Sukiyaki and Spicy tuna hand roll

Time goes so fast!
2009 year will be over soon.

My college students who live in my house went back to their own family for winter vacation.
Before they go back, I made sukiyaki party for them.
They love sushi, so I made spicy tuna, salmon skin hand roll and broiled pine mackerel with grated white radish as appetizer.

You know, I charge only $6 for dinner to them,
and sushi quality fish are so expensive.
My ingredients fee cost more expensive to these kind of menu.
But I love them, and I love to see them eating with their word "Oisii, Oisii"
mean " Delicious" with Japanese.
They are all international students, and they love to speak Japanese for delicious dishes.

I got a bouquet at my friend's daughter's wedding party as a single lady who can get marry
next time.
I was one of the lady with another 25 young and beautiful single girls.
I screamed to the bride " Here, here I am here, please give to me"

All the guests (120 people) were laughing so much for my action.
I did not care, I really wanted to get the flowers.
The bride threw the bouquet and it was coming to me but,
the bouquet was divided to three small one in the air.
I got one of them and I was so happy to beat another young single girls.

"Life's experiences are different with you guys" I talked to myself.

I hope I can find the man who love to eat Japanese food, 6 feet tall, slender, smart, sweet, wild nice looking, good golf player, and make good money.

I never met my ideal man in America.
If you know somebody who close to my ideal man, please send e mail to me.
May be I can meet my ideal man in next year 2010 !

Have happy new year !

Love

Keiko

Sushi Party

My son came home from new york, so I made my sushi party.
I like to make party anytime and all my friends are beautiful people.
I am keeping friendship with them over 20 years.
Beside with my son in this picture, Marc is 22 years old now,
and he is eating my sushi since he was 3 years old.
I went to Japan with this family in summer time of last year.
We had wonderful vacation together for two weeks in Japan.

Same time, my sister came from Japan.
My son love my sister so much because she always spoil on him.
I was a very strict mother for my son when he was a small boy.
I am a single mother, so I got to teach him with Father's side job too.
Anyway, my sister love to take "Jacuzzi" with my son in my back yard.

I had wonderful time with my friends and my family.
Oh, I made another character bento box with "Pikacyu"

Looks great and delicious!

Love

Keiko

My Sister from Japan

I have a young sister in Japan.
My sister was born when I was 4 and half years old.
She stayed only 7 months inside my Mother's stomach,
and came out to this new world.
She was so hasty baby.

That time in Japan, people got their baby at their own home.
A midwife came to our home and when my sister was born, she told to our family,
"I am so sorry, please give up this baby". My sister was too small to stay in this new world.
She could not suck any milk. My Mom gave some kind of vegetable's root with gauze to her.
My sister was holding the root in side of her small mouth.
After 3 days later, she started to suck some milk.
That was miracle to our family.

My life have been changed 180 degree at age of 4 and half.
My parent's 100% attention went to my sister, I can say "they forgot about me"
I used to put a beautiful ribbon for my hair every morning by my Mom.
My Mom was a fashionable lady, so she enjoyed my hair's decoration like "doll's play".
After my sister's birth, my parent were keep telling to her " Non chan, eat, eat and eat"
"Non chan" is my sister's nick name.

Even 10 years later, my parent knew that my sister was getting too fat.
After15 years later of her birth, her weight was 140lb already.
I always lost for "sumo wrestling" to her.
My parent were so strict for school studying to me and my brother.
But, they never say anything to my sister whenever she got all C or F from her school.
They just said " Non chan, are you hungry?"

My sister has a beautiful heart.
My son learned Japanese language from her.
Because, my son went to Japan for his summer vacation since he was 5years old.
My sister could speak only Japanese to him for 2 months period of summer.
My son had to speak up any Japanese to get some kind of food or drink for himself.

I love my sister.
I could learn so seriously about " my independent life" after her birth.
That way I am still a single Mother even 50 years later.

Oh, my sister is a healthy and chubby lady now.

I hope you can understand about this picture, who is who.
My parent, my brother and my baby sister.
My best friend (she has big eyes) and me.

Love

Thank you.

Keiko

Character bento box

Spider men

In Japan, most house wives make lunch boxes for their small children.
Some wives who have extra time for cooking, they make special
character bento box for their lovely children.

30 years ago, when I saw American children 's lunch box,
I almost fainted away with their menu such as one apple, poor sandwich and a couple cookies.

Even 30 years later, not so much difference with American children' s lunch.
I love to live in America, but one thing I am so happy as a Japanese because we have so much abundant in eating habit and food life.

I would like to do something "revolution" for American children 's eating habit.

I made some character bento boxes for my best friend's grandson.
He opened his eyes and he called " Spider man!"
Inside of rice ball, I put some broiled salmon, so these bento boxes are well balanced dishes.

I will make bento box for my grandchild every days. ( I don't know when my dream come true because my son is still single now)

I really think I am so lucky that I was born as a Japanese in Japan.
Look at these bento boxes. Would you like to try these bento box even you are 30 years old?

Very delicious, healthy (brawn rice) and fun. Super Mario
Please send a email to me, I will cook for you.

www.kagidiet@gmail.com

Love

Keiko

Japanese company's party

Last week, I served my dishes for Japanese company's party.
Vice president (this company have 40,000 employees in Japan)visited L.A for junket.
American president entertained him and all directors to his house.
So, I used his mansion's kitchen and cooked all these dishes.
Everybody were so nervous at beginning of the party, but they relaxed after enjoying cold sakes.
And they started to eat my delicious food, they looks more more happy.
Whenever I saw my customers got happiness with my dishes, I feel strongly "My pleasure of this business"

I love to cook and do my best hospitality to my customers.
I opened my first restaurant when I was 24 years old.
Now I have over 30 years experience.

I love to eat any kind of delicious foods for myself.
Also I need good wine and cold sake for my life.

Love

Keiko

I am all right now

I lost my Mother in last month.
I could not get any spirit since then to my life.

Whenever I was doing something, like washing dishes, reading book, watching the trees of my back yard, unexpectedly my tear came out and start crying like a small child.
I could not control my emotion at all.

I think I am all right now.
So I will start my blog again.

I will show easy "Steamed spinach with sesame sauce" by using microwave.

*Ingredient: 1/2 bunch spinach (cut 1 inch length), 5 cherry tomato (cut into half)

*Sauce: 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds, 2 tsp soy sauce ~ Mix well

*Condiment: Shaved dry bonito

* Direction: Place the spinach on a plate ( place the green leaves under stalks) and wrap it ~
cook for 1 min in microwave and transfer to running cold water ~ rinse with iced
water and squeeze out tightly ~ mix with the sauce mixture and arrange it with
cherry tomato and condiment ~ Enjoy!


Easy and delicious diet dish.

Love

Keiko

My mother went to Heaven

My Mother died on June 17 Th 04:20 AM in Japan.

She was 80 years old.
In my life, I never have this kind of sad experience before.
She was a sweet and beautiful mother for us.

I went back to Japan last summer with my American friend's family.
We had delicious seafood dishes with my Mother in Fukuoka.
She looked so beautiful and healthy for me.
She gave Japanese Yukata kimono, obi, geta (shoes) to my American friend's family.
Whole her life, she always saved her money and spend for somebody else.

Even after 10 days since my Mom died, my tear comes out every days.
I feel like I never laugh again.

I feel emptiness with my heart.
I could not drive my car for 10 days with my body's shaking.
How long do I need to get back to my normal life.

Mothers are special for everybody and we know, we have to say "good- by" to our Mom in someday.

This experience is too painful for me these days.
Please try to do your best to your Mother whenever she is still fine.

I think I did pretty good things to her, but I still feel some kind of "guilty" for her strong love to me.


Love

Keiko

Japanese Miso Soup

Japanese people love miso soup.
When I was small child, my Mom used make miso soup every morning.
We ate hot steamed rice, miso soup and some pickles for breakfast.
For me "miso soup" mean my Mom's warm smile to our family.

Tofu and green onion are popular combination as ingredients for miso soup.
Let me think about another good combination.

*Potato and asparagus/ potato and onion/ cabbage and wakame(soft seaweed)/

*pork and bean sprout/salmon and white radish(thin sliced with quarter round cut)/

*somen noodle and green onion/eggplant and tofu/sliced pork and white radish(bar rectangles cut)

*ham and shitake mushrooms/chicken and shimeji mushroom/turnip and wakame/

And more more combination, I can think about ingredients for miso soup.
I feel so lucky as a Japanese whenever I enjoy delicious miso soup.

Let me show you how to make basic soup stock (dashi soup) for Japanese dishes like miso soup, noodle soup, clear soup and all in one pot soup.
I will show you two ways. "Grand Mom's way" and "Busy Mom's way"

*Grand Mom's way (all natural)

Ingredient--4 inch dried kelp, 1oz Shaved dry bonito, 4 cup Water

Direction--Wipe the kelp with a towel to clean and soak with water for 30 min in a pan ~Heat (low below 160F) and simmer for 30 min to 1 hour until small babbles appear around surface ~ turn off the heat and add the bonito ~ leave it for 30 seconds and strain the soup through a paper towl on a strainer slowly to make clear soup in a bowl.

* Busy Mom's way

Ingredient--1 Tbsp Hondashi (bonito fish flaver granulateed soup stock), 4 cup Water

Direction--Heat a pan with water and boil up~ add the hondashi ~ done! That all.

If you want to make miso soup, just add 4 Tbsp miso paste to the soup with useing a small strainer.

I love only one company's hondashi "Yamasa Tairyo Dashi"
This is a big secret for my recipe.
Yamasa's hondashi is the best natural flaver of bonito.

I hope you enjoy miso soup with "Grand Mom's way or Busy Mom's way"

Love

Keiko

Looking for my son's house

I am so busy because looking for my son's house.
Whenever I have time, I went out to see the houses for sale.
I did "Feng shui" for my house and business over 30 years.
Do you know "Feng shui"?
This is the way of making decision to buy your house with lucky direction and condition of the nature.
Lucky direction, color, entrance door and condition of the land, these things are very important for Feng shui.
I believe it because my family (my son and me) were so healthy and happy all the time.

I know that buying a house is not easy for everybody.
Especially for us, very difficult with idea of Feng shui.

So, I did not have time to write any blog for these days.
May be it take 2~3 months to make decision for the house.

I would love to talk about delicious dish.
But, I don't have time, so I just put a picture of my students dinner tonight.

Menu : Chicken cutlet with cheese, Fresh water eel sushi, Shitake mushroom tempura, Tofu miso soup,Green salad and potato salad.

Looks good? Yes,taste was great.
I hope I could cook for you too!

Love

Keiko

Mother's day card

Mother's day is coming soon.
I got a Mother's day card from my son today.
He lives in N.Y.
I do not have any husband or boy friend for many many years.
I have one marvelous son.
May be, I should humble myself about my son, but I can't do that.
Because I think he is a wonderful human being.

I have vibrant personality, so I created "my style of life"without husband in America.(Just I could not find a right man for me).
My son gave me a lot of love, energy, passion and instruction for my life.
By raising my son, I learned so many splendid lessons as a human in this life.
I appreciate to my son so much.

My son said inside of his card, "you always singed a lullaby for me when I was a small boy"
I composed the lullaby by myself.
My son's name is Ryuma in Japanese, so I call him"Ryumakun"means "Dear my son Ryuma"

My lullaby was "Ryumakun is Mom's treasure, Ryumakun is Mom's treasure"

I just repeated and repeated my lullaby to him every night.
I wanted to read some story book for him, but when I came home after my restaurant closed for dinner, I was so exhausted.
With my lullaby, my son smiled a little be and went to sleep with his happy face.

My son's sleeping face was talking to me sweetly,
" Mom, I trust you, I picked you as my Mom, you can raise me so sure.
I know you don't lose for yourself and for any kind of your tough time"

Truly, I could not keep my restaurant business for over 20 years without my son.
My vow was "I never complain for anythings until my son is graduated from his college.
I just appreciate for anythings whatever our God give to us"

I am so so happy with my God's best gift "My son Ryuma "

I am a lucky Mother.

I hope every Mom can have "Happy Mother's day"

Love

Keiko

Juicy Steamed Chicken in 5 min

April and May are my favorite season, so I am enjoying this weather with mountain hiking. Our city have a beautiful mountain hiking course in 5 min from my house.
It take 2 hours with my pace and from top of the mountain, I can see incredible panorama view. I always call to my son in NY from the place for sharing pleasant breeze.

Today, I will show how to make "Juicy steamed chicken in 5 min"

6oz chicken breast.. Remove excess fat and pierce it with a fork to make several holes.
1 knob ginger (thin slices), 1 leaf green onion (cut into half), 2 Tbsp sake.

Condiment.. 1 leaf green onion (edge cut)
Sauce.... 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise + 1 Tbsp Ponzu sauce (mix well)

Direction..Place the green onion, ginger and chicken in this order on a plate
~ Apply the sake all over the chicken and softly wrap it ~cook for 2 min in
microwave oven ~ take it out once ~ Turn the chicken over and cover again
~ cook for 2 min ~ done! move the chicken to your favorite plate and enjoy with the sauce and condiment.

Quick and easy dish, also you can make a salad or sandwich with this chicken.

See you soon.

Love

Keiko

Birthday party

I have graduate school students as my friends. They wanted to make a birthday party for their English professor in my home.

So I cooked brown rice sushi and all in one pot dish for 20 young students.
I love young people and I know they are always hungry.
We had pleasant time together, even their professor and me met at first time.

I will show you her "Thank you card" to me here.

Dear Keiko

After meeting you, and tasting your delicious food, I understand my students decision.
You are,without a doubt, one of the kindest, most generous and most spontaneous people I have ever met.
Thank you for sharing your home, your food, and your immediate love with me.

Your overwhelming generosity will last in my memory as one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received.
I am so glad to have met you and I look forward to our next opportunity to meet.

Fondly.

I love people, delicious food and wine.
These are my life with appreciation.


See you soon.

Love

Keiko

A beautiful day and Baked green mussel

Today is a beautiful day in L.A
I love spring because everything looks like a new life for all the nature.
I can feel some kind of "Hope" for this beautiful world.
So, I took a picture of the blue sky , just I wanted to appreciate to our god who create this peaceful and artistic nature.
I can see, feel and enjoy it as one of human being in this earth with a lot of my pleasure.
How I am a lucky person.


Today, I will show my favorite baked green mussel, this is a very simple and satisfying dish.
*Baked green mussel

Ingredient: 6 green mussels (clean up inside), 3~4 Tbsp mayonnaise

Sauce: 2 Tbsp Eel sauce ( You can find this sauce at any Asian market )

Direction: Place the green mussels on a oven plate~ Apply the mayonnaise onto the mussels
~Cook the mussels for 8~10 min in oven with 480。F ~Transfer the mussels to your favorite plate ~ apply the eel sauce on the green mussels ~ Enjoy the tasty juice also which come from inside of green mussels.

This dish will stimulate your appetite.

See you soon.

Love

Keiko

First time for raw fish sushi & Onigiri bento box

I told you, I have a student from Saudi Arabia at my house.
He can not eat pork by the reason of his religion.
So I am cooking beef and chicken dishes for him.

But, last week, he ate fresh and raw salmon sushi at first time in his 24 years life.
I said to him, "don't ask any question about this ingredient and just bite it"
He say " yes Mom, I trust you".
I show him how to mix with soy sauce and wasabi, and dip the sushi just little be.
He ate it and said "delicious!"

Yes, fresh sushi are delicious even for the first time experience persons in their life.
He could not stop eating sushi, he keep asking me more and more.
So I started to make hand roll for him because easy to hold and bite it.

Just he does not know about sushi fishes are so expensive.
But, I was so happy to see his smile with my sushi.

Japanese people love "onigiri" (rice ball )with stuffing of pickled plum, grilled salmon and shaved dry bonito.

Japanese Mom make different shapes of rice balls such as flat triangle, flat round and cylinder.
And wrap the onigiri with a nori (roasted seaweed sheet).
Simple and delicious homely dish.

We love "onigiri"as our Mom's taste, so I made onigiri bento box for my business.

See you soon.

Love

Keiko

My birthday and Bento box

Today (March 12th) is my birthday. I am ?years old now.
I don't know about this age is young or old,
I always feel same feeling when I was 36 years old. Just number is getting big and big.
I am going to die at age of 104 years old, so I think I am still young for my life.
I got a beautiful arrangement flower from my son. Also he sent a birthday card to me from N.Y.
When I read the card, I cried a little be with his gentle words from his soul.
Dinner time, my friends came and we had a wonderful time with champagne, wine and delicious dishes.

By the way, do you know Japanese bento box?
Japanese people love bento box for lunch.
Bento box have 1200 years history in Japan.
With small amount of each ingredients, you can enjoy 7~8difference delicious dishes with rice.
I started to add "bento box catering" to my business.
I think this will be very popular among American people who have come to enjoy sushi the past 20 years.
Please take a look the bento box.
Looks so delicious and really taste is great!

See you soon.

Love

Keiko

A friend who never see each other for 30 years

I could not do anything for my blog for so many days.
My friend (her name is Emiko) who lost contact each other for 30 years came to see me from San Francisco last week.

My recipe was on the food magazine called "Culinary Trends" for executive chefs in 2~3 weeks ago.
Emiko's husband is a chef, so he was reading this magazine all the time.
She found my picture and recipe inside of the magazine and screamed "Keiko"

We met in the airplane when we were coming to L.A from Japan in May 1979.
We were so excited for visiting to L.A. We made our friendship by 13 hours flight.
She was 20 years old and I was ?years old.

Only one thing difference was "she was going back to Japan and I was not."
Of course, we had sightseeing visa only,I should go back to Japan.
But I had a dream which love to live and have own restaurant in L.A

I had two restaurants already in Japan.
But I was so uncomfortable with Japanese business society which was dominated by Japanese men.

In summer time of 1978, I visited to L.A as a tourist.
I fell in love to L.A.
I thought "this is my city which should stay forever"

After we arrived to L.A, Emiko stayed in Orange county and I lived in North Hollywood.
Sometime I missed to speak Japanese language so much, I took a bus and went to see her.
She came to see me too.
After couple month later, I had to disappear from her because of "illegal resident"

A few years later,I got my son, permanent resident card.
6years later, I got own house and opened own restaurant.
Step by step, I made my dream come true.

I did not have my husband, so that was tough time but I was so happy all the time with my son.
Sometime, I remembered about my friend Emiko, but I thought she must be happy in Japan.

I think, this thing which she found me in the food magazine is "fate and miracle".
After 30 years later, last week, Emiko and her husband came to see me.
Can you imagine how much we were happy to see each other again.
She had five children from 24 years old to 6 years old.
Her husband is a wonderful Japanese man and also great executive chef.

I wanted put our picture on this page, but my face was terrible with too much wine.
So I will put "Tuna tataki sashimi on tofu" which Emiko's husband cooked for us.
This is a very delicious and simple dish.

3oz Fresh tuna filet for sashimi, 1 silken tofu, 1 Tbsp grated ginger, 3 Tbsp edge cut green onion.


direction: Seal the tuna's surface only with frying pan ~ cut to thin slices ~ place the tuna on the top of tofu ~ sprinkle the green onion and arrange the ginger ~ done!

Please make sure eat with soy sauce, not ponzu sauce.

Thank you.

Love

keiko

46 people party on last Friday

I had 46 people party on last Friday.
I cooked sushi and another 6 dishes for 46 people all by myself.
I was going to take the pictures of dishes and people, I was so busy and 100% forgot about it.
It took me for 7 hours for preparation and cooking.
Every body enjoyed my foods and we had wonderful time together.

Honestly, I could not wake up in the morning of next day.
I felt like a very old lady even my appearance looks like 40 years old.

So, I will show you one of my party dish "Marinated beef"

7 oz Fillet beef, 1/2 onion (thin slice), 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Soak sauce: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 soy sauce, 1/4 tsp salt

Direction: Heat (high heat) + a frying pan and oil ~ add the beef and fry ~make sure both side of the surface are browned ~ put the beef into a easy zipper plastic bag with the sauce and onion ~ leave the bag in refrigerator for 4~5 hours ~ cut the beef into thin pieces and arrange on a plate with onion ~ done!

Please make sure only the surface of beef are browned.
Inside should be rare and you will love the taste.

Easy for cooking and looks gorgeous dish for your party.

See you next time.

Love

Keiko

My recipe is on Culinary Trends food magazine for executive chefs

Oh my goodness!

My favorite recipe "Magic ramen noodle with pork soup" is on " Culinary Trends" food magazine for executive chefs.
I saw another chef''s recipes in same section with mine, they are the executive chef of Hyatt and Belamar hotel
I am not a executive chef, they introduce me as a chef/author.

I sent this recipe to 15 food magazines company almost 8 month ago.
Two food magazines responded to me.
A editor sent a email to me and asked to take the picture of this dish and me by professional photographer.
So, I did i t and mail to her. After that, I did not hear anything from her for long time.
I thought she did not like my picture and almost gave up about this magazine.

Last week, a Japanese friend who never see each other for 30 years sent a e mail to me and asked "Do you remember me ?" Of course I remember her, "but how do you find out me"
She said "I saw your recipe and you on Culinary trends magazine".
She just opened some page and she screamed "Keiko !"
I thought she went back to Japan for long time ago.
She married with a Japanese chef and have 5 children with him in San Fransisco.

This magazine say " New magazine for executive chefs", so her husband was reading this magazine all the time.
I was so surprised with my recipe is on the magazine after 7 month later.

So we are so excited with "this miracle meeting again" by this magazine.
They are coming to see me in next week, she said " I can not wait to see you, I was always thinking about you for this 30 years". She had a picture with me which took when I was 28 years old and she was 20 years old. Life is interesting.

One thing I have to emphasize, she saw my 57 years old face picture, and she screamed " Keiko".
She said " You have same face when you were 28 years old" I want you read this word at least 3 times.

Any way, I can't wait to see her again after 30 years later.

I think " Our life are wonderful"

Love

Keiko

Stir fried chicken udon (Yaki udon)

I love this udon dish, Japanese people call " Yaki udon"
A very simple and delicious dish, so please try to cook for yourself.

Yaki udon : 2 frozen udon, 2oz chicken breast (thin sliced), 2 leaves cabbage (coarsely) 1/2 pk bean sprout, 2 Tbp olive oil, 1 Tbsp sake,
Sauce: 1 and 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 and 1/2 Tbsp mirin, SQ sugar.
Condiment: Shaved dry bonito, dried seaweed powder (aonori)

Direction: Cook the frozen udon in microwave for 2 min.
Medium heat + a frying pan + oil + chicken ~ stir fry ~ add the cabbage ~ stir fry until the cabbage looks tender ~ take the chicken and cabbage out once ~Clean up the same frying pan and add oil ~ add the udon ~ stir fry ~ add the chicken and cabbage back and add the bean sprout also ~ stir fry ~ add the sauce and mix well ~ done ! ~arrange it on a plate and garnish with a lot of condiment.

you will love it.
I add some tonkatsu sauce or worcester sauce (1tsp) to get more delightful home dish taste.

See you next time.

Love

Keiko

Big birthday party

* My son was 1 year old
Last night, I went to my friend's birthday party as a guest chef.
I made 36 brown rice sushi rolls.
About 288 pc rolls for 20 people.
They ate first time brown rice sushi, they enjoyed so much.

I should take a picture of 288 pc sushi, but I was so busy to cook and I forgot about it.
I think I like to see the people's smile with my cooking dishes.

8years in Japan and 20 years in L.A, I worked so hard for my restaurant business.
I don't have two little toe's nails because with running inside my kitchen and dining room.
They disappear to somewhere and I don't remember when I lost them.

Keeping good restaurant business for over 20 years is very very tough.
But, one word from my customers " Keiko, dinner was wonderful and I will be back, thank you"
This is my customer's magic word for my tiredness.
This word make me so happy and get my energy back.
The reason which I could open 7 days a week for over 20 years is my customer's appreciation and smiles for me.

I am a single mother and raised my son.
I was so lucky because I had a wonderful baby sitter for my son until 13 years old.
When I open my restaurant, my son was 3 years old.
After we put close sign for dinner, I love to go back home with flying and hold my son strongly every night.
But, I had so much things to do even after close the sign.

When I came home, most night, my son was sleeping already.
His sleeping face was so peaceful and looks like a angel.
And his face was talking to me " Mom, I trust you and I know you can raise me with your strong will, that why I pick you as my special Mom"

I was so tired and my foots were sullen, but my son's peaceful face gave so much happy feeling to me. I learned many things about family and life with raising my son.
I appreciate to my God.

Now, my son is 26 years old and live in N.Y.
He is a tall and handsome man and I am so proud of him.
I will say to my God, "I think I did pretty good job for my son"
I could do my best for raising my son, because his baby sitter, my restaurant customers and my employee supported us.

Thank you every body!

Love

Keiko

A student from Saudi Arabia

My favorite Chinese boy moved to N.Y as intern ship student.
I got a new student from Saudi Arabia.

He is a very handsome boy and has difference look's face for me in every days with his mustache design.
He is a very stylish young man and after he dress up, he come to me and ask " how do I look ?"
I always say " you look great", because I think he knows well about his own fashion style.

My first students were a Korean and a Chinese, then a Japanese, now I have a Turkey and a Saudi Arabian students.
I think we are moving forward to European area.

Most students loved my Japanese dishes.
I think my new student has a very conservative idea for his food as muslim.
I am studying about Saudi Arabian food now.
"Kapsa"is like a pilaf with chicken or lamb and rice. They eat young camel also.

When I lived with my Korean student, I learned so many Korean dishes for him.
He always said to me " this is not really Korean style dish, this is Keiko's style Korean dish"
I have changed the recipe to my tongue's way and the dish turn to much better taste for me.

Any way, I love my new boy and he call me "Mom" as American Mom already.
I am a very lucky person who can live with these smart and nice looking boys.
All boys call me " American Mom" and they said " whenever I start making my money, I will take you to the best restaurant in my city"

So, I can go to the best restaurant in Shanghai, Seoul and Istanbul so sure in my future.
I am so happy to hear that kind of words from my boys.

"I always love you guys even we don't live together anymore"

I will cook anytime my delicious Japanese food for you, because "my God sent you guys to me as special gifts"

Oh, I forgot about my son, " I love you so much and I know we are soul mate forever"

Love Love

Keiko

Louisiana chicken

I have a Japanese cooking book which published in 1973 by Ms.Miyuki Iida
The book title is "Delicious western style dishes".
I am keeping this recipe book for 35 years.
In this book, most her dishes are delicious. Please don't trust all recipe books, some dishes do not fit to your tongue.
In this recipe book, I don't know why she named "Louisiana chicken"in 1973.
I am so sure she never go to Louisiana in her life, but she show me how to make this delicious chicken dish.
Tonight, I made this dish for my boys and they loved it. Especially, sauce is so delicious.

It takes a little longer cooking time which against my blog policy, please try to cook whenever you have time.

Louisiana chicken (serve for 2) : 12oz chicken thigh, 1/2 onion (fine), 1Tbsp garlic (fine),
4 shiitake mushroom, 2 Tbsp corn starch, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce: 1cup tomato juice, 2 Tbsp white wine, 1Tbsp chicken powder, 1Tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt & pepper.

Direction: heat (medium) + a pan + butter + onion ~ stir fry ~ nicely browned ~ add all the sauce seasonings and ingredients ~ boil ~ heat ( low) ~remove the form ~ simmer for 30 min.

Put the chicken and corn starch into a plastic bag and shake well ~ coat the chicken well with starch ~ heat (medium) + a frying pan + oil ~ Cook well for both side of the chicken and take it out once on a plate.

Strain the sauce and transfer to a new pan ~ add the mushrooms and fried chicken and sprinkle the salt and pepper ~ simmer for 10 min with low heat ~ done!

Enjoy with steamed rice or garlic bread.

I think the chicken and tomato sauce are good combination as ingredients.
May be, Louisiana have a famous chicken dish with tomato sauce which Ms. Iida knew it almost 35 years ago.


Love

Keiko

Japan-Ease 90 days quick & delicious diet recipes

Book order : www.amazon.com

www.kagidiet.com

Steamed Sole with soy sauce flavor

I cooked chicken cutlet, pasta salad and white cream soup with nappa for three young people last night.
They are my boy's friends and they go to the same graduate school. One person came from India.
He can speak Japanese because he worked at Yamaha company in Shizuoka Japan for three years.
He married with a Japanese lady in Japan, so he love Japanese food. I don't know why I cooked western dish for them, just chicken cutlet was Japanese style. And then I forgot to take my cooking dishes pictures for my blog, because I was so excited with speaking Japanese with a Indian young man.
Since International students start to live my house, I could meet very interesting young students. In this two years, Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Turkish boys stay my house.
They introduced so many difference country students for me. Cooking Japanese dishes for them was wonderful experience for me. They made me so so happy with their appreciations for my foods. So , I will show some easy and delicious fish dish for you tonight.
You can use this recipe for salmon, white fish and mackerel also.

1 Sole (no head)---Make a cross-shaped incision at the center of brown side.
1 Tbsp grated ginger, lemon slice

Sauce: 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp cooking sake ~ Mix well

Direction: Place the sole on a plate and apply the sauce mixture ~ wrap it and put 4 pieces disposable wooden chopsticks under the plate ~ cook for 3,4 min in microwave oven ~ transfer the fish to a nice plate and pure the all sauce from the cooked plate ~ garnish with the ginger and lemon ~ done !

As long as you buy fresh ingredients, you can enjoy quick, simple and delicious dinner.


See you next time.

Love

Keiko

Keiko

Four seasons of your life

I spent 57 years with my soul and body in this life.
28 years in Japan and 29 years in America.
Each year had four seasons.
I don't like cold weather, so since I move to L.A, I am so appreciate for this warm winter.
I was reading some Japanese history book and somebody said " Your life have four seasons with one cycle of 12 years".
I tried to remember what happened to me since I left my parent's house.
I will explain about the meaning of each seasons.

Autumn is a shifting season for this cycle.

Something happen to you beyond your expectation.
May be get sickness, sales come down on your business or your strength get lower.
But you don't have to think like "Is my luck going to get worse?".
No,this is just moving to step up to your new cycle.
This is a season of " learning and investment to yourself for your future"
Even you have to stay in bed for long time, you have to think like " this is a special gift from my God for my future"
Never try to start your new business or buying new house.
Every things will backfire on you.

Winter is the beginning of new cycle.

You have to seed some new ideas on your ground and get several experiences of "trial and error".
Then you can see clearly "your desire and purpose for next step."
You will have several wonderful meeting with new people for you.


Spring is starting point of "succeed with your desire"

You have to start to send your new ideas and information to your supporters.
You have to start to work for mass media and advertisement.
You have to get strong strength for yourself.
Your new cycle is moving to "better condition"

Summer is the season of "drastic action"

Every things go well.
You are always busy with high income and high energy.
You can't stop laughing to yourself with your fortune.

In this season, make sure about two things such as, "you are not a haughty person" and " this is fit for your real ability"

Nobody can't stop you in this summer season because you are driving at high speed.
But the end of this summer, you have to get a big final examination from your God.

This is one cycle of 12 years.
I talked about only business things tonight, but this is same things for your personal life.

When you are under your parent's protection, you can't understand this story.
Please keep this story in your mind and some day you will recognize that this is very true story in your future.

I will show you my last summer season's picture, I had too much confidence for myself in 2002 year. I can say to you " I learned so much things in my fall and winter seasons for this 6 years"

Good night !

Love

Keiko

Soymilk miso soup

I have a business for "diet supporting".
I made my "Japan-Ease" recipe book for this business.

I love to use soy milk, tofu, mushrooms, shell fish, fish, sea weeds and vegetables as ingredients.

I will show you easy soy milk soup tonight.

Soy milk miso soup: 1 cup plain soy milk, 1/4 cup dashi soup, 1 tsp white miso paste,
1/4 pack shimegi mushroom, 1/2 pack enoki mushroom, green onion (edge)

Direction: Place the miso and mushrooms in a bowl ~ pour the soy milk and dashi soup ~ wrap and cook for 2 min in microwave oven ~ mix well and sprinkle on the green onion ~ done!

Enjoy delicious soup.

* Dashi soup: 4 cup water, 1 Tbsp hondashi (bonita fish granulated soup stock)

Direction : Heat a pan + water ~ boil ~ add the hondashi ~ OK.
Ready to use for cooking.

Love

Keiko