Roasted carrots

I was looking for recipes to use fresh herbs from my garden when I came across a recipe for roasted carrots with thyme.

I had been wanting to try rainbow carrots so I decided to go with a colorful veggie selection.  First step is to peel the carrots

Fresh thyme from my garden. My grandma gave me an herb garden for my birthday.  The basil and oregano have since died, but the thyme and parsley are still going strong.

Toss carrots with a bit if oil, salt, pepper, and thyme and roast away.  

My carrots came out a bit underdone so I was a bit disappointed. I'd say when in doubt, cook longer if you are hoping to achieve the coveted carrot caramelization  

Chinese New Year

My one regret is that I didn't take nearly enough pictures of this feast!  I had the expertise and assistance of my friend Lauren, who shared a whole notebook of recipes and ideas and helped me create this memorable menu!

Sesame cookies

Whole steamed fish- symbolizes abundance

Pork and ginger Dumplings with dipping sauce

Moon cakes- lotus, mung bean, red bean

Longevity noodles- long life. 8 different vegetables or ingredients 8 is Lucky number. Don't break the noodles. Long noodles =long life

Dragon eye pudding

Tea eggs

Leafy tangerines- must have leaves. The leaves symbolize money!

Pomellos with salt

Duck

Plum wine and lychee wine

Chiquita inspecting my leafy tangerines and Pomolos.

Tea Eggs

I took pictures of the process, but not the finished product.  They actually didn't come out how I wanted them to.  They are supposed to be dyed where the eggs are cracked to create a marbled or spiderweb effect, but for some reason mine were only dyed very faintly.

First boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Remove from water and let cool.

Use whole star anise

Cinnamon

And black tea and salt

To create a broth. This will dye and flavor the eggs

 

Crack the eggs all over, add to broth and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.  Shell eggs and serve.

Dragon Eye Pudding

Only 2 ingredients in this recipe!

Lychees in syrup and rice flour.

Reserve 2 cups of lychee syrup. 

In a saucepan cook syrup and 2 Tbsp rice flour until mixture thickens.  Add fruit and serve.

Pineapple upside down cake

Canned pineapple slices and maraschino cherries are the star ingredients in this fabulous retro recipe.

Pineapple upsidedown cake! What's not to love?

Start by melting 1/2 cup butter over low heat.

Pour butter into 9" pan and sprinkle 3/4 cup brown sugar.

Arrange pineapple slices and cherries.

Mix dry ingredients (1 C. Flour, 3/4 C. sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt) and then mix wet ingredients (1 egg, 1/3 C. sour cream, 1/2 C. buttermilk, 3 Tbsp oil, 2 tsp vanilla) then mix together. 

 

Carefully pour cake batter over arranged fruit.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Remove and set on rack to cool. Immediately run a knife around the edge. 

Let cake cool 10 minutes, then careful invert onto serving plate.

This cake is soft and moist on the inside and the top and sides get a little bit caramelized and crunchy in the best way possible.

I had 2 slices! 😜

Sausage veggi soup

We don't have soup weather often around these parts, but when we do I like to take full advantage. Here is one if my favorite recipes as of late.  My mom made this soup one time and I aquired the recipe from her. Lots of veggis and flavor in this one!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 pound Kielbasa-halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3 ( 14 1/2 once ) cans chicken broth

2 carrots sliced

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 15 ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed

4 ounces ( about 3/4 cup) small macaroni

4 ounces fresh spinach. chopped

In a large pot over medium heat warm oil. Add kielbasa and onion and 

saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Raise heat to high. Add broth, 

carrots, squash, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until vegetables tender, 

about 15 minutes. Add beans and macaroni and simmer until macaroni 

tender about 15 minutes.

Add spinach and cook until spinach wilted 5 minutes longer, stirring 

several times.