Asian inspired appetizer dinner

I’ve been trying to come up with a way to use my wonton wrappers in the freezer. A popular appetizer making the rounds is a salad in a wonton cup that has been baked in a muffin tin. I decided to try it out with one of my favorite summery dishes – slaw salad. Since the cups are an appetizer, I made asian style chicken meatballs, another appetizer option. I love taking an appetizer and stretching it into a dinner, or just serving a few appetizers for dinner. This is such a versatile meal though, it can be made into a Mexican style dinner using chili spiced meatballs and a corn salsa in the cups, or Italian with roasted red pepper meatballs and a caprese salad in the cups. If I’ve learned one thing from Rachael Ray, it’s “methods, not recipes,” where she gives you an outline for a meal, and gives you ideas to change it up ethnically or by the meat/veggies in it. I use this “method” cooking often with soup/salad/sandwich nights, as well as pasta and pizzas. I encourage you to try this framework of a meal and switch it up and let me know how it goes!

Asian Slaw in Wonton Cups with Asian Chicken Meatballs and Spicy Dipping Sauce

Shells:

24 wonton wrappers

Nonstick Cooking Spray

Slaw:

1 head of green cabbage, shaved

½ head red cabbage, shaved

1 cup bean spouts

2 carrots, shredded

¼ red onion, shaved or 5 scallion stalks, sliced

1 tbsp. cilantro, minced

Slaw Dressing:

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. EVOO

1 glove garlic, grated (optional)

1 tsp. grated ginger root

1 tbsp. honey

Salt and Pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Sesame Seeds and Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a mini-muffin tin with nonstick spray, lay a wonton wrapper in each cavity. Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and cool to room temperature.

Whisk together dressing, set aside.

Toss slaw ingredients together.

Right before serving, toss dressing in with slaw. Spoon into cups and garnish.

*Add shredded chicken, shrimp, or diced tofu in the salad, if desired*

Asian Meatballs with Dipping Sauce:

1 lb. 99% fat free ground chicken or turkey

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. soy sauce

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 egg white

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. grated garlic

3 scallion stalks, sliced thin

1 tsp. minced cilantro

Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, toss gently. Form into 4 sections, then form 4 meatballs from each quarter. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until cooked through, or brown in a nonstick skillet.

Spicy Dipping sauce

3 tbsp. thai chili sauce

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. Chinese mustard

Whisk all ingredients together, serve chilled.