You wouldn't realize it right away, but my Japanese mother is a steak and potatoes, mid-western, American girl through and through. 

In 1975, my Mom left Japan for the first time to travel across the US with a group of 15 other young people from Japan. She was 21 years old. They stayed with various host families as they made their way from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. In Minneapolis, she met a family that she had an immediate connection with. They wrote letters to each other for a year after she went back to Japan, and she worked hard during that time to save up enough money to move to the US. After just one visit, she knew she had found a country where she belonged.

She has always called the Baker family her "second family", and we grew up visiting them during hot Minnesota summers. They've come to California to watch my siblings and I all graduate from high school. She's cooked dinner for us while talking to her "second mother", our Aunty Sylvia, on the phone for as long as I can remember.

After Aunty Sylvia died a few years ago, I found a cookbook I had never noticed in my Mom's kitchen: The St. Paul Catholic Church community cookbook from 1975. My Mom was handing me a few of my paternal grandmother's cookbooks from her Buddhist Church in Hawaii when I asked if I could have this one as well. Because I've always felt that Minnesota is part of my heritage, too. 

The recipes in this book include quintessential post-war convenience dishes like "Barbecue Chicken in a Bag" and a hefty casserole section with several variations on "Chicken and Rice Hot Dish". As a child, I loved Campbell's cream of mushroom soup in a can, but I've swapped out many of the processed ingredients (hello, Lipton's onion soup mix) for fresh ingredients and rice for "riced" cauliflower.

By the way, casseroles, though they might have a bad reputation in the American culinary world, aren't all that bad if you update the ingredients. Here are some examples of "casseroles" in other cuisines:

• Gratin, France

• Krupenik, Russia

• Kugel, American Jewish culture

• Lasagne, Italy

• Moussaka, Middle East

This is a great, healthy-ish dish that can be made on a Sunday and can be easily heat up during the rest of the week. While I've made some healthier swaps, the best part of it remains the same: Ease and convenience. 

Head here to visit our Modern Heirlooms web shop, where I've thoughtfully co-created ritual objects with my favorite artisans (in limited runs) to help you elevate your sacred rituals. 

I truly believe that cuisine is the most accessible gateway into learning more about our rich heritages. In addition to food, there are so many ways to celebrate, honor, and even reclaim, our time-honored traditions. I believe ritual objects really help anchor us in these moments-- especially around the table.