"With Six You Get Eggroll!"

A long time ago…in a land far, far way….there lived a girl!

 A girl who loved egg rolls! And a girl who loved to cook! 

It's hard to remember a lot these days but one thing I do remember is that my friends and I loved egg rolls! And we loved Chinese food! 

So, as I sit here staring at my laptop every day "stalking" my friends in China right now who are adopting precious babies, I've realized that I have been craving Chinese food!

 And most importantly…egg rolls! 

So…I decided that I would tell you about me and my friend, Marcy! 

You see….every Christmas in high school we would have a Christmas dinner for the "boys" that we were dating at that time….and we would make egg rolls!

(not that we dated that many boys! LOL!)

Recently, I dug out my mom's favorite and only recipe for egg rolls..in fact, I had to remind her that yes indeed…we really used to do this! 

The original recipe calls for ground pork. Being that I am definitely NOT still in high school I opted to try a healthier version and used ground turkey! 

It was divine and I never would have noticed the difference!

Once the turkey was cooked I added the green onions and the bean sprouts

Next came the Savoy Cabbage which I was "oh so proud of myself" for using my Kitchen Aid attachment for this as my mom gave it to me years ago for just this purpose! 

And..being that I was attempting the healthier version…I wrapped them in the egg roll wrappers and then I baked them….

Hmmm…and they were just OK!

 Even with the hot mustard and the sweet and sour sauce….

So…tonight, while Jim is away hunting with Miller and my dad…I FRIED them!

And that my friends is exactly what I will do again and again!

Just like I used to…

when I was in high school!

With the filling ingredients sitting in the refrigerator just staring at me…I wrapped them up…just two mind you! and even did the cornstarch wash and everything!

Even my camera seemed happier with this "right" version of how to cook egg rolls! It was weird!

( aren't they pretty? )

And because I was feeling just a little bit guilty…I used coconut oil! It was heavenly! 

It heats faster than other oils and is perfect for frying just about anything! 

and yes…this was fun to do in my wok…the wok that I got as a wedding gift 31 years ago!

I'm telling you…even my camera seemed happy as I snapped away…love how the coconut oil looks while cooking these amazing egg rolls!

My only downfall…learning how to truly make them into a roll! Last night they were "pockets" which I did not like at all! Tonight…they were almost in a roll!

No matter…they were divine!

I can't wait to make Jim the "real" version tomorrow night when he is home!

Don't these look yummy? I certainly savored each bite! And now I am downloading that incredible movie that I used to watch, "With Six You Get Eggroll!" 

Any Doris Day movie was a hit with me and still is!

Recently I've been going through my old photo albums and I found a picture of me and Marcy at one of our Christmas dinners…

I would show it to you but you can't see that it's me…my hair is so big!

However…I've posted the recipe below for the best egg rolls you will ever make!

Let me know your thoughts!

Homemade Egg Rolls

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork or turkey

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sherry ( I used cooking sherry)

1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch

5 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

2 slices fresh ginger ( I used the fresh ginger in the tube!) love it!

1 can bean sprouts, drained and dried on paper towels

4 green onions, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 head Savoy Cabbage, shredded

1 large onion, shredded

dash of Teriyaki marinade

Mix ground pork or turkey with the soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Brown in 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil and cook until no longer pink. Add the ginger half way through. Add the green onions and bean sprouts and cook for about 3 more minutes. Set aside in a large bowl to cool. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and cook until all ingredients are tender. Add to the meat mixture and add the dash of teriyaki sauce. Refrigerate until cool or until ready to use. Can fix up to two days ahead. When ready to make the egg rolls, place 2 heaping Tablespoons of the mixture on to the egg roll wrapper. Roll into shape…using a cornstarch wash to help seal. (1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 4 Tablespoons hot water mixed well) brush cornstarch mixture onto wrapper as you fold the last side of the triangle to make it adhere. ( start with one point facing you and  place mixture in the center. Fold in the point closest to you, then the point to the left and then to the right…saving the point furthest away for the last. All the while rolling the mixture into the wrapper and tightening it up.) When done, place on a plate until ready to cook..don't wait too long or they will get soggy. Heat what ever oil you choose and when it is hot gently add the egg rolls, turing occasionally until evenly browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with desired sauce.

I truly tried to make this easy! I have a dear friend that doesn't do recipes with "set asides" so I tried to keep that in mind!

Enjoy!