Korean Cold Noodles

 We had Korean cold noodles for lunch the other day. It was yummy and so refreshing.

I used this which pal Cleta gave to me.  She got it from Palama Market. 

This is the imitation crab that I used.  It's Landon's favorite and is from Chef Zone. 

Crayola Paintbrush - The Video

Click below to see my first iMovie, which I shot with my iPhone.  I wanted to show you why I was so surprised at the cheap Crayola brush.

Crayola Paintbrushes

I got these Crayola paintbrushes from the swap meet awhile back.  I think they were $2.  My plan was to use them instead of my more expensive brushes with acrylic paints. 

I discovered them again while organizing my supplies the other day. I had forgotten about them.  I tested them out and was so surprised.  They're good!  The bristles are soft with a pointy tip that outlines well.  It has a firmness that keeps it from getting too floppy yet holds a good amount of paint. 

Looks like they sell for only $3.99 for a 4-pack at Target. I'm missing the smallest brush from the pack.

Aloha Beef Chips

I bought this for Landon from the swap meet. OMG it IS False Crack HOT!!!  Luckily, I only put a crumb in my mouth. Lan liked it.

Dd's No-Cook Pomodoro

NO COOK POMODORO

4 vine ripened tomatoes, peeled*, seeded, chopped

salt, as needed

1/2 c fresh basil leaves

1/2 c fresh parsley leaves

4 anchovy fillets (optional)

1 tsp agave nectar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp. cracked black pepper

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 c olive oil

6 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions

Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

 

*In a medium saucepot over medium high heat; bring water to a boil (enough water to cover tomatoes completely). With a sharp knife; mark a small “X” on bottom side of tomato. Turn off heat; place tomatoes in water. Allow to sit 1 minute. Skin will begin to separate from “X”.  Peel tomatoes; cut in half.

Sprinkle salt on tomatoes; allow to sit cut side down on cutting board over sink to drain** (I put a small spoon under one side of cutting board to allow tomato water to drain into a bowl. Don’t waste tomato water (approximately ¼ cup), add to salad dressings, pasta dishes. Very flavorful. 

Remove seeds from tomatoes; chop. Set aside in large mixing bowl. In a food processor or blender process basil, parsley, anchovies, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic until well blended.  Stir into tomatoes along with olive oil. Reserve. 

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain. 

Immediately toss with tomato mixture. Garnish as desired. Serves 3.

Sushi Murayama

One of my sisters went to Sushi Murayama a few nights ago.  Here are the photos that she shared.

Merry Christmas 2020!

 

Another Piece

Nothing to blog about so here's just another woven piece of scrap origami paper.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, PEOPLES!!  A junk year is about to bite the dust soon. Wishing you all better times ahead!

Woven Scrap Paper

Awhile back Honolulu Aunty gave me a bunch of beautiful origami paper.  Recently, I used them to make some greeting cards.  I didn't want to throw away the leftover scraps so I decided to weave them together.

Thank you Aunty!

Dried Fish Snack

Wendell bought this from Costco.  It's made in Japan.  Does it look appetizing to you?  I know several people who love the little dried fish, but me not so much. 

Wendell's Adobo Chilaquiles

Wendell found this recipe a few months ago in the Crave section of the Honolulu Advertiser.  It's by Mariko Jackson.  

To be honest, I don't really remember, but it looks like he threw in some sausages and maybe some other meat. I do remember that it was so yummy!

 

ADOBO CHILAQUILES

• 2 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil 
• 1/2 cup adobo sauce 
• 4 tablespoons ranchero-style salsa 
• 2 cups tortilla chips (can be stale!) 
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican or Monterey Jack cheese 
• 2 eggs 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 

>> Optional toppings: avocado, crema, diced onions, lime juice, parsley

In large, heavy-bottomed pan (I prefer cast iron), heat oil on medium-high. When hot, turn heat down to medium and throw in tortilla chips. Cook while stirring until they are toasty, about 1 minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Turn up heat slightly and when pan is hot, pour in adobo sauce. It should immediately begin bubbling and cooking off its water. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as it thickens. (It took about 30 seconds for mine to thicken up.) Add salsa and stir again. Cook 1 to 2 minutes (your kitchen will smell wonderful).

Throw chips into adobo-salsa mixture; stir until thinly coated. Cover the whole mess with cheese, then crack two eggs on top. Salt and pepper the eggs (not too much, it’s already pretty salty), and cover the pan. Turn down heat to medium-low and let sit, undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes or until egg whites are barely set.

Serve immediately with your choice of toppings. Serves 2.

Dd's Greek Shrimp Salad

 Per Didi this recipe is courtesy Jeff Mauro and is from the Food Network website.

Ingredients

    Shrimp:

1 tablespoon harissa powder

1 teaspoon turbinado sugar 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound 16/20 tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined 

Oil, for the grill grates

Sweet Greek Dressing:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons honey 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 clove garlic, minced or zested through a microplane 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 cup olive oil 

Salad:

2 hearts of romaine lettuce, halved

1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 

1 small English cucumber, diced 

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved 

Pickled Red Onions, recipe follows

Pickled Red Onions:

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons kosher salt 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

1 medium red onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick 

Directions

Special equipment:

 skewers, soaked 30 minutes if bamboo or wood

1. For the shrimp: Combine the harissa powder, turbinado sugar, baking soda, granulated garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Toss the shrimp with the dry spices. Skewer and place on a rack in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Oil the grill grates and grill the shrimp until charred and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes a side.
3. For the sweet Greek dressing: Whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Slowly stream in the oil to emulsify. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
4. For the salad: Arrange the lettuce, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and Pickled Red Onions on a platter, then drizzle with the sweet Greek dressing and top with the grilled shrimp skewers. Serve.

Pickled Red Onions:

Yield: 1 cup

1. Simmer the vinegar, salt, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium pot until dissolved. Add the onions and turn off the heat. Let sit until cool. Transfer to resealable container, then place in the refrigerator overnight.

Ross!!

I finally worked up enough courage to go check out Ross yesterday, mostly to make sure that I wasn't missing out on any worthy arts and crafts bargains.  It's been 10 months since I last went to my favorite store.

I picked up two each of these.  The blank cards are to . . . you know . . . make cards.  And the furry thread!  I'm wondering if I can use them in my next weaving project.  She go, right?  "She go" is my new I'm-cool saying.  It means "it works".  Landon taught me. 

I wonder why these shelves were empty.  Not enough stock?  Anyway, I liked how the aisles were a bit more spacious than before.  Maybe I'll go back in another couple weeks.  I think she go. 

Made in PRC

 PRC stands for People's Republic of China!  Ho da tricky.

Wendell's Chengdu Chicken

Wendell found this recipe in yesterday's Crave section of the Star Advertiser.  It was very sweet/sour in flavor and very ono!

 

 

CHENGDU CHICKEN

“The Shun Lee Cookbook” by Michael Tong 

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/4 cup cornstarch 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon water 
• Vegetable oil, for frying 
• >> Sauce: 
• 1/4 cup minced sweet pickles 
• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry 
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce 
• 2 teaspoons chile-bean paste 
• 1 scallion, white and green parts, trimmed and minced 
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick 
• 1 small hot chile pepper, such as Thai or cayenne, seeded and minced 
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water 
• 6 cilantro sprigs, for garnish 
• 
  

Mix chicken, egg, cornstarch, salt and water in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough oil to come about 1-1/2 inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 375 degrees.

In 2 batches, add chicken pieces to the oil, a few pieces at a time, and stir gently, keeping the pieces separate and cooking until the coating looks set but not browned, about 45 seconds.

Using a wide wire-mesh skimmer, transfer chicken to a colander to drain. Remove any bits of fried chicken or batter from the oil.

Return chicken to the wok and deep-fry again until it is golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil from wok.

To make sauce: Mix pickles, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, wine, fish sauce and hot bean paste in a small bowl. Set aside.

Return wok with oil to high heat. Add scallion, garlic and chile; stir-fry until scallion wilts, about 15 seconds. Return chicken to wok and add pickle mixture. Stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until sauce thickens, about 10 seconds.

Garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately. Serves 3 to 4 as a main dish with steamed rice or 4 to 6 as part of a multicourse meal.

>> Cooking tip: Make sure all ingredients are prepped and ready before you start cooking, because once the oil is hot, this dish comes together very quickly.

Theremin

 A musical instrument you play by not touching it.  Say what?

Weaving Project

It ended up as a pouch.  That was fun.  But I think I better start wrapping presents before I attempt making another one.

I'm pretty much done with Christmas shopping . . . mostly from Amazon.  You guys pau?

In Da Drawers

I like it when artists on YouTube show us their supplies. I dunno why I enjoy it so much.  Maybe it's to learn what they like to use.  Or maybe I'm just nosy. 

At any rate, I thought I'd show you what are in some of my drawers . . . in case you're curious.

Wendell's Oxtail Soup

 Wendell said he followed a Foodland recipe to make this.  It was delicious. 

Ingredients 

4 pounds oxtail, cut into pieces 

1 gallon chicken broth 

5 whole star anise 

4 slices ginger, 1/8 inch thick, smashed 

3 dried orange peel 

1 cup shelled and skinned raw peanuts 

10 dry shitake, rehydrated and cut in half hawaiian 

salt to taste 

1 bunch chinese mustard cabbage, cut into 1" - 1 1/2" sections 

chinese parsley to garnish 

 Instructions 

Place oxtail in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring water up to a boil. Keep skimming off impurities while the water comes to a boil. When the water boils, dump the water. 

Put the pot back on stove and cover with chicken broth approximately 2 inches above oxtail. If you need more liquid, add water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. 

Add in star anise, ginger and orange peel. Simmer for 1 hour. 

Add peanuts and shitake mushrooms. Simmer for another 1 - 1½ hours, or until oxtail is tender. Continue to skim off ’scum’ from broth. Add Hawaiian salt to taste.

Add in Chinese mustard cabbage. Garnish with Chinese parsley.

The Weave

 It started out with a snag.  But not to worry.  I'm pretty good at untangling things.

Here I am now.  I'm still not exactly sure where I'm going with this, but so far it's been a fun learning experience . . . 

Next Project?

I bought these awhile back at the swap meet.  Even though I didn't know what they're used for they were $1 for all so . . . you know . . .  

The other day I googled "pearl cotton mercerized".  It turns out that they're used for weaving. 

Do you think I could turn this into a small weaving loom?