Easy Egg Foo Yong

One of my favorite things to order at a Chinese restaurant is egg foo yong.....mostly because I love the savory brown sauce that goes all over the top. I first came across this recipe back in 2008 and loved how easy it came together with only a few ingredients. It is a unique change to your usual weeknight meal and goes along nicely with a side of fried rice or Asian veggies. You can also adapt this recipe to your families likes by using cooked chicken or pork instead of the shrimp. 

Easy Egg Foo Yong

6 eggs slightly beaten

1 (4 oz) can shrimp, drained (or 1 cup cooked meat of your choice)

1/2 cup celery, sliced fine

1/2 cup sliced green onion

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

cooking spray

Combine eggs, shrimp, celery, green onion, sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch in a bowl.  Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, and fry like small pancakes.  Brown slightly on both sides, until egg is cooked. Keep warm in covered dish while cooking remaining egg mixture. 

Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons cornstarch 

1 cup water

To make the sauce: combine soy sauce, cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk together and cook until boiling, adding more water if needed; sauce should be smooth and slightly thick.  

(Sometimes I double the sauce recipe.)

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Everyone knows that this time of year (between Thanksgiving and Christmas) the magic of cookie making and treat baking goes up a notch! I can never be satisfied to make the same ol cookies every year....although my kids wouldn't mind. I'm always looking for something more unique...but still easy to make! I'm excited to share that I found my new favorite holiday cookie!!! (for this season... ha ha) This recipe perfectly blends the tartness of cranberries with the sweetness of fresh oranges and sugar. I was in such a hurry to make these yummy cookies that I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients. All the basics of a buttery sugar cookie with the addition of dried cranberries and two oranges. Next time I will double the recipe so there will be extra to share with friends!

Cranberry Orange Cookies

recipe from http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/1361/cranberry-orange-cookies

Sugar Mixture:

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel 

Cookie:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all sugar mixture ingredients in small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, butter and egg. Beat until creamy. Reduce speed and add flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Beat until well mixed.  Add cranberries and 1 tbsp orange peel and beat until combined.  Shape cookies into one inch balls and roll in sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 7-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. (it took 9 minutes in my oven) Do not over bake.  Cool 1 minute and then remove from cookie sheet. 

Note: I dusted some of the extra orange sugar mixture on top of the "just baked" cookies while they were cooling. YUM!!!