Chinese Almond Cookies

Chinese almond cookies like these are thought to resemble coins, making them particularly popular as a symbol of good fortune during the Chinese New Year. Traditional recipes are made with lard and flavored with almond extract. This recipe uses butter and almond flour to enhance the nutty flavor and create a crumbly texture similar to that of pecan sandies. Enjoy them year-round, particularly with a cup of tea or coffee. The recipe makes 15 cookies and was adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 15 whole blanched almonds or almonds

Directions:

• Sift the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk any remaining almond flour from the sifter into the sifted flour mixture.
• Combine the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
• Add the almond extract and 1 egg yolk and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the flour mixture, and beat until no flour streaks remain, about 2 minutes.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Scoop the dough by the tablespoon (use a 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Roll each scoop into a ball and return it to the baking sheet. Flatten each with your palm into a 2-inch round. Gently press an almond onto each and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the edges are golden brown, 8-9 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Did You Know?

The Year of The Fire Horse

 

As Lunar New Year celebrations begin around the world, 2026 ushers in the Year of the Horse—a symbol of forward movement, independence, and endurance. This year ushers in the Year of the Fire Horse—a rare, blazing return that only comes once every 60 years.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, falls between late-January and mid-February, with its date set by China’s ancient lunisolar calendar. This year the celebrations began on February 17th. Since at least the second century B.C., each new year has been named for one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, which repeat in a 12-year cycle. In Chinese astrology, each of the zodiac animals is believed to have distinct traits which are supposedly reflected in people born in that corresponding year.
The horse is revered in Chinese culture for its long-standing roles in agriculture, transportation, and warfare. However, in the Chinese zodiac, this galloping animal symbolizes strength, grace, endurance, loyalty, freedom, and success. Its strength, Lee explains, represents possibilities for personal growth and success.

In Chinese astrology, Horse years favor decisive action and independence, while also warning against impulsiveness.

Symbolic Chinese Foods

What gives a certain food symbolic significance? Sometimes it is based on appearance. For example, serving a whole chicken during the Chinese New Year season symbolizes family togetherness. Noodles symbolize long life; an old superstition holds that it's bad luck to cut them. Both clams and Spring Rolls symbolize wealth; clams because of their resemblance to bouillon, and Spring Rolls because their shape is similar to gold bars.

On the other hand, a food may have special significance during Chinese New Year because of the way the Chinese word for it sounds. For example, the Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like rising fortune, so it is very common to serve a lettuce wrap filled with other lucky food. Tangerines and oranges are passed out freely during Chinese New Year as the words for tangerine and orange sound like luck and wealth, respectively. And let's not forget pomelos. This large ancestor of the grapefruit signifies abundance, as the Chinese word for pomelo sounds like the word for "to have."

Fish also play a large role in festive celebrations. The word for fish, "Yu," sounds like the words both for wish and abundance. As a result, on New Year's Eve it is customary to serve a fish at the end of the evening meal, symbolizing a wish for abundance in the coming year. For added symbolism, the fish is served whole, with head and tail attached, symbolizing a good beginning and ending for the coming year.

And what about the sweet, steamed cakes that are so popular during the Chinese New Year season? Cakes such as Sticky Rice Cake have symbolic significance on many levels. Their sweetness symbolizes a rich, sweet life, while the layers symbolize rising abundance for the coming year. Finally, the round shape signifies family reunion.

An Asian Inspired Recipe

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
Cook's notes:
Add some Asian flair to your menu with the sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors that make up Thai Peanut Noodle Salad. Top with grilled pork or pulled rotisserie chicken for a main dish.

It's packed with flavor and healthy veggies and makes a very satisfying meal. The dressing really elevates this salad to a whole new level. 

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Salad Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Udon noodles (vacuum-packed) or linguine noodles
• chopped green onions
• chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into quarters
• chopped peanuts
• a variety of veggies-1/2 cup diced red pepper,1/2 cup diced yellow pepper, 1 cup matchstick carrots, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1 cup diced cucumbers, 2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage, 4 cups romaine lettuce

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• 2- 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon  seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• Optional 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce (1 is mild with a bite, 1.5 is medium, 2 is hot)
• 2-4 tablespoons water or chicken broth

Directions:

• Cook noodles in salted water. Drain noodles and place back into the pan. Cover to keep warm. 
• If you’re not going to use noodles right away, add a drizzle of the peanut dressing and stir to coat. This will prevent the noodles from getting all clumpy. Keep dressing in the fridge until ready to use.
• Combine dressing ingredients in a blender, pour into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and heat until warmed. Remove from heat. 
• Toss cooked noodles with waemed dressing and divide among 4 bowls. When you’re ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl and mix well. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and garnish each serving with a lime quarter. 
• Squeeze lime juice over noodles and stir to combine.

Cooking tip: You can add meat to this dish by stir-frying shrimp or very thinly sliced chicken (partially freeze it first) in some olive oil with a couple of cloves of garlic, some fresh ginger, some green onions, soy sauce, and a small squirt or two of Sriracha chili sauce.

Stir Fry Broccoli and Shrimp with Jasmine Rice

Broccoli and Shrimp with Jasmine Rice 

Cook's Notes: Looking for a meal ready in under 25 minutes and all made in one pot? Jasmine rice with garlic shrimp and broccoli may just be the recipe you've been looking for. One-pot meals are always a plus in meal planning. Shrimp should be peeled and deveined before sautéing. Leaving tails on is a matter of personal preference. The meal was served with a slice of French Almond Cake. https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2023/08/french-almond-cake.html
The recipe is an Ever Ready special and serves four.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• lemon zest from one large lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1- 16 0z. package frozen uncooked shrimp (small 50-60 count) thawed
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine

Directions:

• Shrimp should be peeled and deveined before sautéing. Leaving tails on is a matter of personal preference.
• In a large soup pot, melt one tablespoon of butter and sauté shrimp with garlic. Remove and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
• In the same pot, melt butter and sauté onions. Add the uncooked rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat. Cook rice for 13 minutes until al dente. Add in broccoli, garlic shrimp, lemon juice, parsley flakes, and white wine. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes more. Add Parmesan cheese and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday

 Color, music, and joy collide on Mardi Gras.

Celebrate Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) with Jambalaya, a Creole dish of Spanish and French influence that originated in the Caribbean. Finish the meal with a delicious Bananas Foster, a dessert created at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans. It was named after Richard Foster, a civic leader and frequent patron. It consists of sliced bananas topped with rum sauce and served over vanilla ice cream. It is often served tableside in restaurants as a flambé (a cooking technique in which alcohol is added to a hot pan, creating flames). Some suggested sides include: corn muffins and a classic dish Red Beans and Rice.

Jambalya served with Red Beans and Rice 

and a corn muffin. The photo below shows Jambalya with shrimp as another option. 

Jambalaya

Cook’s notes: Marinating the chicken in buttermilk helps make the meat more tender. You will need to add more chicken broth on the second day to serve the dish as the rice absorbs the liquid. The recipe makes six servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 box  Zatarains's New Orleans style Jambalaya Mix (available locally at grocery store)
• 2 large chicken breasts, cut in chunks or 2 -3 cups of meat from a rotisserie chicken 
• 1/ 2 teaspoon each of Cajun seasoning and oregano (for baking chicken)
• 2-1/2 cups diced Andouille sausage, small pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can low-sodium chicken broth (14.5 oz.)
• 1 can (14.5 oz.)  diced tomatoes (basil, oregano, garlic)
• 3 oz. tomato paste
• 1 cup of water
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 1 small green pepper, diced or 1 cup mini yellow and red peppers, diced
• 4 celery ribs (stalks) diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½  teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: substitute cooked shrimp for chicken and add in last 15 minutes of cooking time.

Directions:

• Marinate chicken in 1 cup of buttermilk for one hour. Drain well and place on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with a mixture of dry oregano and Cajun seasoning. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35- 40 minutes. Use a thermometer to check for doneness. Turn once during baking time. The sausage can be cooked on the same baking sheet for the last 20 minutes of chicken baking time.
• Cool and dice both meats-set aside,
• In a large skillet, sauté onions,  celery, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil.
• Add in water, broth, spices, jambalaya rice mixture, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, bay leaf, and diced meats. Simmer 45 minutes on low heat, covered. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Easy Bananas Foster for Two

Cook's Notes: Choose bananas that are ripe but still firm. Overripe bananas will break down too much in the sauce, while under-ripe bananas won’t develop the right sweetness. While vanilla ice cream is the classic pairing, Bananas Foster can also be served in other ways. Spoon the sauce with bananas over pound cake, waffles, or French toast for a decadent brunch option. It also makes a wonderful topping for crepes or even oatmeal when you want something indulgent but comforting.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup butter
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 ½ tablespoons of rum
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 small bananas or 2 large bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Directions:

• Melt butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, rum, vanilla, and cinnamon; bring to a low boil.
• Place bananas and nuts in the skillet. Cook until bananas have softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Serve the sauce with bananas over vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Book Review Nightflower of Comanche Mound

 Book Review of Nightflower of Comanche Mound. 

Beneath the wide-open skies and the stark, dusty landscape of West Texas, a story unfolds filled with tension, buried grief, and emotional risk. Charlotte, aka Charley, is a girl who finds herself adrift, trying to figure out who she is and where she really belongs. Feeling overlooked in the midst of her parents’ divorce, she recklessly decides to invite herself to her Pap's sheep ranch in Texas for the summer. He is a grandfather she has never met and a man her mother keeps her distance from. Pap is cantankerous and hardened by life, which has dealt him many losses. And he certainly has no time for a young 16-year-old. Just when Charley realizes she has made a mistake coming and should return to the city life of Seattle, a mysterious Appaloosa horse shows up on the ranch. Charley is certain it's fate this horse should be hers, especially after learning the horse is blind and needs special training to survive. She finds an ally in Sabino, a ranch hand who nourishes her spirit and helps her adjust to ranch life.  When a succession of events spirals out of control, Paps vows to shoot the blind, useless horse. Charley's decision to protect the animal pulls her into her family's mysterious past. An impulsive decision puts Charley and her horse, Radar, in real danger, showing Charley's grit and sense of urgency to survive. Indeed, the story becomes a quiet thriller that presses the reader to turn the pages quickly.

There were some things in this YA  novel by Katlyn Bates that stood out to me. One is the descriptive sentences. They weave vivid sensory details, emotions, and context into a tapestry, bringing the Texas landscape to life for the reader, as well as using figurative language to paint evocative images. Another noteworthy point is the emotional depth of characters, which Bates creates, intertwining Comanche heritage, their spiritual practices, and family interactions. The narrative is one filled with compassion and courage. For a debut YA novel, this one will really stick with you long after you close the book.  

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

https://katlynbates.com/

Katlyn Bates writes contemporary fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, Nightflower of Comanche Mound, was named a 2025 Spur Finalist by Western Writers of America (WWA) in the Juvenile-Young Adult Fiction category. The recognition, along with multiple 5-Star book reviews from Readers’ Favorite, encouraged her to dust off old pieces she had written just for fun and look at them with fresh eyes.

Drawn to action and adventure that is grounded in real life, Katlyn finds inspiration in the wildness of the world around us. “Nature doesn’t care what we think. It’s wild and ferocious and unpredictable—a good reminder not to take ourselves too seriously. The downright ridiculous seems to call for a twist of humor. What I can’t see, I can imagine.”

A native Texan, Katlyn Bates lives near Dallas, TX, outside a small town that—like so many interconnected communities- is quickly becoming absorbed by the sprawl. “As for me, it’s open skies and nature and landscape that frame a plot, and lend power to a story.”

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

 

SHARE A BIT OF KINDNESS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU CAN

White Chocolate Mousse with Italian Wild Rice Soup and Orange Slices

Slow Cooker Italian Wild Rice Soup

Cook's Notes: Recipe adapted from BHG Soups and Stews 2016
Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground pork, chicken, Italian or turkey sausage (casings removed) 
• 4 cups water
• 2- 14.5 oz. can lower-sodium beef broth
• 1- 14.5 oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
• 1-6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup each carrots, celery, green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces  
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, crushed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash crushed dried red pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 small package fresh spinach, chopped, stems removed
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Directions: 

• In a large skillet, cook meat over medium heat until no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks; drain off fat.
• In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine cooked meat, water, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, carrots, celery, green beans, uncooked wild rice, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, black pepper, salt, sugar, and crushed red pepper.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 hours until veggies are al dente and rice is cooked. Stir spinach into soup the last 10 minutes of cooking time and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

White Chocolate Mousse

Cook’s notes: Recipe serves 6-8, depending on the size of the glass. There are several options for serving this dessert: small wine glasses or dark-chocolate edible party cups, available at some stores in the baking aisle. Amaretto is the piece de resistance elevating this dessert to a whole new level.
Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks 
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 cups whipping (heavy) cream, divided
• 1 cup white baking chips
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto or 1 tsp. almond extract
• Optional garnishes: chocolate curls, toasted coconut and almonds, raspberries, Valentine cupcake sprinkles

Directions:

• Beat egg yolks in a small bowl on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.
• Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat just until hot. Gradually stir half of the cream into the egg yolk mixture, and then stir all of the mixture back into the hot cream in the saucepan. Whisk together and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not let boil).
• Stir baking chips into hot cream mixture until melted. Add 2-3 tablespoons of Amaretto or 1 teaspoon almond extract. Mix well and put in a bowl. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
• Beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream in chilled medium bowl on high speed until stiff. Fold white chocolate cream mixture into whipped cream and spoon into parfait/wine glasses or edible chocolate party cups.
• Store dessert in refrigerator lightly covered with a sheet of wax paper.

Love Potion Drink

Cook's Notes: For a non-alcoholic drink, omit the vodka 

Serves 1
Ingredients:

• pink lemonade
• raspberry sherbet
• Sprite
• vodka

Directions:

• Fill a serving glass half full with pink lemonade. Add 1 large scoop of sherbet, 1 oz. vodka, 4 oz. Sprite, Do not stir.
• Pour all of this in blender and mix well,  

BE MY VALENTINE

A Valentine Riddle and a Chocolate Splurge

 

A Valentine Riddle Poem by Edgar Allen Poe

The Raven is one of Edgar Allen Poe's most quoted poems. Due to its length, I am posting a link to the poem. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178713
But I did come across this poem by Poe just in time for Valentine's Day. I was intrigued because it is an acrostic poem with a cryptic message at the end.  
 A Valentine
by Edgar Allan Poe
(published 1850)

For her, this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
Brightly expressive as the twins of Lœda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies
Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines! -- they hold a treasure
Divine -- a talisman -- an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure --
The words -- the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor!
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets, by poets -- as the name is a poet’s, too.
Its letters, although naturally lying
Like the knight Pinto -- Mendez Ferdinando --
Still form a synonym for Truth. -- Cease trying!
You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.

Note: Poe wrote this poem for a specific person. The woman's name is hidden within the text. Can you find it? Hint: it's an acrostic

This is a lyrical poem, written in the form of acrostic. Other than a poem, “A Valentine” is actually a riddle that Poe made to reveal his secret lover's name. Edgar Allen Poe composed “A Valentine” to express his affection for a woman, but he’s too afraid to tell her directly because she’s already married. Poe’s challenge to the readers is to solve the riddle within this poem. 

Okay... I was stumped and needed help!!! But I was able to find this answer online.  

The riddle is the dominant feature of this poem, that’s the main factor that makes this poem so ingenious. Not only does it express the romantic words of the writer, but Edgar Allen Poe also composed a hidden riddle within “A Valentine”. If you take the first letter from the first line, the second letter from the second line, the third letter from the third line, and so on until the end, the riddle of this poem will be revealed. The name of the woman who Poe is crazed about exists in every line throughout the whole poem, Frances Sargent Osgood. She was another great poetess who shares her secret affair with Poe through poems.

Now for your reward- a chocolate splurge💖

Cook's Notes: 
This torte, a classic dessert along the Amalfi Coast, can be a simple, elegant showstopper. When done well, it packs all the richness and depth of flourless chocolate cake. It's moist and tender. For best results, use good quality bittersweet chocolate, e.g., Ghirardelli, and Dutch-processed cocoa, e.g., Droste Cocoa or Hershey Special Dark Cocoa and Almond Flour. The torte can stand on its own with a dusting of powdered sugar or with Amaretto Cream and jarred Cherry Fruit Filling.

Make the dessert a day ahead as a timesaver. It keeps well for three days.  
Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated November/December 2018

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons of butter, cut into 12 pieces
• 4 oz. bar bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon creme of tartar
• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. 
• In a small bowl, mix together almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.  
• Microwave chocolate and butter at 50% power, stirring often until melted. Stir in vanilla and set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, add in creme of tartar and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until egg whites are stiff. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl mix egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar. Beat on medium-high until thick and pale yellow. Add in chocolate/butter mixture and mix until incorporated about 15 seconds. 
• Add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, mix on low just until incorporated. 
• Fold whipped egg whites in thirds to chocolate mixture using a spatula. 
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. 
• Place torta on a wire rack to cool. Remove springform sides and wrap torta in plastic wrap until serving.  

Amaretto Cream (mix 1 teaspoon Amaretto with whipped cream)