Chinese Steamed Buns

As you well know the Cyclist and I love dim sum. Whether its at Pike Place Market or British Columbia we are willing to make a road trip for the best Chinese food. I can be sort of adventurous at a good dim sum restaurant but my meal is never complete until I have had Hum Bao! Apparently better known as Baozi or Char Siu Bao, it's a steamed bread bun filled with a sweet pork filling. Delightful.

For years we have thought about getting a rice steamer but never have. Well this Christmas I found one under the tree from my man. It's great for rice and has a nice little steamer basket to slip on top so adding a few vegis in the last few minutes is a great bonus.

But the biggest selling point for the Cyclist was the possibility of making our very own Hum Bao. I have yet to take the time to make a real Chinese pork filling but what we have tried has been awesome! The day after Christmas we filled them with some pre-made pulled pork we found at Grocery Outlet and the day after that we filled them with pizza fixings (this was the Cyclist favorite and the kids deep fried theirs. ~Beaner claims everything is better deep fried). You can be as creative as you want... I do plan on putting some time in and making the real thing but I keep thinking of other things I can try like... Apple, Peach or Cherry Pie Filling.

Until then I will give you the recipe for the dough and how to shape the bun.

I searched the internet and found several recipes for making steamed buns and finally chose to use this one from All Recipes . com courtesy of Michelle Che

Chinese Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao or Baozi)

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons shortening

Directions

1. Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
2. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a long roll, and divide it into 24 pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of the hand to form a thin circle. The center of the circle should be thicker than the edge. Place one portion of the pork filling in the center of each dough circle. Wrap the dough to enclose the filling. Pinch edges to form the bun. Let the buns stand for 10 minutes.
4. Steam buns for 12 minutes. Serve.

The shaping is a little tricky so once again I sought direction from the Internet... You tube... the best source for anything "how to"... this one is good starting at minute 4:55. She gives good step by step directions for folding the dough. The rest is her directions for making the filling.

Have fun with this!

Important Documentation

Blue Sky

It's still there
(after an extensive game of hiding)
and I feel great hope that it will return again!

Blue sky

I Heart Teenagers!

What do you get when you add 10 years to the craziness of toddlers?

A house full of big eaters, laughter, friends, homework, high emotion, highschool and middleschool, loud music, facebook, texting, people who find ways to make almost anything fun, intelligent conversation, more laughing, a few tears...
And so much joy you think you might explode.
Today I'm thankful for my teenagers (one almost)
AND their friends!

Do you love to clean?

I don't. I love a clean house but the process of getting it there, not so much.

I'm also kind of a cleaning slob. If I wore an article of clothing to clean in, there is a good chance said clothing will have a bleach spot somewhere. Yes. I have sweatshirts, t-shirts, jeans and sweats all sporting white and/or miscolored spots enhancing their look. (Also, anything I have ever painted in: total history)

Today I had my first experience in Green Cleaning. Somewhere in my travels on the information superhighway I ran into a blog by the Green Cleaning Coach Leslie Reichert. She also has a book called The Joy of Green Cleaning that I got for just a few dollars on Kindle.

With just a little lemon juice, vinegar and Borax I got rid of the grime and pink mildew that seem to appear in my bathroom the day after I clean. And... even though I (of course) got some on my shirt, it washed right out!
Check out her blog and cough up a few bucks for the book, it's worth it. Who knows I might actually remove all cleaning chemicals from my house!

And, it might just prove to be the saving grace for my wardrobe!

Valentines Day

Shopping for a Delicious Valentine Dinner
with my boy.

Sunday Naps

With Church at 9am, one of our favorite Sunday family activities is an afternoon nap!

Cinnamon Biscuits

I came downstairs for my bowl of granola this morning, preparing for my (indoor) bike ride. (it's cold, windy and rainy today. nuf said)

Turning the corner into the kitchen I heard the familiar sounds of Saturday morning TV. Danger looked at me in her sweetest, "Aren't you happy to see me?" face and said, "Since we're all up and cheerful, will you make us breakfast?"

How can a mother say no to that. But, I had fitness plans that I knew if delayed would end up replaced. So, an hour or so later I returned for their order. The unanimous choice was Cinnamon Biscuits.
In order for you to also be a Super Mom and be prepared for next Saturday. Here's the shopping list:

Pillsbury canned biscuits
Butter or Margarine
Sugar
Cinnamon

Place 1/2 to 1 cube (depending on how gooey you like it) butter in 9x13 pan and place in oven. Turn oven on and set at 350. The butter will melt while the oven preheats and while you prepare the biscuits.

Open the biscuits and carefully tear each in half. I don't mean for you to take a full moon and make two halves. I mean for you to tear it down the center so you now have two full moons that are just a little skinnier. Today I didn't have any Pillsbury in the fridge so I quickly whipped up a batch of Easy Dinner Rolls and made them about half size.

When the butter is melted, remove pan from oven and sprinkle in enough sugar to soak up the butter. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. These amounts are undefined. In other words, I have no idea how much to add. Enough to make a nice goo that tastes yummy. Then add a teaspoon or two of water and stir around the bottom of your pan.

Lay one biscuit at a time into the goo and flip over so both sides are good and gooey then line up in rows in the pan. Bake according to directions on biscuit package - about 10-15 minutes.

Serve with milk.Return to bike and ride for another hour.