Oshogatsu 2016 and Osechi Ryori
Happy New Year, everyone! 2015 came and went in a flash. It was truly a year of so many ups and downs, but there was so much to learn and so much to grow from through all those experiences. I am so grateful to have …
Recent Posts
Christmas is for family traditions.
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a massive cooking extravaganza and that’s just what it was this holiday season. I was able to have time time off from teaching to just work on tamales and pozole and hang out with my family and enjoy every …
Thanksgiving 2015
I have 6 years of Thanksgiving blogs on Unrivaledkitch, which to me, shows my commitment to being there for my family and I am truly grateful that I have been able to take on this tradition for the ones I love and to share these awesome moments with the people who mean so much to me. Thanksgiving, as I’ve said before, is one of my favorite meals to cook. This year I was pretty ahead of schedule with cooking and cleaning, so big thumbs up for me, because, of course, that can be a challenge with an overly ambitious menu. Our Thanksgiving meal has some staples that we always enjoy and then the rest is open to my interpretation, which is the fun part for me.
Brandon joined us for Thanksgiving this year and I asked him to sit out for the cooking. He cooks all year long and sometimes someone else cooking for you is just the thing you need. I know, when I was cooking, that’s how I felt. My mom and grandma brought a bunch of snacks and sweets and we all made a beautiful meal together. I am so grateful for my family and all the sacrifices and success we have had, and to our extended family, friends and beyond, we hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving with the ones you love! And here is what we ended up with this year:
Menu
Brined Turkey with Roasted Aromatics, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage
Roasted Turkey Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Hassleback Red Rose Potatoes
Bacon, Leeks, Sausage and Roasted Wild Mushroom Cornbread Dressing
Zucchini, Celery, Scallions and Black Olive Stuffing
Roasted Cream Corn with Turmeric and Bacon
Creamed Spinach, Broccoli and Green Beans
Roasted Yams with Brown Sugar, Marshmallows and Cinnamon
Sweet Potato Casserole with Agave, Granola, Brown Sugar and Pumpkin Pie Spice Marshmallows
Pomegranate & Guava Cranberry Sauce
Green Bean Casserole
Steamed Corn
Roasted Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
Honey Baked Ham
Bachan Jello
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
Rice Krispies Treats
Spinach Dip
Pimento Cheese
Deviled Eggs
Cheers,
Unrivaledkitch
Amaya’s Tigertastic 2s
Life seems to be steaming right along. August was a blur of celebration, grief, love, tears and just being. Life is so precious that even in the day-to-day happenings we can get carried away with the difficulties or choose to see the joy that is …
Maleeya’s Minnierella 4th Birthday
I can’t believe that Maleeya is already 4-years-old. It’s almost a month later and I’ve been slacking on my food blogging, but this was a very special birthday party catering and since I’ve blogged about each of her birthdays, I can’t stop at 3. So …
Easter 2015
Late Late Late
Better Late than Never. I love Easter!
Easter is one of my favorite holidays, especially since we have little ones to have fun with now. This year, I took the day off and cooked for the whole family. We had a delicious dinner together with tons of fun and laughter. Maleeya and Amaya were dressed in their beautiful Easter dresses and everyone had a great time. Easter and spring are the perfect time for togetherness, reflection and starting over. As we move into the summer months in California, it’s nice to take a break and enjoy a wonderful spring day with family. I hope you’ll enjoy every moment of spring till it’s last.
Menu
Tri Tip
Roasted Baby Bella Mushrooms
Arugula Salad with Kalamata Olives, Prosciutto, Feta Cheese, Basil, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Roasted Zucchini with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Roasted Mini Kale and Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Broccolini
Sweet Potatoes and Purple Potatoes
Au Gratin Potatoes
Glazed Ham
Corn and Green Bean Casserole
Cheers,
Unrivaledkitch
New Year’s Day Oshogatsu Osechi Ryori 2015
Happy New Year! Already 12 days in and I’m still feeling the freshness of the new year and all that it has in store for us. 2014 was a great year, lots of amazing opportunities and growth that I look forward to carrying over into …
Making Kaki (Dried Persimmons) with Bachan
Persimmons. I love them. I know fall is here when the persimmons are out in farmers’ markets and grocery stores. When I was little, my Bachan’s neighbors had persimmon trees, so we would have a ton of Persimmons, mostly of the Fuyu variety–the crunchy ones. …
Thanksgiving Gratitude 2014
Better Late than never….
I love Thanksgiving! It is truly my favorite meal to make of the year, not because we have the same traditional things, but because it’s tradition to be together with my family. I am so glad we get to keep this tradition alive and thriving with my nieces. This Thanksgiving was also my brother’s birthday, so it was an extra-special occasion.
My sister and I braved the grocery stores on Wednesday morning so I could get all the ingredients for a meal that pretty much fed us for what seemed like a week, but that’s the best part of Thanksgiving–cook for a day or two and then either just reheat and eat or think of something else to do with the rest. I’m glad my sister came with me to the grocery store because I really dislike having a cart and having to maneuver one when the stores are super crowded, so she took care of that for me, which was a great help! Thanks, Keek.
So after a few stops and various places with enough groceries to just pack the fridge almost to explosion, I had a good idea of what we were going to enjoy. I’m not the type of person to ponder the menu a month or even a week in advance, I just looked at the ingredients and made things, which is my favorite way to cook. I’m grateful I have a family that pretty much let’s me have full reign over what we eat for Thanksgiving, trusting and knowing I’ll make those traditional dishes that they like each year while incorporating some new ones.
So here it is, Thanksgiving 2014 from Unrivaledkitch. I hope your families and friends feasted over great food, good company and tons of togetherness and gratitude. I’m grateful for all of you who take a gander at my food musings, for all the support, and I wish you a very happy holiday season.
Here are the past 4 years of Thanksgivings documented on Unrivaledkitch.com I love that these memories are here for me to look back on.
Thanksgiving 2014 Menu
Celery Root Soup with Spicy Sausage, Crispy Pancetta and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Herb and Citrus Brined Turkey with Roasted Vegetable Turkey Gravy
Celery, Scallion, Olive, and Zucchini Turkey Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Candied Yams with Bruleed Marshmallow
Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Mushroom Medley with Fresh Thyme and Garlic
Red Potato Gratin with Button Mushrooms, Roasted Leeks, Kale and Parmesan Mozzarella Bechamel
Granny Smith Apple,Green Anjou Pear and Melted Date Cranberry Sauce
Crookneck Yellow Zucchini, White Zucchini and Green Bean Casserole with Celery Root Cream and Sausage
Hot Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Raisins and Granny Smith Apples with Brown Sugar Caramel Cream Sauce, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Whipped Cream
Mom, Dad and Grandma’s Contributions
Honey Baked Spiral Ham
Deviled Eggs
Spinach Dip, Pimento Cheese, Green Onion Dip and Vegetable Platter and Crackers
Bachan Jello
Pumpkin Pie
Carrot and Banana Muffins
What a delicious feast! Thank you everyone for sharing in this gratitude filled holiday.
Cheers
Unrivaledkitch