Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

I love when two foods of different cuisines collide and create something so delicious you stop and think �why did I never think of this before?� That's exactly what happens when you mix Philly Cheesesteak with Egg Rolls... you get, of course, the most amazing Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls. These are the ultimate addition to any party, 'game day' dish or snack and are a must try.

Egg rolls, in English-speaking countries, are typically a savory dish of flour dough stuffed with meat and/or veggies and then deep-fried to crispy perfection. Egg rolls are similar to the spring roll, which is a mainland Chinese cuisine. Egg rolls seem to represent a 20th-century meeting of two cultures (a creation of Chinese-American restaurateurs who utilized local ingredients to create �Chinese-ish� foods that would appeal to their American diners). The egg roll was likely invented in New York during the 1930's (Henry Low included an egg roll recipe in his 1938 cookbook �Cook at Home in Chinese�) and has remained a popular staple in Chinese-American cuisine ever since.

While I love crispy egg rolls, the filling really is what makes the egg roll and this �Philly-ing� is a-ma-zing! A cheesesteak, also known as a Philly cheesesteak, is most often a sandwich made from thinly sliced steak and melted with cheese in hoagie roll. A popular sandwich in the United States and Canada, it has its roots in Philadelphia around the early 20th century. Philadelphians Pat and Harry Olivieri are usually credited with inventing the sandwich in the 1930's, although the exact story behind its creation is debated. The meat is traditionally a rib-eye or top round. Common cheeses include American Cheese and provolone (white American cheese and provolone are typically the favorites due to their mild flavor).

Rather than serving the cheesesteak on a hoagie roll, however, you are going to be serving it inside a neatly wrapped roll of cheesy-steaky-egg-rolly goodness. The filling for these egg rolls is a combination off steak, mushrooms, green peppers, jalapenos and Mexican blend or Pepper Jack cheese. You can, of course, change any of these ingredients or simply remove them from your recipe. If you don't like heat, don't add the jalapenos. If you don't like green peppers, don't add them. Really, the important part is the marinade for your steak... and the cheese! And, again, you can choose a different cheese (like provolone or white American cheese if you prefer). And, don't bother trying to make the egg roll wrappers... you can buy them in most supermarkets. This will make your life so much easier!

The only thing I would add is that the dipping sauce can make all the difference. Personally, I got out my favorite recipe for Queso and made a batch of that to accompany these delicious Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls. While I'd recommend a cheesy dipping sauce, you can use anything � barbeque sauce, Asian sweet chili sauce, ranch or blue cheese dressing. Play around with your dipping sauces. There's no need to pick a favorite though, you can have them all! The hard part will be sharing these Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls.