Happy Chinese New Year!

All this week our family will be celebrating Chinese New Year's, aka the Spring Festival. We are still learning the ins and outs of this holiday, but several things we want to participate in:

• Spend time with friends and family. We are doing pretty well with the friends one (we have plans to hit several Chinese restaurants this week), but next year we need to do better and include more family.
• Do spring cleaning. I got an early start on this one with the whole getting new flooring thing. Since I had to move every single item in my home (unless it was on a high shelf), it was a good time to purge. Today I plan to sweep and mop and finish off the spring cleaning. (That is, if I can get off the computer long enough.)
• EAT! If you know me, you know that I firmly believe that food is the one of the best parts of almost any holiday. Preparing and sharing a meal brings people together.

I have decided that I would like to learn to make a new Chinese dish each year so eventually we can host a real celebration. Last year I failed miserably at that task. This year, I was determined to learn to make Chinese dumplings. I found a really easy recipe (although time consuming) and bought all the ingredients (I had to ask the Kroger lady for help in locating the Napa cabbage, and I had never even heard of white pepper). Will and I even watched videos about how to roll out and fold the dumplings. We were ready.

One of traditions involved in making this food is that the whole family is supposed to participate. That was probably the most challenging part:), but we did it. Ben read the recipe to us, while Kate and Will mixed the filling. They all took a turn rolling out the dough, and then Tim, Will, Kate, and I stuffed and folded the dumplings. Mama had to do the cooking, of course. Our friends Alex and Christa came over to share the feast with us.

I was a bit nervous about how they would turn out, but they were sooooo yummy. We all ate way too many (well, ok, Ben and Kate didn't really like them, but they can be picky), especially Will. After eating 5 or 6 of them, Will came and curled up in my lap. He said, "I have decided I don't like Chinese dumplings." Well, did you eat so many that they hurt your tummy, or do you not like the taste? "I ate too many," he moaned. So yes, they were a hit. Next year I will have to come up with a recipe that the other two like.

The dough, the filling, and the leftovers:

Can't wait to make 'em again next year!