2013 Mother’s Day Lunch/Dinner, Journal

Dan-san’s nephew, Steven’s wife Amanda made Hiroko so happy to celebrate “Happy Mothers’ Day” lunch/dinner at their house on Saturday, the day before the Mothers’ Day Sunday.

Entering their house, the dinner table had already been set.

Appetizer and Salad   The appetizer was very tasty and hit Hiroko’s empty stomach.

Garlic bread

Lasagna and chicken dish called “Chicken Vesuvio”

Making a lasagna takes time, so Hiroko doesn’t make Lasagna too often.  Dan-san would be happy to have it.  He likes it.

Chicken Vesuvio was very tasty dish.  Seasoning used for this dish were rosemary and garlic.

Amanda, the Lady of the House and new refrigerator and stove

Steven, the master of the House and new patio

There was gravel but this new patio is very clean and beautiful

Here is Amanda’s proud white fence around the garden.  The fence cut the view, but it gives a feeling of security, safety, and privacy.  It is a beautiful fence.

The floor of the basement room was new.  Their dog, Ollie was running and slipping around.  Ollie said ‘hello’ to Dan-san.  Steven had to hold this friendly dog, because he is jumping up to everybody.

Dan-san loved their TV, and asked “How many inches?  Isn’t it good to have cable?”  He gave grace before lunch and ate with us, but next minute he was sitting down before the TV enjoying World War II movies on the Military Channel.  Is he thinking about getting cable?

No need for explanation.  These are the people attending to this lunch/dinner gathering.

After the lunch/dinner, Steven made a fire in his new firepit.  All were sitting around the fire and forgetting the time passing, and talking of this and that.  While gathering around the fire, a very delicious cheese dessert was served.  Hiroko ate too much tiramisu.  It was good.  We were home around 9 PM.

Mothers’ Day Presents

This lunch/dinner was Amanda/Steven’s present, Hiroko thought, but they gave me this beautiful orchid.

Reading each card, Hiroko appreciated so much that everyone took the time to pick these suitable cards.

Jewel gift card from Lisa – Hiroko will buy her necessities, Polaroid sunglass and soil for vegetable.  What shall I buy with the reward money from the lottery? 

Elsa wrote Mothers’ Day greeting in Japanese.  Hiroko wondered how she knew how much she had lost in Las Vegas.  No wonder Hiroko had never worried so much about the losts  Thanks for the candle, too.

Cash from Dan-san.

Young lady in church gave Hiroko these shower gels.  Hiroko has been taking shower a lot, so shower gel is always welcome.

Thank you for those presents to Amanda/Steven, Dave/Lisa, Richard/Elsa, Rebecca, and Dan-san.

----------------------------------------------------

Regarding Chicken Vesuvio from Dave/Lisa and internet.

Vesuvios is the name of volcano in Italy.  The town name Pompeii, Italy was sunk in the ocean at  79 AD because of the eruption of the volcano Vesuvios.  

There are two theories how to make this dish called Chicken Vesuvio.

One is a chicken was cooked with this volcano ash, and gave the name “Chicken Vesuvios,” and the another one is one of the Italian restaurant in Chicago made up this dish and gave the name “Chicken Vesuvios.”  It seems there are several idea which restaurants in Chicago made this dish.

Hiroko wondered which is the true story, so checked and read the many articles in the internet.

The articles in the internet gave Hiroko a surprise, because there are so many articles regarding Chicken Vesuvio.  Hiroko read about 10 articles in the internet, the most article of that Chicken Vesuvio dish was found in the one of the Italian restaurant in Chicago.  However, in one article the author said he agreed to found the dish in the one of the Chicago’s Italian restaurants, but he said the cook brought the dish from Italy.  The cook might have grown up in the south of Italy and he was eating his mother’s dishes similar to Chicken Vesuvio.  Therefore, the “Chicken Vesuvio” was originally made in Italy.  This author wrote about this article page after pages to prove how his theory was true.

Well, it is O.K. for Hiroko  who and at where  and how the Chicken Vesuvio was made , Hiroko wants to make her own Chicken Vesuvio, so she made it very simple way of Chicken Vesuvio.

For Dan-san and Hiroko, 1/2 skinless and boneless chicken breast – brown it with olive oil and take out

2 each potato, carrots, and ¼ of cauliflower – diced and sauté in the pan browned chicken

Return the chicken in the vegetable pan

Put the seasoning

½ teaspoon each rosemary, black pepper, garlic power, honey, and dashi-no-moto

1/2 cup wine

Cook with small heat on gas stove for 15 minutes