Tuesday, January 22, 2008

MENTAIKO CHAHAN

Today I cooked another version of fried rice! There's a mentaiko (fish egg) left-over in our refrigerator... so I decided to cook it as in mentaiko chahan! Opppsss... nakatsamba na naman yata ako! It really tasted good! Well... the menu is just the same as in my kimchi chahan which I posted last week. Just browse it down ward↓
All I did is that I did not put any meat and kimchi (it's not kimchi chahan anyway!) to my fried rice. I just mixed all together the beaten eggs, steamed rice, garlic, scallions and of course... the main ingredient... the mentaiko! Then I only sprinkled some salt and pepper on it (or maybe you could add a little soysauce too) ... then presto... mentaiko chahan desu! I topped it with broccoli baby leaves and I tried nori too... they're both good!
Bon apettit!

Monday, January 21, 2008

It's snowing...

... in Niigata City ! Last week, Sachan sent me and his pappie some photos from her campus posing in snow with her classmates... maybe?!
Here's Sachan and mates wasting time at school

Sachan wasting time taking picture of this snow man!

Sachan wasting more time taking picture of the campus!

Sachan with her mates not studying!

Does Sachan ever study this winter? Well... it's only a joke! Kung sumakay kayo... kayo na rin ang ... hmmm...up to you!

Geee... it's really cold lately... I thought it'll gonna snow yesterday... too bad, it only rains 'til today...

Mental Feng Shui

Here's some points for each of us to ponder. Hoping this works for us! ONE... Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO... Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE... Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR... When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE... When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX... Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN... Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT... Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE... Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN... In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN... Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE... Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN... When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN... Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN... Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN... When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN... Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions...

EIGHTEEN... Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN... When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY... Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE... Spend some time alone.

Peace to all!

This inspirational thought was forwarded by uncle Jo this morning. It's kinda interesting so I decided to post and share this to everyone...
If there's light in the soul,
There will be beauty in the person.

If there's beauty in the person,
There will be harmony in the house.

If there's harmony in the house,
There will be order in the nation.

If there's order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.

Peace (^-^)v

Monday, January 14, 2008

KIMCHI CHAHAN

Winter vacation is over! School started last week already so Sachan went back to Niigata City. I was worried to Sachan's left-over kimchi which she left to our ref at home. So I attempted to cook some food related to it. I end up cooking Kimchi Chahan and whoeee... it turned out sooo tasty! How I wish Sachan have tasted it! Anyway, here's the picture of my original kimchi chahan with recipe and procedures on how I cooked it. I runned out of pork so I used sausage instead. I garnished it with NORI from Korea! Hoping Sachan will try to cook this one... she's trying to learn cooking anyway!
Ingredients:
(Good for 3 people)
* 2 china bowl of steamed rice
*2 eggs
*half of negi (scallions), chopped
*1 cup of kimchi
*niku bara (pork plate) or sausage (bacon or spam also count)-- 150g, cut in small pieces
*minced garlic-- 1 teaspoon
*salt, pepper
*sesame oil-- 2 tablespoon
*nori (dried laver seaweeds)-- optional
***
Cooking procedures:
*Mix beaten eggs and rice together in a bowl. Set aside.
* Heat the fry pan. Add sesame oil.
*Add minced garlic, stir it fast for about 10 seconds
*Add the pork or sausage and stir until half cooked.
* Put them in a bowl and set aside for a while.
*Put in the used fry pan the beaten eggs and rice in the bowl. Stir constantly.
* Add the kimchi and negi. Then add the fried pork or sausage. Mix them all together throughly.
*Add pepper and salt.
* Serve it on a plate and garnish it with NORI!
Done! (^-^)d

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

New Year's gathering of Phil NAKAMA

The New Year's gathering or SHIN NEN KAI of our kababayan's voluntary group, the Philippine NAKAMA was held last Sunday, 6th at U-bou Karaoke in Koyamachi. It was well attended by the members and the party was a blast.
Our program started with uncle Jo's greetings as our leader, kampai then followed by salo-salo.
After that, we had a general meetings. We started by asking everyone to say some words or greetings. It's funny to think that no matter how talkative we are in private... most of the members seems to be so shy to talk in public! Next ... our free time---and the Karaoke time! Maritess Yasuhara lead as the main performer followed by uncle Jo who had a couple of duet with her. Aba... nakipag-duet din pala ako with Maritess ng"That's What Friends are for". Nilabas ko rin ang aking tinatago at ibinalik ko rin po agad sa loob ng aking bayong! Mahirap ng ma-expose palagi at baka lalong mahasa eh dumami na naman ang aking offer... ngeeeh! S'yempre di nagpahuli ang ibang members. Olive and Amie also sung... while nakiagaw eksena naman ang other girls thru some dances! If Marites T. , Lilia and Amie dance daring... well... di nagpahuli ang two Power Ranger na sina Dang and Marissa! Sayang, Sarah missed her group... she's still ill that time pooh! Wait... Liza said she'll gonna sing... did she?!
Lastly... we played jack'en poy games. Everyone struggled to make the play-offs and win some prizes! Some members who joined the party!
↑It's nice to have Arakawa sensei around. Thanks be to God that he is finally recovered from his operation in his liver.  Some appointed advisers like Ishigami san did not make it to come because his mother had just passed away last December while Kishibata san have some important monkey (?) business to attend.
May this 2008 blessed Phil NAKAMA group to be more closer to each other, peaceful and successful in every activities we'll gonna take. May we continue to help promote the Philippines here in Shizuoka, learn more about daily living in Japan, be of service with the community and able to support more financially poor JFC in the Philippines and may all our present scholars shows effort to study hard para di naman sayang ang tulong din namin!
I know that everyone are always busy like me but I hope they'll continue to find time, effort, understanding and devotion to volunteer with our activities especially on special occasion.
More power to all of us!
This is Sachan and the little lady Rei chan!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

New Year's visit to Sengen Shrine

It is a tradition here in Japan to visit a shrine during New Year to pray for a happy and bright year. This year, we visited Sengen Shrine last Saturday, January 5th--- a bit late to avoid crowded worshippers and visitors. After tossing some coins to the offeratory box and pulling the cord hanging in front, then clap about twice... Sachan with papie prayed for their good luck! ↓I draw for my fortune...my fortune is printed to this paper... it is a tradition to tie it on a branch of tree for good luck!
Shrine maidens blessing some amulets or charms like arrows.Special arrows as charms to protect the happiness of the worshippers.It's year of the rat... Papie's year!
A year for hard work, activity and renewal. Like this event, there are so many food and other unique stalls inside the shrines!
OISHISO~... IKA DA! Different animation masks Sengen Shrine gate
After the visit, we walked downtown and we had lunch in Crossroad at Nakajimaya building in Koyamachi.
It's a buffet lunch!The lady in red!We ate a lot this New Year vacation... no wonder why we all gain a lot too!

Thursday, January 03, 2008

A New Year visit to kuya Ernie!

Here we are again... nilusob na naman ng Phil NAKAMA group ang Home KIZUNA to visit Kuya Ernie for New Year's greeting. Dang seems to be so touch when we visited kuya last Christmas... so she encouraged everyone of us to really visit him this year. Actually, we also promised kuya Ernie that we'll be back to him this New Year. We did not set any specific date... just biglaan visit lang! So...even I still have some things to do, I adjusted my sched in order to be with the group that will visit him. Mahirap na... kapapasok pa lang ng New Year... I should keep my promises.  Nope...that's not a resolution for me... but logical! (^-^)b
Kuya Ernie was so happy to see everyone especially Maria. Well, they were actually very close during those Elfin years! Sa madaling salita, marami silang pinagsamahan! Touch din kami sa kanilang crying scenes! The group headed by uncle Jo rendered some gospel songs for Kuya Ernie.Syempre di nagpahuli ang Power Rangers. They rendered some hilarious dances! The staff offered us some drinks and snacks... baligtad yata?! Well, according to them... everyone at HOME's were actually glad when someone visits them. ↓We've been friends for almost 20 years... and here we are now...nothing change except physically!!! hehehe! See you again kuya Ernie!

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After our visitation... we went to Karaoke U-bou for the confirmation of our reservation room for Phil NAKAMA's Shinnenkai on Jan 6th. Dang and I already ordered some foods for the event.
Then, I invited Kuya Jo, Dang and Marissa to drop-by to Neri's home to get the kiwi fruits that she wants to share to the group. Since this is another promise not to be broken... hala... lusob na naman kami sa Hattori!
Neri and her husband gave us many kiwi that they harvest from their garden... and we shared it to other friends. It's not ripe yet but Mr. Harada taught us to mix an apple with the kiwis in order to ripen it and it will smells sweet too. Interesting uhhh!

To Neri and family... itsumo arigatou!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Goodbye 2007, Hello 2008!

It's hard enough to believe that a year has already gone by. As I look back to the beginning of 2007, I'm really surprised at how much has happened in just a year.
2007 has been good and interesting for me like Sachan entered to University, I travelled and dated a lot, Japan adopted me-- actually, 'got my Japanese citizenship, I met old and new friends, I got additional works and not to forget... I stay healthy even I am gaining! There might be times that 2007 made my days so pressured with different activities and financially wise... my earnings was not in good flows! But still I am thankful that I always survived everything.
I'm looking forward to 2008 for another bright and fruitful years!
Well, as in Japanese traditions, we end up the years eating noodles called toshikoshi soba or buckwheat noodles for passing the year---Here's lola, my mom in-law eating toshikoshi soba↓
Many Japanese gather with their families on New Year's Eve to watch the Red and White Song Festival ( Kohaku uta gassen ) broadcast by the national television station, NHK. This year, I only watched the main event... the last part to be exact. The white team won!
I am also busy sending and replying mails and phone calls greetings. I also phoned to my family in the Philippines and it's surprising to hear that my sis Emily made Chicken Macaroni for New Year's eve! Sana hindi sumakit ang tiyan ng mga kumain! hehehe!!!
She sent me some photos thru emails about their New Year's eve happenings in the Philippines...↓here's the kids Emil and Kricel preparing their fireworks!

The next day... New Year's day, I woke up late already!
I prepared our traditional New Year's dishes and cooked Ozoni--
Our Osechi Ryouri with Ozoni soup↓Traditionally, our family gathered together to celebrate the New Year's day Akemashite Omedetou! Lucky enjoyed her New Year meal too!Sarah with Yuta dropped by at home to eat Ozoni and we handed in their Otoshidama too! By the way... thanks to Sarah's Menudo and Maja Blanca that she gave me this New Year's eve. It reminds me the Philippine taste of New Year! ↓To sum it up... I'd say that I totally spent my New Year at home as in NESHOGATSU, which literally translates as sleeping through the New Years. I spent my New Year's quietly sleeping and lying around the house. Partly, updating this blog and watching DVDs.
We scheduled to visit the shrine on Saturday, Jan 5.
Happy New Year everyone! May 2008 bring you great success, fun and peace (^-^)v

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By the way... here's a treat for myself. Sachan downloaded some music from the internet and she needed a device like i-pod to save her musics so that we could connect it to my car and we can listen into it while driving. Well... I got interested to the idea so I was forced to buy this Sony walkman! No regret anyway... I can also save my fav photos and videos in it!