Almond Panna Cotta

Since nearly the beginning of 2018, I have been suffering from shoulder pain.  What began as stiffness, which I attributed to sleeping funny, turned out to be the beginning of adhesive capsulitis, aka "frozen shoulder".  Over the course of 4 months, my shoulder when from slightly stiff to absolutely painful upon certain motions.  I have had surgeries, sprains, fractures, ischemic colitis, and a bunch of other painful things, but nothing compares to the pain from frozen shoulder.  Nothing.

While the pain didn't start off as all-consuming, it gradually caused a few lifestyle changes which really put a damper on comfort.  I had to resort to sleeping flat on my back; any degree of rotation caused pain, either from direct pressure on my shoulder or from my shoulder being unsupported.  At some point, I reached for the Aleve, but it wasn't very helpful.  I blame the combination of Aleve and sleeping flat on my back as the cause of my GERD.

So in addition to restricted movement/motion while I was awake, I had some difficulty eating, fearing the resulting heartburn and gas which followed.  As I mentioned before, sleep was out of the question.  This was my life for the second half of April and all of May.

MMM suggested that consuming yogurt might be soothing.  The Help had no problem going to the market and buying tons of one of my favorites.  My yogurt jag failed to remedy my stomach ills, but it did contribute to my growing war chest of cover-less, smallish glass jars.  A work friend, who also had an affinity for that brand of yogurt, and I talked about what we could possibly do with all of the jars.  We both thought it would be a shame to throw them out, as the jars were sturdy and cute.

On a hot day in May, I had D2 make jello for dessert, and she poured them into those jars since they were out on the counter already.  She stacked them in the fridge (our fridge real estate is always limited) since the bottom of the jar is larger than the top.  That's when it occurred to me that the jars would be perfect for panna cotta, a dessert I've enjoyed at Noodle Club and some other restaurants.  And being able to stack the jars meant I wouldn't need too much space in the fridge.

I tried a few different recipes, but some were too firm, and some did not set up adequately.  A few recipes also called for odd amounts of not-usually-in-my-fridge milk varieties.  After some trial and error, the recipe with this post is what turned out to be a good texture (to me).  Reduce or increase the amount of milk to get the texture you prefer.  Although this recipe is for almond panna cotta, there is a small amount of vanilla extract in the recipe.  I find that adding a bit of vanilla nicely softens the almond flavor, which can sometimes be very bold (think Chinese almond float).

Because cherries are now in season, I made a topping with fresh cherries (thank you Ds for pitting and halving all the cherries).  I hope The Help can come up with a summery drink using the cherry syrup.  Any type of fruit can be used as a topping.  I've had this at a restaurant with some lavender syrup and it was delicious.  I think chocolate lovers might enjoy it with a spoonful of Nutella.

Now that June is nearly over, my shoulder is almost back to normal, thanks to the MUA (manipulation under anesthesia) I underwent just after Memorial Day.  I am able to sleep on my side, my GERD is gone, and I can actually straighten my arm and lift it over my head.

Best of all, my MUA was done on Oahu, so I got to check out the Memorial Day sales at the Waikele Outlets and Nordstrom Rack. And the Rack just happened to be having a fabulous sale on boots.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almond Panna Cotta

     2 c heavy cream

     1 c milk, divided

     1 envelope unflavored gelatin

     1/2 c sugar

     1/2 tsp almond extract

     1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Soften gelatin in 1/2 c milk.  Heat heavy cream, remaining milk, and sugar, to just below boiling.  Stir in softened gelatin and milk.  Continue stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Remove frm heat and stir in extracts.  Pour into small containers.  Chill until set.  If not serving within 8 hours, cover each container to avoid drying out.  If serving unmolded, lightly grease containers prior to filling.  Serve with fruit or desired topping.

Mochi Balls

Spring break is just about over.  It's been quite cold and damp, but something tells me it is like this most every year.  This year just seems a lot colder than previous years.  I spent most of my break wearing socks in the house.

This break was not without some fun.  I went out with two friends.  One of them lives here, but our schedules are usually out of sync, so breaks are the only time we can have lunch.  And I was honored he chose to spend his only free lunch in Hilo with me. 

My other friend outing was a nice breakfast with Dee.  Dee lives on another island, but she came home to spend some time with her mother.  Dee usually makes a quick stop to see me when she is back, but it was really nice to sit down with her and catch up.  I guess she has forgiven me for nearly hosting her demise, although I maintain my innocence since things were beyond my control (While taking a shower at my apartment, she slipped and fell.  That same evening, she got a reaction from gulf rock shrimp which we had for dinner.).  And in case anyone is wondering, I ate the same shrimp and did not have any reaction.  Shit, maybe I shouldn't have brought it up again.

The other fun event of my break was getting together with a few friends.  One of my friends brought back a bottle of sake from her recent trip to Japan and wanted to share it.  Since she was sharing sake, I decided to make a few things to nibble on (I cannot drink without having snacks).  Everyone must have been thinking the same thing because we ended up with tons of food. 

The Keeper brought a tray of baked salmon, which I hope to replicate when D1 comes home.  We also had Indian food, Vietnamese food, and a lovely local goat cheese with herbs.  I made a cheesecake in the Instant Pot because one of my friends was intrigued by the idea.  I wanted her to taste it for herself . 

Since sake was one of the reasons for us getting together, I thought a Japanese-ish dessert would be a good match.  My first thought was to make andagi since I was already planning to deep fry won ton.  Nakaz had been experimenting with andagi the previous week, so andagi was fresh in my mind.  And then I remembered fried mochi balls.

Fried mochi balls look like andagi, but because they are made with mochiko (glutinous rice flour), they are dense and chewy instead of cake-like.  The stiff dough contains a moderate amount of sugar, so there is no need to roll the fried balls in additional sugar.  These mochi balls are similar to cascaron (Filipino fried mochi, often served in multiples on skewers), but they are crispy on the outside.  Unlike other deep fried foods, these mochi balls stay crispy for a long time.  It turned out to be a good choice.  At the end of the evening, the mochi balls were still crispy.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Mochi Balls

     2 c mochiko

     3/4 c sugar

     1 1/2 tsp baking powder

     1/2 tsp salt

     3/4 c water

     oil for deep frying

Mix together.  Using a #70 disher (about 2 tsp), drop dough into hot oil.  Fry until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

Toaster Oven Food: Cheesecake Bars

I cannot believe how fast time flew by.  This Friday marks the end of the first quarter of the school year.    Soon it will be time to buy Halloween candy (to be consumed before Halloween!).

Last weekend, The Help, D2, and I went to Honolulu.  I had my ophthalmologist appointment, and it was also a belated back-to-school shopping trip for D2.

We stayed at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.  This was our first stay there since the renovations.  I was very impressed with the transformation.  While the lobby had a more contemporary, open feel, the room transformation was nothing short of amazing:  lots of granite and very clean lines.  They bathroom even contained a Toto washlet!

In spite of going to Honolulu for the purpose of shopping, we seemed to spend a lot of time eating.  We arrived early enough to walk over to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, arguably the best tonkatsu restaurant in Honolulu.

I didn't realize how much D2 likes curry.  I expected her to order chicken katsu, and I was surprised when she ordered chicken katsu CURRY.

After an unmemorable lunch at Liliha Bakery, we knew we had to redeem ourselves with dinner.  We enjoyed a steaming hot bowl of ramen at Wagaya, one of the 9 best ramen places in Honolulu according to Thrillist.  Since we were done early enough, we decided to have dessert at a place we've been wanting to try for a while, Marion Crepes.

Marion Crepes Hawaii is located in Shirokiya Japan Village Walk.  They serve crepes with various fillings.  I'm quite sure I saw savory fillings on the menu, but since this was dessert, we had to go with sweet fillings.  The Help selected a yummy-looking-but-rather-uninteresting strawberry crepe.  D2 ordered a fruit crepe with a substantial scoop of green tea ice cream. 

I didn't realize how much D2 likes green tea sweets. 

I ordered a strawberry crepe with a piece of cheesecake.  It was absolutely delicious.  In fact, all of us enjoyed our crepes, but the prices are not for the faint of heart.  Our dessert cost nearly $30!

After a week back at work, I'm ready for another vacation. 

I am looking forward to Fall intersession and the adventures that await.  I'm hoping I won't forget to pack everything I need.  I have some sweaters, a shawl, and a new hat I can't wait to use!

Meanwhile, I need to concentrate on getting through this week.  I have progress reports and grades to do.  And I have to feed KikukatDad.  KikukatDad isn't too picky about food, but he likes to have dessert after his dinner.

Inspired by the yummy cheesecake in my dessert crepe, I wanted to make a simple cheesecake to serve KikukatDad.  Square desserts are so unfussy, and they fit nicely in the toaster oven...no need to heat the big oven to make this.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Cheesecake Bars

     1 1/3-1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

     1 tbsp sugar

     4 tbsp melted butter

     16 oz cream cheese

     1 c sugar

     2 tsp vanilla extract

     2 tsp lemon juice

     3 eggs

     1 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 tbsp sugar, and 4 tbsp melted butter.  Press into an 8 x 8" baking pan (for easy clean up, line pan with foil before pressing in crumbs).  Bake for 10 minutes.  While crust is baking, prepare filling by beating cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Blend in sour cream.  Pour over baked crust and bake for 70 minutes.  Turn oven off, leave door slightly ajar, and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Peanut Butter Brownies

My summer vacation is over.  Waaaaaaahhhhhh!

It sure didn't last long. 

D1 already made the journey back to the valley of the sun.   It feels like it was only a few weeks ago when KikukatDad and I went to pick her up in Kailua-Kona.  Shout out to Mr. Dependable for being a great dad and taking her back.  She had lots to do, and she is lucky he was there to help her.  Thanks to a rented minivan, they were able to get her shit out of storage and into her new apartment in one trip (would've taken at 3+ trips with her sedan).  I cannot imagine she would have so much stuff. 

Just like summer vacation, D1s visit didn't last long either.  I know I will see her in 4 months, but it  was nice having her home.  Who else would remind me to clean the house?  Who else would tell me it's too early to drink alcohol at 3:30?  School for her won't start for nearly 2 weeks, but she had recruitment practice and some other things she needed to get rolling.

In all seriousness, I will miss her many talents.  D1 can do all kinds of things once she sets her mind.  This summer, she conquered macarons.  Having never made macarons before, I was shocked at the lengthy and tedious steps to produce a batch of macarons.  I can also attest that a batch of macarons makes a mound of dirty dishes (and extra egg yolks).  I need to start a list of recipes which use just egg yolks or, at least, use more egg yolks than egg whites, so I will know what to do with the egg yolks (other than throw them away).

It took several attempts, but I think D1 perfected the filling.  Initially, the filling she used was just too sweet.  She experimented with different bases and flavorings and came up with a good filling which didn't try to compete with the already-sweet macaron shells.

D1 put her macaron talents to good use.  She made some for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in July.  I helped her package them and did the clean up.  I also decided that I won't be making any macarons on my own.  I will stick to less fussy snacks. . .with a lot less dishes to wash. 

If you are like me and don''t like having too many dishes to wash, then these peanut butter brownies might be in your wheelhouse.  They are totally unfussy, whip up in no time with ingredients you likely have on hand, and are mega-delicious.  You will also not be left wondering what to do with extra egg yolks.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Peanut Butter Brownies

     1/2 c butter, softened

     1/2 c peanut butter

     3/4 c sugar

     3/4 c brown sugar, packed

     2 eggs

     2 tsp vanilla

     1 c flour

     1 tsp baking powder

     1/4 tsp salt

     1 c chocolate chips

     1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 x 13" pan with foil (or grease a 9 x 13" pan).  Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar.  add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla.  Add in flour mixture a little at a time.  Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.  Spread in prepared pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cut into bars when completely cool.

A few months ago, I purchased a bag of Korean chili pepper powder.  The ingredients are chili pepper and salt.  I use it occasionally and store it in the fridge.  Last week, I discovered another use for the powder.  I've made the notation on the Spicy Soybean post.

It's been a little over a year since my mom passed.  Although I still miss her dearly, I feel like some normalcy and routine have returned to my life.  I'm hoping to post more frequently since I'm cooking more now (I have another mouth to feed during the work week).  Over the past few years, I've become more adept at knitting, something which would have made KikukatMom proud.  While I will continue to share favorite recipes, I hope to also share my knitting triumphs, fails, WIPs and FOs.  

Madeleines

April is generally not a month I enjoy.  When I was younger, I looked forward to Easter and all the candy that came along with the holiday.  Coloring eggs was also a much-anticipated activity.  But April always seemed like a month of endless rain.  And I don't like rain.  Everything starts to take on the damp feeling, and it makes me feel a bit foolish to be making a fire in the fireplace.  The window for that (in my mind) closes at the end of February.

Another reason for April receiving a bad mark in my book has been my inability to get going after spring break.  Getting back in the work groove after a break is hard, but it seems even more difficult transitioning from the 3rd to the 4th quarter.  Ugh.

Now that I'm older and have a child attending a college 3,000 miles away, April isn't so bad.  It means that I get to see my hiapo (firstborn in Hawaiian) in a few weeks.  I haven't seen her since early January when I dropped her off at the airport in Kona.  I miss her a lot.

With her imminent homecoming, I figured it would be a good time to get off my butt and start exercising a bit more diligently.  I bought myself a new fitbit and have been hitting the elliptical every weekday morning.  To amuse myself on the elliptical, I've been watching Craftsy videos.  It's amazing the kinds of classes they have for sale.  I've purchased both knitting and cooking classes.  The most recent class I watched was a class on making macarons, madeleines, and other miniature desserts.

Am I the only one who noticed how the previous paragraph covered BOTH exercising AND desserts?

I haven't tried making macarons, but I've been making madeleines for years.  I've tried multiple recipes, but I adapted a recipe I found on the internet.  The original recipe is delicious and was the only recipe I tried which I could replicate successfully time after time.  However, the drawback for me was the lemon zest.  I am not a big fan of using lemon zest in my desserts because I seldom buy lemons.  I have a lemon tree in my backyard, but the lemons do not usually boast beautiful, smooth, golden skin.  The skins are often sunburnt with a green-brown tinge, and the zest they yield does not look appealing in desserts.  This is unfortunate because the flavor of lemon zest is sublime.

So I took that recipe and adapted it for use without lemon zest.  However, I realized that I occasionally missed the lemon flavor.  Using lemon extract will not yield a product exactly like the original recipe, but lemon extract is easy to get.  Using the vanilla extract with a drop or two of lemon oil is another option, however lemon oil is more difficult to obtain.  Of course, the generous dusting of powdered sugar will hide unsightly zest pieces on the surface, but some people might be put off when they encounter off-color zest when they take a bite.

Collette Christian's Craftsy class offers yet another take on getting that citrus flavor.  She opts for dipping the madeleines in a glaze.  Interesting.  I have not yet tried the madeleines from the class, and I'm not sure if I actually will.  I purchased the class for the step-by-step macaron instructions.  I hope to try that out this summer when D1 is home. . . someone to wash my dishes.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

No-Fuss Madeleines

     1/4 c butter, melted and cooled

     2 eggs

     1/2 tsp vanilla extract (may replace half with 1/4 tsp lemon extract)

     pinch of salt

     1/3 c  sugar

     1/2 c flour

     powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Generously grease and flour the wells for 15 3" madeleines.  Combine eggs, vanilla, and salt, in a large (1 quart) glass measuring cup.  Gradually add sugar while beating at high speed.  Continue beating until mixture is light yellow and has increased in volume.  This will take about 10 minutes with a hand-held mixer.  Sift flour over egg mixture and fold in gently.  Add melted butter and fold in gently.  Using a #40 disher, divide batter among prepared wells.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Tap pan sharply to dislodge madeleines and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over madeleines when completely cool.

Shiro An

Happy 2016!  Happy new year!  I got a little distracted with updating this post, hence the late posting.  It's been a hell of a break!

I am still recovering from the holiday party season.  Having two holidays a week apart is brutal.  My family doesn't do much for Christmas, but it is still a monumental task to get the decorations put away.

The best part of the holiday season usually comes after Christmas when my cousins come to town.  This year, three of them made it to Hilo.  I had them over for a cozy NYE dinner.  I made prime rib, roasted garlic crab, garlic noodles, and caprese tomatoes.  I've included links to the Rasa Malaysia recipes (crab and noodles), but the noodle recipe is actually different from the one I use.  If you follow the Rasa Malaysia thread, the garlic noodle recipe was originally posted years ago.  Since then, the recipe has been re-tooled.  I use the original recipe from years ago.  I have not tried the new recipe (with the Maggi seasoning), so I don't know how it compares.  I didn't have time to check on a link to the original recipe.  And really. . .the original recipe was kick-ass, so I'm not sure why it needed to be changed.

For NYE dessert, I served amaretto custard bread pudding.  My cousin brought a Hawaiian Pie Company strawberry guava pie.  Both were delicious.

The Help was thrilled with the bottles of RedBreast and Laphroaig brought over from Oahu.  I am definitely not a fan of whiskey, but I cannot help thinking they'd taste awfully good in some kind of dessert.  Maybe when he is not looking. . .

Although the food and drink were fabulous, the best part was being able to just sit and hang with the cousins, something you cannot do at a restaurant.  My cousins are all so awesome, and we don't always have the luxury of being in one place all together.  They had a rough start to 2015, so I'm hoping 2016 will be a better year for them, despite the fact that Kikukat Dad is hounding them to go to Japan with him again.  I know, I know. . .I will owe them big time for the travel-sitting.

The second half of the school year begins tomorrow (for teachers...begins on Wednesday for many students).  Glad I got my grades and pacing guide done before I left for vacation.  I'm the lazy type who doesn't like to work, but there are a bunch of people I work with whom I adore, and it will be nice to see them again.

What I am NOT looking forward to is D1's departure in a few days.  Gotta brace myself for that.  Even though she drove me crazy at times (and cost me over $200 to replace a car key she "misplaced". . .wtf, can make dean's list but cannot keep track of a car key), it was really nice having her home.  Even Shaka is now saying her name!

Since I'm trying to stretch out the holiday season (since it means D1 is still here), I'm going to continue last week's recipe, which was microwave daifuku mochi.  While a variety of fillings can be used, including the ever-convenient pre-made koshian and tsubushian (comes in cans of plastic bags), my filling of choice is shiro-an, shiro meaning "white" in Japanese.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Shiro An (Lima Bean Filling)

     1 lb lima beans (dried)
     2 c sugar
     dash of salt

Soak beans overnight in water to cover.  Slip skins off before cooking.  Place beans in pot with water to cover and cook until soft.  Add sugar and salt and cook until mixture is almost dry and forms a ball, about 30 minutes, stirring constantly.  When cooking, add as little water as possible - if there is too much water, it takes much longer to cook to the stiff stage.  Yield:  50 "an" balls (using a #60 disher).

Fruitcake Bars

We are entering the home stretch.  Just a few more days until vacation!

Yippeeee! 

I will need to exercise great restraint and not let on to the students that I'm looking forward to the break more than they are.

Other than getting my tooth fixed and the winter ball, I'm looking forward to a quiet vacation.  I'm already off the hook for the New Years gathering; I'm just waiting for my marching orders.

I also need to figure out a way to keep my darn kat from messing up the tree skirt.  I have fixed that skirt almost daily since we put up the tree, but she doesn't fail to mess it up.  I'm surprised she hasn't actually climbed INTO the tree yet.

Oh, and I almost forgot, I need to start/finish my Christmas shopping.  Ummm yeah, the timeline kinda got away from me.  I was busy taking orders on how to cut letters on the Cricut for a presentation board.  Cripes. . .some people in this house have OCD.  And I thought D1 was bad.

In the past week, we managed to survive Christmas Corners, science fair project (only barely), Christmas concert, traveling alone, psycho cats, and early wakings.

Actually, attending Christmas Corners did wonders to put me into the Christmas spirit.  I must thank the Tongans.  Their corner was amazing.  They did an excellent job in creating a longhouse and extending their warm, Polynesian hospitality to all who visited.  They were even kind enough to offer me food from their buffet.


Since I was feeling festive, I decided to do some additional holiday baking.  I love these bars, and the candied fruit makes it a perfect way to get into the spirit of the season.

Years ago, my aunt brought these to my house.  I couldn't resist the buttery crust paired with the just-sweet-enough filling.  Unlike my friend LAMN, I don't mind the candied fruit mix sold in the tubs.  LAMN used to take forever to eat a piece of fruitcake because she would pull out all of the fruits and eat only the cake part.  Crazy, yeah!?  And if my memory serves me right, I don't think LAMN ate nuts either, so those would be extracted prior to eating as well.

I find it easiest to cut these bars while they are still warm.  When cutting with a sharp knife, be careful not to scratch the baking pan.  If you prefer, you could actually just score the top half of the bar while still warm, then remove the bars from the pan (if you cover your pan with foil, this is easy to do when completely cool) before cutting all the way through the crust.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fruitcake Bars

Crust:  2 c flour
            1/4 c sugar
            1 c butter

Filling:    1 c sugar
              1/2 c flour
              1/2 tsp baking powder
              1/2 tsp salt
              4 eggs
              1 c candied fruits (fruit cake mix)
              1 c nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine crust ingredients until fine crumbs form.  Press into 9 x 13" pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Beat in eggs.  Stir in candied fruit and nuts.  Pour over hot crust.  Bake 35 minutes.  Cut into bars while warm.  Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.

We're baaaaack!

Seven-Layer Jello

I guess it's that time of year again. . .Fourth of July will be upon us soon.

With the exception of last year, I would try to post something red-white-and-blue, just to keep with the theme.  Last year I broke from tradition, and my post had nothing to do with the holiday.  This year, I'm tiptoe-ing on the edge.

While the picture on the left shows multi-colored layers, this could easily be adapted to the red-white-and-blue color scheme.  This is a popular layered jello which can be found on the dessert buffet at local parties. . .if they HAVE a dessert buffet.

Oh, who am I kidding?  All local parties have a table with a bunch of desserts laid out.  Or they SHOULD.

Last week, D2 went to a birthday party.  She and the others were told to arrive at noon and get picked up at 4:00.  Since I was working, I asked The Help to drop her off and pick her up.  When she got home, I asked her about the food.  She said she ate cake.  I asked what else was served.  She replied, "cake.  I told you already."








I guess that was one party which did not have the usual dessert buffet.  Of course, there was no "BYOB" on the invitations (like some of the graduation parties D1 gets invited to).

I suppose I'm just a fuddy-duddy with ideas stuck in the 1970s where parties had tons of food (more than triple what could be consumed there).

If you are like me and expect (and hope) parties have a huge variety of food with interesting and tasty desserts, you can contribute to the dessert table by bringing a platter of Seven-Layer Jello.

Everyone always loves Jello.  My favorite thing to do is to peel the layers apart as I'm eating.  If I'm lucky, I can separate all the layers nicely.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Seven-Layer Jello

Milk Mixture:  1 can (14 oz) condensed milk

                         2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

                         1/4 c cold water

                         1 3/4 c hot water

Soften unflavored gelatin by sprinkling over cold water.  Add hot water.  Stir for 2 minutes.  Add condensed milk.  Stir.  Set aside.

Gelatin Mixture:  4 boxes (3 oz each) jello, any flavor(s)/color(s)

                             5 c hot water, divided

                             4 envelopes unflavored gelatin

In a small bowl, stir together 1 box of jello and 1 envelope unflavored gelatin.  Add 1/4 c hot water.  Stir for 30 seconds to soften.  Add 1 c hot water.  Stir until gelatin dissolves.  Pour into 9 x 13" pan and chill 20 minutes.  While first layer is chilling, dissolve remaining boxes of jello/gelatin in separate bowls.  Set aside.

After 20 minutes, carefully pour 1 cup of milk mixture over first jello layer in pan.  Chill 20 minutes.  Pour second jello layer over milk mixture.  Chill 15 minutes.  Pour 1 cup of milk mixture over jello layer.  Chill 15 minutes.  Pour third jello layer over milk mixture.  Chill 15 minutes.  Pour 1 cup of milk mixture over jello layer.  Chill 15 minutes.  Discard any extra milk mixture.  Pour final jello layer over milk mixture.  Chill 15 minutes before covering pan.  When completely set, cut into bars or squares.

We finally got around to celebrating Mother's Day and Father's Day this weekend.  We indulged at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's Clambake.  The Clambake is probably the most decadent (and most $) dinner buffet on the Big Island.  The $100+ price tag per person seems steep, but bring a daddy who can eat at least 2 lobsters, and you will get major bang for your benjamin(s).  Kids 12-and-under are considerably less.  While the lobsters are the star, I gravitate to the endless supply of raw oysters on the half-shell.  The tossed-while-you-wait Caesar salad may seem like a waste of tummy space, but the dressing is yummy (no sign of the vile condiment) and you can add your own garlic later.  The dessert array was adequate, but the build-your-own-sundae appeal is lost on me. . .I'm not a huge fan of ice cream.  BUT, if you have even a tiny bit of room to spare, treat yourself to the mac nut cups, tiny tarts filled with chocolate and macadamia nut mousse.  Check out the Clambake menu here.

The beautiful setting out on the lanai near the beach.  The last time I went to the Clambake, the weather wasn't good so they moved the entire buffet to the hotel ground-level lanai.  The beach lanai venue has the various stations nicely spread out so traffic jams by popular food stations are kept to a minimum.

The salad station. . .probably the most un-popular of all the stations.  I was going to try the tomato and ogo salad (middle), but I got sidetracked by the following picture.  The Help said he had the cole slaw.  Baka.

Half of this station (you can guess which half) has got to be tied for my favorite area.  Raw oysters are awesome, and these oysters were fresh and sweet.  The mignonette sauce provides a tart departure from my standard shoyu.  The only improvement would be a vat of chili-pepper water. 

Judging from the looks of this area, this pic was taken before D2 got in line.  She took two large scoops of rice.  Did she miss my message about eating the $$$ stuff?  Who goes to a buffet and has rice?  Apparently, D2 does.

Where else can you find a nice man who will extract the lobster meat for you just by asking?  The lady waiting for her lobster meat must've missed the waiter's explanation about those blue and white platters.  He clearly indicated that those dishes were for for the lobster shells; dinner plates were at the end of each station. 

After fiddling with half a lobster on my first round, I decided not to waste my time.  The next time I went into the lobster line, I asked the nice man (in pic above) to give me just the tails and claws.  I ended up eating just the tail portions. . .D2 discovered that she enjoys lobster after all.  Her fave part:  the claws.

While we were waiting for our check, er, while I was waiting for the check, a young family (dad, mom and son) sat on the table next to us.  They wasted no time in going for the lobster.  Dad's plate has 3 whole lobsters and son's plate has one lobster on it.  The son must've been somewhere between 7-9 years old.  Mom's plate is hidden, but there's a thick slab of prime rib on it.  Luckily they left the table to get other things so we could snap a pic.

Congratulations, D1! Celebrating with Almond Float

D1 is officially a high school graduate!

Whew!

Four years went by quickly!

A few days before graduation, D1 sent me the scorpion pic (on left. . .scorpion is a reference to the pose) with the caption "school isn't over but I sure am".  Zazuzzhhh.

D1 is generally a good student, but towards the end, she was driving me bananas.  I would cringe in the early evening because I didn't want to receive a "robocall" from the school attendance office saying she was absent from class.  She appeared unfazed by my kicking and screaming about being conscientious to the end.

But she made it. . .or at least I'm pretty sure she did.  Diploma distribution is early next month, and I'm thinking they could call at any time to say they made a mistake!

In any case, it was nice that the family came out to support her at commencement.  I had my teary moment when D1 hugged me in the reception line, but I had over 200 other students to congratulate so I managed to hold it together.  It was only later that evening, as I was looking through preliminary pics with The Help, that I noticed D1s shoes.  She was wearing my Michael Kors white patent wedges!  Darn kid!!!


I played nicely with Mr. Dependable and his family.  I didn't cuss him out, and I was pleasantly surprised that he was dressed nicely, unlike KikukatDad.  While we were queued to enter the stadium, I noticed he was wearing a polo shirt (not even an aloha shirt) with a bunch of flaming guitar motifs all over! Luckily, he kept his jacket on all night since he was on the breezy side of the venue.

We now enter the short party season before kids embark on the next chapter.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like D1 will have a massive party rocking the walls at Sangha Hall.  That's not how she rolls.  She did ask me if she could have a handful of friends over for a pool day/night.  I'm also thinking of having family over when it gets closer to her departure date.

For those of you who know me, you can bet the menu wheels are already turning in my head.  One item of the dessert menu will definitely be almond float.  Almond float is a popular Chinese dessert which consists of tofu-looking cubes with assorted fruit.  Traditionally, agar agar is used as the coagulating agent for the cubes, but a quicker, easier coagulant is unflavored gelatin (doesn't require all the soaking/shredding).  Chinese restaurants (if they're worth anything) still use agar, but most home versions use gelatin.

D1 and D2 both love almond float.  It's easy to make for a party because it can be thrown together ahead of time, and guests can serve themselves in small, colored plastic cups.  Almond float is also a great way to use a variety of fruit.  For the Ds, canned mandarin oranges are non-negotiable.  I also add fresh oranges (and the juice...helps to keep any apple chunks from browning), mangoes, and pieces of longan.  Canned or fresh lychee can be added.  Many people add canned fruit cocktail, but I think that's just gross. . .the grapes and pears give me the willies!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almond Float (Home Style)

     3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

     3 1/4 c water, divided

     1 c sugar

     1 1/2 c evaporated milk

     1 tbsp almond extract

     assorted fruits (fresh or canned), chilled

Soften gelatin in 1/2 c of the water.  Bring remaining water (2 3/4 c) to a boil and add softened gelatin and sugar.  Stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Add milk and almond extract.  Stir.  Pour into 9 x 13" pan and refrigerate overnight.  Cut into cubes and mix with fruits, including liquid.

     

If you aren't squeamish and want to see pics from graduation and a few events leading up to the big day, please enjoy the slideshow.  There's some background music so be sure your speakers are turned on.

Another free photo slideshow by Smilebox

Mountain Dew Cupcakes

Last weekend, I accompanied D1 and a classmate to the 2015 Foodland Shop For Higher Education scholarship banquet.  The banquet honored scholarship winners from the class of 2015 across the state.  There were over 80 scholarship winners in attendance at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.  Foodland did a nice job, and the buffet was delicious.

Whenever I go to buffets at Oahu hotels, I'm always impressed with the food offerings.  Why can't hotels in Hilo offer such a pleasing array of food?  I am never excited about the buffets at Hilo hotel banquets. . .always the same shit:  fish, chicken and roast beef.  All boring, all tasteless.

The buffet at the Prince featured the usual green salad, but there was a somen salad and a delicious pasta salad too.  Instead of the boring fish/chicken/beef, there was mochiko chicken, Chinese-style steamed fish, and tonkatsu!  And everything tasted good.  I noticed that D1 loaded her plate with the tonkatsu!

The dessert offerings at the Prince were also splendid.  There were multiple cakes, pies, and fruit desserts.  My favorite dessert was some kind of chocolate nut pie with a sugary layer just over the crust.  OMG!

Dessert turned out to be the theme of the weekend because I had dessert several times while I was there. . .not just after meals.  On Saturday afternoon, D1 bought me a slice of cheeseake from Kulukulu.  She thought she was buying me the Japanese cheesecake she heard me raving about.  While it was good, it was not THE Japanese cheesecake.  That evening, I took D1 and friends to Buca di Beppo for dinner, and we ended up across the street at Menchie's (froyo) after.  Menchie's has become a standard stop whenever I'm with the Ds on Oahu.  It's similar to Hilo's Yogurtland, but perhaps there are more toppings at Menchie's.

My Sunday began with dessert. . .after making a stop at Don Quijote, I took the girls to Ala Moana.  I decided to "right" things by having my Japanese cheesecake from Kulukulu.  It was divine.  I also realize why D1 was confused.  The sign did not say "Japanese cheesecake"; it said "pillow soft" cheesecake.  Oops!

And before leaving Honolulu, we stopped at The Mandalay to enjoy Mother's Day brunch.  I was stuffed when I headed toward the door, but D1 made sure I didn't leave without having a gai dan tat (egg custard tart).  I had been lamenting to D1 that they ran out, but just as we were leaving, a new platter of them appeared on the buffet line.  D1 ran up and grabbed me one "to go".  Harbor City in Seattle still makes the best, the the tart at The Mandalay is the best I've had in Hawaii.  The crust must be made with lard!

My dessert kick hasn't subsided yet.  I spent this past week finishing up the strawberry pie I made.  I experimented with a mandarin orange version of the strawberry pie.  D2 always wants dessert, so I try to have something on hand...we have "dessert time" on weeknights.  In case the mandarin orange dessert bombed, I also baked some other things D2 would like.  I'm hoping D1 will want some of these Mountain Dew cupcakes.

D1 is really the dessert oddball.  She is not into sweets.  I'm not sure why.   A few years ago, D1 was really into Mt. Dew.  She would beg me to buy some whenever we went to Target.  That was at the apex of her sweet phase.  Recently, she hasn't asked for Mt. Dew or anything sweet (aside from froyo).  In fact, I hardly ever see her drink any soda.  That's a good thing, but will she be able to stay away from the soda when she is in the sunny southwest? 

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Mountain Dew Cupcakes

     1 box (about 15 oz) Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

     1 c Mountain Dew soda

     1/3 c vegetable oil

     3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tin with 24 liners.  Combine all ingredients.  Divide evenly among liners.  Bake for 17 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.

Mountain Dew Buttercream Frosting

     1/2 c butter, softened

     4 c powdered sugar, sifted

     2 tbsp mountain dew

     2 tbsp lemon juice

     yellow food coloring

     green food coloring

In a small bowl, combine mountain dew and lemon juice.  Set aside.  Beat butter for 30 seconds.  Add powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of mountain dew and lemon juice mixture.  Beat on low for 30 seconds.  Scrape bowl.  Beat on medium high for 1 minute.  Add yellow food coloring.  Beat for 30 seconds.  Remove half of frosting, and place in a small icing bag.  Add green food coloring to remaining frosting.  Beat for 15 seconds.  Scrape bowl and beat for an additional 15 seconds.  Place green frosting in a small icing bag.  Place both yellow and green frosting bags into a larger icing bag which has been fitted with an Ateco #844 (large closed star) tip or large tip of your choice.  Pipe icing in rose pattern on cupcakes.  Makes enough to frost 25-29 cupcakes.

Toaster Oven Food: Fresh Strawberry Pie

Late in 2014, KikukatMom and KikukatDad adopted Tuffy and Missy, two kittens, likely litter mates, abandoned in Kalapana.  The kittens were picked up by the Hawaii Humane Society, and D1 and D2 thought they'd make the perfect Christmas gift for my parents.  Before I receive any hate mail and hostile words about giving pets as gifts, I need to make it clear that my parents WANTED a cat.  They were really sad when Oreo went M.I.A. after KikukatDad had the bright idea to leave him in Paradise Park with CAM while he went to Honolulu for a wedding.

KikukatDad said he wanted ONE cat. . .just in case Oreo found his way home, but the Ds were convinced that he would be okay with two, after all, when he got Oreo, he also got Mickey.  Needless to say, he wasn't thrilled when the Ds showed up with 2 kittens, although he had spent hours of the previous week in the pet aisle at Target, looking for kitty things.

Nevertheless, he grudgingly took both kittens in, saying how he was gonna kick them out in a month.  It's been nearly four months, and the kittens are still inside.  KikukatDad feeds the cats and does the litter thing.  He has also been buying different varieties of cat food to see which they like best.  He was amazed to hear that Tuffy was "trending" on The Help's photo blog, getting all kinds of "likes" from people all over the world.  In fact, KikukatDad even asked me to show him how to get the Target mobile coupon so he could get his discount on pet stuff.  He thought the Target pet supply coupon was a reason enough to get an iPhone.

Why all the fuss?  KikukatDad is a closet cat lover.  KikukatMom, not so much.  She grew up in a household which always had pets, and she thought of them as pests, not pets.  She is usually not the type to carry or pet the kittens, and you won't catch her scooping litter either.  So it came as a small shock last week when I got a frantic call from KikukatMom.

KM:  "I think something is wrong with Tuffy.  I think he is sick."

K:  "Why?"

KM:  "He hasn't been himself.  He doesn't want to play with his sister.  All he wants to do is sit on my lap.  He comes by me and wants me to carry him."

K:  "Maybe he just likes you."

KM:  "Hmmm.  I didn't think about that."


Thankfully, Tuffy returned to his normal, bubbly self within 24 hours.  I went over to visit on Tuesday, and Tuffy greeted me by asking for a tummy rub.  Missy was AWOL for most of the time, but she managed to come swaggering through the living room on her way to the food dish.  While Tuffy is fat, Missy is obese.  She has a cute, tiny face, which appears even tinier because her belly is huge.  She waddles when she walks.  D2 was not kidding when she said she tried to carry her but couldn't because her belly kept sinking down.  KikukatDad said he might need to start feeding them less.  He should've started that 3 months ago!

When I see kittens like Missy and Tuffy. . .chubby, happy, secure. . .it makes me happy.  I'm certain they were starving when they were picked up.  Now, they don't need to worry about their next meal.  All they need to be concerned about is avoiding the leftover cans of Science Diet which KikukatDad received from a friend.  KikukatDad said Science Diet must taste awful.

Speaking of tasting awful, The Help picked up fried chicken for dinner from the Waiakea Sack N Save (Foodland), and it was horrible.  Sack N Save is known in East Hawaii for having outstanding fried chicken thighs.  I'm not a fan of dark meat, but I will eat the Sack N Save thighs because it's fried crispy, "okazuya style", as 3M says.  Anyway, the recent batch of fried chicken just wasn't the same.  On a whim, I asked 3M if she picked up recently.  She had!  Then she launched into how it wasn't the same.  Apparently, the Waiakea Sack N Save has some kind of issue with their hot case.  Both 3M and The Help said the interior condensation was spectacular.  It was nearly impossible to see through the condensation to make out the signs by the dishes.  I hope they get it fixed soon.

Traumatized by the soggy, gummy fried chicken, I had to make something to lift my spirits.  On my last Costco run, strawberries were nice and inexpensive so I picked up a tray to share with the Ds.  They enjoy eating strawberries plain, but I need the berries adorned in some way.  They are too sour on their own...the strawberries, not the Ds, although they cross the sour line occasionally.   

Anyway, I ended up making a small strawberry pie with the strawberries left after the D-tornado went through them.  This size was just right for me and The Help, since he was willing to sneak in a small piece during "dessert time".  It was a perfect size for the fridge too, as refrigerator real estate was precious...a 5-dozen pack of eggs takes up a lot of room!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Fresh Strawberry Pie (small)

Crust:  1 c flour

            2 tbsp sugar

            1/2 c butter

Combine flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly.  Press evenly into a 9" x 9" or 7" x 11" pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes ( 7" x 11") or 11 minutes (9" x 9").  Cool before placing strawberries on crust.

Filling:  1 3/4 c water

              2 tbsp cornstarch

              3/4 c sugar

              1 box (3 oz) strawberry jello

              1 tsp vanilla

              1 lb basket fresh strawberries

In a saucepan, combine water, cornstarch, and sugar.  Cook, stirring constantly, on high heat until clear and thick (7-10 minutes).  Remove from heat and add jello and vanilla.  Stir until jello is dissolved.  Cool.  Wash, hull, and cut each strawberry into 3-5 pieces.  Spread evenly over cooled crust.  Pour cooled jello mixture over strawberries.  Chill at least 3 hours before serving.  Cut into squares and top with whipped cream if desired.