Have a "Sweet" Chinese New Year

First of all, Happy Chinese New Year!  I wish everyone will have a great "dragon" year.

Chinese New Year Eve family dinner
from my friend's picture on facebook

My highschool's frined New Year Eve's dinner
with her in-laws

My friend's back home was having
some great food with her family on New Year Eve.

As many of you know that Chinese like to eat to celebrate major festivals.   Most of the dishes we made for the new year celebration symbolize good fortune and good health.  Chinese like playing with words and symbols.  Often homonyms (words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings and characters) are used.  Names of dishes and/or their ingredients, which will be served sound similar to words and phrases referring to wishes expressed during the Chinese New Year, while other foods hold a symbolic meaning (source from One World - National Online). 

Different styles and prints of red pockets/red envelopes
(Picture from Google.com)

"Full Box"
(Picture from Google.com)

As a kid, Chinese New Year was fun because the parents usually have the first 3 days off (official paid holidays) and the family visit different relative's house during the first 2 days of the new year (in Chinese tradition, each family should prepare a full box of different goodies (we call this box "Full Box" meaning full in every aspect the upcoming year) to welcome their guests.  They could be candies, roasted seeds, sugar covered lotus seeds or lotus wheels, etc.) and on the top of eating, the kids or people who are single receive "red pocket/red envelope" from elders and/or married couples. 

My grand mom got up very early (about 4-5am) the first day of the new year.  She got up early to prepare the dough for making sesame seed balls (Zeen Doy) and Chinese sweet empanadas (both usually filled with sesame paste or redbean paste).  My sister and I helped my grand mom to roll the dough and stuff the filling inside the sesame seed balls or the sweet empandas.  It's so fun to watch my grand mom putting the balls and the empanadas in a big hot wok to deep frying these goodies. 
 

Cantonese style nian gao
(Picture from Wikipedia)

 Another very common sweet item we eat during Chinese New Year is nian gao ("nian gao" is a homonym for "higher year." The Chinese word 粘 (nián), meaning "sticky", is identical in sound to 年, meaning "year", and the word 糕 (gāo), meaning "cake" is identical in sound to 高, meaning "high".).  Nian gao is prepared from glutinous rice.  Different regions in China have their own version of nian gao.  Since I was born and raised in Macau, and we got influenced by the southern portion of China, I am more familar with the version of nian gao served in Canton.  Below is the information I found from Wikipedia:
The Cantonese nian gao is usually sweetened with brown sugar. It is distinct with a dark yellow color. The paste is poured into a cake pan and steamed once more to settle mixture. The batter is steamed until it solidifies and served in thick slices. It may be eaten as is. The nian gao becomes stretchy and extremely sticky. It can also be served as a pudding flavored with rosewater or red bean paste.

Pan-fried nian gao
(Picture from Wikipedia)

The next stage is optional as it can be pan-fried afterwards,often with egg, to make (煎年糕, jyutping: zin1 nin4 gou1; pinyin: jiān nián gāo). When fried it is slightly crispy on the outside, and remains pasty on the inside. During Chinese New Year, it is cut into square pieces and served along with similar cake dim sum dishes like taro cake and water chestnut cake.

Giving Thanks!

It's 6:45 in the morning, my body woke me up as every other normal work day.  I was a little mad at myself for not sleeping in for a little bits more on this paid day off at first, but I quickly realized I could use this little spare time to take a minute to write down what I am going to thanks for for the past 11 months in my life.

I have an amazing husband - I got to admit that after we got married, I am happier than ever (I even told my mom about it).  Of course, both of us are not perfect, and we are still learning from each other.  But from being single to a married couple, so far, this transition has been great!  We NEVER argue with each other at all, not even one time!  One time, after a busy work day, Mr. G came home and told me that "after a shitty work day, I got home and see you and it made me feel so much better."  That's the sweetest compliment I heard in my life.  I just want to thanks God for introducing this great guy in my life.  My life has been changed since the first time I met him.  I love you, Mr. G!

I am thankful to have a "somehow" good health - Yes, I don't have a 100% good health. I have been fighting with some chronic disease for a bits.  Except for feeling tired easily, my body is pretty much the same.  I could still eat my favorite food, still go working out, still being at work, still go traveling, still doing thing I like to do (such as baking and crafting), still enjoying my life...

I have a wonderful family - This year - it's not an easy year for both my parents.  My dad had experienced a minor stroke.  After staying at the hospital for a month and a regular check up, he is back to normal.  When my mom first told me about this through the phone, I was so worry and even worse is - I could not help at all in another side of the world.  I am so proud of my mom that she is a very strong woman, who held everything nicely and took care of herself and my dad well.  Thanks God for giving my mom a strong will and healthy body for taking care of my dad though out this year.  I wish that after this minor stroke, my dad learnt his lesson of not eating too much and starting a healthier life.

And thanks God for bringing a new addition to our family - my little nephew, McRay.  Both my sister and him are doing good and his is one healthy baby!

I have to thanks God for giving me a wonderful parents-in-law.  My parents are not here in the States.  My parents-in-law has become my parents in the States since the day Mr. G and I got married.  In my friend's wedding earlier this month, she made a toast to her mother-in-law and shared with everyone that how great her in-law is and they are thank you for everything she has done for them (from making them some home made meals to take home to calling my friend when her husband was out of town to make sure everything was OK.).  I could not hold myself together, but cried!  It reminded me of the relationship I have with my in-laws.  I could not ask for a better in-laws in my life!  They are so supportive, fun and caring persons to be around with.

I still have a job - These few years are not the best years to Americans.  Laying off is not something new anymore to a lot of us.  Thanks God for providing me a great opportunity to work at an amazing company with a lot of wonderful people.  On the top of it, I got promoted and a raise this year.  This was something I didn't expect.

I am enjoying my SECOND JOB - I am so glad to have a full-time job to pay my bills.  And I am ever happier to have a second job to keep my mind contented.  I love baking, decoration, and arts.  My second job allows me to express my idea and show my creativity side to everyone.  I hope my business could keep growing and I could serve more people, who appreciate my works.


What are you giving thanks for?  Take a minute to think about it.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving and don't overcook the BIG BIRD!

Random Found - Cupcake Pebbles

Found this sor-of "new" (it might not be new anymore, since I saw some of the sources are from last year) product from American favorite breakfast cereal's brand, Post, Cupcake Pebbles it is!  I have not tried this so call new product yet and don't think I will have chance to try it (read below and you will find out why).  I found a review on this product.  If you are interested in what they taste like, click here.

Unfortunately, according to some sources I read online, this product has been discontinued because consumers were complaing about having too many pebbles in the cupcakes. This unfortunately caused many liability claims related to dental health.  <---Interesting!

“Animals are my friends-and I don't eat my friends.”

“Animals are my friends-and I don't eat my friends.”

Q:  Carrie Underwood, Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman, Alec Baldwin, Leonardo Dicprio, what do these Hollywood celebrities have in common? 

A:  A beautiful face, a talented mind, or a million dollar body?!  Yes, but NO.  In fact, these celebrities share one concept together, which is they don’t eat meat because they are either a vegan or a vegetarian. 

A lot of people get mixed up with these two terms.  Here are a brief definitions of vegetarian and vegan.

Vegetarian:  Vegetarian is a blanket term used to describe a person who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
This grouping includes vegans and the various sub- categories of vegetarian; however, it generally implies someone who has less dietary restrictions than a vegan.

Vegan:  Vegan is the strictest sub-category of vegetarians. Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. Some go as far as not even consuming honey and yeast. Others do not wear any clothing made from animal products. 

In the past 10 years, being a vegetarian or a vegan seems to have become a trend here in California.  Vegetarianism can be adopted for different reasons: In addition to ethical reasons, some reasons for vegetarianism include health, religious, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic or economic. 

Mrs. G (me) is only a weekend vegetarian.  I only go vegetarian whenever I feel my body needs to be detoxified.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE VEGGIES, but I dare to say goodbye to meat, seafood, and all the fatty goody grease…

One time I was in a vegan restaurant, I was hesitated to try a vegan cupcake at first.  But my meal came with a free dessert, so I figured why not!  I picked up this rose water cupcake and I was in heaven after just one bite.  I could not even tell that was not made with eggs and butter.  It tasted beyond NORMAL, it actually tasted AMAZING (light, moisted, fluffy, right amount of sweetness)!  I was amazed from my first vegan cupcake experience.  Since than, I crave to have a vegan cupcake once in a while.

There are handfuls of vegan cupcakes stores throughout California.  Next time, if you have chance, don’t be hesitated to try one yourself.  Be one “sweet” vegan….at least for once!

*A side note, C for Cupcake Cupcakery do offer vegetarian and vegan options, feel free to contact for information.