7th Day of the Chinese New Year

Thursday, 22 February 2018

I didn't learn from my mother about eating 7 kinds of vegetables on the 7th day of the Chinese New Year, which is believed to be the creation of human, therefore the human day.   My Hakka in-laws did the lei cha.   I like it but have no interest to do it.   Nowadays you can eat that any day at some shops.

I prefer the idea of 7 kinds of vegetables, cooked however you like it.  As a Christian, I learnt that God created man at the end of the 6th day (after he had created every other living things on the earth) and not on the 7th day.   But anyway. just for the fun of trying out how the taste of 7 kinds of vegetables together, I decided to stir-fry what I could gather from my fridge:  cabbage, radish, tomato, celery, bok choy, carrot, broccoli and sweet pepper.   I have 8 kinds of vegetables.

Stir-fried with oil, garlic and a few drops of oyster sauce. Tasted good!

Chinese New Year's Dinner 2018

Monday, 19 February 2018

Chinese New Year 2018, the year of the Dog, began last Friday, 16 February 2018.    We had our "reunion" dinner today.   Traditionally it is held on the eve of the New Year, whereby family get together.   I cooked up 6 dishes with 3 bought dishes.

Stir-fried brocolli with carrot and mushroom

Stir-fried prawns and edamame

Braised ginger beef

Blanced brocolli with oyster sauce

Braised chicken feet

Curry chicken

Barbecue pork

Roasted pork

Roasted duck

Christmas Dinner 2016

Sunday, 25 December 2016

Thanks to Roger who did the Christmas dinner.   Even though there were only 4 of us, I enjoyed the companionship.

Baked peach glazed ham

Dressing

Green Beans Casserole

Sweet Potato Salad

Brioche Buns

Chinese New Year's Dinner 2016

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Chinese New Year of the monkey started yesterday, Monday (8 February).   Reunion dinner are traditionally held on the eve but we have ours today with 2 relatives.  2 other relatives could not make it, due to health problems so we invited 2 friends.  Plus Mike and me, there were 6 of us.    I have enough food for another 6 people!

I cooked 10 dishes this year!  Just felt like trying different recipes from the internet.   Using their recipes to blend into my own, they turned out all good!   And traditionally, we want to have lots of leftovers (plenty) for the new year.   And we did have a lot of leftovers.

Pork leg with vinegar
(http://annieliciousfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/mdm-chais-pig-trotter-in-vinegar-with.html) - lots of collagen!   This is my late dad's favourite dish.

Braised chicken feet with Chinese mushrooms
(http://raymondskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/braised-chicken-feet-with-mushroom.html) - lots of collagen, as well!  To those people who exclaimed this is yakky only by looking at the cooked feet and not even tasting it, I said they are not adventurous and they don't know what they are missing!

Stir fried ginger beef
(http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/stir_fry_ginger_beef/)
I prefer my braised version (the meat being more softer) but this turned out good too.  This is beef and I probably had it in the pan too long.

Stuffed tofu with pork and prawns
(http://www.anyrecipe.net/asian/recipes/stuffed_tofu.html) - I made a sauce to dip them with.   Delicious!

Chicken curry with potatoes
(http://rasamalaysia.com/chicken-curry-with-potatoes/2/) - one of my favourite dishes.   My late mum liked to do this on a raining day.

Fried fish with soy sauce
(http://rasamalaysia.com/fried-fish-with-soy-sauce/2/) - love it!

Salt and pepper shrimp
(http://rasamalaysia.com/salt-and-pepper-shrimp-recipe/2/) - superb delicious!

Honey garlic spareribs
(http://chinesefood.about.com/od/spareribs/r/honeygarlicribs.htm) - would have been moist and grossy looking, if we haven't forgotten to brush the half way baked spareribs with honey and water mixture!

Monk's vegetables
(http://sunflower-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/02/buddhas-delight-or-monks-vegetables.html) - didn't turn out as good as I normally did, because I left it too long on the stove!

Spicy stir fried romaine lettuce
(http://bamskitchen.com/international-cuisines/chinese-cuisine/spicy-stirfried-romaine-lettuce/) - always love simple stir fried green vegetables cooked to right level of crunchiness.

Valentine's Day 2016

Saturday, 13 February 2016

Mike decided to celebrate Valentine's Day today, by taking me to my favorite restaurant, Olive Garden.  Left the house after 6 pm but only got to the restaurant about 7:45 pm.

Mike wanted to get his prescribed sunglasses done so we drove to the mall which is near the restaurant.   Unfortunately the sunglasses shop, illegally, could only do it with a doctor's prescription, which Mike forgot to bring (which was a blessing in disguise, because he got a better deal online, via his health insurance, a few days later).  Then we got lost, finding our way back to the right exit to our car.

I don't like rides on the expressway, especially when it is not straight.  The GPS got us passing the Olive Garden, which we found out was actually across the expressway from the mall.   Mike saw the restaurant.   This was our 1st time dinning at at this location.

We were told it would be 30 minutes wait time.  Mike asked if it was okay with me.   I was tired from the stress ride, the walk inside the mall and I was hungry (killing my hunger with not too much chips in the car).  I said, let's go, it is too long a wait.   On 2nd thought, I said we would wait since we have already travelled 17 miles and spent 1-3/4 hrs.   And who knows it might NOT take 30 minutes to be seated.    And thank goodness, it didn't.   Our beeper sounded while we were sharing a drink at the bar.

I enjoyed the Olive Garden restaurant.  I love the crispy salad (that is a must for me there).   I would be happy with that unlimited appetizer and the unlimited soup.  Eat all you can, breadsticks, were complimentary and great too!  I didn't order the soup this visit because Mike would be upset if I go cheapy, if I don't order an entree, because it is his Valentine's Day celebration and gift to me, taking me to my favorite restaurant.   So I ordered baked tilapia with scrimps while Mike ordered eggplant parmigiana.

Interestingly, for the very 1st time, we saw a ziosk, the first digital order/pay-at-the-table entertainment tablet touchscreen, on the table.  We didn't order from there but we paid through the tablet.  I was told some days later that you could end up with extra charges if you play the games on their tablet!

Thank you, Mike.  I didn't like the car ride nor did I like the mall visit, but I like the dinner.

 

Chinese New Year Dinner 2015

Friday, 20 February 2015

Last year we had the dinner (http://renejenny.blogspot.com/2014/03/chinese-new-year-dinner-2014.html) one month into the Year of the Horse.   We had 2 guests then.  The year had passed and the Chinese New Year of the Goat is in. This year we also had 2 adults guests as well, the difference is that they are family.    And we also have a 3rd guest in a 3 yr old granddaughter.    The CNY dinner is actually a reunion dinner and usually celebrated on the CNY's eve, when family members gathered together.  Tonight's dinner is indeed a reunion dinner, even though it is not celebrated on the CNY's eve.

As usual, the traditional Hakka yong tau foo (stuffed bean curd).  I deep fried the stuffed bean curd, then braised them with Chinese mushrooms.

Stuffed Bean Curd

Some of the following dishes were only thought of when I was preparing the ingredients.

Stir fried Chinese chives with eggs

Stir fried snow peas with carrots and minced pork

Stir fried prawns with celery

Sweet and sour fish

We love blanced bok choy.   So this is a must, even though it is the simpliest dish

Blanced bok choy

Like usual, we bought the following meat from the oriental store:

Roasted and barbequed pork

Roasted duck

Chinese New Year Dinner 2014

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Finally I was able to have the special Chinese New Year dinner.   I was not able to celebrate the reunion dinner on the 30 January.   The celebration of the year of the Horse started the 31st January and finished the 14 February.    2 guests at our table thought the Chinese New Year was over.   I said it is 365 days!   I just celebrate it late.   Don't know if anyone else did that?   Grateful that the 4 guests joined in the dinner.

I was a little worried when we had a power outrage at 12:05pm because of thunder storms.   After an experience of an outrage that lasts 80 hours because of winter storm, I am somehow scare of the timing of restoration.

I am grateful I had all the stuffed beancurd (with minced pork) deep fried a couple of minutes before the outrage, which was restored at about 12:45pm.  Cooked the other 4 dishes an hour before the dinner.

Stuffed bean curd with minced pork

Spicy prawns with tomatoes

Chicken with black mushrooms

Bean sprouts with carrots, chives and minced pork

Blanced bak choy with garlic oyster sauce

Bought these food from an oriental store:
(1) Roasted pork ($6.99 for 1 lb)
(2) Barbequed pork ($5.99 for 1 lb)
(3) Roasted duck ($15.99 for a whole duck)

Roasted pork and barbequed pork

Roasted duck

Easter Sunday

Sunday, 31 March 2013

This was unexpected.   It was fun to receive these presents.

Valentine 2013

Thursday, 14 February 2013
 
I love the roses and the chocolates that Mike gave to me.

   

Another Year Younger!

Monday, 25 July 2011

Today I am a year younger? There is no such thing as a year younger. Silly old lady! Cannot deny or hide the visibility of silver strains of hair appearing on the head. Dyeing can temporarily help to conceal them but they will continue to appear. In reality, I am a year older today. Who wants to grow older? It is inevitable. It is part of life. My foremothers went through the change. It is my turn now. I have to learn to grow old gracefully. If feels old to be addressed as grandma. My heart don't feel that old!

I purposely don't reveal my birthday on the Facebook. I know if I do, there will be birthday wishes on the wall. Not surprisingly there are only a few handful of friends and the people who are closest to me, my husband, my children and my only sister remembered. And that is good enough for me. They are the people who really care and love me unconditionally.

Mike came home and surprised me with a birthday card, a bouquet of chrysanthemum flowers and a birthday cake! I had told him over and over again that I don't care much for material things, so he didn't tell me what he was going to do. I appreciate him for his presents, thoughts, kindness, gestures and most of all his love for me.






We had invited the missionaries to join us tonight for dinner. Nothing fancy. I had prepared ham hock and navy beans soup tonight for the 6 of us. I am glad we all liked it. My new recipe of ham hock and navy beans soup, using smoked ham hocks, smoked sausage, hot dogs, rotissiere chicken, onions, garlic, celery, carrots and navy beans. I had used 2 lbs of navy beans and this is what was left.

Mike baked biscuits to go with the beans soup.

Mike also brought back home Rocky Road ice cream to eat with the birthday cake. The ice cream is too sweet for my taste bud and so is the cake frosting.

My company for the occasion - Elder Wilson, Elder Saykhu, Mike, Elder Sorensen and Elder Virgin.