Blue Apron Kahn Family Pork and Miso Ramen →

ORDER YOUR BLUE APRON BY NOON ON MAY 31ST TO GET OUR KAHN FAMILY PORK AND MISO RAMEN! Send me an email at epjoishii@gmail.com and I'll send you a free voucher to try! If you get a chance to order it for the week of June 5th, we hope you enjoy it!

This past August we entered the Blue Apron Kids Cooking Camp Contest and WON a trip for our whole family to go to NYC and help the Blue Apron team create a recipe! We had so much fun, week after week, following the rules of the contest and submitting our posts on Instagram. Here are some of our favorite posts:

WE HAD TO MAKE HOME MADE WHIPPED CREAM AND HOLD IT OVER OUR HEAD!

WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT OUR FAVORITE SUMMERTIME INGREDIENT AND HOW WE USE IT.

WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR FAMILY DOES TO HELP OUT WITH MEALS.

WE HAD TO CORE LETTUCE, DE-STEM KALE, PEEL A CARROT AND SOME GARLIC.

WE HAD TO PLANT SOME PEA SHOOTS AND WATCH THEM GROW!

When we got the email from Blue Apron telling us we won, we were beyond thrilled. They arranged to fly us to NYC, put us up in a hotel and take us to their secret Blue Apron test kitchen where we would create a recipe with them. We had such a fun time seeing where they keep all of their many spices and ingredients, learning about their recipe creation process (how they are limited to 10 ingredients and 10 steps or less) and watching the photographer take pictures of the final recipe.

We had decided ahead of time that we would work on a ramen recipe. What was most challenging was the limitation of ingredients and steps. I really feel like the final result is one that gives depth and flavor in a short amount of time. I also had a new respect for Blue Apron and the recipes it sends me, knowing that they always have to follow the parameters of 10 ingredients or less and only 10 steps or less. Given those limitations, don't expect the best ramen you've ever had - but this is pretty darn good. Here's the description right from Blue Apron...

This summery take on ramen was developed in collaboration with the Kahn family of San Francisco, Calif., winners of the 2016 Blue Apron Kids Cooking Camp. A satisfying, earthy broth gets its savory flavor from three ingredients: miso paste, dried shiitakes, and kombu—a type of dried seaweed with a delicately briny flavor. It's the perfect base for fresh, springy ramen noodles topped with seasonal asparagus, cooked to retain its tender bite. Sweet-tart marinated cucumber, served on the side, adds a refreshing crunch to the dish.

Scroll through to see the epic day with had creating Pork and Miso Ramen with the Blue Apron team!

My Japanese Candy Box Review and Contest!

I'm doing some consulting work for a subscription box company and in my research stumbled upon a website for all kinds of subscription boxes. This one caught my attention. It's called japancandybox.com and you guessed it, every month based on the subscription plan you choose - they'll send you a super cool box filled with interesting, delicious and unique Japanese treats.  Each box has 8-10 different candies or snacks and it's FREE SHIPPING. They run about $20 a box (unless you opt for 6 months or more and then it's discounted) but the value is definitely more than that. I'm hooked. 

It was so fun getting my box and opening it with my kids. Can you imagine their excitement when I told them we HAD to try each of the candies and they had to tell me what they thought of each one?  Let me show you what we found inside. SO FUN! 

Maggie and her friend Emma after we opening the box! 

Here's what the May box came with along with our feedback:

Kracie Popin Cooking Ramen DIY Kit - The coolest thing ever. We made ramen out of a kit and it all tasted like candy - gummy, sweet, lemony gooey candy. Not super edible but really fun to make. And yes, that is a tiny tiny bowl of ramen with fake egg and kamaboko on top and yes, those are mini dumplings filled with a sugar confetti candy bits. Delicious and kind of serendipitous given I wrote a book on ramen!  

Bourbon Fettucine Peach Gummies - Our favorite. Sour, tangy, sugary peachy, just delicious and shaped like fettucine noodles. Those Japanese, so creative! 

Shin Chan Ramune Candies - You know the Japanese soda in a glass bottle with the marble on top that you can't get out?  So these taste like little ramune jawbreakers. Funny packaging with a boy pulling his pants down from behind. Those Japanese, so crazy! 

Coris Shari To Puru Gum - Packed with flavor, tart apple flavored gum with a jelly filling.  My personal favorite because of the delicious apple flavor. 

Meiji Wata Pachi Ramune Gum - Tasted like ramune soda flavored fizzy cotton candy. Unique and not like any gum we've had before - it fizzed in your mouth and slowly turned into gum - weird but good! 

Doraemon Green Tea Chocolate - Cute Japanese Anime character Doraemon with strong green tea and chocolate flavor encased in a light crispy wafer. A bit dry but very flavorful. 

GyoGyoGyo Taste Changing Gum -Cool because you could break apart different flavors in little segments and combine them to make combined flavors. 

Tohato Yokai Watch Caramel Corn - Butterscotch caramel corn, crunchy and sweet - as if Pirate Booty and Caramel Corn had a baby. 

Tohato Kotsubu Breano Pea Snacks - Pea flavored, crunchy a little lacking in flavor but seemed pretty healthy. Reminded us of those snap pea crisps. 

Glico Calpico Mini Ice Cream Snack - A sweet chocolate filling inside a light and sweet wafer. Simple but yum. 

Ryan and Ellie were beyond thrilled when they came home to a tasting table of Japanese treats. And all of this BEFORE dinner...made their day!

Ellie said, "This is awesome!" 

Japancandybox.com also gave me a contest to run for one of you lucky peeps to win a free box of candy so enter now for a chance to WIN! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tonkotsu Ramen Soup Base

The Tonkotsu Base is the holy grail of ramen soup bases, and this recipe follows the traditional recipe I learned to make from Sensei Miyajima Rikisai at the Miyajima Ramen School in Osaka, Japan. Tonkotsu, known as “white soup,” comes from two different regions in Japan. This version comes from the Kanto region of Tokyo. It uses a double-soup method, where two separate broths are combined right before serving, making a more complex and flavorful soup. Once you master the Tonkotsu Base, you’ve basically made Tonkotsu, Shio and Shoyu Bases in one go, so it will be worth your hard work!

Serves 10
Prep time: 4 hours, plus time to make Chashu
Equipment: 30-quart pressure cooker (always read and follow the instructions provided with your
pressure cooker before you start)
Make in Advance:
Chashu - recipe found here

Ingredients:
Seabura (boiled pork back fat)
11⁄2 lbs (700 g) pork back fat
Water, to cover

Tonkotsu Soup
1⁄2 lb (225 g) chicken feet, cleaned, extra skin removed and
nails cut off (approximately 6 feet)
8–10 lbs (3.6–4.5 kg) pork knuckles/trotters, pounded with
a mallet to release marrow
1 lb (455 g) potatoes, unpeeled and sliced in big chunks
5 qts (4.7 L) water

Shiodare (salt flavor component)
1 large rectangular piece kombu (about 10 inches/25 cm long),
cut into large squares
1 large or 2 small dried shiitake mushrooms, crumbled
1 qt (946 ml) water
2 tbsp bonito flakes
11⁄2 cups (300 g) baby clams
1⁄2 cup (140 g) salt

Shoyudare (soy sauce flavor component)
Equal parts Shiodare and Chashu Braising Liquid (do not assemble until ready to use)

Directions:

1. Before cooking, you must have the Chashu with its braising liquid on hand to use later.

2. Start making the Seabura: Place the pork back fat in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 4 hours, uncovered.

3. Start making the Tonkotsu Soup: In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the chicken feet,       drain, and then add them to the pressure cooker along with the pork knuckles or trotters and the potatoes. Cover with up to 5 quarts (4.7 L) water, making sure the total volume of water and food combined does not exceed half of the pot.

4. Leave your pressure regulator weight off of the vent pipe. Turn heat to high until steam flows from the vent pipe (this may take up to 20 minutes) and continue to let vent for 10 minutes more to get all of the air out. Maintain high heat setting and place your pressure regulator weight on. Start timing your cooking when the regulator weight begins to jiggle or rock. It may appear as if it is leaking, but this is normal. Regulate the heat so that the weight only jiggles 1–4 times per minute. Start the timer and cook for 1 hour.

5. Start making the Shiodare: In a medium-sized pot, bring the kombu, shiitake, and 4 cups (950 ml) water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the kombu and shiitake and put the soup into a clean medium-sized pot.

6. Return this drained soup to the stove, add the bonito flakes, and heat to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the bonito flakes and put soup into your other empty pot, pressing the flakes to release all their liquid.

7. Return this drained soup to the stove and add the clams, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the clams and put soup into your other empty pot. Add almost all the salt and whisk in. Note that the salt to soup ratio should be 20 percent, resulting in a very salty soup base or Shiodare. To be exact, before adding your salt, pour the soup into a quart measure and multiply by 20 percent to get the exact salt to add.

8. After 1 hour, take the pressure cooker off the heat and allow the pressure gauge to return to 0 before gently removing the cover. Push down the pork bones to get the bone fat out and make the soup creamier and thicker. Cook on a medium low heat with the cover off for about 1 hour longer, mixing periodically.

9. Directly into your serving bowls, add 1 tablespoon braising liquid and 1 tablespoon Shiodare per serving.

10. Drain and remove the pork back fat that has been simmering. Cut the strips into smaller 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Into a medium-sized bowl, take a large-holed sieve and push a couple of pieces at a time through the sieve so that you see it come thorugh the other side in small little bits. Repeat until all pieces are pushed through. Your Seabura is ready. Set aside.

11. Strain all of the solids from the Tonkotsu soup in the pressure cooker and transfer the soup to a separate pan and keep warm. Right before serving, crank it up to a boil.

12. Start boiling your water for your noodles and have all of your other components ready. When the noodles are nearly ready, assemble your bowls by adding 1 cup (235 ml) of piping hot Tonkotsu soup to each of your prepared bowls of Shoyudare (Step 9) and 1 tablespoon of the Seabura (Step 10) to each serving portion, then add your noodles and place the sliced Chashu on top along with desired toppings. Congratulations, you've done it. Slurp, swallow, enjoy, repeat.

Shio Ramen Soup Base

This recipe starts off with the same components as my Miso Ramen Soup Base but I’ve added fresh and dried shitake mushrooms to give it added depth. It also incorporates the nice fatty flavor of bacon fat.  I experimented with different types of salt for this recipe to see which came through the best. I chose fleur de sel because I liked the earthiness that it added without it being overwhelmingly salty and it helps keep the taste of the soup lingering on the palate.  You can make your own original recipe with any special salt you have on hand.

Shio Ramen Soup Base

Serves: up to 12 servings

Prep time: 45 minutes for making Shio Base, 15 minutes for making broth plus time required to make Ramen Noodles (optional) and topping

Shio Base Ingredients:

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

½ onion, peeled, large dice

3 green onions, white part only, chopped

½ apple, peeled, seeded, and chopped  

1 celery stalk, large dice

3 cloves garlic,

5 fresh shitake mushrooms

1/2 cup bacon fat*

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 teaspoons dashi granules (Japanese stock)

2 tablespoons fleur de sel

Broth ingredients:

Unsalted butter ( 2 tbsp per serving)

low sodium chicken or vegetable stock (2 cups per serving)

Mirin (Japanese rice wine) (2 tbsp per serving)

1 large rectangular piece of kombu (about 10” length) – cut into large squares (1 square per serving)

dried shitake mushrooms, crumbled (2 mushrooms per serving)

salt as the miso base is very salty.

These components need to be made ahead of time:

Ramen Noodles – See recipe for Homemade Ramen Noodles

Chashu and Marinated Half-Cooked Egg - See Chashu and Marinated-Half Cooked Egg recipe

Recommended Toppings:

negi or green onions, fresh spinach, chashu (pork belly), marinated half-cooked egg, garnish with nori (seaweed) square(s).

*  you can omit the bacon fat if you don’t have any but we wouldn’t recommend it. Next time  

   you are cooking bacon in the morning, simply save your fat in a container and refrigerate it! 

Directions:

1.  In a food processor combine the carrot, onion, green onion, apple, celery, garlic and fresh shitake mushrooms and process until very finely chopped, almost like a paste. It's better to use a food processor, but if you don't have one, finely chop these ingredients by hand.

2.  In a medium size pot, warm the bacon fat and sesame oil over medium high heat. Add the finely chopped vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and apple is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the dashi and fleur de sel and mix well.

3.  Start making your broth by adding butter to a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat.  Once the butter starts to brown and smells nutty, add the stock, mirin, kombu and crumbled dried shitake mushrooms.  Bring to a boil reduce to simmer, and cook for for at least 15 minutes, then remove solids with a sieve.

4. While the broth is simmering, place a pot of water to boil for your noodles.

5. Add the Shio Base to the broth (depending on the number of people you are serving, it's 3 tablespoons Shio Base to every 1 cup of broth). Lower heat and let simmer until it's ready to serve. Use about 2 cups soup per serving. Right before serving, crank the heat back up to boil.

6.  When the noodles are cooked, drain well and separate out into serving bowls. Pour two cups of your soup over each bowl of noodles and add your desired toppings.

Shoyu Ramen Soup Base

With this recipe, I’ve slow-cooked oxtail sections within my broth in a good slow cooker, which helps render the fat from the bones without having to constantly stir. You could also make this in a crock pot, large Dutch oven, or heavy-duty pot. The oxtail adds a meaty goodness and complexity to the fat component that complements the soy sauce. You’ll have to go to an Asian market to find dashi, or Japanese stock, which comes in granular form—there are many varieties to choose from, so just make sure to pick one that has bonito sh as the primary ingredient. It’s also important to have dried shiitake mushrooms, as they’ll give a more intense avor to the soup than fresh ones. The nal soup will taste overly salty, but when the noodles are added in, they will soak up the sauce and balance it out.

4 tbsp bacon fat (optional but recommended)
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into large dice 1⁄2 onion, peeled and cut into large dice
3 green onions, cut into thirds
1 apple, cored and quartered (with skin on)
2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
5 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, broken up into small pieces 1 whole organic chicken
4 medium oxtail sections, roughly 2 inches (5 cm) long
1 lemon, quartered
2 qts (2.2 L) low-sodium chicken stock
3⁄4 cup (175 ml) high-grade soy sauce
4 tsp dashi granules (Japanese stock)
2 tbsp salt
1⁄2 tsp white pepper
1 bay leaf

1. In a crock pot, slow cooker, large Dutch oven or heavy-duty pot, combine the bacon fat, carrots, onion, green onions, apple, celery, garlic, and dried shiitake mushrooms.

2. Add the whole chicken, oxtails, and lemon, then pour over the chicken stock, followed by the soy sauce, dashi, salt, pepper, and bay leaf—the stock should almost cover the chicken.

3. Set the crock pot or slow cooker to high and let cook for 10 hours. If using a large Dutch oven or pot, bring to a boil over a high heat and set in an oven preheated to 200F (90C) for 8–10 hours. When the oxtail meat easily falls off the bone, your soup is done.

4. With a slotted spoon, remove all of the larger solids and discard. Strain the remaining solids with a finer sieve into a large pot. You should have a light brown, glossy, and fat-rich soup. At this point the stock can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for 1 month.

5. In a separate saucepan, bring the Shoyu Base to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer until it’s ready to serve. Right before serving, crank it back up to a boil.

6. Pour 2 cups soup (475 ml) over each bowl of noodles. Top each bowl with desired toppings.

Shoyu Ramen Soup Base

Ramen Tour of Tokyo →

Ramen Tour of Tokyo

Want to try the real deal in Tokyo, Japan?  My colleague Brian MacDuckston from ramenadventures chaperoned us to these six ramenya’s.  I’d highly recommend them for a nice well-rounded tour to experience the different types of ramen available in Tokyo. 

Most Tokyo ramenyas have very minimal seating, with seats at a bar and no waiting area. The chef is always present and is typically only accompanied by one or two apprentices, depending on the size of the shop. It’s quiet. The Japanese like to face the chef and eat without talking or socializing. It is the same at sporting or concert events in Japan, people stand side-by-side but there isn’t much interaction as they enjoy the show. It is their way of showing respect to the performer, and at a ramenya, to the master and his expertise. 

Customers respect the line and wait without complaining, no looking at their phones or talking too much. They place their order and pay at a small ticket machine at the front of the shop, make a line outside and sometimes line up along the wall in the back of the restaurant as their turn draws closer. When a seat opens up, they are prompted. You sit down quickly, hand over your ticket, and wait for your ramen. Within minutes, the bowl is presented on a raised bar in front of you. They dig into their ramen, and finish within 15 minutes. With a polite “gochisosama”, they exit and the next person sits. This efficient system keeps the line moving quickly. 

Some ramenyas are set up in more of a restaurant style with a waiter, a menu, and proper drink service. You are welcome to stay longer at these establishments but my advice is to show respect and do as others do. Eat, enjoy and get out. You can talk later.  

1.    Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, Master Onishi-san

東京都豊島区巣鴨1-14-1

Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Sugamo 1-14-1

Closest station: Sugamo

Open 11:00-16:00

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Don't let the name confuse you.  "Soba" translates to noodles, so this is a ramen shop, not the traditional "soba" noodles you are thinking of. This was our first ramen stop in Tokyo and probably the most formal of all of the ramenya’s we went to.  It had a long line at 11AM, it was the first time we used the ticket machine to place an order, and everyone was quiet as a mouse, except for the slurping of course.  We were advised by Brian to only take pictures of the ramen but to do this very quickly.  Our bowls were placed on the raised bar and it was as if we were paying homage by reaching for it with both hands and placing it in front of us to consume. My traveling partner and photographer for the trip, Andi and I each shared the Shoyu and Shio varieties and thought they were divine.  The soup wasn’t too heavy so we were able to finish them both, the egg filled with liquid gold and just enough negi (green onion) and chashu. The Shio version had a delicious green pesto type topping that I think was made with anoriko, a powdered seaweed.

2. LaShowHan, Master Okada-san

東京都千代田区神田錦町 1-4-8

Tokyo, Chioda-ku, Kanda Nishikicho 1-4-8

Closest station: Ogawamachi

Open 11:00-15:00, 17:30-20:00

Saturdays 11:00-14:00, 17:30-20:00

Closed Sundays

This was my first taste of tantanmen, a Japanese adaptation of a Szechwan style spicy noodle dish known as Dan Dan noodles. I don’t tend to like super spicy food, but the Premium Si Chuan Style bowl was not too overpowering and the sansho chili pepper gave it a earthy, lemon taste that just slightly numbed my tongue. I loved that it was served mazemen style (or without soup) so that the spices and the sauce were folded into every bite. I was just as fond of the owner, Master Okada-san. It’s also not a strict sit, eat and get out establishment, which was refreshing! 

3. Mensho Tokyo, Master Shono-san

Address: Yubinbango112-0003 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Kasuga 1-15-9 1F Closest Station: Kasuga

Hours 11AM – 3PM and 5PM -11PM

Closed Tuesdays

Web: http://menya-shono.com/tokyo/access/

I ordered the Shoyu-Niboshitare Tonkotsu Ramen with a side of tender lamb.  The tonkotsu is cooked with pork and lamb bones with a lamb chashu and the most interesting prep of menma in long strips to top it off.  My favorite part was Master Shono-san’s signature spice mix of ground cinnamon, cumin, and fennel seeds that was provided in a shaker at the table. The décor and ambience are cool and casual - he has a chandelier made out of Niboshi or dried infant sardines in the front of the restaurant. He also has 5 other ramen shops in Tokyo with one US location in San Francisco

4. Fuunji, Master Miyake-san

Address: Hokuto first 2-14-3 1F, Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Closest station: Shinjuku

Hours 11AM – 3PM and 5PM – 9PM

Open Monday - Saturday

I read about this place on ramenadventures.com before my trip and was so excited to taste their tsukemen, or dipping noodles with Brian himself.  Unfortunately, he had another appt to go to but he made sure we purchased the right ticket at the machine in the back and ushered us in. It was worth the wait - a complex and layered chicken-bone soup with deep fish flavors and an intensity that made every noodle laden bite satisfying. Brian would later tell me that the soup is actually a tori paitan, with chicken bones cooked in the same way you would pork bones for a similar soup. It is then added to a 2nd fish soup to give it that smoky flavor.  This was the first place we’d been to where the line continued to the back of the bar where everyone watched over the customers in anticipation as seats would free up and our line would slowly move ahead.  The master was super serious, very concentrated and intently involved in his preparation for us.  I was mesmerized.

5. Tsukomo, Master Takahashi-san

Address: Hongoku Build. 1F, 1-1-36

Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Closest station: Ebisu

Hours 11AM – 5AM

Open everyday

This ramenya is famous for its Cheese Miso Tonkotsu Ramen. A special type of local artisan cheese called Golden Gouda is incorporated into the soup and also piled high on top. It’s shaved to almost a powder form right at the bar so it sinks and melts into the soup to give you a rich, thick satisfying meal. You won’t be hungry an hour or five later. 

6. Usagi Shokudo, Master Mori-san

Address: Aobadai 1-30-12 Meguro-ku,Tokyo Closest station: Naka-Meguro

Open 11:30AM to 10PM

Closed Mondays

They serve tori paitan here which is ramen with a creamy chicken soup. There are only two menu items and they were out of one so we ordered the torishiroramen - their signature creamy chicken soup with a shiodare.  There were delicate pieces of perfectly tender chicken and thin fried onions and shredded negi (Japanese green onion) on top with a crispy piece of garlic toast and some sweet minced garlic on the side.  It was a graceful dish and very well orchestrated.  The restaurant is more upscale in a seated restaurant style space.  The line here took a little longer because of this but it was well worth the wait. They were voted best rookie tori paitan by Tokyo Ramen of the Year magazine in 2014, deservedly so.  

Basic Ramen Toppings

It's time to make Ramen Toppings!  Don't try to do this all in 1 day - follow my step by step process for an easier way to make ramen at home.

Step 1: Make Miso Ramen Soup Base - keeping in mind there are 3 other basic soups I will show you later:

Shio - salt based, Shoyu - soy sauce based, and Tonkotsu - pork bone based

Step 2:  Make Homemade Ramen Noodles or buy fresh ones at the store

Step 3: Make Ramen Toppings

Here's a list of basic ramen toppings that you use at your discretion at any time along with those that require some time to make.  There's no hard and fast rule for what to top your ramen with, but what's most traditional are negi or Japanese green onion (use what's available to you), a half-cooked egg, chashu (braised pork), menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), sweet corn, kamaboko (Japanese fish cake) and roasted nori (seaweed).  In Japan, toppings as well as soup bases vary by region but here in America, anything goes.  I'll start by giving you the recipes for Chashu, Kakuni, Menma, Eggs 3 Ways and Roasting Nori.  Have fun and add what you like to make your own unique variation!

• Basic Condiments: white pepper, shoyu (soy sauce), shichimi-togarashi (mixed chili pepper spice), chili paste, fresh garlic, vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, curry powder
• Basic Toppings - negi (green onion), sweet corn, parsley, butter, onions, kimchee, yuzu citrus, bean sprouts, spinach, ginger, mushrooms (shitake, kirurage), and kamaboko (Japanese fish cake)
• Topping that require recipes -
  • Chashu (braised pork) – sweet, Chinese style
  • Kakuni (slow cooked pork belly cut into cubes and braised)
  • Menma (seasoned bamboo shoots)
  • Eggs 3 ways
    • Marinated half-cooked eggs
    • Poached eggs
    • Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)
  • Roasted Nori (seaweed)
  • Beni Shoga (pickled ginger)
  • Mayu (black garlic oil)
  • Roasted garlic butter
  • Miso butter
  • Garlic chips
  • Fried onion
  • Fried string potatoes

Roasted Nori

Roasted Nori (Seaweed) Makes as much as you need

Prep time: 2 minutes

These days you can find roasted and flavored seaweed in grocery stores, coffee shops, even vending machines.  I prefer to roast my own because I feel like some of the varieties out there are too oily or aren't crunchy enough for me.  If you purchase a pack of seaweed made for sushi in big sheets, you can roast these over an open gas flame in seconds.  If you do it this way, I promise you'll never go back to those instant packs because these are crispier, tastier and you can make much more for your money.  Use this for topping your ramen or eating with rice as a healthy snack.

Ingredients:

Japanese nori (seaweed) in sheets

cooking spray or sesame oil

Directions:

1. Spray both sides of each sheet of seaweed with cooking spray or take a folded paper towel with some sesame oil on it to apply.
2. Over a low flame on a gas stove, gently waft the seaweed back and forth on both sides until the seaweed crisps up.
3. Set the finished roasted seaweed sheets on a paper towel and repeat with additional sheets
4. Sprinkle each sheet with sea salt and stack them about 4 or 5 high
5. Cut into fourths with a sharp chef's knife or with kitchen shears

Here's a short tutorial video on how it's done! http://youtu.be/4nbZ4g3wFCM

Eggs Three Ways for Ramen

On my culinary adventure to seek out the best bowls of ramen at proper ramenya’s, one thing remained consistent - high quality bowls were topped with a perfect half-cooked egg: a centered bright yolk the color of a gleaming sunset - just barely cooked, resulting in a thick liquid center that oozes all over your ramen with whites that are smooth as silk, springy but still firm, with no trace of grey or pale yellow anywhere. A perfect egg completes a bowl…but who has time to be perfect? My friend Robin can’t stand a runny yoke, I get it. So make your egg(s) the way you like them: half-cooked, fully-cooked, poached, raw, Japanese omelet style. Here are the recipes for three different egg options to suit your egg-fancy.

Ajitsuke Tamago (Marinated Half-Cooked Egg)

I try to save time when it comes to cooking in my house, so this recipe is actually two.  The ingredients I use to soak my half-cooked eggs in are the same as my mom’s recipe for teriyaki sauce. If you want to skip the teriyaki sauce step entirely, then that’s fine too.  The other short cut – if you are making or plan to make Chashu or Kakuni, then you can use the braising liquid left over to soak your eggs in vs. making the teriyaki sauce below. This would be the preferred method. See recipe for Chashu and Kakuni here. 

Makes 6 eggs and 2 cups teriyaki sauce or use reserved chashu marinade

Prep time: 1 hour prep, 2 days to marinate

Ingredients:

6 eggs at room temperature **

½ cup bonito fish flakes

Teriyaki Sauce:

1 cup shoyu (soy sauce)

1 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons ginger, grated *

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

½  cup mirin (sweet rice wine)

*  A simple way to grate ginger is to freeze it and use a microplane or Japanese ginger grater.  No need to remove the skin. Ginger must be frozen for at least 6 hours.  

** Poke a pin sized hole in the bottom of the egg to help easily remove the peel. Bring eggs to an even temperature in a warm water bath for 5 minutes.

Directions:

1.    In a medium saucepan over high heat, whisk together the shoyu, sugar, ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan. Once the mixture starts bubbling and the sugar melts, remove from the heat. Make sure it doesn’t bubble over. Stir in the mirin and cool to room temperature or refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  

2.    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. With a slotted spoon or a Chinese strainer, gently add the eggs to the boiling water, and immediately set a timer for 6 ½ minutes.   

3.    While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice-bath for your eggs. And when the eggs are done, immediately transfer them to the ice bath.

4.    Let the eggs cool in the ice-bath for about 10 minutes, remove the eggs and peel them.

5.    In a container shallow enough so that the eggs can be covered in liquid, combine 3 cups water and 1 cup teriyaki sauce or 1 cup Chashu liquid. Add your eggs, put a paper towel over the eggs and cover the paper towel with bonito fish flakes. The weight of the paper towel will help marinate the eggs on all sides and the bonito will flavor the eggs. Let marinate and refrigerate for 2 days.

6.    Remove the eggs from their soaking liquid, and cut in half with a very sharp knife.  You’ll end up with a beautiful half-cooked egg filled with liquid-gold goodness, ready to complete any ramen recipe! 

Poached Eggs

Poached eggs aren’t as labor intensive as marinated half-cooked eggs and their runny center provides an instant sauce to swirl into ramen soup. Cook them ahead of time and when your other ramen components are ready to assemble, just warm the poached egges in the ramen cooking water for 10 seconds before slicing and gently transferring to the bowl.   

Makes as many eggs as you need

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Eggs

Water

A dash of white vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:

1.    Fill a medium-sized pot with about 1½ inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat.. Add white vinegar or lemon juice. This will help the eggs to coagulate quicker and reduce the amount of feathering around the edges, but don’t add too much or the eggs will taste sour. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce to just above a simmer.

2.    Crack an egg into a small ramekin or cup.  If poaching more than one egg,  prepare up to 3 ramekins at a time.

3.    Gently slide the eggs into the simmering water.  Take care not to crowd the pan. I don’t recommend cooking more than three at a time.

4.    Cook the eggs until the whites are opaque, about 3 ½ minutes.

5.    With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked eggs to a paper towel to drain.  If not using immediately, store in a water bath in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. 

Japanese Omelet – Tamagoyaki

If you can get your hands on a Japanase Tamagoyaki frying pan, you’ll make a much more visually appealing omelet.  If you don’t have one, a regular frying pan will work but you won’t achieve the same uniform rectangular shape that distinguishes this omelet.

Makes enough for 4 portions of ramen

Prep time: 10 minutes  

Ingredients:

1 green onion, chopped

3 eggs

1 teaspoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

vegetable oil (use spray oil to make it easier to coat the pan between each layer of egg.

 Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs with the green onion, shoyu, sugar and salt until foamy.

1.    In a medium skillet over  medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon vegetable oil into a rectangular tamagoyaki frying pan. Add a tiny bit of egg to the pan. If it sizzles on contact, the pan is sufficiently hot. Add about ¼ of the egg mixture to the pan and tilt the pan so that the egg mixture covers the bottom in thin even layer.  The egg will start cooking quickly so you’ll need to move fast.  

2.    With chopsticks, gently roll the egg mixture tightly towards you from the part of the pan furthest from the handle until it resembles an omelet.

3.    Quickly add a little more oil to the exposed part of the pan.

4.    Pour another ¼ cup of the egg mixture into the pan, lifting up the cooked portion to get some egg underneath it to cook.

5.    Roll the egg mixture away from you this time as it combines and attaches to the rest of the egg layer.  Nudge it to the back to the front of the pan, where you started before.

6.    Repeat two more times until you’ve used all of the egg, the omelet will obviously increase in size with each layer.

7.    Roll the omelet out of the pan and you should have a rectangular shaped block with your layers of egg.  Let cool and slice vertically before serving.  

Menma, Seasoned Bamboo Shoots

This is a pretty standard topping for ramen but I think there is a world of difference between eating fresh bamboo and canned. If you can’t find fresh bamboo, then I would recommend forgo using this topping. For the dashi stock, you can find packets of dashi at Asian markets. Most come in packets where you would use one packet for every 2 cups of water  

Menma (Seasoned Bamboo Shoots) 

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh bamboo shoots

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cups dashi stock

1 tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1 tablespoon sake

2 teapoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cut bamboo shoots in half lengthwise and julienne into thin strips.
2. In a large sauté pan heat sesame oil, stock, shoyu, sake, sugar, and salt and combine. Set to medium high.
3. Add bamboo shoots.
4. Heat uncovered until bamboo soaks up most of the liquid, about 20 minutes.

Chashu (Braised Pork) and Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly)

Chashu is one of the most popular toppings found atop ramen. It can vary in flavor, size, fat content – one ramenya might serve three thick, juicy pieces, another might give you two wafer thin slices the size of half your bowl.

Its origin, just like ramen, stems from the Chinese Char-siu, roasted or barbequed pork. You may recognize Chinese Char-siu by its signature red exterior and lean meat, but Japanese Chashu is completely different. It’s not red, has more fat and tenderness, and is typically braised rather than barbequed.  Braising calls for cooking it in liquid at low heat until the tough collagen in the meat breaks down. The result is a melt-in-your mouth, porktastic experience.  Chashu can be made from different cuts of pork and is traditionally tied so that it can be sliced into rounds. 

Kakuni is also pork but literally means “square simmered”.  It’s cooked in fashion similar to Chashu but but the pork is cut into squares before they are braised.

If you are making either Chashu or Kakuni, save the reserved braising liquid. It’s like liquid gold. Use the liquid for marinating half-cooked eggs or for combining with Shiodare (See Tonkotsu Ramen recipe) to make a very basic Shoyu Ramen Base.

Chashu (Braised Pork) and Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly)

Serves: 4-6 portions, depending on size of portion

Prep time: 3 hours cooking time and prep plus overnight to soak

Ingredients:

Chashu – 2 pound slab of pork shoulder or other part with fat, cut into 4-5 inch wide long strips, rolled up into a nice round bundle and trussed with cooking string to keep its shape

OR

Kakuni - 1 pound boneless pork belly, cut into large squares  

2 ½ quarts or 10 cups water  

1 quart or 4 ¼ cups dark shoyu (soy sauce

2 ½ cups of sugar

3/4 cup of mirin (sweet rice wine)

1 clove garlic

1 green onion, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, grated 

Directions:

1.    Combine the water, shoyu, sugar, mirin, garlic, onion, ginger and pork in a large pot over high heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until pork is tender, about four hours. Skim any scum that floats to the surface.  

2.    Remove pork from liquid.  Insert a medium thick wooden skewer into the center the of meat. If it comes out clean, the pork is done.

3..    When you are ready to use, take the pork out of the liquid. Save the liquid for marinating half-cooked eggs or adding to your Shoyu Ramen Base.  Do not throw this away!  Let the pork rest for at least 2 hours or overnight in the braising liquid in the refrigerator to make it easier to slice.  The latter is the preferred method as the pork will continue to soak up the juices.

4.    Saute your sliced pork in a skillet for about 1-2 minutes to render the fat and make the slices crispy before placing on top of ramen. The Chashu should be cut into ¼ inch rounds and the Kakuni can be cut into smaller cubes.  Use as many slices as you’d like to serve on your ramen, typical amounts vary from 1 to 3 slices.  

Homemade Ramen Noodles

So, by now I think you’re discovering that making ramen from scratch is a pretty intensive process. If you're following my steps to making it a bit easier, you've tackled Step 1 - making the miso ramen base for the soup.

Remember, miso ramen is just 1 of the 4 main soup bases for ramen. There are still 3 other soup bases to learn about (shio, shoyu and tonkotsu) but at least you're on your way to making a good bowl of the miso variety.  The others, we'll move onto after I show you how to complete your first bowl. Being a mom of 3 kids doesn’t lend itself to making fresh noodles every time I make ramen, so I reserve this for when I need to keep my pasta machine from rusting and get my kiddos in the kitchen to help. Otherwise, I'll use a ramen substitute like getting freshly made ramen at a local asian market or venturing to Japan Town in San Francisco to buy them fresh from one of the many markets there. You could even use a package of dry instant ramen noodles and throw the seasoning packet out but as with anything, fresh is better.  

My advice for Step 2 - making homemade ramen noodles is to take a weekend day to get these done ahead of time and then freeze them in individual portions (for up to a month). Then when you are ready to use them, it won’t feel like you’ve slaved away in a kitchen all day.  Plus you should have already made your miso base so you're almost there!

You do need a pasta machine and it’s super helpful to have an electric mixer with a dough hook, unless you want to develop Popeye forearms. Pasta machines all have a similar notched number system for the width of noodle so you will be fine using the widths I recommend in this recipe.

If you do decide to venture down the homemade noodle path, then know this. A perfect noodle has a yellowy hue, is cooked on the al dente side and has a chewy, elastic yet firm texture that will hold up to the soup without turning limp or soggy.

Homemade Ramen Noodles

Serves: 8 portions

Prep time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups bread flour

½ cup cake flour

1 cup wheat flour

2 teaspoons ‘baked baking soda’, recipe included below or kansui powder

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

corn starch

·      if you are hand kneeding, change water to 1 1/2 cups 

First you need to make some ‘baked baking soda’. This replaces a Japanese ingredient known as ‘kansui’ that gives ramen noodles their signature yellowy hue and firmness but is often difficult to find. Harold McGee, the king of kitchen science, discovered that by baking baking soda, you could get the same affect as the kansui. Spread about 1/4 cup of baking soda on a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven at 275 degrees for 1 hour. You can save the remainder in a ziplock bag as this recipe only calls for 2 teaspoons. Just fold up your tinfoil to make it easier to put in a storage bag.

Directions:

1.  In a small bowl, combine the baked baking soda or kansui powder and water until it dissolves. 

2.  In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread, cake and wheat flours, kansui water and salt.  Mix for 10 minutes on the lowest speed until the dough forms little pellets. If you need to, add up to 5 additional teaspoons of water. The dough is ready when it feels dry but will come together when squeezed with your hand. 

3.  Pour the dough out onto a floured board and kneed into a ball for at least 10 minutes.  Alternatively, you can put your dough in a plastic zip lock bag and form it into a ball so that it is easier to bring together and knead. 

4. When you are ready to make your pasta, set up your pasta machine so that it is stable and won’t slip from your work surface.

5. Cut your dough ball into 8 equal pieces (in half, then in quarters) and use one piece at a time, keeping the rest wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or sealed in your zip lock bag. 

6.  Roll out one piece until it resembles a flat, long shape.  Sprinkle with some cornstarch so it doesn’t stick to the pasta maker.

7.  Pass it through your pasta machine on the largest setting – it will be a bit rough on the edges but don’t worry about how it looks.  Fold it over on itself and pass it again.

8.  Reduce the width to 2 and pass through. Fold it over on itself and pass it again. 

9.  Reduce the width to 4 and pass through once. You’ll have one long strip that you can then cut in half.

10. Reduce the width to 6 and pass through one of the halves twice. Repeat with the other half. 

11.  Now you are ready to run it them through the noodle cutter attachment.

12. The two strips will yield enough noodles for 1 bowl of ramen. Sprinkle each batch of noodles with additional cornstarch, lifting up the noodles to separate and lightly coat them, then pack them individually in plastic wrap.  Let sit for at least a day before using. If planning to use later, put them in individual zip lock bags and store in the freezer for up to one month.  

13. Cook fresh pasta in a pot of boiling water. Depending on the number of portions, cook for 1-2 minutes. Shake out all excess water and lay a portion in your bowl of hot soup by folding them over onto each other so they do not look messy. Then add toppings. 

Miso Ramen Soup Base - みそラーメン

I'm so excited to share my Miso Ramen recipe with you! Just so you know, there are four main types of ramen soup bases - Miso (Fermented Soybean Based), Shio (Salt Based), Shoyu (Soy Sauce Based) and Tonkotsu (Pork Bone Based). The first recipe I'd like to share is for my Miso Ramen - but I want us to do this gradually so that you don't get intimidated by the ramen process. The recipe itself is pretty easy but in order to make a complete bowl of ramen, you'll have to do it in stages instead of tackling this all in one day.  So, I'm having you start with a basic soup base, then I'll give you the recipe for fresh ramen noodles, then we can move on to some toppings.  At the end of our ramen introduction, it won't seem so difficult if we take it step by step.  You will be rewarded when we put it all together for a super-duper-delicious-awesome bowl of ramen! After that we can move on to the other soup bases and lots more variations of ramen to turn you into a ramen fanatic!

Before you do anything - your going to need bacon fat or grease - so fry up some bacon for breakfast and save that fat in a jar. You'll only need 4 tbsp so you should have plenty. Save the rest for later.

Here we go....

Miso Ramen Soup Base

Serves 1-10 portions

Prep time: 45 minutes only for making Miso Base, time to make noodles and toppings is additional

Miso Ramen originates from Hokkaido in Northern Japan. Winter’s are severe there, so it’s no wonder that the comfort and warmth of a good Miso Ramen is a daily staple.

I developed my variation of miso ramen with the idea of creating a super flavorful base that you can have anytime by just adding a cup of vegetable or chicken stock to. The result is the convenience of having a one-person portion or a meal for many – all according to the base to stock ratio. Whether you're taking it to work for yourself or preparing a family meal, it will be worth the labor because once you make it, it’s practically instant. The ramen base can be saved for up to a week in the refrigerator or frozen for a month.

Miso Base Ingredients:

1 medium carrot, peeled, large dice

½ onion, peeled, large dice

½ apple, stemmed, seeded, peeled and large dice

1 celery stalk, large dice

3 garlic cloves

½ cup bacon fat*

2  tablespoons sesame oil, split – use separately

1 ½ cups ground pork

2 teaspoons fresh ground ginger **

1 teaspoon Sriracha

2 tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1 teaspoon kelp granules

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground sesame seed paste (if you do not have this, then omit) 

¾ cup Shiro miso (white miso which is lighter and sweeter)

¾ cup Akamiso miso (red miso is darker and saltier)

Chicken stock or Vegetable Stock – store bought or homemade *** 2 cups per serving based on the number of servings. 

* you can omit the bacon fat if you don’t have any but we wouldn’t recommend it. Next time you are cooking bacon in the morning, simply save your fat in a container and refrigerate it!  

** a trick to grating ginger: freeze your ginger in pieces with the skin on and take it out of the freezer right before you are ready to grate it.  No need to peel the skin off, it is edible. You can find a Japanese ginger grater online or in any Asian cooking store.

*** I recommend using a low-sodium chicken stock. If you are making your stock from scratch, do not add excessive salt as the miso base is very salty.

These components need to be made ahead of time:

Ramen Noodles – See Homemade Ramen Noodles recipe

Chashu and Marinated Half-Cooked Egg - See Chashu and Marinated-Half Cooked Egg recipe

Recommended Toppings:

Negi (green onions), sweet corn, chashu (pork belly), butter, half-cooked egg, garnish with nori (seaweed) square.

Directions:

1. It is recommended to use a food processor but if you don’t have one, you can finely chop. Add carrot, onion, apple, and celery to a food processor. Pulse into a fine chop.

2. Add bacon fat and 1 tbsp of sesame oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the finely chopped mixture above and cook until onions are translucent and apple is tender, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 minutes.  When done, turn down to simmer until you are ready to add pork. 

3. Turn heat to medium-low. Next add your ground pork to the cooked vegetable mixture and cook the pork, about 5 minutes until no longer pink. Stir in the ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, kelp granules, apple-cider vinegar, and salt. Incorporate well.

4.  Return the entire mixture to the food processor and pulse until pork is finely ground.  Return to your skillet. 

5. Add your miso to the ground pork mixture and mix well.  It should have the consistency of a thick paste. Your base is done, remove from heat and set aside.

6. Place a pot of water to boil for your noodles. In a separate saucepan, bring Miso Base and broth to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer until it’s ready to serve. Note: It’s 3 tablespoons base to every 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth. Use about 2 cups soup per serving. Right before serving, crank it back up to boil. 

7. Boil the noodles—if fresh, boil for about 1 minute; if packaged, boil for about 2 minutes. As soon as they’re done, drain well and separate into serving bowls.

8. Pour 2 cups soup over each bowl of noodles. Top each bowl with desired toppings. 

Simple Teriyaki Sauce

Back to basics. This one's an oldy but a goody!

Pan Fried Trout with Soy Sauce and Lemon

I've grown up in a fishing family so this recipe isn't really a recipe to me - it's just the way we eat our trout.  I would say we aren't exactly sport fisherman because we don't like to catch and release.  When you are fishing with our family the goal is to catch fish (no matter what size) and go back home to cook it up and eat it that night, in true hunter form.  We normally eat it with fluffy gohan (Japanese rice) and nori (seaweed) but I've made it here with a nice healthy arugula and watermelon salad with roasted brussels sprouts.  

The trick to this recipe is all in how you fillet the fish after it's cooked.  It's super simple and you'll be amazed at how easy the bones come out.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized trout - ask your fish monger to descale it for you as the skin is edible - or catch it yourself and gut it and descale it, it's fun!

flour

salt and pepper

lemon

soy sauce (low sodium preferred)

Directions:

Wash and pat dry the whole trout, inside and out.  Salt and pepper both sides of the fish.  Lightly coat the fish with flour, just sprinkle it all over and rub it in - this is to get that crispy skin.  Heat a saucepan with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil or cooking fat of choice.  Make sure the pan is big enough to hold your fish from head to tail.  When the pan is heated well, add the trout and you'll immediately hear it sizzling.  Don't move the trout or it will stick to the bottom of the pan. Depending on the size of the fish, cook until one side is a nice dark golden brown - in most cases it will take about 5 minutes.  Flip it over with a spatula, making sure not to let the skin stick to the pan.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Make sure the fish is cooked through by checking for any real pink areas inside the fish cavity.

Remove the fish from the pan and set on a cutting board to rest.  When the fish is still warm but not too hot, use a chopstick on the underside of the fish from the tail and start pulling it apart while pulling up on the tail.  The bones should come up very easily. If it isn't easy, the fish probably isn't cooked enough.  Then, flip it over and do the same on the other side. Voila, you'll have one filleted fish in about 1 minute. Here's a video on how it's done.

[wpvideo GzAtgMSp]

My husband isn't a fan of the skin, so I easily remove it for him and sprinkle some sea salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of soy sauce over the fish.  It's the easiest way to prepare and doesn't over power the clean freshness of the trout. You could leave the skin on if people prefer as it should be crispy and delicious.  Serve it with a salad for a good protein and veggie fix or with Japanese rice, roasted seaweed and some steamed broccoli with a bit of sesame oil.  Here's how to roast your own seaweed, it's easy peasy - http://youtu.be/4nbZ4g3wFCM

Patriotic Berry Jello!

This super simple Berry Jello recipe is really great for any time of year but with the vibrant red color of the raspberry jello and the blackberries and blueberries, it makes for a perfect 4th of July or Memorial Day festive dish. I also love the it has a very light sour cream based topping instead of a sweeter whipped cream.  The sour cream is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the jello. The recipe comes from my cousin Leanne who has since passed this on to our whole family. It's our go-to side that adults love and kids keep coming back for more.  

Berry Jello

Ingredients:

1 6 oz box of raspberry jello

2 cups boiling hot water

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 can crushed pineapple

1 bag of frozen berries (preferably the raspberry/strawberry/blackberry mix)

Topping

1 pint sour cream

1 tbsp sugar

fresh berries to garnish

Directions:

Dissolve jello in hot waiter.  Add fruit and stir. Chill to set. Mix sugar and sour cream together until smooth (just mix it right in the container). Spread sour cream over top in an even layer. Garnish with fresh berries or for a patriotic touch, make a flag out of fresh blueberries and cut up strawberries!

Easy-peasy Bento Box ideas!

You don't need a bento box to make these lunches but I got these at Planet Box and love them because their super eco-friendly. All I have to do is give them a quick wash and dry. Plus they keep each of the food compartments nice and tight so food doesn't touch or spill onto each other.  I make my lunches the night before (except when cutting up certain fruits like apples that will brown, adding things that are frozen or if I need to heat something up).  It saves me time in the morning because we're always rushing out the door.  My kids also don't care for the traditional sandwich and are restricted from anything with peanuts at school, which makes it a challenge for me to come up with new and interesting ideas. Enjoy these and please share some of yours!  

Monday - Tip, everything doesn't have to be from scratch!

Mini croissant ham sandwich (with nothing else so it doesn't get soggy)

Sliced sharp cheddar cheese

Fruit medley of raspberries, honeydew and cantaloupe

Cucumber spears and edamame

A Yakult - probiotic yogurt (I swear this keeps them from getting sick)

A thin mint cookie to start off the week with a little treat

Tuesday  - Tip, re-use left overs!

Pesto pasta and little pigs in a blanket (left over from dinner last night)

I make my own pesto and refrigerate it for weeks. I'm a big fan of Ina Garten's recipe because she uses walnuts and pine nuts and I think it gives it a richer flavor - recipe here

Cut up watermelon

Half a frozen greek yogurt (which I'll add in the a.m. so it's nice and cold come lunch)

Cheesy crunchy kale chips (that I bought from Whole Foods) If you want to make your own, they aren't that difficult and I love anything from nom nom paleo - recipe here

Wednesday - Tip, make food fun and colorful!

Ham and cream cheese roll-ups

Cucumber discs

String cheese octopus and multigrain cracker - to make the octopus, just cut a string cheese in half and make a cross in the bottom with a knife and split through in half to make 8 tentacles.

Grapes and blackberries

Thursday - Tip, I try my best to include all the basic food groups - at least one protein, diary, fruit, veggie and a carb. As I'm rifling through my fridge, it makes it easy to add stuff if you think this way!

Beef teriyaki (left over from last night's dinner - recipe here)

Onigiri and Crispy Nori - Rice balls and seaweed (you can make these easy or just put in some rice with a fork and they can scoop them into the seaweed - recipe here

Peas Mandarin orange and frozen blackberries (I add the frozen ones in the morning for a cold treat)

Cottage Cheese with honey (just make sure you cover this portion with aluminum well so that it doesn't spill all over the place and don't forget a fork!

Friday - Tip, don't waste any of your strawberries again by hulling them. I can't live without my strawberry huller because we eat them ALL the time. http://bit.ly/strawberrygenius

Again, since my kids aren't fans of sandwiches, I'm always trying to think outside the box. Baby quiche are such an easy way to give them protein - I just microwave or toast them in morning and wrap them up in foil so they stay warm.

Yogurt I just add to their bag because it won't fit in the bento box.

2 Ham and 2 spinach baby quiche

Crinkle carrot chips (from the grocery store already sliced)

Hulled strawberries

Granola and Yogurt (in love with Liberte USA Brand and Noosa)

So there you have it - one week of real lunches I made for my kids.  Here's a list of other great things you can put in your kids lunch boxes if you need ideas!

Proteins/Carbs - Deli meat roll-ups with creamed cheese - using lavash or Flat Out bread - cream cheese is better than mayo if you make it ahead of time as it won't get the bread all soggy. Deli meat and just cheese roll ups (no bread).  Deli meat, chicken salad or egg salad sandwiches with pitta bread. Mini croissant sandwiches - no mayo or mustard so they don't get soggy.  Hawaiian bread sandwiches - most kids love the sweetness of this bread. Nut butter and jam sandwiches. Nut butter on a waffle. Sandwich on a stick - intermix deli meat cubes, cheese, cherry tomatoes and bread. Pita and hummus. Mini quiches. Leftover protein like meat or chicken. Nori (seaweed) squares with rice or onigiri (rice balls). Boiled eggs. Pigs in a blanket. Grilled cheese with meat. Quesadilla with chicken. Bagel with creamed cheese and deli meat or pizza bagels. Octopus hotdogs - learn how here http://youtu.be/qw9MWkjHCnE. Salami stacks with cheese and crackers

Fruits (here's some ideas aside from normal whole fruit) - Frozen berries or grapes. Mandarin oranges from a can.  Dried mango - vs fresh mango which is time consuming to cut. Any other dried fruit like dried cranberries or raisins.  Applesauce.

Veggies - Cucumber spears or discs. Crinkle carrot chips. Baby carrots. Frozen corn.  Kale chips. Edamame. Snap peas. Sweet peppers. Broccoli or green beans- cold broccoli is actually really good - just don't overcook your greens, keep it crisp after steaming by giving it an ice water bath to stop the cooking and keep it bright green!

Dairy - Danoninos. String cheese. Cut up cheese squares. Yogurt pops or yogurt parfait with granola. Yakult probiotic yogurt drink - boosts the kids immune system and keeps your kids from getting sick. BabyBel cheeses - you can make them look super cute too - link here - Laughing Cow cheese triangles. Cottage cheese and honey. American cheese slices.

Carbs/Snacks Pesto pasta with any pasta shape. Tortellini with butter and parmesan. Tortilla chips and cheese. Granola. Pretzels. Popcorn. PIrate Booty .Graham crackers. Banana bread or zuchinni mini muffins. Pirate Booty, SnapPea Crisps, Goldfish, Cheezits or Cheerios - although I try to avoid any processed foods.

BBQ Beef Tenderloin Teriyaki with Arugula, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Asian Pear and Avocado Salad

We don't often have red meat so when we do, I like to splurge and buy a really good beef tenderloin.  I'm a stickler for not over cooking mine so my husband Dave has learned that rare means "almost walking". The teriyaki sauce for this tender beef tenderloin is something I always have in the fridge, ready to drown or marinate on any meat or poultry.  We've also been on a Paleo kick so I made a really hearty salad for this on the side and love the crunchiness of the brussel sprouts combined with the sweetness of the apples. The dressing comes from my mom's Chinese Chicken Salad dressing that I make a double recipe of and store in the refrigerator as well. It's all from scratch but won't take half the time if you already have the teriyaki sauce and the dressing ready to go. Teriyaki Sauce

Here's my recipe for a simple teriyaki sauce that you can keep in your refrigerator for weeks (if it lasts that long!) - [embed]http://wp.me/p1L4Tl-N[/embed]

BBQ Beef Tenderloin Teriyaki 

Ingredients:

2-3 beef tenderloin steaks

1-2 tbsp good olive oil

salt and pepper

flour

Directions:

Heat BBQ to high about 375 degrees.  Sprinkle salt & freshly cracked pepper on both sides of your tenderloin.  Drizzle with olive oil on both sides to coat. Sprinkle with flour on both sides. Don't season too early as the salt will draw out the meat juices and make the steaks soggy. It's a common myth to let steaks come to room temperature first - they should be cold when put on the grill. Put them on the grill and turn the heat down to medium high.

Try to only flip your steaks once if you want a crispy outer crust and don't slice them to see if they are done. The best way to check for doneness is to poke a steak with your finger. A rare steak is soft and squishy; a medium rare steak is yielding; medium is gently yielding; medium-well is firm; and well-done is hard and springy.

Take your steaks off of the grill when they've reached the desired tenderness you'd like. Allow the steak to rest for a juicier steak.

I love these steak myths that you should read if you have the time -  [embed]http://lifehacker.com/5571192/seven-myths-about-grilling-a-steak[/embed]

After the steak has rested, slice up the steak into thin pieces, spoon over some delicious and warm teriyaki sauce and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the top for garnish. Ready to serve!

Arugula, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Asian Pear and Avocado Salad 

I like to put this salad together right before serving so the lettuce doesn't wilt too much from the warmth of the brussel sprouts and the brussel sprouts stay nice and crispy.  Dress right before serving as well.

Ingredients:

1 bag of organic arugula (washed and damped dry)

1 small bag of whole brussel sprouts

1 avocado

1/2 asian pear or fuji apple

2 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

Dressing:

I use the same dressing I make with my Chinese Chicken salad except that I add a little balsamic vinegar to give it a little extra tang.  Either way, the dressing is great on any salad.  Here's the recipe.

Directions:

Heat an oven 400 degrees.  After cutting the tough tip off, slice each brussel sprout into thin slices. Lay on an aluminum lined pan.  Drizzle some olive oil and salt and pepper over the sprouts and toss them to incorporate. Lay out evenly on your pan but don't crowd. Make sure they can bake separated without touching one another. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, tossing in between until you get crispy, crunchy pieces. don't be afraid to char them a bit.  While your brussel sprouts are cooking, julienne 1/2 of a fuji apple.

In a medium salad bowl, add your arugula, your toasty brussel sprouts, apple and cut up avocado.  Dress right before serving.  I served mine with a roasted sweet potato as well. Deelish!

Onigiri and Roasted Seaweed, the Perfect Anytime-Snack!

Are you familiar with those shaped rice balls that are sometimes filled with pickled Japanese plum (umeboshi), meat, fish or vegetables and are covered with seaweed at the Japanese grocery stores? If you don't know what these perfect little snacks on-the-go are, they're called onigiri (おにぎり) or o-musubi (おむすび).  They are simple 'gohan' or rice balls rolled into triangle, oval or nigiri shapes and wrapped with 'nori' or seaweed. In Japan, and in most Japanese grocery stores, there is a section for take out onigiri with all kinds of fillings and flavors to please any palate. Onigiri makes rice very portable and easy to eat, which is why they are perfect for picnics or lunches.  They are also a filling snack and what I consider the ideal Japanese comfort food.  I recently made some onigiri and fresh roasted seaweed to take to a Memorial Day picnic and they were gobbled right up by everyone in no time.  I thought I'd share some basics of how to cook rice, how to make onigiri and how to roast seaweed so that everyone can enjoy this delicious and EASY to make combination. Basic Japanese Rice (Gohan - ごはん)

Making Japanese rice is not that difficult but it does require that you use Japanese rice to get the desired stickiness.  Japanese rice is shorter grained and higher in starch content which gives it that sticky consistency.  Japanese rice needs to be washed multiple times to purify the flavor and remove any impurities.  It even comes in a healthy brown rice variety that I actually prefer.  If you can't find Japanese brown rice, regular long grain brown rice from your local grocer will also work - you just have to add more water to give it the sticky consistency that Japanese rice has.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, take the raw rice (anywhere from 2-3 cups depending on how much you want) and put it in a medium to large saucepan.  Gently rinse it with water in the sink by pouring water over the rice until it is covered by about 2 inches of water.  Swirl the rice and water with your hands until the water looks milky. Carefully pour out the milky water and repeat 3 times or until the water runs clear.

Once the water runs clear, cover the rice with water again but do not drain.  The amount of water obviously varies with the amount of rice but here’s a trick that works with any amount.  Cover the rice with enough water so that when you put your thumb to the top of the rice, the water covers your thumb about an inch - don't put too much water or you'll have gummy rice. Let soak for about 15 minutes.

Place the lid on the pan and start cooking the rice on high heat until the water has come to a boil.  Turn the heat down to just above simmer and cook for 30 minutes (brown rice may require more cooking time).  Remove from heat and let steam with the lid on for an additional 15 minutes before serving.  Results should be perfect, fluffy Japanese rice every time!  Alternatively, you can buy a fancy shmancy Japanese rice cooker and do all of the above except for the cooking part. You simply stick the bowl insert back into the cooker and press a button for perfect rice.  Plus, these rice cookers can keep your rice warm for days!

How to Make Onigiri  (お握り or 御握り; おにぎり)

I can make about 50 individual onigiri with 3 cups of cooked rice.  You can use freshly made rice or if you have left over rice, you can rehydrate it by popping it in the microwave with a wet paper towel on top to steam for about 2 minutes.  I prefer the nigiri shaped mold that looks like little rectangle shapes because I don't usually fill my rice with anything, and these are bite sized.

You can purchase these nigiri rice molds and most Asian grocery stores or a Japanese dollar store like 'Daiso'. Online, you can find them here: [embed]http://www.sushinut.com/equipment/nigiri-rice-mold[/embed]

Here's a short video on how I make them.   I use saran wrap on the inside of the mold so that the rice doesn't stick to it.  Out pops a vacuum sealed packet of bite sized rice balls to hand out to my hungry little eaters.

http://youtu.be/rzTD_CDlZ-U

Roasting Nori (Seaweed)

These days you can find roasted and flavored seaweed at every grocery store, even Costco carries them in small snack packs.  I prefer to roast my own because I feel like some of the varieties out there are too oily or aren't crunchy enough for me.  If you purchase a pack of seaweed made for sushi in big sheets, you can roast these over an open gas flame in seconds.  If you do it this way, I promise you'll never go back to those instant packs because these are crispier, tastier and you can make much more for your money.

All you need to do is:

1. Spray both sides of each sheet of seaweed with cooking spray or sesame oil

2. Over a low flame on a gas stove, gently waft the seaweed back and forth on both sides until the seaweed crisps up

3. Set the finished roasted seaweed sheets on a paper towel and repeat with additional sheets

4. Sprinkle each sheet with sea salt and stack them about 4 or 5 high

5. Cut into fourths with a sharp chef's knife or cut into fourths with kitchen shears

Here's a short tutorial video on how it's done!

http://youtu.be/4nbZ4g3wFCM

Enjoy your onigiri with crispy nori squares anytime or make a sushi party of your own by following my blog post here - [embed]http://wp.me/p1L4Tl-2F[/embed]

Delicious Spinach Gomaae!

This recipe for Spinach Gomaae (Sesame Sauce) is super easy.  I love it because you can literally eat an entire bag of spinach in one sitting. The sugar gives it a delicate sweetness and I can't get enough of sesame flavor. I think this recipe turns out best when you grind your own fresh sesame seeds but there are tubes of ground sesame paste available at most Asian grocery stores if you don't have the time.  I also recommend eating this dish chilled vs. warm but it is really delicious either way!  

Ingredients:

1 bag or bunch of organic spinach 2 tbsp of ground or roasted sesame seeds (tubes of ground sesame seed paste available in most Asian grocery stores) 1 tbsp of soy sauce (low sodium preferred) 1 tsp of sugar 3 tbsp of sesame oil

Directions: 1. Combine sesame seeds, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl.  If using roasted sesame seeds, then grind them with a mortar and pestle before adding to the mixture. 2. Wash and stem spinach. If using baby spinach, no need to stem. 3. Saute spinach quickly on high heat so that the spinach does not overcook. To do this:

• Turn burner to high
• Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to a medium saute pan
• Add a medium sized bunch of spinach
• Stir and cook until just wilted
• Remove and set aside
• Cook in batches until done.

4. Combine spinach with sauce and serve.  Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds for garnish.  Alternatively, you can refrigerate and serve chilled.