Last week, Jan really liked the za’atar corn I made and as I was thinking about a weekday meal I suggested that I could add that spice blend to my seafood chowder. She said that if I did, I should also used yogurt—instead if cream—in the dish. So I did.
Karl’s Middle Eastern Seafood Chowder
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Seafood, Shrimp
It has been a long time since I have cooked anything en papillote. To cook something en papillote means that you are cooking it in a parchment packet—although these days it is more common to use aluminum foil. As I was looking for dinner ideas, I came across several recipes like this, but none that matched what I wanted, so I just took out on my own.
Karl’s Peach Chicken and Potatoes en Papillote
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Poultry, Steaming
Spam Misubi is an Hawaiian-Japanese adaptation of a rice ball dating from WWII. Daughter Eilene loves them, but mother, Jan, will not allow Spam in the house. Jan is teaching a night class, so I thought I would make Eilene spam misubi for dinner.
Karl’s Spam Misubi
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Rice
Jan’s favorite dish, when we go to a Japanese restaurant is kitsune udon. Udon is a thick wheat noodle that is a standard for a large variety of Japanese soups—both hot and cold. While kitsune refers to a fox, the distinguishing ingredient in this dish fried tofu—apparently the favorite food of the magical, Japanese, shape-shifting foxes.
Karl’s Kitsune Udon
Filed under Main Dishes, Pasta, Soups
My neighbors are taking care of one of their aged mothers. I went to speak with the wife and when she came to the door it was obvious that she as was exhausted. She was in clear need of a mitzvah.
Karl’s Mitzvah Beef Stew
Filed under Beef, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Stews, Vegetables
Many weeks I will spend the entire week thinking about and planning Sunday’s dinner. I have had a rough week—broken car, broken shower, broken refrigerator—and I did not feel I had it in me to plan an elaborate meal ahead of time. A plain ham steak, steamed green beans, a simple coleslaw, and a baked sweet potato would have to do. While this is a meal that started off simply, I got carried away.
Karl’s Ham Steak with Brandied Peach Sauce
Filed under Broiling, California Fusion, Main Dishes, Pork, Sauces and Spices
Adapted from a Just One Cookbook recipe
Friday night my family had dinner at a new Japanese Ramen restaurant. While the atmosphere was fairly authentic, the ramen was more than disappointing. The soup was tepid, the noodles under done, and the egg was icy in the middle. Although I have never made anything but instant ramen before, I knew I could do better.
Karl’s Shoyu Ramen
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Pork, Seafood, Soups
Jan’s “old” brother—long story involving 23&Me—and his wife are stopping by for breakfast. He has few teeth left and they have very standard “American” tastes—so nothing too chewy or exotically spiced. I decided that biscuits and gravy would be to their liking.
Karl’s Biscuits and Sage Sausage Gravy
Filed under Breakfast, California Fusion, Pork, Sauces and Spices
The usual quandary of what will I make for dinner tonight? I have been looking at several Japanese cookbooks and I started craving udon soup. Thinking about what ingredients I had in my kitchen, I decided on a seafood udon soup.
Karl’s Shrimp and Scallop Udon Soup
Filed under Main Dishes, Seafood, Shrimp
Last week, Jan and I went over the hill to Santa Cruz to visit her “new” brother. While we were there, we stopped by a large book store that was going out of business. The cookbook section was fairly picked over, but as I was perusing the fiction section I found a book Izakaya: Japanese Bar food—someone had obviously picked it up and then changed their mind, leaving it “where ever.” Their loss, my gain. This Sunday, I decided to make a Japanese bar style dinner.
Karl’s Japanese Bar Style Santa Maria Tri-tip and Green Onion Skewers
Filed under Beef, California Fusion, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices
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Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 