These Days!

Howdy Ho, how ya’ll doing? In case you’re wondering I did not stop cooking or eating, or teaching hoolagins, or washing overflowing treasure chests of laundry, or reminding little fingers to stop "digging for gold", or for that manner singing twinkle twinkle whilst nursing & vacuuming at the same time.

So what’s new?

On the kitchen front, I’ve been on a creative streak & have been trying out recipes from two new cookbooks I scored from Chiba library. (A very dandy & purty place, I might add) One called "Italian Basics", the other one “Harumi’s Home Cooking”. Both great reading but very opposite.

The Italian cookbook is a heavy duty book that you’d only want to dive into if you’re willing to invest time & money on wild recipes like “Wild boar sweet & sour steak” “Wild Fennel & beetroot Risotto” etc… Who has time to go & catch their own inoshishi, obviously some Italians? Lemmie know if you see one. But I did manage to glean a good couple of recipes to make me feel more & more Italian. And my good little bambino guinea pigs are yet living.

Harumi’s cookbook on the otherhand was perfect, non-intimidating, weekday eats but still inventive & experimental. She uses a lot of Italian undertones (which suits me just fine) Adding things like Olive oil, basil or Balsamic Vinegar to Japanese sauces or soups & salads. Additionally I’ve found some dandy good chingensai/moyashi recipes which are my present favorite veggies.

But as you know we can't make everyone happy. The children squirmed & tried to be nice about the roast pumpkin soup but the grown ups & oddly Husband-of-love licked the bowl clean. (He's not usually a fan of Kabocha) Lani went nuts over the carrot miso soup but Travis acted like it was the "Last Supper", Ashley & Erika loved the moyashi-tofu itame, and Anthony said that the Teriyaki Hamburger was the best "Chicken" he ever tasted. (We're still working on the whole differentiation thing) but Erika had to be fed it manually, sigh. Well, we do try our best!

I may post a recipe, if I find the time & camera. But till then here are some pics of the nut-nuts. Cherio & happy camping.


What do you need after hours & hours of snow play? Hot Chocolate! Ooooh, I just had to! "Warms my heart!" BTW, Trav wins the prize for most wet clothes under a waterproof suit.
Erika the Berika. As you can see, we are trying to make her right handed. Anyone have any thoughts on trying to get a lefty to be a righty? Is this morally wrong? Dear Husband & I have differing opinions. She is an independant little lady & it's not easy. Thoughts?
This was not a good day for the laundry machine. But a rather good day for the boys!
On an excursion to a nice Tabehodai place. (known for it's good pasta, they make small batches every 20 min. or so & have about 10 varieties. Forgot the name, I do recommend it though, in Harbor City, Soga)
TRAVSTER!! Yes, this hairdo does suit him great.


That's all for now!