I like to have my friends over to our house every once in a while, and they are usually our boys' good friends and their mothers. When our boys were still not in any schools yet, I used to go to "play group" every week and it was always pot luck. I really enjoyed the time together with other moms to chatted and exchanged recipes with, while kids played together. I learned a lot of new recipes from them and improved my cooking and baking.
Having people over is not always an easy task. First, you got clean your house, and plan a meal, if it applicable, then go to grocery store, and cook, host, and clean again. However, I see it is a good motivation. Because I can really get lazy about how this house look sometimes, or forget about trying new recipes. Well, trying a new recipe for the guests isn't really a good idea for serving people for first time unless they are super close friends, but I usually try not to serve the same meal I've cooked before, unless it's requested.
These days, every occasion I get talk to Japanese friends is always about what is really going on in Japan, of course. It really hurts us to know what exactly going on in individual levels...However, we haven't giving up our hopes yet.
Our second son't school had a PJ day last Friday and it was called "Jammies for Japan." It was a several forth graders' idea to raise money for Japan! I was very amazed how much little children are participating for the event, and brought so much coins and more... I went to see the class who organized it and wanted thank to them, it almost made me cry...
I've just purchased an album Songs for Japan. Since I pledged not downloading music illegally since my dear friend "laptop" got infected by an evil spy wear some how, this deal is great! New and classic 38 pop songs for $9.99 and profits goes to Japan Relief effort. I've seen harsh comments several times about helping Japan is not necessary kind of things. But it is not true. Many of people lost everything, really no house, no vehicle, no job, no heat, even at evacuation site they still not having enough food. It can be happening to you. I am pretty sure, those people have been helping others whenever possible before. We never know what can natures do to us...
Now their water is in danger...radiation level is getting higher as of today. In Tokyo, the officials are recommending not to give the tap water to infants. I have been trying to talk to my parents, who live near Tokyo, to move here or at least come visit us until things gets settled...but they love the place where they belong. I guess as well as those people currently evacuating and being patient. If it was me, I might have moved to another place and start my life over. I can think of this way, maybe because I left my hometown when I found my love to be with and haven't really got stayed one particular place more than three years, so far as an own family. What if it was where I grew up and had everything right there, like most of people in community...
I've heard that many of them have the thought, if they leave now to evacuate to another place, not helping out the community, even everything gets rebuilt in the future, they might not be accepted or welcomed by the community. However, I just read a news that government secured 42,000 housing and it will be available to those people have been evacuated.
Now many people outside of those affected areas are discouraged to have fun. It is understandable. Plus, many of them are suffering with the planned black outs to save the electrics nation wide as much as possible...Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea are currently closed. Many restaurants has to close during the hours while they are having black outs. So many temporary workers out there works by hours, hours of the work they missed or missing by the disaster won't be covered by the company. How in the world, can Japanese economy still be remained strong like it used to be....?
I heard the most serious damaged site, only get two rice balls each per day still! It can't be happening... So please, help them out whenever, however you can and I'd really appreciated all your help. Thank you!!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Little by Little
Fresh Market is one of our favorite grocery store to buy something special and unusual items. Their flower, coffee and bakery are the thing we stop by most for. It was my birthday last weekend, and my husband and I went to pick up Crème brûlée to celebrate. Yes, I took break from baking anything for me that day. Crème brûlée was good, as well as Red Velvet Cupcake. I had a few bites and it was just enough for me.
I cannot wait till tomorrow. :)
Most thing I was impressed by them was that when we were checking out, we've noticed this flyer...they will be collecting donation for Japan at the cash register until 3rd of April.
I am not anyone famous. I don't have tons of money to donate myself, but I started find ways to help out those people need most, without spending too much money out of our pocket.
I cannot wait till tomorrow. :)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Aftermath of Japanese Earthquake
I feel that seen enough of Tsunami, and earthquake videos on TV, but this natural disaster still damaging the country in many ways, not over yet and it will takes years to rebuilt everything. In fact, some of part in Japan is still feeling earth quake...American government started evacuating their government employees from Japan, and it seems like there is a voluntary evacuation started military bases in Japan as well. While most of the citizens remained in the area, they don't get know much of information about risk of nuclear plants/radiation because Japanese government may not releasing truth to avoid panic. OR there is a controversy, American media might be escalating the fact with the shocking news title to get people's attention.
From the day of the earth quake, those people who escaped to evacuation site, they are still suffering from not having enough food, heat and medicine so forth. Many people just lost everything they had, family, house, vehicle....EVERYTHING. I cannot imagine myself loosing everything what I have right now. However, there is a hope, they are still not giving up, they stay in a line to receive so little food (for examples: rice balls, a piece of bread, instant ramen noodle, 3 strawberries for each person), or water remaining calm even the evacuation site is cold and uncomfortable. Not only having enough food, toilet papers, diapers, and blankets are the items they need most.
This affected area located in northern part of Japan, because of not having enough fuel, they cannot run much of heater at the evacuation site either... Most of people basically just had to left the house without having time to prepare to evacuate. Unfortunately, it got snowed a few days ago, and still it's pretty cold out there. So many people, especially elderly are suffering being cold without enough blankets and clothes...
Good news I heard so far was that even middle school students are trying to help out voluntarily at the site. Some news of survivors, cheer everyone up.
Having a patient and a cohesion is Japanese strength and I am so proud of them. I read a few other foreign countries' article that complimenting victims well behaver at evacuation sites.
Near the area, people didn't have to evacuate from their own houses, yet some of them still not having water, electric, or gas and phone line. The damage by direct earth quake broke those pipes and lines. The road got messed up and that's still causing delay of everything to get fixed or delivered. The lack of fuel is causing everything to get delayed as well.
I found out that my father was in a train near Tokyo, the time earth quake actually happened. He could not get out from the train for 40 minutes while it still waving by earth quake, yes, not shaking, it felt like waves he said. After it simmer down a little, all the passengers had to walk on a rail road, to get to next station. And waited and waited till close to mid night, and train finally ran again a little. So he jumped on it, but it didn't take him to his home town, then many of them just stayed on a station and waited until train started ran normally till early morning.
My mother on the other hand, she was at home and power was shut down on phone line got disconnected soon after the earth quake. So all the news we were able to watch, she didn't have no clue how bad it was. My brother who lives near Mt. Fuji, he got contact with my mother right after the shock, and let my father knows that she was okay. Cell phone was busy for a few hours but text messaging was a lot better to communicate after all, but my mother is anti cell phone, so I've tried call her at home and finally let her know where my father located at the moment, soon after phone line and electric started running 13hours after the earth quake. She was very happy to hear from me. We have relatives in Miyagi prefecture, where tsunami hit directly. Luckily, they were little bit away from the fishing town and got saved.
Many organization started collect donations, many artists, companies contributing big time and I can't thank enough to all of you already made contributions and all your prayers. But people are still suffering, I really hope anymore damage won't be made and no more people has to suffer and get helped.
I don't tweet, but this is a tweet page that people read and stay motivated in Japan.
It's English version. http://prayforjapan.jp/message/?lang=en
Lady Gaga sells wrist bands, and money goes to Japan relief effort.
http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/artists/lady-gaga/icat/ladygaga/
American Red Cross through out Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2673660011
Other ways to help
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6246445-japans-earthquake-how-to-help
AT&T and Verizon, Cox are helping us unique way
http://gizmodo.com/#!5781617/att-customers-can-call-and-text-japan-for-free
I really can't do anything being here just watching news and feel like my country is getting damaged pretty bad... it is really frustrating, but at least I can tell the facts what is going on in Japan besides major news and broadcast we see on American shows. Remember, natural disaster can happening in your area, but it is in Japan this time. It can happens to anyone in the world.
Please help, even for $5, and pray for everyone out there to be safe...Thank you so much....
From the day of the earth quake, those people who escaped to evacuation site, they are still suffering from not having enough food, heat and medicine so forth. Many people just lost everything they had, family, house, vehicle....EVERYTHING. I cannot imagine myself loosing everything what I have right now. However, there is a hope, they are still not giving up, they stay in a line to receive so little food (for examples: rice balls, a piece of bread, instant ramen noodle, 3 strawberries for each person), or water remaining calm even the evacuation site is cold and uncomfortable. Not only having enough food, toilet papers, diapers, and blankets are the items they need most.
This affected area located in northern part of Japan, because of not having enough fuel, they cannot run much of heater at the evacuation site either... Most of people basically just had to left the house without having time to prepare to evacuate. Unfortunately, it got snowed a few days ago, and still it's pretty cold out there. So many people, especially elderly are suffering being cold without enough blankets and clothes...
Good news I heard so far was that even middle school students are trying to help out voluntarily at the site. Some news of survivors, cheer everyone up.
Having a patient and a cohesion is Japanese strength and I am so proud of them. I read a few other foreign countries' article that complimenting victims well behaver at evacuation sites.
Near the area, people didn't have to evacuate from their own houses, yet some of them still not having water, electric, or gas and phone line. The damage by direct earth quake broke those pipes and lines. The road got messed up and that's still causing delay of everything to get fixed or delivered. The lack of fuel is causing everything to get delayed as well.
We all know that there is a threat by nuclear plant, but there is no gas to run their vehicles for people wants to evacuate from the area. There is barley any evacuation plan run for people who live just outside of alert area where people were force to leave by the government. The government recommended to not go to out side for the particular area. (as of today, 18th March 2011, finally Minami-Souma city where is the nuclear power plant is located, decided to provide buses for evacuation to take citizens to other cities.)
Shortage of gasoline, created by damage on the oil plant causing lots of people's daily activity, including going to work. Even in Kanto region (near the Tokyo area), there is planed blackouts to save electric, therefore, transportation is not running as normal. Near the Tokyo area as well as the afflicted area, many of gas stations are closed or running but have limitation about $10 for everyone. My father went to one of a gas station and waited for 4 hours but still could not get it. I've told them, just stay home might be better because they are wasting gas to get gas! They barley use the vehicle anyways. However, it causing many people's commute. This can cause brings down Japanese economy.
In Northern part of Japan is well known for daily products. Milk is threw out or use as compost, and some of the farm suffering because equipments has been damaged by the earthquake thus, I am not sure exactly what area but at least in Kanto region, milk and eggs are hard to get at the stores.
Delivery system barley running because of the gasoline shortage, not only trucks are not able to deliver essential goods to victims, many products got out of the circulation. I guess the same reason-not having enough daily products- breads are all out from bakery as well. Plus, rice are gone from stores as well, so people started depend on other than rice such as bread. So it is just a bad cycle. Some people saying it is like oil shock... But still it is better than loosing everything, that's how people participate, even the planned black out or shortage of gasoline, people started walk, not using public transportation which uses tons of electric or vehicle to not waste gasoline.
I found out that my father was in a train near Tokyo, the time earth quake actually happened. He could not get out from the train for 40 minutes while it still waving by earth quake, yes, not shaking, it felt like waves he said. After it simmer down a little, all the passengers had to walk on a rail road, to get to next station. And waited and waited till close to mid night, and train finally ran again a little. So he jumped on it, but it didn't take him to his home town, then many of them just stayed on a station and waited until train started ran normally till early morning.
My mother on the other hand, she was at home and power was shut down on phone line got disconnected soon after the earth quake. So all the news we were able to watch, she didn't have no clue how bad it was. My brother who lives near Mt. Fuji, he got contact with my mother right after the shock, and let my father knows that she was okay. Cell phone was busy for a few hours but text messaging was a lot better to communicate after all, but my mother is anti cell phone, so I've tried call her at home and finally let her know where my father located at the moment, soon after phone line and electric started running 13hours after the earth quake. She was very happy to hear from me. We have relatives in Miyagi prefecture, where tsunami hit directly. Luckily, they were little bit away from the fishing town and got saved.
Many organization started collect donations, many artists, companies contributing big time and I can't thank enough to all of you already made contributions and all your prayers. But people are still suffering, I really hope anymore damage won't be made and no more people has to suffer and get helped.
I don't tweet, but this is a tweet page that people read and stay motivated in Japan.
It's English version. http://prayforjapan.jp/message/?lang=en
Lady Gaga sells wrist bands, and money goes to Japan relief effort.
http://store.universal-music.co.uk/restofworld/artists/lady-gaga/icat/ladygaga/
American Red Cross through out Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2673660011
Other ways to help
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6246445-japans-earthquake-how-to-help
AT&T and Verizon, Cox are helping us unique way
http://gizmodo.com/#!5781617/att-customers-can-call-and-text-japan-for-free
I really can't do anything being here just watching news and feel like my country is getting damaged pretty bad... it is really frustrating, but at least I can tell the facts what is going on in Japan besides major news and broadcast we see on American shows. Remember, natural disaster can happening in your area, but it is in Japan this time. It can happens to anyone in the world.
Please help, even for $5, and pray for everyone out there to be safe...Thank you so much....
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Cupcakes and Decoration Items
As the trend...there are so many cupcake stores these days and every coffee shops you go to, you will find cupcakes instead of coffee cakes... I've visited a cupcake store "Just Cupcakes" near by and their cupcakes was pretty impressive. Their cupcakes were moist and each of them had very distinct flavors, unlike others...
However, I am not really big fan of cupcakes daily basis. Those little cupcakes have too much frosting-usually butter cream-on such a small portion of cake part. For me, it just not balanced right. But the other day, I had very young guests (They are three years old girls) and all adults were having an espresso chiffon cake. So I thought cupcakes might be better treat for those little girls. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make proper frosting for American cupcakes, so I used whipped cream instead and it turned out be NOT so great... so I made only one kind of frosting that I like, which is....cream cheese frosting.
Basic Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
- 8oz(1 package), Cream Cheese
- 1/2stick (4 table spoon), Butter
- 1 cup, Powder Sugar
- 1 tea spoon, Vanilla Extract
Leave cream cheese and butter in room temperature about a half hour till it is not so hard anymore, and whipped them up with electronic mixer and add powder sugar and vanilla extract until it's combined. If butter and cream cheese doesn't get soft enough, use microwave but lower power for 15-30 seconds. Make sure you don't melt the butter, just soften them up.
I used one table spoon of strawberry preserve, and one tea spoon of black berry liqueur, instead of vanilla extract, it'll give this frosting extra flavor and pretty color without food coloring.
Kids really enjoyed it for their afternoon snack along with a glass of milk, so that it really made me happy. :) As you can see in this picture... right after you make this frosting, it is much softer than normal frosting. So if you like to decorate the cream better, this frosting needs to be in the fridge for at least a half hour.
I've purchased this pink decorating candy at local TJ Maxx about $3 right before Valentine's day but silver ones made by the same company priced about $8, at another gourmet store. Micheal's sometimes offer decorative candies for sale. I have visited other decorating store has very wide variety and it is fun to look around. They have a web site and one of my friend order from other state and told me that they have pretty good customer service and shipped quickly. http://www.wineandcake.com/
These little decorating items really makes finishing touch to the home baked cake different and go people say wow!! The first impression is very important as well as the taste of the cake.
This is the espresso cake I made for my friend's birthday. My guests enjoyed it very much. :)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tea and Avatar-Last Airbender/Trader Joe's
I've watched TV show it's call "Avatar:The Last Airbender" series with our boys for last couple of weeks. Characters learns something every episode, and talk about not only good and bad, sacrifice, believe, and harmony are some of the interesting topics for any generations. My husband and I really got into it with our boys as well. This story was set in Asia-ish region, it's not particularly any country, but they look like China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Alaska... They use chop-stick to eat, hero-Aang is a monk, so he is vegetarian. Aang explains why he doesn't eat any meat in this story, and our boys got really interested in the concept of "vegetarian."
One of very clever old guy, guardian of hero's enemy Iroh, he always talks about tea. "Tea supposed calm you down" or "Ginseng tea is the best!" Iroh eventually own tea salon in the story.
Hearing about how good he makes his jasmine tea, we all are so mood for a nice cup of jasmine tea. I usually buy them at any of local Asian stores, but the day we were at Trader Joe's, and found the tea! It's call "Jasmine Green Tea" I didn't taste no difference from those Asian store's jasmine tea and it was fairy good.
Speaking of Trader Joe's,Our boys likes to visit Trader Joe's, more than any other grocery stores. Because they ask children to find one of their mascot-stuffed turtle-some where in the store, and when children finds it, they get a little treat. They always have new items tasting counter, along with coffee and tea sampler. If you have never visited Trader Joe's, I highly recommend to stop by sometime soon. Also, their eco-bags are so cute. Don't miss it! If you have your favorite Trader Joe's items, please let me know so that I can try them too. :)
I usually purchase these items...
Breads
Oh, get back to Avatar, I really enjoyed the show. Unfortunately, the story seems completed already, but I like to see it coming back in near future...but not mention, the movie was horrible casting though...
So if you never seen "Avatar:Last Airbender", or had a nice cup of jasmine tea, why not give it a try! Avatar is available on Netflix, instant watch.
One of very clever old guy, guardian of hero's enemy Iroh, he always talks about tea. "Tea supposed calm you down" or "Ginseng tea is the best!" Iroh eventually own tea salon in the story.
Hearing about how good he makes his jasmine tea, we all are so mood for a nice cup of jasmine tea. I usually buy them at any of local Asian stores, but the day we were at Trader Joe's, and found the tea! It's call "Jasmine Green Tea" I didn't taste no difference from those Asian store's jasmine tea and it was fairy good.
Speaking of Trader Joe's,Our boys likes to visit Trader Joe's, more than any other grocery stores. Because they ask children to find one of their mascot-stuffed turtle-some where in the store, and when children finds it, they get a little treat. They always have new items tasting counter, along with coffee and tea sampler. If you have never visited Trader Joe's, I highly recommend to stop by sometime soon. Also, their eco-bags are so cute. Don't miss it! If you have your favorite Trader Joe's items, please let me know so that I can try them too. :)
I usually purchase these items...
Breads
- Baguette
- Fruits and Nuts Artisan Bread
- Cheese(they have so many variety)
- Turkey Bacon
- Hummus
- Persian Cucumbers
- Yogurt (European Style)
- Soy milk
- Almond Powder
- White Balsamic Vinegar
- Ketchup
- Spices
- Yaki Onigiri (Rice Snack)
- Pork Shumai
- Mandarin Chicken
- Cocktail Meatball
- Croissant
- Steam Clam
- Mixed Seafood (squid, scallops, shrimp mix)
- Opera cake
- Carrot cake (they name it different, though)
- Coffee and tea (earl gray, mango, jasmine green tea...)
- Roasted Seaweed Snack
- Rice Crackers
- Kitchen Towel
- Wine, occasionally...
I heard that they have vegetarian Bento box in frozen section now and some of Japanese people said was pretty tasty. So I need try it next time.
Oh, get back to Avatar, I really enjoyed the show. Unfortunately, the story seems completed already, but I like to see it coming back in near future...but not mention, the movie was horrible casting though...
So if you never seen "Avatar:Last Airbender", or had a nice cup of jasmine tea, why not give it a try! Avatar is available on Netflix, instant watch.
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