It’s cold and gray out, and I’ve been trying to beat the winter blues by cooking and baking some of my favorites, several definitely taking cues from Filipino cuisine.
Kamille's 5th Birthday
[16 December, 2023]
A birthday party for Kamille that took place two days early! Complete with unicorn cake, colorful balloons, and parlor games! As these things go! A fun time for all!
Thanksgiving Dinner
[23 November, 2023]
It was a low-key Thanksgiving Day, largely due to everyone’s conflicting work schedules. Something we’ve learned to live with, what with a majority of family members in the “no-holiday” medical professions. And still, it was our usual non-traditional dinner, notably with nary a turkey to be seen.
Michigan Day Trip
[7 October, 2023]
Went on a day trip to Dexter and Ann Arbor with Team Satoh for cider and donuts at Dexter Cider Mill, a visit to a pumpkin patch, a stroll through U of M campus, yummy brownies from Zingerman’s Deli, and some delectable Korean dining at Miss Kim. Definitely plenty of hints of autumn in the air, with a crazy, rapid-fire weather variety of wind, rain, and sun to boot.
Re-Living Spain
Been trying to re-live my recent Spain visit, one Mediterranean dish (cod en papillote) and drink (tinto de verano) at a time.
Spinach and Cheese Egg Soufflé
Reprising one of my favorite homemade dishes during the pandemic, it is almost nostalgic making these Panera-style baked egg soufflés once again!
Zucchini Rose Muffins
My next-door neighbor has a vegetable garden and shared a couple of zucchini with me this past weekend. So, through the magic of pre-made frozen puff pastry, I turned them into zucchini rose muffins.
Ramen Night!
[June 13, 2023]
Dinner out for early celebration of my niece, Kate’s birthday. At Yokai Ramen Bistro.
Berry Custard Pastries
Tried this Instagram recipe for berry custard pastries with Italian crema pasticcera and they were fantastic. Definitely Insta-worthy!
Birthday Celebrations
[14 and 20 April, 2023]
Kasey’s and my birthdays are only a few days apart so it’s been a foodie flurry of lunches and dinners the past couple of weekends. Here’s to celebrating completing another revolution around our closest star!
Easter Weekend
[ 8 April, 2023]
Easter weekend celebrations at home.
Homemade Madeleines
[29 March, 2023]
Madeleines are one of those French pastries that have simple ingredients yet can take a very long time to perfect. The crispy, darker side with the notable ridges, the distinctive “bump” on the lighter, softer side, the subtle hint of vanilla flavor, and the rich, soft lemony moist cake interior — all need to come together nicely in a scrumptious little bite-size cookie. They also have a very short life, best consumed fresh and warm from the oven. This is my first attempt; not too bad if I may say so.
Pi Day
[14 March, 2023]
An old tradition long observed with previous Honda co-workers is to share pie on Pi Day (3.14159 …. you know the drill). I hosted the annual get-together this year, so it was coffee and pie at my house this morning. Today is also Jiro’s 9th birthday, so there’s an extra reason to celebrate! (You can see his behind in the photo below.)
Recent Eats
A sampling of most recent notable eats.
Chicken Teriyaki: Step-by-Step
[5 February, 2023]
Step-by-step deconstruction of my homemade chicken teriyaki dinner this past Sunday. Teriyaki sauce and miso soup were made from scratch as well.
K BBQ (and a Chocolate Bundt Cake) for K's Birthday
[ 3 February, 2023]
So, this was the birthday party (for Kevin) that the chocolate bundt cake was for. But before dessert, the family enjoyed some homemade Korean BBQ. It was indoors, so the smoke alarms got busy!
Not 'Nothing Bundt Cake'
[ 3 February, 2023]
I made a chocolate bundt cake with cream cheese frosting, in the style of Nothing Bundt Cakes for a family member’s birthday. I think it was a success, considering it was my first attempt.
KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)
So, there’s a new Korean fried chicken place in town: 92 Chicken in downtown Delaware, OH. Tried the Half Traditional Crispy Fried Soy Garlic Chicken. It was very good!
Dinner Gathering with the Breakfast Club
[7 January, 2023]
Our annual ‘Breakfast Club’ holiday get-together was a bit late this year due to schedule conflicts as well as some illness. Nevertheless, our potluck dinner was a success, largely gluten-free, but not without Manhattans.
More Holiday Cooking
[26-27 December, 2022]
In continuation of my holiday culinary adventures, I made some shrimp sushi bake cups, a variation on the popular sushi bakes. I also prepared more fruity, Christmassy pavlovas for my next-door neighbors.
