Please comment any questions even if you think it’s an obvious answer because I know what it feels like to suck at cooking.

Beef Sukiyaki

Ingredients
Serves 2~4 people

Sukiyaki Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sake
5 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup water

Hot Pot Items

~14oz thinly sliced beef or pork
1 head of napa cabbage (cut into 2″ wide sections)
1 bunch of green onion (sliced diagonally into 1″ pieces)
1 bunch enoki mushrooms (cut from root)
6 small shiitake mushrooms (stems removed)
1 block grilled firm tofu sliced
1 pack yam noodles (shirataki)
1 tablespoon grape seed oil

1~2 cups cooked rice

Directions

Sauce
Mix ingredients into a small pot. Stir well over high heat. Bring to a boil and immediately remove the pot from heat. You just want to burn off the alcohol from the sake. Set aside.

Hot Pot
Par boil noodles first. Place noodles in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Remove from heat and strain immediately. Set aside in cool water.

Add grape seed oil to pot over med-high heat. Slice or cube tofu and grill about 3 minutes per side. Set tofu aside when done.

Add green onions to pot and grill on med-high heat for ~1 minute. Then add ~1/2 of the meat. Add about 1/4 cup of the sukiyaki sauce and sauté the meat and onions until brown. Lower heat.

Add all other ingredients (to fit) into pot. Best to place the noodles away from any meat to prevent the meat from becoming tough.

Add remaining sukiyaki sauce, cover and cook over medium heat until ingredients are tender. Usually about 5 minutes.

Ready to eat!

Tips

- I always double the sauce amount for a second boil of remaining ingredients.

- Ready-made sukiyaki sauce exists. This recipe tastes exact to a brand I use sometimes but is cheaper.

- If you can’t buy sake there are other sauce recipes out there. Many using mirin. I’d suggest Googling them.

- I remove the pot after cooking everything for a few minutes. I set it on top a trivet in the middle of the table. The food continues to cook a little after being removed from the heat. Later I place it back onto the stove, add in more sauce and ingredients, and bring to a boil on high and bring it back to the table.

- Man if you got a tabletop electric or gas stove you’re set!

- I brown about 1/4 of the meat in the beginning but also add more meat when adding the other ingredients as well so I can have some meat well done & some just medium-rare.

- You can use white cabbage it just takes longer to cook, remains a bit tougher.

- Raw egg is often served with sukiyaki. I don’t really like eggs.

- The beef or pork might have “sukiyaki” or “shabu shabu” labeled on it but either way it has to be very thin! You might be able to request marbled sirloin cuts of beef to be sliced thinly at the butcher’s counter. Also go vegetarian, it’s just as good.

- Some sukiyaki beef packs come with the beef suet which you can use to grease the pot instead of grape seed or cooking oil.

Stove Top BBQ Ribs

Ingredients
Serves 2 people

- slab of pork ribs or beef short ribs (~2 lbs)
- 20oz bottle of ketchup
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons liquid smoke (optional)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 lemon squeezed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 onion sliced

Directions

Place sliced onions into pot and cook over medium-high until they begin to soften. Add all other ingredients and stir well. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add ribs, bring sauce to a boil, lower heat to a simmer (low) and cover 90 minutes to 2 hours stirring about every 20 minutes to prevent the sauce from burning on the bottom. When the meat begins to fall off the bones, or internal temperature reaches 145F~160F remove from heat and ready to serve.

Tips

I season this to taste each time I make it. Sometimes I add more brown sugar or more water. I’ve also added white pepper powder for spice and honey for a sweeter taste. It’s pretty foolproof. You could actually just use a whole bottle of bottled BBQ sauce if you’d like!

So here they are in no particular order.

I made a set of mini apple and mini berry pies last week. Baking a whole pie feels like a much bigger hassle than whipping these guys. Basically within an hour I’m eating pie and ice cream. Having this one with Starbuck’s iced coffee. I was giving the brand a try. I prefer Illy’s more bitter taste for quick cold coffee.

I bought some essential oils from muji because they restocked their yuzu. Their yuzu is alright. The yuzu Anna sent me was a million times better but I can deal. Plus the other two scents I got from Muji are really great.

I learned that ivy is another plant that you can propagate and grew in just water. So I clipped a few vines from the shared fence with the neighbor and started growing some in my existing topiary jars. Now I have devil’s ivy with lavender and english ivy.

I found the “Harmony Aroma” body washes from Bathclin. These are really nice and different. The soap is creamy and creates a thick lather. The fragrances have a woodsy, herb note to them, even the rose version.

I also bought Lee magazine. It’s a casual, natural lifestyle magazine for women in their late 20’s to mid 30’s. It includes casual looks for the office, at home, out on dates, or out with young kids. I thought it might be too family oriented but it’s actually pretty balanced between family, working, single, etc. The home section is fantastic with simple aesthetics and recipes. The makeup and clothing is great too. Not too high-end but not overtly trendy and cheap.

I got to have some real German food for the first time in ages as well as remind myself how potent kirschwasser is.

Lastly I’ve started yoga. Though I feel “yoga” is a loaded word full of expectations of health, juice cleanses, studio visits, and kale chips. I didn’t start that yoga lifestyle. I just started Yin Yoga for my back and legs. Yin yoga focuses on stretching the skeletal muscles. There are fewer and easier positions. And I’ve kept doing it because I’m feeling the results. My back and legs are far less tight. I was having troubles walking recently from my calf muscles being so tight even after massages and muscle relaxers.

I do the stretches about every other night usually after a hot bath or right before bed. You keep the positions longer than in traditional yoga. So even though I didn’t get into it for the “peace of mind” you are sort of forced to relax and almost meditate as you keep some positions for 3~5 minutes.

So this weekend I’ve done what can only be described as “nothing.” I’ve left the house once to pick up some groceries. I’ve eaten ice cream, binge watched some TV, taken multiple naps, ordered pizza, laid out (which is a fancy way of saying I put on my bathing suit and some tanning oil and took a nap outside,) and played video games. It’s been one of the most enjoyable weekends in a long time.

There’s an alfredo pasta dish I make weekly now that requires heavy whipping cream so basically I always have heavy whipping cream available now so I figured I could just make whipped cream since I had none on hand.

Remember I’m lazy and completely new at cooking. So I half-assed this recipe and it still turned out great. I feel like whipped cream is more simple than it’s made out to be. So many recipes act as if you need a $300 standing mixer and a lot of time but honestly I made mine within maybe 3 minutes using a hand whisk and small metal pot. Now I want to make it all the time with different flavors!

Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 metal hand whisk
1 metal cooking pot
½ cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
1 Tbsp of sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

*½ cup makes about 1 cup of whipped cream.

Directions

Mix everything into the cooking pot or a bowl. Mix with the whisk using quick but long folding motions. I tilt the pan a bit to the side so that I’m whipping in a oval shape rather than circular stirring motion.

Keep at it until the liquid thickens and creates peaks. You can see how “stiff the peaks” are by pulling the whisk up out of the mixture and seeing how the cream falls. Keep mixing until you have the consistency you want. You can keep it smooth and creamy or whip it until it’s fluffy and thick like Cool Whip.

You can chill the bowl and whisk a few minutes beforehand which helps create fluffier cream faster. Using a metal bowl, adding sugar in during mixing, and using an electric mixer are all steps that ensure a better outcome, however, having to do everything “just so” is such a cooking turn off for me especially if it’s not true. You can half ass it and still come up with a quick delicious addition for desserts or fruits.

I also made a Lavender Tea Latte flavor of cream using one of this instant latte mixes from Maxim. Turned out fantastic!

For a more in-depth recipe this whipped cream recipe from Martha Stewart is great.

Easy Vegetable Soup [serves 8]

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup uncooked rice
2 (~16oz) cans stewed tomato
1 cup sliced carrots
1 can mexicorn
1 (~15oz) can kidney beans
1 cup frozen green beans
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil flakes
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 beef bouillon cubes
3 1/2 cups of water

Directions

Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic in a dutch over or heavy pot on stove top until browned. Drain fat.

Add remaining ingredients except green beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add green beans and continue simmering 10 more minutes or until beans are tender.

Tips!

I like to use ground turkey which means there’s no fat to drain after browning the meat.

For the minced garlic I use garlic paste. They list on the back how much will equal 1 clove.

You can use any rice! I’ve only ever had short grain brown rice and it turns out great. I’ve even added extra because I love rice.

Mexicorn might be a bit difficult to find. There’s only 1 brand here that sells it but it’s in every grocery story. You can use a regular can of corn if you can’t find it.

Stewed tomatoes caution – many brands add seasoning to their stewed tomatoes. I make sure to get a can of unseasoned.

I add 4 cups of water because my pot is a bit wide and you want to cover all the vegetables. When I do this I add 1 extra beef bouillon cube.

I like to add fresh parsley leaves and celery stalk leaves. I don’t alter the recipe to account for these additions.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I didn’t know how to brown meat until my mid-20’s so I won’t judge lol!

Bought some Japanese greens seeds for early autumn planting.
Tried a new pancake recipe. Failed.
Cooked old pancake recipe with some modifications that made them thicker and fluffier.
Did a ton of laundry.
Made a wedge salad.
Made a banana split.
Painted a little.
…

Oh yeah and watched that insane Hannibal finale!

I bought a crap-load of shampoo this weekend too. If the local Japanese market carries a new hair care line there’s a 100% chance I’m going to buy it without considering how often a single person can actually wash their hair in their lifetime. Added ISM Hair care and Umi No Uruoiso to my collection. I haven’t opened them yet though but will pick one tonight because my current shampoo & conditioner went empty.

I’m actually most interested in the ocean themed line. It uses various seaweed extracts and just sounds all around summer-mermaid-themed.

Mike was the major chef in the house until his back pain became too much. This past year I slowly ventured into learning how to cook a little more. I had made a handful of pot roasts as well as my usual staples of spaghetti and the occasional curry.

There’s something about being freed from the ideal that, as a woman, you must know how to cook. Growing up my father would say, “No one is going to marry you if you can’t cook.” I’d just scoff and say I’d make sure the other person could cook so that I wouldn’t starve. Mike enjoys cooking. There was no pressure for me to ever learn. So my interest in cooking felt more organic and not some societal norm I was forcing upon myself. And then I felt compelled to add a few new recipes under my belt while Mike recovers from spinal surgery.

At first I struggled. I burned things and I got confused and I hated it because I felt I couldn’t cook what I wanted. But then I realized something. I realized what I enjoy cooking! One pot meals! Oh yes… I thrive in this recipe category!!

I’ve always been good at pasta (and I could eat it every day) however not everyone agrees with my motto. So I stumbled into stir-fry, then casseroles, and even chicken and beef based “pies.” And every one of these has turned out great! Mostly I take vegetarian recipes then add a little chicken or steak into it for Mike’s sake. It’s still easier for me to add a little sliced steak into stir-fry than to cook up a separate steak with sides. I don’t know why but I just straight up burn it and fail at cooking items on their own.

A few of the things I’ve made include Alfredo Mostaccioli, Ginger Veggie Stir-fry, Baked Ziti, Beef Taco Pie, and my usual Curry.

Also my favorite thing so far has been this Chicken Pot Pie recipe. It’s easy (though there’s about 3 major steps) and tastes fantastic!

I’m still looking for recipes at Easy One Pot Meals on FOOD. I find throwing in easy meals some nights gives me a break from the stress of cooking something challenging every single day. Tonight will be spaghetti ;)

And yesterday I got this huge birthday package from Anna filled with things she picked up on her recent trip to Japan. So many of these are my favorite things. Especially loving the yuzu essential oil for my aroma diffuser. It’s smells perfectly like yuzu!

A few things from Mike including Mermaid Shampoo and the “Flowers in Her Hair” Lippmann polish.

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes on IG & Tumblr!

When I saw that one of my favorite blogs, Tokyo Eats, put out a book I ordered it immediately!

You can order the Tokyo Eats Guide Book here.

It’s a great little book. The look and feel is exactly what I expected. All the aesthetic details, like MT style tape headers and grid paper backgrounds, make it a real joy to flip through while the list of cafes by neighborhood makes it easy to find a great place on the fly.

I think this is a really great guide for first time travelers to Tokyo. Having been a handful of times myself I’m already familiar with a lot of the recommendations in the book. However I still love the Foodie side to this. I’ll be bringing it with me on my next trip. It’s lightweight and will come in handy when I want to grab a quick bite without having to research exactly where on my own first.

I highly highly highly recommend this guide for anyone travelling to Tokyo for the first time. It’s full of popular tourist spots, great shops, and fantastic cafes while recommending some of my personal favorite places such as Kichijoji, Kamakura, and shops like Loft and Maison de Reefur!

I received mine within a few days of ordering (being located in the US and all.)

It snowed all day yesterday and again today. I don’t mind the snow. I prefer snow to just cold for cold’s sake. I only want it to warm up because the cold makes my botched root canal ache more. But the sun is out more and more and I feel like dressing in lighter colors more and more. I also want to pick up more of this Elderflower & Rose Lemonade. Elderflower is tastes nice. There’s an Elderflower soda from found that’s really good but since the first time I bought it’s been sold out and the other soda’s don’t taste as good.

Snow from Thursday

Valentine’s Day

“Mermaid Mane” a sea salt spray for getting beach hair. Followed by a night out Saturday.

My shoulder’s still a bit sore from shoveling the driveway with Mike. But even with a heavy layer of snow on the ground I went ahead and did some spring cleaning today. It’s been a little bittersweet but I put my spring and summer clothes into 4 piles. Keep, sell, sister, and donate. The keep and donate piles were the smallest. While my pile for handing down to my sis was the biggest. And I have a few Madewell shirts I’ll put up for sale later this month :) I like to do this on days I’m feeling the least sentimental so I can purge the most stuff without regret!

Also watched 3 Olympic Women’s Hockey games and re-caulked a few spots around my shower and bathtub.

It was a bit of a random day off work.

I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day. As a kid my parents would get me candies and balloons. Then as a student I’d exchange fun gifts with close friends. Being forever alone never bothered me on Valentine’s Day hahaha! And I also don’t like doing “gift-gifts” on this day. If I got diamond earrings but no flowers or balloons or chocolates I’d be really pissed. But everyone has their own way of celebrating it (or not celebrating it) and this just has always been my way. :) So HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE’S DAY!

Sunday I went to Georgetown to return some jeans and ended up buying this gingham skirt instead. I also bought some teas from Dean & Deluca. Kusmi’s BB Detox tastes so refreshing. I don’t usually like herbal type teas but this one is just so good! I also picked up TWG’s earl grey with bergamot and rose petals. I’m on such a bergamot kick right now. I’ve used half a bottle of my bergamot essential oil in my diffuser already plus bought a bergamot candle and have been trying to buy only bergamot infused teas. BERGAMOT.

1) Black Gingham skirt from Madewell, I’ve been feeling a little bored with my clothes lately and am excited to add some pattern into my black, navy, burgundy, gray sweater rotation
2) Finally bought Oceane from Anthropologie because mermaid reasons,
3) L’Occitane 25% shea body butter because my skin is screaming & used up everything else at this point,
4) Kusmi Tea BB Detox,
5) Earl Grey Gentleman Tea from TWG (there was a special White House blend that used roses too because of the rose garden but this tea is such a splurge that I just got this one,)
6) rose and champagne flavored macarons,
7) water from Dean and Deluca (my USB humidifier has me obsessed with buying different water bottles now because I have to stare at it on my desk all day.)

Saturday I hit up Max Brenner again and then ShopHouse. I feel like I should really hate ShopHouse. The first time I tried it I thought, “Well that was nice. Probably won’t get it again though.” But then I found myself craving the stuff nonstop! Now I want it all the stupid time.

Saturday night I had the house to myself so I just continued to read a little more The Breath of All Things and fell asleep with the aroma diffuser aimed directly at my face. Honestly my face has had a great winter season using this thing. It’s rarely dry, while no matter how many times a day I moisturize, my body it’s covered in dry patches. Winter is just too intense this year.

I thought I’d recommend some music for February. First is Bitter:Sweet – The Mating Game. Been listening to em since April. The second is a random album I bought the other night! Haute Couture – French Lounge Session. I ended up on it while downloading some Lemongrass. I love it as background music for work or relaxing at home.

I got a few Elence 2001 products recently including this above hair mask. This line of hair products is all about a healthy scalp and breaks their line down by hair needs (such as volume.) This mask smells really good and fruity. It doesn’t weigh my hair down as much as Essential’s does but I want to try it a few more times before I decide if I like it or not. :)

Also I was looking at Artifact Uprising earlier and felt really determined to put together a 2013 book! But like many past attempts at creating these online photobooks I wonder if it would just peter out. Currently I only seem to accomplish putting together old-fashioned style photo albums with printed photos and album sleeves. And then I’m also like, “is this something I want to haul around with me if I move?” I don’t know. Sometimes I feel I’m the only person who could ever talk themselves out of documenting wonderful memories!