Chinese New Year

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas/Hannukuh (however you choose to spell it)/Kwanzaa/Pagan celebration of winter. I spent mine with the flu, which is also why I haven't updated since Christmas Eve.

Now it's time for the new year. While I don't carry on a lot of traditions from my childhood, there is one I observe religiously - New Year's Eve dinner is always Chinese food. When I was a kid, mom would order a bunch of take-out, and we'd get to have virgin strawberry daquiris. We'd stay up, watch movies, and just hang out. A few years ago when I had a NYE party, we ordered 10-12 different dishes from the local take-out place (.5 miles from my apartment - it was wonderful. I practically lived there), and everyone shared. Aside from keeping the shrimp dishes separate so Mike didn't die from his shellfish allergy, it was pretty easy.

Fast forward 4 years. Chinese take-out both tempts and terrifies me. Most places aren't going to use a GF soy sauce, and I'm sure cross-contamination is everywhere. I know PF Changs has a GF menu, but I find them to be completely overrated. Their food isn't anywhere near good enough for what they charge. I've had $3 take-out that's better. So there was only one option left: make it myself.

I made roasted pork lo mein a few years ago for a couple of friends. Two of our close friends had just been through break-ups within a month of each other (with fiancees, no less), and so we had them over for dinner a few times. It may have escaped your notice, but I tend to cook for comfort. The lo mein was a huge hit. That time, I did everything in the oven and used udon noodles.

This year, given the flu and all, I'm not really up for that, especially because I'll be taking enough time later making chicken spring rolls in rice paper wrappers. So I threw everything in the Crock Pot. You can use whatever you like, but here's how I did it (note, I just put this in, so I'll have to update later with how it turns out):

• 1 pkg boneless pork short ribs (trust me, they're the best meat for this - pork chops aren't nearly as good in it)
• 2 stalks celery
• 4-5 mini sweet peppers
• 2 cans baby corn
• 2-4 heads of broccoli (I like a ton, so I used 4)
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts (you can use more, but hubby hates them, so I go easy)
• 2 cans sliced mushrooms (or 1/2 pkg fresh ones)
• 1 bottle San-J GF teriyaki sauce
• 1 can Dynasty hoison sauce
• 1/2 c vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• light sprinkle of MSG (don't judge - I wanted the take-out flavor)

Chop the veggies and ribs, and throw in the slow cooker. Add garlic. Mix the veggie broth, MSG, hoison sauce, and teriyaki sauce in a measuring cup with a pour spout. Pour 3/4 of the mixture in the crock pot, and pour the rest back in one of the sauce jars/bottles to pour over the noodles later.

And that's it. I'll just cook the rice noodles by the package directions, pour the sauce over, and mix in the pork and veggies. For the spring rolls, I'm using chicken, green onions, cabbage and carrots. But that will have to be another entry - they may be a disaster.

Here's to 2013 being happier and healthier than 2012!