At dim sum, no one cares if you have noisy kids. And the food is practically tailor-made for them: coming in small servings, a bite of this, a bite of that. If you have a picky eater, there’s always rice noodles.

Another reason to go out to dim sum? The restaurant business is never easy: when you go out to eat with the family, you support the vitality of our community.

We’ve highlighted where to find top-notch dim sum to try, from the Chinatown-International District (CID) to Bellevue, Renton, near the UW main campus, Shoreline, and back. Remember — you’re there for the food, not the ambiance, and most of these places are no frills. Note that dim sum hours are typically 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.-ish, after which some restaurants switch to a dinner menu. Your bill will vary, of course, depending on your party’s belly capacity. I included our totals for one foodie mom and two hungry boys to give you a reference point.

Joyale Seafood Restaurant

• Monday-Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  (closed Wednesday), Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• 900 S. Jackson St., Seattle
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $51

Joyale is a unicorn in the CID. Not only does it have free 2-hour parking in the Pacific Rim Center garage, but it’s also one of the last hold-outs with cart service. Most dim sum restaurants pivoted away from carts during the pandemic, but there’s something so nostalgic about the Cantonese aunties wheeling by with goodies. Ordering is effortless. You point to whatever looks good (basically, everything), and then service is lightning-fast and brusque. It’s an old-school model that isn’t for everyone, but I find it refreshing.

When you spot the Asian elders and the big fish tank, you know the food is authentic. I hailed down the vat of congee with century egg — comfort food at its finest. For dessert, the egg tarts are perfectly flaky, and the mochi is fresh and soft.

Joyale is one of the few places that still does cart service. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)

Din Tai Fung (Multiple locations)

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
• Bellevue Location: 10455 N.E. 8th St., Bellevue, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $131

In 2010, I was massively pregnant and waited two hours in line at the new Din Tai Fung in Bellevue, the first in the Northwest. (The world-famous chain was founded in Taiwan in 1958.) In Spring 2024, Din Tai Fung moved to a new space on the first floor of Lincoln Square. I headed back with my now-teenager: the same to-die-for soup dumplings, but the dining room doubled in size and got a major glow-up. The vibe at Lincoln Square is upscale and luxe. You’ve heard that people vote with their feet? Here, people vote with their stomachs — the dining room is often mobbed at 4:30 p.m.

You can’t go wrong with the classic Kurobuta pork xiao long bao, or for a bite of decadence, the Kurobuta pork and truffle. Other hits include the shrimp and pork shao mai, vegan dumplings, and cucumber salad. The chocolate and mochi xiao long bao erupted with a sweet surprise, a burst of chocolate lava.

In addition to Bellevue, Din Tai Fung expanded to the top floor of Seattle’s Pacific Place and the University Village, as well as Tukwila’s Westfield Southcenter.  At every location, you can watch the kitchen staff whipping up soup dumplings through a plate-glass window.

Din Tai Fung in Lincoln Square. You can watch the kitchen staff making soup dumplings. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)

Dim Sum King

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday, closed Wednesday
• 617 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $40

The CID’s Dim Sum King is my go-to for take-out. There are a few tables, but most of the clientele is here to pick up steaming boxes of fresh dim sum. Dim Sum King has the best prices — hello, $1.30 barbecue pork bun! — and the best shrimp rice rolls, hands down, in the Seattle area. We love supporting local businesses, and Dim Sum King is a mom-and-pop shop, literally. Amy Eng is the mom, and she runs the front of house. The dad, Zhen Yong Cai, is the chef. Be prepared to be upsold if you arrive toward the end of the day. I’ll wind up leaving with 30 shrimp dumplings, and I never mind one bit.

Dim Sum King’s Amy Eng. (Image: Barrie Silva Photography)

Sun Sui Wah

• Dim Sum Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
•  14505 N.E. 20th St., Suite R, Bellevue, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $96

Hardcore dim sum fans collectively swooned when the vaunted Sun Sui Wah from Richmond, B.C., opened a Bellevue outpost in 2024. Richmond has the best dim sum — that’s just a fact — and now you can get it without an international road trip. We left Bellevue’s Sun Sui Wah with bellies full, wallet empty (that Canadian exchange rate sure would have been nice). It’s the kind of place you save for a special occasion, like a birthday or any other excuse you can come up with.

The lines have died down since the grand opening madness, but if you want to skip the wait entirely, parties of six or more can make a reservation. I waited an hour and a half for a table. Not mad at all; I used the time to shop at Asian Family Market and Taiwanese bakery 85 degrees C, both in the same parking lot.

Sun Sui Wah in Bellevue. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)

Homestyle Dim Sum

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• 664 S. Weller St., Seattle, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $38

Homestyle is a hole-in-the-wall in the CID that doesn’t get any glam press write-ups, no Instagram love, no TikTok fame. Until recently, it didn’t even have a website. It just quietly cranks out dim sum staples really well. No fuss, no muss. The classic menu items, like shao mai and chicken feet, are usually on hand for instant gratification. It’s worth the 10-minute wait, however, for the cilantro shrimp dumplings and chive shrimp dumplings. I always buy extra food to take home for weeknights when I don’t feel like cooking. The sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves and the steamed pork buns both reheat well in a steamer.

Triumph Valley Renton

• Dim Sum Hours: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
• 3750 E. Valley Rd., Renton, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $65

Triumph Valley is Renton’s gift to the dim sum universe. And now, North End residents rejoice over a Shoreline location.  Triumph Valley is famous for the crispy shrimp rice roll, at $13.95. The salted egg yolk mochi is intriguing; a yellow puddle trickles out when you bite into it. Beyond these two headliners, try the pan-fried pork, shrimp and chive dumplings, the gigantic shao mai, and the kid-pleasing red bean sesame balls. We thought we’d dodge the weekend crush by dropping in to the Renton location on a weekday. My strategy worked, sort of. No wait for a table, but also the slowest service in the history of dim sum.

Triumph Valley in Renton. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)

Jade Garden

• Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
• 424 7th Ave. S., Seattle, WA
• Total (one adult, two hungry kids)*: $50

Jade Garden is the OG dim sum institution in the CID. It’s a second-generation family-run restaurant, owned by Eric Chan and his parents. It’s the place I always recommend to dim sum newbies and out-of-town visitors. You won’t be disappointed with anything you order. Our favorites are the savory radish cakes, the pan-fried prawn and chive dumplings and the potstickers. Jade Garden has a special place in my heart, as the scene of countless dim sum brunch meet-ups with friends over two decades.

Jade Garden takeout. (Image: JiaYing Grygiel)

*Note: These prices were based on visits around January 2025. 

The post The best dim sum for families in the Seattle area appeared first on Seattle's Child.

It’s the quintessential toddler food – an entire meal in one bite. And if you keep some in the freezer, you’ll have some crazy, hectic weeknight dinners covered.

People all over the world eat dumplings. We just call them different things. The dumplings I grew up eating are jiaozi.

Jiaozi are a requisite dish during Chinese New Year because they symbolize prosperity. They’re good the other 50 weeks of the year too. They’re good for lunch or dinner or breakfast. They’re good steaming hot just out of the boiling pot, they’re good cold, eaten standing in front of the fridge. Between the filling and the wrapper, a dumpling covers at least three food groups. You can make a simple dipping sauce with soy sauce, vinegar and green onions, but I think dumplings are tastier on their own.

(Or if you prefer to go out for dumplings with the kids, check out The Best Places to Eat Dim Sum with Kids in the Seattle area.)

Homemade Jiaozi Dumplings

You can buy premade wrappers at an Asian grocery store, but why would you, when homemade wrappers are so much yummier and so ridiculously easy? All you need is all-purpose flour and very hot water (but not hot enough to scald you). Slowly pour the hot water onto the flour, kneading as you go, until you reach dough consistency. Then cut off a little piece of dough and flatten it with a rolling pin.

There are too many different types of filling to list here. The standard filling is a mix of chopped-up Chinese cabbage, green onion, pork, and shrimp, but you can use whatever type of meat, vegetable, and flavor you’d like. Spoon some filling into a wrapper, pinch it shut, and freeze the finished dumplings separated on cookie sheets. Once they’re frozen, you can dump them into a bag.

To cook, put frozen dumplings in a big pot of boiling water. Wait for the water to come to a boil again, and pour a glass of cold water on it. Repeat this step three times.

Top Places to Buy Dumplings To-Go

When I visit my mom, every time I turn around she’s whipped up another fresh batch of made-from-scratch dumplings. It’d kill her to hear this, but at times I’ve even resorted to frozen, pre-cooked, sodium-filled dumplings from Costco (which aren’t even Chinese. They’re Korean).

It used to be really hard to find restaurants selling frozen dumplings; the margin of profit is so much lower than serving a couple on a plate in-house. But because of the pandemic, many Chinese restaurants are now selling frozen dumplings.

Here are the best, in my opinion:

Szechuan Noodle Bowl
420 8th Ave. S., Seattle; facebook.com/szechuannoodlebowl

We loved the homey comfort food at Szechuan Noodle Bowl before the pandemic, and we love that they are now selling frozen dumplings. It’s a small, mom-and-pop shop – cooking directions, if you need them, are handwritten on notebook paper. Don’t dump out the water you use to boil the dumplings; they’re so flavorful, you’ll want to drink the cooking water as a fragrant broth. $40 for 50 dumplings. Cash preferred, Venmo accepted.

Xiao Chi Jie
278 106th Ave. NE, Bellevue; thexcj.com

One bite of these bad boys and I thought I’d died and gone to xiao long bao heaven. (For the uninitiated, xiao long bao are dumplings with a bit of soup inside.) The beautiful thing? XCJ delivers – free with a $99 minimum, so you can get a couple of bags to stash in the freezer. $40 for a bag of 50 xiao long bao.

Dough Zone
Various locations; doughzonedumplinghouse.com

Dough Zone is a chain, but it’s a local chain, started in Bellevue in 2014. It’s since grown to nine locations in the Seattle metro area (with a tenth location opening in Woodinville soon). The restaurant feels more upscale than its neighbors in Seattle’s International District, but the prices are lower than those at the gold standard of dumplings, Din Tai Fung (which does not sell its dumplings frozen). Frozen xiao long bao, $35 for 50 dumplings, are a bit smaller than those from XCJ.

Ping’s Dumpling House
508 S. King St., Seattle; Pings

Another tiny shop in the ID. The menu here is handwritten on a white board. The proprietor of Ping’s Dumplings, Ping Liu, is the nicest lady; she even tried to give us a free milk tea. (Seriously?) Ping handmakes her dumplings and her prices are unbeatable. $30 for 50 dumplings.

First published Jan 2, 2022. Updated December 12, 2024

More in Feeding the Family:

The best dim sum restaurants for families in and around Seattle

School-night meal idea: Try a quick, healthy tostada Tuesday

Breakfast before school: How busy families get it done

Recipes | ‘I Heart Soul Food’ feast from Seattle author Rosie Mayes

Quick, healthful recipe from ‘Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food’

The post Easy Dinner Idea: Dumplings! appeared first on Seattle's Child.

(Image: IMDB)

“Encanto”

Disney’s newest movie follows the Madrigal family from a beautiful mountain town called Encanto. The town’s magic has given each member of the Madrigal family powers, except Mirabel. Watch as this wide-eyed, curly-haired, colorful character finds her special talent — just what she needs to save her town when the magic becomes dangerous! With music by award-winning singer and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, you’ll be singing the songs for days after. In theaters and streaming on Disney+; also available for purchase on DVD.

(Image courtesy Walkt Disney Pictures_

“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial”

Who doesn’t remember this 80s classic line: “E.T. … phone home?!” Grab a bowl of Reese’s pieces (trust me, you’ll be glad you did) and watch as Elliott, a young boy from a suburban town, invites a lost alien into his home. Passing this off as one of his siblings results in plenty of silliness and adventure. One of Steven Spielberg’s greatest hits, it’s also a tear-jerker. Will E.T. ever get home? You’ll have to see it to find out!

(Image courtesy Amazon)

“Gnomeo & Juliet”

A wonderful take on Shakespeare’s classic “Romeo & Juliet,” the movie takes us through the feud of two families: the Montagues vs. the Capulets, except they’re all gnomes! Love-struck gnomes from opposite sides, Juliet and Romeo, find ways to meet each other when trouble strikes. Will they be together in the end? Lawnmowers, flowers, and pink flamingos take on unusual roles, making this a humorous story with a thrilling plot.

(Image courtesy Walt Disney Pictures)

“Lady and the Tramp”

A classic Valentine’s movie, this Disney selection follows the romantic adventures of Lady, a pampered cocker spaniel who runs away from home. She meets a mutt named Tramp who has a heart of gold. Kids of all ages will enjoy this movie for the sweet characters, lovely songs, and funny scenes. Pro tip: Have a plate of spaghetti on hand in case your kids want to slurp up noodles as these two pups do!

(Image courtesy Walt Disney Productions)

“Mary Poppins Returns”

“Mary Poppins Returns” is a new film exploring family relationships and friendships. With a combination of real-life characters with animation, nanny Mary Poppins and the Banks family go through many adventures to save their home from foreclosure. Don’t miss the original “Mary Poppins” movie, too! Song and dance will take you through this classic, having you singing the catchy tunes and leaving you with a warm and fuzzy feeling!

(Image courtesy Walt Disney Productions)

“Shrek”

An ogre, a princess and a lord … sounds like the set-up for a bad joke, but this movie is anything but bad! The kingdom is overseen by an evil Lord who banishes people to the swamp, the home of Shrek, the ogre. In order to regain peace and solitude, he must rescue the princess and deliver her to the villain. With action, drama and comedy, this movie is an entertainer! Find out if it’s also a romance.

(Image courtesy DreamWorks)

“Trolls”

These candy-colored bright creatures with wavy hair are a delight to watch! Your family will be wiggling toes and having a full-on dance party because the music is catchy and that good! The story is about a happy-go-lucky troll, Princess Poppy and her polar opposite friend, Branch, who try to keep their village safe from the evil Bergens. The Bergens believe the only way to get happiness is by eating the trolls! Will they save their friends? Watch and see.

(Image courtesy Walt Disney Pictures_

“WALL-E”

WALL-E is a robot, programmed to clean up all the trash on Earth, but he has a bigger purpose. He meets another robot, EVE, and they discover how to save the planet. You’ll fall in love with WALL-E and his big expressive eyes. The relationship these two robots share is endearing, and the message about humans on Earth is a lesson worth learning.

More Valentine’s Day family fun:

• 5 sweet, non-romantic ways to celebrate with kids
• The Playlist: Dozens of love- and kindness-themed home activities

The post Movies to watch as a family for Valentine’s Day appeared first on Seattle's Child.

He lumbered back home in defeat. The object of his affection had laughed at his beautiful Valentine. Her friends had snickered.

“I hate Valentine’s,” he cried. “Nobody loves me!”

“Well that’s a bunch of bunk,” I told him. “I love you. Let’s celebrate that.” That night we made a pact not to give up on a holiday that’s about opening your heart, but to take back the night on it. We vowed to find fun and nonromantic ways to celebrate all the love we do have in our lives instead of dwelling on the loves we might not have.

Here are the five ideas for Valentine’s Day with kids, not one of which requires a crush.

Read a book about love to your child

Our favorites in this arena are Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s “Guess How Much I Love You,” and “Love You Forever,” written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw. Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, sit him down on the couch with a cuddly blanket and remind him, “I love you to the moon and back.”

Red dinner

This year we are celebrating the day of love with the color of love – red. Everything on the dinner table has to have red in it. Everyone in the family is responsible for making one item. Here’s what is on the menu so far: spaghetti with red sauce, strawberry salad, pink milk, radishes, baked peppers, and red velvet cake with strawberry ice cream. Each one is also responsible for decorating someone else’s place setting, but the rule is that no one can spend more than $5 to decorate. Hershey’s kisses anyone?

A mailbox full of love

Speaking of kisses, we stole this idea from one of my daughter’s suitors. On Valentine’s night, he crept over to our house and filled the mailbox with Hershey’s kisses. When my daughter went out to check the mail, she turned as red as the foil on the candy. This year, we are going to anonymously fill our neighbor’s mailbox with a note that says, “Share the love!”

Let’s talk about love

I came up with this one: Use Valentine’s Day with kids as an opportunity to talk about love, loving relationships and sex with your child. Yes, give ’em the talk!

With all the focus on couples and romance, what a perfect time to invite your kids to ask you any questions they want about love. One way to start the conversation: Give your children a sheet of paper and ask them to write five questions they have about love, sex, relationships, marriage, etc. Assure them that you will answer their questions in private and that you will not laugh at any question. Then take your children out (separately) to a special coffee shop and answer their queries.

You may also ask them if they’d rather have you answer back in writing. If so, write up your answers and slip the envelopes discreetly under their bedroom doors. Include in the notes an invitation to a fun and informative face-to-face chat when they are ready.

The day we met

Every kid revels in the story of how her parents met. Use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to share your story. It doesn’t matter if you are married, divorced, single, straight, gay, or celibate now; hearken back to the moment you met your child’s other parent, pulling out the warmest memories for your child to hold. My kids’ father and I are divorced, but as part of our Red Dinner this year, they will hear again how we met as young newspaper reporters both sent to cover a tragic murder. And so will my companion. If he’s going to be around the family on Valentine’s, he’s going to hear the story. Luckily, my kids like hearing about how we met, too.

When my ex-husband and I met, it was my first day on the paper and the editors did not realize they had sent two of us out on the same story. We each thought the other was the news competition and were each knocking ourselves out to get better quotes than the other. When we returned to the newsroom, we were required to write the story together.

My daughter, who has heard this story every Valentine’s Day for 12 years, likes to tell her friends, “My parents met over a dead body.”

Ah, the romance!

More Valentine’s Day with kids:

• 6 sweet and savory ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day
• The Playlist: At-home activities focused on love and kindness

The post 5 sweet ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day with kids appeared first on Seattle's Child.

Out of an abundance of caution, Ambriola is also recalling additional cheese products processed at the same facility in West Caldwell, New Jersey, where the Listeria monocytogenes was detected.

No illnesses have been reported to date. That said, customers who have symptoms of listeria infection should contact their healthcare provider.

The affected products were distributed to retail stores and distributors nationwide between November 3, 2025 and November 20, 2025, including retailers in Washington. The recalled products include:

No other Ambriola, Locatelli, Member’s Mark, Pinna, or Boar’s Head products are included in the recall.

Customers who purchased the affected products should not consume them. Ether dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact Ambriola at 1-800-962-8224 from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET.

“We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves,” said Phil Marfuggi, Ambriola’s chief executive officer, in an FDA recall announement. “We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation.”

Ambriola has suspended production and distribution of affected products as the company conducts a thorough review of all sanitation and food safety procedures.

The following are images of recalled products:

The post Cheese Recall: FDA upgrades its listeria warning to ‘high-risk’ appeared first on Seattle's Child.

The Heyburn, Idaho company, has recalled 16-oz. (1-lb.) vacuum-sealed packages containing “FORWARD FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” with “USE OF FREEZE BY 01/13/26 EST 2083” printed on the side of the packaging. It was packaged Dec. 16 and was shipped to distributors here and in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Pennsylvania for further distribution to retailers.

Check the date (Image: FSIS)

The presence of E. coli O26 in the batch was discovered during routine FSIS testing and the sampling. There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the recalled products although anyone concerned about an illness in relation to the the beef should contact a healthcare provider.

E. coli O26, like the more common E. coliO157:H7, can make become ill from 28 days (the average of 34 days) after exposure to the organism.

Most infected people develop diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting. Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe. Infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample. The illness is generally treated with rehydration and other supportive care; antibiotic treatment is generally not recommended. Most people recover within a week, although in rare cases can develop a more severe infection, includng Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. HUS can occur in people of any age but is most common in children under 5 years old, older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Parents should watch for easy bruising, changed in skin color and decreased urine and seek emergency medical care immediately if these symptoms arise.

The food safety department urges families to check freezers for the potentially tainted meat. Do not consume it. Instead, thrown the meat way away or return it to the store where you purchased it.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the list of stores who received the meat for distributionwill be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

The post Ground beef recalled after testing confirms E. coli appeared first on Seattle's Child.

Ok. That’s not entirely true. I do have something against football, but that’s a conversation for another time. I know many folks have love the tradition of watching football on New Year’s Day. There’s nothing wrong with that. I can see how watching a big game could be a very entertaining way to spend an afternoon—friends gathering, themed food, excitement, all the elements of a good time.

But I adopted the traditions of our southern relatives and serve Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day.  This black-eyed peas dish is served with collard or other greens and a heaping helping of cornbread. The New York Times offers a great history of this tradition — It’s a great one to share at the table as you serve them up!

Seattle’s Wa Na Wari, an immersive community art project dedicated to reclaiming Black cultural space, historic preservation, and supporting Black ownership in the region, recently shared the following New Year’s Day food folklore:

• • Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day brings good luck in the new year.
  • For the best chance of luck every day in the new year, eat 365 black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day.
  • When served with greens (collards, mustard, or turnip), black-eyed peas represent coins, and greens represent paper money.
  • Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold.
  • Black-eyed peas eaten with stewed tomatoes represent wealth and health.
  • In Hoppin’ John, each pea represents a coin, and a whole serving equals prosperity.

Classic Hopp’n John includes a smoked ham hock, but as a vegetarian, I take culinary license and use the recipe from “Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant,” adding smoked paprika. Served over rice, this is a satisfying bowl of goodness! 

This very humble food doesn’t bring any of the flash and excitement of cheering fans and buffalo wings. Still, after a late night of celebrations with their exuberant expressions of love and resolutions for the coming year, a quiet day feels just right. To make the day more festive, I invite other non-football families to join, and my kids can recite to our guests the meaning of this southern dish, sometimes with a bit of eye-rolling, but I’ll take it.  

After a lunch/brunch of peas, greens, and cornbread, we fly kites if the weather permits. We add a new kite to our collection every year, and Golden Gardens is our usual New Year’s Day destination—lots of air space and wind. In the past, when I was more ambitious, we made kites, but now I’m happy to purchase one, and truth be told, they are usually easier to get in the air.

In regards to the previous comment about eye-rolling, there is a conversation I’ve had with my children since they were very young about why traditions are important.

Why do we do the same things on the same days every year? Why do we bring forward practices we learned in our families of origin or choice, or why do we create our own traditions?

I know why I do it. To give my children something to build on. Something that will provide them with an anchor when they move into their own independent lives. Perhaps these things seem tedious now, but trust me, you will be glad you have them to use, discard, and make your own.

A meat-lover’s recipe for those celebratory peas

Imma Adamu, a renowned Black food blogger at Immaculate Bites, wrote this about the traditional New Year’s dish: “Hoppin’ John is a hearty and soul-warming delicacy . . .Black-eyed peas were first cultivated in North Africa and eventually became popular worldwide. Then, they arrived in the southern U.S. in the 17th century. Southerners believe eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day brings good luck and many other beautiful things. They associate them with prosperity as the beans resemble pennies and coins.” Here’s Adamu’s recipe:

Southern Black-Eyed Peas (Hoppin’ John)

Recipe by Imma Adamu / Immaculate Bites

Prep Time: 2 hours; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound (453g) black-eyed peas
• 4-5 thick slices bacon, chopped
• 5 ounces smoked sausage or turkey, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 optional jalapeno, minced (can replace with ¼ teaspoon cayenne)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 7-8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups (or more) collard greens (or you can use kale)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans, pick through, and discard any foreign objects. Add beans to a large pot and cover with 3-4 inches of cold water. Let sit for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
2. In a large, heavy sauté pan, saute chopped bacon until brown and crispy (4-5 minutes), then add sausage and saute for 2-3 more minutes. Remove bacon and sausage mixture, and set aside.
3. Throw in the onions, celery, garlic, jalapenos, thyme, and bay leaf, and saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions are wilted and aromatic. 
4. Then, pour in the chicken broth or water.
5. Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place them in the pot. Season with Creole seasoning and salt to taste. Stir and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes.
7. Toss the collard greens, bacon, and sausage into the pot, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or more, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth thickens to your desired texture.
8. Add more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. The texture of the beans should be thick and somewhat creamy but not watery.
9. Remove the bay leaf.
10. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with chopped green onion.

Recipe Variations

• Vegan: You may omit the meat and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. And to make this dish more nutritious, you can add carrots and bell peppers.
• Crockpot Southern Black-Eyed Peas: This one is more effortless but equally delicious. Put everything in the crockpot, and you’ll have your dinner ready in 5-6 hours on high and about 9-10 hours on low. Imagine the things you can accomplish in those waiting hours.
• Tropical Twist: Make these black-eyed peas with bacon and pork creamy and interestingly yummy with coconut milk. And I bet you’ll love this dish even more.
• Tomato: Fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce will also add a nice variation to this Hoppin John recipe. The kick of tangy goodness will surely make your tastebuds happy.

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Gougères

These classic French cheese puffs are not difficult to make, but look so impressive that the other guests will think you’ve been slaving away all night long! They also make the ultimate party food as they freeze well, so can be baked weeks ahead, then warmed up with a few minutes in the oven. Make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for whenever you have unexpected guests pop by.

Makes about 4 dozen gougères

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 450° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place butter, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes. (The mixture will form a ball as the water evaporates, but keep stirring for the full two minutes.) Transfer mixture to a stand mixer and mix with the paddle attachment for around a minute to cool it down.

Add eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed until the dough has completely incorporated, around 5 minutes. Add the cheese, season with pepper, then mix for 30 more seconds. Transfer a quarter of the mixture to a pastry bag (or a ziploc bag with a corner snipped off) and pipe the dough into roughly 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheet, leaving about an inch between each. Refill the pastry bag as needed and repeat until all dough has been piped out.

Place trays in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If not eating right away, cool on a rack and store in an airtight container, then warm for a few minutes in oven before serving.

(Note: If baking ahead, freeze on a flat tray, then transfer to a ziploc bag. When ready to eat, bake at 350° for around 5 minutes.)

British Sausage Rolls

Move over, pigs in blankets, these little sausage-stuffed pastries are coming across the pond to become a firm favorite Stateside too. They make an easy (and delicious) way to get protein into our kids’ bellies at parties, and are equally good hot, cold, or at room temperature. They also make a perfect picnic food, and are great popped into a school lunchbox.

Makes 24 sausage rolls

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small ¼” cubes and chilled in the freezer for a few minutes
• ½ cup ice water
• 2 lbs good quality bulk pork sausage (or bulk chicken sausage)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or your favorite seasoning)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Heat oven to 375° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Timesaving tip: Store-bought frozen puff pastry makes a fine substitute. Just thaw then roll out on a floured surface.

To make your own pastry:

Place flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and rub into flour with your fingers until mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Add ice water and mix well until dough forms a rough, sticky ball. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and form into a rough square around 1” thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. 

Place sausage, parsley and sage (or other seasoning) in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, then mix well. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry out to a rectangle around 9” by 24”. Cut lengthwise then crosswise to form 4 equal rectangles. Place ¼ of the sausage mixture in the center of each rectangle in a long and even strip, reaching from end to end. Wrap both sides of the dough around the center strip of sausage, and press edges together to seal. Flip so the log of dough is seam side down, then cut into 6 pieces. Place on lined baking sheet, then repeat with other three rectangles of dough.

Brush tops with the beaten egg, then place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden on top and sausage is cooked through.

Blue Cheese Savory Cookies

These elegant little bites are the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and make a great accompaniment to a cheese plate (or just by themselves). The blue cheese is blended into the pastry, giving every bite a subtle cheesy hint, and the jam on top adds a pleasing sweet and tangy note. Kids find these little thumbprint “cookies” hard to resist, so be sure to make plenty!

 Makes around 3 dozen

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces blue cheese crumbles (or crumbly goat cheese works just as well if that’s your preference)
• Freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup apricot jam

Instructions

Heat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Cut the butter into small cubes. Place the butter, flour and cheese in the bowl of a food processor (or mixer),  then season with pepper. Blend until the dough starts to form a ball and will hold together when pressed between your fingers.

Lightly flour a working surface, then knead the dough for a few minutes. Roll dough out to around 1/8” thick, then cut out with a small cookie cutter and place on baking sheet (lightly dusting the surface with flour if it gets sticky). Use your thumb to make a small indentation in the center of each, then spoon around ¼ teaspoon of the jam in. 

Place trays in oven and bake for around 12-14 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Cool on a rack and either eat straight away or store in an airtight container.

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1) Put your holiday decorations. Lights, candy canes, reindeer, large blowup snowmen, a turkey! Put them all out and make your yard look extra festive. Keep your decorations up through March!

2) Decorate the inside of your home and display your tree. Kids will love lights in their room or garland around their doors. Have them make a paper garland to count down the your special holiday or the new year! 

3) Start reserving your holiday books from the library or pull out the ones that you already have. Let your kids read about your own holiday celebrations and explore other holidays of the season too (Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Dongzhi Festival and Christmas).

4) Start your day off with holiday music. Have a daily dance party or wiggle it out to your favorite holiday song at bedtime. Get your group together to sing carols!

5) Cartoons, movies and the Hallmark Channel! Indulge in weekly (or daily – no judgment!) movies. For the kids or for yourself, holiday movies can lift your mood and put you in the holiday spirit.

6) Communicate with extended family. With family members not always able to meet for the holidays — use a digital platform to stay in touch with Grandma and Grandpa, aunts, uncles and cousins. Friends too! Have a loved one read a picture book to your little one remotely. They’ll cherish these moments for years to come.

7) Bake! Bread, cookies, cake, candy – just bake. A stress reliever for some, baking lets you get creative, while the kids get to have fun mixing, cracking eggs and decorating. Too many cookies? Wrap them up and drop them off at a friend’s house. 

8) If you love the theater, but can’t make a show … make a day of it at home and watch the play with a streaming option: PNB’s “The Nutcracker“offers digital access for a fee.

9) Make a holiday bucket list: What would you and your family like to do this holiday season? Start crossing things off the list.

10) Advent calendars: A plethora of options are out there to purchase. You can buy one for each family member and choose a time to reveal the little treat inside for each day. Or create your own advent calendar for your family to use year after year.

11) Along with having lights and holiday decorations up, keep your house smelling like hot apple cider, candy canes or pine!

12) Craft with kids. Choose a craft to do with your child each day of the week. Holiday tip: Send homemade ornaments, cards, collages and more to friends and family! Make a wreath out of collected greens and pine cones. 

13) Pass on a tradition: Share and teach someone your favorite holiday recipe. Need some ideas? Here are some traditions that we’ve shared in the past.

14) Been wanting to add to your traditions? Maybe this is the year to try out an Elf on the Shelf – or to forget about all the gifts and do a family outing or local trip instead.

15) Get outdoors! Plan an outdoor adventure for each week until the end of the year. Hiking? Biking? Snowshoeing? There are plenty of places open for outdoor activities.

16) Can’t get out to see Santa this year? Probably not time to tell your kids the truth, either. Instead, rent a suit and play the role. Your kids just can’t miss a visit with the big guy!

17) Take a family photo and record this time in your family’s journey. Here are some tips on how to take the perfect pic. 

18) Volunteer. Some options: Adopt a family. Donate food. Make packs of essentials for people experiencing homelessness. Pack a Thanksgiving meal for a person in need. 

19) Snowstorm a neighbor’s house! Make it festive by cutting out snowflakes and taping them to a friend’s door.

20) Visit a light show! Woodland Park Zoo’s WildLanterns, Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo, Evergreen Lights and several neighborhood light shows make it a special treat to get into the holiday spirit. See our complete list of holiday light shows.

21) Gingerbread houses. Make your own gingerbread or purchase a village at your local grocery store. Start building!

22) Puzzled? Choose a 500- or 1,000-piece puzzle and have the family help put it together. It’s a great way to catch up with older kids and check in from time to time as the puzzle gets built.

23) Make it a fancy dinner! Kids love to dress up and it doesn’t have to be for a holiday. Get dressed up and cook your favorite foods, or shop local and purchase a meal. Holiday tip: Put on some fancy music and have fun with the idea of going out — while staying in.

24) Game night: Turn one day of the week into game night. Play charades with a holiday theme or make up a game of your own. You can also just play board games.

25) Listen to your kids and find out what they really want. Sometimes, it may not be the hottest toy around, it may be watching a favorite show with popcorn to snack on, or snuggling up for a story before bed. Gifts don’t have to be expensive or bought at a store/online it may be something straight from the heart that fills your child’s with love and joy.

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“It’s one of my favorite holidays not only because it’s super-family-centric but also because it’s filled with delicious traditional Jewish foods, and foods that are very oily and fried in oil, which I quite like!” said Sadie. Oil is a frequent source of symbolic celebration during Hanukkah, representing a miracle in which oil that should have run out in one day lasted for eight days.

“There’s latkes [fried potato pancakes], which is a personal favorite,” she said. She also points out it’s clear where her dad’s preference lies — he’s “a total latke fanatic and demands latkes every single night of Hanukkah!” she laughs. Another of her favorite holiday foods is a red-wine brisket. 

But, like most kids, she also has a soft spot for sufganiyot, jelly doughnuts fried, in — yes — oil. And, to the potential delight of doughnut-loving children and parents all around Puget Sound, she has agreed to share her family’s doughnut recipe here.

Sadie says enjoy! (Image: Rebecca Davis-Suskind)

Grandma Sally’s Scrumptious Sufganiyot

Mini-size version

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
• Large deep pan
• Candy thermometer
• Plastic bag

Ingredients

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 3¾ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons canola oil plus more for frying
• 6 large egg yolks
• ⅔ cup room temperature butter
• 2 cups fruit jam or jelly
• Powdered sugar for rolling

Directions

1. Line a plate with paper towels and set it aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together your sugar, yeast, and water. Let this sit for about five minutes until the yeast is foamy, then add your flour, salt, both oils, and the egg yolks. Turn the mixer to low and mix for about 1 minute, until the dough comes together and forms into a ball.
3. Slowly add your butter and allow the ingredients to mix for about one minute. Then, mix for another 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for about four hours, or until it has quadrupled in size.
4. When the dough has risen, take your pan and pour in canola oil, making it 2 inches deep.  Heat the oil over medium heat until the candy thermometer reads 350°F.
5. Using a spoon, ice cream scooper, or your hands, GENTLY drop golf ball-sized balls of dough into the oil. Fry the balls for about 4 to 6 minutes until they are golden brown. Continue to do this in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the doughnuts as they cook. Remove the cooked balls from the oil and place them on a paper plate to drain.
6. When the doughnuts have cooled slightly, make a small hole in each with a sharp knife. Fill your plastic bag with the jam or jelly, close it tight (twisting the top of the bag to get out all the air), and snip off a small piece of the plastic. Poke the tip of the bag into each doughnut and fill each completely. Roll the doughnuts in powdered sugar and serve!

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