Chinese Dumpling ingredients - Toni's version

What I put into my dumplings: (edited 6/3/2017 for clarity)

I used:
16 ounces ground pork
3.5 chopped cabbage
1.25 cups chopped white onion
12 cloves of garlic
1/2 chopped green onion
1 tsp fresh ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon Chinese seasoning (five spice)
Sea salt about 1.5 tsp
Black pepper .5 tsp

***red curry paste**** 2nd dumpling option.



In a skillet, I added the cabbage, onion and garlic and cooked until tender and
then I mixed it with everything else.

I then made various shaped dumplings.

I loaded the top part of the steamer with the  dumplings that I made  with the mixture above.  Then I took a portion of the mixture and added the red curry paste and I made dumplings for the second layer of the steamer.

I used store bought wrappers and stuffed and shapped them.  I put them in my bamboo steamer and cooked for 12 minutes. Most of the recipes called for 12 minutes and one recipe said that the pork temp must be 155 degrees.  Mine got to l60.

I am sorry that I do not have a recipe link as I made this one up from other recipes that I read and videos on you tube.

My cooking notes:  I would use more cabbage and some finely chopped celery.  I could use about double the chinese spice and red curry and definitely more salt.   I think fine shreds of carrot would add flavor.  I think I could use less meat in them.   And the less meat goes for less fat and calories, so that is  a win for me.  Also the reason for the more veggies is that the pork seems to be dense when steamed.  I'd like a less dense filling.

I made a variety of little sauces using vinegar and some of the premade sauces.

I ended up with a fist shaped ball of left over mixture that I froze immediately.  I also ended up with about 20 dumplings that I froze.

Update on the frozen dumplings.  I took them out of the freezer a few days later and fried them frozen.  They turn out beautifully.  Tastey, but you know.. FRIED.....

Chinese Dumplings - first try

Full disclosure:  They might not be Chinese... I used some of the recipe for Chinese and various add-ins from other how to videos.

I will write the recipe on my next post.  I had so much fun making these.

Today's post is mostly pictures.   

I had to at least try them fried.

What is happening - chatty blog post

Hello out there...

What is new?

Violin Bow News:   I have a lovely new Holstein II wooden violin bow.  I got it from the Fiddlershop in Florida. Feel free to comment or ask questions and I  can give you more details.  And here is the link. MY New Bow.   I enjoy this wondrous and beautiful bow more than I can express.   I got to try a few bows before I made up my mind.  That was quite an experience.  And she looks pretty with my violin as well, that is just a bonus.

I have been making some soap.  I made some lovely bars for Mothers Day for my family of mom's... (mom, sister, daughter, nieces..).  That particular batch had the best sweet smell.  It is Black Raspberry with vanilla hints.










  Facebook Page.  Then I did some catch up soap making for sale to my office.  Once people use it, they don't necessarily want other soap.   I also do plan to debut some soap for sale in the "shop" officially to the Home Goods By Toni Customers.   June!!!

My violin time has been limited, so I go home at lunch to play as this usually gives me 30 minutes.  But then I have to be careful with time.  I am also at home and it takes focus not to wash a dish or do a little clean up while I am home on break... I get so distract.. OH I have a plant to water, oh what can I put in the crock pot.  AND.... I don't have any real violin projects going.  I need to review what I need to work on, and what I want to play. I am ready to learn something lovely and soul stirring.  Perhaps something classical or something from my Beatles song book. Any suggestions?

In my kitchen, there is still bread making and then there is research.  oh yes...  Chinese dumplings.  I don't make them, I rarely have ever eaten them.  They are my new obsession.  So I will end this post and hit up Amazon for bamboo dumpling steamers.   I am looking to make something simple, of the round style Chinese dumplings with Pork, cabbage and ginger.    And anything that is Weigh Watcher somewhat friendly is better.  And as always homemade is better for me too.

Happy Wednesday to all.

PS.  I love all the private messages, but feel free to chat it up here on the blog too.   I find often it is nice to share here and just ignore some of the other social network venues.  Blogging feels old fashioned and more safe...I guess that sounds silly.

Weight Watcher Food doesn't have to be boring....

Well... and then there is bread......

Three Strand Challah Bread for Mothers Day.  It turned out great.

And the usual Sour Dough

Sometimes

Sometimes Life

Seems to be a series.

A series of dots.

Connect the dots.

This dot to that.

Rush.

All the while...

Traveling to the next dot

Taking cell pics, selfies

Rushing Rushing.

Zoom.

We made it, hurry

Posts the pics, recharge

devices and zoom off

To the next dot.

Wonder.

And we just repeat.

Our goal, we made it..

Now post more pics

Loosing precious moment.

Truth

We loose our moments

Only to preserve a moment.

We miss to preserve

And loose new memories.

Grasp

As we zoom to the next dot,

We check for feedback,

As we take more pics,

Sometimes we loose time.

Aware

Sometimes life...

TCG2017

Rock Bottom

Rock Bottom.

I have always thought of it in terms of addiction.  The very worst that could happen til the next thing that happens.  So lost your wife, or lost your home, living on the street, stole to get drugs.

Tonight I am thinking of bottom line.  What is a bottom line? Is it how many times we let someone do something to us? How late we pay a bill before getting a late fee?  How many more times we will let someone say something to us before we stop it, or drop them as a friend.

How many times we accept less than adequate before we make a demand. 

I found the two terms to be a like. I spent time tonight thinking of what all the rock bottoms would be in my life.  Does one know the rock bottom before its there? Bottom line, do we only make them in difficult situations? Do we make them in advance.  Like the planners and doers in life.

Just got me thinking.  It turned out that thinking about rock bottom and bottom line is productive. Write some down. Analyze them, and then check back to see...did you stand your ground or did they become changing...did the bottom and bottom line go lower. Was it set to low.

Feedback and thoughts?  And these bottom topic can apply to anything.

I would love to discuss. Please feel fee to comment.

Here

Tall cool trees stand in truth

Drought, disease, flood

I am here.

Crevices in the earth

Mountains that erupt

I am here.

Swaddled babies

Crooked smile school pics

I am here.

Phone in hand

Decades of life

I am here.

Memorial and grief

The trace I left 

I was here.

Under a microscope

Living under a microscope

What food?

What parenting choices?

And who to spend time with...

Staying silent for peace

World, political or social?

What is in that Latte?

What are you watching,

Reading, drinking?

Post don't post

Feel, don't feel.

Fight, don't fight.

The hours fly by 

As the seasons do...

To be heard.

To be heard

Without hurting.

To speak without damage.

Care, don't care.

Let go of hurt,

Learn to grow with change.

Let the out of control

Shape into peace.

Toni C. Gomez 2017