Valentine's Day Strawberry Nutella Dumplings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tube of crescent rolls (I bought the brand Immaculate from Whole Foods)
  • 1 jar of nutella
  • 1 case of strawberry
  • 10 raspberries (if you like a little tart)
  • 1 jar coconut oil
  • confectioner sugar

Directions:

  1. Start by dicing your strawberries.  I like to do this by cutting an X in the strawberry from the tip to the stem.
  2. Then I turn it sideways and cut horizontally so four small pieces fall off on each slice.
  3. Place all your strawberries into a bowl and set aside.  
  4. If you like a tart in your dumpling, if you are sweet with a kick, mush the 10 raspberries and add to your strawberries.  You definitely don't want the tart to overpower the sweet so feel free to scale back on the raspberries if it seems like too much.
  5. Empty your coconut oil into a small sauce pan and place on low heat to let it melt and heat up
  6. Open your crescent roll container.  Nothing is more satisfying than the terror and the "Pop!" as the tube explodes open.  
  7. Take all of the dough and mush it all together.  Break into small tablespoon size balls to be rolled out.
  8. Cut one of your balls in half. (The dough one please... I know V-Day is stressful...) Roll the two halves out into large circular discs.  Shoot for about a 3 inch diameter.
  9. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of Nutella into the center of one of the discs.
  10. Add about 1 teaspoon of the fruit
  11. Place the second disc on top and press down all of the edges so it fully seals.
  12. Using your fingers flatten the edges a bit more so there is about an inch of dough surrounding your filling
  13. Now taking a knife and cut two diagonal lines meeting at a point to make the base of the heart
  14. Cut a small triangle out of the opposite side of the dumpling and then use your hands to fold over the two large and rounded sides to complete the heart shape.
  15. If you feel lazy, just resort to the classic fold.  Take one disc, place the filling in the middle, fold in half and seal all the edges.  No shame in that!
  16. Continue this process until you have your desired number of dumplings
  17. Now carefully put the dumplings into the hot oil in small groups
  18. Be sure not to put so many that they touch.  This is ONE part of this holiday where we are NOT promoting touching ;)
  19. Cook until you see the edges start to brown and flip. (usually about 2-3 minutes)
  20. After the second side has browned evenly remove and place on a paper towel to drain.
  21. Sprinkle with a bit of confectioner sugar and enjoy your sweet treat with your sweet!

Thai Basil Chicken Dumpling

Ingredients:

  • ~50 wraps 

  • 1 lb ground chicken

  • 1/2 red pepper

  • 1/2 green pepper

  • 1 cup thai basil

  • 3 tsps garlic

  • 1 1/2 tbsps oyster sauce

  • 1 tsp soy sauce

  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt

  • 2 cups frying oil

Directions:

  1. Mince the peppers and basil in a food processor
  2. Add the vegetables to the chicken
  3. Mix in garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce and garlic salt
  4. Place a large spoonful of the mixture in a wrap
  5. Bunch all the edges together and twist to make a top
  6. Pinch off the excess dough
  7. Heat up oil in a sauce pan
  8. Cook in batches until golden brown 
  9. Drain dumplings on a paper towel and enjoy!