I basically did oriental thanksgiving yesterday

I set a good chunk of time aside yesterday to make some of my favorite recipes, and even try a couple new ones.

I like to make a sweet soy sauce (top right) as well as a red pepper sauce (top left) but I also wanted to try another one with some extra scallions I had lying around. That on the bottom is a sweet scallion sauce, it turned out tasty for the most part… but I probably should have stirred it better when making it. I ended up with a sugary blob in the center of a bunch of vegetable oil. I managed to combine it better after taking out some of the oil, but that’s one I’ll have to practice again at a later date. On the very right I also have what remains of a salad dressing made of cider vinegar, sugar, a little bit of sesame oil and red pepper flakes for color and flavor. Most if it went into a cucumber and grape tomato salad that accompanied both my breakfast and dinner yesterday.

I made miso soup for breakfast yesterday. I like to eat it in the morning sometimes, it can be a nice change of pace from the traditional cereal or bacon and eggs. I threw in some udon noodles for something additional to chew on.

This was something new I tried. I mixed some of the pepper sauce with the sweet scallion sauce, plus some garlic soybean paste and mixed it with noodles, peppers and shrimp, sherry and a little bit of onion. It was really zesty.

Normally when I make a noodle dish I don’t follow it up with rice (or vice versa), but yesterday I basically declared it oriental Thanksgiving, and I wanted to also have the option of ham and egg fried rice… even if this isn’t fried. I boiled some jasmine rice, cooked an egg in another pan then mixed it into the rice, then added cooked vegetables and ham with a generous pinch of sea salt and some white pepper. Normally I would use just peas, but taking inventory in our deep freeze yesterday proved to me that 99% of the frozen vegetables we have on hand are in fact corn… So some peas are better than no peas at all.

This was a simple vegetable dish to make. All you do is steam some asparagus, and then take 1/4 cup of soy sauce and mix in some sesame oil. Add the asparagus to a platter and drench  the sauce over it, and let it sit for about 10 minutes and you have a tasty yet delicate accompaniment to dinner. Of course I have one person in the house that despises asparagus… which means I need to add MOAR vegetables.

I stir fried some sugar snap peas with some salt, pepper, sherry and just a few shavings of fresh ginger. I did cheat a little and pad the rest of the meal with some cream cheese wontons and chicken potstickers…

Then I awoke to find that a giant bowl of rice was not put away this morning… everything else was though, dafuq?

Evening Open Thread: Food Edition!

Tried a different cooking technique this evening. I marinaded some chicken breasts in a sake marinade, then I cooked them in a Chinese bamboo steamer. Turned out extremely moist and I served rice and green beans on the side. I’ll need to use the steamer more often for other dishes, the breasts were done in about 15 minutes and I didn’t have any additional fats added to the meal. Just the marinade and the taste of the chicken itself.

I’m already plotting dinner for tomorrow night too. Last night I did Tom Yum Gai which is basically a Thai hot and sour soup, tonight was Japanese inspired even though the bamboo basket is Chinese. :trollface:  Then for tomorrow I’m thinking Hungarian steak and paprika potatoes.

Anyways, open thread!

Welcome to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London with Chariots of Fire and Mr. Bean Tram!

Welcome to the Drunken Gaming Corner’s coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London!  I am very excited and honored to bring it to you!

I’m looking forward to an interesting Olympiad, complete with a runner with artificial legs, and a female shooter that is eight months pregnant!  A blind Olympian has broken the world record in Archery, with a score of 699 out of 700.  Amazing!

Hoi Bradley Wiggins, winner of the Tour de France!  Great to see you!  Yes indeed, the Isle is full of noises tram!

The Ceremonies start with a pastoral scene, then transitions to the Industrial Revolution, with the sod, fencing, and such removed and smoke stacks rising from the floor.  Lights resembling molten metal flow to form an Olympic Ring, then four more rings float in to form the complete Olympic Rings, with shooting fireworks!  Wheeees!!!!

Queen Elizabeth has arrived via “jumping” out of the helicopter with James Bond, and here she doesn’t look all that happy about the international celebration unfolding before her:

  

Hallos Nurses!  Hallo JK Rawlings!  Hoi Queen of Hearts!  Hello Mary Poppins!

LOL!  Matt Laurer can’t decide if the big plastic baby in the middle of the stadium is cute or creepy – LOL!

Chariots of Fire Tram!  There is Mr. Bean ‘playing’ along as he ‘checks’ his cell phone – LOL!

Honestly, I’m glad that I have a great sense of humors here because I could easily get offended here since I have a high school record in cross-country running, and Chariots of Fire was one of the things that got us athletes through, along with Eye of the Tiger – LOL!  So Thank You, Jolly Ole England for the Chariots of Fire Tram!!!

Put that gadget down now tram – LOL!  Hello Kinks Tram!!!  Hello Beatles!!!  Yes indeed Led Zeppelin, I would love to talk about love, ohhhh!!!!  That song is actually about a car, but whatever – LOL!

This is the real life tram by Queen Tram!   Hallos, Frankie Goes to Hollywood!  Relax, don’t do it tram!!

Eurothmics are great!  Sweet Dreams are made of this!  Whoo-hoo!  Ahhhs, world wide web for everyone tram!

Here comes the Olympic torch with David Beckham, up the Thames River in a speed boat!  He grew up in the area the Olympics are being held.

 Hoi Greece Tram!  Hello Afghani Team!  Albania, perhaps you can win this year!

Wow, I am encouraged!  There is a trap shooter in his 60’s from Andorra, small country between France and Spain!  You go trap shooter go!

Hoi Canada tram!! Nee how, Chinese Peeps!  I see you, looking all about the stadium, youthful lady athlete!  I wish you much luck and prosperity because you will need it in China!  So much competition!

Awwws, I love you toos, three Independent athletes!  You go!

Great to see you Iraqi ladies!  I will cheer for you toos!

The Olympic Stadium is starting to fill up with athletes from around the world!  Cause if I had the chance I would ask the world to dance tram!

I am encouraged in seeing more Arab women participating in the Games, such as the flag bearer for Qatar.  Go ladies Go!  Saudi Arabia has two female athletes marching today tram!  Yays!

I love your uniforms Togo!  Bright Green patterns!  Awesome!

Vanuatu has amazing outfits tram!  Yays!  Hoi Zambia!  I am hoping for your future too! 

 Then we saw the Olympic flame brought in and given to the kids to light the flame!  Wheeees!

What a great Opening Ceremony!  So great to see everyone!  Good luck and have fun!