Quick and Easy Bruschetta

I absolutely love bruschetta, it is one of my favorite dishes. To make the traditional tomato and basil bruschetta a little more filling, I like to add mozzarella. Then I have a quick, easy, and delicious lunch that will hold me over till dinner. Or until I open the fridge and see the chocolate chip cookie dough :p

12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half; you could also use one large tomato or 2 small ones cut into cubes

1/4 cup mozzarella, cut into cubes

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, grated or finely minced

2 tbs. basil, chiffonade

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

3 slices crusty bread, 1/2 in thickness

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing on the bread

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Brush each slice of bread with a little olive oil on both sides. Place the bread in the skillet and let toast until it is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. 

While the bread is toasting, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Once the bread is toasted top with the bruschetta mixture and enjoy!

Fake-out Takeout

Pork Gyoza (Dumplings/Potstickers)

Vegetable Fried Rice

Instead of ordering Chinese takeout, why not try and make it at home? It is easy, fun, and friendly on your wallet! Below are the recipes for each dish.

Pork Gyoza (Dumplings/Potstickers)
1 lb. ground pork
6 oz. cream cheese; brought to room temperature
2 large eggs
4 scallions, diced
3 large garlic cloves, grated
2 tbs. ginger, grated
4 tbs. soy sauce
3 tsp. sesame oil
3 tbs. vegetable or canola oil
wonton wrapper; approximately 60

In a medium bowl whisk together the softened cream cheese, eggs, grated garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whisk ingredients till combined - it is alright if there are still a few lumps of cream cheese. You can also mix the ingredients with a hand-mixer but I find that a whisk works just fine.

Next fold in the scallions and ground pork and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over work the mixture, as the meat will begin to get tough and will become chewy when cooked. Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into the center of a wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with a little water using your finger, fold the wrapper in half but do not seal. Pinch one end of the wrapper closed, then begin to create pleats along the edge of the wrapper until you reach the other end. Flatten out the bottom of the dumpling so it will sit nicely in the skillet. Repeat until all the wonton wrappers are filled.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tbs vegetable or canola oil on medium-high heat. Place the dumplings, flat side down, in the pan; making sure not to over-crowd the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown. Next, pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet and cover with a lid, cook the dumplings another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Working in batches until all the dumplings are cooked. 

Serve with honey-soy dipping sauce and enjoy!

Note: This recipe makes a lot of dumplings, we generally freeze half of the dumplings to enjoy later.

Honey-Soy Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 tbs sesame oil
4 tbs rice vinegar
3 scallions, diced
1 large clove garlic, grated
1 tbs ginger, grated

Combine all the ingredients into a tupperware, tightly secure the lid, and shake until combined. Serve with pork gyoza.

Vegetable Fried Rice
1 c brown rice
2 1/4 c water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c edamame
1 c shredded carrots
1/2 c peas
4 tbs. vegetable or canola oil
1 packet of fried rice seasoning mix
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 scallion sliced thin for garnish

In a small sauce pan bring the water and salt to a boil. Once the water has boiled, stir in the rice, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. 

After the rice has cooked, heat the oil to high heat in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, place the rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and seasoning mix into the skillet. Stir to combine and let sit for 4-5 minutes until the bottom of the rice gets crisp and browned. Flip the rice and cook for another 4-5 minutes. You want the pan to stay very hot so you can get the rice crisp and a little crunchy, mimicking the traditional fried rice texture without having to "fry" it in too much oil or a wok.

Garnish with sliced scallions and serve!

Note: You can add whatever vegetables you like or substitute white rice for brown rice.