The Easiest Appetizer Ever…..

When I create recipes, I try to make them something that everyone in my family will love, or at least the kids, or my husband and myself. Unless the recipe contains chocolate, it is rare to get all four of us to agree that it tastes good. Although I must say that my kids’ food horizons are broadening and they will eat just about anything that I put in front of them now. (I don’t feed them nasty things like liver and onions or honey carrots like my mom made me eat so they really don’t have any room to complain. 😉 ) My husband loves Chinese food so I thought I’d surprise him with my take on one of their classic appetizers. Come to find out, it was one of the few he doesn’t care for, but that is ok, I got to eat them all myself over the week.

Today’s recipe is so easy I’m pretty sure you will make it your go to appetizer recipe for just about all occasions. That is if you like crab rangoons, if not then you probably won’t like these. The simplicity of this recipe will leave you in awe, and the fact that they are so tasty being baked instead of fried will amaze you. I won’t lie, I was going to fry them, but just didn’t want to go to all the trouble. After I tried one straight out of the oven, and slightly burning my tongue, I had to admit that baked was the right choice. From start to finish these will take about 20 minutes tops. I already had some grilled chicken in the fridge that I just broke into chunks and threw in with the cream cheese, and jalapeños. I used an electric mixer and it shredded the chicken, chopped the peppers, and made a creamy amazing filling.

I had made wontons in the past and I felt they were really time consuming, now that I look back I have no idea why. The two tips that I can give you are first, don’t over fill the wrappers. That will cause a problem with sealing, and with them staying together. Second, simply hold the wrapper in the palm of one hand, put about half of a Tablespoon in the middle, gently wet the two sides that are facing up on your palm with a tiny bit of water, then just fold the wonton into a triangle and then pinch the two outer corners together. Seriously, that easy. You place them on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, bake them for 8 minutes until the tips are golden brown, and take them out. I served them with picante sauce and it was truly a match made in Heaven. Later on in the week I mixed a little mayo, and picante, with some chopped cabbage and carrot mix and used it like guacamole and super yum! It doesn’t matter if you make them for a get together, for an average Wednesday night, or to eat as your lunch throughout the week, make a batch, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is your favorite wanton filling?

Chicken Jalapeño Cream Cheese Baked Wontons

By Angie Gouchenour

4 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces room temperature cream cheese

1 cup cooked chicken broken into chunks

5 jarred jalapeños

20 wanton wrappers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350’f

In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, chicken, and jalapenos

Using a hand mixer combine until the mixture is creamy

Take each wanton wrapper and place about half of a Tablespoon of mixture in the middle

Using a small amount of water moisten two sides and seal the wanton into a triangle then pinch the bottom to corners together and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper with the points up

Continue with the other 19 wrappers

Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and cook for 8 minutes

Remove and allow to cool

Refrigerate what isn’t eaten right away for up to a week

Serve with picante sauce if desired