Gramma's Egg Rolls

I love egg rolls! I think my love began in high school. My bestie, Cara, and I would go to her house between school and basketball practice, take a couple of the frozen Costco egg rolls from the freezer, cook 'em up and eat 'em with 1000 Island salad dressing. I know, most of you are crinkling up your nose at the thought of 1000 Island dressing with egg rolls - I wouldn't recommend it with home made rolls, but paired with the frozen ones from Costco = YUMMMMM!!!!!

Then, a few years later, I'm much more mature with much more defined taste buds. I was on the hunt through my Gramma's recipe box for her Pumpkin Roll recipe (it's a family secret and I nearly had to sign my name in blood to receive it). But, in my search for what we, in our house, affectionately call the P-Roll, I stumbled across an egg roll recipe.

Now, those of you who know my Gramma Judy are probably wondering why on earth she would ever have such a recipe. I truly cannot imagine her ever making such a dish. I can't imagine her ever even thinking that with a super wild hair she'd give it a shot. Who knows. Perhaps I don't know my G-ma as well as I think I do. Afterall, she was the one who introduced me to breakfast for dinner (such a thing has possible happened once in my mother's home).

A few years ago I pulled out the recipe to give it a shot and oh. my. heck! Gramma, you don't know what you're missing!!!!! (or maybe you do and secretly make these egg rolls without ever letting anyone know you'd be so wild!)

My favorite part about these egg rolls is that you can really vary the ingredients. Sometimes I add bean sprouts, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I add celery, sometimes I don't. Just whatever you think would be good, go ahead and throw it in! Egg rolls are actually pretty healthy... uuuuuuntil you put them in the deep fat fryer!

So, here's Gramma's Egg Rolls (don't worry, you don't have to sign your name with blood for a copy)

Egg Roll Ingredients:

1 well beaten egg

vegetable oil for frying

sweet and sour sauce

egg roll skins

1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. ground pork
1 c. celery, chopped
2 c. bean sprouts, chopped
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. sherry
salt and pepper
Directions:
Start heating your oil. I used my fat daddy fryer at 375 degrees.
Brown pork and chopped onion. Drain any fat. Add celery, bean sprouts, cabbage, soy sauce and sherry. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Saute until vegetables are softened a bit. Then, drain the liquid.
With an egg roll wrapper, spoon in 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetables. Fold your ends and wrap up, sealing with a smear of the well beaten egg.
Cook 2 to 3 egg rolls at a time until they are golden brown. Set on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. The cooling rack will allow excess oil to drip off/out.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
2 T. corn starch
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. pineapple juice
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. ketchup
Mix all ingredients together in a small sauce pan. Heat until thickened to desired consistency. Then pour into small bowls and set in refrigerator until ready to use.

We usually serve the egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce and some sticky white rice.
Happy egg rolling and eating on the wild side!