Yesterday was a busy day. I made gyoza for dinner. The most tedious part about making gyoza was the cutting. I always cut the vegetable myself rather than using a food processor. Although, it didn't take a too long to cut the napa cabbage (I used napa instead of cabbage this time) into small pieces like before. I guess my knife skill has improved slightly. Hahaha...
In the meantime, I heat up some water to make hourensou shoyu (just spinach with soy). The kids actually like spinach this way.
After adding green onions (it should be nira, but difficult to get where I am at), I had to salt it to remove the water from the vegetable. I leave the vegetables to sweat for an hour or two, while I prepare other things. I had some chicken breast out since I was planning on making general tso chicken for today. After I marinate the chicken cubes into a ginger/garlic/soy sauce, I got ready to cut up gobo that had been sitting next to the sink for a while now.
I wanted to make the ingredient that goes into chirashizushi, so I started shredding them with the knife. Then, I had to cut the carrots and takenoko so that I can stew them in a soy/sake/sake base sauce.
By the time I got back to the sweating vegetables it was almost dinner time. I still haven't squeezed out the water or wrapped them up. Not to mention the shrimp that I had to mince finely to add in.
Of course right when I was ready to wrap, my son complained that he was sleepy. But the timing was really bad, so, I stopped working on the gyoza to give him a bath. Maybe that will wake him up. And it did. I continued with the gyoza, realizing I had forgotten two ingredients, ginger juice and garlic. I usually like to add in when I am using frozen shrimp. So, by the time I finished the wrapping and ready to cook it was 7 pm, way behind my usual dinner time. (I always try to have dinner around 6 or at least 6:30).
Oh well, when we actually sat down to eat it was 7:30 pm. At least, everyone enjoyed the meal. And that is what it is all about. :)
Seriously, I was so busy, I didn't even get a chance to catch up with manga. Hahaha....
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
one meal, lots of nap and no manga
You must think I have a great life with lots of nap. Actually I was sick, probably influenza. I had fever, sore throat, chills, aching bones, headache and queasy stomach. So, I didn't cook yesterday. Actually, the day before I had to skip dinner. My fever was getting bad to worse, and my body feeling weaker. Then, yesterday, I just stayed in bed most of the time. I felt drowsy and queasy---it was impossible to stand up. Of course not to mention the headache which seemed to throb in tandem with my aching bones and body. I really felt like I was dying.
By dinner time yesterday, I forced myself out of bed, and started preparing dinner. I felt relatively fine. The queasiness was not as severe and I felt guilty for not having prepared anything for the kids and my husband (he skipped lunch that day).
So, after dragging myself out of bed, I decided to make soboro (ground meat with shoyu, sake and mirin/sato). I had some chicken thighs which I planned to use that for satay. But considering my pathetic condition, soboro seemed to be the easiest option. However, I failed to consider the amount of fats that was still on the thighs, although I intentionally bought the ones that were de-bone.
It took me almost an hour to take care of that, while sitting on a stool. It was impossible to stand that long with my condition. By the time I got everything ready, it was 7:30 pm before we had dinner, which was later than usual. We usually have our dinner aroun 6 pm.
On top of that, my daughter complained that the soboro was not as good as the one I usually make. Ahhh...that goes to show you that it would have been better that I skip making dinner that night.
And of course with a killer headache, I didn't have a chance to catch up my usual manga. Manga is just a selfish pleasure of mine to make all the work I put into household worthwhile. Hahaha!!!
By dinner time yesterday, I forced myself out of bed, and started preparing dinner. I felt relatively fine. The queasiness was not as severe and I felt guilty for not having prepared anything for the kids and my husband (he skipped lunch that day).
So, after dragging myself out of bed, I decided to make soboro (ground meat with shoyu, sake and mirin/sato). I had some chicken thighs which I planned to use that for satay. But considering my pathetic condition, soboro seemed to be the easiest option. However, I failed to consider the amount of fats that was still on the thighs, although I intentionally bought the ones that were de-bone.
It took me almost an hour to take care of that, while sitting on a stool. It was impossible to stand that long with my condition. By the time I got everything ready, it was 7:30 pm before we had dinner, which was later than usual. We usually have our dinner aroun 6 pm.
On top of that, my daughter complained that the soboro was not as good as the one I usually make. Ahhh...that goes to show you that it would have been better that I skip making dinner that night.
And of course with a killer headache, I didn't have a chance to catch up my usual manga. Manga is just a selfish pleasure of mine to make all the work I put into household worthwhile. Hahaha!!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Breakfast for family
Yesterday night I made parmesan popovers, after the kids went to bed. I baked them in muffin tray, but according to the recipe, I must leave the two middle holes empty. So, I can only make 10 pieces of popovers in the only muffin tray I have.
The popovers were meant for breakfast this morning. As usual, I woke up my oldest (although, sometimes she would wake me up) so that she can get ready for school. While I was grinding the coffee beans, my youngest woke up. Both got excited seeing the popovers and immediately snatched up a few pieces.
I get ready home-lunch while brewing the coffee the old fashion way. Then my husband got up, and I got ready his breakfast. In his case, I would prepare loc salmon with thinly slice onions, sprinkled with capers with a squeeze of lemon juice. He liked this together with the popovers. And a cup of black coffee.
In the meantime, I get a cup of coffee ready, usually half cup of coffee with half teaspoon of sugar, top with milk. I took a few sips, then I had to get ready to send my oldest to school.
By the time I got back, I was ready to have my breakfast. But by then there was only one piece of popover left, and my youngest decided he wanted it. So, I ended up sharing that piece with him.
Such is my life. Perhaps, I ate three meals, had nap (not exactly) and read manga, but I only get left overs for my breakfast today. I guess that is the life of a mother as myself.
The popovers were meant for breakfast this morning. As usual, I woke up my oldest (although, sometimes she would wake me up) so that she can get ready for school. While I was grinding the coffee beans, my youngest woke up. Both got excited seeing the popovers and immediately snatched up a few pieces.
I get ready home-lunch while brewing the coffee the old fashion way. Then my husband got up, and I got ready his breakfast. In his case, I would prepare loc salmon with thinly slice onions, sprinkled with capers with a squeeze of lemon juice. He liked this together with the popovers. And a cup of black coffee.
In the meantime, I get a cup of coffee ready, usually half cup of coffee with half teaspoon of sugar, top with milk. I took a few sips, then I had to get ready to send my oldest to school.
By the time I got back, I was ready to have my breakfast. But by then there was only one piece of popover left, and my youngest decided he wanted it. So, I ended up sharing that piece with him.
Such is my life. Perhaps, I ate three meals, had nap (not exactly) and read manga, but I only get left overs for my breakfast today. I guess that is the life of a mother as myself.
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