Just like the New Year in Japan, here on the west coast in the U.S., day after day of enjoying good food continue from Christmas through the New Year. We spent a relaxing winter vacation this time with my husband’s side of the family in Arizona. I love to cook, and I took advantage of this opportunity to try some recipes that I would normally not have time for.

Since our apartment’s kitchen is small and has no counter space, I usually prefer recipes that are simple yet delicious. Here are some recent recipes that were simple, delicious and popular with the family.

This is my arrangement of a recipe found on The Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.jp).

-Ingredients-
1 Camembert cheese
6 tablespoons raspberry jam (can be substituted with other sweet and sour flavor jam)
1 box frozen pastry sheet
1 egg yolk

-Directions-
1) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
2) Place the defrosted pastry sheet on the oven tray. If you place the oven sheet before placing the pastry sheet at this time, it will pull off smoothly after baking.
3) Place the Camembert cheese at the center of the sheet and an ample amount of raspberry jam above it. I wrote 6 tablespoons, but please adjust it to your liking.
4) Pull the outer edges of the pastry sheet towards the center and fold up to wrap it like a drawstring pouch.
5) Carefully paste the stirred egg yolk over the surface.
6) Complete after baking for 30 minutes in the oven.


This is an arrangement of a recipe found in the November 2015 issue of the monthly cooking magazine bon appétit (http://www.bonappetit.com) to which I’m subscribed.

-Ingredients-
450g uncooked pork sausage
1 large onion
3 large carrots
3 celeries
3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon oregano (spice)
½ teaspoon additive-free coarse salt (natural salt or rock salt)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups chicken broth
400g canned diced ripe tomato
1 cup short pasta (Ditalini)
1 cup kale (can be substituted with spinach)
Raw Parmesan cheese

-Directions-
1) Cut the uncooked pork sausages into bite sized pieces and cook for about 5 minutes until brown.
2) Remove the pork sausages from heat and prepare the soup pot. Place about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then throw in the small pieces of cut onions, carrots and celeries over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes. It will be ready once the onions are translucent and the carrots and celeries turn brighter in color and tender.
3) Throw in the finely chopped garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.
4) Throw the cooked pork sausages into the pot. Stir in the juice from the meat as well.
5) Crush the oregano spices with your fingers as you throw them in the pot to bring out the aroma.
6) Season with salt and pepper.
7) Add the chicken broth and the strained diced tomato. Turn heat to low.
8) Add the short pasta and stir for another 10 minutes.
9) Lastly, throw in the kale for 5 minutes. At this point, adjust the taste with salt and pepper several times.
10) Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese just before eating.


With help from my niece who’s almost 15, we were able to cook quite efficiently. The rich, warm pastry and soup were delicious and perfect for the winter dinner table. Roxy (5 years old), the American Bulldog, was the one waiting most excitedly for the table to be ready.