Shrimp Pot Sticker

This is a post I did a while back. Although when I went to look for it ,it had been deleted. Luckily I had saved it on my recipes page. So I am reposting it for myself and for those reading this blog.  This is one of my all time favorite recipes.

My husband loves pot stickers, I use to buy them from the store ,but they weren't that good. Then I started buying them from the Schwan's guy. They were good but got to be really expensive. So I decided to make my own. I found a great recipe and changed it a little to make it my own. My family and friends  love them. And it saves me a lot of money. I never knew how easy they were to make.
 

 RECIPE
1 and1/2 pounds of cooked Shrimp or 1 pound of any other cooked meat you may like.
4 chopped green onions
4 cloves roughly chopped garlic or 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.( Optional)
1 eggs and one egg white.
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
Wonton wrapper. There are normally around 60 in a package. ( Don't worry they freeze up really well)
 One husband or friend to do the frying.

HOW TO PUT TOGETHER:

Put everything in a food processor and pulse until combined and minced.

Wet all four sides of your wonton wrapper.

Place about 1/2 of teaspoon of filling in the middle.

Fold over to make a triangle. Gently push filling to the middle. Making sure to seal it all along the edges. This is very important. If it doesn't seal it will leak.  Your water helps to make it seal. Don't worry they seal really easy .

Place in a pan with a little oil They cook up really  fast. So make them all up at one time,placing them on a lightly floured sheet pan. Or have someone cook them as you make them up. I love my assistant. He looks so cute in his apron.

These freeze up great. I usually make a big batch for the freezer so I always have some on hand for lunches and snacks. But they still never seem to last long.

Have you ever just been tired ?

 I am running on empty. I use to love doing my Blog and you couldn't get me off Facebook or YouTube. Now I am hardly on I just don't have the desire. I still will get on my blog at least once a week to read the blogs I am following, but I can't seem to get up the energy  to leave a comment.  Most of the time  if I am honest,  it has to do with the fact that I never see these people on my blog and feel they could care less about what I have to say. And sometimes I just don't have anything to contribute  to the post. The same is true for face book.  I will go on the games I use to play and answer request, but that's about it. I am just not into playing the games any longer. It's like a switch has been turned off. Is there such a thing as media over load? 

UPDATE: Trailer is totally finished and ready for camping.

 A couple of years ago we visited Ricks dad in Arizona  . He is a snow birder, they spend every winter in Quartzite Arizona. While there I meet a lady that had redone her trailer to look as close to a home as possible. It was lovely and very inspiring. After we got home I couldn't get the look or feel of her trailer out of my head. So I set off to do the same thing on a budget.

 Our friend Kent made this head board for us ( that was not on a budget but so worth it). I just love it. The white curtains were found in a yard sale. The valance is done with fabric I got on sale. All I did was staple the fabric over the valance. The pillow were  some I no long us in the house.

 The hunters quilt at the foot of the bed was a gift I made for my husband.The mirror was a sore spot with my husband. He doesn't care for mirrored closet doors. To fix this I bought a roll of frosted window covering.  My talented daughter drew  the trees and moose for me. Then it was just peeling the backing off and applying it to the mirror.The bear in the right corner was also done by our friend Kent.

 This was so simple. We bought these decorated pieces from Home Depot and with a little stain and liquid nails we were done.

 You would never know they didn't come with the trailer.

 Pictures really added to that home feeling. As you can see we also took down the valances off the windows and added curtain I found at the dollar store.  I still can't believe I got them for only a dollar. Rick added the shelf above the window and behind the sofa for me. It's so nice to have somewhere to set my coffee cup.

 The tin on the kitchen wall was bought on sale at Home-Depot. Very easy to put up. I also add white curtains that were given to me and used some old fabric for the valances.

 We tore the carpet up and added a fake wood flooring. It's one of my favorite things we did. 

 It's amazing how little things like a small quilt or simple tablecloth can make a space.

When we bought the trailer they had cup holders between the chairs. We removed it and added this reading table from Lowe's.  We pretty much set in these chairs in the evening. The lamp is perfect for reading. The top of the foot stool comes off for more storage. It was also bought on sale. I love a good sale. I fell like I pretty much accomplished. what I intended to do.  For me it feels like our home away from home. Can't wait to take it out this summer/

The best part of Mothers Day

I woke up to coffee and breakfast smell waffling into my bedroom. My wonderful husband had made me breakfast. I also found flowers and a card on the table by my plate.
My twins came over after Church to make me cookies as well as take me out to dinner for Mothers day. They informed their dad he could come along too. This is when I realized that the card they gave me was so true.

My girls have a great seance of humor

 

I also received calls from my other two daughters. They live out of state. It was so good to hear from them.They both have family and are very busy so it meant a lot that they took the time on their own Mothers Day to just chat.  

Now for the best part . It wasn't the cards or flower. It wasn't the great restaurant or food. It's whats is going on right now as I write this. My girls are sitting on the couch watching Shaun the sheep on TV. It may not seem like much but to me it,s everything. It's been so long since we have been together just to watch  TV and enjoy each other company.  With their work and school, not to mention living out of town it seems like forever since we were able to take a step back in time to enjoy what it was like when they were young and lived at home. I miss those days. So I will cherish any time I get a little glimpse of when my girls were young. 

Advice from a Farmer

Ranch, cheese, and bacon, potatoes. OH MY !

I use  http://cookthat1.blogspot.com  picture instead of my own because I forgot to take a picture before we started eating it.
 These were so good , my husband gave them a 10.Which is rare for him when it comes to potato dishes. I will be making these quite often.

 Awesome Potatoes

 6  medium potatoes, peeled then cut 1/2 inch cubes
and one can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

one1/4 cups milk
one envelope ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 6 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

Finally you need salt & pepper

Instructions :
First step to prepare this easy and delicious recipe is to add the potatoes to a saucepan full of water.   Bring to a boil; then cook between 10 to 12 min . Next  put drained potatoes into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. In a separate  bowl combine together the soup, milk, salad dressing mix, 1 cup cheese, salt & finally  pepper to taste; then pour over potatoes. 

Next add the crumbled bacon & also the remaining cheese over the top. 
 bake, uncovered, 350 degrees F between 25 to 30 min
 or till potatoes are tender.

Check out http://cookthat1.blogspot.com she has a lot of great recipes.

Love, Love, Love this Pot Roast.

This is my favorite recipe for pot roast. You put it on in the morning and it ready for dinner that night.
 I have tried others  recipes but always have come back to this one.
1 chuck roast 3 to 4 pounds ( the size really doesn't matter. It can be bigger or smaller)
1 large onion chopped up.
6 to 8 button mushrooms.
 A hand full of the leaves from one stalk of celery or 1 stalk finely chopped.
1 can of mushroom soup
1 package of dried brown gravy mix.
1 tbs of minced garlic
2 full tsp of Italian seasoning (  Don't brush off the top of the measuring spoon when taking it out of the jar.)
about a 1/2 of a cup of fresh parsley leaves.
Mix the mushroom soup,Italian seasoning, and brown gravy together. DON'T ADD WATER . You will get plenty of liquid from the roast.  ( It will make it,s own thick gravy) .  Place your onions and mushroom in the bottom of your crock pot. Add your roast then spread your garlic on top of it. Pour your gravy mixture over the roast .  Add your celery leaves and parsley leaves. If you are using celery stalk add it with the onion. Turn your crock pot on high for three hours then down to low to finish cooking for the rest of the day.
If you have a high watt crock pot you can leave it on low all day. But I have found that giving it that three hours on high real adds to the flavor.

 The next night I cut up the leftover meat then added it back to the gravy, add sour cream to it   Poured it over noddles .  It was wonderful.

Goats are in our future.

Rick and I finally decided to venture into the world of raising goats. We plan to spend this summer getting everything ready for them. My dear friends Heidi and Jan are more then ready to help me along with this crazy plan.
First thing to do is get the side yard fenced in for them. Then comes their shelter, Rick and I are still going back and forth on that one. He wants the front all the way open then add dog igloos. I want the front partially closed  with stalls. It will take a little time, but I think I will win.
We are also looking for things for them to play on. Debbie found us this play slide for 10 dollars, she
 is always on the look out for thing I might  need for the goats. I don't know what I would do with out these ladies! The test will be if they can put up with all my questions.
I just notice I didn't tell you what kind of goats we are getting. Nigerians, I really like the taste of their milk and it great for soap making. Plus they are small and easy to take care of. I am only getting two. Everyone tells me they are addicting," but I am staying at two. "This is a chant I will keep repeating to myself over and over.
I know summer hasn't started yet this year, but I am so looking forward to next year. In the mean time I have a lot to learn. Jan also helped me with that one. She gave me a goat book for dummies. My friends know me so well !

Happy Easter my dear friends

Homemade Velveeta Cheese

I couldn't believe how easy this was to make.It only takes 4 ingredients to make it and one of them is water. In less then 10 minutes it's done. Best part is no ingredients I can't say or spell. Plus being cheaper doesn't hurt.

 Homemade Velveeta:

1 pound mild or medium cheddar cheese  ( Shredded your self. Pre-shredded cheese has a chemical that doesn't work well. with this recipe)
1 non flavored  gelatin package
1 cup boiling water
6 Tablespoons of instant non fat powdered milk
 In a blender or food processor put your gelatin and instant milk. Pour the boiling water over them. Mix a couple of times to blend together then add your cheese. If your mixer is small you may have to add a little at a time. Mix well, till your cheese has  melted ( a few un-melted pieces won't hurt anything) . Place in a bread pan lined with plastic and cover top with plastic. Make sure all the cheese is covered and all the air is out. If there is air trapped inside the plastic it could dry the top of your cheese. Place in frig over night or at least 12 hours.
Note: if you see a little liquid on the cheese after it is wrapped don't panic . This is normal due to the heat.

How to Make Microwave Bowl Cozies

 I love these . They not only keep you from burning your hands taking things out of the microwave, But they also help keep your ice cream cold.

This is the video I used to help me make these. The direction are super easy.
 I made the size ten bowl. It works great with my soup bowls.

 To made the other sizes  here are the size darts that you will need
15 " x 15 " size bowl holders: I used 1 " across and 3 " down for the darts
12 " x 12 " size bowl holders: I used 1 " across and 2 1/2 " down for the darts
10 " x 10 " size bowl holders: I used 1 " across and 2 " down for the darts.

No apples for you

Once again Mother Nature is telling me that there will be no apples this year. Last year was also a very warm winter with only one frost. But that was enough to insure that we didn't get any apples. My apple trees decided to bloom early again this year also. Thanks to the warm weather ( high 50 and 60 ).  All it will take is one frost and I am done for.This year I did make a big cover to put over it in case of frost. Don't know if it will work ,But it's worth a try.

Road to California Quilt Show

 Went to the Road to California quilt show Thursday with a group of friends .I was really good my husband gave me a hundred and sixty dollars for the show. It cost 10 for gas,14 to get in, 12 for lunch, and 10 for dinner, and I came back with $93. I decided a couple of months ago to live more simply.  I am so proud of myself for sticking to it I did buy some felt and a great cat quilt pattern. But I only bought what I truly wanted. Normally in the past if I had it I would spent it.
I also got to meet Eleanor Burns ( Quilt in a day ). She was so sweet and friendly to everyone.

 Can't wait for next year's trip. I thought you might like to see some of the Quilts from the show.
If you would like to know what made me want to live  more simply  just click on the link.http://www.michelleslittlepieceofheaven.blogspot.com/2014/12/shockers-and-changes.html  

 

HOMEMADE NO GRATE LAUNDRY SOAP

 No more grating soap for laundry detergent .Yes you heard right ,no more grating. I love my old laundry soap but hated having to grate that hard bar of soap. With this new recipe I found I don't have to. It works just like the old one with mostly the same ingredients. It is so much easier and faster then the old one. You will need.
1 gallon container
1/2 cup arm and hammer washing soda
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
2 tablespoons baking soda ( optional )

Bring half a gallon of water to a boil, add your other ingredients   . Whisk till dissolved then pour into your gallon container. Add enough hot water to full the container. That's it  your done.  Use a 1/4 of a cup to 1/2 cup depending on how big your load is.

Make your own flavored waters

I found this floating around on face book. Sounded like something worth trying.

As a rule, you should try to avoid as much as possible industrial food and beverages
1) The classical : lemon/cucumber:
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
2) The granite : Strawberry/Lime or Raspberry/Lime
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries / 0r Raspberries and one thinly sliced lime + 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
3) The digestive : Fennel/citrus
First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel in 150 ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
4) The antiOX : Blackberry/Sage
Note that a part from the berries, sage leafs is the herb that has the highest antioxidant content.
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
5) Watermelon : watermelon/Rosemary
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
6) The exotic : Pineapple/Mint
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
7) The traditional : Apple/cinnamon
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
8.) The zingibir : Ginger/tea
In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down.
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
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Cheese and Onion Buns

 I pinned this recipe from http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca
 I wish I had tried it a lot sooner. They turned out so good. I only used half of the dough for the cheese and onion buns. The other half I made hamburger buns out of it. Both ways taste great. I did change the recipe, but only to make it more user friendly for these first time bakers.  

 Yeast Dough

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons yeast (instant, fast rising)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
• 6 - 6 1/2 cups flour

1. Stir together the water, potato flakes, yeast, and sugar. Let set for 5 minute .
2. Add eggs, softened butter, and yeast mixed with 3 cups flour.  ( stir the tablespoon of salt into flour before adding )
3. Beat with stand mixer on high speed.  You can also knead by hand.
4. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft but knead-able dough is formed. 
5. Knead well. 
6. Place in a greased bowl.
7. Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. (About an hour in a warm place.)

Filling:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

 Directions:

1. Punch down dough, and divide in half.
2. Roll each half out to form a 16 x 12 inch rectangle.
3. Brush each piece with half the melted butter; sprinkle each rectangle with half the cheese and poppy seeds.
4. Beat egg, and brush lightly over long edges.
5. Starting at one long side, roll up tightly, pinching seam to seal.
6. Cut thick slices (about 1 1/2") and place on parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. 
7. Press buns to flatten to about 3/4" thick.
8. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
9. Brush lightly with beaten egg.
10. Top each roll with onion slices. 
11. Add a dollop of mayonnaise on top of each bun (about 1 teaspoon). Spread on top of buns with knife. ( I used a little less.
12. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Cool on racks.

Yield: 20 large cheesy onion rolls.

*Here's what I love about this dough.  It is a wonderful refrigerator dough...and keeps well for several days in the fridge in a sealed container. 

First Test Of the new Start

 If you read my last blog post you already know that I am trying not to spend or waste money.  I am turning over a new leaf as they say.  Today was the first of many test.  Yes I did spend money at Joan's, but not for fabrics or crafts. I bought a dollar pair of gloves. Yes I need them ( I pledged to buy only what I really need.)  my hand were freezing.  Normally I would of bought a pair for around 10 dollars. 
 It was really tough being in the store today because every thing was on sale ( after Christmas sales)  I saw some fabric I would love to have for  $16.99 but walked away. OK maybe I did carry it around a little bit before putting it back. But I did put it back.  They   also had needle work patterns on sale for half off.  I didn't even go near them. That was a temptation I know I couldn't win.  There was also this cute Christmas throw with kitties on it. I love Kitties! But with a forlorn look I walked away.
 I walked out of the store head held high.  Only to have to return, because my one dollar gloves had a

hole in them.   

Shockers and Changes

My husband pays the bills so I really didn't know what we spend our money on. Boy did I get a wake up call. I happen to see our Bright House bill. ( home phone, cable, and internet ) Lets just say it was up there near the two hundred mark. And the bad thing is we don't watch a lot of TV. Maybe a hand full of shows. We also haven't used our home phone in forever. The only time it's used is when someone calls us on it when they can't get us on our cell.
My husband keep a log on what we spend and where. This was my next shocker! We eat out way to much! Then you add in the things we buy that we really don't need. It's amazing how much we waste.

I spend a lot of time looking at blogs that talk about living a simpler life ,not to mention you tube videos. I love all the homesteading shows like Alaska the last frontier, Ricking it all ( off grid living ) and Pioneers . I have 3 garden spots , chickens and I even raised a pig. But somewhere down the line I am still not getting the whole idea of a simpler life style.
 No, I don't want to live with out water or lights. I do how ever need to get away from the idea of consumerism. I love cooking ( hate washing dishes ) so why not just stay home and cook.
 I have so much fabric for quilting ,yet if I see a fabric I like I buy it.  Then  I turned around and sold 3 big tubs of fabric at a yard sell this summer. What's wrong with this picture? I can't remember half the stuff I bought last month, so I really didn't need it.

I am making a goal for my self. I am starting out small and going from there. First thing is to get rid of cable. We have Net flix and Hulu Plus ( which we also rarely watch) that total 16 dollars a month. I will keep them. They do have some of the shows I watch. Second, now that Christmas is over, I will not buy anything I don't REALLY need. I am going to write down what I normally would of spent eating out or shopping and see just how much I have saved. I may shock my self.

The next step is my food bill. I will buy something planning to make it only to have it go bad in the frig.  Or I will buy meat ( on sale) and stick it in the freezer in the garage. Only to forget about it and it get freezer burned. It's time to think about a weekly  menu. Using up all the food I have stored in my two freezer. The small one does have a lot of veggies from the garden in it.  See I am not all bad LOL.
 The first part of my journey begins. Don't worry ladies I will be posting my bragging and complaining and even ratting along the way for your enjoyment. Be warned you will hear my pain.

Christmas House tour.

I won't bore you with a lot of words.  Ok, maybe a few. I never was one to keep my mouth shut. You can always skip over the words and just look at the picture.

 My old girl Dusty loves to sit and lay on the Christmas throw.

 This was a Christmas gift from my friend Penny. I love this quilt.

 The nativity usually stays here in front of the fireplace. But since I had a fire going I put it in front of the TV 

 I love all the bubble lights.

 Dinning room

 The deer head is one I made my husband. He wanted to get a deer head for over the fireplace. This was the compromise so far. I am sure I will lose this battle and we will end up with a real one.

 Kitchen

Hope you enjoyed the tour. May you have a blessed Christmas this year.