Food

I've had some people ask me what I'm eating and if I do a lot of cooking over here. The answer is I'm doing more cooking than I ever have for a longer stretch of time then I ever have before. But that's true of everyone who is living on their own for the first time. I mostly cook dinner and weekend meals. Most weekday breakfasts are cereal or toast or just some fruit, and I eat lunch from the cafeteria when at work. I definitely wouldn't call it gourmet or particularly well-balanced cooking. There's a lot of pasta involved. But I like pasta and I'm aware of what I'm putting in my body and that's the first step to well-balanced eating habits. So here's some pictures of what I've made and/or eaten in the past few months.

Yakisoba!

Cake and tea in a cafe during the Tanabata Festival

Another attempt at yakisoba, much better this time. I added carrots and peppers and cooked the cabbage with the other veggies instead of throwing it on top at the end.

One of my plates from a visit to a tabehodai, AKA all you can eat

Udon in soup with egg, cabbage, and crunchy stuff, made at home

Homemade pasta and chicken with milkshake!

Salad and store-bought nikkuman (meat bun)

Ham, egg, and cheese open-faced sandwich and tea

carrot cake and milk tea at a cafe in Hidaka

Salad, with chicken

Pasta and garlic-y toast

Trying my hand at making tomato sauce

Not too bad!

Ham and cheese sandwich and green beans with butter

A typical lunch: donburi (rice bowl) this one has chicken and egg and toppings, soup (usually miso), and pickled vegetable things.

More tomato sauce pasta, this time with oranges!

I found mac and cheese!!! And watched Gilmore Girls, because I was feeling a bit homesick.

Ham and cheese omelet and hashbrowns with tea for breakfast

Grilled cheese sandwich and apples! Yum!

Pizza Hut pizza! I finally figured out the ordering/delivery system! It's full of meat and cheese pockets in the crust and lovely, delicious grease!

I tried a new pasta recipe: penne in cheese sauce with sundried tomatoes. I worked out delicious (even with regular, non dried tomatoes) and best of all made enough for four meals!

I finally bought bacon!

I try my hand at baking bread. It works out pretty well for not having a pan or anything to bake it in. White, but crunchy outsides, and delicious with butter and honey!

Tried making the chicken and egg donburi (rice bowl) I like so much from the school cafeteria. I used a supermarket packet for the chicken and egg bit and it wasn't very good. I'll try cooking my own egg and chicken next time.

Gyoza! AKA dumplings, store bought, as is the breaded pumpkin thing (kabocha kuroke), but fried at home by me.

Sakura tea and a sweet plate at a cafe in Harajuku

Pie for Pi Day! One apple and one meat and tea of course

Baking cake turned out much better than baking bread. Probably because I have purchased a microwave safe loaf shaped pan. The cake is more bread/brownie shaped as a result, but it tastes like cake, so success!