Random Thoughts from a Random Taru

I made sukiyaki for dinner tonight. It came out good, although far from perfect. I got a bit lazy when it came to reading the instructions… Oops.

Once again, I took tonight’s dinner from November 2008 of Kyou no Ryouri. Yellowtail and scallops something… Well, that’s not what it says in Japanese… ぶりと帆立の沖すき. I don’t know what an “oki suki” is. Neither do my parents. I imagine it’s short for “oki sukiyaki”, but that “oki” part is what I don’t know. I messed up pretty well when it came to making the plum sauce. I failed to read the part that says to boil the konbu dashi and use pickled plum paste. If we all get food poisoning from that goof-up, oops. >_>;

The leftovers are going to be my lunch for tomorrow. :3 I also remade the plum sauce correctly this time.

Ok, so the donabe I received for my bday was small for 4 people. I think I hear people snickering at me for thinking it was bigger. Hey, first time!

I ended up using our electric nabe. It was also too small for 4 people.

Luckily, it was for 3 people!

The chicken yuzu pepper pot came out delicious. But since I bought ingredients for 4 people, I had left overs. Some of those into the donabe to make lunch for myself today. Yeay! I used the donabe Sat gave me for my birthday!

At one point, I was thinking about getting a bigger donabe to feed 4 people, but seriously, I don’t want to spend the money. They’re expensive! :( I should throw another birthday party and ask for a donabe that will feed 4 people. >.> Oh, well, electric nabe is still good.

I finally tasted the umeshu that I made back in May 2008. The ume flavor is wonderful. Unfortunately, it’s too sweet! >.<; It might be good if I use as a mixer. Sprite and plum wine, anyone?

I should think of other concoctions I can make with it. Oooh, if I invent something new, maybe I can name it! :D

Last year, for my birthday, Satsuki bought me a donabe.

Opens present, “Oh, it’s a bunny themed nabe…”
“No, not just a nabe, it’s a donabe!”

(Well, that’s how I remember the conversation… It was a year ago!)

At the time, I didn’t know what to do with it. My family never used a donabe before. We normally use an electric nabe. (I’m sorry, Satsuki, if I looked disappointed! I didn’t know how to use it! Which sounds kinda dumb if you think about it… Gomen!!)

It’s 2009 and I’m armed with a Kyou no Ryouri November 2008 magazine! (“Wait, Erika, you’re 2 months behind!” Shush, you!)

I’ve come across… 鶏の柚子こしょう鍋 or in English, Chicken Yuzu Pepper Pot. :D I haven’t made it yet, but I’m think I’m going to try this next weekend. I’m going to have to increase or decrease the ingredients depending on the number of people I’m going to be feeding (Me, mom, dad? Or me, mom, dad, sister, bro-in-law? Or me, mom, dad, sis?).

I could always be greedy and make this for myself. It’d make a good lunch, I bet. I would just have to pack it in a airtight container. When lunch time comes around, microwave it for a few minutes, and ta-da!

/me is excited!

I bought a Nintendo DS game that’s about cooking. Personal Training: Cooking. I figured, what the hey, it might be interesting for $20. So far, it is. It was about 200+ recipes from around the world, some more than others. There’s even a recipe for ratatouille. I’ll should watch the movie Ratatouille while making ratatouille! :D First, I need to get the DVD.