Meatloaf Secret

Satisfied a craving for comfort food on a snowy day: made a somewhat rustic meatloaf with my new, favorite, secret ingredient: Asian fish sauce. The glaze is not-so-secret: all-American ketchup.

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Pot Pie Redux

I baked a big pot pie, he cleaned up, more pot pie for dinner on Tuesday.

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Japan Comes to Me

I’m staying in, giving my brain a rest for a few days. Today’s excitement: the final countdown, just under five hours to go, 28-hour tonkotsu (pork bone broth). If I can’t go to Japan, then Japan can come to me

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Three-Day Bone Broth

Walked home, avoiding puddles, with ingredients from an Asian supermarket. Most Americans would throw out some ingredients, but I’ll use them for three days of slow cooking a chicken bone broth, then carnitas, then a pork bone broth. We are not in a hurry.

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International Cuisine

Traveled to Japan via Hawaii with Spam musubi for lunch: sushi rice with rice vinegar, fried Spam with a shoyu/sherry glaze, nori, and sprinkles of furikake. The journey started in Austin, Minnesota, also known as “Spam Town USA,” home of Hormel

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Eggplant Parmigiana

Tonight eggplant Parmigiana. I blast the sliced eggplant in the microwave for 6 minutes at 60% to get it on its way before breading with Japanese panko crumbs then shallow-frying.

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Taunted by Baking

The smell of baking taunted me all afternoon. Dwight went through 1½ pounds of butter, and I overheard him asking Google to add sugar to our shopping list. ‘Tis the season.

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Chilly Walk to Coastal Seafoods

Included Coastal Seafoods on my chilly walk, probably the best seafood store in the Twin Cities. Seniors get 20% off on Tuesdays, hence the line.

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