Dumplings, Dumplings, and more Dumplings

DUMPLINGS 

14 oz. ground beef or pork

3 cups frozen spinach, slightly thawed

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 carrot, shredded

1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger

1½ tbsp. fresh minced garlic

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tbsp. dried chopped onion flakes

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 pkg. Wonton wrappers

Place spinach in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 15 minutes.  Meanwhile in a separate bowl, combine ground beef, carrot, ginger, garlic, egg, onion flakes, and soy sauce. Mix with hands to combine well.  Pick up clumps of spinach and squeeze to expel liquid. Stir into meat mixture.

Lightly brush a Wonton wrapper with water and place a small amount of meat mixture in the center.  Fold over to create a triangle and pinch to seal.  Create a ripple pattern by pinching and pushing together small segments of the wrapper. Continue with each wrapper until all meat mixture is used.

Fill tea kettle with water and bring to a boil. Heat oil in large WOK or skillet with a tight fitting cover.  Place dumplings in hot oil and cook just until brown on the bottoms (2-3 minutes). Carefully pour in boiling water just to cover dumplings.  Reduce heat and cover. Cook five minutes. Remove dumplings from water quickly and serve hot with garlic-gingered soy sauce and hot mustard paste.

To make garlic-gingered soy sauce, add 1 tsp. each of fresh minced ginger and fresh minced garlic to ½ cup soy sauce. Let stand for 1 hour.  To make hot mustard paste, use equal amounts of dry mustard and water and mix to create a paste.

This recipe is time consuming, but the dumplings are worth the effort.  It took me about an hour to wrap 53 dumplings. Plan ahead. 

 POTATO DUMPLINGS

DUMPLING

4 cups mashed potatoes (about 6 medium potatoes or 2 lbs.)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup bread crumbs

½ tsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper

TOPPING

¼ cup butter

1/8 cup bread crumbs

1/8 cup chopped onions

2½ slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Combine mashed potatoes, flour, egg, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Mix well. Shape into 15 balls. Heat large pot of water to boiling. Gently drop balls into water. Once they float to the top, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

In small sauce pan combine butter and onions and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until the butter slightly browns. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs and bacon bits. Pour sauce over dumplings before 

COTTAGE DUMPLINGS

3 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

2/3 cup frozen corn

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs

¼ cup corn meal

1 egg

½ cup cottage cheese

2 tbsp. chicken broth

3 Chile peppers, thinly sliced

Mix all ingredients and use small ice cream scoop to make mini dumpling balls.  Place in single layer on large plate and set in fridge until ready to cook. Carefully slide dumpling balls onto beans in simmering stew.  Do not drop directly into liquid.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.  Gently shake pot to prevent sticking.  Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes until dumplings are firm.  Let stand 5-10 minutes 

SAGE DUMPLINGS

1½ cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2/3 cup milk

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp. fresh rubbed sage

Mix all ingredients together just until moistened.  Once stew is boiling add dumplings by spoonful, cover, reduce heat and cook 13-15 minutes.  Do not remove cover while dumplings are cooking.  Cool 10-15 minutes with cover off. 

PLAIN DUMPLINGS

In medium bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. salt. Cut in 2 tbsp. shortening until mixture resembles crumbs. Add ½ cup buttermilk, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into six mounds on top of soup or stew (do not drop in liquid). Return to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into dumpling comes out clean.

BREAD DUMPLINGS

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup lukewarm water

3 slices bread, cubed

Mix flour, baking soda, garlic powder, and salt in large bowl. Add beaten egg. Add the lukewarm water and mix well with wooden spoon. Add bread.  Mix well and roll into oblong dumplings. Place into boiling water, cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring once.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

I never knew there were so many styles of dumplings.  I have not tried Apple Dumplings.  Do you have a favorite dumpling recipe?  What is it?

Welcome to the 2018 A-Z Blogging challenge.  This will be my fourth year. Every year I take on the challenge with hopes of disciplining myself to keep writing throughout the year as much, if not more than just through the monthly challenge. (It certainly is a challenge.)  Some years are better than others.  Some I just lose track of time.  This year I have decided to put my favorite hobbies together. A recipe that is tried and true as well as some thoughtful insight.  Please note some of these recipes have been shared before, however they have gone through years of testing and this is the perfected recipe.  I really hope one of my recipes or “Food for Thought” inspires you to do something great.  Enjoy the read and the photos, try the recipe, share your thoughts or comments, and most of all, have FUN with the challenge this month!

Cheers,