However comma I have come back to you to provide the recipe so that you don’t have to wait! It’s an amazingly simple recipe that most kids will easily be able to help with. And everyone loves it!! No, chopsticks are not mandatory. =^_^=

One last thing! In the video, I talk about using Fettuccini noodles instead of the spaghetti in the recipe. Pay close attention to the fettuccini as they have a tendancy to stick together! If they do, the stuck part will not be fully cooked when you strain them and it’s a very undesirable chewy taste. Personally, living in Asian household for so many years, I like the fettuccini if I don’t have actual rice noodles. More of an authentic taste and texture.

I hope you enjoy this awesome meal! Asako and I are making a Mexican zucchini cheese soup right now, and it’s gonna be awesome! See you all soon!

My Favorite Sesame Noodles by kelcampbell at AllRecipes.com

My passion is in anything to do with airplanes. Flying, designing, building, tweaking, improving, all of it. I started the path to Aerospace Engineering through Embry-Riddle University. Through better judgement, that was put on hold because I felt that my marriage was more important than the strain of being separated in a college party town like Daytona Beach.

Now I’ve found myself in a divorced marriage and no career path that I can bring myself to be excited about, regardless of what kind of money it brings in. Realistically, the money isn’t everything. There is so much more to life than just money and the trinkets it can buy you. I’m always in the pursuit of more money for the OPTIONS it gives me though. There is a very fine line that separates those two paradigms, and many people miss it.

I’ve met many a people that get that big corporate job and push as hard as they can to climb the ladder… I learned very quickly that in a corporate environment, no matter how high you climb, you’ll always be looking at somebody else’s butt as they’re climbing just as hard to keep YOU from going higher than them. It’s very hard to learn or help anyone when you’re so worried about your own wellbeing and job security.

My last job was with a wonderful company in the credit card industry. At the end of my time there, I had 20 agents and 4 management agents to which I was responsible for. I did my best to make sure that every one of them understood that I was not in fear of losing my job or position to one of them. If they had the stuff to pass me, by all means, stretch those legs and go for it!! I gained nothing by holding them back, yet I gained more trust by trying to help them advance.

So now I’m face to face with a 6 year old that I have to ensure that she understands the value of what she’s getting in school. It’s not just ABC’s and recess, but it’s friendships, relationships, and the willingness to help people in any way she can. But also being able to identify what she’s capable of helping with… And that’ll take a lot of time, patience, tears, and lots and lots of laughter.

And I look forward to every moment of it! ^_^

As the story goes, my ex-wife was at our house in the process of healing. A double-shot of ear infection and she was out for the day, and I had no problem with her resting in a familiar setting where we could help her if necessary. Feeling better later in the evening, she was able to sense that I was flustered at trying to rush and had offered to help with dinner.

Pesto Chicken Florentine – from J.McGuire @ AllRecipes.com

It all started with the chicken, and from there started a short rollercoaster. I asked for the chicken to be cut into strips. I, however, did not specify what size strips. At the massive pile of what felt like that ultra-thin deli sliced lunch meat, I realized where I had not communicated enough about what I wanted. No, the chicken wasn’t sliced THAT thin, but it wasn’t what I considered ‘strips’.  No big deal! We can still make this work.

What you’ll realize very quickly as you read through these posts is that I’m new to the kitchen… again. I can cook. I can follow directions. Not that hard. Creating masterpieces from remnants of what used to be a mountainous bag of frozen meat and one piece of some random vegetable… I’m not there yet. and I’m terribly jealous at my best friends and even the ex- for what they can whip up sometimes!! But continuing, I’ve been able to cook for quite a long time. But my half-japanese wife kept me well fed with some of the best of asian cuisine. And for that, I’m out of practice… WAY out of practice.

Using a recipe which I’d pulled from one of the many resources I’ve stockpiled in the last few weeks, I gathered all of the necessary ingredients, skimmed over the steps, and decided we would begin, naturally, with step 1. However, I did not evaluate the flow of food well enough to realize that steps 2 and 3 should have been going on at the same time!

For this recipe, we started with olive oil in a high-heat skillet, sauteing the chopped garlic. In nearly an instant, the garlic was ready to go, and in goes the chicken. Because I didn’t fully read the directions, I got garlic remnants in the form of charred bits… no problem! We must press on! There was a lot of chicken because of the strips, so it went in two waves. Not a big deal, very easy to manage. I felt very ambitious about my abilities, and decided to now start working on the sauce. This was a dry Alfredo mix, using nearly 2 cups of milk and 2 tablespoons of Pesto.

I started the milk in a saucepan, added the butter, and on low heat whisked in a tad of butter, and went back to the chicken. The thin strips cooked up quickly and it kept my attention focused so much on the chicken, that I didn’t notice the milk already frothing up in the saucepan!! Thankfully, an experienced pair of eyes was in the kitchen with me, and she rescued our sauce rather quickly. While focusing on the chicken, I made sure to be clear about what I needed and asked that she go ahead and finish the sauce while I finished the chicken.

The alfredo powder mix was poured in and whisked carefully, then set aside to cool. Chicken done, I went back to the laptop, which I now move to the kitchen when I cook to have easy access to the recipes. Added the pesto, stirred in well, and… realized that I hadn’t even started the water for the Penne pasta… everything was done… but no pasta to put it on!!

At this point, Asako is bored. She starts the 1st grade this coming Monday, and the t.v. is off limits. Barbie’s will only go so far. Coloring books only go so far. And it’s no fun reading to Mommy or Daddy when they’re frantic over cooking dinner. She wanted to help so badly, yet I was wrapped up in what I was doing wrong with dinner.

So I shooed her from the kitchen and the new pot of boiling water, and continued on what felt like a disaster of a meal… cold chicken, lumpy sauce, oh, I could see it in my head already. And then it caught my eye… Spinach leaves. I had set up the spinach ahead of time to have everything ready to cook, and I was supposed to cook it with the chicken. Frustration level now going to the top floor. (Remember, new cook!)

But learning to be flexible, I ran through my brain what I could do to salvage this meal to a still edible degree. So I covered the chicken to keep it warm and circulating. It came out very moist and tender, to which I was very thankful. And in the midst of the penne cooking, I had an idea. Lets take these spinach leaves, and throw them in the strainer. We’ll dump the pasta over the spinach, stir it up for a bit, throw it down on the plate, drop some chicken, pour some sauce, and presto!

To my surprise, (and relief) it worked. Mixing the spinach with the cooked penne managed to cook it up without taking the crisp out. You can see above the plate which I put together for us. Asako and I both had full plates. Mommy had to run out, and she had already eaten much earlier because of the ear infection. Now, remember that Asako is 6, and she’s built just like her daddy – long, tall, and lean. She had a plate JUST AS BIG AS MINE, and while I felt stuffed at the end of my meal, she scarfed down every last piece of pasta and every last leaf of spinach. That’s a great feeling to watch your child vacuum up a meal that you were frustrated or disappointed with.

And for this evening, my main lesson was this – Chill out!! It’ll be ok. Stay flexible, keep a smile, and more than likely, it’ll all get eaten by a very hungry child!  ^_^  I love my new cooking experiences.

For our first video in this coming week, Asako is going to help me with one of my new favorites – Asian Sesame Noodles! We tried this one a few weeks ago, and it was a hit!! I think the crunchy-style peanut butter gave it a more genuine taste, but you’ll have to come back to find out what I mean!! See you then!

Daddy-Daughter Dinners was a spark of an idea which I had after cooking a simple meal with my daughter, Asako, and creating a quick video for her mother. The ‘Chimichangos’ turned out fantastic (though a bit messy, as I’d never made them before) and Asako had an exciting time in making them. And of course, we both had a great time in eating them, as we had shared in the adventure of creating something together.

What I would like to share in this adventure is some of the lessons I’ve learned about being a parent, being a dad, and being a human being. This won’t only be about cooking, as I’ve already got a line-up of reviews, creations, and love-lessons put together. We’re all going to cross a busy street together as we all look for ways to make a positive and LASTING impact on our kids and the future waiting for them.

So welcome to my world! My door’s always open (just ask my friends down the street that think I’m nuts) and you’re always welcome. Only thing I ask is that you respect my home just the same as I would yours. Please keep your comments clean and kid-friendly, as you never know what 6-year old girl or boy is going to want to watch the movie about making chimichango’s with you! (a little clean-up before I post that short flick first. ^_^ )

So again, welcome! Hope you enjoy what you find, and I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Dorian Christopher, Daddy.