We love to entertain. Dinner parties are a great way to have friends over to hang out and enjoy a good meal without breaking the budget.
We also love Ramen- not Top Ramen, but delicious, mouthwatering, tempting noodles, velvety broth, veggies, and soft boiled eggs. Doing a Ramen potluck is great way to try out new flavors that you may have never thought of.
In doing research for this article, I found out that there are so many ramen toppings and ingredients that I had never heard of (like corn, which you can see in the picture above). So some of the ingredients listed below may not make it into your potluck, but know that somewhere out there there is someone putting it on/in their ramen.
The host can provide the broth. As far as ramen broths, there are lots of options. I like Tonkatsu, which is pork and chicken based. Here is a great recipe. Not interested in making it from scratch? You can buy Tonkatsu broth concentrate on Amazon.
As far as noodles, you can get regular ramen noodles at any Asian grocery store (or most 99 Cents Only locations). I’m not talking about the kind that come in a little bag with a pouch of salty broth, those are fried so they cook super fast and aren’t really all that healthy.
I like the Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen from Lotus Foods. As a bonus these are gluten free and have protein in them. Our local Costco sells large packages, which is great for parties.
Some people like Soba noodles (thick buckwheat noodles), and some people like zoodles (the spiral cut zucchini “noodles”).
Now that you’ve got broth and noodles down, it’s time to get creative with toppings! Here are just a few ideas for guests to bring:
- Eggs: I love a good soft-boiled egg on my ramen.
- Scallions/green onions
- Bean Sprouts
- Seaweed/Nori sheets
- Canned Bamboo shoots (they will need to be rinsed and probably sliced to made bite-sized.
- Corn Kernels (defrosted frozen, fresh, or canned with no salt- drained and rinsed).
- Mayu/Black Garlic Oil
- Soy Sauce
- Chili Sauce
- Rice Vinegar
- Pickled Ginger
- Fish Sauce
- Kimchi
- Fried Tofu
- Sesame Seeds
- Sliced fresh Jalapeños
- Fried or pan steamed Gyoza
- Roasted /braised slices of pork (fattier cuts of pork are great in ramen)
- Cooked Shrimp (I can’t really give you any other suggestions on cooking/serving, I’m allergic to shellfish)
- Fish Cakes (available at your local Asian Market)
- Bok Choy
- Mushrooms (Sliced shiitakes are nice, as are enoki)
And some people like rice as a side to their ramen. I prefer sticky rice, it’s easier to eat with chopsticks.
If you’ve got friends that don’t cook, don’t forget you’ll need chopsticks, bowls, spoons, and beverages.
Talk Back: What is your favorite type of Ramen?
It’s back!! I can’t wait to take the kids. The San Diego Kids Expo and Fair is a two day event catering to kids and families, on October 20th and 21st ant the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
The second portion is the Outdoor fair with a Rock n’ Roll stage and rides like a zip-line, pedal kart race cars, zorbing balls, euro bungees and more! There is also an Inflatable Playland for children 8 and younger that features bounce houses and jumpies. Outdoor fair attractions can be accessed with either an All Access Wristband or Playland Wristband purchase. If you are looking for an affordable fun weekend with something for the whole family, the San Diego Kids Expo & Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds is the place to be!
Hooray, It’s back! This is one of the kids favorite “holidays”, free museum day! If you’re looking for some adventure on Saturday, September 22, check out the event website 
It’s coming… For some of us, back to school is NEXT WEEK! For others it’s later in August, and some lucky folks, have until Labor Day in September. Regardless of when your kids go back, it’s nice to be prepared and save money.
Adjusting back to the school-year schedule can be a little tough- That’s why we start to get the kids back to bed at their regular time starting the beginning of August. For our kiddos, keeping them busy and active all day, really helps. Trips to the playground, beach, zoo, and pool really help.
Coming up July 23-26 at 5 different Sharp locations throughout San Diego County is a free Planning for Pregnancy event where you’ll meet doctors including a Sharp-affiliated reproductive endocrinologist, OBGYN and other experts.
Cinco de Mayo- Luckily for us, we’ve got Old Town San Diego State Historic Park close by! Each year, Old Town hosts an 
Hewes Family Fun 