Homemade Eggrolls

Well the results of my poll are in! According to the readers who voted, you all want to see more original recipes and more bargain tips. This I can do! If you continue reading you will find an original recipe I made for dinner tonight, along with a bargain tip.

When Ross and I were grocery shopping this past weekend, we saw a package of egg roll wrappers in the produce section, and picked it up thinking that it would be a fun, inexpensive dinner night. (I believe the brand of the wrappers were called Marjon, and there were 14 wrappers in one package). For our homemade egg roll night, this is what we used:

• 4 egg roll wrappers
• 1/4 cucumber, julienned
• 1 carrot stick, julienned
• 1/2 chicken breast, cooked, julienned
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 T. hoisin sauce
• 1 T. soy sauce, reduced sodium
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

I began by julienning the vegetables and chicken:

Place 1/4 of the chicken, cucumber, and carrot mixture towards the end of one egg roll wrapper:

Roll part way. Using your fingertips lightly moisten the unrolled dough with water:

Fold the ends up over the mixture; then complete rolling the egg roll:

I am sorry to say that I do not have a picture of the egg rolls cooking. In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat your 1 T. canola oil. Place the egg rolls in the saute pan and rotate until each eggroll is an even golden brown color. Remove to paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

To make the dipping sauce (which you really need, the eggrolls are very simple in taste without the sauce): toast a teaspoon of sesame seeds over low heat, and then mix with 1 T. hoisin sauce and 1 T. soy sauce.

We also sauteed sliced button mushrooms and shelled edamame as a side (read: way to use up extra veggies!) and drizzled a bit of the dipping sauce over these veggies.

Very yum! I think I was more in the mood for something lighter, so I think what I was really craving were more of a spring roll, using a rice paper and steamed. So I only ate 1, 1/2 and gave my extra to Ross.

Now for my bargain tip: craigslist.

I’m sure most of you are readily aware of the wonders of craigslist, but seriously – it’s amazing. My tip is to make sure you don’t give up, and search for exactly what you want, and the price range you want. My husband and I found an amazing deal on our dining table. It is solid cherry wood, came with six chairs (two arm chairs, four armless), and an additional two 20-inch leaves. Basically one day when we move into our own house, we’ll be able to very comfortably sit at least ten people at our dining room table. “Yes, yes that’s all fine and dandy,” you may say, “but how much did you pay for this gorgeous piece of cherry wood?”. “Well,” I would tell you, “we got it for a measley $150″. What an absolute STEAL!!

Alright, that’s not the best picture of it, but I currently have crafty things spread over it so I unfortunately can’t take a better shot of the table top. But trust me, it’s beautiful.

I hope you all enjoyed my recipe and bargain tip! Feel free to leave comments/ suggestions for improvement in a comment.

Also, 5k training update: I completed another 3 miler today! haha I got absolutely SOAKED in the process. There was not a half square inch dry anywhere on me. Oh well! I have two days before my 5k, so I think I may try for a much faster mile tomorrow, and then do a LOT of stretching, maybe some yoga or pilates in addition to stregth and core training. I’m so looking forward to seeing Caitlin again, and to finally meet Meghann! (Caitlin will be doing the 10k and Meghann and I will be doing the 5k – Meghann’s going for a new personal record, go wish her luck!)

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening, I’m off to go hang with my husband. He’s going to help me make a super sweet, awesome flyer for advertising my flute studio (I majored in music in college, flute was my specialty, and I’ve been a flute instructor for 3 years). I’m not sure of the market for flute students here, but I guess we’ll see!

Have a great Friday tomorrow!
LC