Microwave Oven Care Tip

If you store your splatter cover inside of the microwave oven, then maybe it'll actually get used by the other people in your house and  . . . 

you won't end up being an Angry Mama so often.

Diem's Vietnamese Crispy Rice Noodle Snack

This is the last bite of a super ono snack that my sister-in-law made.  I've never eaten anything like it before . . . savory, sweet, crunchy . . . so yummy.

Didi said that she wants to try and make it herself so Diem will be dropping off some of the ingredients to her this weekend.

I think this is the rice noodle that Diem used.

This is the video that Diem followed.

Wendell's Pan-Seared Steak with Garlic Butter

This was ono but OMG da splatter!!!  Wendell got the recipe from Natasha's Kitchen website.

He didn't use a cast-iron pan but was still good.

 

• 2 lbs New York Strip Steaks (2 steaks), or Ribeye or Top Sirloin Steaks (1 lb each steak, 1 1/4” thick)
• 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil, or any high heat cooking oil like canola or extra light olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper,  freshly ground
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

  Instructions

  Thoroughly pat steak dry with paper towels. Just before cooking, generously season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper

  Heat the cast iron pan until hot then add 1/2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Once the oil is very hot, add steaks to the skillet. Sear the steaks on the first side for 4 minutes until a brown crust has formed then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the steak on its sides to render the white fat and sear the edges (1-minute per edge).

  Reduce heat to medium and immediately add 2 Tbsp butter, quartered garlic cloves and rosemary to the pan. Spoon the butter sauce over the steak, tilting the pan to get butter on your spoon. Continue spooning the sauce over the steak for a minute or until the steak is about 5-10 degrees from your desired doneness (the temperature will continue to rise another 5-10 degrees while steaks rest).

  Transfer steak to a cutting board, loosely cover and rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2" strips to serve. Spoon extra butter sauce over sliced steak to serve.

Crispy Beets

 Didi gave this to me. She said she gets it from Safeway.  It's stocked with the salad croutons.

It's super ono on salads.

Dd's Pork Paprikash Stew

This looks so ono, doesn't it??!!  Maybe someday I'll try make it.

PORK PAPRIKASH STEW

 

2# boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed, 1 ½ -inch cubes

Garlic salt, salt, freshly ground black pepper

2½ TB Hungarian paprika

1-2 TB olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ½ TB tomato paste

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried caraway seeds, crushed

2 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 TB Worcestershire sauce

2 TB brown agave nectar

1 large tomato, chopped

1 ½ c. beef stock

8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered

2 medium potatoes, small stew cut

2 medium carrots, small stew cut

1 medium onion, quartered

Service: Cooked egg noodles, optional: sour cream

 

Place pork in a bowl; generously season with 1 T paprika, garlic salt, salt and pepper.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat brown pork in olive oil, turning to brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a dish. 

Add more olive oil as needed. Add chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste, remaining paprika, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and agave nectar. Cook 1-2 minutes; stir to combine well. Add tomatoes and stock, stirring any browned bits. Bring to a simmer. Return pork to sauce pan.

 

Cover and simmer 1 hour until pork is tender. Add mushrooms, potatoes, carrot and quartered onion. Continue simmering 10-12 minutes until potatoes and carrots are cooked through. Serve over egg noodles. 

Optional to serve with sour cream.

 

Serves 4-6.

Nana Ai Katsu

Nana Ai Katsu moved from Ohana Marketplace to Kaimuki which is a good thing for us because they're closer now. 

This is what we ordered a few days ago.

Papa Kasane Tonkatsu Bento ($$$$$23.50)

Biggu Daddy Takoyaki Katsu ($12.50)

I'm not a fan of takoyaki so this was par for me.  Landon thought that it was good.

Giga Ebi (Shrimp) Katsu ($9.50)

This was my favorite . . . so ono!

On Da Desk

I'm meeting up with Lara of Hawaii Stands with Ukraine soon to donate charms and friendship bracelets for them to sell. 

I hope people will buy them.

Art has been put on pause.  These are my last drawings.

Wendell's Roasted Tri Tip

This was so ono that Wendell made this two days in a row.  The first time was for his softball team and the second time was for us.  Luckily, I had done a draft of this post earlier so it was spared from the "crash".   The recipe is from the Cooking Classy site.

Ingredients

• 2 to 2 1/2 lb tri tip
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

• In a small mixing bowl whisk together salt, pepper, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Rub over entire tri tip coating every surface. 
  
• Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours then let rest at room temperature 1 hour. During last 15 minutes of resting preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
• Place roast on an oven safe wire cooling rack then place rack over a rimmed baking sheet. 
  
• Insert an oven safe food probe thermometer into roast into center of thickest portion. Set thermometer about 5 degrees shy of desired doneness temperature.
  
• Bake tri tip in preheated oven until it is about 5 degrees shy of target temperature,** about 40 to 55 minutes (bake time will vary quite a bit based on thickness of roast and desired doneness). 
  
• Near the end of baking preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop for about 5 minutes. Turn on exhaust fan.
  
• Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to the skillet.
  
• Sear the tri tip in the skillet until evenly browned all sides about 4 to 6 minutes total (it should rise about 5 more degrees while searing), and tri tip has reached desired doneness (I like about 130 to 135°F).
  
• Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes (it should rise about 5 more degrees). Slice thin then serve.
  
  

Pua

We met Pua about a week or so ago on one of our morning walks.  I first spotted her running across the street, and it absolutely terrified me to think that she could get banged by a car.  

As we approached her, I clapped my hands and called for her to come.  She came right up to us with her tail wagging.

Nearby workers gave us a rope to use as a leash.  We then proceeded to search for her home.  With no luck and with the sun giving me heat stroke we decided to take her home.

We passed by a guard shack to a gated community on our way home, and as a last-ditch effort I approached the guard and asked if the dog looked familiar to him.  He said, "She sure does!"  It turns out that Pua is an escape artist, and the guard had the phone number to her owner.

We got to enjoy Pua for a little while until her owner came to get her.  

No, I'm not ready to get another dog yet, but I  do carry a lightweight cord with me on our walks now . . . just in case we run into Pua again.

Computer Repair

It would've cost me $697, but because I had chosen to pay extra for Apple Care+ at the time that I bought my computer, it cost me $0.  I suspect, though, that it was because I had Apple Care+, that the technician thought it was simpler to just replace the brains rather than try to figure out what the problem was.

It's totally fine with me because it's like I have a brand new computer.  

Only thing . . . when the Apple people asked (in writing even) if I had backed up my computer, I said no, but that I really didn't need anything.  Famous last words. 

Mostly I miss my "blog" folder . . . future blog material that I had saved.  

But . . . life goes on . . . and creates more blog material . . . 

See you again soon.

Item Number	Description	Price	Amount Due
S1490LL/A	HARDWARE REPAIR-LEVEL 1	$ 79.00	$ 0.00
661-12459	Logic Board, 3.0GHz, i5, 570X, FCC	$ 499.00	$ 0.00
661-12544	1TB Hard Drive	$ 119.00	$ 0.00
Total (Tax Not Included)		$ 697.00	$ 0.00