A-Salt Gun

Last year I got an A-Salt Gun for Wendell for his birthday.  You can check it out here. 

We use it a lot . . . for flies and for roaches. It works great.  I finally was able to get a somewhat decent action video for you. 




I paid around $50 for it last year.  Looks like the price came down . . . now $45.  

Genki Sushi Sign

I ate at Genki Sushi only once in my life but still . . . sad what happened. 

Wendell's Garlic Shrimp

Recipe Resource: Chef Jason Hill


This recipe is from I Love Hawaiian Food Recipes and can be found here. 



It was very, very ono . . . kinda like Andy's Kahuku Shrimp.

• 10 extra large shrimp, deveined
• 10 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ stick clarified butter
• ½ teaspoon Hawaiian salt
• ⅛ cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Thaw, rinse and devein shrimp.
2. In a small baking dish mix together flour, paprika and cayenne pepper. Then coat shrimp with four mixture.
3. Preheat skillet about two minutes on medium high, then add clarified butter and immediately followed by chopped garlic. Let garlic cook for about a minute and add shrimp.
4. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and let cook for up to 3 minutes. Turn shrimp over and cook for several more minutes.
5. Pour ⅛ cup of white wine over shrimp and add 2 tablespoons of regular butter. Cook until garlic is brown.

What is This?

Do you think it's a butterfly egg? 



If it is, a caterpillar will hatch in a few days. I'm wondering if I should throw the leaves into a jar already.

Dancin' Dad

Nothing to blog about so dug out a funny video from my Draft file.

Wendell's Cuban-Style Pork

Wendell found this recipe on a Williams Sonoma blog here. I think what made this dish so deeeelicious was the Mojo de Ajo sauce . . . soooo yummy. 

Cuban-Style Pork with Mojo de Ajo

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins, about 3/4 lb. (375 g) each, silver skin removed

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

For the mojo de ajo:

1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) fresh orange juice

Kosher salt, to taste

In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, salt and pepper. Rub the paprika mixture all over the tenderloins. Transfer to a plate, cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a large, heavy ovenproof fry pan over high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the tenderloins and sear on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a tenderloin registers 135°F (57°C) for medium, 30 minutes, or until done to your liking. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the pork to a carving board, and tent with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small nonreactive fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz/60 ml) oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper flakes and cook for 10 seconds. Add the orange juice and simmer, swirling the pan once or twice, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and remove from heat.

Cut each tenderloin crosswise into thick slices. Arrange the slices on a warmed platter or individual plates. Spoon the sauce over the pork and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Sepsis

An article was posted a couple of days ago by Kaiser Health News that caught my eye. It talked about a 12-year old boy who cut himself while diving for a ball in a gym. He died four days later. The diagnosis: Septic shock.

Septic shock also took Aunty. Hers stemmed from a urinary tract infection. 

I found the following from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website. I think that the main thing to remember is that if you suspect a septic infection MENTION IT TO THE DOCTOR. Early treatment is critical.

Sepsis is a complication caused by the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

When can you get sepsis?

Sepsis can occur to anyone, at any time, from any type of infection, and can affect any part of the body. It can occur even after a minor infection.

What causes sepsis?

Infections can lead to sepsis. An infection occurs when germs enter a person’s body and multiply, causing illness, and organ and tissue damage.  Certain infections and germs lead to sepsis most often. Sepsis is often associated with infections of the lungs (e.g., pneumonia), urinary tract (e.g., kidney), skin, and gut. Staphylococcus aureus (staph), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and some types of Streptococcus (strep) are common germs that can cause sepsis.

Are certain people with an infection more likely to get sepsis?

Anyone can develop sepsis from an infection. However, sepsis occurs most often in people aged 65 years or older or less than 1 year, have weakened immune systems, or have chronic medical conditions (e.g., diabetes).

A CDC evaluation found more than 90% of adults and 70% of children who developed sepsis had a health condition that may have put them at risk.

Ask your doctor about your risk for getting sepsis. If you suspect sepsis, ask your doctor, "Could it be sepsis?"

What are the symptoms of sepsis?

There is no single sign or symptom of sepsis. It is, rather, a combination of symptoms. Since sepsis is the result of an infection, symptoms can include infection signs (diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, etc.), as well as ANY of the symptoms below:

• Shivering, fever, or very cold
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Confusion or disorientation
• Short of breath
• High heart rate

What should I do if I think I have an infection or sepsis?

• Get immediate medical attention if you have any signs or symptoms of an infection or sepsis. This is a medical emergency.
• If you are continuing to feel worse or not getting better from an infection, ask your doctor about sepsis.

How is sepsis diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose sepsis using a number of physical findings like fever, increased heart rate, and increased breathing rate. They also do lab tests that check for signs of infection.

Many of the symptoms of sepsis, such as fever and difficulty breathing, are the same as in other conditions, making sepsis hard to diagnose in its early stages.

How is sepsis treated?

People with sepsis are usually treated in the hospital. Doctors try to treat the infection, keep the vital organs working, and prevent a drop in blood pressure.

Doctors treat sepsis with antibiotics as soon as possible. Many patients receive oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids to maintain normal blood oxygen levels and blood pressure. Other types of treatment, such as assisting breathing with a machine or kidney dialysis, may be necessary. Sometimes surgery is required to remove tissue damaged by the infection.

Are there any long-term effects of sepsis?

Many people who get sepsis recover completely and their lives return to normal. But some people may experience permanent organ damage. For example, in someone who already has kidney problems, sepsis can lead to kidney failure that requires lifelong dialysis.

How can I prevent sepsis?

1. Get vaccinated against the flu, pneumonia, and any other infections that could lead to sepsis. Talk to your doctor for more information.
2. Prevent infections that can lead to sepsis by:
   • Cleaning scrapes and wounds
   • Practicing good hygiene (e.g., hand washing)
3. Know that time matters. If you have a severe infection, look for signs like: shivering, fever, or very cold, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy or sweaty skin, confusion or disorientation, short of breath, and high heart rate.

Peanut Butter Bait

Warning! Warning! Cockroach video!

I was mentioning our cockroach problem to my sisters the other day, and Didi suggested using peanut butter for bait.  That very night, I put a trap-a-roach with peanut butter out on the kitchen counter. This is what I found the next morning. 

Now I'm gonna put more in the cupboards. 

Anuhea - Girl Power

Anuhea fixes her truck . . . cute . . . and funny.  

Thanks for sharing, Mark!

Landon's Favorite Beer

This is Landon's current favorite beer.



This is what happens to Lan when he drinks said favorite beer. 

Ouch

I was rushing to park my car and I scraped a cement post. It's painful for me to look at, but as my friend Michele said . . . at least it's on the passenger side so I don't have to look at it too often.

BYO Bowls

There is a fairly new eating place in Hawaii Kai called BYO Bowls. The one and only time I walked into the place I just got a lemonade and took these photos.  Landon did bring home bowls from here a few times and they were good.



The concept is kinda like Pieology but instead of pizzas you build your own bowl. 


You start with a rice, a noodle or greens, and then you add to it. 






Here are suggestions for people like me who are not too creative. 

Bottle Sponge

If you don't have a scrubber to wash your water bottles, this one is on sale at Marukai until Monday for only $1.69.  I think the handle extends further out for really tall bottles. 

I took this photo on The Day of the Stuck Shopping Carts, but didn't buy it because I already have a bottle brush.  I'll probably get it on my next shopping trip in a few days. Cannot go wrong for $1.69, yah. 

BTW, do you see the microwave rice cooker container for $6.99? Do you remember that I got mine for 1 buck at the swap meet? SCORE!

Asazuke no Moto

My sister Didi turned me on to this. It's fast-acting tsukemono  powder!  Whaaaa?  For real.

There were all different kine powders to choose from at Marukai (the shopping cart day). I chose these two because each bag came with eight 4-gram packs and I could divvy up the packs and share with my sisters. The one on the left is katsuo flavored and the one on the right is umami-spicy. 



The directions say that one 4-gram pack is good for 1 cucumber or 1/2 carrot or 2-3 cabbage leaves or 1/8 daikon. 


I cut up one good-sized cucumber and used one pack of the katsuo and one pack of the spicy. 


I put the cut-up cucumber in a zip lock bag and poured out the contents from the two packs. 


Then I squoosh, squoosh, squooshed the bag and threw it into the fridge. The directions say that it's ready after 20 to 30 minutes. 


I was so surprised at the flavor . . . so UMAMI!!  I dug out the bag and read the ingredients.  MSG . . . no wonda. 


On a side note, since making this tsukemono I've been online trying to find the Japanese characters for MSG.  There are several. I found the following on Jisho. 

化学調味料  chemical seasoning
グルタミン酸ナトリウム  MSG
味塩   salt and MSG

And I've seen this on the front of packages before but never knew what it meant: 

無化調  No MSG

Good to know, yah.

For Sale

Wendell is selling: 

Toyota Tundra bucket seats and console - $500/offer.



Toyota Tundra 16-inch rims - $400/offer


It's been on Craigslist for 4 days now and we've only gotten fake-kine takers. Please let me know if you're interested and I'll direct you to Wendell. Thanks!  JalnaA@aol.com

Shopping Cart Tip

While approaching the Marukai entrance one day last week, I noticed a lady struggling to separate two shopping carts. By the time I reached her, she was working on her second pair.  I offered to help her and grabbed one end of the carts. We both started yanking away, but they still wouldn't separate. We switched sides. Yank, yank, yank. Yank, yank, yank. No luck. 

We grabbed a third pair. Yank, yank, yank. Laugh, laugh, laugh. Yank, yank, yank.  Still no luck.

We grabbed our fourth pair. The other three pairs of carts were now blocking the entrance, and we were actually really too weak from laughing to make any progress on the set that we were now attempting to separate. 

A not-too-amused lady security guard came out of the store with the palm of one hand extending outwards motioning for us to stop. She walked up to one of the stuck pairs of carts, lifted them up a few inches above the ground and then BAM dropped them. The two carts then easily drifted apart from each other. 

I said, "Oooooh, so dat's how you do it.", whereupon me and the other lady grabbed our carts and quickly made our way into the store. 

Grandpa's Kim Chee Recipe

My sister Geri made this kim chee following Wendell's dad's recipe. I didn't even know that he had a kim chee recipe.



Here is my father-in-law's hand-written recipe that Geri gave to us. She made a copy for herself. Geri said that he had given the recipe to her a long time ago with a package of the "secret ingredient".

Pokipines

The other day I saw three baby Pokipines in the back yard. I was too lazy to catch and bottle them to ensure their safety, so I just let them be. 

Then the big rains came, and I never saw them again. I felt bad, but hopefully they'll be more later.

Doggy Stairs

Kona likes to lie on the bed with the fan blowing on him, but he's been having a hard time jumping up onto the bed lately. I got these stairs for him. I got it at a garage sale for $10. 

After I brought it home, I noticed that there was a Ross price tag on it for  . . . $9.99.  Bah, what kine seasoned garage sale shopper am I anyway?

Plus, do I even need to tell you? He took to it like he did the rubber chicken, and the dog intelligence toy, and his new cushion. 

I totally wasted my money. Kona will not get on it. I even tried the Cesar Millan method by putting his two front paws on it first until he got used to it. 

Nope. No way. 

Narazuke

I took these photos awhile back. They're of a couple tsukemono that I got from Marukai. I think they're both narazuke made with sake lees. I don't remember how much they cost. 

I think this one is made from white melon . . . I'm not too sure.


This is what it looks like. I didn't like these small-kid-time, but now I do. 


This dark one is made from cucumber. 


I liked this one a lot. 

Wendell's Pork Chili Verde

This was super, super ono . . . the pork was tender and full of flavor.  Wendell got the recipe from here. 

• 4-5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, cubed
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 28 ounce canned tomatillos
• ½ cup onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 14 ounce green enchilada sauce
• 16 ounce salsa verde
• 4 ounce diced green chilies
• ½ Tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

In a medium sized skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Brown the sides of the pork and add them to the slow cooker.

In a food processor add the tomatillos and blend until smooth. Add it to the slow cooker alone with chopped onion, garlic, green enchilada sauce, salsa verde, green chilies, cumin, dried oregano, and salt.

Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4. An hour before serving, take out 1 cup of juice from slow cooker and whisk it with the cornstarch. Add it back to the slow cooker and allow to thicken and cook for about 1 more hour.

Here's the picture I took before I saw Landon's version. You can tell who the real chef is.

Furoshiki

Furoshiki are square pieces of fabric traditionally used for wrapping. But you don't have to stop there. You can convert them into bags, scarves, headbands, etc.

I have a lot of fabric that are too lightweight to be used to make totes, so I've decided to make some furoshiki with them. 




I used the first method in this video to make the above bag. 


This one shows how you can turn a furoshiki into a bag. 

Expired Spices

So, what do you do on a Sunday morning when all of your sisters are busy that day, and it's raining outside so swap meet is out, and you're used to waking up at 5:30 a.m.?  

Waimana Eggs - OK Poultry, Update

I went to OK Poultry in Waimanalo this past Saturday to pick up my Tamago Kake Gohan eggs. It opens at 7:30 a.m. This was the line at around 7:45 a.m. I took this photo on my way out. Luckily, I was successful in getting my egg quota for the next couple of weeks. As I was driving away, I saw a lady exiting the store empty handed, and I wondered if they had run out already. 




My sister sent me the photo below. She took it at Marukai yesterday. 

Kauai Salt

Kauai salt is very special. Rights to process the salt are handed down from generation to generation. You won't find it in any store, but if you have the right "connections", you might be able to barter for some. 

On his recent trip to Kauai, Wendell was able to trade a couple of cases of Heineken for a few big bags of the salt. Yippee!!

Here are a couple of videos with more info:

Hood River Cherries

Earlier this week, my sister Geri texted us sistahs and said that she had just bought the best cherries from Whole Foods. After work the next day, I stopped at Whole Foods on the way home and bought a couple of bags. Normally, I won't eat any fruit unless I wash them first, but these looked so good that I couldn't wait. 

The cherries were big and dark-colored and very firm. As soon as I got into my car, I dug one out from the bag. 

It was so ono!!!

The cherries are from the Hood River Cherry Company.  They were expensive . . .  $6.99/pound. And, I almost hate to admit it to you, but I liked them so much that I went back and bought more. I spent around $37 in all . . . for cherries. So extravagant.  But I think to myself . . . I'm 62 years old . . . who knows how many more years I have left?  I should enjoy now, yah?

Stick Chart

I saw this stick chart at a garage sale a couple of weekends ago. The round green sticker on it said $50.  The owner said that she bought it when she was living in Guam awhile back. She was kind enough to let me take a picture. 

I knew that it was some kind of ocean navigational thing that the early Polynesians used, but I wondered if I could find the exact location that the chart represented. As soon as I got home . . . okay not AS SOON as I got home . . . when I had time, I went searching online.

I found the following on Wikipedia: 

The stick charts are a significant contribution to the history of cartography because they represent a system of mapping ocean swells, which was never before accomplished. They also use different materials from those common in other parts of the world. They are an indication that ancient maps may have looked very different, and encoded different features from the earth, than the maps we use today.

The charts, unlike traditional maps, were studied and memorized prior to a voyage and were not consulted during a trip, as compared to traditional navigation techniques where consultation of a map is frequent and points and courses are plotted out both before and during navigation. Marshallese navigators used their senses and memory to guide them on voyages by crouching down or lying prone in the canoe to feel how the canoe was being pitched and rolled by underlying swells.

Then, I found a similar stick chart! And it had tiny labels on it that I could kinda make out. It was the Marshall Islands!

The chart shows Bikini and Bikar Atolls on the top and Ebon Atoll on the bottom with Rotok Chain and Ralik Chain running parallel to each other. I loooove the internet!

Wendell's Arroz Con Pollo

Wendell made this a couple of weeks ago, and it's a total keeper.  He found the recipe here. 



INGREDIENTS

Chicken

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 broiler-fryer chicken, about 2 1/2-3 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts, bone-in, with skin on, rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup of flour for dredging
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Paprika

Rice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
• 3 cups* chicken stock
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
• Pinch of oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt

*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

METHOD

1 Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (a skillet that has a cover) on medium high heat.

Put the flour in a wide bowl, mix in a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, and paprika. Dredge the chicken pieces lightly in the flour mixture and put in the pan to brown. (You can skip the flour dredging part if you want. It just makes a nicer coating for the chicken.)

Cook a few minutes on each side, just enough so that the chicken has browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan and set aside.

2 Add the rice to the pan to brown. Add a little more olive oil if necessary. Stir first to coat the rice with the olive oil in the pan. Then don't stir too much or you will prevent it from browning. Let the rice brown and then stir a little to let more of it brown. Then add the onion and garlic. Cook the onion, garlic and rice mixture, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 4 minutes.

3 Place the chicken pieces, skin-side up, on top of the rice.

In a separate bowl, mix together the stock, tomato, salt, and oregano. Pour the stock mixture over the rice and chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Let cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package, until the rice and chicken are done. Fluff the rice with a fork. If you want you can sprinkle with some peas. Add more salt and pepper to taste.