Happy Chinese New Year Party

/ Jodi

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Chinese New Year!  (a couple weeks early – but as our Host “Oh Rob” would say, “Who has more fun than us??!!)

Such yummy food… like these crunchy egg rolls,

CNY bamboo and egg rolls

the MOST AMAZING homemade dumplings and dipping sauces,

CNY dumplings and egg rolls

fresh crisp lettuce wraps, oranges (for good luck), and of course fortune cookies,

CNY lettuce wraps fortune cookies oranges

along with tender tangy teriyaki beef skewers to start of the festivities.

chinese new year 2015 teriyaki beef

And after our bellies were satisfied with tasty treats and wine and Moscow mules,

CNY dragon lantern

and we all received our special hat and learned what animal our birth year represented (I’m a tiger in case you couldn’t have guessed – LOL!)

CNY Joyce and Ella

and we were wished good luck by our happy hostesses (Mimi and Ella) in matching smiles and attire.

CNY gold coins

We learned a new game that, though we all had heard of,  none of us had ever played.

CNY bunco dice

Bunco!

CNY people 5

and though we don’t believe it has ANYthing to do with Chinese New Year,

CNY people 4

we patiently listened to the instructions,

CNY bunco sheep

fought to hang on to the “Bunco Sheep,”

CNY bunco playing

and had a great time.

Then, of course, it was time to eat again!

So fresh veggies got tossed into…

CNY veggies for stir fry

Chicken Stir Fry…

CNY stir fry

and Shrimp Stir Fry, with lots of fluffy steamed rice.

CNY Shrimp stir fry

We visited some more,

CNY people 2

hugged some more,

CNY Marty and Jill

and ate some more,

CNY people 3

and more…

CNY people

until the end of the evening, when we we lit Chinese lanterns,

CNY lantern 1

and made wishes,

CNY Todd and Mason

while we watched them float away over the lake – carrying our hopes and dreams for good luck in 2015.

CNY happy new year

Thanks for a wonderful time Joyce and Rob!  xoxo

Cheers & Hugs for a Happy New Year,
Jodi

33 thoughts on “Happy Chinese New Year Party”

  1. It looks like such a fun party! (I love the hats ;)) All the food looks and sounds delicious! Your photographs were so beautiful that I wanted to reach into them and take a taste of each dish. BTW how did your cookies go over?? Thank you for sharing your fun and “filling” evening with us. Yummy, I feel like I was there (maybe a little fly on the wall??)) 🙂 Hugs!! xo

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    • It sure was PJ! Fun and delish! I’m never completely happy with my photos – always expecting better – but I will continue improving. Cookies seemed to be enjoyed, but there was so much other good stuff (as you can see!) We definitely favor the Creamsicle ones. The head cold that started on me this weekend is in raging force today. Oh PJ – I can hardly talk and my head feels like it is going to pop off – sore throat is a killer and can’t talk. Taking a sick day from work, and going to try to “rest” this better. Have a good day, my friend! Hugs without germs to you! 🙂

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  3. WHAT A WONDERFUL PARTY….THE THING THAT INPRESSED ME THE MOST ,AFTER CULINARY DELIGHTS,WAS THE INTERACTION OF THREE GENERATIONS ALL ENTHUSTICALLY INVOLVED IN THE SAME ACTIVITY…..ELLA’ CERTAINLY DISPLAYED EXECUTIVE ABILITY IN ORGANIZING THE GAMES

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    • I agree – many generations – all having a ball! Ella is one of a kind! 🙂 Good to spend time with you as always, Dick and Lois! Not feeling so good today though – this cold is taking a head dive! Oh well – this too shall pass 🙂 xo

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    • I did like Bunco, Ella – especially when you were my partner – because we won that round!! 🙂 Which cookie do you like better? The oatmeal with orange slices or the creamsicle with white chocolate chips?

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  8. Your photographs are magazine-worthy, Jodi. I could eat my weight in Chinese dumplings, not kidding! The only thing that slows me down in Asia is having to use chopsticks. BH and I are both Year of the Monkey! Lovely post!

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    • You are so sweet Barbara! Thank you! I did have 3 dumplings! They were homemade and so delish – especially with the dipping sauce. I’m going to work on getting this recipe! Hosts said they were easy – so we’ll see! 🙂

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      • BH has made homemade dumplings including the dough. It’s a lot of work and not for me. I think the frozen dumplings at Costco are almost as good and so much easier but then again I am fundamentally lazy with these kinds of precise tasks. You make pierogis and it’s very similar in the process. Yes, the dipping sauces make the dish. Have you ever gone for dim sum?

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      • I had a feeling they were trickier than our talented hosts let on 🙂 – they are amazing chefs! I have never gone to a dim sum, but would love to! Will need to look into for sure! Have you?

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      • Oh yes, it’s a favorite. We’ve gone in Taiwan and China. Basically they wheel little carts full of assorted dumplings and other wonderful little dishes and you just point to what you want and devour it. There is an excellent authentic dim sum place here in Richmond. Maybe in the city you could find one.

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