Food Trip Friday--Haruka's 5th Birthday

Double Berry Rare Cheese Cake

Haruka planned a simple birthday party at home herself telling me what kind of cake and foods she wanted. Haruka requested for a Ikura Inari sushi ( salmon roe sushi, her favorite ) and made three varieties coz my husband ain't a fan of seafood and the birthday girl also requested for a cheese cake and made a no bake rare cheesecake decorated with blueberry and strawberry fruits on top for her--it only requires a lil time of chilling and is easy to prepare at home. I'm happy about the outcome of my cake and my family likes 'em! While waiting for the cake's chilling time, we went out to buy Haruka a gift ( new bicycle ) at the nearby bicycle shop and hubby opted for a Yakitori party at home and then bought some yakitori (skewered grilled chicken) at the supermarket after. I wasn't busy in the kitchen that day coz I always have soboro ( seasoned ground meat) stocked in my fridge and is handy for my soboro inari sushi that day. Here's how I prepared my Soboro Inari Sushi and my Soboro Bentou recipe if you like--you can also make donburi out of that recipe.
I'm also sharing the recipe for the Double Berry Rare Cheese Cake for it's really easy to make ^_^

Double Berry Rare Cheese Cake

Ingredients:

250g Cream Cheese, softened
100cc Plain Yogurt
200cc Fresh cream

40g Sugar
2 tbsp Lemon juice

8g Powder gelatin
3 tablespoon Water

1 package of Graham crackers
40g Butter

Fresh strawberry and blueberry fruits ( thawed if frozen )

You'll also need a rolling pin and a plastic bag.

*option: you can also use your favorite jam if you don't like fresh fruits to your rare cheese cake. Cut a slice of cake, add jam as topping and serve.*

Directions:
1: First make a graham cracker crust ( you can also use oreo cookie if you like ) take a package of graham crackers and place it in a plastic bag. Roll over it with a rolling pin mashing it into the crumbs. Melt the butter in a microwave. In a medium bowl, add your graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and mix it together. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a round cake pan (18 cm) using a spoon. I would also suggest to chill the crust after.
2: Mix powder gelatin and water in a small cup and set aside. Stir cream cheese in a bowl until softened. Put water and gelatin mixture into microwave and heat for a minute. Add yogurt, sugar, fresh cream, lemon juice and gelatin into softened cream cheese and mix well. Pour the filling into the crust and spread evenly then refrigerate until set.

3: Top with fresh berries^_^
Soboro( seasoned ground meat) Inari Sushi, Ikura (salmon roe) Inari Sushi and Plain Inari Sushi
Homemade Double Berry Rare Cheese Cake, Garden Salad with Prosciutto, store-bought Skewered Grilled Chicken
Haruka and Wakaba
The Birthday girl, Haruka chan^_^

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Mommy Moments--Valentine's Day 2011

Wakaba and Haruka are so sweet to spend their allowance to buy for chocolates to their Daddy as a present during the Valentine's Day of last year but this time they wanted to bake some homemade chocolate muffin as a surprise Valentine gift. I guess some of you here already know that celebrating Valentine's Day in Japan is way different from the west and some other countries. It is only the women who gives presents ( mainly chocolate ) to the men and men, who received chocolate on Valentine's Day should return the favor on White Day, March 14.

Well anyway, when my girls told me 'bout the idea, I have to request their Dad to go somewhere before the big day for 2 to 3 hours so we can bake the surprise gift for him and when he asked me why, I just winked at him and he got my message^_^ But their Dad is a teaser, he acted that he was leaving the house but went back to chek out--you should see my girls reaction, they're like "w-w-wwe we're not doing anything strange! " lol! I cracked up when I saw their facial reaction and so is my husband! \(^0^)/
I supported my kids baking their homemade goodies--Wakaba is in charge of measuring the ingredients while Haruka is in charge of the sifting and while Wakaba is mixing the batter, Haruka holds the mixing bowl. I love the teamwork while listening to their arguments in between lol!
BeforeAfter-- cooling the chocolate muffin
I let them do the decorations of the muffin on their own--I made one for me too and ate 'em afterwards lol!
Haruka chan
Wakaba chan

You bet, they really are serious!!
Homemade baked goodies, made by my daughters!!
And is beautifully wrapped to be given the next day
Wakaba gladly posed for me, with a smile^_^
Happy Valentine's Day, Daddy!!

How did you celebrate your Valentine's Day? Share them here at and join us!

Food Trip Friday--Kaiten Sushi

Kappa Sushi serves 94 yen per plate of sushi during the lunchtime on a weekdays and of course kaiten sushi ( conveyor belt sushi ) is always served fresh at a reasonable price and they have what they call a 'sushi shinkansen' ( miniature bullet train sushi ) which are delivered to your table directly from the kitchen via shinkansen when making special orders. My daughter ordered her favorite ikura (salmon roe), tuna roll, inari and mine were yaki salmon, chu toro ( fatty meat of tuna ), uni sushi ( sea urchin), sea eel and etc. Haruka wasn't patient of waiting for the sushi to come her way, but was hooked and made all our sushi orders via shinkasen lol!

Miniature Bullet Train Sushi
Salmon Gazpacho ( with Italian Dressing )
Sushi Plates
Chawan Mushi ( Japanese Style Steamed Egg Custard )

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/

Nostalgia--Haruka

The first few months of Haruka...

Wakaba thought Haruka was the coolest toy we ever brought home....
Born on: Febuary 20
Time: 8:29 A.M.
Weight: 3, 300 g
Length: 51 cm
Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty

Haruka wakes up with all smiles no matter the day or time

A brief moment of happiness in the high low bed & chair
Haruka loved to roll around
Haruka's favourite toy
Haruka loves crawling around the room, exploring her surroundings and everyday she surprise me with something new
Look who's ONE!!
The greatest joys are found in beautiful moments spent with those we love

It's amazing how much you have grown and on the 20th of this month, you will be celebrating your 5th birthday! How time flies!

At the beginning and end of each day, I always count my blessings...I thank God for having you. I love you, Haruka chan!

Isn't it so much fun to go back and just yank them all out and just sit there and reminisce? ^_^
*Nostalgia is a weekly Thursday meme hosted by Ate Rose--please play with us by clicking the linky badge.*

Postcard Exchange-- Friends In Japan

I've met these wonderful mommies from Japan through blogging and I do look forward of meeting them and their family in person. We've exchanged nengajo for the past years as a form of greetings during the New Year and I'm always glad to receive nengajo from them! I bet you have met them through blogging and through Facebook too-- they're Bambie of Azumi My Kawaii Princess Story, Mommy Jac of Mom's Special Diary and Mommy Seiko of Seiko's Dairy. Thank you very much for being soo friendly!^_^

Happy Valentine's Day!

May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love.
--L.O. Baird

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYBODY!!! \(^0^)/

Food Trip Friday--Queen Of Hearts Banquet Hall

" We'll mix them all together in a sauce that fits for kings. Callo-callay..."
We had a leisurely lunch at the Fantasyland's Queen Of Hearts Banquet Hall, an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant during our One Day Fun At TokyoDisneyland. It's a cafeteria style that you point the food you want and pay at the register then the Cast Member will escort you to your table. The restaurant is gorgeous, every detail is incredible like that 'life sized' playing card guards that can be seen inside and outside the restaurant ( above photo ), and it's an open kitchen where you can see how they prepare your food, and the interior is enormous--kitchen chandeliers ( pots, pans, bowls hanging ), stained glass, dessert displays, but the waitline is looooooong! We ordered for Wakaba and Haruka's child set ( meat patty, chicken pilaf, cream simmered shrimp and corn,veggies, fruit jellied dessert and apple juice) and us with the main course paired with rice and cola. The food wasn't bad at all but the thing is when it's our time to be seated, the food needs to be reheated. Well, talking 'bout the popularity of the restaurant.
Floral lamps
Let The Banquet Begin!
My Kings lunch--Rotisserie Chicken with Garlic Sauce
Queen's lunch--Grilled Swordfish with Mushroom Balsamic Sauce
The Princesses--happy and full!
Mickey Pizza as snack (not included at the Queen Of Hearts Banquet Hall )

An entry for Food Trip Friday. Chibugan na!!\(^0^)/