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.

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.

Toaster Oven Food: Brownies

Last week was the first full week of school.  The previous attempt at a full week was thwarted by the arrival of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Iselle.  We finally got to experience a real Friday on our new bell schedule.  All seven periods in the same day makes for a freaking long day, let me tell you!  I think the students hold up better than the adults, but it is still a really long day.  I was beat by the time I got home, and I'm grateful Mr. Dependable picked up the Ds early.

This week's post kinda reflects my energy level. . .very sparse.  I don't even have the energy to bitch about my kids/colleagues/Mr. Dependable/etc.  And I only managed to get one picture of the brownies before they were gobbled up.  In my opinion, these are the best brownies you will ever eat.  They are energy friendly because they can be baked in a toaster oven...no need to fire up the behemoth.  Furthermore, the person who does the dishes will also conserve energy since this is mixed in the same pan used to heat the butter, sugar and water.  Another plus to baking in a square pan is the cooling rate.  These brownies cool faster , making the wait to sink your teeth into these decadent morsels that much shorter.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Energy-Friendly Brownies

     3/4 c flour
     1/4 tsp baking soda
     1/4 tsp salt
     3/4 c sugar
     1/3 c butter
     2 tbsp water
     12 oz (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
     1 tsp vanilla
     2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line (with foil) and grease an 8 1/2" or 9" square pan.  In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, butter, and water, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.  Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and vanilla.  Using a hand mixer, mix at low speed until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture, beating until incorporated.  Stir in remaining chocolate chips.  Spread in prepared pan.  Bake 30-33 minutes until just set.  Cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.

I hope I will have more energy next week for a longer post.

Toaster Oven Food: Scalloped Potatoes

The first week of summer vacation is behind me.  "Vacation" might not be the proper word to use because I'm super fricken busy.  I voluntarily attended a computer workshop on Saturday, something I would've been vehemently opposed to doing during the normal work year.  But I went.  For no credit.  For no stipend.  And I checked my PayPal account, and those baboozes still haven't reimbursed me the $20 registration fee (reimbursement contingent upon attending the session). 

I also began the first of multiple summer jobs.  I think this job is even more demanding than my regular day job.  Being a paraprofessional is not the cake walk everyone thinks it is.  The only silver lining is not having to deal directly with headache parents.  Oh, and I did get to see JN, whom I haven't seen in years.  Hi, JN!  Long time no-see.  Seeing you made me think back to the time your car didn't start at the luau in Seattle because some doodoo head you were dating left the lights on!  BTW, its years overdue, but thanks for the ride home that night.

In a week, I will be done with my stint as a paraprofessional and will be returning to the ranks of teacher.  I will be attending a 4-day draining.  One of my work pals, who was supposed to attend with me, saw the list of those attending and decided there was no way in hell he could stomach 4 days with those clowns, so he begged out, leaving me to fend off the infidels by myself.  Wimp!  Weakling!  I actually considered bailing with him, but I'm trying to build my war chest for the upcoming October trip.  The Halekulani isn't free!

I had hoped to be enjoying hot summer days, but instead, I found myself pulling back into the garage to run in the house to retrieve a jacket.  I know it wasn't just me because even D2 ran back in for a jacket.  And more than once in the past week, I turned on the electric blanket, a Valentine gift from The Help from a few years ago.  Now I'm not feeling so foolish for buying 4 giant boxes of Cal Oak firewood from Safeway last month.  I guess we are still not out of fireplace season.

In light of the weather, I'm not feeling so apt to rush out and buy lettuce.  I think I'm gonna stick to the comfort foods for a few more weeks. . .Beryl's Meatloaf, Sugar Bath Ham, Roasted Chicken, to name a few.  And what better to accompany those feel-good foods than a big mound of scalloped potatoes!  And should the weather unexpectedly turn warm, this can (and should, no matter the circumstance) be baked in a toaster oven. 

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Scalloped Potatoes

     4 c thinly sliced potatoes
     1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
     1/2 c milk
     pepper
     1 c shredded cheese, divided
     1 tbsp butter
     paprika

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine soup and milk.  Add a dash of black pepper.  Grease a square baking dish.  Layer 1/3 of potatoes.  Cover with 1/3 of sauce.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of cheese.  Repeat layers two more times.  Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika.  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes.

For those who have tried my blog recipes using cake mix (non-pudding type), I have gone back and updated the recipes (both the blog versions and the printable versions) to include the "work around" for the currently-available cake mixes.  Cake mixes sold before 2013 were sold in 18+ oz. boxes.  When Duncan Hines decided to re-do their cake mixes, the boxes shrank to 15 oz.  Apparently, Duncan Hines didn't give a shit about consumers who had religiously purchased their product, developed recipes using a box of cake mix as a base, or even had enough faith in their product to think consumers would be willing to pay a little more to keep the product size the same. . .I know I would've been willing to pay a little more.  Anyway, thanks to the Cake Mix Doctor, there is a a remedy!

Toaster Oven Food: Roast Chicken Breasts

This week was a crazy week at work.  We had our Open House, and I got to meet a handful of parents.  I had a record turnout this year. . .4!  Not kidding.  I'm good with it because the 4 parents who showed came at different times so I got to spend some time with each of them, telling them how their child was doing in my class.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to speak to one of the parents because she was ready to come at me about why her son was failing his vocabulary tests.  She told me that he is the type where if he writes the definition, he can remember it.  Her jaw dropped when I told her he does that every other Monday.  I explained further that we do other activities between the definitions and the test so its not like I'm expecting them to just know these words.  So now its her turn to give me an excuse why he doesn't do well, since I obviously already do what she was going to suggest.

The other three parents who showed up were really nice, and they were pleased with things.  Of course, their kids are always polite and on-task.

Along with Open House, I had a student meeting and a football game this week.  The student meeting went well.  Its always nice to see former students who thank you for teaching them when they were in school.  This is also a back-handed slap, as it means you've been at it long enough to be teaching another generation.  The football game also went favorably.  Nice to see the boys doing well.  All their hard work is paying off.  Kudos to the head coach and assistant coaches for putting in all the time with the boys. 

Because Mr. Dependable went out of town this weekend, I had the Ds for the whole weekend, which meant all the chauffeuring.  D1 went to the movies on Friday evening.  On Saturday she had a class work session, cheer practice, and the football game. 

With Open House and all the preparation, the student meeting, work sessions, cheer practice and the football game, you would think my week was rather full.  Add on a scavenger hunt around town to locate bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, and you've entered into a whole different dimension.

Is there some kind of chicken shortage in Hilo?  I went to multiple supermarkets looking for bone-in, skin-on half-breasts, and in all my trouble, I managed to find just 1 regular-size package of organic ones.  That's it.  I don't understand it.  There were trays and trays of thighs (bone-in, boneless/skinless, organic, hormone-raised, etc.), which I detest (dark meat = blecchhhhhh).  I didn't want to buy wings because I just made those last week. 

I was disappointed, but I still needed to eat so I made a half recipe of roast chicken.  And yes, I did it in my trusty toaster oven.  Since I installed pv in late 2012, I've been trying to be conscious about electricity usage.  When I didn't have pv, I used electricity without even thinking about conservation.  True, I have some things which suck the lifeblood out of my electricity generation (fish pond, doggie pond, and auto kitty drinking fountain, etc.), but other than those necessities, I do try to conserve when I can.  Roast chicken is so versatile.  I love making chicken salad mix from the leftovers.  I've also added chopped chicken into a wild rice salad.  The possibilities are endless.  Please don't be tempted to skip the step of smearing the herb butter mixture under the skin.  It totally pumps up the flavor.  Because I have it in my garden, I usually use thyme, tarragon and rosemary for the herb butter mix.  And when I'm lucky enough to find bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, I buy four because four fits nicely in my toaster oven pan.  Crap!  I should have looked for chicken in Costco!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts

     4 bone-in chicken breast halves
     3 tbsp butter, softened
     1/2 tsp salt + additional for sprinkling
     1/4 tsp pepper
     1 tbsp assorted herbs, minced
     1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine butter, salt, pepper, and herbs.  Set aside.  Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Spread herb butter over chicken and under the skin.  Place skin-side up in a shallow pan.  Sprinkle with salt and drizzle olive oil over chicken.  Roast for 25 minutes.  Flip chicken pieces over (skin-side down) and roast for 20 minutes.  Flip chicken pieces over again (skin-side up) and roast for 15 minutes.  Remove chicken to a serving platter.