Jan/Feb 2012: No More Chinese Take Out

Those who know me pretty well will probably wonder about my cookbook selection for this month. A little history - growing up I was never really a fan of Chinese food (and/or the Chinese food that was available in our small town). Sure, I would eat it and maybe even enjoy it a little, but I would never ever choose it for dinner.

I've pretty much held onto that in adulthood, favoring Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese. Then we went to San Francisco.

As you may know, San Francisco is well known for its Chinatown. It's also well known for its excellent Dim Sum. So, of course, when we were there, we tried both. And can I tell you, I LOVE dim sum! That was some excellent and delicious Chinese food. Nothing like the beef and broccoli I grew up eating.

Without further ado, for Jan/Feb we will be cooking from Easy Chinese Recipes. I saw the cookbook and author featured on DesignSponge and thought it would be perfect for our club. The cookbook is the number one selling Chinese cookbook on Amazon, and the pictures of her recipes that I've seen look scrumptious.

The main recipe for this cookbook will be the same that was featured on DesignSponge - Pan Fried Dumplings. I've never ever attempted to make these, but the straightforward steps and photo tutorials make me realize that it's definitely something we can all pull off.

As an alternate you can choose between these two recipes: Classic Shrimp Fried Rice or Sweet and Sour Pork.

I will post my review and a linky link on Wednesday, February 29. Hopefully I won't be the only person cooking this time again (hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink).

Happy cooking!