A New Normal

 Have you been wondering where your friendly everyday mom has been? I posted back before Christmas and then kind of disappeared. It wasn't intentional, believe me. 

The holiday hustle and bustle had me going like crazy those last two weeks before school go out. Then we we were enjoying having big brother home for almost a month, with lots of Christmas and New Year celebrations. Then before we knew it, or wanted, it was time to take the college kid back to Purdue and for Max to begin his 3rd quarter of first grade. 

What some of you might not know is I am a substitute kindergarten aide at our school too. I began last year in Max's class, and now this year I have continued in the same class. I can't express how much I love being in the school, surrounded by my friends, our church/school family and the kids. Plus, I get to see Max throughout the day too! He loves the days when he "gets to take mommy to school." 

Plus, I am also the vice president of our PTL (think PTA) as well. So I spend many of my days at school in the classroom or working on projects. But I would not have it any other way. God certainly knew exactly what I would need when my first baby spread his college wings. 

The only downside to all of this, and it is a very small one, is that my time in the kitchen cooking and testing recipes isn't as abundant as it used to be. No fear though! I am finding balance with our new normal, and this weekend I told myself I was making something new to share, no matter what! 

With the frigid, arctic temps we've been having, I figured a new, tasty soup would be much appreciated. Add in the fact it cooks in about 20 minutes, but still has rich flavor, and will thaw you out in no time! 

Quick Cooking Wonton Soup tastes like you called in an order to your favorite Chinese restaurant, but can be on the table in less time than it takes to find the takeout menu in the junk drawer! Frozen wontons are the secret, and I bet your favorite grocery store has them, even if you don't realize it.

Please don't think your everyday food blogger has abandoned you. I am still here, and will continue to cook up yummy things you have to try!

What kind of wontons do I use?

I used pork and vegetable mini wontons. The same brand came in chicken and veggie too. I liked the fact they were mini size to fit on the spoon too! 

Where can I find frozen wontons?

Look for the wontons in the freezer section next to the egg rolls, pot stickers, etc. 

Why so many carrots?

You might see the amount of carrots in your bowl and wonder why. Easy. Any time I can slip extra veggies into a dish, I will. They don't affect the color, taste or texture, so why not?

Do I have to use sesame oil?

Nobody will know if you don't, but it truly finishes off the flavor to closely match a restaurant soup. You can find it next to the soy sauce, and since it is a finishing oil, a bottle will last a long time.

What is chili crisp?

I served this on the side for my husband who loves all things spicy. Chili Crisp is a spicy, crunchy Asian condiment. Chilies, garlic, scallions and other ingredients are fried and then added to oil. You can find it on the Asian foods aisle or any Asian market.  

Best Tips:

The wontons will soak up the broth very quickly. Serve immediately. If you have leftovers, you will want to add extra for reheating. 

When stirring the soup, be very gentle. And be sure to simmer, not boil the entire time. Both of these will cause the dumplings to fall apart. 

You could use vegetable broth instead. I would not recommend beef.  

Regular size wontons will be great, you might have to cut them for little ones. 

Serve the chili crisp on the side for anyone who likes it spicy, but use sparingly! 

Chow Mein noodles would make a great topping too!

Quick Wonton Soup

2 (32 oz.) boxes chicken broth

1 (10 oz.) bag matchstick carrots

5 green onions, chopped, extra for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 1/2 TBS soy sauce

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 (24 oz.) bag frozen pork and vegetable min wontons

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Stir well. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add carrots, green onions and wontons. Bring back to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 8-10 minutes until wontons are cooked. Add sesame oil and stir well. Serve with green onions, oyster crackers and spicy chili crisp on the side. 

Inspired By Let's Dish

Asian Saturdays

That title actually comes from something Mr. E says all the time. Why? Because he loves Asian food, and on the weekends when lunch rolls around, he is usually in the kitchen making some for himself. Could be as simple as a pack of ramen noodles, or a really tasty dish filled with exotic ingredients. And every time he sits down at the table to eat he will declare "Oh look, it's Asian Saturday!"

It is no secret how much we love Asian cuisine in our house. All of us. Heck, Max would be happy if I gave him rice for every meal, every day. We can't get enough of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai...all of it.

Most of the time when we reach for a take out menu, you can bet it is going to be Chinese. We have a few different places in town we love, and we tend to rotate our trips to them. Oh, and let's not forget the buffets too! That is actually where Alex had this dish for the first time. On the Asian buffet we've been going to for years, but this was a "new" dish to him.

So the next time we were getting take out, he said to me, "Mom can I see if they have that dish I had at the buffet last time?" Sure enough they did and this was even better than the first.

Well, we can't be ordering take out or visiting the buffet all the time, after all private school and diapers aren't cheap! So it was time for mommy to come up with a make at home version he could enjoy just as much, anytime!

Black Pepper Chicken

2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

5-6 stalks celery, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 TBS corn starch, divided use

3 1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided use

3/4 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. soy sauce

4 TBS vegetable oil, divided use

3 TBS white vinegar

Salt to taste

Cooked White Rice 

In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1/2 TBS corn starch, sat and 2 tsp. black pepper. Mix to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, soy sauce, vinegar, 2 TBS oil, 1/2 TBS corn starch and 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper.  Heat 2 TBS oil over medium high heat. Saute onions and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and saute', stirring often for 5-7 minutes. Add sauce into the pan. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for additional 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and slightly thickened. Serve over cooked rice and extra pepper.

Shared at Weekend Potluck