Wednesday, February 6, 2008

kung hall sun hei!

what? no speaka chinese? my bad. ;) that means "happy new year." tomorrow is the chinese new year! yippee! why am i excited? well... i'm sure after you read some of the traditions, youll agree that the chinese do it right... eat lotsa sweets, dont work, dont clean... my kinda holiday! seriously though... i am suuuuuper into feng shui and i really believe you have to take this stuff to heart and incorporate it into your daily life. note, i said "i believe...", i never said anything about my husband. lucky for me... he just goes with it. after being together for five years, he has gotten the hang of most of the day-to-day stuff (bathroom doors closed at all times, toilet seat down, etc...) so with that in mind... here are some things to keep in mind for the chineses new year that starts tomorrow... traditionally the nye celebration lasts fifteen days, most only follow for the first three though, which will start tonight at midnight and last through the ninth. we'll be doing almost all of these traditions in our house...wait. did i just say "we"? oops! i meant "I" will be doing as many as "I"can get away with...

taboos, traditions and superstitions for the chinese new year

1) no cleaning.
you have to clean on new year's eve (today), i did mine yesterday. that means no dusting, no sweeping, no nothing, nada. (do you love it?) and all cleaning supplies must be put away. the thought is that all of your good fortune will be swept away. you also cant wash your hair... again, washing away your fortune
fyi... this doesnt just apply to new years... you should never sweep dirt out of or remove the trash out of the front door of your house or business. it should always go out the back door. yes. yes. yes. we do this ... every now and then paul tries to sneak out the front on trash day, then i say..."its your fortune sweetheart..." he turns. he looks. he shakes his head and goes out the back door, mumbling the whole time, but he does it and makes his crazy wife happy. thats one reason why i love him.

2) out with the old, in with the new...
at midnight (tonite) you have to open your doors to "let the old year out." youre also supposed to shoot off firecrackers to "welcome in the new year." i will not be doing the firecracker part... we're friends with our neighbors and i want it to stay that way. as far as paul's concerned- i know where to draw the line... i will however, be opening the doors, for a few minutes at least... he will be telling me to close them because its cold, he'll mention something about the heating bill, i'll ask him to "just go with it honey". roll his eyes. he'll shake his head and he'll go back to bed, mumbling something about me being crazy. if you arent crazy (like me) and are planning on sleeping through the night, then just keep your windows open (as much as possible) tomorrow.

3) what you do today will set the precedent for the year
this is a new beginning! that means no talking about the past year. you also cant tell ghost stories (who does that???) or have any conversations about death (who talks about death???). hmmm... no problem there! no foul language, bad words or negativity of any kind. you cant cry on new years... if you do, youll spend the year in tears. dont spank your kids and make them cry either.... do you want to hear your children crying for a year? youre just going to have to deal with the rugrats being rugrats for the next three days.
dont forget to pay all your debts & bills. if you start the year in the red, superstition says that's where you'll end the year. dont make any loans... otherwise you'll be lending all year long.

4) dress to impress...
red is the best color to wear...it wards off evil spirits and brings luck. if you cant pull off red, at least wear something bright. a good attitude is also a plus. the wearer of both of these is sure to have a bright, sunny year! bright AND sunny??? who knew???
do not, under any circumstances wear black or white. they symbolize death and mouring... i'm sure i dont have to explain why... death and mourning are bad.

5) no cutting things...
you cant use knives or scissors for the next three days. don't get your hair cut either... symbolically, youre cutting off your good fortune.

6) let them eat cake!
you're supposed to eat a lot of sweets... you guessed it... youll have a sweeter year. (did i tell you???) at this time please refer to my secret weapon.

7) mange'! mange'! mange'!
youre supposed to eat dumplings and pork... i cant remember why... if someone finds out, let me know. what a great excuse to call a friend for a "no holds barred" feast at your favorite chinese restaurant??? (oh, how i miss pf changs... yes, i know that isnt real chinese. i can still miss it, cant i?) anyway... if you go to lunch, just make sure you take someone that is positive and prefereably wearing red and a big smile!
here are some other goodies youre sposed to eat and what they symbolize... melon (growth and good health), coconut (unity), kumquat (gold- prosperity)- we actually found these at our market the other day... they are a fave from my childhood; lotus seeds (fertility), lychee nut (close family relationships), peanuts (longevity), red melon seeds (red; for happiness, joy, honesty and sincerity), tangerines (abundance, happiness), prawns (liveliness), noodles (longevity).

if you decide to go to a chinese restaurant try this vegetarian dish called "jai." chinese families eat this on new years... the ingredients are root or fibrous vegetables. they include: lotus seed (hope for many male offspring), ginkgo nut (hope for silver), black moss seaweed (hope for wealth), dried bean curd (more hope for wealth and happiness), bamboo shoots (wishing all goes well). okay... let me just say that not only have i never heard of most of these items, i have no earthly idea where one would find any of these items... especially not up here in deez dem mountains.!

for more info on the traditions and history of the chinese new year celebration, check this out.

this is the year of the rat (yuk), so dont forget to read your chinese horoscope!

enjoy and happy new year's eve! xx~tara

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

shhh... its a secret!

i can officially announce, formally declare, write in sharpie that i have found the secret to getting absolutely anything your heart desires from your dearly beloved. the others can have the secrets of the universe... i'll happily settle for the secret to getting the shoes i've been dying for from hubby! this is all thanks to pioneer woman's bread pudding recipe... ree claims that this is the best bread pudding recipe ever ...no offense intended ree, but in my humble little opinion, that is the understatment of the year... so i am renaming this the "thank honey for my new shoes" bread pudding!

i made this for hubby the other night and voila! look at what fed ex fairy left on my doorstep....


top secret info to follow... but to see the step by step, take a look at how a pro does it (click "it")
next time i'll add cinnamon and more pecans... just because i like them! :) and... i have extra whiskey sauce... that is going to top some vanilla haagen daaz. it just doesnt know it yet!

the best bread pudding

2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 to 5 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup pecans, chopped finely
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk. Add sugar and mix until sugar is dissoved. Arrange bread cubes tightly in a nine-inch baking dish, keeping the crust facing up around the edges in scattered within the dish. Pour liquid over the bread. Sprinkle pecans all over and bake for 55 to 70 minutes, or until crust is golden brown all over the top.
While the bread pudding is baking, make the ...

whiskey cream sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup Jack Daniels
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low boil. Pour a small amount over the individual servings of bread pudding.
Store leftovers in fridge. ...walk by every hour and pop a cube of bread in your mouth. ..smile contently.