RCU DEI Employee Submitted Recipes

DEI COMMITTEE PRESENTS:

2021 EMPLOYEE SUBMITTED RECIPES

Red Wine Sangria

4 servings

15 minutes

Mishel Kaufman: "We host an annual Camp Kaufman at our house, which is basically a family reunion with my husband's side of the family. Everyone comes over to hangout and camp in our backyard. It can be anywhere from 30-40 people!

We do a potluck, so there's always lot of yummy dishes, but something fun and festive we like to serve is Sangria! It's fruity, cool, refreshing and serves a crowd."

ingredients

directions

For about 4 servings or 1 bottle of wine. I

In large pitcher or drink dispenser, muddle apples, oranges, and

like making this in a large drink

blueberries with sugar. Add brandy and muddle more. Add orange

dispenser multiplying the recipe using 5

juice and stir to dissolve sugar. Add red wine and stir to combine.

bottles of wine.

750ml Bottle of red wine (doesn't need to be expensive...think Trader Joes) 1/2 cup brandy (more to taste) 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup orange juice 1 apple (sliced, and cut into small pieces, skin on) 1 orange (or a few mandarins) (sliced, and cut into small pieces, skin on) 1 cup blueberries Ice Seltzer water or flavored sparkling water or prosecco

Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours...overnight is best.

To serve, put ice in a glass and ladle some of the fruit from the sangria. Pour in sangria and top off with bubbly water or prosecco.

Enjoy!

Grego's Pineapple Delight

2 servings

25-30 minutes

Greg Robles: "I love Pineapple's. My wife love's the I.D. channel & Bravo T.V. She saw the recipe on one of the programs and made it for me. I now make it for her at least once a week."

ingredients

directions

2 Bell Peppers chopped (different

1. Preheat Oven to 425 degrees

colors recommended)

2. In a 9x12 inch cooking pan place all ingredients in the pan

1 Red onion chopped

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes

2 chicken boneless breasts cubed 4

cups

chopped

and

cubed

4. Top with Soy Sauce and serve over steamed white rice.

5. Get ready to feel like your having a tropical meal in paradise!

Pineapple 1/2 cup of Teriyaki Sauce 1 Tablespoon of Honey

notes Sure you can substitute or add any ingredients other than the Pineapple, but then it wouldn't be "Grego's Pineapple Delight"

Turkey Pesto Meatballs

2 servings

Kristina Dunlap: "This is a new family favorite and my daughter loves to help me. Something I hope to continue doing when she gets older and eventually share with their families."

ingredients 1 pound of ground turkey

directions 1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs

Place a metal rack over the foil and spray lightly with cooking

or almond flour

spray

1/3 cup of pesto sauce 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese 2 tbsp fresh minced parsley

2. In a bowl combine all ingredients. mix until thoroughly combined. Roll turkey mixture into even sized balls. Place meatballs onto the prepared rack spacing about 1 inch apart.

3. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown 4. Serves: 16 to 20 meatballs

1 large egg, slightly beaten salt and pepper to taste

notes You can substitute the breadcrumbs with almond flour to make it more of a low carb meal.

Butter Mochi

2 servings

60-75 minutes

Kerry Lua: "Butter mochi is like the Hawaiian version of a blonde brownie. Its a simple dish that I grew up eating with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or wrapped up for consumption on the go."

ingredients Dry Ingredients:

directions 1. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

2 cups Mochiko flour (or sweet

2. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan.

rice flour)

3. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

3 cup sugar 1 tbsp baking powder

4. If you prefer crunchy edges do 1 hour.

5. Enjoy!

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.

Wet ingredients: 12 ounce can of coconut milk (or 2 cups regular milk) 1/2 cup butter (melted) 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 Eggs

notes This recipe can be done a few ways. I prefer it with coconut milk because it gives it a nutty flavor in the end result but using regular milk is probably the way I make it most of the time. There is also a no egg option that you can do and it comes out just as good.

Tarragon-Mustard Shrimp Skewers

2-4 servings

15 minutes

Tracy Condron: "I love grilled shrimp. This is really easy and my family loves them."

ingredients

directions

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp

1. Skewer your shrimp and place on a baking sheet.

(26/30

2. Whisk together all of the mustard paste ingredients.

count)

peeled

and

deveined, tails on Mustard Paste: 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

3. Brush the paste on both sides of the shrimp skewers.

4. Grill the skewers over direct high heat with the lid closed until the shrimp are firm and just turning opaque in the center, 2-4 minutes, turning the skewers once and moving them to a clean area of the cooking grates.

5. Serve warm with the lemon wedges.

1 Tablespoon dried tarragon, crushed between your fingertips 1 teaspoon dried dill, crushed between your fingertips 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 lemon, cut in wedges

notes I love the flavor of Dijon mustard and tarragon, but personal flavors can easily be substituted.

Ube Cake (Purple Yam Cake)

2 servings

Hannah McCarthy: Growing up in the Philippines, I love everything ube - ube cake, ube ice cream, ube candy, ube jam, etc. Now that I live here, ube cake brings back feeling of being back in the Philippines and it helps me keep connected to my childhood and roots. It is something that I request on my birthday (LOL even though I make it most of the time).

ingredients

directions

100 ml milk

1. Beat egg whites + cream of tartar and sugar to make meringue

50 g butter

2. Fold 1/2 of the meringue mixture to cake batter first before

3 eggs 1 tbs cocoa 2 tsp baking soda a pinch of salt

adding the rest 3. Bake for 20-25 mins until toothpick comes out clean.

4. Cool cake before frosting 5. Decorate :-)

3 eggs 1 tbs cocoa 2 tsp baking soda a pinch of salt

notes Nunc nulla velit, feugiat vitae ex quis, lobortis porta leo. Donec dictum lectus in ex accumsan sodales.

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique.

Totchos

2 servings

Nora guy: "A couple of years ago, I headed to Barley & Bine in Windsor to meet up with my friends Meaghan and Barbara and once I got there, noted they had something on the menu called totchos; aka tater tot nachos. I believed that Paul Schaffer, who'd previously worked in our building at Paolo's Ravioli Deli and is therefore a member of our extended work family, created this delicious dish. I was instantly a fan!

Fast forward to earlier this year and after going on a hike, I told my partner about the totchos. He is a bit of a tater tot fan himself and loved the idea. I made totchos for him for dinner that night.

Last weekend, we found ourselves wondering what to do for dinner. He has four kids, all teenagers, and a couple of them were home, so we drove to Raley's in Petaluma to pick up ingredients. The totchos were an undeniable hit among both kids and adults."

directions 1. Prepare frozen tater tots according to directions. Be sure to flip with a spatula every 8-10 minutes for maximum crispiness.

2. While the tots are baking, prepare your ingredients. Shred the

notes

cheese (unless pre-shredded), prepare the guacamole, heat the

Anything that can be added to

taco meat and beans, prepare the salsa (unless using store-

nachos can be added to totchos! For

bought), bring out the sour cream, slice the green onions

example:

and/or olives, etc.

Cheddar cheese - non-dairy cheese,

3. Assemble the totchos. This can be done either by creating a

Taco meat - shredded chicken - soy

large batch in a single baking pan with all the same ingredients,

crumble, Salsa - salsa verde, Black

or by preparing individual plates to cater to individual tastes.

beans - refried beans

Layer the ingredients in the order desired (I like to go tots, beans, salsa, cheese, onions) before heating in the oven or microwave to melt the cheese. Add sour cream if desired.

Cranberry Raspberry Ginger Relish

2-6 servings

Wendy Stobel: "Thanksgiving with my sister HAS TO include this version of cranberry sauce. It's so refreshing simple and oh so delicious."

ingredients 12oz. Fresh Cranberries - add to your food processor and do a course pulse, then place in large bowl.

directions 1. Fold in gently 2. let rest for several hours, then serve.

3. resting allows the ginger flavor to mingle with the rest of the sauce.

4. YUM

In bowl add to cranberries: 1/2 Cup sugar 1/2 Cup minced crystalized ginger 3 Cups or 2 pints whole fresh raspberries

notes you need FRESH raspberries and cranberries. That's what make it so Yum!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2 servings

Brandi Cupples: "My family was celebrating my dad's 50th birthday with a big camping bash and a close family friend brought this dip. It was such a refreshing snack for the afternoon and we ended up adopting it as our own and now make it at most family functions."

ingredients 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15 oz.) can corn kernels (white or yellow), rinsed and drained 1 (4oz.) package feta cheese crumbles 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

directions 1. In a large bowl, mix black beans, corn, feta and chopped green onions.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar and apple cider vinegar.

3. Pour dressing over bean mixture and stir together until everything is fully coated.

4. You can serve immediately or refrigerate to let the flavors mix and mingle a bit before serving.

5. Serve with tortilla chips and ENJOY!

1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

notes This is definitely an 'any occasion' recipe. Most of the ingredients are most likely already in your pantry and it's so easy to whip up.

Pie Crust Recipe

2 servings

10-15 minutes

Erin Ewart: "The whole world thinks that making pie crusts is a pain. But that's just because the world didn't have a Grandma Caldwell to teach them! This is is my grandma's recipe that she used to win the county fair pie contest year after year and passed down to her daughter (my stepmom). And as we were forming a new family, my step mom used this recipe to give me my first lessons on baking and to bring me into her fold of her family. And from that lesson, I learned pie = family = love."

ingredients 2 cups flour

directions 1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. In a separate

1 teaspoon salt

bowl, mix oil and water together (must be thoroughly mixed).

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable or

Pour oil and water mixture into the flour, stirring as you go.

canola oil (basically a very generous 1/2 cup, almost overflowing) 1/4 cup water Wax paper and pie dish

Continue stirring to incorporate oil/water mixture into the flour and then form into a ball. If it's still crumbling, add a small amount of oil until all flour mixture is incorporated.

2. Place the ball of dough on wax paper and place a layer of wax paper on top (the wax paper is needed because the dough will very fragile). Roll out the dough into a to the size needed for your dish. Remove the top layer of wax paper and place your pie dish upside down on the dough. Then put your hand under the dough and flip it over. Remove the wax paper and adjust the dough to fully fit in the dish.

3. And that's it! Takes about 10 minutes.

notes Any time you need a pie - which is everyday, right?

Lemon Cookies

2 servings

15 minutes

Leslie Mcnamara: "Me and my twin sister would pick fresh Myer lemons..need lost of zest and maybe some fresh lavender too."

ingredients

directions

1/2 sugar

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1 large egg

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8 tbl spoons lemon juice 1/4 tsp lemon extract 2 cups white chocolate chips Zest from 2+ lemons Lavender for an added touch

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notes Lavender and fresh MYER lemons

Apple Dip

2 servings

15 minutes

Katherine Ripple: "I wasn't allowed to have al ot of sugary treats as a kid. So whenever I wanted something sweet (especially during the summer) my mom would whip this all together. Soon enough all my friends that came over tried it with me and it was the number one request for us to bring along on our soccer tournaments."

ingredients

directions

1 8 oz. Cream cheese

1. Mix together cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla extract until

1 Cup of Brown Sugar 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 cup of chopped nuts (I like

creamy, add in nuts.

2. Slice apples.

3. Dip/scoop and enjoy :)

either pecans or walnuts) 2 Large apples sliced.

notes You can make it with or without nuts! I prefer it with Walnut or Pecans whatever I have.

Apricot macaroons

2 servings

15 minutes

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ingredients

directions

100 ml milk

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50 g butter

2. Donec dictum lectus in ex accumsan sodales. Pellentesque

3 eggs 1 tbs cocoa 2 tsp baking soda a pinch of salt 3 eggs 1 tbs cocoa 2 tsp baking soda a pinch of salt

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6. Nunc nulla velit, feugiat vitae ex quis, lobortis porta leo. Donec dictum lectus in ex. lobortis porta leo. Donec dictum lectus in ex.

notes Nunc nulla velit, feugiat vitae ex quis, lobortis porta leo. Donec dictum lectus in ex accumsan sodales.

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique.

Spam Musubi

2 servings

25 minutes

Kerry Lua: "This dish was made in my family as a easy to go snack that is inexpensive to make and we always had these ingredients around the house. If you ever visit Hawaii they are found at most corner stores, don't be afraid to try them as some of the best Musubi found can be at a local 7-11 on the islands."

directions ingredients 5-6 Cups cooked short grain rice 1 package of spam (12 ounces) cut into slices 1/3 cup of Teriyaki sauce 3 sheets of sushi nori (not shown in video is roasting the nori) Optional:

1. Slice the SPAM into about 8-10 slices (depending on how thick you like it) and put in a Ziplock bag. Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar until sugar is dissolved and add to the bag with the SPAM. Marinate for about 15 minutes.

2. Drain off marinade and fry SPAM on each side over medium heat until slightly crispy or until desired doneness. Some people like to glaze the SPAM with the marinade/sauce AFTER frying, either way tastes great!

3. Place a strip of nori on a cutting board or clean surface (shiny side down).

Place your Musubi mold across the middle of the nori. Add Sushi Rice to the mold, pressing down firmly and evenly, so there is about 1-1 1/2 inches of rice. (dip the mold and your fingers in water as you go to prevent sticking) 4. Next, remove the mold from the rice. Now you will have a nice little block of rice right on the nori. Add some of the cooked spam to the top. Wrap up

2 tsp Furikake

one side of the nori and stick it to the top of the SPAM, then wrap up the

2 tsp Sriracha

other side. Just like you are wrapping a nice little package. Use a little water on your finger to seal if needed. Serve warm.

5. Some like it dipped in soy sauce, some like it with ketchup, and some like it as is.

notes You can customize Musubi many ways. The two most common changes to the recipe are either to the sauce or protein. For example in the video posted we added a little Sriracha on top of the spam to make it spicy. You can also change out the spam for Sausage, Fried Chicken, or even Kobe beef if you are feeling fancy. A common tweak to the recipe is to add a fried egg on the protein to make it a breakfast snack.

Spicy Grilled Pineapple

2 servings

15 minutes

MJ Salter: "We make this dish all the time and everyone loves it!! Literally the easiest thing to make and more compliments and likes than an influencer's post."

ingredients

directions

Pineapple

1. Cut the top and bottom off of a ripe pineapple.

Pam cooking spray

2. Cut the outer layer of flesh using a long serrated knife.

Chill powder

3. Turning the pineapple over on its side cut 3/4" slicing, like

Cayenne powder Salt and Pepper

pineapple hamburger patty size.

4. Season each section with Chili powder, Cayenne powder, Salt and pepper after lightly spraying pam on the raw fruit.

5. Pre heat your grill on high and when hot continue to cook the pineapple. Rotate 45 degrees after 3 minutes on each side to create ideal grill marks.

6. Remove from grill and enjoy! you may also serve wedges of lime or a cilantro based chimichurri sauce for dipping.

Asian Chicken Wings

2 servings

60 minutes

April postal: "I have always loved to cook but I have been intimidated to try Asian inspired dishes and ingredients. This was outside of my cooking wheel house. My entire family is obsessed with chicken wings of all flavors. My husband, two kids and I love ordering multiple wings and sides when we go out and just sharing everything. I have recently been making them at home as well.

This was the very first time I made Asian Chicken Wings. It was fun and they were great. I made them with my team mate so it was also a great team building activity! We had a blast :)"

ingredients 2lbs chicken wings,tips removed and separated into drummettes and wings 2 cloves garlic,smashed 1 1/2inchpiece ginger,coarsely chopped 1 lime,zested and juiced

directions 1. Whisk all the ingredients (expect wings and garnish) together in a bowl.

2. Place the chicken wings in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over.

3. Seal and turn several times to coat.

4. Chill at least 4 hours, but overnight is ideal.

5. The following day preheat oven to 350 degrees and place

2Tbsplight brown sugar,packed

chicken wings on a non-stick foil lined sheet sheet tray,

2Tbsp chili garlic sauce

reserving marinade.

2Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar 2Tbsp soy sauce 3Tbsp hoisin sauce 1 1/2tsp kosher salt 3Tbsp sesame oil *sliced scallions,lime wedges, and sesame seeds for garnish

6. Bake for 1 hour, or until cooked though and browned. Turn the wings a couple times as they cook to prevent sticking and promote even cooking.

7. Strain the reserved marinade into a saucepan over med/high heat.. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes. Start with 1/2 cup water and add more if the sauce gets too thick.

8. Sprinkle the chicken wings with sesame seeds and scallions and serve with sauce and lime wedges.

notes You can use Tamari instead of Soy Sauce which will make these completely gluten free. You also do not need to dry them and coat them in baking powder if you would like them to be more juicy.

Easy Buttermilk Cake

2 -4servings

Kimberly Odeh: "This is my go to easy potluck cake! You can make it with any fruit and it's so fun to do with the delicious summer fruits! A little strawberry and blueberries make for a fun 4th inspired treat too!"

ingredients

directions 1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

9-inch round cake pan.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and

1/4 teaspoon salt 4

tablespoons

unsalted

butter,

softened 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using. Add egg and beat well.

3. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

until just combined. Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon

top. Scatter (see Note) raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle

zest (optional)

with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

1 large egg 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1 cup fresh raspberries (or whatever fruit you wish!)

4. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

notes It can be made anytime and with any seasonal fruit! It's killer with in season stone fruit!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 servings

Brooke Cabot: "This is a wonderful and delicious way to sneak veggies into your cookies. Trust me, they are delicious and no one will complain! Not even the kids!"

ingredients

directions

1/2 cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3/4 cup white sugar

2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

1 egg

3. Stir in the egg and vanilla, mix well, then stir in the shredded

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

zucchini.

4. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon, stir into the zucchini mixture.

5. Finally, stir in the oats, granola and chocolate chips.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto an unprepared cookie sheet.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

7. Leave at least 2 inches between cookies.

1 cup quick cooking oats

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.

1 cup granola

9. The cookies will stay soft and moist because of the zucchini.

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

notes Every day! Note, add a few drops of green food coloring to make silly green cookies for St. Patrick's Day or Christmas!

Flaky & Delicious Pie Crust!

2 servings

15 minutes

Brooke Cabot: "This is our family favorite go-to recipe for homemade pie crusts!

Just like Grandma used to make!"

ingredients

directions

3 cups flour

1. Mix all together by hand or with kitchen mixer.

1 1/4 tsp salt

2. Mixture should be dry, flaky and delicious!

2 tsp baking powder

3. **Tip:****Don't wet the mixture! It is dry and flaky on

1 tsp sugar 6 tbsp ice water 1 cup shortening OR butter

purpose.** 4. Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking power together in a large bowl.

5. Add COLD butter or shortening.

6. Add water 7. Mix by hand or kitchen mixer until all ingredients are combined - but they are still dry and flaky. ++Do not add extra water!

8. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before using. Wrap tightly in plastic as either a ball of dough, or already flattened out dough.

9. Proceed with the pie filling itself per your pie recipe instructions!

notes Ok to freeze dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using!

Hearty Meatball Recipe

2 servings

Brooke Cabot: "Here is a delicious meatball recipe my father used to make!"

ingredients

directions

1/4 lb pork

1. Pull apart bread by hand, or with kitchen mixer, to create tiny pieces.

3/4 lb beef

2. Mix all ingredients by hand until wet and dry ingredients thoroughly

1 egg 1/4 c milk 1 slice white bread (for bread crumbs) 1/2 c grated parmesan fennel seed

combined.

3. Roll into desired meatball size (we do 1 - 1.5 inch small/medium size).

4. Cook time vary slightly depending on the size meatball you rolled out.

5. Cook for 15 - 25 minutes if small size 6. Cook for 20 - 30 minutes if larger size 7. Use Meat thermometer if desired 8. Enjoy!

garlic salt & pepper to taste

**Tips and Tricks:** 1. Add cheese or additional spices to customize your flavor!

2. Don't overwork the meatball mixture or it will turn into a paste. Wet mixture should be lumpy.

3. Keep all meatballs a consistent size so they cook evenly.

4. Shape with greased hands - use oil or butter - so mixture doesn't stick to you! **How to Bake Meatballs:** 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees before you begin preparing meatballs.

2. Spray glass pan / baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil.

3. Bake until cooked through: rotate meatballs halfway through cooking if desired.

4. Toss with marinara sauce and enjoy! **How to Fry Meatballs:** 1. Heat olive oil in large pan on stove.

2. Cook until golden brown on bottom, Then rotate/roll until other side is also browned.

Won Ton Soup

2 servings

Mishel Kaufman: "My grandmother and mom taught me how to make won tons. We would have won ton soup a lot in the winter or on special occasions. I have fond memories of making won tons, which would seem like hours and hundreds of them all over the kitchen, dining room, and living room tables because we always ate so many! We would have soup or deep fry them, but my favorite way has always been soup."

ingredients Won Ton Filling 8 oz ground pork 8 oz peeled prawns / shrimp , roughly chopped

directions **++Prepare Won Tons:++** 1. Place Won Ton Filling ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork or chopsticks to mix together until fairly smooth and well combined.

2. Prep a small bowl of water. Take a won ton wrapper, and place a

1 tbsp ginger , finely grated

quarter size amount in the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger into

2 shallots / green onions , finely chopped

the water and lightly moisten the edges on two sides of the wrapper.

1 tbsp soy sauce

Fold wrapper into a triangle (dry side meets wet side). Press sides to seal.

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or sherry

3. Take sealed triangle and bring two side tips together to meet. Use a

(Shaoxing wine)

little water to seal the tips together. If a traditional won ton shape is too

2 tbsp sesame oil

difficult. You can leave the dumplings in just the flat triangle shape.

1 tbsp corn starch

They will taste the same. :blush:

1 pkg won ton wrappers

**++Prepare Broth:++** Soup Broth 32oz. Chicken stock

1. To prepare soup, place all soup broth together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil. Place lid on and reduce to simmer for 15 mins.

4 garlic cloves A few slices of ginger

**++Cook The Won Tons:++**

5 tbsp soy sauce

1. Prep a pot of boiling water on the stove.

5 tbsp Chinese cooking wine/sherry

2. Once you have made enough won tons, you can place them in the

1 tbsp sugar 2 tsp sesame oil

boiling water for 4-5 mins to cook.

3. Remove with slotted spoon and put into serving bowls.

4. Ladle soup broth over won tons.

5. Garnish with cooked veggies and shrimp. You can also add cooked noodles for won ton noodle soup.

6. Enjoy!

Vegan Sweet and Sour Tofu

2 servings

Samantha Thrasher: "I found this recipe on Instagram in the beginning of quarantine, and was so proud of myself for making such a delicious dish with the easy to follow instructions! Credit goes to The Foodie Takes Flight: https://thefoodietakesflight.com/vegan-sweet-and-sour-tofu/"

ingredients

directions

* 1 heaping tbsp cornstarch

1. Dry the tofu. I wrap the tofu in towels and place a plate on top

* 1/2 tsp salt (for the tofu)

of it until excess liquid is absorbed by the towels. You can also

* 2 tbsp canola oil, for pan-frying

opt to use a tofu press. Once dry, cut into cubes.

* ½ cup bell pepper, sliced into squares * 1 onion, sliced into squares * Fresh cilantro, chopped * Salt, to taste

2. Sprinkle the salt on the tofu cubes then add the cornstarch.

Coat the tofu well.

3. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce except the cornstarch and water.

4. In a pan, heat around 1 1/2 tbsp of oil and then fry the tofu

* Sweet and Sour Sauce

cubes until crisp and golden. You will need to turn around the

* 4 tbsp tomato ketchup\*

tofu cubes to get them crisp on all sides.

* 1 cup vegetable broth * 1/2 tbsp Sriracha, optional (just for the added spice!) *

4 tbsp sugar (I used coconut sugar),

adjust according to desired sweetness * 3 tbsp rice vinegar * 1/2 tbsp soy sauce * 1 clove garlic, minced * 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 3 tbsp water

5. Take out the tofu from the pan. Add some oil then sauté the onion and bell peppers until tender.

6. Add in the sauce mix into the pan. Once it boils, lower heat and pour in the cornstarch mixture. Mix until thick.

7. Add in the cooked tofu and mix well. Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with some salt, to taste. Turn off heat then garnish with some cilantro and sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy while hot!

Banana Lumpia

4 servings

Sara Koroinamua: "When I was living in Hawai'i, my friend from the Philippines shared this super simple, delicious "dessert" version of lumpia."

ingredients

directions 1. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F 2. Place brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll each banana quarter

Oil for deep frying 1/4 cup brown sugar, or as needed 6 large bananas, halved crosswise then lengthwise 24

lumpia/egg

roll

wrappers

(defrosted if you get the frozen

in the brown sugar until coated. Wrap a lumpia/egg roll wrapper around each coated banana, sealing the last edge to the roll using a spoon or your finger dipped in water. Repeat with remaining bananas and wrappers. (See attached picture to see how to fold wrappers) 3. Working in batches, fry lumpia in the hot oil until golden

wrappers)

brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked lumpia to a paper

1 tablespoon water, or as needed

towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Some sugar may leak out the sides of the lumpia while cooking or cooling.

notes This is a sweet version, but you can definitely make savory lumpia.

'Ota Ika

2 servings

Sara Koroinamua: "This is like the Tongan version of ceviche. Raw fish, coconut milk, lemon, and veggies."

ingredients 3 green onions, chopped

directions 1. Mix all together in a bowl. Serve chilled.

1 cucumber, chopped in bite size pieces 2 tomatoes, chopped 1/2 - 1 green or yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 1/2 cups coconut cream 1 cup water Salt and pepper to taste

notes This is an every day recipe and one of my favorites!

15 minutes

Easiest Spam Fried Rice Ever

2 servings

Kerry Lua: "In my family we would have rice daily for most meals and this led to having leftovers of rice all the time. When the leftover rice would build up we would repurpose the rice instead of wasting it and the most common way was to turn it into fried rice. Spam fried rice was the most common version we ate due to it being an inexpensive protein option. As an adult I have carried on this tradition into my own home and want to share this easy recipe with all of you. I hope you try it and enjoy."

ingredients

directions

6 cups day old rice (not wet)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over low heat.

1 Spam Package

Add eggs and cook until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per

5 Eggs

side, flipping only once. Let cool before dicing into small

3/4 cup of Green Onions 4 Cloves of Garlic 1/4 Cup Teriyaki sauce

pieces.

2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and Spam, and cook, stirring often, until light golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

1/4 cup Veggie Oil x 2

3. Add rice and gently toss to combine.

Optional White sesame seeds

4. Add soy sauce & teriyaki sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.

5. Stir in green onions and eggs.

6. Serve immediately, drizzled with Sriracha, if desired.

notes This dish is a version of Egg Fried rice that has been modified. The Spam, green onions, and sesame seeds are all optional. I have used different proteins instead of Spam such as Chicken, Bacon, Shrimp, and Pork. The veggies can all be switched out for more traditional ingredients like Peas or Carrots.