BAKED SHRIMP EGG ROLLS

Do not be intimidated by this recipe. It's so easy a child can and has done it! Egg rolls taste almost as good baked as they do deep fried and so much better for you, but of course you can deep fry them as well (they turn out very light and crispy).

7" square egg roll wrappers

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 TB canola oil and saute the following ingredients for 2 minutes:

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage (see *Note)
3/4 cup carrot, finely shredded
3 green onions, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili sauce, or to taste
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 TB oyster sauce
1-1/2 cups cooked chopped shrimp (Optional)
After sauteing, place mixture in a strainer and drain very well.

Set up your "wrapping station":
Fill a small bowl with water with which to moisten the wrappers
Place the wrapper with one pointed end facing you.  Place approximately 1-1/2 TB of the filling across the lower center and fold into an envelope as follows:
Fold the bottom point over the filling to the center.
Bring the left and right points to the center so it forms an "envelope" shape.
Moisten the "upper triangle edges" with water.
Roll tightly from the bottom to the top point.
Place seam side down on oiled baking sheet.

Cover with a damp towel while preparing the remaining rolls. 
Always keep the wrappers yet to be rolled covered with a damp towel also.

At this point the baking sheet can be placed in the freezer for about 2 hours until the egg rolls are frozen through. Then remove them and store in a freezer safe bag. 

If you are cooking them right away, preheat the oven to 400. 
Brush or spray the egg rolls with cooking oil on both sides*. Bake for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. If baking from frozen use the same temperature and bake about 5 minutes longer. 


*Notes:
These are equally good with or without shrimp
I have used regular cabbage shredded very thinly and I have used packaged shredded coleslaw mix, chopped--both work equally well.

Use the spray oil sparingly or they will be greasy. 

ORZO with SHRIMP, BLACK OLIVES & FETA

I LOVE Orzo! Cold or hot, plain or fancied up.  Here's one of my latest ways to enjoy it. Serves 2.

4 oz Orzo
10 Shrimp (size 31/35) (pre-cooked)
2 oz Feta Cheese (I used Goat Feta)
10 Oil Cured Black Olives
1 (6oz) jar GRILLED and marinated Artichokes
2 handfuls fresh Spinach
1/2 a lemon (zest and juice)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
Red pepper flakes to taste

Cook Orzo according to the directions on the package.  While it is cooking heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and just before it starts smoking add shrimp in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 1 minute. Flip the shrimp to the other side and cook 1 minute more.  Just before the minute is up, add garlic and red pepper flakes to cook for 30 seconds. Remove shrimp to a plate and let cool a bit.  When cool enough to handle, chop into bite-sized pieces.

Zest the half a lemon (before you cut it in half). Pit and chop the olives into small, but not too small pieces and set aside. Give the grilled artichokes a few chops to make them bite sized. The spinach can be chopped or not; I don't.

When Orzo is done cooking, drain well (do not rinse) and add the spinach right away so that the heat of the cooked Orzo will wilt the spinach-- mix well.  Then add the artichokes, shrimp, olives and feta and combine everything gently and well.  Add the lemon juice and the zest.  Season with salt and pepper, but remember the olives are very salty, so go easy. You're ready to eat immediately.  Any leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten cold the next day.

FRESH SPRING ROLLS with THAI DIPPING SAUCE

A great idea for a light lunch.  Great Asian flavors.

THAI DIPPING SAUCE
4 Tsp Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 Tsp Chili garlic Sauce
Whisk all ingredients together and serve with Spring Rolls.
To make ahead refrigerate up to 2 days; season with additional lime juice to taste before serving.

SPRING ROLLS
1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Carrot, peeled and shredded
1 Jalapeno Chile, minced
1 Cucumber (8 oz) halved lengthwise and seeded and cut into matchsticks
8 (8 inch) round Rice paper wrappers
1/2 Cup fresh Mint Leaves, torn into pieces
1/2 Cup fresh Cilantro Leaves
1/2 Cup fresh Spinach Leaves
1 Scallion, sliced thin (optional)
1/2 # Cooked Shrimp, (medium) halved lengthwise

Whisk lime juice, fish sauce and sugar until sugar dissolves. Divide the lime juice mixture in half and toss with  the carrot and Jalapeno in one bowl and cucumber in another. Spread a clean damp towel on the counter.

Fill a pie plate with 1" of room temperature water.  Working with 1 rice paper wrapper at a time, immerse it in the water until just pliable, about 2 minutes. Then transfer it to the towel.

Sprinkle each rice paper wrapper with about 6 torn mint leaves, 6 torn cilantro leaves and a few spinach leaves.  Add about 5 cucumber pieces horizontally on the wrapper and top with one tablespoon of the carrot mixture. Add scallions if using. Top with 2-3 shrimp halves. Adjust these ingredients to your particular taste.

Roll the rice wrappers up around the filling into a spring roll, transfer them to a large serving platter and cover with another clean, damp kitchen towel.  Slice each in half on the diagonal and serve with sauce.

To make ahead: Do not slice rolls in half.  Store in refrigerator up to 4 hours covered with the damp towel and slice in half before serving.