Recipe-in-a-Flash: Potsticker Soup!

This truly is a “recipe-in-a-flash” because most of it comes from ready-to-go ingredients. The recipe is from Trader Joe’s but other than the Gyoza Potstickers, you can get almost all the other components at any store. The recipe serves six, but freezes very well (without the potstickers) so you can do as I did and pack it up in freezer containers for easy dinners in the future. 

The soup is rich, full of veggies (courtesy of fresh spinach and a mirepoix), and oh-so satisfying. The delicious Trader Joe’s gyoza are available in vegetable, chicken, or pork (I chose chicken), and can be pan fried in just about 10 minutes. Then you just add them to the soup (of course, you could eat them on their own as a great, little appetizer, drizzled with a splash of soy sauce). 

After plating the soup, and adding the potstickers, garnish with cilantro and a dollop of crunchy chili onion (or another hot sauce). It really is a terrific weekday dinner or lunch.

Trader Joe’s Potsticker Soup

Ingredients:

TJ’s imported olive oil

1 package TJ’s Gyoza potstickers

1 container TJ’s mirepoix (or your own mixture)

2 packages TJ’s chicken broth

1 bag baby spinach

1 TB soy sauce

1 TB toasted sesame oil

Handful of chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

TJ’s crunch chili onion, or your favorite hot sauce

Directions:

1. Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with oil (about 2-3 TB) and lightly fry the potstickers over medium-high heat until nicely browned on both sides, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat 2 TB olive oil. Add mirepoix and saute until onions appear translucent. Add broth and bring to a slow simmer. When the soup gets some energy, toss in the spinach and stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.
3. When the soup is officially simmering, add the potstickers. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and a heaping spoonful of chili onion crunch or hot sauce.

Greek Easter Cookies (Koulourakia)

Do you ever want “just” a simple, but delicious, cookie? One that’s easy to make, doesn’t have a zillion ingredients, keeps well, and is perfect for enjoying as a light breakfast, or as an after dinner treat? Well, look no further.

In doing research to bring a traditional dessert to a friend’s home for Greek Easter dinner, I happened upon Koulourakia, a crispy, yet buttery-soft, citrus-scented cookie. At first taste, right after the first tray emerged from the oven, I was not overly impressed. They were nice enough, but not anything special. But after my second tasting (quality control!), they started to grow on me. I loved their adorable little braided shape and the lightness of the dough. My dinner companions loved them (and the highest complement of all, telling me they reminded our hostess of her Greek mother’s version!); and as I continued to enjoy one (or two) after dinner last night, dunking them into my coffee, I proclaimed them a winner! 

I think next time (because there WILL be a next time), I might add a bit more orange flavor, and maybe instead of sesame seeds as a topping, I might opt for some crystallized sugar for a touch more sweetness. Of course, I know this totally changes the original nature of this cookie, but no harm in experimenting, right?

Happy Spring!

Photo courtesy of Pexels.com 

Koulourakia (Greek Easter Cookies) 

Adapted from curiouscuisiniere.com 

Ingredients:

1/2 C unsalted butter, softened

3/4 C sugar

2 eggs

1/4 C milk, warmed to 80°F

1 t pure vanilla extract

1 orange, zested

2 t baking powder

2-1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 egg beaten with 1 TB of water (for the egg wash)

Sesame seeds (for topping)

Directions:

1. In large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, and beat until lightly colored. Add the milk, vanilla, orange zest, and baking powder (mixing as you add).
2. Add the flour, a little at a time, while mixing, until you have a soft but not sticky dough.
3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Once the dough has rested, dip your fingers in a little flour and pinch off a 1” ball of dough. Roll the ball into a 6” rope on a lightly floured surface. Fold the rope in half and twist the two strands together to form the cookie. Continue with the remaining dough (see note at bottom of recipe).
6. Place the shaped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1” apart.
7. Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes (mine took exactly 15 minutes, so watch carefully), rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking for more even cooking. Cookies are done when lightly golden.
9. Let cool on the baking sheet on a rack for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
10. Store cooled cookies in airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Note: this recipe makes alot of cookies (approximately 50-60) so cover remaining dough with plastic wrap while first batch bakes to prevent dryness.

Sheet-Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes, and Lemon

Ready for roasting!

This recipe caught my eye while scrolling thru the NYT Cooking app because, you know, first you eat with your eyes. And the picture at the top of the post was gorgeous.

Ready for eating!

We just happened to have all the ingredients in-house, with a couple of minor modifications to the original recipe. I swapped in broccoli for the broccolini (have never seen that here in Puerto Rico), and crumbled feta for the block feta (another no-show here). I don’t think those two swaps adversely affected the recipe, because it came out great. Besides looking definitely picture-worthy, the melange of flavors was fabulous. I served it over orzo, but you could easily use rice or farro. I would leave out the lemon slices as they were a little bitter after roasting. Otherwise, highly recommend this dish!

Sheet-Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes, and Lemon (NYT Cooking)

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed, thick stalks split lengthwise, or broccoli, stalks trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
• 1 small red onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 2-inch wedges
• 1 lemon, 1/2 cut into thin rounds and the remaining 1/2 left intact, for serving
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 (6- to 8-ounce) blocks feta, cut into 1-inch slices
• Cooked orzo or farro, for serving
• ½ cup fresh basil or cilantro leaves and fine stems, roughly chopped (optional) 

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack set in the lower third. On a sheet pan, combine the broccolini, tomatoes, onion and lemon slices with the olive oil and toss. Add cumin and red-pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and toss again until evenly coated. Nestle the feta slices into the vegetables. (It’s OK if they break apart a little.)
2. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through but leaving the feta in place, until the broccolini is charred at the tips, the stems are easily pierced with a fork and the tomato skins start to blister and break down.
3. Serve over orzo or farro. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the remaining lemon half for squeezing. Top with fresh herbs, if using.