Keiniku with Kureōru-go Masutādosōsu

Are you as tired of all of the chicken as much as I am? I thought I had a break for a minute with the whole Halibut situation and then what do you know where right back to chicken again. At least I know where I can find it. Keiniku, 鶏肉, Chicken is a universal entrée - everyone eats chicken and I would have to say it is easy to pick out of line up at your local Nakamura (has packages by kg and those wonderful little bite size wings I love) , Lala (has already fried chicken in the deli) or Hotto Motto (has sesame wings and all kinds of friend chicken with rice) and we can't forget KFC (fried chicken yes, mashed potatoes no but they had fried shrimp so thats a plus).  


Gina says chicken is "the House Steak" oh boy is she right when it comes to this recipe. The thing about chicken is its inexpensive and you can make it in many different ways sometimes you can even forget your eating chicken.  


Simple instructions I even let Robert help me.

• Flour chicken
• Fry chicken in a large skillet  (do you know I have a burner just for frying, the flame is higher than the rest and it has this weird this in the middle. I will do research and let you know what its called later)
• Remove chicken in tent with foil
• Add shallots, wine and cream to skillet
• Whisk in Creole Mustard ( I still have no idea if I'm making this right, I just add half horseradish and half mustard)
• Put the chicken back in the skillet and let cook until you can't stand the smell of the food anymore and you just want to eat it out of the pan
• Serve over rice (obviously rice is not hard to find here, the sell in in huge bags like the ones dog food comes in)

The chicken was so juicy and flavorful I didn't even need a knife to cut it up for the kids. And it doesn't taste like mustard just a whole lot of yummy goodness. And it was all done in less than 30 minutes. I say Rachel Ray better look out. =)

Per Chi!!!! ................Just for you Seestore

I'm back and ready to blog with a newly fitted head on my shoulders But before I go on with my usual babbling about my cooking adventures here in Japan I wanted to speak to all and anyone who would listen. About a week in a half ago my loving sister finally gave me a a heavily criticized report about my blog. Which left me wondering many questions and doubting the whole reason I was blogging anyways. She asked me a multitude of questions I ultimately had no answer for. Why this, Why that, Why, WHY, WHY. And it has taken me this long to answer so here it is.


# 1 Per Chi!!! For Whom!!! だれ!!!
Who in the heck knows who I am babbling to. I suppose anyone who is willing to listen....... Remember I am stuck on a completely different Continent away from everyone and anyone that would usually babble to on a regular basis. So if you like to cook, if you have family, are a wife, a mother or maybe none of the above. If your stuck somewhere like me. Then any of those reasons would be a good one to read my blog if not come up with one for yourself. (Not meant to sound the word that rhymes with itchy.)


#2 Why am I blogging?
I assume because it seemed like a good idea at the time when my husband first mentioned it. Now I know it is a lot more work than I originally anticipated. I imagined I could magically create a blog and everyone would love adore and follow me. As if I've been doing this my whole life. sort of like a new chicken in a hen house that got brought it while everyone was sleeping. Obviously that didn't work. But I am trying to make myself interesting and still blog about cooking from my cookbook, because gosh darn I said I would so I am. Even if it takes me forever to figure out how to write so people will understand my mindless babbling.


#3 Speaking of Babbling
I loose my train of thought at times and to know me is to love me. If you get confused you can always ask. Don't you love the nifty little comment section.


#4 To Cook or Not to Cook
Since I've started the cookbook I've probably gained around 10 lbs. So yes to answer my sister I would say the food is a little fattening. But to the cookbooks offense it is also delicious and if I wasn't sitting around all day or driving around all day and actually exercising I probably wouldn't have gained as much. So for my health and for my sister I will use my weights while sitting at the computer. =)


#5 I guess thats all I have to say so for now stay tuned for my next session of mindless comments.

Switching things up

So after a long week away from the computer I have come to realize I don't know exactly who my audience is supposed to be for this blog.

My husband told me to write and thats what I've been doing. So FYI there is a change coming and it will be spectacular. I am rethinking my whole approach and I will have something new for you all in a few.

PS I missed you all while I was away. Talk to you soon.

What a Muddle...........P.S. there is not a word in Japanese that means Halibut

Have you ever tried to make a seasoned butter? Have you done it successfully? We'll I need practice.

I searched high and low from Hario to Main Base, Lala to Nakamura and I couldn't find it? I tried pictures, charades and then I had an idea, why not ask someone who is bilingual. So I did. I asked 3 and they didn't even know what I'm talking about. Finally when I thought all hope was gone and I would have to just skip this recipe, there it was in the freezer on main base Halibut. 

oregano leaves (check), scallion (check), 6 tablespoons of butter (check), neely's bbq seasoning (check), orange zest (check), kosher salt (check) I never knew this existed until I started this cookbook, cayenne pepper (check), EVOO (check), black pepper (check), asparagus (check) and finally Halibut (check).I had everything I needed for this trouble-free dish and the only thing that was holding me up was the asparagus of course not, this was easy I grilled this wonderfully in my fish grill ;-). I wish I would have just given up. But I had to find the stinkin Halibut and that is what I did. 

Now don't get me wrong, the recipe for the halibut was easy as pie, all I had to do was brush the Halibut with the EVOO then salt, pepper and grill for about16 minutes and your done. The Barbecue Butter is where it all went down hill.

They make it sound so effortless in the cookbook combine oregano, scallion, butter at room temperature, seasoning, salt and cayenne. Then transfer to a piece of plastic wrap. This task is not so easy, I tried it with a spatula, a spoon, wooden spoon and finally my mini chopper which in fact did the trick but clearly it is called mini for a reason. Gradually everything began to trickle, leak and finally splatter out. But all the while I finally had my barbecue butter. That had to sit for an hour, before I could use it. I still have some in my freezer, just in case I decide to do this again, I definitely don’t want to re-live the butter making experience.

Pre-Cut Salmon from Nakamura

After I decided to end my search for sake at the commissary I had to brave the big bad elephant store Nakamura and have someone tell me doco (where) sake (salmon) is?  I took my list of things I needed for my next few recipes and translated it to Japanese the best I could between my phrases book and my dictionary. Amazingly it wasn't that hard, I got niwatori  dashijiru  chicken broth, sake salmon,  hachimitsu honey,  komugiko flour,  gyuniku dashijiru beef broth, rikis onions, chizu cheese, kechappu ketchup, miruku milk,  tomagos eggs, budo abura grape oil, and wakegi shallots,   Once it was time to find the sake I couldn’t tell which fish was which. Simply because almost everything from the butcher is pre-cut for you into bite-size and sake was one of them. On the other hand it was easier to prepare.

Question: Do you know what capers are?   Answer: Un-ripened flower buds........

Well that’s what we had for dinner, flower buds and sake it was a whole lot better than I thought it would be. I suppose if you add sugar to anything it would taste pretty amazing but the combination of mustard, black pepper, capers, wine, sugar and butter made this salmon delightful. We will definetly have Spicy Salmon with Mustard and Brown Sugar Glaze again you should try it too?

Feta Cheese, Oh how I love thee...............Grilled Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes, Black Olives and Feta

Feta Cheese- brined curd cheese, made from sheep's milk,   oh how delicious..............Feta Cheese should never be mistaken for Blue Cheese =( I really don't like Blue Cheese. But Feta Cheese really completed this meal; it brought out all of the seasonings and made my pasta salad pop.

Quick and Easy pasta is what this recipe should've been called. Why? because it is. All I had to do was add some olive oil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt to a skillet. Let it cook through so the tomatoes get soft and then sit it to the side. In the between time I boiled 1lb of pasta shells before while I tried to figure out how I could grill my shrimp and zucchini (Again I think, why didn't I pack my George Foreman grill in my Unaccompanied Baggage). 

FYI do not try to grill anything in Hamilton Beach convectional oven , it doesn't do the trick. So far it has worked for everything else, cookies, lasagna, toasting bread….etc. but not to grill. I tried for about and hour and it didn't work instead it made my zucchini kind of flimsy. Then I remembered that we had this wonderful system kitchen here in Japan (meaning 3 burners and a place to bake fish sort of like a broiler under the stoves back in the states). I stuck the zucchini is there and we were grilling! I was so proud that once again I found a way to make this cookbook idea of DH’s work. What a learning experience this is starting to be, things I used to take for granted like an oven, countertop space, garbage disposal and my DISHWASHER!!!! (yes I am still hung up over this). On the other hand I am definitely finding new ways to do the same things. Somewhat stressful at times and might I add highly IRRITATING. Finally it was time to grill the shrimp and the DH came home with the skewers just in time (3 stores later the LaLa, Commissary and finally the NEX gas station). Just so that I could give myself a splinter, don't ask why? even though Ryan got to meet our neighbor to ask her if he could borrow some tweezers. So I suppose it all worked out well =).  

To finish the dinner I just added everything together and tossed in the scallions, olives, lemon zest and parsley and Feta Cheese.  Then you can add salt and pepper to taste. The family ate it up, the kids loved it and the Feta Cheese was the main attraction. DH said he liked this salad more than the Chinese Chicken Salad from Souplantation; and that is a lot for him considering he hates salad as much as I hate brussel sprouts. He liked it so much he took it to work and one of his coworkers said the Feta Cheese smelled like Shi* and DH said Kiss my A**. LOL he does love me doesn’t he =)

My pan won't fit.........Lorine's Lasagna

My Brillant idea! Hefty EZ Foil Pan? Why? Because I needed to make Lasagna tonight and I know what you’re thinking (the secret ingredient is not BBQ sauce). Weren't you getting worn-out by all of the barbecue?

I've made lasagna tons of times and to be evasive I like Emeril’s Lasagna better. All along I went ahead with my goal, to cook my way through the “Down Home with the Neelys, A Family Cookbook” and by George I'm going to. So that's what I did.

Commissary items: Less expensive than regular grocery chains in the states at times, but here in Japan I’m not so sure all the time. They charge you a surcharge fee, I suppose it’s to send American items to Japan and you tip the baggers because their not on payroll. (Oh how I miss my personal shopper from Vons.com) They would  pick up, bag and deliver to my countertop all for free if I spend $150 bucks, in which I did frequently back home.

• Ground Beef 
•  Minced Garlic
• Crushed Tomatoes (I had a coupon B6G1 Free, coupons at the commissary a re good up to 6 months after they expire. I've never been a coupon clipper before but they pre-clip & bag them for you at FFSC)
• Tomato Paste
• Oregano
• Kosher Salt (I had to drive to Hario Base)
• Ground Black Pepper
• Ricotta Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese 
• Cheddar Cheese 
• Lasagna Noodles (they didn't have "no boil" noodles)

LaLa aka Elephant Store: Depending on the yen conversion at the time, prices are reasonable and the vegetables are usually fresher. I just need to learn how to read Japanese :\. The cashier tells you what you’re buying and the price as its rung up item by item. Afterwards the cashier gives you a few bags to do it yourself. (They have no baggersL). Then everyone goes to a little counter and takes apart everything they just brought so they don’t bring home the cartons. Recycling is VERY BIG here.

• medium onion (very fresh veggies Sasebo is a farming city)
• eggs (less expensive off base and bright yellow it kind of makes you think we have fake eggs back in the states)

There really wasn’t anything to tricky to this recipe or you might say I wasn’t able to screw this one up. All you have to do is brown the meat onion and garlic. Then add the tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano. Walla the meat mixture is complete  (salt and pepper to taste). Then you mix together the rest of the ingredients and then you have the clumpy white mixture you see in lasagna. Layering time, meat, noodles white sauce, cheese, and meat now repeat. After all was said and done my pan was full and just as I was ready to insert this wonderful concoction into my conventional oven, My EZ Foil Pan wouldn’t fit (bad idea not picking up a smaller size). It was time to regroup and then I remember it’s made of foil all I had to doo was pinch in the sides a little. My lasagna was a little deformed but overall successful, I got the pan to fit. Yeah Me!