Gong Xi Fa Cai to the Year of the Horse! I guess the first thing I really think of is actually my dad, because he was a "Horse" - born in 1942. He would have been 84 this year.
Trying to clean up house is always such a task before the New Year. I managed to do a little bit and frantically trying to get some decor up too. Ha!
I bought the boys 2 new t-shirts for the New Year. This one is super funny and cute for Graham - it's a Horse eating noodles. Ha ha!
And Charlie's shirt is lion (of the Lion Dance) as all of the 12 Zodiac signs:
Didn't get a chance to cook any noodles at home, but I think ramen these days count :-)
Plus, Charlie really LOVES the sesame balls at this restaurant!
My friend was away in FL, so Bobby and I helped out at her golf studio. Lunch date with Bobby!
The mural in the background may look familiar. Yes, it's the one that I did :-D
Lunch date #2!
And normally, we would put cabbage and onions and garlic into the minced pork. But with these boys, it's just straight pork with some salt and soy sauce, and a touch of sesame oil. That's it!
Thankfully, CNY last for 15 days. I think it was only by about the 12th day, we were able to finally make some dumplings.
Teaching Charlie how to mix up the meat here. "Back in the day",... I probably would have used my bare hands. But these days, I'd rather just glove-up. Ha!
Looking for the secret ingredient. Can you figure it out?? :-)
Still looking pretty good for a once-a-year activity. I told the boys I've been wrapping dumplings since I was a kid - it's like riding a bicycle. LOL!!
Thumbs up from Graham!
My grandmother used to make the dumpling skin. However, these days, I would just purchase frozen ones. I've never really learned how to make them fresh. Maybe one day, when I'm retired. Ha ha!
YUM...!! And yup, that is a meal in itself. We ate all 2lbs of pork dumplings!
Boys' wrapping skills are getting better. Not a single dumpling filling came out of the wrapper. Nicely done, Graham and Charlie!
We also did the ceremonial "ang pow" or red packets for the boys. They have to wish us a Happy Chinese New Year (Xing Nian Kuai Le) before they can get these money-filled red packets:
Figured we'd try and keep up with some other Chinese traditions too during this holiday. A little bit of fun with a dice game and some quarters ;-)
I just want the record to show that Mommy was the winner in this game. He he!
My aunts were talking about soy milk during this time and for whatever reason, my sister decided to buy me a grinder and boiling combo thermos:
And Graham was so sweet to make me some soy milk from soy beans. A little bit of sugar and ta da! Yummy soy milk! It's probably so much cheaper than what we buy in the stores. Perhaps we just need to buy quality soy beans from now on. Almost like making our own ice-cream. You should have seen the big bottle of heavy cream I bought recently. My waistline is not going to be happy. LOL!!
No pineapple tarts this year. Maybe later in the year. Somehow I've been rather busy with all that's been going on with my golf lessons. And now I just started with my LPGA TEP (teaching certificate) as well. I haven't been very active in getting more business for painting murals and/or working on my kokedamas (plants in moss balls). I suppose, in time, like everything else!! ;-P
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