Dumplings: The Best Shortcut

Confession: I have never made dumplings from scratch. Most of the recipes I find for dumplings come with the caveat that frozen dumplings are easier to cook in a flash.

It doesn't matter which dumplings you buy from the freezer section. They all cook about the same. Don't be afraid to mix and match different types. For this dinner, we had an open package of frozen cooked shrimp to use (purchased in bulk on sale when shrimp prices were down), heated in the cooking broth from vegetable dumplings. Some additional whole grain brown rice, stir fried mushrooms and asparagus, and a (short dated*) seared sirloin took this meal to the next level.

The ingredients may seem expensive, but it was an odds-and-ends meal. Two half-bags of dumplings, an avocado purchased hard well in advance, and mushrooms were already in the fridge.

When considering meat for a protein source, it can be tempting to get a marinated cut. Look closely. Somewhere on the package, it will label the liquid percentage. When purchasing meat this way, the included liquid is also the same price. For example, the portioned, marinated sirloin in a bag is $18.99/lb with approximately 30%-40% liquid! Using quick grocery-store math, that's almost $9 in liquid, per pound. Two feet over, the raw half-sirloin steak is a much more manageable $12.99/lb (a lucky find -- see tip below) with no added water.

Check out how I made this dinner happen here.

*Tip: Short dated meat and produce is a far cry from expired, often still dated well into the future. The grocery store would sooner sell a product, clear space for a new item, and refresh the inventory than it would let a product expire on the shelf. Each grocery store has a workflow for checking dates and refreshing stock. Some stores do it after the shift change when the butchers and prepared foods workers come in. Others may have them marked down first thing in the morning. Learning your grocery store's schedule and planning visits then can help save big on fresh foods. Don't be afraid of the large, orange "REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE" stickers. Seek them out and embrace them.