Start of a New Sketchbook

 I made a video yesterday.

Palama Market Spicy Pork

 I made this for dinner yesterday.  I  fried sliced onions and garlic in little bit oil first . . .

and then threw this in.  I added boiled eggs just because.

It was a hit!  We ate it like this.

We put a slather of this on the lettuce first.  Ono!!  Landon got it from a coworker.  

Russian Rescue Demonstration

 This is from 2018 but still hilarious.

Spicy Bulgogi Chicken

Landon:  That's good chicken.

Me: Yay!

And guess what.  I just used this.  I didn't even add anything else.  I marinated one pound of sliced-up chicken in it overnight.

After I fried the marinated chicken in a little bit of oil, I threw some sliced pre-fried tofu into the leftover sauce.

This is how I ate um.

I got the package from Didi who ordered it online.  She said that Whole Foods just started carrying it, and it just so happens to be on sale right now!  But . . . can somebody tell me . . . are the lines still long?  I stopped going because of that.

Cleta's Swedish Apple Pie

Cleta said:  I used 10 wrinkled apples -- no pie crust.  I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup.  Came out ono.  Fastest dessert I ever made.  One for us, one for neighbor who gave jai and one for neighbor who gave aveoveo. 

Me (thinking):  I wish I was your neighbor.

The recipe is from Hostess at Heart site.  Thanks for sharing, Cleta!!

 

Ingredients

Pie Filling

• 5 Granny Smith apples or enough to fill a pie plate 2/3 full
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter melted
• 1 egg
• 1/8 tsp salt (pinch)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4" thick.  Fill pie plate 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Spread over the apples in the pie plate.
• Bake for 1 hour or until crust lightly browns.
• Cover leftovers with aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Dd's Shogayaki

 I think the crispy ginger topping on this dish would be my favorite part.

SHOGAYAKI (PORK GINGER)

Two 2-inch pieces fresh ginger, peeled (1 piece grated*, 1 piece julienned***), separated

½ medium onion**

½-3/4 # pound Japanese-style shabu shabu/yakiniku pork loin or belly, thinly sliced (I prefer loin)

2 TB sake

¼  teaspoon ground white pepper

1 TB canola oil, additional as needed for sauteing pork

1 tsp. sesame seed oil

2 stalks green onion, white parts only, 1-inch diagonal pieces, chop green parts for garnish

Sauce:

3 TB soy sauce

3 TB mirin

2 TB sake

2 tsp. agave nectar

Garnish: crispy fried ginger, chopped green onion (green parts only)

 

*Grate ginger. Separate grated ginger and any juices. Set aside.

** Grate onion to equal 1 TB juice. Add to ginger juice. Slice remaining onion; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl toss pork with 2 TB sake, white pepper, ginger & onion juice. Allow to sit while preparing crispy ginger.

*** In a small skillet over medium heat brown julienned ginger slices in 1 TB canola and sesame seed oil. Drain on paper towel; reserve for garnish. Reserve oil for later use.

 

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together grated ginger with sauce ingredients; set aside.

 

In a wok or large skillet warm reserved ginger oil. Sauté pork in batches until slightly cooked through. Transfer onto a plate. Repeat with pork, adding additional canola oil as needed. 

Into skillet sauté onion until slightly limp. Return pork and reserved sauce to skillet. Cook to warm pork through about 1 minute. Turn off heat, add whites of green onion, stirring to combine. Serve immediately. 

Garnish with crispy ginger and green onion. Serves 2-3.

Bird Defense

Thanks for your tips for deterring birds from eating Landon's chili peppers!

I hung up this sparkly holographic star lei that I had been saving for some unknown reason . . .

and I attached this onion bag netting to it.   I need to get another one . . . or two.  Thanks PlantMama!!

deSiam Pad Thai

I made this the other day for dinner.  It was ono.  Kinda ketchup-y.  If I wasn't such a lazy cook, I probably woulda thought ahead and bought more ingredients to enhance, but you know me . . . I just used what we had . . .  tofu, egg and cilantro.

I used this.  So easy.  The same brand as my favorite box kit curry.  It was $3.79 from Ross.

This is what was in the kit.  

On Da Desk

Kat (Our Adventures in Japan) posted a photo of a Chinese restaurant that she and Satoshi had visited.  I thought that the store front was so cute.  I decided to draw it.  You can check out her post here.

Dd's Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Dd says, "Super Easy Recipe!!"

Me:  🤨

Adapted From: GUY FIERI’S CAJUN CHICKEN ALFREDO

 

6 oz. pasta, cooked according to packing instructions, drained

2 pc. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10-12 oz.), 1-inch cubes

Blackening Spice Rub, recipe follows

Alfredo Sauce, recipe follows

1 TB olive oil

¼ c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Garnish:  grated parmesan cheese, chopped green onion

Blackening Spice Rub:

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

Alfredo Sauce:

2 TB unsalted butter

¾ c. heavy whipping cream

½ c. parmesan cheese, grated

Freshly cracked black pepper

 

Blackening Spice Rub: In a small bowl combine spice rub ingredients well.

 

Alfredo Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Add cream,

stirring until blended. Bring to a simmer. Add cheese, continue stirring until

smooth. Season with pepper as desired. Remove from heat; set aside.

In a mixing bowl toss chicken with spice rub as desired. In a large skillet

over medium heat sauté chicken pieces in oil until cooked through. Add

sun dried tomatoes stirring to heat through. Stir in Alfredo Sauce and pasta.

 

For service: garnish with parmesan cheese and green onion. Serves 3-4.

Lab Results

I started a lifestyle change 1 1/2 years ago in July 2021.  Since then I lost 20 pounds and gained back 5.   I'm trying really hard to not gain back more than that.  

I eat 2 meals a day with my first meal usually being overnight oats.  I don't deny myself carbs.  I do eat rice, noodles and bread but in limited portions . . .  sorta.  I also try to limit the sweets and the salty.  I try not to eat after 4:00 p.m.

Oh yah, I walk almost every morning.  Just for a little bit . . . about 1/2 hour . . . and not really fast . . . 'cause I'm lazy.  I barely ever break a sweat.

Here are my recent lab results with "before" figures for comparison.  🥳

Me vs. Bulbul Birds

The bulbul birds eat the chili peppers off of Landon's plant.

I got a paint-roller handle from the swap meet and hung my wind chime on it.  

You can click on the photo to see a video of it in action.  Do you think it'll keep the birds away or what?

Reduced Prices at Ross

It seems that Ross is trying to get rid of their excess Christmas stock and have reduced the prices on a bunch of their items, mostly the arts and crafts stuff.

I bought this Acrylic paint set.

It sells for $44.31 on Amazon.  Guess what I paid for it.

$14.99!

I also got this.  Probably for a grandniece.

I couldn't resist the $.49 price.

After shopping this is what greeted me when I got to my car.    

Cleta's Soon Tofu Soup

 Look at that pikcha!!  Makes me want some right now!

Cleta said she made it with this soup kit which she got from H Mart for around $1.99.  She enhanced it with Kauai Sugar Shrimp (from Sam's), sliced zucchini, soy sprouts and kimchee with "juice".

Dd's Pan-Fried Lamb Chops

I'm not too much into lamb, but this sure looks ono.

PAN FRIED LAMB CHOPS 

4 lamb loin chops, 1 inch thick 

2 tsp. olive oil 

1 TB butter 

Marinade: 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

2 TB soy sauce 

2 TB Worcestershire sauce 

2 TB red wine 

1 TB balsamic vinegar 

1 TB Italian parsley, chopped 

1 TB dried rosemary 

Place chops in a shallow dish. In a mixing bowl combine marinade ingredients well; pour over chops. Allow to marinate 4 hours. 

In a skillet over medium heat brown chops in oil and butter, about 3-4 minutes. Turn, basting with liquid in pan. Continue cooking 3-5 minutes to bring to desired doneness. 

Serves 2.

New Year's Greetings from President Zelensky