Continuing the festivities during Kevin’s birthday celebration weekend, I wanted to make some sort of Mexican breakfast (his favorite). If we are ever out to brunch and chilaquiles are on a menu, it’s a given that he will order it. I wanted to make a different …
For Kevin’s birthday this year, I made the last cake I’ll probably have time to bake for a long time. His side of the family came over for a celebration, and I wanted to make a cake with a lighter feel. I went with my …
I threw my mom a surprise party to celebrate her big 6-0 last month with my extended family – about 20-25 of us in all. Given her East Los Angeles roots and inherent love for Mexican food, I decided to give it a fiesta theme. I …
For Jamie’s birthday nearly two years ago (yes – still drowning in a sea of backlogged posts), I made this fun little pintuck piece since she’d told me she was in the market for an apron. I found the tutorial on Wholly Kao, and wholeheartedly accepted …
In celebration of Shirley’s birthday last month, we decided to do a potluck/wine tasting. Shirley, Spencer, Leslie, Tri, Kevin, and I contributed wine from our favorite vineyards, and everyone brought something for dinner. I volunteered to do dessert, and an ice cream cake seemed like a …
For another Hirata family birthday potluck celebration last month, I made a birthday cake using my new go-to chocolate layer cake recipe, this time, with a classic vanilla buttercream that I stumble upon browsing Add A Pinch. It was a triple celebration for Kevin, his mom, and his …
Kevin’s grandma turned 92 last Wednesday, so as a precursor to the birthday week, we had a little birthday celebration for her. She can’t have nuts or chocolate, so I whipped up an apple tart. Here’s the recipe, as adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who never lets …
Back from a long hiatus – and married at that! Stone fruit season is finally here again! I’ve been waiting a long time to post this recipe until peaches were in season again. I made these for Kevin and his mom’s family birthday celebration last September and they …
I finally just watched Chef, written and directed by Jon Favreau, which I was super excited to watch when I found out it would premiere and screen at South by Southwest last year. I didn’t get a chance to watch it there, and then I …
When you get engaged, one of the most common questions people ask you is “were you surprised?”. I know I ask that question a lot, and I definitely got a lot of that when Kevin and I got engaged last summer (yes – it’s official!). …