Sunday, May 31, 2020

H Mart in Kakaako


Not sure when I'll be brave enough to venture out again, but H Mart is finally open!!!  Thanks for sharing, Dd!


Saturday, May 30, 2020

Green Curry with Pork and Sweet Potato


I made this on the same day that I made the garlic chili oil. Good thing since the chili oil turned out too spicy. 

The curry came out good except, to tell you the truth, I didn't care for the pork. I used pork belly and even though I drained out all of the oil after frying, it was still a bit too pork fatty for me. Luckily, I enjoyed the sweet potato and bamboo shoots.
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1 pound pork, sliced
4 tbs. Thai green curry paste
1 tbs. shoyu
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. ginger minced
2 tbs. fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili pepper flakes
1 medium round onion
1/2 can bamboo shoots
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 steamed sweet potato, cubed

Brown pork.  
Add garlic, ginger and onions. 
Add shoyu, sugar and fish sauce.
Add curry paste and bamboo shoots.
Add coconut milk, chili pepper flakes and sweet potato.

Friday, May 29, 2020

Cleta's Roast Pork


Pal Cleta made Roast Pork for her family's dinner last night. Looks awesome, right!

She shared her recipe below. ❤️

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I parboiled and towel dried the pork. (I don't know if parboiling made the skin not as crispy but I was going make kau yuk).

Mix 2 Tbsp Chinese wine or dry sherry (I only had whiskey), 1 tsp 5-spice, 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Rub all over and roast at 375 degrees til cooked. 


I took the pork out, put in another foil-lined pan, and sprinkled with a goodly amount of salt and pepper.  Then I broiled on low til just before setting off the smoke alarm. 

Let sit 10 mins then chow.

Eat with salad so no feel bad.


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Thank you, Cleta!!!

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Garlic Chili Oil


I made this garlic chili oil yesterday. I made it because I was missing a noodle dish that I used to get at Pho Mai restaurant (now closed) which was near my old working place. The noodles were tossed with garlic chili oil, and it was so good.  I was hoping that I could reproduce it. 

I found a recipe on YouTube that looked easy so I decided to give it a try.

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This is a half recipe . . . kinda . . . 

1 tsp. peppercorn
12 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium red onion, minced (this was so painful for my eyes)
10 chili peppers, minced 
1/2 cup oil

Fry peppercorn in oil for about 5 minutes. Remove peppercorn. On low heat add garlic, then onions, then chili pepper. Stand there for about 45 minutes stirring, stirring, stirring until your back gets sore and the chili peppers turn dark red in color.

Here is the YouTube video:




After the oil was done, I stir-fried some shrimp that had been marinating in the following: 

1 tbs. oyster sauce
1 tbs. shoyu
1 tbs. fish sauce
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced

I put the shrimp on pho noodles which I had tossed with the garlic chili oil. It came out very tasty but too spicy for me. I could only eat a little. Luckily, Landon can handle spicy and he ate it all up.

I wonder what would happen if I put half the amount of chili peppers instead . . . hmmmm?
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Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Part 1: Melanie Gibb's Interview


This was posted on YouTube yesterday.

Melanie Gibb likely knows more about Chad and Lori Daybell's relationship than anyone else. She was Lori's best friend, attended conferences where Chad spoke and was with them the moment they met. She saw the pair's friendship quickly turn into something more and says Lori confided intimate details about the couple's activities, beliefs and future together. Gibb is an extremely private person who has been in hiding since December. That's when police announced Lori's children, 8-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, were missing. Their mother has refused to say where they are and is in the Madison County Jail on two charges of desertion and nonsupport of a dependent child. After remaining silent for five months, Gibb is speaking exclusively with EastIdahoNews.com about the case, what she knows, where she believes JJ and Tylee are and how she got "sucked in" to Chad and Lori's religious circle. We spent several hours with Gibb in an undisclosed location and have separated our interview into three parts that will be posted Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Pillsbury Cheesy Biscuits


I made these last night to go with a chowder that Landon made. Sorry, I no more the chowder recipe. Lan said that he just threw things together and didn't know proportions. But I can give you the recipe for the biscuits.

It came from the Pillsbury website. It came out surprisingly good . . . tasty with a nice fluffy texture.


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2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can Pillsbury Grands Flaky refrigerated biscuits
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In small bowl, stir melted butter, Old Bay seasoning and garlic powder until well mixed.
3. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with butter mixture. Sprinkle each with about 2 teaspoons of cheese. Top each biscuit with remaining layer. Brush with butter mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley flakes.
4. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

We didn't have Old Bay seasoning (or parsley flakes).  I used my sister's Hot & Spicy spice blend instead.
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Monday, May 25, 2020

Wendell's Sesame Beef and Asparagus


Wendell made this last night. It was super tasty. He got the recipe from Rock Recipes here

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced steak 
  • 2 cloves minced garlic 
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger root 
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce, reduced sodium version if available 
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice Powder 
  • 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper 
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar 
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, more or less to taste 
  • 1 tbsp corn starch 
  • 1/4 cup beef stock, or water 
  • 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 
  • 1/2 pound fresh asparagus 
  • 3/4 cup sliced water chestnuts

    Instructions

    1. Cut the asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces and blanch in boiling salted water for only 3 to 4 minutes. 
    2. Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve its color. (You can use broccoli or green beans here if you prefer but use the same cooking method for them too.) 
    3. After a minute, drain the ice water off of the asparagus and set it aside. 
    4. Heat a wok over very high heat. Add 2 tbsp of peanut or regular sesame oil and quickly stir fry the steak slices for only 1 to 2 minutes. 
    5. Remove the beef from the wok and set aside while you prepare the sauce. 
    6. To the wok, add the ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, 5 spice powder, rice wine vinegar, black pepper, brown sugar and toasted sesame oil. Bring to a boil for only a minute. 
    7. Dissolve the corn starch in the water and add to the simmering sauce in the wok, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. 
    8. Add the beef back to the sauce along with the blanched asparagus and water chestnuts. 
    9. Simmer only for another minute or so until the beef, water chestnuts and asparagus are heated through. Serve over steamed rice or your favorite Chinese noodles. 
    10. Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds when serving.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Kokoro-Tei


We had lunch from Kokoro-Tei yesterday.  It was good.

Beef Bowl and Curry Deluxe ($12.98)
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Nori Kara Salmon Deluxe ($8.58) with Tuna/Mayo ($1.50). It came with two chikuwa and 3 karaage chicken as well as salmon, but Wendell got to it before I could take the photo.
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Nori Kara Deluxe ($7.98) with Tuna/Mayo ($1.50)
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Healthy Vegetable Bento ($8.98)
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Thursday, May 21, 2020

Kim Chee Burger


I needed to make use of some kim chee that wasn't getting eaten, and friend Cleta recommended making patties.

It came out good! So clever.
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With Cleta advising me, here's what I did.  Drain almost full bottle of kim chee and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze the liquid out. Chop. I also chopped up some shiitake mushrooms. Add to 1 1/2 pound-ish of ground pork (or chicken). Add one egg, minced garlic, salt and a dusting of flour. Form into patties and fry. Pretty simple, yah.
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Thanks Cleta!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Apple Crumble Coffee Cake


I made this kinda last minute last night. I rushed through it and crossed my fingers that I didn't muck up with halving the recipe. 

I used sour cream instead of yogurt and baked in an 8 x 8 inch pan. I lucked out 'cause it came out good. I found the recipe here at the Allrecipes website.

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Ingredients

  • Dry Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • Crumble Mixture:
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • Wet Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room
  • temperature
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Honeycrisp apples

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x12-inch baking dish generously.

Whisk flour, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.

Combine walnuts, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until walnuts and sugar are thoroughly coated with butter.

Cream butter and sugar together in another bowl with a spatula until well blended. Add 1 egg and whisk until mixture is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in second egg until thoroughly incorporated. Add vanilla extract and yogurt; whisk together. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; whisk just until flour disappears. Do not overmix.

Remove cores from apples. Cut across into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices. Stack up a few slices, make 1 cut down the center, and dice across into cubes. Add to cake batter, folding in with a spatula until just combined.

Spread 1/2 of the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Scatter 1/2 of the crumble mixture evenly over the top. Top with the rest of the batter in dollops. Spread carefully to evenly distribute, trying not to disturb the crumbs. Top with the rest of the crumb mixture. Press crumbs into the batter very gently.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.


Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Sweet and Savory Meatballs


I made this last night. I used to make it a lot before. I got the recipe from my mom.  You should try make it. It's easy and comes out ono.

This is a double recipe.

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1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 egg slightly beaten
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tbs. shortening
1 can Campbells Golden Mushroom soup
1/2 c. drained chopped tomatoes
2 tbs. soy sauce
dash pepper

Mix beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg and garlic. Shape into 16 meatballs. In skillet brown meatballs in shortening; pour off fat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover; cook over low heat 20 minutes or until done. Stir now and then. Serve with rice.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Char Siu Pork Ramen


So here's the finished char siu. I kinda went overboard with the meat for the photo and didn't even wait for the broth to get poured in.

It was melt-in-the-mouth tender.


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Sunday, May 17, 2020

Independent Moldova


Not sure if you'll find this interesting, but I did. 


Saturday, May 16, 2020

Braised Pork Belly


This is what I made . . . "chashu" pork. The plan is to slice and eat it in ramen.  

The recipe is from Just One Cookbook. The pork belly came from Costco.

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Roll and tie up the pork. Sear on all sides and add the following (I made double recipe):


  • 1 lb pork belly block (454 g)
  • 1 Negi/Long Green Onion (Sub: 1 leek or 2-3 green onions)
  • 1 knob ginger
  • ½ Tbsp neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc)
  • ½ cup sake (120 ml)
  • ½ cup soy sauce (120 ml)
  • 1 cup water (240 ml)
  • ⅓ cup sugar (75 g, 5 Tbsp)

Simmer on low for 2 hours.  Rest the chashu overnight before slicing. 

Friday, May 15, 2020

Today's Project


I couldn't make one big log. I had to make four small ones. 

Can you guess? Wish me luck!

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Hearing the Carpenters for the First Time


YouTube always comes in handy when I have nothing to post. Here are twin dudes hearing We've Only Just Begun by the Carpenters for the first time.

I can barely understand what they're saying, but I totally get their reactions.


Saturday, May 9, 2020

Landon's Breakfast Corn Tortilla


This was sooooooo ono!!  Landon said that he saw something similar "somewhere" but can't remember the details. 

He minced onion, green bell peppers, garlic, mushroom and Portuguese sausage and seasoned with curry powder.  He sautéed everything in a pan, then put beat-up egg on top. Before the egg fully cooked he covered with a corn tortilla.
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Then he did the pan-toss thing to flip everything over and cooked for a few more minutes. 
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He seasoned with this before eating. 
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It's so yummy, I hope he makes it again soon.
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Friday, May 8, 2020

Garlic Plants


I can't believe I planted these only 4 days ago!

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Thursday, May 7, 2020

Wendell's Five Spice Pork Belly


Wendell made this the other day.  He got the recipe from Manila Spoon and can be found here

To be honest, I haven't tried it yet, but must be good 'cause the guys ate um up. 

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Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Kilo / 2.2 Lbs Pork Belly, sliced
5 Tablespoons, Dark Soy Sauce*
2 teaspoons, Five Spice Powder
1 inch-ginger (roughly thumb-size), peeled then thinly sliced (like matchsticks) or julienned
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
*Use a wheat-free brand if you wish to have a gluten-free version.
Procedure
Heat the oil in the wok. Add the brown sugar. Cook until the sugar caramelizes and turns light brown. Add the pork slices. Stir the pork in the sauce until they are well coated.
Pour in the soy sauce and water. Stir in the salt and Five-spice powder. Add the ginger slices.  Bring to a boil. Cover and then simmer gently over low heat for about 45 minutes or until the meat is fully tender.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Landon's Mai Fun


Landon made this a couple days ago.  

He first soaked a bag of mai fun noodles in water for 1/2 hour.

He stir fried "some" bean sprouts, choi sum, shiitake mushrooms, sliced green beans, cabbage, celery, green bell pepper, finely chopped dried shrimp and fried eggs in a pan. He seasoned with "some" oyster sauce, black beans, curry powder, Chinese five spice and chicken broth powder. 

Then he threw in the softened noodles. 

It came out yummy.

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This is the noodles that he used. 
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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

On Da Desk


Here's my Mother's Day card for my mom. 

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I copied this painting done by Ann Mortimer.
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Monday, May 4, 2020

Planting Garlic


A few of the garlic cloves that I peeled had sprouted so I decided to plant them. 

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I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do.  Will the one clove turn into a bulb eventually?
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Sunday, May 3, 2020

Cy's Cucumber Namasu


My brother Cy made this cucumber namasu for my mom who eats it everyday.  He got the recipe from CD Kitchen here.  

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ingredients


3 cucumbers
1 tablespoon salt plus
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

directions


Slice the cucumbers lengthwise and scrape out the seeds if desired. Slice the cucumber into very thin slices on the diagonal. 

Place the cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. 

Rinse and drain the cucumber slices well and squeeze out any excess water using a kitchen towel. 

Return the cucumber to the bowl. In another bowl or measuring cup, stir together the remaining salt, sugar, rice wine vinegar, and ginger. Mix well then pour over the cucumbers. Stir gently to combine. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator. Chill until ready to serve.


Saturday, May 2, 2020

Snickers Cheesecake Brownie


About a week ago Wendell bought a massive 3-pound block of cream cheese from Costco. He was planning on making some clam dip, but unfortunately, somebody used up all of his clams. Oops!

I searched online for recipes calling for cream cheese so that I could make use of some of that brick that's taking up a considerable amount of space in the 'fridge.

I found a recipe from Yummly website that can be found here. It caught my eye because I could use up a half bag of Snickers (Wendell's favorite) that's been on our counter for awhile.

I halved the recipe, but I mucked up because I chose to use an 8 x 8 inch pan which proved to be a bit too small, making the brownie thicker than it's supposed to be.  

It took 1 hour to bake which is almost twice the recommended amount of time. But . . .  in the end, it still came out hella ono.

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INGREDIENTS
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
  • 2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
  •  tsp. vanilla extract 
  • 2 large eggs 
  • 1 cup sugar 

INSTRUCTIONS
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
  1. Mix cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Pour over cookie dough crust layer and cover with remaining dough.
  3. Sprinkle Snickers Baking Bites on top. Bake as directed above.



    Half Recipe

    Crust/Topping
    1 block butter, softened
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1 egg
    1 tsp. vanilla extract

    Sift and add: 
    1 3/4 cup flour
    1/2 tsp. baking soda
    1/4 tsp. salt

    Cream Cheese Filling
    8 oz. cream cheese, softened
    1 tsp. vanilla extract
    1 egg
    1/2 cup white sugar

    1 10 oz. package Snickers