If you love cooking like I do and you really want to impress someone or show how much you love them....make these babies. You will hear your dinner guest make embarrassing num num noises I've even given people downright dirty flavorgasms with these delicious dumplings.

Ginger Pork Dumplings with Citrus Sesame slaw and Lime Almond Rice
Dumplings
1 lb ground pork
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves minced
2 green onions minced
pinch of chili flakes
1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce, I like Mae Ploy
1 tsp sesame oil
8oz. package of oyster mushrooms sauteed cooled and minced
1 egg
1 pkg. wonton wrappers
1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp. water

In a medium sized bowl mix the first ten ingredients together. Place wonton on a cutting board and brush the egg wash onto the border of the wrapper, take a tsp of the filling and place in the center of the wrapper. fold the wonton over the filling and seal edges by pressing firmly. Then add more egg wash to the pressed edges and make tiny folds and pinches to further seal the edges... like a pie crust. Set the prepared dumplings on a baking sheet and cover with slightly moistened paper towels. Refrigerate til ready to cook

Citrus Sesame Slaw
1/2 c. Litehouse Sesame Ginger dressing (yes store bought dressing)
1/4 c. mayo
juice of one lime (zest the lime and set aside for the rice)
12 oz bag of broccoli slaw

In a large bowl whisk the first three ingredients together and add the slaw and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lime Almond Rice
4 c. cooked white or Jasmine rice, hot (make sure to salt your cooking water)2 Tbsp minced cilantro
1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds
zest of one lime

Mix all ingredients. Do the rice last so that you can serve it hot.

For the dumplings, Put 2 Tbsp. of peanut or veg oil in a non stick pan. Heat the oil on a medium high setting. Fill the pan in a single layer with the dumplings. You may have to do several batches. When the bottoms of the dumplings start to brown add 1/2 c. of water and cover the pan but leave a space for the steam to escape. When the water is gone your dumpling should be ready. Watch it near the end , when the water is almost gone, so they don't burn. Set the finished dumplings in a covered oven prof dish and keep in a low warming oven.
Serve the dumplings on a bed of the rice and top with slaw. You can use your extra sweet chili sauce, soy sauce or dressing as dipping sauces for the dumplings.

I'm not going to lie to you. This is a very involved recipe. Takes tons of time and work. But very worth it

Pumpkin Pie Creamcheese stuffed French Toast
It's Fall and I'm gonna be a white girl and love on the pumpkin. Don't you judge me!!!

1 loaf thin sliced Italian or Vienna bread
1 tub of pumkin flavored cream cheese, available at Aldi's or Kroger
2 to 3 cups of granola of your choice, if it is chunky whiz it up in the food processor until coarse crumbs are achieved
10 large eggs
2 c. half and half
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
4 to 6 Tbsp butter

in a shallow baking dish crack the 10 eggs and whisk in the half and half, vanilla and cinnamon. take one slice of the bread and spread a generous amount of cream cheese onto it. Cover the spread with another slice of bread and repeat til the loaf or tub of cream cheese is gone.
Place the coarse chopped granola into a shallow dish. Dip the prepared bread into the batter and place into the granola to coat. in a preheated griddle or pan melt enough butter to generously coat the bottom. When butter is foamy add enough of the frebch toast slices to fill the pan. cook 5 minutes on each side or until toasty brown. Repeat til the whole batch is done. Keep in a warming oven until ready to serve
I serve this with maple syrup with just a touch of apple cider in it