Thursday, March 10, 2011

BAKED EGG ROLLS (Much healthier and we LOVE them!)



Last night we had a "girls night" at our house.  Hubby had bowling night and usually daughter #1 has girls night with her girlfriends but she was a little tired and so she joined her sister and I for American Idol.  Let me first say, I'm not a TV person really except I have to confess I can continually watch documentary type crime stories, the food channel, or the 24/7 news channels (I'm such a bore).  But, this season I tuned in for the first time (its Season 10) to American Idol.  I'm hooked.  My girls and I had a great time commenting about our favorites and,... of course, texting our votes in.  The girls cracked up at me as I said I would be "blowing up their phone" with my texts.  This comment made me LAUGH OUT LOUD and the girls thought I was completely ready for the nursing home because I thought this was so funny!  I guess "blowing up someone's phone" sounded so funny coming from this old 40's mouth.  And talking in their lingo didn't cause them to blink until I bursted out laughing. ...

Anyway, back to dinner!  Whenever its just the girls and I, we tend to have food that we ordinarily don't have when their Dad is home.  He is a complete MEAT AND POTATOES MAN although I have converted him to a few recipes like Hawaiian chicken, chicken & dumplins, lasagna, and even spaghetti.  But, definitely he would never consider eating something as delicious as homemade stirfry (lo mein) and we DEARLY LOVE IT!  I would have to say that of all the things I make that are homemade versions of restaurant food, the homemade chinese and the pizza are definitely KEEPERS! 

So, since we were having a "girls night" and I knew my daughters (ages 23 and 18) would be in the kitchen helping, we also made some egg rolls.  We prefer baked egg rolls.  I just feel like if I'm trying to eat on the healthy side by making homemade stirfry, I might as well make healthier egg rolls.  Plus, lately we just have this aversion to smelling grease frying in our house.  These are excellent!  Now, the texture is a little different because the egg roll won't be blistery and fried, but they are great.  A terrific side for homemade stir fry!

Here's how I do homemade egg rolls "At Home My Way."



Homemade Baked Egg Rolls  (This makes about 8 egg rolls)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 package egg roll wrappers found in the cooler section by the bagged lettuce

1 1/2 cups grated cabbage (I used angle hair bagged cabbage)
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 T. oil for the skillet
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:  Coat a large skillet with the oil.  Add the vegetables and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch, COLD water, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and brown sugar.  Stir well. 

Pour sauce over vegetables in skillet and turn skillet off.  If this seems to be browning in you skillet a a little drizzle of water to deglaze the pan.

Spray a cookie sheet well with cooking spray or lightly oil.

Open the egg roll wrappers.  Take one off the pile.  Place a heaping tablespoon or 2 of the cabbage mix on the wrapper.  Fold in corners from opposite sides.  Turn and fold one of the remaining corners over all the way across.  Then, wrap the egg roll like a burrito.

Place folded side down on the sprayed/oiled cookie sheet.

Spray the egg rolls with cooking spray.

Place in preheated oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until browned.

These can be dipped in storebought sweet and sour sauce.  They can be bagged up and frozen for later and warm up good as well.