Announcing the details of the Chili cooking contest. Send your entries for the chili cooking contest to cookscorner@townweb.com. Entries have been extended until February 15. The winners will be announced at the end of February. I and the other members of the townweb team will be doing the judging. The 
winners will have the option of a free cooking class with me, a free web page or free advertising on the townweb. Your recipe will also be featured in an upcoming Cook's Corner, and will be the featured dish at an upcoming Web Party! For other tasty chili, try The Tortilla Factory in Herndon!
In response to a request and suggestion from a friend I am including some recipes for Chinese food. As specially requested I am including a recipe for homemade fortune cookies. So one of these evenings during the cold weather pull out your griddle and put on your thinking caps (to come up with those witty fortunes) and whip up a batch of fortune cookies.
Look forward to more Chinese recipes next week. These are all delicious, often low-cal and quick to make. Remember if you don't have a wok you can always use a skillet.
Cook's Corner can also be accessed through the columns section of the Herndon/Reston web.
Please continue sending me your comments, inquiries and suggestions.
On to the recipes:
Index of Recipes
Index of Recipes
Add the peas, corn, mushrooms, and carrots to the rice. Cook for one minute.
Add the egg and scallion. Sprinkle the rice with the soy sauce and mushroom soy sauce. Cook for 30 seconds more to warm the egg and lightly cook the scallion. Serve immediately or cover to keep warm.
Thank you for stopping by the Cook's Corner. There will be new recipes and suggestions next week. Please send your favorite recipes, suggestions, comments and questions to cookscorner@townweb.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wonton Soup
wontons
Bring the broth to a boil. Add the soy sauce and wontons. Continue to cook until the wontons are heated through. Garnish with scallions.
6 cups chicken broth
1 scallion, sliced thinly
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Pork Filling
4 mushrooms, chopped
Finely chop the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Combine them with all the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well with a spoon or your hands. To make the wontons take a wonton wrapper and place a teaspoon of filling in the center and fold it over to create a triangle. You may want to moisten the edges of the wrapper with egg or water to help seal them. Boil the wontons in a large pot until they look wrinkled and the filling has become dark. Drain on paper towels.
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons bamboo shoots
2 Tablespoons water chestnuts
1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
Wonton wrappers
Almond Chicken
1 lb chicken, cubed
Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, gingerroot and garlic powder. Marinate the chicken in this sauce for at least 10 minutes. Stir fry the chicken. Add the vegetables and stir fry until heated. Add the oyster sauce and broth and cook until sauce begins to thicken. Garnish with almonds.
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup bamboo shoots
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup broth
1/3 cup almonds
Beef with Snow Peas
1/2 lb flank steak, sliced on bias
Combine the beef with a marinade made of sugar, cornstarch, pepper, soy sauce and garlic powder. Stir fry the beef in a little oil for a minute. Add the vegetables and stir fry for another minute or two until the snow peas are bright green. Combine the cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons of water. Add the cornstarch mixture to beef broth and pour it in with the beef and vegetables. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken.
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
dash of pepper
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 lb snow peas
1/4 cup water chestnuts
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup beef broth
Green Beans and Water Chestnuts
1 lb green beans, in 2 inch pieces
Cook beans until barely tender in boiling water. Drain well. Stir fry beans in a little oil. Add water chestnuts and the broth mixture of chicken broth, sugar and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes on medium cover. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until sauce begins to thicken.
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons oil
1 Tablespoon water
Fried Rice
1 - 1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked
Long grain rice makes the best fried rice. To cook rice use two parts water and 1 part rice. White rice takes approximately 20 minutes to cook and brown rice takes 40-45 minutes to cook. Cook the rice for the fried rice and set it aside. You can make it ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Cook the egg in a little oil. Chop it up and set it aside. Stir fry the rice for about 3 minutes in one to two tablespoons of oil and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 egg
1 carrot, grated (optional)
2 Tablespoons oil
3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 Tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
1/2 cup peas
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 cup corn
Fortune Cookies
1 cup flour
Beat together the above ingredients thoroughly. You might use a wire whisk to blend it so it is smooth. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Cook by tablespoonfuls on a griddle. The griddle should be on a medium heat. Cook 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until medium golden brown. Place a fortune (be sure to write with waterproof ink) in the center of the cookie and fold the cookie over twice. Shape the cookie over the edge of a small muffin tin or within the cup of the muffin tin. If you don't have a muffin tin you can use an egg carton to shape the cookie over the edge of the egg cup or place it in it. Let the cookie cool before serving. The cookie will set as it cools.
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup warm water
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Index of Recipes
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