Month: September 2004

Perfect Potstickers

Perfect Potstickers

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

See this recipe on air Saturday Sep. 04 at 8:30 AM ET/PT.

Recipe Summary

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 35 to 40 potstickers

User Rating:�★★★★★

• ½ pound Ground Pork
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Scallions
• 2 tablespoons Finely Chopped Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Egg, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Light Brown Sugar
• 1½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 35 to 40 Small Wonton Wrappers
• Water, for sealing wontons
• 3 to 4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil, for frying
• 1⅓ cups Chicken Stock, divided

Preheat oven to 200°F.

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl (pork through cayenne). Set aside.

To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush 2 of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place ½ rounded teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 potstickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add ⅓ cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in the warm oven. Clean the pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked. Serve immediately.

Episode#: EA1H05

Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Gretchen and I went for a TBD mile walk this morning before sunrise. When we got back we had waffles with maple syrup, bacon, a glass of orange juice, and two cups of coffee. I weighed 156 pounds.

We went down to the farmer’s market in Millheim again this morning and picked up some eggs, pork spare ribs, and pork chops. Then we went over the mountain to the meat market in Zion and picked up some sirloin for fajitas and a couple of chicken breasts. When we got home we picked tomatoes, peppers, and yellow squash. We also got some fresh parsley from Gretchen’s sister next door. After that we decided to cool off with a bottle of Saranac Pale Ale.

We converted some of our tomatoes, garlic, basil, and parsley into 6 pints of marinara sauce. While we did that I had another bottle of Saranac Pale Ale.

Dinner was beef burgundy, mashed potatoes, green beans, and two glasses of Bella Sera Sangiovese Di Toscana.

After dinner, Gretchen made a pineapple upside-down cake and we took it over to her parents house and sat by the fireplace on the porch and ate it for dessert.

I went for a lower body workout at the MBNA Fitness Center tonight:

1. TreadmillStairmaster: 5 minutes
2. Seated Leg Press: 12@10+3, 10@10+3 (about 215)
3. Prone Leg Curl: 12@4+3, 9@4+3
4. Seated Calf Extension: 12@8+2, 12@8+2
5. Seated Crunch: 12@4+3, 11@4+3
6. Back Extension: 12@135, 8@135

There was a line again tonight, but not as long — though longer than I would have guessed for the first Friday of the semester… the same night as the first pep rally before the first home football game… but I digress. There was still a line at the treadmills, so I warmed up with the stairmaster again, the line was still there when I went to cool down, so I skipped. No cramps, but I think I was just lucky. This wasn’t an easy workout, but I increased all of the machines from the last time and I skipped the last lower body workout because the students were moving in, so I got pretty much what I expected.

Breakfast was a bowl of cold cereal with banana slices, a glass of orange juice, and two cups of coffee.

I had another cup of coffee when I got to the office.

Lunch was Panda Express kung pao chicken with mixed vegetables on chow mein noodles with hot and sour soup, and a fortune cookie.

Your lover will never

wish to leave.

Lucky Numbers 12, 14, 16, 23, 25, 31

I walked the mile-and-a-half back, via the farmers market, where I picked up some eggplant from the Amish farmer’s stand.

When I got home from work, Gretchen was ready with chips and salsa — using the first of our fresh salsa — and a bottle of Saranac Pale Ale.

Dinner was grilled swordfish, fried corn and peppers, and another bottle of Saranac Pale Ale.

Gretchen and I took an early morning 2½ mile walk this morning. When we got back, I had a bowl of cold cereal with banana slices, a glass of orange juice, and two cups of coffee. I weighed 155 pounds.

I had another cup of coffee when I got to the office.

I made a mid morning snack of an Act II Mini Bag microwave popcorn.

I took a 4 mile walk around campus over lunch.

When I got back I had a Nature Valley Oats ’N Honey Crunchy Granola Bar.

Dinner was beef stew over toasted Italian bread, and two glasses of Bella Sera Sangiovese Di Toscana (★★★★☆).

I went for my upper body workout at the MBNA Fitness Center tonight.

1. TreadmillStairmaster: 5 minutes@18 Floors
2. Vertical Chest: 12@90, 12@90
3. Compound Row: 12@135, 12@135
4. Seated Dip: 12@105, 12@105
5. Lateral Raise: 8@75, 10@75
6. Incline Shoulder Raise: 12@75, 12@75
7. Triceps Extension: 12@60, 8@60
8. Biceps Curl: 12@4, 12@4
9. Reverse Biceps Curl: 12@2+3, 12@2+3

I have been spoiled by Summer at the gym. Now that the students are back, there was a 20 minute wait to get into the fitness center. I am hoping that it was just the first Wednesday class day and everybody expected the center to be available. Hopefully some (most) of them will make adjustments and go to other centers, or at other times, or both. If they do not, then I will have to reevaluate my choices.

I used the Stairmaster rather than the treadmill to warm-up because there was a waiting list for the treadmills. There was still a waiting list when I got to wanting a cool-down, but I did not think the Stairmaster was appropriate for a cool-down, so I skipped the cool-down instead. I do not think that will be a good idea for my lower body workout Friday, so I will have to think of something else.

It was obvious to me that I had lost a little ground after skipping my last two workouts — they being during the move-in days for the students during which campus is a mad house and it is very nearly impossible to drive across campus. I do not think I will be considering any increases for a while.

I would like to thank Nia, over at Nia’s Box for adding me to her list of Food Blogs.

Breakfast was a bowl of pompanoosic with brown sugar and milk, a glass of orange juice, and two cups of coffee.

I cannot pass up free food. Somebody brought in donuts, so I had a coconut glazed cake donut along with another cup of coffee at the office.

I took a 3 mile walk around campus over lunch. After I got back I had a Nature Valley Oats ’N Honey Crunchy Granola Bar.

Dinner was Moussaka, fried sweet corn and peppers, a salad of baby spinach and romaine lettuce with Balsamic Vinaigrette, and two glasses of Bella Sera Sangiovese Di Toscana (★★★★☆).