While visiting our relatives in PA, we enjoyed this very tasty meal of a French Roast and veggies, prepared in a Crock-pot.

The whole meal was cooking by itself in a Crock-pot, providing lots of time together to catch up on our past family events, while snacking on delicious horse devours.

The main course was preceded by delicious homemade Borscht, as well as tossed salad, completing the meal with a decadent dessert of a Coffee Cream cake.

This recipe yields plenty of food for 4-6 people.

Ingredients:

•  3-5 lbs of beef (Rump Roast, Eye Round, London Broil)
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 8 oz. baby carrots, whole (I did not have baby carrots on hand, so cut up regular carrots)
• 2 stalks celery, cut up
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup French Dressing
• 1/2 cup Beef Broth
• 2 Tbs. Dry Tapioca

Directions:

1. Trim the meat of fat, and rub it all over with salt, pepper and minced garlic.
2. Brown the meat on all sides, on stove top in a frying pan seasoned with some oil.
3. Set aside.
4. Place the potatoes, carrots and onions at the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Sprinkle Tapioca over the veggies.
6. Mix the French salad dressing with beef broth.
7. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the veggies.
8. Please the meat over the veggies ( I cut my meat into serving portions)
9. Pour remaining dressing/beef broth mixture over the meat.
10. Cover slow cooker.
11. Cook on High for 4-5 hours.

Best served hot.

Enjoy

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who are celebrating this very traditional holiday here in the US.

I always have the pleasure of attending St. Patrick’s Day party, hosted by my daughter and her husband.

If you are still searching for party food ideas, I will contribute with links to my previous posts of  “green” food recipes for this occasion.

You can also check out my Pinterest board for “Party Foods”, for lots of new ideas and recipes.

Perfect Non-alcoholic Green Punch for those who prefer to keep it that way, or for ALL designated drivers.

Not only green, but really filling and delicious, is this Broccoli/Bacon/Cheese salad.  Everyone’s favorite…really!

Green Beans Vinaigrette is another wonderful salad for St. Paddy’s Day.

I like to prepare  a  Corned Beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes meal for my family, around St. Patrick’s Day, just to be a good sport, and support those who are more into it.

You know how the Irish feel about their potatoes…hence these Irish Potato Pancakes.  Sooooo yummy!!

I am always looking for your comments and suggestions of party foods you like to prepare.  Thank you.

Enjoy your party!!

My latest internet activity consists of being totally enveloped in Pinterest.  It is so easy to spend hours perusing through the myriad of pictures on that site, and always finding something new, and exciting.

Each package of won ton wraps contains at least 48 pieces of these paper thin wraps.  One package has enough wraps to make some Potstickers, plus some of these Lasagna cups, and still have some leftover for a possible dessert idea.

I tried storing these wraps the fridge for later use, but after a while they begin to change color to slightly grayish, and start to dry out.

I understand you can freeze them, but I rather used them up within a weeks time, and be done with it.

Today I will share a recipe for Lasagna in a Wonton cup, which I spotted on Pinterest, and pinned it on my board of Party Foods.

I modified the original recipe, to better fit my taste, since I was making these for my grandchildren.

This recipe yields 24 cups.

Ingredients:

• 24 Wonton Wraps
• 1 lb. ground beef, or turkey
• 1 Tbs. of canola oil for frying meat
• 1 cup of Ricotta cheese (or whipped Cottage Cheese, if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, ground
• 1 cup tomato sauce (I used Prego)
• 1 tsp. oregano, dried
• 1 tsp. basil, dried or freshly chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Grease, or spray with cooking spray, the cups of 2 cupcake pans.
2. Place one wonton wrap in each cup, gently pressing it down to fit to the  bottom of each cup. Set aside.
3. Pour 1 Tbs. of oil into a medium frying pan, warm it up, and place the ground meat in it.
4. Saute the meat at least 5 minutes, mixing it frequently, to break it up and to cook it so it is no longer pink.
5. Scoop out any accumulated fat, and discard.
6. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil and oregano, and cook 1 minute longer.
7. Add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and tomato sauce, and cook another minute.
8. Scoop 2 Tbs. of meat mixture into each wonton cup.
9. Sprinkle some Mozzarella cheese over the top of each cup.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Bake lasagna cups for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts and wraps are lightly golden.
12. Remove and serve warm, or cool off completely and store covered in the fridge for later use.  You can also wrap them well, and freeze for a future quick dinner or an appetizer.

Enjoy your meal.

TIP:  If you prefer, you can saute fresh onions and garlic, and use fresh herbs.

Ever since I tasted these yummy dumplings for the first time, I knew they would be part of my recipe collection, and an addition to my family menu.

They are so easy to make, and so delicious, that I had to share this experience with all of you.

If you also love Potstickers, please let us know what is your favorite filling.

I like mine with well flavored ground turkey, or pork, but you can also use chicken, beef, veggies, or even fruit.

These are great as a new meal, created out of leftover meat.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner, thus a great way to use some of that leftover turkey.

The won ton dough sheets are so much lighter than the Varenyky dumplings, and so easy to use, since they come pre-cut into serving pieces.

Won ton wraps usually are easily found in the fresh vegetable section at your favorite grocer.  I even found them at Walmart (also in the fresh vegetable section).  They are quite inexpensive as well; these were under$3 per package.

These are the ones I purchased.  The 12 oz. package am0unts to at least 48 paper thin wraps.

These are NOT Gluten Free!

This recipe yields about 40 dumplings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey (beef, pork, or chicken)
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. mustard ( I like Grey Poupon, or Gulden’s)
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 Tbs. tomato sauce, or ketchup
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 cup coleslaw mix
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch
• 3 Tbs. water
• Canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbs. canola oil in a frying pan (I used electric skillet).
2. Add ground meat, and cook 6 minutes, mixing frequently, until meat is all broken up and cooked through.
3. Add, chopped green onions, Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sesame oil.
4. Cook 3o seconds.
5. Stir in coleslaw mix, and cook 30 seconds longer, or until cabbage is wilted
6. Mix cornstarch with 3 Tbs. water, add to the filling.
7. Cook another minute.
8. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
9. Place at least 12 won ton wraps on a works surface.
10. Place a 1 Tablespoon of filling in the middle of each wrap.
11. Moisten the edges of the wrap with water, fold sides over and seal.  I make mine to little square packages (see picture above), but you can fold them over into rectangles or triangles, and seal.
12. Heat oil in a pan until not, but not smoking.
13. Place enough Potstickers in the pan to fill it, with the flat part down.
14. Cook for about 1 minute, to lightly brown the bottoms.
15. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pot with tight fitting lid, and steam for 3 minutes.
16. Uncover, lower heat and cook until most of the water evaporates.
17. Remove and serve, or keep it warm on a platter, until all Potstickers are cooked.

Dipping sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

Mix all ingredients together, and use as a dipping sauce for freshly cooked Potstickers.  I poured some of this sauce over my serving of  Potstickers , instead of dipping them.

Enjoy your meal.

Corned Beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes, make a perfect meal for St. Patrick’s Day.

Actually that is probably the only time I prepare corned beef for a family meal, because it just tastes so much better that day.

If you like corned beef, how often to you include it on your family menu?

I purchase the ready treated corned beef from my local grocer, and prepare it per suggested instructions, thus boil it until done.

Once the meat is fully cooked, I cut up green cabbage head into 8 sections, right through the core of the cabbage, so the sections do not fall apart during cooking.

I boil the cabbage sections for at least 15 minutes, in the corned beef broth.

Remove the cooked cabbage and set aside.

I peel potatoes, quarter each, and boil for 20 minutes in the corned beef broth, as well.

Before serving, I saute Italian flavored bread crumbs in butter, and sprinkle them over the cabbage.

Potatoes are also served with sauteed onions in butter, and flavored with salt and pepper.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!