Frozen Tomato Pasta

Fast, Easy and Vegan

Sun-ripe tomatoes are flavorful and are great for snacking almost daily…I wish I could say that we grew them but these beautiful tomatoes are from a friend’s backyard…I’m a bit envious!

I had a planned to make Angie’s ‘Oven Baked Chicken with Italian Seasoned Tomato Sauce’ (looks fabulous, right?)…wait, no chicken?  We’re planning a trip very soon so we are limiting the number of grocery shopping trips lately…just buy the bare necessities…
Look for the bare necessities…
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities…
Old mother Nature’s recipes that brings the bare necessities of life!

What?…no song necessary?… I was about to dance….Anyway, I would like to introduce you to this very minimalistic dish so let’s put the candle…I mean tomato in the freezer!

Ingredients and Instruction for two servings (Print Recipe Here) Modified recipe from cookpad.com (recipe #3328313)

• 1 large ripe frozen tomato (put in the freezer overnight)
• 2 –3 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Spaghetti noodle or angel hair pasta (I used about 200g/8oz)
• 5-6 basil leaves tear by hand plus 3-4 whole leaves for garnish
• Salt and pepper

1. Put the minced garlic in a microwave proof bowl along with the olive oil. Microwave for 2 minutes at 60% power. Let it cool. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta 2 minutes longer than the package direction. Drain and soak in icy cold water until pasta is cold. This is my way of cooking pasta – put pasta in a skillet, cover with water then cook at medium heat.
3. Grate the tomato, skin and all ( I advise to wrap the tomato with paper towel… it is very cold).
   
4. Mix the cooled garlic with olive oil, grated tomato and basil well in a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Drain the noodles and shake off the excess water. Combine well with tomato sauce (#4). Garnish with basil. Add more salt and pepper if you like.

A not-vegan arrangement: Add cooked bacon and grated cheese

My favorite way to eat tomato is actually oven-baked tomato…yum!

We have seedless grape vines in our back yard which wild birds love…Hey, leave some for us!I made grape clafoutis and posted the pic on Instagram (#todaystapas). It’s French but resembles Dutch Baby pancake.

I saw a Watermelon Shark on the internet and I wanted re-create but my watermelon was round not oblong…I had to improvise…right?

The haze (from the wildfires) is gone for now… we’re grateful that we had some rain in the last few days.
This photo was taken two weeks ago when it was still hazy. My husband and I are leaving for Japan to see our newest grandchild. I hope I’m able to resume my blog when I get back though I just would like to say to all my readers ‘Thank you’ You’re truly my inspiration.

Beef Bulgogi 불고기

Homey Korean Dish

The popular bulgogi dish is super easy – chop, marinate and sauté! My recipe is probably a cutting-corner version…since I do not wish to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen…and it is too hot to go out to eat…actually, I’m anxious to see the next episode of Korean drama…which I’m addicted to. I love ‘romantic/comedy’ genre. My all –time favorite drama is Secret Garden…Rooftop Prince is really cute too…

Anyway, I just want to say this is 정말 맛있는 (really good), 진짜! (really).

Ingredients and Instruction for 4 servings (Print Recipe Here)

• 1 pound (about) thinly sliced beef, chopped for easy consumption  Note: I used some a little thicker than sukiyaki beef for texture.
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1-2 stalks of green onion minced
• 3 cloves of garlics minced
• 1 Tablespoon of ginger juice (grate ginger root then squeeze the pulp to get juice).
• 4 Tablespoons sake
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon (less or more) cayenne pepper powder
• 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 of large onion, 1/2 inch sliced
• 6-10 stalks of garlic chives cut in 3 inches length.
• 1 package shimeji mushroom, cut off 1/2 inch of bottom end and separate in small sections  Note: I used seafood  mushroom which looks like large enoki mushroom.
• 1 Tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

1. Combine beef and sugar. This is supposed to tenderize the meat. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix well green onion, garlic, ginger juice, sake, soy sauce, cayenne pepper powder and sesame oil. Add sugared meat and massage to coat, marinate for at least 30 minutes. Add one teaspoon of sugar or honey for intensified sweetness if you like.
3. Add onion and mushroom to the beef bowl and combine well with your gloved hand. Marinate for an additional 20 minutes.
4. Heat skillet at low-medium heat. Dump the whole contents of the bowl from #3 in and sauté until meat changes color and the onion is tender. Add garlic chives and continue to sauté until garlic chives are wilted a little. Lastly, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and combine quickly. Serve hot with cooked rice. 맛있게 드세요! (bon appétit).
   
   

Following Day….I made Yakisoba with  bulgogi sauce left in the pan.

Chocolate covered strawberries are an Independence Day TAPAS instagram post (#todaystapas).  Cute , right?

Some tapas posts are sensible low-calorie, vegan, gluten free…the bean thread noodle salad (春雨のサラダ) with myoga(Japanese ginger), sweet bell pepper, cucumber, tangy soy –vinaigrette dressing. Loving the bowl!

Crown of the garden….just one so far…compact but nice! The artichoke is finally ready for us to enjoy!

What! July already? June must have made a giant leap away…

Angel Hair Pasta Salad

Quick Main Pasta Dish for warmer weather

Hello Microsoft and Google people, please fix the ‘Live Writer’ program fast! Unable to post my blog since last week,  ‘Copy and Paste’ approach is not so cool! I thought the smart people who work there can all straighten up the problem in the matter of couple hours but….really?

The temperature was pushing upper-80’s last weekend, we turn on the air-conditioning rather than endure…The month of May’s hasty departure, I wasn’t ready for…a basket full of clean clothing ready to be folded…three days ago…in my defense, visiting sick friends take priority. I hope they like this weather appropriate light meal…even though it doesn’t look pretty in a plastic container.

Ingredients and Instruction for 3-4 servings (Print Recipe Here)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, white balsamic preferred if you have it.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 peppers, I used yellow, thinly sliced…to bring bright color in!
• 10 or more basil leaves thinly sliced
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
• Angel hair pasta, about 3 oz. per person
• Parmigiano reggiano cheese thinly shaved

1. Make dressing - In a medium bowl vigorously whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
   
2. Add tomato, pepper, basil (leave a little bit for garnish) and toss to coat. Chill it in the refrigerator until needed.
   
3. Cook pasta my way - Lay the pasta (break in half if the pasta is too long) in large skillet and barely cover with cold water. Cook the pasta on medium heat, stirring occasionally so that pasta won’t stick together until al dente. Drain water through colander.Set aside.
4. Heat the same pan on medium heat; sauté bacon until it renders the fat and begins to brown, add garlic and cook for a few minutes longer. Note: do not brown garlic. Turn off the heat.
   
5. Bring the drained pasta back in the pan and combine with bacon and garlic.
   .
6. Divide pasta in 4 bowls. Top with chilled vegetables. Don’t forget to spoon over the dressing. Garnish with shaved cheese and basil. Salt and pepper to adjust flavor.
   

Arrangement #1: Add red pepper flakes (about 1/4 teaspoon) in the dressing for accent.

Arrangement #2 If you like lot more green then use salad green mix that comes in a bag.

From the TAPAS (#todaystapas) – Incredibly soft, light yogurt bread dough recipe from a Australian blogger Bake for Happy Kids…my husband made into cinnamon rolls…Fabulous! He took some to his office and got nice reviews…he will make more for the other critics/ foodies.

More of garden jewel – dangling earing like Gumi tree

Although the temperature dropped 20 degrees yesterday, still no complaints here. My sincere prayers are with those affected by terrible weather…

Freedom Curry

Pork Curry

Go big when you are making curry as if you have a family of ten. Consider the three ‘T” benefits of cooking a large portion. The first benefit is taste, although fresh made curry is good, everybody knows that the next day is much better like some magic happened over night. The second T is for time. when you make enough for 3-4 days worth of curry (and taste is still good the third day) it frees up your time for other million things on my to-do list before Christmas. The third T is for… Thank goodness for the supper, just microwave-minutes away! Phew! Christmas super sale is over rated you’d think?

What an awesome store name! Jiyuken (自由軒/Freedom House) curry restaurant in Osaka, Japan since 1910. They serve curry with signature style which combines curry sauce and rice mix together and drops an egg yolk on top. The restaurant scene is as if stuck in Showa era, not at all fancy…I can go there with my comfy sweat on…homey and nostalgic.  I used their original house blend curry powder (photo below) to made super tasty curry sauce…what a difference it makes when you use the right stuff.

I referred to Yoshiharu Doi a celebrity food researcher in Japan, his no -nonsense recipe I applaud. 

Ingredients and Instruction for 4 to 6 servings (Print Recipe Here)

• 400g pork bone in spare lib cut in big chunks
• 300g pork shoulder cut in 1 inch cube
• 2 teaspoons salt plus
• 30g butter
• 2 Tablespoons divided
• 2 medium size onion sliced thin
• 2-3 cloves of garlic grated
• 20g ginger grated
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons curry powder I used close to 3 Tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon red pepper
• 50g tomato ketchup
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more

1. Place all cut meat in large bowl and massage with 2 teaspoons of salt and let rest for 30 minutes
    
2. Melt butter and 1Tablespoon oil in heavy pot at medium heat and put in the sliced onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté  until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Note: onion may stick to the bottom of the pan so scrape off with a wooden spatula as you go, this slightly burnt stuff gives onion a nice color.
   
3. Turn heat to low, put flour in and continue to sauté . Scrape off thin film that develops at the bottom of the pan occasionally. Add curry and red pepper. Add ketchup, sauté well with each addition. about 5 minutes. Set aside
   .
4. In a  large skillet, heat 1Tablespoon oil . Blot dry the meat with paper towel and place in the skillet. Brown meats then add to the pot (#3) and sauté for 2-3 minutes at medium heat. Pour water 1 cup at times, turning the meat frequently. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer at low heat until sauce thickens and meat is tender, and the bone starts to separate from meat.about 1-2 hours. Add more salt if necessary.
   
5. Serve hot over cooked rice. Garnish with sliced almond or parsley (optional).Reheating instruction – you may need to add more water to loosen and  may need to adjust seasoning.

My homemade kabocha / Japanese pumpkin puree was not quite enough to make pumpkin pie… but we had a equally fabulous pumpkin chiffon roll cake.

I was eager to try the donuts muffin I spied on two great bloggers – Bake for Happy kids and Anncoo Journal. Mine with homemade Quincy jam.

My husband’s co-worker handed him some persimmons last week…firm, sweet, zero fat, and no seeds (this variety has transparent seeds?), a perfect snack! 
I read an interesting article about Hashimoto Farm who grows persimmon extensively in Hawaii.

Happy December!