My son Darian is turning 8 and has denied my request to stop getting older. He thought I was kidding, but I really really want to squish 8-month-old-Darian again, and I don’t think the laws of the universe should prevent that.
Back to business. The soon-to-be-8-year-old-Darian originally wanted to go to Golden Corral for his birthday dinner, but last night he changed his mind and decided on a semi-homemade menu instead.
- Teriyaki chicken I use chicken thighs, and make a sauce with Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki, sweet chili sauce, and peanut butter.
- White rice I always keep a supply of Kokuho Rose rice, it’s my very favorite.
- “Dry” ramen Darian’s favorite is Sapporo Ichiban original ramen, but mostly drained (1 or 2 tsp water left in) with about half of a seasoning packet.
- Broccoli steamed, seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper. He didn’t actually request this, but I’m making him eat vegetables on his birthday.
- Dumplings from Trader Joe’s- specifically their chicken gyoza potstickers, with dipping sauce on the side.
- Reed’s extra ginger brew will be the beverage. Probably served in wine glasses because Darian thinks that makes it fancy 🙂
- Oreo cake, barely homemade using this recipe, Breyers oreo ice cream on the side.
That’s it! This will come together pretty dang easily since the cake benefits from being made a day in advance. The timing won’t even be an issue, the only foreseeable hiccup is if Darian eats too much of his dinner and doesn’t want any cake. I’ll attempt to give him little portions, but if all else fails we’ll just sing to him and have him blow out candles before storing his cake in the fridge again.
I was trying to decide what I would want my birthday dinner to be, and I think we got it right last year by going out to Zen Box Izakaya. Previous years, I’ve gone to Salut on Grand (steak, calamari, all the drinks) and been ridiculously happy. I think since I make so many meals at home, the key to birthday happiness is going to a restaurant that I love. I don’t really want to meet a restaurant for the first time on my birthday, but I’m happy to make a few outings in the name of research.
CrustyBeth 