Bean Recipe Contest

Last week I took total of 3 days off, so it was kind of busy yesterday at work...

Funny, but I didn't feel like going to the gym so I skipped. In this way, I might work out hard the next time, though!

On 12/12, I attended the bean cook-off, which I have been trying for 3 years! 10 people were selected from among 2000 applicants!!! I should be glad to go to the finals... but I received an honorable mention, which made me feel bit frustrated because it means "not chosen" :(

By the way, my recipe is 5-A in the left image: "Deep-Fried Tofu Stuffed Triple Beans Minced Cutlet".

After all, there's a bunch of task! I thought I should have submitted the other recipes, etc... You know what I mean!?

Anyway, this contest was on a high level! There were many to learn from the participants, who seem to attend this kind of cook-off regularly!

Oh boy. It is freezing today. I saw a thick frost this morning! The temp dropped down to the high 49F (10C)!

Stay warm everybody!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

My Accomplishments

Hello. The wind is in the south, so we have very warm and comfortable temperature. Needless to say, it is going to rain in the afternoon :(

As usual, I will list my recent accomplishments.

On 11/7, I finally won the grand prize at QBB's cheese recipe contest! QBB is a company located in Kobe. They manufacture and sell cheese and milk products. Also they sell nuts, margarine, and chocolates (such as Lindt). Every year they ask people for recipes using their products. I have been applying for this contest since 2006, and finally I did it! My awarded recipe is "Cheese in Pork Ball, Black Vinegar Sauce".

On 12/1, I won the cranberry award at Cookpad's cranberry recipe contest. The top prize was Home Bakery which I wrote before. Like I said, I put a lot of effort into it, but it was just my luck... Anyway, my "Chinese Style Cranberry Steamed Rice" was awarded.




On 12/1, my "Christmas Shiratama Dumplings, Healthy Tofu Custard" was posted on Yodoran (iodine-enriched egg)'s website. They asked me and others who regularly post recipes to create sample Christmas recipes using their egg. Shiratama is mochi-like dessert dumplings. I poured a mixture made from tofu + egg + sugar + vanilla flavoring. It really tastes like custard ;)

Then on 12/3, my seasoning recipe received a prize at kondateclub: the site introduces seasonal dishes. Every month, they ask for some recipes based on a topic. I sometimes apply for it, but I never got a grand prize and this time as well. I need to try again. My awarded seasoning is balsamic vinegar + sesame oil. It is really good! I have some recipes using this seasoning:
- Italian Gimbap
- Italian Japanese Natto
- Japanese Balsamic Salmon Tartar Sandwich
- Sesame Balsamic Cream Cheese Sandwich
Sorry, those recipes are in Japanese...

This week I was going to translate my recipe but didn't have a chance to :( I will try the next week!

Yesterday, I had eyelash extensions done! 55 eyelashes for each! They last for 10-30 days depending on how you care!!! You can't use mascara, scrub your eyes, sleep on your tummy... etc. Honestly, too much to care! To keep beauty is not easy.

Again, I'm gonna see my friend after a long time this afternoon. Hope it won't rain hard...
Have a good weekend :)

Please click below and vote for me.

My Accomplishments

It is chilly again today. My skin is itchy :(
We have three days holiday this weekend. Yay!
Today, I got a sport lymphatic massage. It was pretty expensive but sooooo good! I mean very relaxing and my body relieved tension!

Time to go to bed, so I will briefly list my recent accomplishments.

On 11/17, I won the grand prize at Resala Fish Sausage contest. The sausage contains 850mg DHA per stick. I made takikomigohan (steamed rice dish) using it. The sausage gives out nice dashi flavor and my boyfriend liked it a lot!




On 11/18. my tomato recipe went on to the final review. This contest was held by Toyota. I once wrote about it but Toyota has cute pop cars called PASSO and this contest was to promote their cars. Unfortunately, mine didn't win the prize, but it is posted on their site: Tomato and Spinach Mapo Harusame.



On 11/16, my "Shrimp Salt Stir-Fried Japanese Honewort and Minced Chicken" received the honorable mention at shio-navi.com. shio-navi.com is the site to search & learn & evaluate about many different kinds of salt(mainly in Japan). This time, they asked for recipes that help to beat the summer heat.



On 11/18, I won the second prize at Taisho Karada Kankyo Aojiru recipe contest. Aojiru is a health drink made from squeezed green leafed vegetables. I made Healthy Green Banana Cottage Cheese Cake. It is light but rich and delicious ;)




On 11/20, my fellow blogger Nazarina passed me some awards: the Premio Arte y Pico award, the Great Buddy Award, a Perfect Blend of Friendship Award, the Good Job Award, and the Inspiration Award!!! Thank you so much!!! I want to pass these to jose and merce, too. I know jo already has those ;)









Then last but not least, my bean recipe passed the initial review! I am going to attend the cook-off on 12/19! I am happy to know this because this is the third year I tried for this contest. Finally!!!

But I can be happy momentarily. I need to try the next one. This is my way...

Good night!
Have a good weekend!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

Kiyose Carrot Recipe Contest

Hi! The high today is 68F (20C)! It was nice and warm this weekend, too. But the forecast said we will experience a drop in temperature later in the week.

On Saturday, I attended the cook-off final of the Carrot Recipe Contest in Kiyose-city, Tokyo. Kiyose-city is No.1 carrot producer in Tokyo. Kiyose Chamber of Commerce asked for carrot recipes and there were 26 finalists on this day!!! The contest was something like a block association event and most finalists were Kiyose residents! Ha-ha. I am glad that the lady I met last week (at ANDERSEN Bread Contest) came on this day!
My boyfriend came with me, but unfortunately he couldn't enter the kitchen (so he couldn't take pictures of me). He had to wait for an hour at the waiting room, which was too bad.
The lady from Gifu prefecture who made "Carrot Bomb Clear Soup" won the grand prize! Unfortunately, mine (Stir-Fried Pork with Salty Sweet Grated Carrot) didn't win any prize, but I enjoyed a lot. We tasted all 26 dishes after the awarding ceremony (bottom-right image). While tasting, I found some kids saying "yummy" eating mine, which was more than the prize ;)

After the contest, my boyfriend was bored stiff, so we decided to stop off at Ikebukuro station and have an early dinner. At the food mall of TOBU department store, there was a Challenge Menu Fair. Each restaurants and the students of 8 Universities have collaborated and created amazing "rice" dishes! We had Kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) at Ooedo. There I found Italian sushi (bottom-left image), which was the Challenge Menu of that restaurant! Also, I had anago (conger eel, bottom-right image), which is my favorite ;) We had a good time.

My boyfriend finally got back into a good mood, so we shopped around the department store. But I guess he was still tired... While I was shopping at Sanrio store I found him sitting and watching Elmo toy... Oh no... Of course, we went home right away!

Changing my story. Today, I won a grand prize at a contest but I lost the others which prizes were more attractive!!! It's just my luck!

Please click below and vote for me.

My Accomplishments

Hi! The weather forecast says it gonna be much colder from next week :( I need to put away my summer clothes! I still have them out!!!

Today, I will list my recent accomplishments.

On 10/31, I won the Bull-Dog Sauce Award at a contest held by bellemaison (online shop). They asked us to create some magical recipes using either of these sauce products: Ebara's Yakiniku Sauce, Heinz's White or Demi Glace Sauce, or Bull-Dog Sauce products. Luckily, my "Hamburger-Like Stir-Fried Colorful Vegetables and Minced Meat" won the prize :)

On the same day, I won the second prize at PoleStar's recipe contest. They asked for Japanese-style confectionery recipes using their sauce products!!! This was tough, but my "Misauce (Miso Sauce) Goheimochi" was chosen! Goheimochi is a mochi made by crushed rice, grilled over coals with miso based salty sweet sauce. To tell the truth, I once made it with the other sauce product but the recipe didn't receive a prize, so I retried it with PoleStar's sauce! Sometimes, I need to renovate my idea, I guess!!!

On 11/10, my Halloween recipe was elected to receive MONTEUR's character goods. MONTEUR is a store that sells cakes and sweet treats easy-on-the-pockets. I used their pumpkin waffle (limited time offer) to make ghosts.

Today I need to attend another cook-off!
I will write about it later ;)
I hope I can do well this time...

Please click below and vote for me.

ANDERSEN Bread Contest

Yesterday, I went to Hiroshima to attend the cook-off final of the ANDERSEN's bread contest! ANDERSEN is a bakery. They try to make the most of our “Hygge” (means cozy) time with friends, family or on our own eating bread. They asked us for anniversary recipes using their bread. There were 5 finalists. (amazingly, 4 of us including me were from Tokyo area!) I woke up at 3 in the morning, took shinkansen at 6, and arrived at Hiroshima at 10. But the other 3 said they came a day before and stayed a night in Hiroshima. That might have been a good idea!

The grand prix was awarded to the lady who made croissant fruit cake. She said she makes it for her kids when they do a great job! Mine and others' were the outstanding performance award. My recipe was "inside-out beef cutlet sandwich". Of course I made it for my boyfriend (for his birthday) ;)

After the contest, we had a open sandwich party with judges (the CEO joined us as well). Their open sandwiches were like sushi (with fresh vegetables, meat, fish etc...) and was really great!!! There were more than 10 kinds. I think we (participants) had no sense of shame... we divided all into small pieces and shared each other.

I came back to Tokyo at 10PM. I didn't even have time to sightsee in the city or go window-shopping but I had a good time.

It's a small world!!! Next week, I am going to see the grand prix winner at a different contest!

Okay. I gotta go now.
Good night!

Please click below and vote for me.

Aomori Recipe Contest: Second Place!

Yesterday, I attended the final cook-off! It was about creating a daily dish using any of the 3 items (mineral burdock root, apios, and/or dried chrysanthemum) produced in Aomori prefecture.

The contest was held by LSearch (the group that help to promote trade and industry in Aomori) at Denryokukan (the show room of Tokyo Electric Power Co. in Shibuya) and five lucky finalists were selected! There were 5 judges. One is Jyunko Takashiro (a famous foodist) and the other four were from the (selected) general public. I cooked "Mineral Burdock Root, Apios, and Chicken Stuffed Fried Bean Curd, Salty-Sweet Sauce".

The winning recipe was a very beautiful sumashijiru (clear soup) with apios balls, but I am glad that mine was selected as the second place. All pictures above are taken by my boyfriend. Thanks for his support and the encouragement!

It was chilly in the morning, but it changed to fine autumn weather (and was hot) in the afternoon! I even sweated a little!!!

After the contest, my boyfriend and I went to a cafe and had a lunch. I think jose might love this! I will write about it the next time.

I gotta go now!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!

Please click below and vote for me.

My Accomplishments

It's a fine Autumn day again today, but gradually getting chilly! Looks like winter is on its way!!! And that was right! The forecast said that yesterday was the coldest this season!

After so long! I will list my recent accomplishments.

On 10/16, my recipe finally won the grand prize at the garlic contest held by the site called kenkokazoku: online shopping site of health food product! The prize winning recipe is "Shrimp and Spinach Stamina Tartar". Luckily, my "Sausage and Spinach Pepperon Rice" won the special prize as well!

On 10/18, my fellow blogger Nazarina passed me this pretty award: Butterfly Award - For the coolest blog I ever know. Thank you!!!







Also on 10/25, she passed me another award: I'm a Chocoholic. How come she knows I like chocolate. Ha-ha! Thanks a lot ;)



On 10/22, my prize winning recipe, "Enoki Natto Meat Sour Miso Bowl" (I wrote about it before), went on Suntory's website!







On 10/24, I received some dashi products from Kamada, in return for putting my recipe on their catalogue. Kamada is famous for natural dashi soy sauce. The recipe, "Japanese Style Stir-Fried Sausage and Komatsuna (Japanese Mustard Spinach)", was the one I submitted to their contest using their product early this year.

On 10/29, my e-mail recipe newsletter for cell-phones was introduced at mini-mag (the publisher)'s weekly magazine! About 200 new readers have subscribed to my newsletter! Thank you!!!

Then last but not least, I have 3 finals to attend in November!!! 2 of them will be held in Tokyo, but one will be in Hiroshima! I need to take shinkansen (4 hours!) to go there. Am I deserve to participate... ?! Hope so...

By the way, yesterday on the news, I saw our prime minister Taro Aso saying that he would increase the consumption tax rate in three years... I think he shouldn't say that now... He just gave us a bad impression to his economic policies he announced yesterday, you know...
Aso pledges 27 trillion yen to fire up economy

I am taking a day off today and Monday is a holiday! Yay!!! Tomorrow I have one of the finals in Tokyo, so I hope I can write about that the next time.

Have a great weekend + Happy Halloween!!!

Please click below and vote for me.