Olla-Podrida: Won Ton Soup

Celebrating Chinese New Year with a hot, delicious bowl of Won Ton Soup, while studying the aftermath of an ice storm is easy-peasy when you have a son who makes wonderful Won Tons and shares them with you.

No stranger to the kitchen or to making Chinese food, my son Andrew (creator of the world’s easiest Pork Fried Rice), supplied the most difficult part of this soup, his Beef and Pork Won Tons. Once they are in hand, making the soup is as simple as bringing 2 quarts of homemade chicken stock to a boil, poaching the Won Tons until cooked through, then tossing in cleaned and split baby bok choy, chopped scallions to taste (2-3), and simmering for 5 more minutes.

Andrew likes his Won Tons deep fried with hot mustard and Sweet & Sour Sauce; I like mine in Won Ton Soup. They freeze beautifully, so you'll have plenty of time to decide which way is your favorite.

Beef and Pork Won Tons

1 pound ground chuck, cooked and drained

1 pound pork sausage, cooked and drained

6 scallions, finely chopped

1-1/2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts, rinsed, drained,

and chopped fine

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon peanut oil

1- 8oz. can water chestnuts, chopped fine

1 small can mushrooms, chopped fine

1 package Melissa’s Won Ton Wrappers

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Put a tablespoon of mixture into the center of each won ton wrapper. Dampen the edges of the wrapper with water by wetting your finger and running it around the edge. Fold point-to-point to make a triangle, and then fold the two outer points into the center to meet, sealing together using more water, if necessary.

(If you have any leftover Won Ton wrappers, come back tomorrow for a recipe for a simple, tasty sweet treat.)