what can i say, i am a woman of few words- well, one of few blog posts that’s for sure. i sometimes wonder who ends up reading these periodic internet rants of mine. if you’re out there, hello you. thanks for tuning in, i appreciate ya!

i often hear people speak about these last few years being extremely difficult. what with all the unprecedented times and what have you. for me everything was different after february 23, 2020 to be exact. right before the entire world shut down. nothing and i mean nothing has been the same since then. i’ve learned all of the faces of grief during that time and i know so have a lot of other people. but with healing comes kindness, towards others but most importantly starting with yourself. i hope i do a better job of spending active time practicing that. 

i haven’t been sharing much on instagram these days and if ‘best nine’ is still a thing that would basically encapsulate my entire year of posts. don’t get me wrong, i still take plenty of photos. i really cannot stop raving about how good these iphone cameras are getting, dlsr who? but social media wasn’t really my jam last year.

2021 was a year that i don’t quite have the right words for so? i am going to recap the best way i know how, with food of course. let’s take it from the top.

fat ass deli sandwiches are mine and my sis’s comfort food. 

first dish in the wok my mom gave me. shrimp diane.

corned beef topped with eggs and served with garlic fried rice.

my mama’s classic side dishes. spinach adobo + stir fried eggplant.

breakfast in bed via my wonderful sister.

korean hot dogs help make sad days better. look at them! (CrunCheese Korean Hot Dog)

cooking is therapy for me. more of my mama’s filipino dishes. monggo with shrimp and pork bagoong. 

i can never resist poke nachos. i like to eat them with extra seaweed.

at home werk lunch.

one tray dinner. baked salmon and asparagus topped with parmesan cheese.

st. patty’s day leprechaun sized dinner. oven baked corned beef + roasted brussels sprouts + smashed garlic potatoes.

a solo leftover dinner.

breakfast for two.

it was a full morracan service that started with a table side rose water hand wash. what a delightful dining experience this was. (Marrakech Vegas) 

sushi take out (yummy grill & sushi)

ube ice cream topped with macapuno strings + nata de coco. filipino midnight snack.

french pastries and a croque monsieur. (La Belle Terre Bakery & Cafe)

vodka + calamansi juice is a perfect combo.

friday night sushi take out + marvel in bed. i lean towards tuna with my sushi choices, if there is garlic - even better! (Sapporo Revolving Sushi)

hong kong street style matcha waffle.

classic pot roast dinner. 

breakfast on the go go.

leftover pot roast stroganoff for werk lunch.

oven baked salmon + parmesan roasted asparagus + white rice is a meal i eat fairly often. i usually finish with a few dashes of ponzu. it goes great with salmon!

a straight up smol bucket of coconut milk tea. generally i add egg pudding and only once in awhile boba. (Easy Life Boba)

chocolate + reese’s pb chip cookies. 

a trip to trader joe’s. what are your favorites? i always try to have their chicken tikka samosas, wild mushroom & black truffle flat breads and chicken chile verde burritos in my freezer. 

biscuits n’ gravy + guava mimosas is a great way to sunday brunch at home.

a love/hate relationship with crumbl’s weekly changing menu. i love trying new cookies but i hate that i can’t get my favorites whenever i am craving them. (Crumbl Cookies)

bbq chicken pizza for a weekday dinner? you betcha.

instant pot chicken alfredo. i’ve experimented doing a few noodles dishes in the instant pot and this was one was added to the repeat offender list. (Recipe)

on occasion i like to get pho’cked up. (Pho Rose)

orange chicken, just add rice.

i keeping changing how i cook my steaks at home. most of the ways involve a cast iron skillet though. i tend to start top side and searing both sides before finishing in the oven. the very best homemade steak i have ever eaten was cooked sous vide and then finalized with a proper searing in a cast iron skillet (duh). i haven’t dived into the land of sous vide but some day that will happen, i am adding it to the kitchen bucket list. 

brunched. buttermilk waffles + breakfast sausage + extra crispy bacon

potato salad how my mama taught me. no funny business, i hear there are people out there adding raisins, RAISINS! please explain yourselves. gold potatoes + a few chopped hard boiled eggs+ mayo + minced yellow onion + sea salt + cracked black pepper + thinly sliced green onions + smoked paprika on top. 

i finally have my gravy recipe perfected. homemade biscuit or the kind that explode from a can, whatever the quality of the carb in use the gravy is the main star. all that AND crispy bacon too swoon 

my chicken-less chicken noodle soup + grilled cheddar wurst with (2) types of mustard and diced sweet onion. another successful werk lunch.

saturdays mean fresh thai food at the bangkok market. if ya know, ya know and well i guess by reading this you do too. eating in thailand was tastebud bud training course. in most thai restaurants in the US you will notice that the dessert section of the menu is rather tiny. this is misleading AF! sticky rice with mango is delish but it’s only a taste of what is out there. i don’t know if most americans wouldn’t be receptive to some harder to find sweet treats but if you have a gluten allergy (i don’t but its fun to point out food compliant accidents) and love coconut i am telling you, you have to get your hands on some off the books thai treaties. (Bangkok Market)

balance, one fat bastard salad and air fried crispy potato goodness.

green curry instant noodles + pork & chive mandu + braised bamboo shoots.

give me ALL the cookies. the s’mores ones were to DIE for drools (Insomnia Cookies)

special delivery: assorted macarons. yes, there was a cheesy flavored one. (Makarohn)

tuna poke bowl. i told you, 100% not joking about my love for tuna. (Paina Cafe)

toasted cinnamon raisin bagel. 

half: irish butter, half: pb + nutella - try it.

soft scrambled eggs + crispy bacon + cup of coffee. 

i used to hate scrambled eggs until i figured out how to make it perfectly how i like it. 

scrambled eggs tips n’ tricks: use a dash of water when whisking your eggs together (i often whisk in a smol sprinkle of mushroom bouillon), use a plastic baking spatula, a generous amount of butter and low heat. move your eggs around often using your spatula, cook until no longer runny/wet but be careful to not overcook.

sometimes you just need a box of freshly baked krispy kreme doughnuts. i love scoring a freebie OG hotty. (Krispy Kreme)

shiitakes for this bowl of ramen.

have you seen the movie waitress? if so, this is my version of naughty pumpkin pie. 

pasta carbonara. normally this dish doesn’t include mushrooms but any opportunity i have to sneak some in, i will do just that.

a trip to saint honoré. top tier las vegas doughnuts. it is dangerous that they are located in my neighbor, it isn’t a lot of effort to make a weekend visit in. (Saint Honoré)

old bananas? no problem a banana bread can’t solve.

first thanksgiving frying a turkey and used an infrared fryer to be specific. i don’t think i will ever go back to an oven cooked bird! i can’t tell you how nice it was to have a free oven to get all those sides finished. 

i made it all! mashed potatoes, mac n’ cheese, collard greens, green bean casserole, mushroom sausage stuffing, gravy, pumpkin pie and crack pie (recipe via milk bar).

a breakfast palette cleanser if you will. standard issue.

a lot of holiday baking was completed in my kitchen this season. many were christina tosi inspired treats and some christmas baked good staples. pandan cookies, snickerdoodle truffles, oreo truffles, corn cookies, iced oatmeal cookies and my shortbread christmas bars. i also made super dark chocolate cookies (i used black cocoa!) and blueberries & cream cookies too. i gifted these out to my loved ones and it was pretty neat hearing all the different feedback on which everyone’s favorites were. 

my aunt gen’s spinach dip.

pork and shrimp lumpia shanghai.

pancit! i am still not yet a pro.

shrimp diane. 

humba, if this filipino dish isn’t present at christmas welp, it ain’t christmas - not for me.

first time making prime rib at home. 10/10 would recommend, it was not nearly as scary as i anticipated. i was always super hesitant at the idea of possibly ruining $100 worth of beef. also used the infrared fryer, only took about 2 1/2 hours!

this year might not have felt like most of my past christmases but this plate of food is like a christmas hug from my family. i am not even sure how all of these dishes started being apart of the holiday but they are and each year they will be at my home. 

the thing about the crack pie recipe is, it makes 2 and these pies freeze beautifully. lucky for my snazzy planning one was present for thanksgiving and at christmas. 

i fell in love with this candy bar when i lived in berlin. i don’t doubt that the ritter sport flavors are endless, especially since i remember there being special holiday/limited editions bars, but for whatever reason yogurt or should i say “joghurt” is my very favorite one. 

having cookie dough on hand in the fridge is a holiday super power. you can impress your friends by baking off a few fresh cookies for guests that pop by. most importantly you can impress yourself by having fresh cookies available when YOU need them. 

new year’s eve. i know i live in vegas and like most locals i avoid the strip like the plague ESPECIALLY on NYE. most years consist of a charcuterie spread, dark chocolate brownies and lots of bubbles. this year’s charcuterie line up included a puff pastry wrapped wheel of brie. defrost one sheet of frozen puff pastry, roll the dough out and fold over a full wheel of double cream brie. whisk one egg and brush the outside of the entire pastry, bake for 25-30 minutes in a preheated 400˚oven. serve with tasty, good quality jams or preserves. 

ended with doughnuts, hey there 2022! (Saint Honoré)

there you have it, 2021 a year in food. i have already started another album in phone “noms ‘22” so i will keep collecting as many of my eats as possible in there. maybe not a yearly recap though? i can’t commit to monthly but perhaps at least a quarterly update. at the end of the day these posts are really for myself. i love to journal and blogging is an extension of that but with more photos. this year i am attempting to bullet journal digitally on my ipad and have been able to incorporate more photos in the few days we have had so far in 2022. so far this year has already forced me to be kinder to myself and take it easy but i have a lot planned for the coming year and can’t wait to start destroying some goals. 

happy eating!

xo

rita



 

last sunday was mother's day, i'm lucky enough to have a wonderful mama that i got to spend the day with! also beyond grateful to have many amazing mothers in my life. i know "holidays" of any kind can stir up extra feelings, not all of which are warm and fuzzy, this particular mother's day fell on my dad's birthday which made it bittersweet. for me, father's day will be a struggle, it's like having a lump in your throat that won't go away which makes everything a bit harder. on these days, when you feel badly remember to be good to yourself. do things that you love, whether that's going out with a friend for a meal or perhaps staying home with netflix, indulging in postmates and putting on a nice smelling face mask. 

we ate outside, a table of only women.

my sister made this kiddo and then this kiddo made whipped cream because i asked berry nicely.

mama requested mimosas & waffles, so guava mimosas and brown butter buttermilk waffles is what i made.

bunches of berries, bacon, turkey sausage, beef bulgogi (we are asian? it made an appearance.. i have no actual real reason for it being apart of brunch), cheesy scrambled eggs, and waffles joined us at our table.

i think i have made uuhh, between 40-50 different waffle recipes and have yet to find my PERFECT one. 

with this waffle recipe i used dry buttermilk for the first time and was very happy with the way they turned out. i usually always buy real buttermilk, use it for A recipe, then the rest usually ends up going to waste and i'm left with a broken heart. i figure finding a way to minimize heartache is always the best approach to most things in life.

christina tosi helped transform the way my brain thinks about dried, powdered and other dehydrated ingredients being used in baked goods. since reading both of her cookbooks i have noticed it has slightly changed how i approach creating or adjusting a recipe i'd like to make and i'm happy for the influence.

life is hard, eat more waffles and hug people that make your heart feel bueno bueno

xo

rita

*

sneaky peaky at my family's christmas eve partay.

this was our first LARGE gathering we've had in quite sometime.
i was SO happy my brother and his family were able to make it down from oregon this year, my mom was over the moon!

we all were supposed to wear ugly christmas sweaters but of course my doofus brother shows us up in an ugly christmas yeti two piece suit.

this is probably the only photo i have of the dessert i made for our party, i was literally packing up the car as the apple pie was still baking. when you work a full time job it can be hard to fit in everything you said you would be bringing to the party BUT i did it!

an instagram slideshow of my shortbread christmas bars! these babies are non negotiable for christmas time.. HAVE to have to have them.

I also made pandan cookies, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, and peanutella cookies too. every christmas party needs a tray of cookies.

oh and lets not forget the pies!

a few silly videos i shared on my instagram story of the pie prepping process. i made a sweet potato, pumpkin and an apple pie. perhaps filming might be something i do more often? video is always something i had distanced myself from, i am definitely one who feels IMMENSELY awkward in most things involving cameras and even more so with video since it captures e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. however it is pretty neat to have to look back on to that is more than just a still frame moment. maybe i'll find my own way.

if it was up to her, i think there would be way more twerking photos. 

my love!! having my best friend here this year and more for MANY more to come also makes my heart super duper happy.

this human she created is the coolest kiddo, i can't believe how FAST she is growing. 

she is the sweetest.

we got a bit loud when the white elephant game really got going. 

people were ruthless!! stealing gifts from kids and the elderly, no shame not when a movie poster or a coffee press is on the line. although you could have been extra lucky and ended up with the super sized container of colon cleanser.

not all gifts were created equally but hey now, that was the point.

me desperately trying to get my brother's attention, what the hell is new?! haha 

"sean take a photo with me NOW pleeeeease"

it felt weird that my dad wasn't there, our christmas eve party was his favorite, i think it will always feel a little weird.

i'm thankful this year had more laughs, hugs and tears of joy compared to last year when we were all a bit too sad. the grieving process is such a weird one. to all those who celebrated without someone you wished you could have i hope you all got extra hugs and cuddles to make up for it. nothing will ever fix it but hopefully with time and more love.. things will keep continuing to feel better.

xo

rita

oh hello there,

i'm back! as in.. I finally have a new laptop! as in.. I managed to restore my photo editing software to said new laptop!

let's not dwell on the part where I lost a little over 2 years of photos.. no, no must not continue to keep doing that. instead let's celebrate new beginnings and possibilities with a blog post!

there isn't much hope for a white christmas in Vegas so the holiday feels can feel a little far a way but there are a few things around town that can help change that. the ethel m chocolate factory is a season must that is high up on the list. with the combination of Christmas lights and the smell of chocolate in the air it is easy to get the spirits stirring.

hello my name is ruby, I work at a chocolate factory.

even though it was pretty late in the evening I was really excited to get a chance to see people still working. it was like I could almost hear marc summers' voice in my head when I walked along the glass separating all of us from their chocolatey assembly line. not to mention how hardcore I was spying on their work tables I was incredibly curious to see what was going on there.

after all that work, there they are..!

dark chocolate anything for me pleeease.

I do not know the owner of this butt, I apologize if this is your butt.

I do know this one though.

 check out that smile. lines for days? no sweat.

my wallace loves.

supposedly she is the oldest sibling..suspicous. 

the. best. cocoa.

this is the kind of hot cocoa that you don't mind waiting for.

not to mention how necessary it is before you walk the cactus garden. Vegas may not get much or any snow but it is a desert and it can get extremely cold.. says the person who is cold all the time.. I know, I know.

trust me, rookie move if you skip the cocoa. 

bundle up to the fullest, cocoa in hand, and you're ready!

famiglia.

the holidays remind us to make the time.

i feel like this year has been pretty rough for a lot of people. speaking from personal experience it really has been for me. i thought for sure this whole year not one good thing actually happened but i realized that wasn't true.

i'm truly grateful for all the people who have been so supportive and empathetic towards me. i couldn't imagine this year playing out as it did without these lovely batch of humans whom i've been lucky to have at my side.

sometimes you have to remind yourself of what matters after you've had crap experiences. sure let yourself wallow, feel your feels but then remember what matters and keep pushing forward.

i remembered i still had this space. i have my family and friends. i have me. 

merry christmas and have a happy new years, i hope you appreciate all the things we tend to forget about and that you take the time to be kind to yourself.

xo