Saturday, April 11, 2009

A real post about Spring Rolls

Because the first batch were a reasonably good hit, I decided to make Spring Rolls again. These are soft rolls in the Vietnamese style. And this time, I have pictures.

And we're off!

Supplies:
This is Rice Paper, but you could see that because you're observant. It's very stiff like plastic when you buy it.

These are the rest of the supplies. Noodles (I used rice noodles.), Cooked Shrimp, Sliced Avocado tossed with some lime juice, Romaine Lettuce Leaves, and Cilantro leaves

Step 1:
First you have to dip the rice paper in a bowl of water to soften it up. This only takes a few seconds, the water keeps working even after you've taken it out of the bowl.

You can see it goes from stiff to soft and will fit into the bowl. When this is done, pull it out and let it drip a bit before placing it on your work surface.

Step 2:
The blank slate.

Step 3:
This is the soft rice paper with a small handful of cooked noodles in the middle. What you see is what you get. It's time to layer the goodness on.

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:
Now that all of the goodies are layered up on the rice paper, it's time to fold it up. I liken it to folding a burrito, but I don't know if I fold burritos correctly, so your mileage may vary. At any rate, first fold the sides in.

Step 8:
Next you will fold one end up over your stuffings. It's important to get this as tight as you can without breaking the rice paper. It's not likely, but it is possible, so beware. Continue to roll the rest of the way up pulling the center tight in as you go.

Step 9:Voila! The finished product.

Now wrap your rolls individually in plastic wrap (I roll two to a sheet, just make sure they're not touching each other because they stick.). Stick these beauties in the fridge to chill for awhile before eating. If you eat them right away they explode on you. Ask me how I know.

They are delicious served with a sweet chili sauce which I got out of a bottle. Also good with a nummy peanut sauce which I haven't even bothered to look up a recipe for yet.

Enjoy!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Spring Rolls

No, I didn't take any pictures. Learn to deal.

I did, however, make Vietnamese Spring Rolls and they didn't suck! I followed this easy how-to I found on youtube.com and made some tasty treats. Here's a basic recipe that I didn't follow at all.



I used some rice noodles (I don't think that's the right thing to use, but they cook really fast and are tasty), avocado (which I splashed with lime juice), shrimp (sauteed in some Newman's Balsamic Sesame Dressing), and fresh cilantro.

They were bone easy to make and tasted alright. Note, they are better if you wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and let them chill in the fridge for awhile. I ate a "fresh" one right after rolling it and the noodles sort of exploded out. Still tasted fine, but messy.

I picked up some sweet chili sauce at the market and that was a lovely dipping sauce that was happily no points (unlike the yummy peanuty sauce you get in the restaurant). I sent some with #1 husband today for lunch, we'll see how he liked them!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

RIP Andy Hallett

I just discovered that Andy Hallett, of "Angel" fame, died this week from heart failure. He was an amazing find for Joss Whedon and made the show something special for me.

So, in tribute to Lorne the Host:

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Getting comfortable

I've been with #1 Husband in our new apartment for 2 full days now. I think I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the whole thing. We're hanging curtains and artwork, adjusting and re-adjusting the layout of the kitchen cabinets, and sleeping well at night. All in all, things have gone more smoothly than I could have hoped for.

Last night we hosted our first dinner wherein I cooked one of my favorite dishes for my parents. Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables. Turned out pretty perfect. Whew! I still get a little uptight cooking for them.

After they left we had our lovely neighbors over for a glass of wine and a movie. "The Duchess" was okay for a very period drama set in the 1700's. And yeah, that's about all I can say about that. I really like the acting, but the story seemed quite disjointed to me.

Today is errands and cooking followed by a party; those are actually my favorite kind of days. I can't wait to see and meet all of the babies that have sprung up in my circle of friends. I guess people are reaching that age. Thank goodness they are taking up the slack and giving birth because me? not so interested in that. Instead I can be the great spoiling Auntie. Woot!