No matter the weather, Chinese hot pot is perfect for winter entertaining. The colorful array of meats, seafood, vegetables, bean curd and noodles dipped in a communal pot of simmering liquid is as simple as it is tasty.
The fresh salsa called for here has a natural low-sodium advantage over bottled commercial salsa, but if you don't want to make your own salsa, buy a container of fresh salsa from your grocery store deli section.
Asparagus and Tofu with Guilin Chili SauceI love to stir-fry asparagus. I most often serve it in a Chinese fermented black bean sauce. The slightly funky saltiness of the preserved beans seems to be a Herbivoracious -
This was an old stand-by in our family home on icy Pittsburgh winter nights when cold weather kept us indoors. This dessert has the same flavors as apple pie without the guilt of a fattening crust!
Spicy fresh ginger complements the sweet roasted winter squash and shallots in this easy soup recipe. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich for a simple supper.
Pumpkin soup. Such a wonderful comforting winter treat. Smooth and slightly sweet, with its warming sunny colour it's one of those soups that can't help but lift your spirits as the days draw short and dark. The only problem is
Fresh spinach, chicken, and a combination of cheeses make this pasta dish comforting enough for the last days of winter yet fresh enough for the first days of spring. Serve family style or portion out in individual ramekins. Either way, this penne pasta casserole is definitely worth sharing.
Roasted vegetables are an old standby, but how about roasted fruit? The steady abundance of citrus in Southern California yards and CSA boxes has inspired countless new ways to use these fruits and our latest trick is adding orange and mandarin slices to roasted vegetables. The citrus adds a sweet, caramelized flavor and brings a bit of sunniness to winter roots like carrots and parsnips.
