Shrimp (小虾; xiǎo xiā) are a symbol of happiness and good fortune. One reason for this is that the shells turn red, a very auspicious color for the Chinese. When my son-in-law, Chris, heard about the Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp that I had made last week, he requested that it be added to the menu for my birthday/Chinese New Year’s feast.
Karl’s Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp II
Filed under Main Dishes, Seafood
No Chinese meal is complete without some rice. You can eat until you are bursting, but if you have not eaten at least one bite of rice, then all you have had is a “snack.” To leave rice out of a New Year’s meal would be very inauspicious.
Mimi’s Confetti Rice
Filed under Side Dishes, Starches
Two Sundays ago, I bought some Persian cucumbers for a dinner that did not happen. I did not want them to spoil. There were too many of them just to eat on my own, so I decided to make pickles with them.
Karl’s California International Pickles
Filed under Pickles, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian MD
I have made steamed fish before, but this one is for a New Year’s dinner. I will be stuffing this one with “lucky” ingredients. Also, instead of cutting the ginger into match sticks I will be leaving the, as “golden coins,” because that is the way much of Chinese symbolism works; if it looks like the thing, it is the thing.
Karl’s Chinese Whole Steamed Fish II
Filed under Main Dishes, Seafood
For me Claudia’s Chocolate Mousse is the mousse by which all others are judged. It is however, not a health food. Jan usually makes it only once a year on my birthday. Jan spent years perfecting the techniques of making mousse, but she has not dared to tinker with mom’s recipe. For this year’s birthday dinner, she made some variations to make it her own. I may just have a new favorite.
Jan’s Chocolate Mousse
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats
I made some shredded pickled carrots for Jan, while her mouth was healing. I did not think they were anything special, but she really liked them. Today, I was at the Japanese store and saw some nice carrots. I decided that I would make some more for my Japanese dinner tonight.
Karl’s Japanese Quick Pickled Carrots
Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian MD
I do not always look on-line for ideas for dinner. Sometimes, I simply say, “What do I have in my kitchen?” I had spent too much of today planning my birthday/Chinese New Year’s feast. When I pulled my head out of the computer, I noticed that it was time to start making dinner, before a hungry wife and daughter appeared on my door step.
Karl’s Ham and Barley Soup
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Soups
I had defrosted one of my ham steaks for a meal that ended up not happening this Sunday. I do not want to re-freeze it, so I must think of a dish to make with it. Jan, who is just coming off a soft food diet, suggested ham and beans. Real food, but soft enough not to disturb her healing oral surgery.
Karl’s Three Course Ham and Beans
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Stews
I wanted a main dish to go with the rice salad that Jan had asked for. Jan went to Sonoma this weekend and went to Whole Spice. One of the things she came back with was a packet of Szechuan Salt & Pepper. A pan seared shrimp with this pepper blend seemed just the ticket.
Karl’s Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp
Filed under Main Dishes, Seafood
When Jan was visiting her friends, one of them made a salad out of the January issue of Bon appétit. She bought the magazine and asked for this salad for dinner. While the salad looked good, I wanted to make some changes. I do not like cooked squash, especially cold cooked squash.
Karl’s Black and Wild Rice Salad
Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetarian MD
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Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 