Christmas Cookies and Asian Food

I'm still baking and will continue to do so until right before Christmas.  I made these almond slices yesterday.


I promised my kids egg rolls and fried rice for dinner yesterday so I was up early dicing vegetables.


Both of these are easy to make but they do require a lot of dicing.  For the rice, you start by melting a bit of butter combined with olive oil in a large pot.


Quickly saute' onions, garlic, ginger, carrots and celery.  You want them to stay crunchy.


Then add some whisked eggs to the side of the pot.  I used 10 cups of pre-cooked  rice and 6 eggs.  So, you need to adjust accordingly. Cook the rice the day before and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.


Scramble the eggs.


Push the eggs to the side with the veggies.


Add the rice.


Add some soy sauce.  I added 6 Tablespoons.  If you want a regular sized serving, cut this recipe down to a third.
Add a bit of fish sauce, about 1 tablespoon.



Add a few Tablespoons of oyster sauce and sesame oil.  Add freshly ground black pepper.


Taste it and adjust the seasoning.


My kids love fried rice with shrimp so I pan-fried some in sesame oil and added them and then tossed it all together.  I topped this with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.


For the egg rolls, I sauteed 1 # of pork sausage and added 4 cups of shredded cabbage, 2 shredded carrots, diced onion, several minced garlic cloves and when it was done cooking, I tossed it with 1/4 cup of fish sauce. Let it cool completely and then wrap it in egg roll wrappers.


Brush the egdes of the wrappers before rolling them to help hold them together.
Heat some oil over medium high in a heavy pot.


Fry the rolls on all sides until they are crisp and dark brown.  Drain them on paper towels. I made some sweet and sour dipping sauce as well as a soy/ginger sauce too.


Then I made some chocolate cookie cups with mint frosting. My kids have to wait for Xmas to get these!
 

Comments

Now I want egg rolls, damn you.
Leanna said…
Screw the cookies, you had me at Asian food. Especially the fried rice and eggrolls. OY!! I could taste them from here.
Guillaume said…
I read somewhere that Jews eat Chinese food at Christmas, because Chinese takeaways and restaurants are the only places open on Christmas Day. Apparently it's not an urban legend. This looks delicious. Love the bakery too.
Leanne said…
James and his partner come every Tuesday for tea... they as of yet do not put in orders for the meal.....but if they read your blog they just might start.
Laura said…
Please adopt me. Nevermind that I am 53 years old. My mother was a terrible cook and I feel deprived.