After we had our first two children we found that we were actually paying $28 more per month for child care than I was bringing home in income. It was then I quit to be home full time with the children and we went on to have another child two years later. For the next few years I was a full time wife and mother and I was quite honestly, in my element. From doing our taxes and all our finances to raising three small children, all the cooking and cleaning, errands, schedules, repairs, DIY projects, appointments... even being a girl scout leader on top of it all.

A few years ago my husband made a major career change and with the new company and new position came another relocation - a new city and new state but also, unfortunately, a new cut in pay. It was time for me to find a job and before I knew it I was not only working outside of the home again, but after two years, went from part time to full time and discovered myself grabbing something 'frozen' out of the deep freeze on my way into the house after work and starting dinner while still in my dress shoes and pearls.

There are nights when I simply don't have time to make what I am craving and since we live frugally, I cannot and will not order take-out food or fast food on a regular basis. Once every four or five months at the most. So last night was an odd night when I immediately changed into capri's and a sweatshirt after arrving home, and made my families favorite Chinese dishes; General Tso's Chicken and Cream Cheese Wontons. The wontons are actually my family's favorite Chinese food of all - they are simple and delicious. If you don't mind the smell of oil in the air from frying them, they are well worth making! All you need is quite literally, two ingredients; cream cheese and wonton wrappers!



Cream Cheese Wontons

1 block (8 oz) cream cheese
1 package wonton wrappers
oil for frying


Lay out the wontons on the counter or a large baking sheet and make them assembly style. Use a butter knife to slice off a little cream cheese for each; slice and then slice again diagonally or cube them. It doesn't matter! The cheese is going to melt anyway.

Place a bit of cream cheese on half of the wonton, moisten the edge with either a finger dipped in water or you can use a slightly beaten egg white, fold on the center diagonal to form a triangle and seal. Place in hot grease and fry about 30 seconds on one side, flip and another 30-60 on the second side until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve as is, dusted with powdered sugar or with a sweet and sour sauce or (our favorite) plum sauce!