Oven-Baked Crab Rangoon

Asian food has played a huge role in my relationship with my husband.

Our first date was at a long-gone, downtown Madison restaurant with a decidedly urban feel to it. I am certain I ordered cashew shrimp and it was the best I’ve ever tasted.

During our courtship (do they still call it that?), we explored Asian restaurants all over Madison, and later Green Bay.

We had an early afternoon wedding in our hometown and were on the road by 5 p.m. on a snowy and blowy winter day. That night, we ate our wedding dinner at the neighborhood Chinese restaurant, which soon became a regular Friday night stop for us. (There was something about that humble little dinner that meant more to me than a huge wedding feast.)

Late yesterday afternoon, my tastebuds demanded crab Rangoon. It started about 3 p.m. and I could not get those tangy and crispy little bundles out of my head.

We were too tired to go out in search of Chinese food, so I tried one of the local supermarkets, dragging myself and my cart up this aisle and that in search of a pre-made crab Rangoon.

Yes, pre-made. Only I could not find any. So I bought wonton wrappers and crab meat and cream cheese.

And I went home and made crab Rangoon myself. I baked them, rather than frying them, and they were good.

It’s easy. Mix about 1/3 cup of drained and chopped crab meat with about 8 ounces of cream cheese, a dollop of mayo, some chopped green onion or even minced onion and set aside.

Lightly coat 18 wonton wrappers with peanut oil. Drop about a half-tablespoon of filling in each wrapper. Bring diagonal ends together, and give them a little twist. Place them on a greased baking sheet and pop them into a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.

They are a bit crunchier than fried Rangoon but perfect when served with a stir fry.

Surely you've had a craving that would have gone unsatisfied, had you not found a substitute or made it yourself.

What was it? How did you satisfy it?

Comments

Jann said…
I am completely caught off gard about any of my cravings~ and what I might substitute for the real thing~however, I enjoyed reading about yours....I don't think I can remember back that far as to what I was eating the eve of my wedding. Your story was so romantic! We had a quick ceremony at the courthouse and both of us had jobs we had to attend to the very same evening in different parts of the country~I do remember that!
Unknown said…
Oh, Jann, that is pretty romantic, too! Bittersweet, even.

I was caught unprepared for this craving, and frustrated when I could not find any packages of Crab Rangoon.
Unknown said…
I hadn't heard of Crab Rangoon before, and now I'm sure it will become a craving! I like the idea of baking instead of frying - much more to my taste.

I had been craving the 100% whole wheat sourdough bread I used to bake when I lived in New Mexico. Someone recently sent me a sourdough starter. I've been at it for over a week now, and the first loaves came out of the oven a couple of days ago. Not awful, but not quite there yet. Perhaps the next batch will yield what I'm remembering. Eaten with peanut butter, of course!
Anonymous said…
I have never had crab rangoon, but they look and sound delicious.

I enjoyed your "wedding day" story Mimi.
Betty Carlson said…
I can't think of anything to answer your question, but I do miss good, varied Asian food.

Here where we live, there are some "Chinese-Vietnamese" restaurants and it's not that they're bad, it's just that they seem to all serve the same dishes.
Unknown said…
Toni, we are on the same page, because I bought some whole grain bread to eat with peanut butter last night.

Fiona, next trip to the U.S.!

Betty C, I have not yet tried Asian food in France. I;ve seen plenty of little restaurants though, especially in the 13th near Paris' Chinatown.
My cravings often involve Chinese food, mostly noodle dishes. And some of my favorite moments with my husband in the early days of our relationship were spent in a little dive of a Chinese restaurant in the town where we lived. The food was so-so, but the lights were low and we loved being there.
Unknown said…
Lydia, what is it about those places that resonate with us? Sometimes the humbler, the better. It feels like home, I guess.

After we were married, we planned a Friday night out at a Chinese place on the other side of town. It was quite a drive from our suburb, and when we got there it was closed. That night we saw a segment on the local news that said the place was closed by the health department because the kitchen had mice and cockroaches. Euw!
lady jicky said…
I love duck but after trying to cook it a couple of time (yukky fatty mess) I have decided to eat it when out only.
Finding a restaurant with it on the menu is difficult. I know that the many Chinese restaurants around my area have duck but its duck the french way that I crave!
Unknown said…
Me, too! Our town lost its Bordeaux-born chef about four years ago, so duck is nowhere to be found. I was going to make some sort of dish with duck in Paris, but my husband bought a heckuva lot of this sausage...
Anonymous said…
What is it with men and sausages?
Unknown said…
LOL. I am not certain, but we ate a lot of sausage and saucissons in Paris!
breadchick said…
I love crab rangoons and now after reading this I'm so hungry for them I'm heading to the grocery store right now!
dharmagirl said…
When I crave brownies or chocolate chip cookies, I know I have no choice but to make them myself. No substitutes will do! There's something about that molten combination of chocolate and butter and sugar that hits the spot. Of course, then I have to immediately share the rest of the batch or I'll be tempted to keep eating them:)

I love your wedding story, Mimi. I always find romance in the small moments that are individual and not full of "cliched romance." Our own moments, however homey, are all the more intimate.
Unknown said…
BC, I am glad I inspired an urge!

Dharmagirl, how is your semester? I do agree about those small moments, too. I'll take one of those anytime - they comfort and sustain me.

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