Day 105 - Shabu Shabu

This post is for PM's mom. ;P

The husband and I had shabu shabu at home. Shabu is super easy to make at home and is so much cheaper. The only thing is that eating at home means you have to clean up after yourself.

Ingredients (replicating from California Shabu Shabu) - most ingredients can be found at an Asian market:

• Garlic (chopped)
• Daikon radish (chopped)
• Green onions (chopped)
• Spinach
• Napa cabbage (sliced one inch sized)
• Enoki mushroom (found at a Korean or Japanese market)
• Carrots (cut in cubes)
• Broccoli (cut in smaller pieces)
• Soft tofu
• Clear noodle
• Udon
• Beef, chicken, pork or seafood
• Ponzu shabu sauce (for dipping, found at a Korean or Japanese market)
• Sesame shabu sauce (for dipping, found at a Korean or Japanese market)
• Soup base
• Chili oil (for water)
• Hot water in a pot

The veggies are cheap but the sauces are more expensive. Each bottle is about $ 5 to $ 8 a bottle but can be used several times.

I am picky with the ponzu sauce so we have tried three different brands! Ponzu sauce is a citrus-based sauce used in Japanese cuisine. Each brand is slightly different so my recommendation would be to try out a few to see which one suits the individual. The left bottle - Mitsukan ponzu sauce - more soy than sour. The middle bottle is the husband's favorite and it is some Japanese brand that has no American name - definitely more citrus than soy. The right bottle is Mizkan goma shabu ponzu sauce. I like this bottle although I think it can use a bit more citrus. Really - ponzu sauce is probably pretty easy to make since it's basically just soy sauce, lemon and maybe water. Chili oil to add to the hot water and to add a bit of flavor. I also add some soy sauce to the water to give it more flavor (optional).Noodle soup base for the udon and Mizkan sesame dipping sauce. This one is the best and only one I've seen.Clear noodle to go with the soup base.Udon also to go with the soup base. To prepare:

1. Wash and cut all the veggies.
2. Chop the garlic - this can be added to the hot water, ponzu or sesame sauce. I like adding it to the ponzu sauce.
3. Chop the daikon - this is added to the water or the dipping sauce.
4. Chop the green onions - this is added to the hot water.
5. Add water to a pot and place on portable burner or electronic burner.
6. Wait for water to boil - then add veggies and meat.

Enjoy! :D

Oh - the soup base is used towards the end when you want a bowl of noodle soup. Add all the udon and clear noodle to the water. Add about one or two tablespoon of the soup base to a bowl. After the noodle has cooked - add to the bowl with the soup base and some of the broth.

Day 104 - Crow's Feet

Hello Blog - I am back. I don't know for how long but I hope for awhile. At least until I finish up Project 365 - that is the current plan. I hope you have not missed me much but I find that one of the most wondeful things about blogging or "journaling" is that it's on MY time.

You see, I've been busy with what is called life. It could be the mundane everyday things, nevertheless, it is still life. Life with its many faces such as the early mornings when you wake up to that fresh cup of Joe or the smile and laughter shared among friends and family. However, life also has the other side...the one that occupies most of our time. The one where most people do not enjoy. Life with its obligations and deadlines. Yes...that is life.

Life that sometimes brings you giggles as well as worries. Giggles that can lead to laugh lines and worries that can lead to crow's feet! This leads me to the topic for today.

Eye cream.

I am not sure if it really works but I am an advocate of eye cream. I believe in preventive measures versus reactive. I am always on the hunt for good eye cream. Sadly - I have not really found one that I can call my own. My latest eye cream try is the Oil of Olay ProX Eye Restoration Complex. At about $ 41.50 a bottle - it is rather steep for a non-department brand but I am a sucker and willing to give it a try. The good thing about eye cream is that it goes a long way!

Day 103 - Pumpkins! Pumpkins! Pumpkins!

The little girl glanced over to her parents wondering why they left her in the middle of the road. She stands there for a few seconds contemplating her next steps while her parents continue to walk on. Within seconds - Daddy turns around and coaxes her to pick up the little pumpkin. She continues to stand there testing her grounds. Wondering if Daddy or Mommy would come to her rescue. She thinks to herself, "Maybe if I scream or maybe if I shed a tear - they'll come over. Hm...OR MAYBE I'll just pick up the pumpkin. It can't be that bad. The pumpkin looks harmless enough. It's a little dirty but that's o.k. Mommy will wash my hands and if the pumpkin hurts me, Daddy will beat it up. " ;P

And so the little girl shuffles herself over to the little pumpkin. :D

Brunch with My Family

I am taking a break from Project 365 this week since I have not been consistent with daily postings. Do not worry, I will resume soon.

Anyway - we celebrated my dad's birthday over the weekend by attending Saturday brunch in San Juan Capistrano. I love, love, love the image below with the husband's silhouette in the background.
Ramos House is located on Los Rios Street, which is on the other side of the railroad tracks. It is such a charming little place that is only open for breakfast and lunch. Dining is located in the patio area, overlooking Los Rios Street.

The weekend brunch included a beverage, a starter and the main course. Since there were six of us, we all chose something different. My freshly squeezed orange juice. I love, love that they use mason jars for the drinks! This restaurant was my inspiration when I bought mason jars a few years ago!

Pomegranate and orange mimosas. A little bitter and bubbly!

The husband ordered this starter. I am not sure what the name of this plate was but it was our least favorite out of all our starters.

PJ ordered the fresh baked huckleberry coffee cake. This was yummy! The cake was light, fluffy and had just the right amount of sweetness.

ECA ordered cinnamon apple beignets - always a favorite at this restaurant and rightly so. Everybody loved this starter.

I ordered this starter for my mom. Small plate of smoked salmon lox with herb sauce and toast points. A thin layer of smoked salmon covered the plate. You would lift the smoked salmon and place the layer on your toast points. Very tasty! The salmon was not too salty and tasted quite fresh.

I ordered the sweet corn hush puppies with sweet pepper jam. My favorite starter at this restaurant! Still a favorite! Split the hush puppy in half and spread the pepper jam over the hush puppy to get that sweet and sour taste that tingles your tastebuds. Absolutely yummy!

I ordered this soup for my dad. Not sure what it was but they added popcorn on top. I did not try this starter so I cannot comment.

I ordered the wild mushroom, roasted garlic and sundried tomato scramble for my dad.

PJ ordered the smoked bacon scramble with rocket and caramelized onions.

The husband ordered mac n' cheese with smoked veggies and lemon gremolada.

ECA ordered the crab hash with bacon scrambled eggs and sour cream remoulade.

I ordered the duck hash with wild mushroom eggs and herb sauce for my mom.

My order - BBQ chicken salad with hush puppy croutons. This restaurant used to have another plate that was similar to this one called the country chicken salad with cranberries and pumpkin seed buttermilk dressing. That was my favorite dish at this restaurant. The new dish is good but not the same. :(

Brunch was a flat price of $ 35 per person. After brunch, we roamed Los Rios Street and I took a few pictures of my parents, ECA and PJ. Then my parents, ECA and PJ went home while the husband and I headed down to San Diego for a weekend getaway!