Pepper Soup

steam
1 pound carrots, peeled, and sliced
1 yam, peeled and sliced
1 portion of fresh peeled ginger root (about the size of your little finger)

saute
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
a generous pinch of salt and pepper

add the steamed vegetables to the sauteed veggies, then add the water used to steam the carrots to the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, or until all the veggies are soft. Then, using an immersion blender or a regular blender in batches, puree the ingredients until the desired consistency is achieved.

Then add
the zest from 1 orange
the juice from 1 orange
about 1/4 cup zested fresh ginger root
more pepper to taste

serve warm, with yummy rolls on the side

I call this soup pepper soup because when I made it the first time, I added way too much pepper, at least according to what my wife said when I was making it. When it came time to eat it, however, after I added the ginger, orange zest and orange juice, it was actually perfect, with just a little bit of heat on the back end. Okay, it may have been really spicy, but still excellent!

Enjoy with someone you love!

Thai Spring Rolls (or Egg Rolls)

I love to make homemade egg rolls, and these are DIVINE!

• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/3 head of green cabbage, chopped
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup bean thread noodles
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs (use cilantro, basil or mint, your choice)
• 1/4 cup carrots, grated or julienned
• 1 tbsp lime juice plus extra for chicken
  
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated (optional)
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 container of firm tofu
• egg roll wrappers

First, you have to cook your chicken. I start by chopping it into very small cubes, we're talking maybe a half inch or so, and then saute it in olive oil with salt and pepper and quite a bit of lime juice. When the chicken is just browning, toss in the tofu, cut into the same size cubes.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients. (You need to soak the bean thread noodles in warm water first.) Mix together.

Then you need to wrap your egg rolls! You need a small glass or dipping container of some sort of water mixed with a tiny bit of cornstarch. You start by laying the wrapper like a diamond. (Make sure that you keep the other wrappers covered while you work, they dry out so quick! I like to use a wet paper towel.) Put about 2 Tbsp of the filling in the middle, in a semi-line. Start by folding the top over. Then, fold the sides over. You want to keep this tight. Roll it until you are almost at the end, and then dip your finger in the water/cornstarch mixture and wet the tip. It will stick.
I lay them on a cookie sheet, and keep them covered with a dampish dish towel so they don't dry out. When you are all done, deep fry until just golden brown. Delicious, and surprisingly quick!

(I also saw on a cooking show that you can bake them in the oven if you brush some oil on them. Cook at 400 until golden brown. They supposedly are really crispy. I haven't tried it.)