450º at this time if you are going to bake them.

You need to decide whether or not you would like to bake or microwave them.
• Option #1: Bake at 450º on a cookie sheet for about 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Option #2: Microwave on plate until cheese is melted, my microwave took 60 seconds.

Now that you have decided whether or not you want to microwave or bake, prepare the munchies. Place chips in a single layer on a plate or cookie sheet without any gaps and a spoonful of the turkey/bean mixture onto each chip then top with grated cheese and some jalapeños.

You may make the turkey/bean mixture aday ahead if you wish, just heat mixture up before preparing Nachos. Also you may add additional toppings such as sliced black olives, freshly chopped green onion, fat free sour cream, etc.

Shrimp Cocktail

 This is my Stud Muffin's favorite appetizer. It is so quick and easy. Also you may prepare it in advance, I just love that. Now you can scrounge up any kind of glass for this, martini, margarita, etc. You can prepare this and eat it right away or wrap plastic over and refrigerate until ready to eat. A nice cold app for a hot summer day.

Shrimp Cocktail

• I bag frozen salad style precooked shrimp 100-150 per pound, only using 3 cups
• Chopped lettuce of your choice
• 4 martini glasses
• 1 lemon

Cocktail sauce

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/8 cup horseradish in jar
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp. mustard powder

About 24 hours before place frozen shrimp in air tight container in refrigerator to thaw. The next day mix together the cocktail sauce and chop the lettuce. Drain shrimp in wire mesh strainer and pat dry with a clean paper towel or two.

Place chopped lettuce in martini glasses then top with shrimp and a generous dollop of cocktail sauce. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Hummus

Hummus so expensive to buy, yet so inexpensive and easy to make. It makes for a great dip or a nice roll up and it's healthy to boot. So you may want to serve this as a dip with crackers or pita chips. Also it makes a great roll up. I like to add fat free Feta, onion slices and lettuce or broccoli slaw to my tortilla roll up. Guess what I had for lunch today. Yum yum!

Jalapeno Hummus

• 1 can Goya Garbonzo beans (1 lb, 13 oz.), drained & rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeno slices 

Add above ingredients into a food processor and whirl for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. Serve with crackers, pita crisps, or make a hummus roll up for lunch.

Bogus Bang Bang Shrimp

I'll tell you I just love, love, love the Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish Grill. So, curious me, I had to try to figure out the recipe. Only one thing, I like mine a tad bit more spicier than what they make it. So here's my version. Now if you don't want want it spicier only add 1 Tbsp of the Sriracha and chili sauce, but I highly recommend 2 Tbsp. of each. You can find the Asian sauces in any store that has an extensive ethnic aisle. Yum Yum!!!

Bogus Bang Bang Shrimp!

• 1 lb. of fresh shrimp (36/40 ct) peeled and deveined
• ½ cup Hellman's light mayonnaise
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. Tuong ot Sriracha sauce
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. Sweet Chili sauce, by Maggi Taste of Asia
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• ½ cup corn starch
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• Romaine, chopped
• green onions, sliced thin
• canola oil

In a large bowl mix together: mayonaisse, Sriracha, chili sauce and vinegar. Whisk together well and cover and refrigerate for later.

Peel and devein shrimp. Then place corn starch and panko bread crumbs on separate plates. Dip shrimp into corn starch lightly coating and tapping off excess. Then press shrimp down into panko bread crumbs and press them onto the top as well. You just want them randomly covered with the bread crumbs, not a thick coating. Lay on large platter as you coat and when all are done chill in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. This will set the breading to the shrimp so that it will not fall off during cook time.

Heat oil over medium in a large nonstick skillet until you can smell the oil. If you are unsure if the oil is hot enough just drop in one crumb of panko, it's ready when it looks like it is bubbling away. Then add shrimp and cook for 4 minutes turning shrimp over halfway through. Remove with slotted spoon onto a paper lined platter to absorb excess oil. Then toss shrimp into the large bowl of prepared sauce and toss well until evenly coated. Serve in a small bowl piled high and garnish with green onion.

I recommend using 2 Tbsp of the Sriracha and chili sauce, if you're a baby about spice just cut it back to 1 Tbsp.

Browned Mozzarella Sticks

I have my son Matt to thank for this creation (Thanks, Matt!). He calls it poor man's Halloumi. He discovered that you could brown this certain brand of string cheese (Kroger's CowPals Light), and I experimented and found two more brands that work as well (Weight Watchers and Cheeseheads Light). Other brands I tried melted and did not brown. This is the quickest and easiest appetizer that you could ever make. It is so good, and I know you will not be able to eat just one. I could hardly wait until I was done taking the pics so that I could eat it. Here we go for a party or a football game, you name it. Be the first one to show your friends and family this amazing treasure. It's like fried mozzarella sticks without the breading and oil. It's simply good. Enjoy!


Browned Mozzarella Sticks

• 1 pkg. light Mozzarella string cheese sticks individuallly wrapped*
• Spaghetti sauce for dipping

You will need to heat up a nonstick skillet over medium heat, do not coat with oil. Unwrap cheese sticks and place in skillet, as cheese begins to brown in about 2-3 minutes start to turn with tongs to brown all sides. CowPals holds its shape better than Weight Watchers, but Weight Watcher cheese browns well too. Serve immediately with some spaghetti sauce for dipping. Eat before cheese cools down and becomes a little tough.


*The best brands to use are Frigo Cheese Heads light string cheese, Kroger CowPals or Weight Watchers. The Frigo and Kroger brand work the best. I tried this with a lot of different brands and so far these are the only three that brown and do not melt.