Ceramics Class

Erick's lamb was my fave piece this week.  He also made the abstract figure in the back of it.  The ball fits into the pocket.  Both very cool!

 

I made three more bud vases.

  

Beastside Kitchen

To celebrate Kai's birthday we got takeout from Beastside Kitchen.  I loved everything, especially the Pork Belly Bao! 

Garlic Umami Shrimp ($27)

 

Kalbi ($32) 

  

Crunchy Garlic Kimchee ($18)

  

Fried Saimin ($24)

   

BBQ Pork Belly Bao ($23)

  

Kai had Steak and Sweet Potato! 

 

Dd's Garlic Bread Loaf

Didi says:  Dis was da bomb…da bottom gets super crispy from all da buddah and da top is gooey melty yummy !!  😉

GARLIC PULL APART BREAD LOAF

 

½ 6-8-inch round loaf country or sourdough bread

3-4 TB butter 

1 ½ TB olive oil 

2 cloves garlic, finely grated 

Kosher salt 

1 TB Italian parsley, chopped

1 tsp. dried basil 

3 TB Pecorino cheese, grated (can substitute Asiago or Parmesan cheese)

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a bread knife to cut lengthwise into top of bread loaf,

stopping short of cutting through to bottom of the loaf. Turn loaf and cut cross hatch

pattern; again, stop short of cutting through to bottom of bread loaf (so the loaf holds together).

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until very pale golden, 4 minutes. Stir in pinch of salt, parsley and basil. Remove from heat.

Place large sheet of aluminum foil onto baking sheet. Place bread loaf into center of foil.

Gently separate cubes of bread from top of loaf. Spoon butter mixture into “cuts” of bread.

Spread over cut surfaces, saving 2 TB of butter. Drizzle remaining butter on top of loaf.

Distribute cheese between cuts and on top. Wrap bread loaf in foil forming pocket on top

area of bread, making sure to not touch surface of bread. Bake bread until heated through,

10 minutes. Unwrap foil and continue baking until slightly crisp, 5-7 minutes more.

Serve immediately. Serves 2-4 depending on size of loaf.

Wendell's Easy Sautéed Yama Imo

Wendell found this recipe on the RecipeTin Japan site.  It's pretty much just three ingredients - yama imo, shoyu and butter!  And it came out so tasty that he made it again for pupu for his softball team.

Ingredients 

• 300-350g Chinese mountain yam
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Pepper (optional)

Garnish (optional)

• Chives cut into short pieces

Instructions

1. Peel mountain yam and slice it into 1cm thick discs.

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter.
3. Put the yam discs in the pan without overlapping.

4. Cook for 2½ – 3 minutes until the bottom of the yam pieces are browned.

5. Turn the yams over and cook further 2½ minutes until the bottom of the yams becomes browned.

6. Sprinkle pepper (if using) over the yam and add soy sauce.
7. Quickly turn the yam pieces over to coat both sides of the yam pieces with the soy sauce, then remove the pan from the heat.

8. Pile the sautéed yams on a serving plate, scatter the chopped chives over it.

Happy Birthday, Kai Boy!

 Kai is two years old today!

 

We went to Kai's fave place early this morning.  I'm so glad that I changed my mind about not getting another dog after Kona passed.  Kai is such a joy.

  

This is Kai's brother Teru!

Ceramics Class

These are the pieces that came out of our first firing.  I found out that the round flat things with pukas are frogs to put on top of flower vases to keep the flower stems separated.  So clever!

 

These are my pieces.

  

Here are a couple of Cleta's!

And this is what I made in this week's class . . . bud vases.  By special request.

Cilantro - First Harvest

Super scrawny.  Not like Amy's.  Maybe it wasn't really time to harvest yet, but I didn't want them dying on me before I got to reap the rewards.

  

So proud!

Hawaii Daiso

Hawaii Daiso:  Where 100 yen = $2.25.

 

I spent $72 for 29 items.  😳.  I was kinda shocked.  Didn't think that it would add up to that much.  But yah . . . 2 items would already be $4.50 and I had one item that was $8 . . . so $72!

At a Daiso in Japan with the current exchange rate, maybe this woulda cost 20 bucks?

 

Moon Gazing

I let Kai out to pee the other night and when I checked to see why it was taking him long to come back in, this is what he was doing.

Dd's Shrimp Scampi

It's been awhile since I've had shrimp scampi, and this looks so good!

 

SHRIMP SCAMPI

 6 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 TB olive oil

3/4 # 16-20 count shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small shallot, finely chopped

½ c. cup dry white wine

2 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pinch red pepper flakes

Pinch dried oregano

2 TB butter, cut up

1/3 c. Italian parsley, chopped

Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

 

In a large skillet over high heat warm oil until shimmering. Generously season shrimp

with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to skillet in a single layer; cook 1 minute. Turn and

cook 1 more minute. Transfer shrimp to a bowl.  Into skillet add garlic and shallot;

cook for 1 minute. Add wine, lemon juice, pepper flakes and oregano. Simmer 3 minutes

until slightly reduced. Whisk in butter piece by piece, thoroughly incorporating each piece

before adding the next. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Return shrimp,

drained pasta and parsley and toss to combine thoroughly. Garnish with cheese as desired.

Serves 2.