Here are two more ridiculously simple yet ono recipes with made with items that are always in your pantry.  Formerly known as " Costco (and Others) Pork Loin." This marinade is 5 ingredients and fool-proof. Garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Marinate for as little 15 minutes before grilling. 30 minutes on the grill and you are done. I made a double batch (4 pork loins) and I'm thinking I'll freeze an uncooked one for "one of those days." Click here for updated recipe.
 With another nod to Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. On Wednesday night, I had one potato, two potato, three potato, four. By Thursday afternoon, no more. Plain ole' brown potatoes with olive oil Hawaiian salt, pepper and garlic. 40 minutes or so in the oven, with a flip at 20. Crunchy outside, fluffy inside. Click here for the recipe. Have a great weekend! Eat Well. Be Well.
90 degrees one day and 55 degrees the next. Try cooking, let alone dressing for days like this.
shorts, pool and grill today
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Sweaters, umbrellas and the oven tomorrow
| But we are lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Transition seasons mean taking advantage of spring vegetables; think greens and asparagus, as well as the occasional kabocha when the weather gets cold. Monday Sunny and pleasant. One of those trademark Bay Area days. Misoyaki Butterfish, My Mom's Japanese Coleslaw and rice. Butterfish was fresh and on sale yesterday. Even better, we had it grilled instead of the usual bake. Great when grilled, and is updated as such on the recipe.  Homegrown arugula TuesdayStill pretty nice, but clouds are a-coming. Having Macadamia Arugula Pasta because the arugula in the garden is happy and waiting to be eaten. Wednesday is Rain DayOven cooking. Mayonnaise Chicken, Roasted Asparagus and TBD cooked potatoes--likely also roasted somehow. Thursday is Grill DayGrilled Pork Loin panini with mushrooms and Jarlsberg cheese, or sriacha mayonnaise and leftover coleslaw. The husband made a great and very easy pork loin rub/marinade over the weekend. This means we bid adieu to the pre-seasoned pork tenderloins. The new method is just that easy, and no preservatives. As a bonus, we can make a lot and keep the rest for sandwiches during the week. Recipe posting later this week.Friday Daikon was also on sale and looking very fine. It's still too cold for Na-omi-take tofu, so I'm trying a modified agedashi tofu. Pan saute or grill tofu slices brushed with a little sesame oil. Grate the daikon, mix with ponzu and green onions. Slather over the tofu and eat. Braised kabocha to balance out the high-strung flavor of daikon/ponzu. Rice and kim chee. I do like the sound of this meal already. Adventures from Vancouver start this week too. Eat Well. Be Well.
Yes, I know the week doesn't start on Tuesdays, but things sometimes take longer than you think. And Monday showed no signs of pausing just for me. So here's a quick re-cap on what's cooking this week.
Monday
This was a very long day. We did takeout Chinese. Hot garlic eggplant, Singapore-style noodles, sautéed pea shoots, braised spicy tofu and lemon chicken. I could have made all of these things at home, but we'd be eating them sometime Wednesday. Chinese takeout gives us variety, is pretty reasonable, and makes for great leftovers.
 ThursdayThis really needs to be the day the San Jose Sharks take one from the St. Louis Blues. All our collective mojo will be channeled to that effort--because we all like to believe that a good luck jersey and a teal and black manicure have the absolute and uncanny ability to cause positive outcomes for hockey games. So it'll be Crock Pot BBQ Pork Sliders as the TV dinner. Start it in the morning and have dinner right in time for the puck drop. FridaySomething nice and soothing for whatever happens on Thursday. Shabu-shabu will be a restful way to end the week. All I need to do is boil water. Eat Well. Be Well. -->GO SHARKS!
 There were no leftover cookies. Or Robin's eggs. Easter was a great time with the ohana. It is duly noted that cold hard cash ($3), Avengers squinkies and robins' eggs made for a very entertaining yet moderately priced Easter egg hunt for the teenagers. While there were no leftover Easter cookies, there are leftovers that are nearly complete meals. I love a good game of Leftovers Roulette. I'm aiming to go the whole week on our leftovers. Especially since the huge batch of Greek Salad I made for Easter did not make it to the serving area...there's always one that gets forgotten.
Here's what's being "re-purposed" this week. Leftovers include a Costco chicken, Honey Baked Ham, grilled salmon and LOTS of Greek Salad.MondayChicken Divan, using part of a Costco Chicken and the leftover broccoli from late last week.  My Daddy's Killer Fried Rice
 One of the side bonuses of Easter And of course, egg-salad sandwiches on toasted wheat bread every day this week. Perfectly Hard Boiled Eggs works well in batches, as long as the eggs have a little space around them. No changes to the sitting or boiling time. Lastly, I apologize for the temporary downtime on the site today, and thank the hardworking people at Weebly for getting everything back and running so quickly. Eat Well. Be Well.
This week, I bought a bottle of gochu-jang sauce (Korean chili sauce) for various dishes of what I hope will be spicy goodness. Very thankful for the Korean grocery store! Simultaneously, I'm plowing my way through various cookbooks I've borrowed (See Saturday Night Cookbooks from a couple of weeks ago). So far, The Big Book of Potluck and Brunch! have been the best. PDQ Vegetarian Cookbook, In a Small Kitchen, and Make This, Not That will be going back to the library early. This week, along with gochu-jang, the Barefoot Contessa is up. Here's what's cooking this week.  Meatloaf, roasted asparagus, salad & rice Monday
Myles Last Resort Meatloaf, roasted asparagus with parmesan (Barefoot Contessa), homegrown salad and rice. One barely needs a recipe for the asparagus, it's olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan at the end. The husband also just finished the marinade for bulgogi using chicken for Tuesday's dinner. TuesdayMake your own Bulgogi chicken wraps with sesame (gochu-jang?) mayo. Inspired by the Korean food trucks, I'm using tortillas, baked bulgogi chicken and perhaps adding a layer of sesame-kochu-jang-flavored mayo. For veggies, I have bean sprouts from the Korean grocery store, kim chee, shredded lettuce and cukes. There's a good mix of hot/cold, cool/crunchy/spicy/creamy that should work well. WednesdayCold rainy weather returns. Perfect for spicy tofu soup using gochu-jang, enoki mushrooms, onions, and won bok. There are about 5 recipes I'm comparing for this right now. ThursdayBack to the Barefoot Contessa with parmesan chicken salad. This is basically chicken katsu with parmesan cheese added into the panko. The Contessa has a lemon vinaigrette I'm trying out. FridayKorean stewed chicken with spinach, or spicy chicken with broccoli. Both use gochu-jang. By week's end, our taste buds should be spiced out and well prepared for a robins' eggs and marshmallow peeps break. Just in time for our annual Easter Brunch. Eat well. Be Well.
With the recent attention focused on the now infamous pink slime filler in ground beef (Is it beef? Isn't beef?), I have been thinking much more critically about what goes into ground meat. Besides the icky filler, parts from many cows or pigs can be funneled into a single pound of ground meat. Thus, it was the perfect time to try homemade pork sausage.
 Fresh homemade pork sausage It was infinitely easier than I thought. It's less expensive. It freezes well. And I know exactly what the ingredients are--meat from one little piggy, spices, and some organic maple syrup. No fillers, ammonia, nitrites, preservatives, MSG or lamb casings. The household approved, and promptly passed a referendum putting an immediate halt to store-bought pork sausages. Pork sausage is about 2 pounds of boneless organic pork butt, sage, nutmeg, thyme, Hawaiian salt, black pepper, and 2T (about 25 cents' worth) of organic maple syrup. Give chunks of pork a whir in the food processor for about 20 seconds, mix in the spices. Voila ici--bulk pork sausage. I took the extra step to make patties. Yield was 17. At least 2 breakfasts' worth, enough to start two batches of meatballs, or a full recipe of cornbread stuffing. I estimate it's about 25-30% less expensive that either Jimmy Dean or Jones brand sausages. We are not abandoning Spam, Portuguese sausage or kamaboko, which is the fish equivalent of Spam. Let's be honest, giving up these would cause anarchy. However, these items tend to be 'special occasion' food. I've already found a couple of recipes for homemade Portuguese sausage that I'm evaluating. Lastly, thank you to one of my wisest and dearest friends who does not eat any ground meat, or as she refers to them, "parts". She has always inspired me to find better alternatives in everything I do. Mahalo KT! Eat Well. Be Well.
Cows will not be sacred this week. My son, who doesn't eat cow as a lifestyle choice, has educated us. We rarely eat beef. However, he is on a school trip. While I miss him dearly, much more than say, his older sister does, we will console ourselves with beef. Here's what's cooking this week.
 Korean Egg Meat Jun MondayKorean Egg Meat Jun, My Mom's Japanese Coleslaw and hot rice. I don't have enough time to make Macaroni Salad, otherwise, this would be a pretty fair plate lunch dinner. TuesdaySalt and Pepper Shrimp, green beans, Okinawan sweet potatoes and rice. Day 1 prep for Beef Barley Soup/Stew. You didn't really think we would eat beef every day did you?! Even the steak-loving husband has limits. WednesdayBeef Barley Soup and Fluffy Wheat Bread because it's supposed to rain, rain, rain. Perfect soup weather. ThursdayChicken Piccata, mashed potatoes and broccoli. Fresh lemons from my neighbor work well. This may turn into Fixed Lemon Chicken, depending on how I feel. I may even feel like a cheeseburger from In-n-Out. FridayChristine's Clam Chowder and the rest of the bread. Fish on Friday, more or less. Please note that this is a one-week cow-feasting anomaly. I do not advocate eating this way as a normal routine. I'm grateful and proud that my son has steadfastly stuck to his no-cow commitment. Eat Well. Be Well.
 If there ever were a perfect place to convalesce from a very bad respiratory virus, Lagoon #4 at Ko'Olina on O'ahu is it. Three days at the lagoons--mind and body are feeling much better. My Mom's cooking definitely helped too. Back in the land of 50-degree weather, here's to extending that happy relaxed sigh of "aah" in aloha for as long as possible. Happy to be healthy and cooking again. Food shopping for the week is done, and here's what we're eating this week. Monday (Gills) Teriyaki salmon, rice, salad and Grandma Nancy's Ranch Dip. Didn't have teriyaki when I was back, and am craving it now. Have a bag of carrots, a bunch of broccoli and some haricot vertes for snacking and dinner veggies.
 Tuesday (Four Legs) What Started Out as Tyler Florence's Pork Chops, green beans and rice. We haven't had this in a long time and Granny Smith apples are still in season. Wednesday (Plants) Techie Gnocchi. This was one of those meals that didn't happen during the cloud of sickness. Making the most of squash season, and this desperately needs a better picture. Thursday (Feathers) Chicken Marsala with Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardalle. It also needs a photo and I haven't made this in a long time. Plus, I got a good deal on chicken.
 FridayTacos using the rest of the chicken, which I'll toss in the food processor in the hopes of getting some kind of ground chicken. I think it should work, but I'll let you know. One of those easy meals we've not had in quite awhile. After School Snacks These are things I have been routinely stocking to avoid the arsenic hours of the late afternoon when parents and teenagers tend to get food-cranky. Applewood organic (pork) salami, tortillas, cheddar cheese, tangerines, apples, grapes, grapefruit juice, pita chips, Steve's hummus, salsa, the aforementioned veggies and dip, yogurt, Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal, granola, Girl Scout cookies, and one can of Diet Cherry Coke for maternal caffeine emergencies.
Hope you are all staying healthy. Eat Well. Be Well.
 Fresh guacamole from 10 minutes ago A quick pre-Superbowl post. It's all about Madonna and the commercials. It is also what happens our "Superbowl" party includes a family of Calgary Flames fans, a family who knows "football" can also mean soccer but are unsure if they're coming to watch soccer or football, our own fair-weather football family, and a real football-knowledgeable family who are still salty that the 49ers are not playing today but are kind enough to put up with the other laissez-faire football families in attendance. We went for more 'traditional' football food this year. Here's what's cooking today. Plus whatever our friends bring--and it's always good. Chili. Made last night. Add your choice of rice, grated sharp cheddar cheese or tortilla chips. Fresh guacamole and salsa Buffalo wings with a pickled onion/blue cheese/buttermilk dipping sauce. This is a new item being made as I type. The husband picked it because it looked looked good and could be made in the time between the end of church and the beginning of broadcast. Going into the oven right now. Whatever your sports or non-sports leanings, enjoy the afternoon. Time for me to clean up my desk and get ready for a little football and a happy dose of ohana time. Eat Well. Be Well.
 Snow, finally in Lake Tahoe Today is the first day of the year of the Dragon. Being a Dragon Lady rather than a Tiger Mom, this is supposed to be my year for new undertakings. The signs are everywhere.
#1 sign. A friend has encouraged me to put together a book proposal. Whoa! and Yay!
#2 sign. Over a cup of Kona coffee on a getaway Lake Tahoe weekend, one of my dearest, most loyal and refreshingly candid Feeding My Ohana followers gently reminded me that, "Your recipes are all good and we all know you can cook, but you've not had many new recipes lately. What more are you going to do with Feeding My Ohana?"
#3 sign. Today, I had lunch with a former boss who asked me the very same thing, along with, "What are your plans for a mobile app?"
Food for thought indeed. Fabulous Ideas and a whole new year to Do Something. So Step 1: New recipes. Here's Week 2 of better four legs/feathers/gills/plants distribution and three new meals to foist upon the family.
 Hot and sour soup in 30 minutes MondayPDQ Hot and Sour Soup (four legs). No gau, the Chinese mochi that is typically served for Lunar New Year's, so it'll have to be Jello mochi instead. TuesdayCrock Pot Peanut Butter Beer Miso Chicken (new feathers). I've been wanting to try this for awhile now-a Honolulu Advertiser recipe I brought back this past summer. I will post to the Greenhouse later this week. Wednesday
Lemon pasta with macadamia nuts, mushroom and parmesan (new plants). This is based on a recipe that uses hazelnuts, and I'll likely throw in some arugula for color and a little peppery zap.
ThursdayAlan Wong-inspired avocado poke stacks (new gills) and Bri's Butternut squash. The avocado poke stacks are one of the doable-at-home recipes from the Blue Tomato cookbook, and I'm using the spam musubi maker as a mold. Balancing the lightness and saltiness of the ahi with the substantive creamy sweet of butternut squash. And perhaps some kind of wilted arugula for salad. This could be a great meal, or just plain weird. FridayPannini using bread-machine bread with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and arugula. Roasting tomatoes seems to be the best way to get good flavor from winter tomatoes, and we are two days with plants this week. Any other suggestions for Feeding My Ohana are most welcome. What do You want to do this year? Eat Well. Be Well.
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