When I make pancit I usually add sliced pork or chicken in it with the veggies. Sometimes with mixed seafood like squid rings, crab flakes, or shrimp. My point is that, my pancit always has a protein component. But lately I’ve been making meatless pancit especially when it’s paired with lumpias(egg rolls) which I also usually make with either ground beef or pork. For a change and a twist one day, I roasted tofu squares in the oven then tossed that with the cooked pancit in the end. The combo was surprisingly good.

Everyone is posting holiday stuff on Facebook everyday and I’m just loving each and everyone of them. Christmas trees, children’s pictures, family gathering pictures, lovely messages, holiday recipes, etc. One of the pictures I LIKED recently is the one my sister-in-law posted where they’re playing poker. It made me think about the year my husband was deployed in Korea so we spent the holidays without him, and he spent his without us. My in-laws celebrated that Christmas with us so  my son and I weren’t that lonely. Then days after that was my birthday (Dec 31st). My friends in that small Army community made sure I spent my birthday with some kind of party. It was a small gathering with drinks, food, and Texas Hold ‘Em Poker. It was actually that year when I learned how to play that card game. It was fun learning the history of card games along with tips on how to bluff. I became so good at doing the latter actually. It was fun listening to my friends teasing me how I’ve  managed to bluff them all. Our poker nights continued when my husband got back from Korea. I really miss those days.

Get together with friends of course always involves food. I remember making lumpias and wings during our poker nights. Those 2, plus chips with  dips are definitely the best finger food to serve during Poker night. If and when my husband and I get to play a round of poker sometime in the future I’d definitely serve these baked lumpias.

The process of making baked lumpias is not that different from making any kind of lumpias or egg rolls. The only thing that’s changed is how to cook them. Instead of frying ‘em up in oil, you bake them in the oven. That means healthier, and no greasy splatters everywhere. I reckon’ that’s a welcome thing for any of us who are trying to live healthy but still would love to enjoy the food we love. Hey, guilty as charged!

Do you still have turkey leftovers? Tired of eating turkey sandwiches? I’m sure by now you’ve got favorite recipes to make using leftover turkey. Here’s another one to add to the list. Sotanghon noodles with leftover turkey, zucchini, and napa cabbage. After feasting on traditional American spread, have some more turkey with an Asian flair.

In technical term(I think), sotanghon noodles are cellophane noodles. I actually prefer sotanghon noodles over the rice or bihon noddles that’s used in Pancit dishes. It’s a childhood thing that I can’t really explain. Since I’ve turned into a curry fiend back in February, starting with a Curry Pork & Green Beans Stir-Fry, then the pork & tofu stir-fry, grilled curry pork chops, grilled bbq-curry chicken, curry pork & potatoes w/ saffron, chicken wings curry, and other curry dishes, I decided to add a curry flavor in this shrimp & sotanghon noodles dish too. I think I’ll make it again soon.