Cooking Again :-)

Udon Noodles… I know I have been writing about cooking more and more lately. Well what can I say? I have been trying to immerse myself into eating only Japanese food. My most recent dish was Udon Noodles. I cooked it yesterday and today. Today I made it without a broth (I was out of dashi). It still tasted pretty good. However I must say it is tastier with the broth. If any of you would like to know the recipes for the dishes I have made just leave a comment. I will type the recipe in a post.

Contacts… I finally purchased contacts today. I must say they are quite uncomfortable. I was told to only wear them for about three to four hours today (it was my first time wearing contacts). I wore them for about three hours. The entire time I was wearing them they constantly felt dry. In addition sometimes my vision would become blurry. The assistants at the optometrist’s office told me this is very common (you are inserting a foreign object into your eye). It will be more comfortable with time I suppose.

おいしい

Soba Noodles… I made this dish on Monday. I did not have any shrimp thus was unable to make shrimp tempura to place on top of the noodles. The recipe also required scallions to be added; however, the only scallions I could find were pickled scallions. I don’t know about you, but I do not like the flavor of pickled scallions. For those of you who have not tasted pickled scallions they taste like bread and butter pickles, a bittersweet flavor. Yuck! I also could not find Shichimi Togarashi (dried seven-spice chili mix). Instead I used crushed red peppers (similar to cayenne pepper). Although I must say it was still very delicious!

Onigiri… I made this dish on Sunday. I feel that this is one of the dishes I have mastered! Who knew after six tries I would finally remember all the ingredients and how to make it! Also that it would be so tasty! For those of you who are wondering what the brown stuff is sprinkled over the Onigiri it is tuna. I had mad a little too much and decided to sprinkle it over the rice balls.

Clear Soup with Tofu and Shiitake Mushrooms… This dish was partially completed on Thursday night and then finished Friday morning. Tasting this dish I discovered how much I despise pickled scallions. I had bought them thinking boiling them in soy sauce would eliminate the pickled flavor. I was sadly wrong. Imagine my proud face thinking I had outsmarted whoever pickled those scallions yet still tasting the pickled flavor. Double Yuck! The only shiitake mushrooms I could find were ones that had already been boiled. Upon purchase I thought this was wonderful! “Buying them already boiled will save me some time!” I thought to myself. The already boiled shiitake mushrooms were not a good idea. To me they seemed to be a little overcooked. I could not bring myself to eat them because they felt soggy in my mouth. Aside from the scallions and the mushrooms the broth and the tofu was delicious! I must try cooking this dish again with fresh ingredients!

料理

Japanese Food...

More details in the next post…

A Weird Thing I Worry About...

Today I went to an oriental grocery store (Literally the store’s name). I usually have to order my “hard to find” ingredients (for Japanese dishes) online. However I thought why not look to see if this store had those particular ingredients. Guess What? They did! Upon entering the store I felt overwhelmed. I know it is ridiculous to feel that way when you are visiting a grocery store. I felt excited yet nervous (I don’t know why). I looked at everything carefully. Most labels were written in Korean, but most had some English words on the back. In addition most had Japanese symbols on them (Unfortunately I only know a little Japanese and could only make out a few words). I guess I should study more and harder!


Anyways when I finished the sales clerk assisted me by bringing my bags to my car. I appreciated the help, but I really did not want him to see my car (It has been a LONG time since it was last cleaned). However I did not want to be rude; therefore, I just made small talk. When I opened the truck of the car I apologized sincerely for the condition my car was in. I knew my face must have been red because the embarrassment I felt. On the way home I repeatedly scorned myself for allowing my car to be in that state. There is only one way to redeem myself and that is to do a DEEP cleaning (Then again he may not take my bags next time so he would not have to look at that again)! I hope not I need to redeem myself I am normally not a “Messy” person!



I know most of you are thinking. So What? A sales clerk saw that you have an untidy car. It is no big deal. To me it is. Not for the fact that he saw the disorganized car, but the fact that anyone saw it. I have not felt that embarrassed (and Ashamed) in a long time. I would rather I had slipped in a mud puddle! Ugh!

I Love the Holidays! （部門２）

Presents mother and father gave me.

母親と父親が私にくれたプレゼント

Boots!

ブーツ

Earrings

イヤリング



Japanese Cherry Blossom Pleasures Collection Body Lotion and Shower Gel

日本の桜の花 Pleasures コレクションボディーローションとシャワージェル

Scarfs

スカーフ

S by Shakira Perfume and Body Lotion Gift Set

Shakira 香水とボディーローション贈り物セットによってのＳ

Ulta Makeup Gift Set

Ulta メーキャップ贈り物セット

Presents my brother gave me.

私の兄弟が私にくれたプレゼント

Goldeneye 007 and Mario Party 8 for Wii

Wii ビデオゲームマリオパーティー　８とホオジロガモ　００７



I Love the Holidays! (Part One)

Did everyone have Happy Holidays? I know I did! There were many gifts I received that were unexpected! (I promise I am Not Bragging just expressing my Joy J) The look on my mother’s face when my brother and I gave her the pictures she had been longing to have (purchased at Kirkland’s). It truly was priceless. My mother and father gave me three different sets of earrings, perfume gift set (S by Shakira), two pairs of fuzzy boots, Japanese Cherry Blossom gift set (Bath and Body Works), a large makeup collection set (Ulta), and many other gifts. My brother gave me a few video games (yes I am a nerd) and a Wii! J! Later that evening we invited family members over for our traditional Christmas party! It was so much fun! It seemed as though everyone brought more sweets with them than anything else. Plus most of them left the sweets here! It is killing me knowing all those sweets are downstairs and I cannot have a piece of anything! Ugh! Maybe if I try really hard not to think about it I will be able to put it out of my mind. *Fingers crossed*




More pictures will be included in the next post!

あけましておめでとうございます

Just a quick update…




Happy New Year!



あけましておめでとうございます



Did everyone embarrass himself or herself last night? I know I did! I really hope to have good luck this year and wish the same for everyone! I have three resolutions to keep this year (I know I should only have one. However I thought if you are going to gamble you might as well bet it all. *Which maybe why I typical lose when I gamble*). My resolutions are 1) To not obtain any more cavities 2) To be more toned 3) To HOPEFULLY visit Japan! I know the last one will be practically impossible to do, but I am thinking positive!



Until next time!