Did you know that Chinese New Year is a 15-day long celebration?

That’s 15 more reasons to eat Chinese food!

Of course, I didn’t cook 15 Chinese dishes, but I did serve my family Chinese Chicken Pot Stickers this week, which are always a huge hit with my family.

The preparation is a bit time consuming (about an hour), but if my whole family eats without complaint, then it’s totally worth it.

I’ve modified the Steamy Kitchen recipe to include ground chicken, because we prefer chicken and we typically don’t eat pork.  Also, my local supermarket doesn’t carry dumpling skins, so I use wonton wraps, which seem to work fine.  The pleating part gets a bit tricky, though.

Of course using the wonton wrappers, I make way more dumplings than my family could ever eat in one sitting, but they are great leftovers.

One of these days I’ll visit an Asian market to buy dumpling skins to make real Chinese Pot Stickers.  But for now, this will have to do.  Like I said already, it works and it’s just as tasty too.

(By the way, that’s Hot and Sour Soup in the background from our local Chinese take-out restaurant.  I have yet to learn how to make that.)

Chinese Chicken Pot Stickers

Ingredients
1 package of frozen dumpling skins, defrosted overnight in refrigerator or 40 minutes room temp (Do not microwave or set in water.)
1 pound ground chicken
3 stalks green onions, cut into 2 inch sections
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 Tbsp canola oil
¼ cup water

For the slurry
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl water

Dipping Sauce
1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions
In a food processor, add the chicken, green onions, garlic, ginger and bamboo shoots and pulse several times.  Then, in a large bowl, combine soy sauce, salt, cornstarch, ginger, rice wine.  Add chicken mixture and combine well.

Spoon 1 teaspoon of the filling onto dumpling skin. With your finger, dab a bit of the cornstarch slurry around the edges of the dumpling skin. Fold over and press to secure edges. Make sure edges are sealed tightly. Shape the dumpling so that it has a flat bottom. Cover loosely with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out.

When ready to cook, heat a large nonstick pan with canola oil over medium-high heat.  (I use an electric griddle.) When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the dumplings, flat side down to the pan. Let fry for 1 minute until the bottoms are light golden brown.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into the pan and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Turn heat to medium and let the dumplings steam for 3 minutes. Open lid and let the remaining liquid cook off about 1 minute. Cut into a dumpling to make sure that the filling is cooked through.

Remove to plate covered with paper towel to drain excess oil and water.

Wipe the pan clean with paper towels (or wash) and repeat with remaining dumplings.

Serve with dipping sauce. (Serves 6-8)

Thanks for joining our weekly Friday Food Fight.  Link up and see what everyone else is flinging this week.  

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“Are you on Pinterest? Share the last five items you pinned, choose one and let it inspire a blog post.” – Mama Kat’s Losing It

Just five?

Yesterday, I pinned my Love My Abs button to encourage others on Pinterest to join me in the February challenge.  I’m so proud of my little bloggy button.  Isn’t it cute?

To help with the challenge and mix it up a bit, I pinned this.

Then, there are all the yummy recipes I’ve pinned this week, like the Honey Lime Tilapia. I can’t to sink my teeth into that one!

Forget Valentine’s Day!  I’m already thinking about St. Patrick’s Day and baking these Guinness Butterscotch Brownies.

But the item I am most proud of this week are the magazine files in my pantry, which was inspired by this pin.

I found a pair of magazine files at Ikea for $6.99.  Target has similar ones, but they are sold separately for a tad bit more money.

The magazine files look so great in my pantry, but I especially love that I’ve stopped an avalanche of food storage items from happening on my head. Boxes of cling film and sandwich bags are no longer rolling all over my shelves or falling and hitting my in the face when I open the pantry door.  And like Martha Stewart always says, “It’s a good thing.”

Now, I just need some help with the rest of pantry, but it needs to be cheap affordable and practical.  Got any more bright ideas Pinterest?

Since today is the official launch, I thought I would do a no holds barred post and put my abs out there for the whole blogosphere to judge see.

Here I am. Day 1:

Good lord.  I need a tan and a six-pack.  Hopefully in four weeks, I’ll have both.

As for my ab exercises, today I did 120 reps.

40 crunches

40 bicycles

40 cross over crunches

If you follow me on Twitter, then you may have seen me occasionally use the hashtags #sixpksabs or #100pushups.  See, my Twitter running tweeps (@ForrestGump49er  @RunningRealtor1 @tryn2bfit @runningmom2boys) and I often try to encourage each other with these small challenges.

So, to keep up the motivation and support, I had an idea for a new challenge starting February 1.  It’s a challenge to work our core, called #lovemyabs.

Basically, during the month of February, each participant attempts 100 daily ab exercises.  Do all 100 reps at once or break it up throughout the day.  It’s entirely up to you and what fits best into your lifestyle.

Then, each week slowly increase by adding another set of 20 reps.  In other words, the first week you do 100 reps.  Then week two, you attempt 120 reps. By week three, you go for 140 and by week four, you should be close to 160 reps.

The plan would look something like this:

Week 1: 2/1-2/7 = 100 reps

Week 2: 2/8-2/14 = 120 reps

Week 3: 2/15-2/21 = 140 reps

Week 4: 2/22- 2/29 = 160 reps

This is just a guideline.  If you can do more reps, then go for it!  If it’s too much, then try a set of 10 reps ten times throughout the day.  Remember the important thing is to show your abs some daily love.

Also, this isn’t just about doing 100 crunches every day, although you could totally do that if you want.  There are so many great ab exercises out there, so mix it up and have fun!

And by the end of the challenge, you’ll have over 3000 ab exercises under your belt.  Now, you gotta love that!

If you want to join the #lovemyabs challenge, grab the button, link back to Run DMT and sign the linky below. By joining the linky party, others can visit your blog to show support and offer encouragement.

Blog about your #lovemyabs experience daily or write a weekly recap because we want to see your progress.

Then, swing back here every Wednesday to link up and share your #lovemyabs post.

If you’re not a blogger, you can still participate.  Simply add your Twitter ID/profile homepage to the linky party and tweet about the challenge using the hashtag #lovemyabs.  Talk it up on Facebook and Google+, too.  Encourage your friends to show their abs some love too.

<a href=”http://deniseisrundmt.com/2012/02/01/february-challenge-love-my-abs-launch-linky-party/”><img src=”http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k224/DeniseMOTG/Run%20DMT/Feb_LoveMyAbs_Challlenge.png” border=”0″ alt=”Photobucket”></a>

So who will love their abs this February?

For the last day of the Janathon, I had to get blood work for my annual physical, which meant I would have to refrain from exercise beforehand or in other words, running before the blood draw.

This morning when I woke up, my jaw hurt, so I was kind of glad that I couldn’t run.  However, it also meant that I couldn’t take any ibuprofen to relieve the pain, because I also had to refrain from eating or drinking anything before the blood draw.

I had mentioned to my friend, Kelly that I wouldn’t be able to run before the blood work and I asked if I could tag along to her Zumba class. She’s always raving about her Zumba class and how much fun it is, so I thought I would give it try.

Besides, I couldn’t let the last day of Janathon slip by without doing something.  Stupid jaw and blood draw.

Although I kept tripping over myself with every salsa and samba move, the class was a lot of fun and I loved the music.  Between the pelvic thrusts and the hip gyrating, Zumba gave me an opportunity to work some a different muscle group and incorporate some core training, too

But I felt like I needed more core work, so I did 50 push-ups and 100 crunches when I got home.

Speaking of core training, my running tweeps from Twitter and I are starting an ab challenge tomorrow, Wednesday February 1 called #lovemyabs.  The goal is to do 100 ab exercise every day in February while increasing each week by 20. Trust me.  It’s totally doable!

If you’re game, stop by tomorrow for the details and the official linky party kick-off.  In the meantime, commit to the challenge by adding the #lovemyabs button to your blog and link back to Run DMT.

Don’t you just love the bloggy button I made for the abs challenge?  Isn’t it so cute?

 *Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

And it felt so good.

I only did three miles and took it easy.  I worried about injuring myself if I pushed too hard after 3 weeks of forced rest.  Then, about halfway into the run, I felt my jaw throbbing.  It didn’t hurt too badly, just more annoying than anything else.

It wasn’t a great run.  It wasn’t a bad run.  For me it was just right, because I got out there again.

3.1 Miles

Time 31:19

Ave Pace 10:06

Max Pace 7:06

Only one day left of the Janathon!  I need to make tomorrow a good one!

 
And much like the bubble pop music of the 80s, this song will get stuck in my head for days. At least the lyrics are sweet so I don’t mind when they keep re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-petaing in my head (except when that part plays over and over in my head).

It’s been said and done
Every beautiful thought’s been already sung
And I guess right now here’s another one
So your melody will play on and on, with the best of ‘em
You are beautiful, like a dream come alive, incredible
A centerfold miracle, lyrical
You’ve saved my life again
And I want you to know baby

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

Constantly, boy you played through my mind like a symphony
There’s no way to describe what you do to me
You just do to me, what you do
And it feels like I’ve been rescued
I’ve been set free
I am hypnotized by your destiny
You are magical, lyrical, beautiful
You are… And I want you to know baby

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

No one compares
You stand alone, to every record I own
Music to my heart that’s what you are
A song that goes on and on

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat

I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

I love you…like a love song…

When I really listened to the lyrics, I realized the song could be so much better than a bubble-gum pop hit.  If someone slowed it down and sang a more soulful version of it with just an acoustic guitar, you would then hear the beauty in the love song.

Surely, someone has figured that one out already.  I couldn’t be the only one.  (Nope, I’m not and don’t call me Shirley.)  

Although the volume of the video is very low, Dena’s version is definitely worth listening to, so crank it up.

 
I even found a tutorial guitar lesson, which I was sure to pass along to my guitar playing hubby.  Maybe he’ll serenade me for Valentine’s Day.

For that, I’ll love him like a love song and I’ll keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat.

Visit Xmas Dolly and Hairbows & Guitar Picks for more Music Monday fun.

Aye, wearing snarls and yielding swords, me krewe set sail upon the Black Pearl in search of treasure known as The Great Bead Booty.

The Great Bead Booty be the gem of all the scurvy pirates at the Gasparilla Children’s Parade.  The secret, me hearties, is to keep ye good eye on all that is casted from the krewes that sail along Bayshore as ye never know what treasures lie in front of ye.

Be it beads or candy, scurvy pirates need to be ready. Aye, that be the story of how Captain Madre got hit in the head with a Tootsie Roll  some pirates lose an eye and are forever cursed to wear a patch.

Even me youngest scallywag found treasure…

…and tried to steal some more.

Legend tells, some pirates hunt for treasures of giant burritos.

But one scallywag set her sights on cotton candy only to have her plan foiled when Mean Captain Madre grunted, “No” and threatened a long walk off a short plank if she didn’t become a jolly pirate.

Then, a loud thunderous boom shook the land as Jose Gaspar’s ship invaded and began firing cannons.  But we did not withdraw, me hearties!  Aye, the Great Bead Booty was still ours for the taking!

After hours upon the bay, our voyage had ended and the time had come to find a new destination to feed me hungry krewe. Aye and motley krewe we be.

Until next year, Gaspar!  ARRRRRRGGH!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

It’s Chinese New Year!  The year of the Dragon!

We started our Chinese New Year festivities with a potluck play date at the park with our friends.  Everyone brought a Chinese entrée to share and everything so delicious.  We had dumplings, doughnuts, a variety of noodles, fried rice, orange chicken and of course fortune cookies.

Emmalynn insisted on wearing her Mulan costume for the occasion.

The kids decorated dragon masks and made lanterns, which Allana loved almost as much as the dumplings.

For the potluck portion of the program, I brought Sesame Noodles to share.  This dish is so simple and tasty served either warm or cold as a side dish or a main entrée.

The Rachel Ray recipe I use calls for angel hair pasta but I prefer spaghetti for this dish, so I sent hubby to the store to buy the ingredients for me.  He returned with spaghetti rigata.  Um…ok! At least it wasn’t linguini!  Actually, hubby’s mistake worked perfectly because spaghetti rigata noodles are square and resemble lo mein noodles.  (This is where Iron Chef Allan would chime in to tell me that was his intention all along.)

Sesame Noodles

(Adapted from Classic Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals)

Ingredients

1 pound capellini (angle hair) or spaghetti rigatta

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp toasted sesame seed oil

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch gingerroot, peeled and grated or ½ tsp ground ginger

3 scallions, chopped

1 large carrot, grated

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

Directions

Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a rolling boil and then add pasta.  Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine soy sauce, tahini, sesame oil, cayenne, garlic and ginger.  Whisk until smooth.

Drain pasta and immediately chill in a large bowl of ice water to blanch pasta and prevent further cooking.

Drain and dump chilled pasta into bowl with sauce and combine until noodles are evenly coated.  Add veggies and toss to combine.

Serve in soup bowls garnished with some extra sliced greens of scallions, sesame seeds and a little crushed red pepper.

Thanks for joining our weekly Friday Food Fight.  Link up and see what everyone else is flinging this week.  

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