have yourself a merry little christmas

It's been a few months since I've posted anything, but it's because a lot has happened. I went back to the US for some vacation time with the family and during then... got engaged! Needless to say, it was one of the happiest moments of my life, and it was followed by us trying to soak up as much time with family and friends before returning to China. We were in Los Angeles, Washington DC and Honolulu, and had an incredible time throughout our journey. We returned to China, worked worked worked, fall came and went, and now it's really already Christmas day.

I'm engaged to the love of my life! My beautiful ring that he crafted himself. And say no to blood diamonds!

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas with loved ones, and a happy happy new year coming up. Below are two recipes I'd like to share this Christmas - one, certainly not a quintessential holiday dish, but very much a well loved dish of mine of all time, and the other, perfect for indulging with friends and family or by yourself during this merry season.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes and Chicken Meatballs

Sauce, makes 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ripe tomatoes (10-12)
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, diced (or more, if you love garlic like me)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 glass red wine
• A dash of dry vermouth (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Skin all of the tomatoes and remove the cores from all of them. Roughly dice. 

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and saute until translucent. 

Add garlic, tomatoes, thyme and basil, vermouth, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Within the hour, add glass of wine. Continue to simmer and mix. Using a spatula, periodically press down on the tomatoes to help break them down. Add salt and pepper to taste. For a chunky sauce, leave as is and serve. For a smoother sauce, pour into food processor.

Chicken Meatballs, makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
A piece of day old bread
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano or dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place ground chicken, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, and salt into a medium bowl

Knead together until completely blended. Form into 1 inch balls.

Place meatballs into pat, up to 6 at a time, and cook until all sides are browned, approximately 8 minutes on each meatball

Holiday Bark, makes 1 pound each

Ingredients:

1 pound chocolate, milk or white (do not use chocolate chips)
Assorted toppings (peppermint, crushed graham crackers, marshmellows, etc.)

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Chocolate, marshmellow and pretzel bark

Classic peppermint bark

Coat a 9x12 and a half inch rimmed baking sheet or small loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment, leaving overhang on edges. Pour melted chocolate into baking sheet or divide among pans and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle toppings over chocolate immediately. Refrigerate until firm, for at least an hour. Peel off parchment, and break bark into pieces.

my backyard: xujiahui

Finally the heat has cooled itself down as we have officially entered September in Shanghai. These nights are great for strolls around to block - sometimes I forget how awesome my neighborhood is.

The skybridge connecting this mega-complex; a shopper's paradise.

Metrocity - an electronics and gadget superstore with an awesome basement eatery filled with Japanese snacks.

The legendary Xujiahui skyline with the glowing Ganghui lipsticks

Inside Ganghui, one of my favorite indoor malls

How exciting! Coming soon!

Lots of yummy Chinese food stores in the area

Baked/steamed/fried goods from the delicious Magnolia Bakery - with over 100 years of legacy

Novel Place - with the infamous solo Uniqlo. Cha's underneath! 

A new cashmere store filled with beautiful pieces to wear for the fall

So when your schedule allows for it, take a stroll around your neck of the woods and rekindle your relationship with your block, or come visit mine!

a most delightful concoction: rose & mint tea

Summer is all about staying hydrated and refreshed - especially with the unbearable Shanghai heatwave this year. Water is always the best drink of choice - but let's switch things up a bit. I went to get a facial earlier this week and was introduced to rose & mint tea. I've had both rose tea and mint tea before - but together, no. I've been hooked ever since!

Go to your local dry goods vendor (usually tucked in the corner of your farmer's market), and get tons of teas by the bulk. Grab a scoop or two of dried rose buds and dried mint. Take a teaspoonful of each, brew in a mug with boiling water and enjoy after a few minutes. Despite it being summertime and it seeming crazy to enjoy a hot drink to cool off, trust - this is super refreshing and really does the job.:)

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Did you know of the following benefits that rose & mint teas have for us?

Rose Tea

• Clears toxins and heat from the body, thus as a result, this will be the cooling effect on the body that you'll experience
• Can relieve from sore throat, runny nose and blocked bronchial tubes
• Is really therapeutic to people prone to chest problems by fighting against infections (especially for those of us living in China)
• Helps to fight the infection in the digestive tract and re-establish the normal bacterial population of the intestines (again, living in China..)
• Relieves fluid retention and is wonderful to assist with diarrhea and gastro-discomfort
• Helps the ladies with uterine congestion causing pain and heavy periods and is great for  irregular periods 
• Has an uplifting effect on the nervous system and can relieve insomnia, depression and fatigue

Mint Tea:

• Will soothe an upset stomach and relieve heartburn, could also help with irritable bowel syndrome
• Helps with mental focus, alertness, anxiety
• Relieves coughs, congestion, soreness in the throat
• Helps with bad breath caused by smoking, drinking alcohol or other foods

Who knew?! Love it!

the mediterranean chicken feta wrap

The perfect dinner option that is relatively healthy and easy!

I was exhausted after working at the hospital the entire day, but didn't want to sacrifice me and Albert's healthy diet plan. I quickly stopped by cityshop to pick up some chicken breasts and laffa bread, along with some fresh veggies - tomatos, red onion, cilantro, lemon. I also remembered that I had some Greek yogurt and feta left over in my fridge.

Slice up chicken breasts and sprinkle some bread crumbs over them (and a little paprika if desired), then place on the pan with some EVOO. Remove when browned, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken and dust with pepper!

Slice up them veggies! Ah... I forgot to grab a cucumber while at the store.

Heat up laffa bread over the pan briefly until soft and warm. Spread EVOO, yogurt and feta on the bread.

Pile the chicken and veggies on top. Wrap, slice in half and voila! DELICIOUS!

A great homemade meal despite a long work day.

one night (or a few) in beijing

Work and food, food, food.

The first stop after my meeting: Beijing Roast Duck at Da Dong Duck. Several locations, check the website for the one nearest you. Still one of the best places for duck that I've been to. Long wait and they've stopped taking reservations? No problem, they provide complementary cocktails and wine while you wait!

Delicious sauce and toppings to be added to your duck roll. A Beijing favorite: sugar.

Dozens of layers of soft dough wrap

Bitter melon with bean paste

Lobster pasta

Mala fish and arugula

Lychee

Manchurian Food at Na Jia Xiao Guan. Also several locations. So good, so memorable, divine service.

Special soup for women with high nutrients and secret ingredients for beauty and health - including a sprinkling of pearl powder for skincare

Perfectly steamed rice to be mixed into the soup, or to have the soup drizzled on - depending on your preference

Delicious condiments - cilantro, preserved tofu, chili oil

Chicken with peppercorn and walnuts

Chinese yams with osmanthus

Lychee shrimp

A bird that greets customers

The infamous Sanlitun for shopping, expat restaurants and drinks. Horrible traffic 24/7, commercialized but still undeniably chic - Sanlitun is still necessary to visit every now and then if you crave the comfort of international stomping grounds, cupcakes and expensive drinks.