Spiced Lamb Dumplings - Khasi Momo

Well I couldn't stop at just the one dumpling, the gyoza, from the Asian Dumpling cookbook.  I found this recipe for Spiced Lamb Dumplings and they are delcious! 

These dumplings are Nepalese, "which combines Indain an Tibetan cuisines, and these classic dumplings illuminate that wonderful marriage."  Andrea Nguyen says that you can opt to substitute ground beef, pork, or dark-meat chicken or turkey.

 

I made them with open tops, a little different than the recipe calls for, but it worked out perfectly.

Lia helped me by putting the dumplings into the steaming basket.

These were perfectly paired being served with a home made Spicy Tomato Sauce.

Lia loved them too!  And did pretty well with chop sticks!  ;)

BAKED Risotto!

Ok so this is obviously not a photo my amazing photographer sister Patti took but I just had to make this post.  I found a recipe for BAKED risotto....hello!  How wonderful is that?  And I made the version with Mushrooms and Sausage.  It was FABULOUS!  I will be making this recipe again!  :D

Japanese Pork and Shrimp Pot Stickers - Gyoza

I LOVE gyoza and have wanted to make them for a LONG time (altho I have made something similar - a Filipino Steamed Pork Dumpling).  Today I decided I would finally make these and I'm glad that I did.  I got the recipe from a book called 'Asian Dumplings' by Andrea Nguyen, who also wrote an award winning book that I've made some recipes from titled 'Into the Vietnamese Kitchen'. 

The ingredients:  Chinese Cabbage (salted & drained), green onions, garlic, ginger, pork & shrimp.

After the seasonings - the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil. 

Assembling the gyoza, thankfully I have a handy little crimper, it makes much more beautiful gyoza than the ones I made from crimping via my hands.

The finished yummy gyoza.  These we all enjoyed, including Lia.  Lia called them "Japanoyzas".  = Japanese Gyozas :) 

Egg cooked inside avocado

I saw this posted on a food blog and thought how ingenious it was!  Avocado (or guacamole) are a FAVORITE of Lia and I with egg.  I tried this this morning and it was yummy! 

Mulligitawny and Green Raita

Here is the Green Raita....so delicious!  Raita is a yogurt salad popular in India and it's used as a condiment in this recipe. Typically raitas are a cooling component to a spicy dish, but this dish is not spicy and this Raita was perfect for this recipe. 

Sauteeing the onions, garlic, green apple, and ginger. 

Here are the spices. 

Served topped with brown basmatti rice (I added cilantro, salt and olive oil to the rice) and the Green Raita - along with a lime wedge.  YUM!!! 

Frank told me tonight that this soup "Mulligatwany" was one of the soups that the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld served up regularly, apparently is was Kramer's favorite.  Here tonight it was ALL of our favorites: me, Frank and Lia!  :)  I love it when I try something so totally new and it's so yummy!  I will make this again.  I am thinking about you Connie to serve it next time you and Chris are here for dinner! 

1st Tandem Ride - Loveland bike trail!

Today we had a GREAT day! It was gorgeous outside and we wanted to see what a tandem bike would be like, especially since I am so used to taking Lia on my bike in the trailer and Frank has been suggesting that we all ride up to Yellow Springs.  I felt like it would be my way of keeping Lia "attached to me" and STILL getting the workout!  :)  It was completely different letting go of steering (and being careful not to rock the bike) and of the brakes.  It took a little bit but we got the hang of it pretty quickly.  I think however I will just let Frank cart Lia in the trailer for a big trip.  We really did enjoy the bike trail's beauty (and safety) but would prefer to go next time during the week on our own bikes to avoid many of the other people. 

We stopped on the way back at the Train Stop and Lia loved the animated chimpanzee!  We each enjoyed a cold beer (it was the best refreshment of my day)! 

Lia wanted to sit on the front of our bike after our long ride (she was happy to be out of the trailer).  Pretty soon she'll be riding alongside of us!

My new 4 Tier Cooling Rack!

Ok so I have wanted one of these for a long time, ever since I read a review of this in a Cook's Illustrated.  I finally just bought it for myself and I am soooo happy that I did!  The first recipe I made using this rack?  Yummy yummy Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies!  I will be making these again soon to freeze b/c they are delcious, somewhat healthy (they have some WW flour in them and oats along with the banana).  :)