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.
"Breakfast Club" Holiday Get-Together
[31 December, 2023]
A potluck dinner with my breakfast club gang closes out the year with a ‘flavor’ bang! Lots of gluten-free fare and fine bourbon cocktails highlighted the evening, just before the ball dropped in Times Square.
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!
Annual Christmas Party
[15 December, 2023]
Time flies … it’s that time of the year again. A potluck Christmas party for friends and former co-workers. A party that we aptly called … “Christmas Group Therapy”.
This year’s party invite.
American Revolutions
Current read … apt for the times.
Christmas Trees Are Up!
It’s that time of year - Christmas trees went up the day after Thanksgiving!
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.
Autumn Celebrations and Delectable Delights
Fall season birthdays, new dishes, family visits, and other celebrations.
Fall at the Homestead
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, and for me, provides the best light and colors to take photos of the house and its surroundings. Here are some from a cloudy day in late October.
Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Still feeling Spain vibes, whipped up a 10” pan of Basque Burnt Cheesecake this past weekend.
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.
Fox in the Snow
The fourth Fox in the Snow branch opened in old Historic Dublin a couple of weekends ago and I got a chance to try it this morning for breakfast. It did not disappoint. The souffléd egg and bacon on ciabatta lives up to its title of ‘best breakfast sandwich in Ohio’, while the morning bun also deserved its own award.
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.
Flowering Orchid Plant
After an almost 2-year hiatus, the orchid plant occupying space on my kitchen counter started blooming again!
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!
Yui's Birthday
[8 August, 2023]
Yui turned 13 and it’s a lunch treat at Roosters in Polaris.
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.
Buff, Polish, Shine
It’s that time of year: a total clean up treatment of my concrete floor. First, a buff with the Oreck orbiter. followed by a thorough vacuum, and finally, 2 coats of Zep’s High Traffic Floor Polish. For that shiny, glass-like finish!
On Elites and Counter-Elites
Current read —
New Scanner
Replaced the old ( > 10 years?) ScanSnap 300M scanner with its latest, more modern equivalent, the ScanSnap ix1300. Much faster, more versatile, and now, also wireless and wi-fi capable!
