Holiday Entertaining Recipes with an Asian Flair

Holiday Entertaining Recipes with an Asian Flair

Water Chestnut Appetizer

Ingredients:

• 16 fresh water chestnuts


• 1/3 cup soy sauce


• 1/3 cup brown sugar, or as needed


• 8 slices raw bacon, cut in half


• 16 toothpicks

Preparation:

Peel and rinse the fresh water chestnuts. (If using canned water chestnuts, rinse in warm running water and drain).

Soak the water chestnuts in the soy sauce for 2 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the water chestnuts from the soy sauce and roll in the brown sugar. Wrap a piece of cut bacon around the water chestnut and secure with a toothpick.

Place the water chestnuts on a rack in a shallow pan. Bake for 30 minutes, turning them over once. (Alternately, they can be broiled for 5 - 6 minutes).

Makes 16 appetizers.



(The appetizers can be prepared ahead of time and frozen before cooking. Placed in a sealed bag in the freezer, they should last for 2 - 3 months.)

Cranberry Black Tea Hot Punch Recipe

Ingredients :

8 bags Black tea

4 cups boiling water

2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice

2 cups apple cider

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ginger

4 cloves

Recipe :

Make strong tea with the teabags and boiling water. Add cranberry juice, apple cider, brown sugar, and spices. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Garnish with orange wedge slices, and serve.

Save on your purchases through Big Crumbs in my eBay Store!

New Inventory at The Crabby Nook

 

Hippo Terra Cotta Planter

 

Tile & Wood Hot Plate Trivet

 

Metal & Bone Candleholder 

 

Lady Bone & Metal Candleholder

 

Soapstone Kiwi Bird 

  

Wood & Metal Mask Sconce

 

Wood & Metal Mask Candleholder

 

White Jade Quan Kwan Yin

 Quan Kwan Yin-

Goddess of Mercy & Compassion[Kwan Yin] - Quan Yin (Lady Buddha)

Quan Yin is believed to help with healing. When placed within a room she is said to cleanse the environment of negative influences (such as disruptive issues, illness and arguments). Quan Yin is the eternal protector of all Woman and Children.

She also represents universal compassion and love.  She is said to enhance fertility.  A small pendant can be worn that wishes the owner patience and courage.

Quan Yin is the Female Buddha who blesses all. She is the Goddess of Compassion, Mercy and Healing, Symbolizing a calming and clearing quality.

Quan Yin is the energy of Yin (from Yin and Yang).

Shop for Quan Yin...

Feng Shui Wealth Enhancement Symbols

Metal Art is HOT Home Decor this year!  New FALL Inventory!

I always like to change around or add something new to my home decor in the Fall.  We entertain differently in the Fall.  We no longer entertain our friends casually by the pool.  We move inside with spicey warm drinks, warm appetizers and sit in front of a fireplace.  I like to add warm rich colors in my decor with candles, leaf wreaths, pumkins and more! 

This year I added a few metal decor items on my wall and above my fireplace in our home.  Metal Art is HOT home decor items this year.  So, I decided to add items that could coordinate with your metal art decor in our inventory.  We have added an African Mask Wall Sconce, African Mask Candleholder, black Metal and Bone Candleholder and Bone and Metal Lady Candleholder.  These are wonderful art pieces that will enhance your home decor this Fall!  We know that you are going to love them!

Be sure to accent with one of our Soapstone Eggs or Balls and Animal Sculptures!

Shop African Collectibles....

We are offering discount coupons on your entire purchase if you use Google Check-Out.  15% Off your entire purchase on orders over $50.  Use code 15fall2008 at check-out.  To receive 20% Off your entire purchase on orders over $200 use code 20fall2008 at check-out.  We will combine shipping and will gladly adjust your invoice!

Shop The Crabby Nook on BluJay...

FENG SHUI WEALTH CURES

The Art of Feng Shui involves the placement of enhancement objects in relationship to our surroundings - in particular our home and business. In Asia, a Feng Shui Master will even be consulted by the Architect in the planning of the relationships of rooms, doorways and windows to themselves and the forces of nature. It is truly believed that the proper, or improper, positioning and association of all these elements will have a dramatic impact on your life. Here we offer the sacred objects with their meanings for your own Feng Shui collection.



Despite being an au courant fad, feng shui -- pronounced "fung shway" -- is nothing new to the Chinese. In fact, feng shui is a millennia-old practice. The Chinese have long believed that if a home or business had a harmonious and positive flow of chi', which refers to cosmic breath or energy, those living and working there would benefit, thus enjoying health, happiness, and prosperity. Palaces, farmhouse, temples, and even entire cities were laid out according to feng shui precepts.

 SMALL PIECE of JADE - Jade is considered a stone of good fortune in China and its green color symbolizes paper money in some countries. Place it on a kitchen window sill to attract wealth.a High position.

     SAILING SHIPS FOR WEALTH - Enhance prosperity luck with a wealth ship sailing into your home or office. Returning home triumphant from its various conquests, the prosperity ship docks into you "harbor" bearing wonderful treasures and other valuables as trophies symbolizing its many victories. Display the wealth ship sailing into your house from your shen chi direction. Fill your ship with coins, ingots, crystals andother treasures to symbolize a wealth ship laden with money. Place metal ships in the northwest or wes, wooden ships in the each or southeast, crystal ships in the northeast or southwest.

     DEER  - To the Chinese, the deer is a very popular symbol associated with speed, endurance and a long life. The word for deer in Chinese is lu, which sounds similar to another word that means good income and prosperity. It is thus extremely auspicious to have the image of the deer in your office and home. Display a figurine or painting of the deer in your workplace to symbolize the wish for the company to prosper and grow or place it in your home so that your family will enjoy a long life of ease and growing prosperity. 

     SMALL PIECE of JADE - Jade is considered a stone of good fortune in China and its green color symbolizes paper money in some countries. Place it on a kitchen window sill to attract wealth.

    8 PIECES OF JADE or 8 CHINESE COINS - Display 8 pieces of jade or 8 Chinese coins in your work area. Eight is the number of business and financial stability, so it can help you hold onto money or find ways to build slowly and steadily toward your financial goal.  Chinese Coins also symbolize the unity of heaven and earth, which are auspicious for career luck.

     CRYSTAL LOTUS - One of the most potent enhancers of good fortune and when appropriately activated, it becomes an even more powerful attractor of business and prosperity luck. Display this crystal lotus in the center of your store or in the heart of your home and you will fnd your wealth increasing through extra income, i.e. pay raise, bigger deals, more customers, etc. Place it in your office in the same manner and you will find yourself closing more deals as it can help you to clear obstacles so that you get the upper hand in business negotiations. Place your crystal lotus near a window that receives sunshine so that your room will be filled with cascades of rainbows that will bring positive energies and a feeling of tranquility to your home. If you are seeking a perfect partner, place a Crystal Lotus in your romance area to symbolize a perfect union.

     THREE IMMORTALS, or, 3 WISE MEN - The 3 Wise Men of Ancient Chinese Lore were high officials of the Gods that bestowed Long Life, Prosperity and Happiness on the Emporers of the different Dynasties. Possession of the 3 Wise Men is supposed to bestow these gifts onto the owner.  Lu Shin the Legend of rank and affluence seen holding a child, he symbolizes the opportunity for self-betterment. Fu Shinn the star Legend of happiness and wealth, he holds a symbol of wealth and is always in the centre of the three, while Lao Sau the Legend of Health and Longevity seen holding a peach, which blossoms every 3000 years symbolizing immortality. It is considered lucky to wed in the month of the peach tree flowers signifying long marriage. Fu Lu and Sau should be placed high on a sideboard over looking the dining table to bring the good fortune of always having enough good food to eat and for staying in good health. 

        DRAGON - The Dragon is deemed the luckiest and most sacred figure in Chinese folklore. It reputedly has absolute power and symbolizes honor, power and all that is right.  Dragons enhance fame and career prospects and should be placed near a door or window in order to guard your wealth and health. They are a very powerful protection cure for your home or office. 

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  There are few symbols that surpass the Chinese Dragon in popularity amongst those who use Feng Shui. The Dragon is said to create the precious cosmic Chi' which brings good fortunes into our homes and workplaces. Displaying the dragon together with moving water is even more potent. Display such a WATER FEATURE in the North for limitless success in your career, or in the Southeast for plenty of wealth luck.
  

  
  

     FISH FIGURINES:  Displaying a fish figurine to your North is very good career luck.  Welcomes prosperity and luck.

Serve an Autumn Dessert with Sake

We recommend that you slightly warm a Hatsumago Sake and serve with an Autumn Dessert made from Pears, Apples, Grapes and Chestnuts.

Do not overheat your Sake because in most cases this will ruin your sake. Once a bottle of sake is opened, it should be refrigerated and not kept longer than five days after opened.

If you prefer a chilled sake, we recommend that you purchase a higher grade sake ginjo or a daiginjo. A chilled sake is also a wonderful selection to compliment an autumn dessert.

Simple Peach, Apple & Cinnamon Compote Recipe

Ingredients :

3.5 lbs peaches (use frozen if not in season)

1.1 lbs apples

1.75 oz brown sugar

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Recipe :

Peel fruit, then cut into quarters.



Heat gently in a covered pan, with water, sugar and cinnamon, for half an hour, or until it has stewed to a pulp.



Serve warm.



Try adding yogurt or a few walnuts. My personal favorite is to serve with vanilla ice cream.

70 calories per portion.

Tea Sets & Sake Sets

Coupons

15% Discount on your entire order over $50 when you use Google Check-Out. Use code # 15fall2008.

20% Discount on your entire order over $200 when you use Google Check-Out. Use code # 20fall2008.

We combine shipping so please let us know so we can adjust your invoice.

FENG SHUI WEALTH CURES

THREE LEGGED FROG WITH A COIN IN ITS MOUTH, or, MONEY FROG- Named Chachu will attract plenty of wealth into your home using three-legged Frogs with a coin in its mouth! This auspicious creature attracts good fortune into your home. Place the frog in any of the corners diagonally opposite you front door for best effect. At the very least, you should have one frog facing out to collect the money and one facing in to bring the money back into the house. You can also place him in view of your front door. Every morning turn him towards the exterior. Turn him towards the interior in the evening to prevent him from becoming exhausted, or, letting your money escape. Keep you frogs below the table, behind the couch or in other discreet areas of your home. I keep mine on top of my computer at night facing into the room and facing toward the window beside my computer during the day.

The DRAGON TORTOISE is a mythical creature that gives you the support of the tortoise combined with the courage of the Dragon.

Place a figurine of the Dragon Tortoise on your desk or behind you to gain the support of your boss, counter office politics and get you the promotion you deserve.