Chinese Hot Pot

Tonight I got to experience a Chinese Hot Pot! My cousin Dean that is in for a visit from Taiwan, invited my family & I over for dinner. I had such a good time. I wasn't quite sure what a Hot Pot entailed, but I loved it! Dean had made a really big batch of broth (not sure what else you would call it) with veggies in it. There were two tables set up and on each table there was a pot in the middle that was on and had the broth boiling hot. There were all kinds of things to cook like shrimp balls, meatballs, chicken, steak, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, corn, brussel sprouts, etc. You would just pick out what you wanted and throw it in the pot for it to cook. It didn't take long at all for the food to get ready, but it was a lot of fun chit chatting while the food cooked and then getting to try different things. I thought it was really sweet of them to have us over and give us the awesome experience.

Dean getting the hot pot ready

Tis the Season

I love Christmas time. I had a great time with family this weekend. We had my Dad's side of the family over for our annual Christmas lunch. My cousin, Dean, flew in from Taiwain & surprised everyone. We hadn't seen him in three years so it was an awesome surprise. I really have missed him.

Dean playing on the stomp rockets my parents got my 2nd cousins

Hanging out before lunch

Love Mom's Gingerbread tree

Right now I'm all cozy in my bed watching a Christmas movie on the Family Channel with my sister. Love lazy Sundays....well, I do have a load of laundry in the washer right now..so that's not completely lazy, right? : )

I must say I absolutely LOVE my new camera. It's awesome & was so worth getting up early Black Friday. I took pictures of some cookies I made for a cookie exchange party and they turned out a lot clearer than my old camera.

Pumpkin mini muffins I made for the brunch

These cookies had cranraisins, pecans, & lemon zest in them..with a lemon glaze on top

I originally made peppermint sugar cookies and they didn't turn out like I thought they would, so Mom suggested I make these easy "cookies." It's just ritz crackers with peanut butter in the middle, dipped in chocolate...very simple & good! 

Well, I'm going to publish this & finish watching this Christmas movie...it has Zack Morris in it from Saved by the Bell! haha....sad, but I don't know his real name!