Fortune Cookies

My husband LOVES a good Chinese buffet.  Shoot, he loves a bad Chinese buffet, if it has at least one dish he loves.  Me?  Meh.  I like sweet and sour sauce and that's about it.  The rest I tolerate out of love.  However?  The best part about "Chinese" food for me is the fortune cookie that you get with the bill!

I know, fortune cookies aren't Chinese.  However, I think we've associated the two together for enough years (much the way we believe our pizza comes from Italy and our fries come from France) that it's just kind of tolerated in that, "you're a big dumb American" kind of way.

I've always wanted to try to make them, so when I found this recipe I knew I was in it to win it.  For the record, though, these are very soft and doughy, not crispy/crunchy.  (You've been forewarned.)
Ingredients:

3 egg whites

3/4 C white sugar

1/2 C butter, melted and cooled

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 C flour

2 T water

Directions:

1. Write out your fortunes and cut them on small strips.  Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Separate the eggs

3. Whip egg whites and sugar until frothy.
4. Stir in butter, vanilla, almond, water, and flour.  It should turn into a pancake batter like consistency.
5. Grease a cookie sheet (lined for ease)
6. Spoon batter into circles on the sheet, about 3 inches across.
7. Bake until the edges only begin to brown (about 4-5 minutes)
8. Immediately remove from oven, place the fortune in the middle.  Fold in half to make a half circle.  Then, pull the two edges together, making the straight edge of your half circle meet at it's 'corners'.

9. Place the finished product in a muffin tin to help retain the shape while they cool.  Give them a good hour+.

Please note - you have to work as soon as they come out of the oven.  You have to work quickly to not burn your fingertips or to crack the dough.  It's a quick process, so I didn't cook more than 6 at a time, and I had someone to help me.  I'd take 6 out, put 6 in, and that way we were constantly moving.  It's not easy, but it's certainly fun, and I'd recommend it for any small, special occasion.

30 Minute Meal - I timed it!!!

Yes, a lot of generics.  Spend your own money!

6:00PM - Grab your ingredients.  

6:02 - Measure the correct measurements for your rice, start the salted water to boil.  (I really love Jasmine rice, but your fav would do well too, I'm sure.)

6:04 -  Heat oil in a large wok or pot.  Once hot, saute your pressed garlic for 5-10 seconds to start releasing the aroma.  Yum!

6:05 - Add your ground beef.  I usually double up the recipe because this also makes for great leftovers.  So, here you'll see two pounds of beef, two bell peppers, an entire head of cabbage (it cooks down more than you'd think), and the appropriate spices.

6:10 - Water boiling yet?  If so, add your rice and turn it down to a simmer.  (Obviously, follow your own directions or use a rice steamer.  Make a plan.)

 6:15 - hopefully by now your meat is nicely browned.  I don't drain it because the liquid (if there's any) thickens later.  At this point, add your cabbage and peppers.  Peppers that aren't green make the best presentation, but I take what's on sale/in the house!  Cook until tender.

6:20 - this picture is before the cabbage cooked all the way down, it was about halfway here.  Once your veggies are tender, add your soy sauce, water/corn starch as directed, and let it simmer for the last ten minutes to thicken your sauce.

6:25 - rice should be done.  Turn off the heat, add some butter (or whatever), fluff it, and let it sit (covered)

6:30 - Serve and enjoy.  :)

6:40, fight your significant other for seconds!!