Sunday, April 12, 2015

Welcome Guest Diane Vallere!!






Diane Vallere lives in a world where popcorn is a breakfast food and Doris Day movies are revered for their cultural significance. WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL is #3 in the Mad for Mod series. She also writes the Style and Error and Material Witness mysteries. She launched her own detective agency at ten years old and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.

By the way, Diane is giving away a copy of With Vics You Get Eggroll, either print or e-copy. See details below to enter!!

Take it away, Diane!


Diane Vallere’s Easy(ish) Eggrolls

To celebrate the release of WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL, #3 in my Mad for Mod Series, I decided to make—you guessed it—eggrolls! And while it should be noted that I am not a cook, it should also be noted that I think we can all accomplish whatever we set our minds to, so even if you don’t decide to try this recipe, please try something that you think is beyond your abilities. You might be surprised!

Ingredients

Not shown: sugar, sesame oil, and water.
20 egg roll wrappers
1 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Cooking oil for frying

chop everything before cooking the meat!

Directions
1   1.     Heat a wok or stir-fry pan over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add pork, ginger and garlic; stir-fry until meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Drain excess oil.

There’s the sesame oil!




2    2.  In a separate, large bowl, combine pork, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil.

And there’s the sugar. Photobomb!
3     3. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Why not relax and watch a favorite TV show?

4    4. Add cabbage, carrot and green onions. Toss well.



5    5.    Fill rolls as follows:

a.    Place wrapper on a clean flat surface in front of you so that it looks like a diamond.

b.    Place 2-3 tablespoons pork filling in center of wrapper.



c.     Fold bottom point up over filling and roll once.




d.    Fold in right and left points.





e.    Brush beaten egg on top point.




f.     Continue rolling until you have a tight cylinder.

6     6.    Place filled rolls aside and cover with a damp cloth while filling remaining rolls.


keep under a damp paper towel so the skins don’t dry

7     7.    In a large pot or wok, heat 1-2 inches of cooking oil over medium-high heat to 350ºF.

a tip to ensure the oil is at the right temperature:
place the end of a wooden skewer into the oil.
If tiny bubbles appear around the wood and spiral out,
the oil is hot enough. If not, wait!

8     8.   Add egg rolls, a few at a time, and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side.





9     9.    Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.


Serve with hot mustard. Enjoy!




Makes about 20 egg rolls.

GIVEAWAY:

Leave a comment today about your favorite Chinese or fried food, and you'll be entered to win a copy of WITH VICS YOU GET EGGROLL, either print or e-book, winner's choice. Remember to leave your email so Diane can contact you if you're the lucky winner! Winner will be picked Monday.


You can find Diane on the Internet here:

Facebook
Twitter: @DianeVallere
Or on her website: DianeVallere

97 comments:

  1. The recipe looks delicious. My favorite Chinese food is boneless ribs. Thank you for this chance!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Robyn,
      Boneless ribs are yummy, too! Good luck!

      Delete
  2. I live in Louisiana, and I have to say my favorite fried food is soft shell crab po'boy, the crab being the fried component of the dish. That said, I eat anything and enjoy Chinese egg rolls immensely so perhaps I will try to make some. You made it look very doable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Teresa,
      It's not the fastest process, but the end result was very tasty! Good luck!

      Delete
    2. Also, I don't think I've ever had a soft shell crab po'boy!

      Delete
  3. My favorite Chinese food is egg fried rice; but egg rolls are a close second! EMS591@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz, I also love making egg fried rice. My instructions for that will be included in an upcoming book. Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  4. I like egg rolls. There look good.
    pmettert@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ann,
      I hope you give these a try (or you can just get some eggrolls at your favorite Chinese food restaurant :) Good luck!

      Delete
  5. I love egg rolls and fried rice. The book sounds like a good read.

    bevarcher AT me DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Booklady,
      Another fan of egg rolls and fried rice! That is a yummy combination.

      Delete
  6. I like tofu with vegetables.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sandy,
      I had fried tofu for the first time a few months ago and was surprised at how good it was. Do you stir fry?

      Delete
  7. Crab Rangoon ans shrimp spring rolls!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meg, My mouth is watering! I've also made crab Rangoon. Super easy and worth it.

      Delete
  8. I really, really like Kung Pao chicken. And Doris Day movies are some of my favorites, too. Thanks for the contest.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sue,
      A Doris Day fan! Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  9. What fun! Love old Doris Day movies, as "other time" as they might be. :) Fun series. Wishing you tons of success.

    Daryl / Avery

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Daryl, Thank you for inviting me to guest post today! That's truly the fun of the series: taking inspiration from Doris Day movies but placing it in a contemporary mystery.

      Delete
  10. Kung Pao chicken is usually my favorite, too, but today it might have to be egg rolls for breakfast! Thanks for the giveaway.
    sallycootie@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Grandma, I had egg rolls for breakfast the day after I wrote this post (leftovers) and they were just as good!

      Delete
  11. I love egg rolls. I get one every time we eat Chinese food. I love your book covers. That is what drew me to your wonderful books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Donna,
      Thank you!

      When I was a poor college student, I used to treat myself to egg rolls on Friday nights. I could get two for a dollar, which was about as much as I had to spare in my budget.

      Delete
  12. My favorite Chinese food is crab rangoon but the recipes looks yummy and I'll have to try it. Great contest!
    scarletbegonia5858@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cupcake,
      Good luck with the recipe! Give yourself plenty of time :)

      Good luck with the contest, too!

      Delete
  13. Crab rangoon, egg rolls, and sweet/sour chicken.
    thanks for the directions on making the egg rolls.
    txmlhl@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary,
      That sounds like a great menu! Perhaps a dinner party is in order?

      Good luck!

      Delete
  14. My favorite Chinese Food is Egg Drop Soup and Spring Rolls. Great post. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Petite,
      Another yummy meal suggestion! Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  15. Vegetable fried rice with eggs rolls are a delight. Lovely and interesting post. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Traveler, I love making vegetable fried rice, too. It's an imperfect recipe: some of this, some of that, but it's always good :)

      Good luck!

      Delete
  16. Your recipe sounds great, will be trying it :). My favorite Chinese food is Singapore noodles , nice and spicy yummmmmmmmm

    debbiec1313@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Debbie,
      I have not had Singapore noodles. They sound great! I'll be investigating.

      Good luck!

      Delete
  17. I made egg rolls years ago and they were a big hit. This recipe sounds better as it calls for sesame oil and now I know what a big difference that can make. A good meal to me is egg rolls, rice and won ton soup. Or hot and sour soup. Now I'm hungry for Chinese food! I'd love to read your books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nancy!

      I made fried rice a few days ago and used vegetable oil instead of sesame oil and was surprised at the huge difference in taste. Sesame oil is a little more expensive but it does make a difference in these Asian dishes.

      Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
    2. Thank you, Diane. Even using half sesame oil and half vegetable oil is good.

      Delete
  18. Never tried making egg rolls at home. Diane made it look simpler than I thought. I've read all of her series. Although Mad for Mod is my favorite. Thanks for the giveaway.
    Tennisace50(@)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a fabulous recipe! You make it look so easy. Thanks for joining us today, Diane! I had no idea that Doris Day had a TV show.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Linda,
    Like I say at the beginning, I'm not a regular cook, but I wanted to try this. And they came out perfectly--so much so that I'm still talking about them! Give them a try, you might be surprised :)

    Thank you for reading my books!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love Chinese food. My favorite is fried rice, chow mein, garlic chicken, cherry chicken, moo shoo pork. Yummy! These egg rolls look delicious too. Thanks for the chance to win!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn, I love Chinese food too! There's a lot of it in this book. If you win, you might find yourself ordering take-out...

      Delete
  22. I think I need to buy some wonton wrappers! I love Chinese food, but generally always get the same thing: sesame chicken and won ton soup. I adore won ton soup and buy it by the quart. I'd buy a gallon if they'd let me! lol

    Thanks for the chance to win. I'll have to tell my friend Trish in England about the series. She's part of the Mod life over there!

    cozyupwithkathy @ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kat, Wonton wrappers are great! You can make pirogues with them, too. These are larger sheets, perfect for the egg rolls. Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  23. Love egg rolls. I can't wait to try that recipie. My favorite Chinese food is Chicken and Broccoli with white rice. Looks like a great cozy.

    xzjh04@ Gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kiki, please let me know how your egg rolls turn out! Chicken and broccoli is another fave. I'm getting hungry just reading these comments!

      Delete
  24. My favorite Chinese dish is Singapore Rice Noodle and I always include an egg roll when I order.

    Dru

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dru, The egg roll is a must, I think. Thanks for the comment!

      Delete
  25. You made that look so easy. I always get Hawaiian chicken at my local Chinese restaurant.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda,
      If you can follow instructions, you can make these. I've never had Hawaiian Chicken. Good luck!

      Delete
  26. I love deep fried wonton. Love your egg roll recipe!
    Bondir(@)msn(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anne, I don't like okra, but I bet I'd eat it fried :) Good luck!

      Delete
  27. I rarely fry food but I love a good Chinese buffet where I can sample LOTS!

    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen,
      Yes, the buffet is awesome! The perfect chance to sample everything and then go back for more of whatever you love. Good luck!

      Delete
  28. This looks so good. I love my grandmother homemade chicken strip used with crushed corn flakes or frosted flakes

    ReplyDelete
  29. sweet and sour pork marilyn.kros@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HI Marilyn,
      If we all got together and brought our favorite dishes, we'd have quite a pot-luck! Yum on the sweet and sour pork. Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  30. I love moo shoo pork and almost anything with shrimp

    kaye dot killgore at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kaye, Same here with the shrimp. Good luck with the contest!

      Delete
  31. Tempura, hands down...especially the vegetables and shrimp! That is a beautiful bread board, by the way!

    Kathleen Bylsma h5apby@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kathleen,
      I love tempura, too! I had tempura squash blossoms a few years back. Surprisingly delicious!

      Delete
  32. Beef and Broccoli and Happy Family. jawdance@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Judy,
      What is Happy Family? I'm curious! Good luck!

      Delete
  33. I love to make chop suey when my grandma was alive that was her fav dish and when she walked in from work she could smell it and would let out a WOW! I love chinese and japanese food awhile ago when i lived in the bay area I loved Martin Yan and saw him several times he was a great cook..Tempura is my fav also its so good vegis and also shrimp wish i could get a good take out in dbq, iowa so craving it ... ptclayton2@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi PT,
      I often forget to turn on the vent when I make fried rice and the whole apartment smells like it, so I understand your grandma's reaction! I hope you find a great take out restaurant!

      Delete
  34. I love crab rangoon and chicken lo mein! I can't actually think of any fried food that I don't like :-P just like books ;-)
    greeneyesredhair@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lady Red,
      I agree on fried food (and books...just added three new ones to my TBR pile!). Good luck!

      Delete
  35. Well done and not really difficult at all.
    Love your angel's kiss streak in your hair.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. libbydodd at comcast dot net

      Delete
    2. Hi Libby,
      Thank you on both counts! Good luck!

      Delete
  36. I love sesame chicken. Biszemom@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Melissa,
      That is my go-to order at Benihana (my fave restaurant). Good luck!

      Delete
  37. It's so hard to choose, but I think at the moment Sizzling Rice Soup is my favorite Chinese food (so comforting if you have a cold or the flu, but tasty any time). Your Mad for Mod series sounds fascinating. I love Doris Day movies -- some of my favorites are "Calamity Jane", "It Happened to Jane", and "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (and no her character is not named Jane in the last one!). I need to check out the Mad for Mod books, and I'm hoping that future mysteries will be inspired my favorite Doris Day movies!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cee,
      I've never had sizzling rice soup but it sounds delicious! I love Doris Day movies too. They're like comfort food, but with no calories :) Good luck!

      Delete
  38. No matter what kind of Chinese food I always get several egg rolls too!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay, Sybil, for recognizing the importance of the egg roll! Good luck!

      Delete
  39. I love LeeAnn Chin's Lemon Chicken, with it's fresh, sweet and tangy bright sauce. Best ever! I found this series from a post by Daryl Wood Gerber a few days ago, and yesterday I went hunting with my oldest for a copy of it. A series, with my favorite mid-century atomic style, and my favorite movie star growing up had to be read. No luck yet, but I'll keep trying, or go Amazon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi The House AI, lemon chicken also sounds very yummy. (I must say, after all of these comments, I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!). Good luck with the contest, and I hope you find those books! (You can ask a bookstore to order them in if they don't carry them.)

      Delete
  40. Thanks for the giveaway! My go to Chinese food is Crispy Beef Szechuan. As for fried food, I'll take fried mozzarella any day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shannon,
      Fried mozzarella is another one of life's indulgences! Good luck!

      Delete
  41. I absolutely love egg rolls! This sounds like a delicious recipe, Diane. Some of my favorite dishes are pork fried rice, beef or chicken teriyaki, beef and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, orange chicken and shrimp lo mein. Now, I'm really HUNGRY! Thank you for the chance to win this giveaway. ruthmazur46@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ruth,
      I hope you try the recipe and report back. I was quite pleased myself!

      Good luck!

      Delete
  42. I worked in a Chinese restaurant for awhile and made enrolls with cabbage,pork, carrots and jicama. Awesomely good. But my fave thing was seseme chicken.
    Thanks for a chance. Lady.janel@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Janel,
      I think that would be a very dangerous place to work! Good luck!

      Delete
  43. I love egg rolls, but my favorite is chicken and shrimp fried rice. Your recipe looks delicious. servedogmom@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Servedogmom,
      That's a whole yummy meal right there: chicken and shrimp fried rice and eggrolls. My mouth is watering!

      Good luck!

      Delete
  44. Those eggrolls look so yummy but I think I'll challenge myself with reading more instead of trying a new recipe! My favorite is chicken fried rice! Thank you for the awesome post and contest! woodrumbetty@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Betty, Come to think of it, I could have read several chapters instead of making eggrolls that night. I wonder if that's why I don't cook more often? Good luck!

      Delete
  45. Egg rolls are one of my favorite Chinese foods. But I have never attempted to make them. Interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Bettyjo.English@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi B J, If you do try this recipe, be sure to let me know how they turn out!

      Good luck!

      Delete
  46. I love egg rolls but I prefer Vegetable ones. My other favorite is fried rice. Since moving south I miss real Chinese food. Every time I visit family in Chicago a trip to Chinatown is on the agenda. I may try this without the pork. Thanks
    gibsonbk@hiwaay dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Bookwomen, I was going to suggest that mushrooms could be used place of the pork, but you have to make sure they are drained! They'll give off a lot of water, and that'll mess with the frying process.

      Good luck! (and sorry you have no good Chinese food places nearby :(

      Delete
  47. I really enjoy egg rolls too, and I also love chicken or beef teriyaki. This recipe looks delicious. And the book looks like a lot of fun too. Thanks for the chance to win! rencw@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Renee,

      I hope you give the recipe a try! And thank you, on the book. Good luck!

      Delete
  48. I have so many favorites it depends on my moods. The only one I make myself is chicken fried rice, now when we order out General Tso's chicken, Shrimp Lo Mein, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Egg Drop Soup to name a few of my favorite things. I love the sound of your recipe, I will have to try them.
    momzillasteel at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi Debbie,
    Sounds like you're a Chinese food pro!

    ReplyDelete
  50. I absolutely love Crab Rangoon and General Tso's Chicken.

    ReplyDelete