Korean Lettuce Wraps

My summer vacation is officially over.  Actually, it's been over for more than two weeks.  The Hawaii school year seems to begin while most of the northern hemisphere is still enjoying the dog days of summer.

So once again, the dilemma of packing a lunch presents itself.  I really don't enjoy making sandwiches.  Seems like a lot of dishes for a mediocre output.  Leftovers are a better choice for me, and a great way to use up leftover barbecue (beef, chicken or, my favorite, pork) is to make lettuce wraps.  My last post, Korean spicy bbq pork, is what I normally use for lettuce wraps.

The Help remembers having lettuce wraps as a kid.  He said they did a simple one where they put rice and some shoyu on a lettuce leaf.  D1, before she was rat lung worm-phobic, couldn't get enough of the minced chicken lettuce wraps from Hilo Rice Noodle.  We would need to buy 2 orders...1 for her and the other one for the rest of us.

For the neatest lettuce wraps, use Manoa lettuce.  The leaves are soft enough to mold around the filling, but not so soft that it will disintegrate.  I've seen it described as a leafy, bibb-type lettuce.  It is readily available in supermarkets here, and I usually buy the hydroponically grown type sold in the giant plastic bubble (takes up lots of space in the vegetable bin).  If Manoa lettuce isn't available, a boston or bibb lettuce will work.  A leafy lettuce would also do fine.  I had The Keeper over for sake sipping and served lettuce wraps using organically-grown baby Romaine.  That worked out well, since the leaves were just the right size to hold a golf ball-size rice clump and some meat slivers.  But please don't use iceberg lettuce...that would be more appropriate for minced chicken.

What makes these lettuce wraps really tasty is the sauce.  I used to buy kochojun, until my friend's mom shared her sister's recipe for the homemade stuff.  It's infinitely better than the store-bought variety.  My dad even uses it to make his own taegu.  Of course, if you're not so ambitious and don't want tubs of kochojun in the fridge, buying it in small jars is the sensible alternative.  The sauce (you can see some of it on the rice in the pictures above and below) has some kochojun in it, and I think it adds a nice flavor to the wraps.  But my dad prefers to use straight kochojun.  He smears it on the lettuce leaf before adding the rice. 

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Korean Lettuce Wraps

     Manoa lettuce, separated

     cooked rice
     strips of cooked, seasoned beef, pork, or chicken 

     3 oz shoyu

     1 tbsp kochojun (gochujang)

     1 1/2 tsp sugar

     1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar

     chopped green onion

Combine all ingredients except lettuce, rice, and meat.  To eat, place rice and desired meat on lettuce leaf.  Spoon sauce over.  Wrap up and eat.

 
It's been a little over two years 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.
    

Auntie's Chinese Salad Sauce

Memorial Day. . . a day to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. 

Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial start of the picnic/outdoor eating/beach-going season.  Treat yourself to a refreshing salad to kick off summer. 

Many years ago, my auntie gave me this recipe, and we've been using it in our salad dressing rotation.  This dressing is strong, so my recommendation is to dress greens lightly.  Feel free to add won ton chips for additional crunch or throw in leftover chicken pieces for a chicken salad variation.

 click on recipe title for printable recipe

Auntie's Chinese Salad Sauce

     1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
     1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
     1/2 tsp peanut butter
     2 tbsp plum sauce
     1 tbsp sugar
     3 tbsp rice vinegar
     1 tsp salt
     1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and blend well.  Serve with mixed greens.
 

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.

Amaretto Custard Bread Pudding

OMG!  This past week was brutal.  The kids in school were awful.  I'm certain they were high on Halloween candy all week.  They were hyper and difficult to settle.  I called several parents, and I came very close to submitting a disciplinary referral.  It would have been my first for the school year.  But I decided I could deal with the infraction in a different way.  I made a call home and the kid caught heat when he got home. . .or so he told me.

I also spoke with several students about respecting personal space.  Some students think nothing about going right up to others (both minors and adults) and sitting so close they are practically on the lap of the other person.  Other students persist in trying to grab items from others, perhaps not realizing that at some point, their hands or ON the other person's body.  They needed to be sent the message that "no means no".  I don't think they take "no" seriously when they hear it, erroneously always assuming that an acquaintance won't see their invasion of space as assault/attempted assault.

A few years ago, there was a similar incident with another student.  Several teachers made excuses for the student, saying "___ is just like that.  ___ means no harm."  I considered not saying anything then, but what jarred me was the thought that if my own child had been the victim, would I want a teacher to turn away, rationalizing their inaction at attempting to curtail the inappropriate behavior?  The answer was clear, and that is why I decided to make sure the perpetrator received consequences for his/her actions.  I hope any teacher who has my child in class will apply the same principle.

What I find most bothersome is that some students see nothing wrong with their own behavior and say, "oh, dats my friend.  They don't mind."  That kind of delusion will bite them in the ass one day.

Speaking of biting, my jaw seems much better, but now a different pain has replaced the achy jaw.  I think I have another cracked tooth.  I don't know how it happened.  Oh, never mind.  I know how.  I will need to wait until late November to see my dentist.  Anyway, until I can get a dental appointment to repair my tooth, I'm trying to eat soft things (no Cape Cod potato chips for me)

With the weather getting cooler, I find the luscious custard texture of bread pudding very comforting.  It's also soft enough that I'm not wincing when I chew.  The rich sauce makes this an extra decadent dessert.  Who would've thought stale bread could taste so good.

Now to prepare myself for another week of kids high on OLD Halloween candy. . .

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Amaretto Custard Bread Pudding

     1 lb bread, cubed (about 10-12 cups of cubes)

     1 qt milk

     6 eggs, reserve 1 yolk for sauce

     1/2 c sugar

     1 c cranberries

     1 tbsp vanilla

     7 tbsp amaretto, divided

     1/2 c butter

     1 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13" baking dish.  In a large bowl, pour milk over bread cubes.  Beat eggs (except for 1 yolk) and add to bread cubes.  Add sugar, cranberries, vanilla, and 3 tbsp amaretto.  Stir gently.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Begin preparing sauce 5 minutes before bread pudding is done.  Heat butter and powdered sugar in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir constantly until butter is completely melted.  Add 4 tbsp amaretto and reserved egg yolk.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  When bread pudding is done, poke holes all over bread pudding.  Pour sauce over and let soak in. 

Chicken Satay

We finally caught a break in the weather.  This was the first week in a long time which felt even close to a normal September day.  I think I even wore something other than a sleeveless/short sleeve blouse this week...for the first time since school began.

The students were rather amusing this week.  Some students asked for extra credit work because they decided to act upon the "F" they currently have.  I find this amusing because they couldn't even do the regular work at a decent level and they want MORE work (yes, folks, extra credit = more work).

A separate group of students declared they'd like a local photographer to take pictures of them (as opposed to their teammates) at sporting events.  When I asked if the photographer knew them, they said,"no".  I find this amusing because they want someone to do something for them, yet they make no effort to communicate their request to the photographer.

My colleagues were rather amusing too.  Some are grumbling about the large class size; they have every right to grumble because their classes are ballooning.  I find this amusing because they were warned about this occurring if they didn't opt to do something about this 4 months ago.  I'm neither the one who warned them, nor am I part of the growing class group, but I saw this all play out before my eyes.  SHE was right; they should've heeded HER.

Along the lines of amusement, I received several pictures of food this week from D1.  There was a pic of an acai bowl, which I'm guessing was her breakfast.  The logo on the bowl was from the Original ChopShop.  I find this amusing because I never knew D1 ate acai bowls.  When I questioned her, she said Sweet Cane Cafe in Hilo makes the best.  I've never had acai bowl in my life so I guess I'd better add it to my to do list.

The other picture I received was of a meal at a Korean restaurant.  There was chap chae, kalbi, and spicy ika along with all the banchan.  Food looked delicious.  I shared the pic with Mr. Dependable.  His reaction, "this doesn't look like dorm food."  I find this amusing because Mr. Dependable didn't miss a beat (not dorm food =$$$).  Good think I didn't share the ChopShop pic with him.

On balance, D1's pics this week were better than the one I received from her last Saturday.  I don't think many people get to see the first aid room of Sun Devil Stadium!  I'll take the food pics anyday.  She claims that the ambient heat coupled with all body heat of the students in the Inferno made her feel faint.  I'm glad she didn't faint at Friday's white out game too, although she said it was a lot cooler than the home opener last week.

To close out the days of heat (I'm sure both Hilo and Tempe will get cooler soon), I'm posting a recipe to try during the last few weeks of the grilling season.  I know this is something you can get year-round at any Thai restaurant, but it's nice to make it at home too, especially since you can use all white meat chicken.  This is also a nice change from the more common shoyu-sugar based sauces.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Chicken Satay

     1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

     1 1/2 tsp curry powder

     2 tbsp sugar

     1 tbsp fish sauce

     2 tbsp coconut milk

     1 stalk lemon grass, lower portion, chopped

     1 clove garlic, chopped

     1 tbsp vegetable oil

     1 1/2 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste

     1 c coconut milk

     2 tbsp peanut butter

     1 1/2 tsp fish sauce

     1 1/2 tsp sugar

     15-25 skewers

Slice chicken breast halves across the grain into 1/4" thick strips.  Combine curry powder, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp coconut milk, lemon grass, garlic and vegetable oil in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Marinate chicken strips in mixture overnight.  Soak skewers in water for 45 minutes.  Thread marinated chicken onto skewers.  Grill until done.  For satay sauce, place red curry paste in a small saucepan.  Gradually add 1 c coconut milk, stirring constantly to evenly incorporate curry paste.  Heat for 8 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Add peanut butter, 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce, and 1 1/2 tsp sugar.  Cook for another 2 minutes.  Serve satay sauce in a small bowl alongside chicken skewers.

Divine Red Sauce

I have been unbelievably busy.  I'm glad this is the last week before vacation begins.  Warning:  this post was written by someone in a really bad mood.  If you aren't ready to read profanity, stop here and scroll all the way to the bottom for a great recipe for spaghetti sauce.  I will not be allowing any comments which attack my candidness. . .you were adequately warned.  If you want to join my misery, then feel free to read on. 

I spent last weekend baking orange pound cake, a version I adapted based on the Barefoot Contessa recipe.  I made enough mini loaves to give all of my resource team buddies.  They are a joy to work with, and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of that group.  Its like being back at the resource office without the bullshit of middle management.  I made sure to send large, tribute versions of the cake to the office staff, security, and custodians.  Only the custodians thanked me (as of this post).

As I was giving a loaf to one of my work pals, this vile student asked me, "what kine bread dat?"  I told him it was orange pound cake.  He said, "I like one."  He repeated himself several times.  Each time I said no, and I finally told him that if he asks me again, I will deem it  harrassment.  Where the fuck does he get off expecting something from me?  Ever since last year, he has been such an asshole.  When he leaves the room, the other students immediately complain about him.  They say he is irritating.  They are right.  He cannot sit still.  He also cannot keep his fingers to himself.  I had football pics on my board with a sign saying "do not touch the pictures", and yet he touched the pics.  I asked him what part of "do not touch the pictures" did he not understand.  The other week, when I asked him to sit down, I happened to turn around and he was mouthing the f-word at me.  And he expects me to just give him cake.  Talk about delusional.  He has a nice girlfriend, and God knows what she sees in him.  Her parents are nice people, and they would be terribly disappointed if they saw what her boyfriend was really like.  Why do nice girls like these awful, dumbass guys?

Sometimes I wonder from where these students get their entitlement attitude.  Another student, who was an absolute jerk to me all last year, asked me to borrow a quarter.  Never!!!  I will not loan a cent to anyone who is not respectful.  And he didn't get cake either!  Then there are those students who seem alright but then do something to make you scratch your head.  Last week, I offered instant noodles to my students...it was the end of the day, and I was cleaning out some things from my room.  A few students accepted with gratitude.  The next day, this one asswipe, saw the box on my desk and proceeded to help himself because he was hungry.  WTF?!?  One nice gesture from me, and he assumed it was okay to help himself the next day.  Ridiculous!  Where do these kids learn manners?

And since I'm in a friggin nasty mood (and my recent posts have been utterly sanitized), let me go on to say that in the past week, two bitches really deserved slaps from me.  Both times, the commenters were condescending as hell.  But I took the high road and refrained from pointing out to both of them that they ain't foolin' anyone...both have kids who are so far from center and fall under the socially handicapped category.  I feel for these two as parents, but when they pretend as if nothing is the matter, they become part of the problem.  My own kids are far from perfect, and I do not hold back when they need to be corrected.  It's better if they hear it from me and have the opportunity to adjust their actions. 

So given my nasty disposition, I'm in no mood to cook a fancy dinner.  I think I'm especially irritable because last week was filled with obligations...band concert, family in town, workshops...just a whole bunch of stuff.  Perhaps if I was in a better mood, I would have taken the time to dress this up with some meatballs, but because I'm not, I just made the sauce.  The sauce was good, and believe it or not, nobody grumbled about having a meatless dinner!

And in case some deaf people didn't hear me when they asked, I don't know where D1 is going to college, but I do know she did her own work.  Oh, and by the day, when you're teaching your kids some manners, teach your hubby some manners too!

I hope to return to my normal, cheery self by next week.  I think the nastiness should be out of my system by then.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Divine Red Sauce

     3 tbsp olive oil
     1 giant jar (45 oz) Ragu spaghetti sauce (Costco)
     7 oz red wine
     3 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add Ragu, wine and brown sugar.  Stir and heat.  Serve over cooked "strand" pasta.  Garnish with parmesan cheese.

If you are using a "supermarket" size jar of spaghetti sauce (24-28 oz), use 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 c red wine and 2 tbsp brown sugar.

Cranberry Sauce

I have been trying very hard to lay off D1, but I have been so frustrated with her.  I know she is stressed out about college applications, but sistah, you gotta get your act together!  As of last week, she applied to O-N-E college, and it's not even a college she totally wants to go to.  I think she applied because the application fee was cheap.  One would think that for $60k/year, they could at least waive the fee!  While I hope she gets accepted (to boost her confidence), I fucking hope she won't go there.  It's in the middle of the boonies, and they don't even field a football team which plays on TV!  She spent days on her application.  I wish she would've spent the time on applying to schools she WANTS to attend (the ones I'm okay with also).  I just don't get her screwed up thinking.  A sane person would apply to the college they really want to attend FIRST, and then apply to the "safety" colleges.

When I was applying to colleges, I just applied to a bunch too, so I really can't get upset at her for that.  But I knew that I would've gone to all the colleges I applied to and I also knew my parents were willing to pay the $ for me to get outta their house (at least for four years).  I haven't even told Mr. Dependable where she applied to because I KNOW he would see dollar signs and hit the ceiling.  The Help has nothing to say.  He applied to one college, got accepted, went there, and got his degree.  End of story. 

So to keep from bitching at her constantly, I'm reminding myself that this will likely be the last Thanksgiving D1 spends with us for a while.  I need to make the most of it, put on a happy face, and give her a day of peace (grumbling resumes on Black Friday).

This year for Thanksgiving, I'm planning to roast a whole turkey breast.  After the easy clean up last year, I'd be a fool to go back to a whole turkey if it's just my family.  I'll make the dressing (yes, Mike, I'm baking it in a separate dish), gravy, and mashed potatoes too.  I'm ono for pumpkin crunch, so I'll make that instead of pumpkin pie.  But the first thing I'm making is the cranberry sauce.  Homemade cranberry sauce is so much better than what the stores sell (Williams-Sonoma comes pretty close to homemade).  It doesn't take very long to make so the effort is well worth it.

I hope by the next post I will be able to say D1 applied to a few more colleges.  ARGGGHHH!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Cranberry Sauce

     1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
     1 1/2 c sugar
     4 1/2 oz water
     1/2 tsp grated ginger
     1 1/2 c (12 oz jar) orange marmalade

Heat cranberries, sugar, water, and ginger in a saucepan, stirring until sugar melts.  Cook until fruit is tender, 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes.  Stir in marmalade.  Chill until 2 hours before serving. 

Remember the Salt Lick: BBQ Brisket

Its been about a year since I went to Texas, but the smoky aroma wafting from the Salt Lick is still clear.  The Salt Lick was truly an experience, but I don't remember the food being fantastic...I was too busy trying to take pics.  I should've been more careful because I brought Salt Lick grease home with me via my lens filter.  That would explain the haze on all of my pictures taken after the first day.

In spite of the food not being to my liking, I would definitely go back, and I would encourage everyone to make the pilgrimage there.  Having dinner at the Salt Lick is not merely a meal...its an experience for the senses.  And liking or not liking 'cue is of no consequence.

I wonder if they will cater in Hilo

the famed BBQ pit at the Salt Lick. . .where magic happens

What bothered me most about the taste of Salt Lick food was that the barbecue sauce looked yellow.  Even under the outdoor lights, I could tell it was yellowish.  And in the land of Q, the yellow color usually means the devil's condiment.  Because I was "in the moment", I just ate the food in front of me, but after reading Steve Raichlen's The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, I'm certain that the hue was caused by Fucking Gross.  In order to purge that memory, I had to try making my own barbecue brisket and slather it in my own sauce.  With any luck, I could re-imprint my brain.

I didn't want to risk prison and reprint the recipe I used for the brisket rub, and it turns out I'll be okay because Steve Raichlen's recipe for Texas-Style Barbecued Brisket can be found on Epicurious.  I used my kamado to smoke the brisket, and I instructed The Help to keep the temperature at 250 degrees.  It took about 6 hours to smoke a 5-pound brisket.  BTW, do not try to find brisket (other than corned beef) in Hilo.  I had to drive to Kona Costco to get it.  I don't think most people in Hilo know brisket in any way other than stew meat or corned beef, which I completely detest because it's often accompanied by the vile condiment.





I think my brisket endeavor turned out well.  I served it with cole slaw, baked beans, and Ina Garten's  Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, which is my favorite mashed potato recipe of all time.  Too bad I don't always have sour cream on hand. The Help did a good job slicing the brisket thinly (between 1/8" and 1/4").  I was able to cut bite size pieces with the side of my fork.  In order to complete the memory imprint, I used my own BBQ sauce recipe to serve with the sliced brisket. I think my memory has been successfully excorcised!

The baked beans and cole slaw recipes were featured last week and the week before that. 

Hoisin BBQ Sauce

Tomorrow is the big day!  Tomorrow I go to see Dr. KO to find out how my numbers look.  If my numbers look good, I'll celebrate by having some smoked meat & onions.  If my numbers aren't good, I'll drown my sorrows in a bacon and fried egg sandwich.  Okay. . .now that I've given myself a pep talk, I can head to her office and face my maker doctor. . .but first I need to survive a meeting that will likely take all day today.

For the past 2 weeks, I've posted pictures of food brimming with cholesterol.  Aaaaahh. . .fat, you never looked so good.  Anyway, both the kalua pig  and rib posts featured a barbecue sauce.  This barbecue sauce has never failed to impress.  Everytime (except 1 time) I made food with this sauce, someone has always asked me for the recipe:  Mr. Dependable's mom, Ray Liotta (his Asian twin), Mama Help, to name a few.  Mama Help shared the recipe with Sister Help.  Ray Liotta made ribs for some guests from Japan (and they all asked for the recipe).  Mr. Dependable's mom, quite possibly assisted by arrogance-induced dementia, now passes this sauce off as HER recipe!  

This sauce was originally used as a rib sauce, but over the years, we have found other uses for it.  We have brushed it over hibachi chicken and used the chicken for a shredded chicken salad (like Chinese chicken salad).  Being inspired by "mainland" barbecue, we started smearing it on kalua pig.  When the McD drive-thru people forget to include the little tub of sweet & sour sauce with an order of chicken mcnuggets, the Ds warm a spoonful of this sauce for dipping.  Perhaps the last statement should have been left off, as it may fail to inspire confidence in this sauce.  But keep in mind the Ds and their palates...one of them would choose chicken mcnuggets over prime rib!

click on recipe title for link to printable recipe

Hoisin BBQ Sauce

     14 oz ketchup
     4 tbsp hoisin sauce
     2 tbsp rock salt
     1 tbsp ginger, grated
     1 c sugar
     2 tbsp sesame oil
     2 tbsp liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients together.  Use as needed.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Makes about 4 cups.

BTW, the one time I can recall someone NOT asking me for the recipe to this sauce was at a family New Years Day party at Aunty's house.  I'm guessing its because everyone thought Mom made it. . .and they asked her for the recipe, which they never got.

Restaurant Chatter: Kilauea Lodge

Nestled in cozy Volcano Village, Kilauea Lodge is the reigning monarch of Volcano-area eateries.  I have eaten breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner at Kilauea Lodge, and I can say with confidence that my favorite meal there is brunch.

I do have specific gripes about the food at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  First of all, the fruit served with breakfast comes with papaya, something I detest (maybe 3rd on my list of hated foods).  The meal I had for lunch was a French Dip sandwich (pic is further down on page) which had jalapenos in it.  It was an odd taste combination. I haven't had dinner at Kilauea Lodge for a long time, but the last time I did, maybe 2 or 3 years ago, I remember the menu having a heavy German lean.  I have nothing against Germans/Germany, but their favorite condiment happens to be my MOST detested food of all time, and I'm certain I saw THE WORD in several places on their dinner menu.  Bleccchhhhh.

The dining room is spacious with high ceilings and a charming stone fireplace.

I like the way the dining room appears during the day.  There is a very airy, expansive feel to the place.  At night, the dining room is transformed into a dark, cozy room with a true "mountain lodge" type feeling.

The fireplace is embedded with old and foreign coins as well as plaques from different organizations.  Every time I go, I'm tempted to linger in front of the fireplace to read everything that is there, but I know it would take too long and other diners would likely not appreciate me doing so. 

The entire dining room is also an essay in local hardwoods, namely mango and koa. 

A small gift shop selling all kinds of Volcano-area products is tucked away in the corner of the dining room.   I was tempted to buy 2 things:  a glass ornament and a vase by local artisans Michael and Misato Mortara.  They operate 2400 Fahrenheit, a glass studio on the edge of the national park area.

Here are some food pics, along with the eaters' reviews:

crab cakes benedict - the crab cakes had a strange spice taste, but the home fries rocked

buffalo burger - lean and tasty

lava tube omelet - very good, likely to order again

apple/pear bread - this comes free with the meal. . .good thing because its not very good

teriyaki chicken and rice - epic fail, however, the chicken is a nice breast piece

club sandwich - yum

french dip - good, except the jalapenos seemed out of place

happy diners

the grounds are well maintained

Last week, I posted a recipe for Chicken Potstickers, and I mentioned a spicy dipping sauce which I like to have with the potstickers.  If I'm bringing the potstickers to a party, I usually double the sauce recipe.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Dumpling (Potsticker) Sauce

     1 tbsp ginger, chopped fine

     1 clove garlic, chopped fine

     3 tbsp shoyu (or Chinese light shoyu)

     1 tbsp red wine vinegar

     1 tsp sugar

     1/4 tsp salt

     1 tsp hot pepper oil

Combine all ingredients.  Serve with dumplings or potstickers.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

The Help returned safely from his trip to the Bay Area.  He brought back lots of goodies for me and the Ds, along with a shitload of pics.

This was a killer week...the first of the 4-days til 4:00 and 1-day til 3:00 weeks.  I don't know if I can last the year.  Actually the time wasn't too bad, but this, being the 1st week of school, was chaos in some schools.  I dealt with idiocy all week, both at the teacher and admin levels.  I deserve combat pay.  Its not my fault admins sign teachers up for trainings and then accuse you of not informing them (the admin) about the training.  Its not my fault that teachers lack relationship-maintaining skills.  Its not my fault some people have no balls.  Lotsa emotions running high.  Patience running low.

The Oregonians (the people, not the newspaper)

And as to be expected, the High Commander was totally gracious as drones adjusted to the new everything (school year, schedules, students, personnel, etc.).  In fact, the week with Uncle was great too.  Maybe things might actually work out with Uncle.  I think people are on a high because the kids did well on last year's high stakes testing.  I ended the week at a workshop at Imiloa where I got to see my two favorite Oregonians.  We didn't have much time to chat, but I'm sure they will be around for a while.

I (and all my fellow 10-month teachers in the Zone) received a double paycheck on Friday.  I hope they did what I did...went to the bank and put that entire paycheck into savings.  What the stinking brass forgot to mention to the workforce was that come 8/2013 or 2014, whenever the PD days end and the Zone shifts back to the "normal" 24-paycheck cycle, teachers in Zone schools will miss a paycheck.  I tried to caution my representative to the articulation team about this, but I guess nobody took me seriously.  I'm not accusing the state of stealing my $...I'm merely cautioning my constituents that they extra paycheck was not really "extra".  And if anyone has questions on how the Zone teachers managed to get that extra paycheck, leave a comment so I can explain.  I got the info straight from some dude named Edwin in the state $ office.

On the home front, we are adjusting well to The Help being back, and we've been going through tons of pics of northern Cali.  The Help took about 400 pics, so he has been busy editing, tagging & uploading them.  Here is one of my favorite pics from his trip:

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, hoping this week will be as good as last week.

Oyster Sauce Burgers

Conversation of the week:
The Help, "Do you want to go to Ross?"
Kikukat, "No, I told you. . .I gave up Ross for Lent."
The Help, "You're not even Catholic!"

I may not be a regular at Christmas mass, but I am observing Lent beyond the reaches of the Catholic church.  I have decided to give up my weekly cruise through Ross, and so far, I've been managing okay.  It was an easier decision to give up Ross than to give up pork or cake or ideeli shopping.

This past week was a bummer altogether.  GP had a family emergency so he bailed, leaving me and Sensei to cover for him.  He couldn't have picked a shittier time to leave because the doodoo hit the fan from all angles while he was gone.  The phone rang constantly, and we even entertained office visitors for him.  I also came "this close" to yelling at someone (the same someone I yelled at last May and the ONLY someone I ever yelled at in my current job).  The one sliver of sunlight from my work week was checking out my friend NK's Mini Clubman.  Cool!  Maybe I can get one when I grow up, although I think I'd prefer the Countryman.

The commencement of my spring break was delayed because I inadvertently volunteered to attend a work-related function in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  This took 10+ hours(spread over two days) out of my Spring Break, but it was actually a breeze of fresh air after the nasty week I had.  I got to see my pal CR, which made the entire time worth it.  I miss her.

It was also nice that Sensei was there for the first leg(4 hours) so I had company for part of the drive and someone to bitch with while there.  In spite of being only on-time (and not early), Sensei and I arrived significantly before Uncle.  By the time Uncle arrived, everyone was seated.  Shame!  I had to brave it alone for the second leg, but it worked out okay because I got to spend time with CR.  I also got to walk through the Jaggar Museum.  The last time I was there was when I was in elementary school!

This week I'm sharing a recipe which has never let me down.  It makes the tastiest hamburger patty which can be served all kinds of different ways. . .with rice and a fried egg in a loco moco (scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to see an unflattering picture of a loco moco), or in a bun.  I normally make a single recipe, which will yield about 8 good-sized patties (for placing in a bun).

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Oyster Sauce Hamburger Patties

     1 lb ground beef

     2 slices bread, torn into bits

     1 egg

     2 tbsp chopped onion

     2 tbsp mayonnaise

     2 tbsp oyster sauce

     1 tbsp shoyu

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Form into patties and pan-fry.  Make gravy with drippings if necessary.

loco moco

I already told you this is an unflattering pic.