Won Ton Dipping Sauce

It's THAT time of year again.  Yes, THAT time.  It's the time of year when seniors act crazy and do things they normally would have the better judgment to NOT do.

My boss always says he hate the Fourth Quarter (roughly mid-March til the end of the school year in late May).  I hafta agree with him on that one.  Students in other grades, not just seniors, act crazy too.  And not that I think about it, the adults act wacky too.  Some teachers seem to create their own bell schedule and release students from class any time.  Some teachers allow students to roam campus. . .or at least that's what some kids tell me when I ask what they're doing outside of class.  For some classes, it's movie time, be it in the classroom or at the local theater.  Unreal.

For the seniors, at least, the madness should come to a head soon enough.  By the time of my next post, the seniors will be graduates.  Whew!

This past week was senior awards night.  Senior awards is an exciting time.  It's when the valedictorian(s) are revealed.  It's also when seniors are celebrated for accomplishments.  What I find most interesting is finding out where seniors will be attending college.  Unfortunately, there are no seniors who will be cheering "Dubs-Up" in the Fall, although there is at least one scholar who will be up the hill at Seattle University.

Speaking of college, my favorite college student returned home the other week.  She managed to survive her freshman year of college (YAY!), and I have a few cents left in my bank account.  Thank goodness for meal plans and instant noodles.  Of course, returning home means she has a list of things to eat in the next few months.  High on her list was crisp won ton, which we managed to cross off last week.

D1 likes her won ton without any sauce.  Chinese restaurants always offer hot mustard mixed with shoyu as a dipping sauce.  Unfortunately, hot mustard is still mustard and is known as the Devil's condiment here.  I like to dip my won ton in this savory sauce.  It is easy to put together, and leftovers can be refrigerated.  If you prefer a stronger bang than white pepper, add a few drops of chili oil.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Won Ton Dipping Sauce

     1 tbsp vegetable oil

     1 tbsp oyster sauce

     2 tbsp shoyu

     1/4 tsp sugar

     1/2 tsp sesame oil

     dash of white pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Serve with crisp won ton.

Oyster Sauce Chicken

I made sure this week was better than last.  For starters, I stayed out of work for 2 days.  Actually, both days were planned well in advance of last week.  I had an appointment on one day, and I had to be on the other side of the island for the other day.  I'm sure nothing catastrophic happened while I was gone, but I did miss the annual May Day Program.  Bummer because my school is knows for putting on a kick-ass program.  During my very first year at the school, I was blown away by what a monumental production it was.  The musicians were the musicians at a local halau, and the program was like a mini version of the Merrie Monarch Festival.  It was unreal.  Over the years, some of the fanfare has subsided, but it's still an awesome program.

Another thing that made this week better was dinner.  I did a repeat performance of Mississippi Roast.  I know there are a bunch of pins on Pinterest, but this is the recipe which I use.  Next time I will throw in a few move peperoncini.  The Help likes to eat them.

Of course the main reason why this week was better was D1's return.  She brought a big, heavy suitcase home!  I couldn't believe what she packed in there. She also used those Ziploc compressed bags to really pack a lot of clothing.  I have no clue why she didn't take more things to the storage unit I rented for her, but I'm not gonna spend too much time trying to understand what goes on in her little head.  I'm just happy she is home.

On the way home from the airport, we stopped at Noodle Club in Kamuela.  Noodle Club was a hit with D1 and the Rents.  KikukatDad was skeptical of the place when he heard it was one of D2's favorite restaurants.  He said D2 is one of 2 people whose opinion on what good food is remains extremely suspect to him.  The other is CAE!  Anyway, both D1 and KikukatDad loved the KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) there.  I really need to figure out how to make it, but I know it MUST contain ko choo jang.

Since I don't have the Noodle Club KFC recipe figured out yet, there was no chance in making it this weekend.  Instead, I went to an old favorite, oyster sauce chicken.  This is something everyone, including D2 and Mr. Dependable (the pickiest of the pickiest eaters I know), enjoys.

People I live with like wings.  The Help eats the drummettes, and the Ds and I prefer the flats.  KikukatMom also likes the flats. . .the flats have a higher skin to meat ratio.  If you don't want to take the time to disjoint wings or if you just prefer boneless chicken, you could easily make this with thighs or half breasts.  And while we are all aware of the cholesterol pitfalls from consuming chicken skin, how could you NOT want to have this with skinless chicken?

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oyster Sauce Chicken

     2 lbs chicken wings

     1/2 c flour

     dash black pepper

     8 tsp water

     1 1/2 tbsp sugar

     1/4 c oyster sauce

     oil for frying

     sliced green onions

Cut each wing into 3 pieces.  Discard tips.  Heat oil to 350 degrees.  Place flour in a bag and shake chicken to coat.  Fry until golden brown,  Drain on paper towels.  Place chicken on a serving dish.  Heat black pepper, water, sugar and oyster sauce until boiling.  Pour sauce over chicken pieces.  Garnish with green onions.  May be served hot or cold.

Cold Tofu and Somen with Sesame Oyster Sauce

I cannot believe I worked the entire summer with hardly a break.  Actually, I feel very fortunate.  My boss for the summer is a nice guy and treated me well.  Can't complain.  Wait a minute!  My boss during the normal school year is a nice guy too. 

Actually, I'm a little excited about the upcoming school year.  I get to do inclusion, something I've really never done, and I will be assigned to a great class.  Lots to look forward to!

But I am exhausted.  I spent the last 2 days of last week in a boring workshop.  It was actually painful to be there.  Between the sidebar conversations of my tablemates and having to deal with the uber-stupid content, I almost walked out.  It was nice to see a bunch of people I knew, but the presenter was not engaging at all. 

Last week Friday also signaled the end of D2s summer program.  She grumbled about going, but she had the opportunity to do things out of her comfort zone.  She discovered she enjoyed paddling.  And I never would have imagined she would have the guts to jump out of the canoe and swim in Hilo bay.  That's definitely something I have never done (and will never willingly do).  Actually, D2 surprised me on several occasions this summer.  I think I was totally blown away when she told me she tried hummus.  I would've guessed she'd do the Hilo Bay swim before I'd even think she'd try hummus.


D1 has only a few weeks left in the 808 before she heads to the 480.  I haven't  forced her to do much.  Looking back on my summer between high school and college, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I really "lived" at home.  It's definitely bittersweet, and since many of her friends will also be heading away from Hawaii, this might be the last time they are all together.  I guess that's my excuse for letting her play.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been trying to make an effort to prepare foods she enjoys.  During the summer, D1 enjoys salads. . .fairly substantial salads (not just lettuce).  This is one of the most refreshing things you can serve for a summer meal. 

My cousin Jenn asked me how to julienne the egg.  Here's what I told her:  Fry a thin omelet.  Use low heat so the egg won't brown while both sides get cooked.  If your omelet is thin enough, there will be no need to flip the omelet either.  When the omelet is cool, roll up like a jelly roll and make thin slices.   Like when you make basil chiffonade, its easier to get thin slices when the leaves are rolled together.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Cold Tofu and Somen with Sesame Oyster Sauce

     1/4 c sesame oil

     1/4 c shoyu

     1/4 c oyster sauce

     1 tsp sugar

     1/8 tsp shichimi togarashi

     16 oz somen noodles

     5 lettuce leaves, shredded

     1 egg, beaten, fried and sliced thin

     1 block kamaboko, julienned

     1/2 c thinly sliced ham or spam or shredded smoked salmon

     1/2 block firm tofu, drained and cubed small

     1 tbsp furikake

     1 tbsp sesame seeds

     green onion, sliced thin

In a small jar, combine sesame oil, shoyu, oyster sauce, sugar, and shichimi togarashi.  Set aside.  Boil somen noodles according to package directions.  Rinse and drain.  Make small balls with somen and lay in a single layer on serving platter.  Cover or surround noodles with lettuce.  Arrange egg, kamaboko, ham, and tofu over noodles and lettuce.  Sprinkle furikake, sesame seeds, and green onions.  Shake sauce well before pouring into a small dish.  Spoon small amounts of sauce over individual servings of noodles and garnishes.

BBQ Country Ribs

Kikukat and family would like to extend their condolences to the Lewis family of Fredericksburg, VA.  On Saturday, their eldest child William was fatally shot in Chicago while waiting for a bus.  Although Chicago police believe the shooting to be gang-related, they believe Wil was not the intended target.  Wil was a talented young man with a bright future.  He was only twenty-eight.

Although I've never met Wil, his dad, Joseph, is a friend.  Joe's day job is principal of Stafford Senior High School in Fredericksburg, VA.  Joe's other profession is a writer.  A few years ago, I was honored when Joe asked me to read his manuscript Stolen Lives, prior to meeting with his publishers.

Joe is also a blogger.  His most recent post, With Sadness (Sunday, July 13, 2014), on his blog, Simple Thoughts from a Complicated Mind, Sort of. . ., is so heartwrenching for me to read.  The agony a parent goes through when dealing with the death of a child is beyond comprehension.  Mr. Dependable once said, "A parent should not bury a child."  He has said a lot of stupid ass things, but that was something he actually got right.

The Ds have been traveling for over a week, and I miss them terribly.  Everytime I see their messy rooms I want to scream, but I still miss them.  I want to hug them real tight and tell them how much I love them.  I think Desi and Kennie miss them too.  At least once a day I'll see one of the kats walking out from the Ds wing [of the house].  Reading Joe's blog made me miss them even more. 

As much as I miss them, I can't waste time fretting over their absence, for my vacation clock is ticking.  This is the last Monday of summer vacation for me.  I need to make the most of my time left.  Most teachers officially begin the school year on July 28, but I begin on the 21st.  I feel like I've been working all summer, and lately, even if I'm not doing esy, I'm extra busy!

Last week was a busy week.  I was nice to The Help and bought him a tray of botamochi/ohagi.  After watching the Kenmin Show, all The Help could talk about was ohagi.  My friend's mom makes the best ohagi so I ordered some for The Help, his parents, and my parents.  That kept him quiet for a while.

I went in to work on Wednesday to meet and greet a new teacher.  I offered to help him get his keys and show him around.  He is new to the school but not new to teaching.  I hope he will enjoy his new home!  Actually, he should.  He is leaving a toxic situation, which will not get better unless. . .

I also enjoyed a nice lunch with Brucie, who just returned from a magical trip to England and Switzerland.  Sounds like he had a lot of fun, and thanks to him, I now have another three mugs for my collection.  Brucie is who I wanna be when I grow up!

After about a year, The Help and I made an attempt to make it back to Takenoko Sushi for lunch.  When I called a few weeks ago for a dinner reservation, they told me their next dinner opening was in August!  I couldn't wait that long.  Luckily, the wait for a lunch seating was only a week.  At the last moment, The Help gave up his seat for my parents (I was able to secure another seat), so I ended up going with them instead.  Like Sushi Sasabune, the best part of Takenoko is the omakase (chef's choice).  But unlike Sushi Sasabune, where you think you might get scoldings (or kicked out) for eating something incorrectly, Takenoko is more laid back.  Kikukat Dad tried uni (sea urchin) for the first time.  He said The Help can have his share from now on.  He said there was something stinky about it.  Kikukat Mom is not an adventurous eater, so she stuck with the basics:  unagi (eel), hamachi (yellowtail), toro (fatty tuna), and salmon.  Boring.  Kikukat Dad has a habit of inhaling his food, so we were outta there within 30 minutes.  I soooo could not savor and enjoy every bite.

This past Friday, The Help and I went to Kona to take his car to the doctor.  We had most of the morning to leisurely walk around Kona and explore.  I hate "exploring", as I've come to associate it as a term The Help uses when he is lost.  Unlike The Help, my sense of adventure is nil.  I don't like "exploring".  I like "finding".

We had lunch at The Fish Hopper, a restaurant near the Kailua pier.  Both of us had salads.  The Help had the Cobb salad, and I had the chicken macadamia salad.  I wasn't expecting much, but both of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals.  The Asian dressing on the chicken salad was perfect.  I did ask for it without papaya.  I should've asked them to hold the red onions too, but the onions were easy enough to pick out.  The Help's salad looked like it was full of bacon.  If it wasn't for the bleu cheese, I might have thought about ordering that too.

After my salad, I was looking forward to a hearty dinner (we made it home from Kona in the afternoon).  I was tired so it was a good thing we had lotsa leftovers in the fridge.  The Help came across a good sale Safeway was having on country ribs.  I generally don't buy country ribs (country style spareribs) because I tend to like my pork extra fatty (like bacon & hocks).  I suppose The Help couldn't help himself.  Nearly 8 lbs of country ribs cost under $20 with the Safeway club card.  8 lbs is a whole lotta meat, so I baked it with an Asian barbecue sauce because I knew the leftovers would be good.

BTW, the sauteed greens to the side of the meat in the top pic and the pic below is such a simple accompaniment to throw together. . .shredded savoy cabbage, ham slivers, and salt.  Saute until cabbage shows slight browning.  Place in a serving bowl and top with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

BBQ Country Style Spareribs

     4 lbs country style spareribs

     1/2 c shoyu

     1/2 c oyster sauce

     3/4 c ketchup

     3/4 c sugar

     1 tbsp guava jelly or orange marmalade

     1/8 tsp 5-spice

     1/2" piece of ginger, grated

Boil country ribs for 1 hour.  Drain well and wash off scum.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place ribs in large baking pan.  Combine remaining ingredients.  Pour over ribs.  Bake 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from pan and slice across the grain to serve.

R.I.P. William Lewis. . .may your light continue to shine.

Sticky Chicken

It was another week of mostly rain, so I still wasn't in the mood for salad.  Kamehameha Day ended up being a soggy holiday, and I certainly didn't do anything special. I just stayed home and tried not to pick at my temporarily capped tooth.  Now that my tooth has been permanently capped, I have another problem. . .in the process of applying the permanent crown, the tooth next to it sustained a fracture, and now I'm dreading having to repeat the entire process again, not to mention chewing gingerly for another 2 week span.  Shit!

While I've been restraining myself from picking at my tooth, a few of the Kikukat house denizens have been stricken with World Cup fever.  The Help is cheering for the team from Argentina.  D2 seems obsessed with Robben and the Netherlands.  She was thrilled when they upset defending champion Spain.  Aki is cheering for Brazil, the land of his ancestors, and Shaka, thinking waaaaay outside the cage, wants Germany to take it.  D1 wants nothing to do with World Cup, and I'm with D1.  I'm glad most of the cheering and game-watching of the opening fanfare occurred while I was at work.

For the past two weeks, I worked as a paraprofessional with students who, per IEP team decision,  qualified (due to regression and recoupment issues) for  extended school year (ESY).  I had the opportunity to work with students whom I would generally not see in my normal teaching line during the school year.  It was an eye-opening experience, and I have new-found respect for educational assistants.  While teachers design instruction, paraprofessionals are often tasked with maintaining consistent implementation of the actual instruction.  These past two weeks entailed lots of repetition and giving lots of wait time.  I also did some dribbling and shooting (basketball skills).  And like teachers and school administrators, paraprofessionals are also terribly underpaid.  Mercifully, I did not need to change a diaper or bring home any soiled underwear for washing (I did this when I was at a local elementary school a few years ago.  A parent cried and thanked me for treating her son as if he was my own.  I opted not to tell her I let one of my own kids eat a can of corn for dinner.)

My stint as a paraprofessional ended on Friday, and today I'm at a workshop with teachers and administrators.  This workshop goes on for four awful days.  Might as well be four weeks. . . I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the next few days.  I'm pretty sure the students at ESY were better company!  The students are always fun. . .adults?  Not so much.

So for the next few days, I'll be cooking stuff like this sticky chicken wing dish which can be thrown together quickly and uses ingredients I already have on hand.  

I got the original version of this recipe from Food & Wine magazine.  I eventually do try recipes I find in magazines, but when I came across this recipe, I actually went to the market, bought chicken wings, and cooked this for dinner that night.   While The Help liked the chicken, I thought it was too spicy for my taste.  Tweaking the recipe, I reduced the amount of ginger and chili pepper so it was more palatable for me.  Now its mild enough where even D2 can eat it (D1 can eat anything spicy so the original version was fine for her).  Leftovers reheat nicely.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Sticky Chicken (Mild)

     2-3 lbs chicken wings
     1 tbsp ginger, grated
     2 chili peppers
     2 star anise
     1 cinnamon stick (2-3" long)
     1/3 c shoyu
     1/3 c shaoxing wine
     1/3 c water
     3 tbsp sugar
     3 tbsp mirin
     3 tbsp oyster sauce

Fry chicken wings in a non stick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.  Add ginger, chili peppers, star anise and cinnamon.  Stir fry for a minute.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove cover and increase heat to medium.  Cook for 15 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened.

Oyster Sauce Chicken Chow Mein

Last weekend, the Ds, The Help, and I headed to Honolulu to see Cirque du Soleil's Quidam.  I had seen Cirque's Mystere production a few years ago in Las Vegas, and I thought the Ds would enjoy the spectacle.  Our trip was just overnight, but we were able to do what we wanted.  We started the weekend off with lunch at my fave dim sum place, Legend Seafood Restaurant.  It was the first time The Help tried jellyfish, and he said it was something he would eat again.  The jellyfish came on a cold platter with thin-sliced pigs feet.  Yum!  Of course, we also had the egg custard tarts, and I was happy when both Ds said they enjoyed mine more. 

We didn't have much time before we had to head to the Blaisdell for Quidam.  Quidam was much better than Mystere.  Mystere had too many of the slow-moving acts.  That gets old after a while.  Overall, everyone enjoyed the show, and the candied nuts in the cone were really good.  The pecans were my favorite.

After the show we did a quick shopping run to TJ Maxx.  TJ Maxx is now D1's favorite store.  Unfortunately, we somehow forgot 1 of our bags at the counter, and The Help had to go back the next day to retrieve the bag.  D1 showed tremendous initiative by taking it upon herself to call the store to see if the bag was there.  Of course, she solicited a "finder's fee" for her good deed.  I complied because I had a Michael Kors blouse in the bag.

We ate a late dinner at Shokudo.  I tried taking pictures of the food, but none of the pics turned out.  D1 was so excited to dig into the honey toast.  I was more curious about the shrimp tempura, which, according to Honolulu Magazine is the crunchiest shrimp tempura in town.  The honey toast, in spite being of humble origins, was very good.  I know I can make a decent copy of it at home.  The tempura was rather disappointing.  It was full of batter.  Crispy batter, but still, batter.  I ate some kind of sushi with a ponzu sauce.  It was good, but after the shrimp tempura disappointment, we were going downhill fast.

We had brunch at another place featured in Honolulu Magazine, YogurStory.  YogurStory was a cute place located near Pagoda Hotel.  We parked in the same parking lot behind Sorabol where some idiot immigrant man backed his van up into my Nissan Stanza (I'm really dating myself now) twenty years ago.  Edz suggested I try the red carpet waffle.  It was alright, but the chantilly waffle was even better.  D1 and I shared a hurricane rice bowl too.  I would go back to YogurStory again, and next time, I'd like to try the fat pig fried rice.  I was going to have that this time, but at the last minute, I changed my mind.  Still, YogurStory was a nice change from Chinese food, which is what we normally eat in Honolulu and at home (see below digital scrapbook).

This free scrapbook design personalized with Smilebox

The one thing that gets me about the Ds is that whenever we have Chinese food, no matter where, no matter how fancy or how ghetto, they always need to order some kind of broccoli noodle dish.  Most of the time, they order beef broccoli cake noodle, but at Legend, they will get beef broccoli pan-fried noodle.  And here is the kicker. . .they will not eat the beef!  The broccoli and noodles get cleaned up, but the meat and gravy end up going on The Help's rice (I won't eat the beef, but I wouldn't order it with beef either if it was for myself).

At home, since I'm doing the cooking, I make it with chicken.  Hilo has no real (real=Chinese) noodle factory, so I buy what comes from Honolulu (Chun Wah Kam), which is ready-to-eat chow mein noodles.  This is not the same crispy stuff La Choy sells in a can.  These are egg noodles which have been boiled then pan fried.  The orange shreds in the picture below are carrots, which also remains uneaten by the Ds.  The broccoli will be gone at some point during the meal.  Like D2 tells me, "You can't put in enough broccoli, mom."

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Oyster Sauce Chicken Chow Mein

     1-2 lbs chicken breast, deboned and cut into 1" cubes
     1 tbsp shoyu
     1/4 c flour
     30-32 oz ready-to-eat chow mein noodles
     2 tbsp oil
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     4 c broccoli spears
     1/2 c sliced carrots
     1/2 onion, sliced thin
     1/2 c oyster sauce
     1 tbsp sugar
     2 c water
     1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
     1 tbsp cornstarch
     1 tbsp water

Combine chicken cubes with shoyu.  Toss in flour and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir together oyster sauce, sugar, w c water, and chicken bouillon powder.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 1 tbsp water.  Set aside.  Heat noodles in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes.  While noodles are heating, heat oil in wok.  Brown garlic and discard.  Brown chicken.  Remove when cooked.  Add vegetables and stir-fry fir 1 minute.  Return chicken to wok.  Add oyster sauce mixture.  Add cornstarch mixture.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Pour over noodles.

Carry Along Shrimp

I'm still trying to get used to the longer work day.  Cannot say I've mastered it, but I'm doing okay for the moment.  Last week was a totally busy week for trainings, but we started it off with a meeting that ended with my coworker chewing out the bosses.  As I left, she asked me to close the door.  Later, she told me that during her chewing out process, one of the bosses apologized to her because she was made to feel unsafe.

The irony is that I was the actual victim of the scenario my coworker referenced!  I was the one who looked like an ass in front of the entire office staff at the opening-of-the-year staff meeting.  It was apparent that three other coworkers were given a different set of directions from what I was given.  This resulted in me standing up and talking for 2 minutes about the wonderful experience I had at the Culture Matters day and the 3 of them taking close to 30 minutes to do an interactive (and with powerpoint slides), multi-sensory presentation.  Uhhhh am I the only one who thinks I got screwed?

Anyway, I've added this to my anecdotal records of all the times I have been slighted  . . . the multiple times I have been mistreated/chastised/chastised publicly due to another coworker's screw ups.  I may be making a call to the Office of Civil Rights.  I called them two years ago about the same boss, and they gave me advice, which included continuing to compile anecdotal records.  Most of all they empowered me to believe that I don't need to take it.  I have been hesitant to report the boss because I don't want this to reflect poorly on the High Commander.  If anyone reading this happens to be a labor attorney (like crazy uncle George who worked for the National Labor Relations Board in the Seattle office) or a civil rights attorney, free advice is welcome.

Ironically, my cousin works in the complaints section of the Department of Education's Office of Human Resources, so I suppose if things get really bad, I could go to her.  But I don't want her coworkers to think I'm getting special treatment as her cousin. . .and really, with her voice, I don't think even my cats would take her seriously!

Last week,  The Help commented that my post about Kilauea Lodge lacked the zest, zeal, and colorful bitching which are normally rampant in my blog.  I think he was proud that I was exercising my inner censor.  Believe it or not, I intended to tone things down a bit since I have way more blog traffic now.  But this latest boss episode was just too much.  I'm just so disappointed in the boss. Again, the High Commander set the bar high, but not everyone can be the same.  Auwe!

Other than the trainings and me being shortchanged an apology, I had an okay week.  I didn't cook (thank you, leftovers, Hilo Lunch Shop, Restaurant Osaka, KTA, McDonald's, Hilo Rice Noodle, Tamari, The Rents), I worked on my online class, and at the urging of Kevo, JoFer & Weezee, I began reading Fifty Shades of Grey. I'm almost done, and I fully intend to buy the next 2 books in the trilogy.  Then Imma gonna look for Christian.

About my leftovers. . .a few weeks ago, Longs had large size (16/20) shrimp on sale.  A 4-pound box was under $25!  It was too good a deal to pass up, so I bought a box...I would've bought more than just 1 box if I had the room in my freezer.

D1 likes scampi (something about the butter and garlic being addictive), but I prefer grilled shrimp.  I usually rotate my repertoire for grilled shrimp. . .I have 3 recipes which I rely on.  They are:  Carry Along Shrimp, Mimi's Shrimp (recipe from a local cookbook) and the other needs no recipe (Italian dressing marinade).  Carry Along Shrimp is actually the favorite grilled shrimp recipe of The Help and The Rents.  My favorite is Mimi's.  Sorry.

I'm guessing this recipe got its name from the fact that you can throw the shrimp and the marinade into a ziploc bag and "carry" it "along" with you to a picnic.  Whatevers.  What I do know is that this works best when the shrimp are large (no smaller than 21/25).  Its a small pain to get the shells off, but its definitely worth it.  While this goes well with rice, I like it as an accompaniment to a tossed salad. 

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Carry Along Shrimp

     1/4 c mayonnaise

     1 1/2 tsp sugar

     3/4 tsp oyster sauce

     1 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic

     1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

     3/4 tsp lemon juice

     1/2 - 3/4 lbs shrimp (size 21/25 or larger)

Remove legs from shrimp.  Butterfly the shrimp through the back without cutting completely through body.  Combine all other ingredients and whisk together thoroughly.  Combine shrimp and sauce, making sure sauce covers all parts of shrimp, even cut in the back.  Soak for 1 hour.  Grill.

Spicy Soybeans

Happy Labor Day (for those in the U.S.A.).  I've been back at work for over a month, but I still come home totally drained.  Is it me or are more people just screwing up?  My job wouldn't exist if screw-ups didn't occur on multiple levels, but really, I don't need to be kept so busy!

Aside from my ramblings about all the dipshits I deal with daily, one would think I had a good amount of time to recover from the flurry of activity thats been happening around here:  start of school, Yurihama visitors, D2's birthday party.  Truthfully, I haven't.  I will need an entire summer vacation PLUS to recover.  One measly holiday is not gonna do it.

As you may have seen from the slide show (last post), part of the festivities for the Yurihama guests was a Farewell Dinner.  Most of the food was catered by Yvonne Torres, however, the parents of the Hilo students were invited to share a pupu, salad or a dessert.  It sounded like Alson had the desserts covered, so I decided to bring a pupu.  Looking ahead as to what I could make ahead of time, I decided on Spicy Soybeans.

Alan Wong's Pineapple Room restaurant in the Ala Moana Macy's serves some kind of seasoned edamame as an appetizer.  I remember going there and not being able to get enough of it.  While this recipe is not intended to be an Alan Wong's copycat, it does a good job of fulfilling all that I could ask for in a pupu.  I know D1 feels the same way.  I saw her loading her plate several times with a mound of these beans.  I guess she really IS my daughter.  A few weeks later, others confessed to loading their plates with these beans too (see update after recipe).

I'm not sure where I got the original recipe from, but I have tweaked it a little to adapt it to my taste and preference.  Feel free to add more chili pepper, especially if you like a really good kick.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Spicy Soybeans

     1 lb frozen soybeans in shell

     6 c water

     4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

     1 chili pepper, seeded*

     2-inch piece ginger, cut into pieces

     3 cloves garlic

     3 tbsp shoyu

     1 tbsp oyster sauce

     1/2 tsp sesame oil

Boil water.  Add frozen soybeans and cook for 30 seconds.  Drain and set aside.  In a small food processer, combine chili pepper, ginger, and garlic.  Pulse until chopped very fine.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok until hot.  Add beans and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Shove beans to one side of wok and add remaining 2 tbsp oil.  Add chili pepper mixture. Add shoyu, oyster sauce, and sesame oil.  Cook until liquid is evaporated, tossing frequently to distribute seasoning evenly among beans.

Update:  I have been validated over the taste of this recipe.  Both Alson and Esther, the club advisor and the principal of Hilo Intermediate School, respectively, have requested the recipe.  Esther said she loved the ginger flavor.  Alson stated that he is not fond of ginger, yet he found himself eating mounds of this.  

*08/2017 Update:  I ran out of chili peppers (I normally keep a stash in my freezer)!  I used Korean chili pepper powder, and it turned out fine.  Substitute 1/4 tsp of the powder for 1 chili pepper.  Korean chili pepper powder is available in Asian markets, and the only ingredients are chili pepper and salt.  If you like heat, then use 1/2 tsp of the powder.