Getting back into the crafting spirt

It has been such a long time since I have done any type of crafting. I am trying to rekindle the spirit and keep my mind busy. So I bought some cotton yarn and crocheted a small afghan for the cats.

Sorry, I didn't pick the best background color for this. I wasn't really thinking. It is the "granny square" pattern except for the last two rows where I switched to the "shell" pattern. 

I placed it in the current sacrificial box (the one the cats use until it is scratched to pieces), but before I retrieved my camera, Lathandar made himself comfortable. Cat approved! My job was a success. 

Cream Cheese Mints

This is a favorite recipe for special occasions. I could not find my candy molds which would have shaped them into pretty roses. So I used a fork to press lines into the top.

Ingredients:
8 oz of cream cheese at room temperature (Do not use low fat or fat free. The candies won't hold their shape.)
6 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp of peppermint
Food coloring (follow directions on package)
Granulated sugar
Candy molds (optional)

Directions:
Mix cream cheese, peppermint, food coloring and 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Then add the rest of the powdered sugar one cup at a time until you have a dough like consistency. You may not need all 6 cups of powdered sugar. It may be easier to use a food processor than a mixer. 

Use a measuring teaspoon to scoop out candy dough and then roll into a ball. Cover in granulated white sugar and then press into molds. If you do not have candy molds then press to flatten the ball on a baking tray and then make criss cross patterns with a fork.

If you have smaller molds, then use the appropriate size measuring spoon for that candy mold. If you prefer smaller candies, then use 1/2 tsp for each ball. 

Allow to dry on the counter until the outside becomes firm and looses its tackiness. Then store in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer until ready for use. Do use an airtight container to prevent them from picking up flavors from the fridge or freezer. 

Makes over 100 teaspoon sized candies or 200 half-teaspoon sized candies. 

Korean Egg Rolls or Yokimondo

Korean Egg Rolls or Yokimondo

Now, I'll admit that I make any traditional Korean cook cringe with my western ways, but honestly, there are days that I don’t have time to prepare dishes without using short cuts. So, I am going to give you the recipe, including my short cuts. In this recipe, I give the amounts as if you were using a 1 pound Japanese cabbage. Just note the weight of your cabbage when you buy it and multiply the amount listed below for each pound of cabbage. So if you have a 2 pound cabbage, just multiply everything by 2.

• ·        1 pound of chopped Japanese cabbage 
• ·        1 pound of ground beef
• ·        ½ cup of shredded carrots
• ·        ½ cup of chopped onions or 3 TBS of dried onions. NOTE: using dried onions will absorb liquid and reduce grease splatter. 1 tablespoon of dried onion flakes equals 1/3 of a cup of fresh chopped onions, but the specifics of your brand of onion flakes should be on the spice container.
• ·        4 cloves of garlic chopped or ½ tsp of powdered garlic
• ·        2 TBS of chopped ginger or ½ tsp of powdered ginger
• ·        ¼ of a cup of soy sauce
• ·        1 package of egg roll wrappers (spring roll wrappers will give a crispier end result)
• ·        1 egg lightly beaten with a 1 TBS of water
• ·        Oil for frying. NOTE: a neutral tasting oil usually works better for a recipe like this. I use canola oil.

In a hot skillet, add the soy sauce, ground beef, shredded carrots, and fresh onions until the beef is browned. If using dried onions, do not add that at this time. Remove from heat.

In this next step, I wanted to share that coleslaw mix (without the dressing) can be substituted for the Japanese cabbage. It is sold in packages of 16 ounces which equals one pound and is already chopped.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, garlic, ginger, and the dried onions at this time. If you are using fresh onions, you already added them to the beef when browning.  Add the browned beef. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. This is your filling.

Start with the egg roll wrapper on a plate or cutting board positioned so that it is angled like a diamond instead of a square. Add 1 TBL of filling to the center of the egg roll square. Place a coating of the beaten egg mixture on the outer ½ inch edge of all sides of the diamond. Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Do not match to the top edge. Leave about ½ to 1 inch of the top so you can still see the egg coated edge. Press to seal. Fold the sides in pressing the egg coated edge to seal. Then roll the egg roll away from you. Press the edge down to seal.

Place the rolled egg rolls into your hot oil. Make sure your oil is hot enough to fry the egg roll. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Then turn the egg roll over for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a cooling rack or paper towels for 2 to 5 minutes to allow to cool enough to eat. Enjoy with rice, your favorite Asian food, or as a snack.