Happy New Year at JustJenn's House o' Tradition

JustJenn's New Year's feast!

Happy New Year! Can you believe it is 2010 already? I'm excited that 2010 will include the Winter Olympics (with commercials featuring Morgan Freeman), World Cup, and another season of Glee. Yeah, I'm easy.

My family made a zillion pounds of mochi again last weekend. And by zillion, I mean 250 pounds of mochi. This year, JustJenn and her family came along to visit. And by visit, I mean place themselves in the factory line that is the Food Librarian's family mochi day. Read about it here or here on JustJenn's blogs.

Ozoni - New Years Soup with toasted mochi

So, what do the Japanese do with all that fresh mochi? We make a special soup (ozoni) and pop a toasted mochi in it. It brings you good luck all year. Or at least til tax season. Or until something not so lucky happens. Then you blame the soup.

Jenn goes all out and makes a huge feast. Tradition says that you cook enough for three days...because back in the day the stores in Japan would close so everyone can be with their families. Luckily, we have Trader Joe's, but Jenn did cook enough food for days! It was all so delicious!!

JustJenn's son, The Kid made this sticker for me! I think I'm known as "the lady who has mochi making at her house...along with a bouncy house."

Jenn made her own pink mochi with an (sweetened red beans inside). Recipe here.

Spam musubi. Sure, probably not a traditional dish served in Japan, but our people made it to Los Angeles a long time ago so we have Spam musubi. And who's keeping an eye on the musubi? None other than Johnny Depp Pez. Awesome.

Kamaboko - Fish cake. During New Years, you can get it with all sorts of purdy shapes inside. I'm looking for the George Clooney Kamaboko.

Kinpira Gobo (Burdock Root and Carrots) - Like hella good for you (lots and lots of fiber).
Kurikinton (Sweet Potatoes and Chestnuts) - Giving you good wealth and fortune.

Kuromame (Black Beans) for health and success and Tazukuri (whole little fish) for good harvest and wealth. These are way traditional...and I skip them every. single. year. Looks like I'm outta luck in 2010.

Ise-ebi - Shrimp salad

Jenn makes cute signs with explanations. Yes, she IS the hostess with the mostess.

Edamame in a cute holder.

Lumpia (egg rolls). Yeah, not traditional but who wouldn't want fried rolls of goodness for lunch?!??!

Potato salad. This is the point where I start making up the cultural significance of potato salad... :) Delicious Honey Shoyu Chicken Wings. Recipe here.

Jenn's grandmother (O.G.) made this delicious flank steak before watching the Rose Parade this morning. We had a discussion about watching the Rose Parade every. single. year. without. fail.

Jenn made yummy Root Beer Pulled Pork.

I heart the Satsuma Tangerine. They are my favorite winter citrus. And if the "long life" you get is based on how many you eat, I'm going to live forever.

Of course, JustJenn made a bunch of yummy desserts. Here are the Green Tea Cupcakes with Strawberry Mascarpone Frosting.

Jenn's secret recipe Red Velvet Cupcakes and Broken Glass Jello (here is my post about the Broken Glass Jello)

Whew! It was a delicious feast! THANK YOU so much JustJenn!

Of course, I'm starting my long list of resolutions tomorrow...

Happy New Year to you! Wishing you a great 2010!!! - mary the food librarian

(edited to add JustJenn's top photo! Check out her blog post here)