Fried Dumplings with Honey Mayo Dipping Sauce

This is one of dim sum favorite and it is usually served with mayo dipping sauce. For 4 pieces it cost around US$3.00 which I think it is too expensive. It is not difficult to make it yourself and with a few ingredients and a few bucks you can feed the whole family. It usually made from shrimps but you can be creative with the filling. I added some ground pork to it but it can be any combinations of your liking. I made these for our CNY dinner and we enjoyed it a lot. They are crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside.

French Vanilla Pistachio Sables

I am hit by the lazy bugs and I don’t really feel like doing much nowadays. I usually get depressed during this time of the year as I will be thinking of home and family. With everyone posting their CNY gatherings with family and friends on FB make it worst. I wish I can be home with my family. Well, I guess this is what we have to sacrifice being away from home. Well, enough of my depressing feelings and let’s talk about this cookie. I don’t use pistachio much in my baking but I bought it to make Macaroons last year and I still have ¾ packets of the pistachio meal and shelled nuts sitting in my fridge. I decided to make some ‘sable’ out of it. The first time I heard about this cookie was from a French Pastry Chef whom I took bread lesson from. Sables, also known as a French Butter Cookie or Breton Biscuit, are a classic French cookie originating in Normandy France. The name 'Sables' is French for "sand", which refers to the sandy texture of this delicate and crumbly shortbread-like cookie.

 

Quinoa Patties

After all the CNY indulgence it is time to have some healthy. I’ve been adding quinoa into our diet a couple of months ago since it is much healthier than rice. You can read more about Quinoa here and here .

We like having these quinoa patties. They are hearty and savory which is a great accompaniment to any soup or salad. I don’t mind not having meat at all as I think this is great replacement for the meat patties on a burger bun. I like to cook the quinoa in a low sodium chicken or vegetable broth as it adds more flavors to it but you can always cook it in water but remember to add a bit of salt to it.

Happy Chinese New Year!

To my family, friends and blog readers, Gong Xi Fa Cai/Keong Hee Huat Cai. May the year of snake brings all of us joy, happiness, peace, prosperity and good health.

I didn't bake much this year. Just a few types of cookies like Almond Cookies ,Pistachio Sables, Kuih Bangkit, Date Rolls and 2 types of Pineapple Tarts .

Not forgetting some Bak Kua/Pork Jerky too.