The filling wasn't too hard. The only thing I plan to change next time is to add less white pepper. The wrappers were the tough part. Practice makes perfect I suppose, but even if they're ugly and too thick, like mine were, they still taste pretty good!
I've taken over all the cooking and cleaning since I retired. With my wife still working, it seemed only fair. I have a 20 year old daughter too but she doesn't have much interest in cooking.
As PS demonstrated with his dim sum recipe, Google is your friend. Just find a recipe and follow it exactly. The boldest I've gotten on my own is substituting a few herbs here and there.
Also, I usually include the word "simple" in my search. Doesn't always work because a recipe with 20 ingredients, including things I've never even heard of, sometimes seems simple to other people.
I find the the biggest challenge is actually planning the menus and trying not to be boring. At first I felt like I had to come up with a new dish every week but now I'm up to making something new about every other week.
There was a thread like this before...best things on it as I remember were a pork belly recipe and also a suggestion to liven up turkey frame soup by adding curry powder.
However I am all for another recipe thread!! Good time for it too. Here's a very simple butternut squash soup I made last night. I've tried lots of squash soup recipes and this one is the bomb.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash - best from farmer's market or locally grown, with dark orange innards, otherwise this soup will be flavorless
2 Tbsp butter
1 shallot chopped - ok to substitute 1/4 - 1/2 regular onion in a pinch
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped
dash cinnamon
dash allspice
1/4 cup heavy cream (could use up to half cup if you want. Less is fine too.)
spoonful maple syrup (optional)
salt, pepper to taste
Equipment: soup pot with steamer that fits over it.
Wash the butternut squash and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds/innards and set aside. Cut the squash into several large pieces. Melt the butter in the soup pot, and saute the shallot, ginger, and saved seeds for a few minutes. The butter will turn bright yellow (if it doesn't, you have a crappy flavorless squash). Add the spices and saute another minute. Pour in 3-4 cups water, depending on the size of your squash. Fit the steamer over the pot and put in the squash pieces. Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Let the squash steam for about 25-30 minutes, until soft-tender. Turn off the heat and spread the squash pieces on a pan or cutting board to cool. Strain the cooking liquid and discard the cooked vegetables & seeds. Once squash is cool enough to handle, scoop it off the skin and add to the liquid. Blend until smooth. Add the cream & maple syrup and reheat. Salt & pepper to taste.
If the squash was really high quality to begin with, I find very little need for the cream & maple syrup, but they were in the original recipe and sometimes they help balance out the flavors.
