Gung Hey Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year! 2012 is the Year of the Dragon! A very powerful year it can be for you if you were born under this Chinese symbol.

I'm joining in with Susan's Tablescape Thursday, Leigh's Thrifty Thursday and Michael Lee's Foodie Friday this week.

But first you have to eat, right? Right! Why not eat with a dragon?

What, you think I'm pulling your leg? No, I'm not... Check this out!

See?! I told you you'd be eating with a dragon! I didn't say a real one, now did I? What were you thinking? lol

I come from a family of Chinese and Spanish (Spain) bloodline, but I am very much a fan of the Chinese cuisine. It's simple to make, healthier if done right and takes very little time to put it together! Even setting Chinese tables are not that complicated. It's all about being able to share the food with those you care about. So I do this for my children, all three of them though one is in college now. And my husband loves Asian foods as well so it's a winner table and menu every time!

I lucked out with this mistake in setting: it looks like the night time when the fireworks light up the sky with its rainbow of colors! Happy New Year!

A dragon is a creature of fire and majesty so I laid him on the center of a solid red runner and surrounded him with what else, candles!

He's been with me since 2008 and he normally sits on the EAST side of the house, facing the front door to bring in GOOD CHI.

Isn't he just a handsome yet ferocious creature? Just fantastic! I got him half-off, too!

I used my Waechtersbach "Terra Cotta" dinnerware as my chargers and used my Target Home "Red Solstice" as my dinnerware and its condiment bowl. My family, except for me, knows how to eat with chopsticks so these kinds of settings are real treats for them.

I set two different napkins to break up the formality of the tone-on-tone placesetting.

I made some steamed Jasmine rice and my version of Orange Chicken for GOOD FORTUNE, but I topped mine with veggies sauteed in the same sauce. Carrots are for GOOD LUCK, and the rice is for A GOOD LINK BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH.

I also made Roast Beef with Oyster Sauce over a bed of rice noodles, symbolizing GOOD FORTUNE (oysters); LONG LIFE (noodles) and Chinese Cheesecakes. The rolls symbolize WEALTH since they resemble gold bars.

Wondering what's in it? "Voila!" Cream Cheese & Mascarpone blend, black & blueberries. Yum!

I hope you enjoyed my take on celebrating Chinese New Year's Year of the Dragon. "Read from you soon!"

TABLESCAPING IDEAS: (Brain feels like she's back!) Holidays are often defined by symbols and colors, why not infuse it with a third factor, heritage? For example, with the past Chinese New Year, the symbolism mean more than the colors and no matter where you're from, you can make it work! Instead of Chinese cheesecake, make Cheesecake Chimichangas, Mexican Rice with a hint of Orange, Lime and Garlic Chicken in Annatto Sauce over Pasta and Grilled whole fish! Red is prominent in most cultures, so it's an easy transition!