Pot stickers anyone?

Today was a two meal day.  Every other Saturday we have the boys over all day.  I always start the day out with french toast and bacon.  Pretty standard fare.  The french toast is made with texas toast to give it some oomph.  Nothing wimpy about my guy's appetite so I like to go big.  The egg mix is just egg, vanilla, milk and a pinch of salt.  I had purchased some different extracts one day on a whim so I also made two of the toasts with some orange extract added to the basic egg mix.  You could smell the extract more than taste it, but not bad.  We like to try some different toppings and that is why the many jars of jelly are out.  Add a whole pound of bacon and, voila, breakfast.  Yummmm

After some game playing and grocery shopping it was time to start dinner.  Nick is a budding chef so we take advantage of this time together to cook.  I love having a sous chef.

This is Nick...handsome, isn't he.

Nick had already decided what dinner would be.  We have attempted to make pot stickers on several occasions and he wanted to give them another shot today.  To go along with the pot stickers he wanted to have Kung Pao Chicken.  The Kung Pao recipe is the same as the Kung Pao Beef I made at the beginning of the week.  Just replace the beef with chicken.

Rice...                                                                            Veggies...

                                 

My darling husband/best friend garnished his Kung Pao with a little more heat, sriracha sauce all over it...

  

I just like a few peanuts for the crunch factor

The real star of the show is the pot stickers.  Nick made the filling all by himself.  And did a fine job!!

Pot Stickers

1 pound ground sausage

2 cups chopped cabbage

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1 Tbs chopped green onion

1 Tbs sesame oil

2 tsp grated ginger

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 package won ton wrappers

Sprinkle some salt on the cabbage to draw out the water.  Let this set while you get all the other ingredients in your bowl.  When everything else is in the bowl take the cabbage and wrap it in paper towel and squeeze out the moisture.  Add the cabbage to the bowl and combine well.

Take approx 1 Tbs of the mixture and place it in the middle of the won ton.  We have been playing with the best way to form the pot stickers and have not really decided on the best way.  I encourage you to play with it also.  Just don't forget to wet the edges of the won ton with some water before you start your fancy fold.  It's the water that makes them stick together.  Put a little oil in the pan and add 1/4 cup of chicken stock on medium heat.  Add as many pot stickers as will fit in your pan without them touching each other.  Put a lid on the pan and let them steam for 6-7 minutes.  Remove them from the pan and put them on some parchment paper sprayed with some oil so they don't stick.  When you have them all steamed clean out your pan, put about 1/4 cup of oil in the pan and put it on meduim high.  Fry one side of your pot sticker to a golden brown.  

Dipping Sauce

2 Tbs light soy sauce (we used regular soy and it was too strong, if using regular water it down a bit)

1 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tsp grated ginger

a splash of sesame oil and a few rounds of green onion and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds make the sauce special.

We still need to perfect the appearance of those pot stickers but I don't know if we could make them taste any better...

Very flavorful and satisfying meal.  Thanks Nick for the menu and all the help!!