Fast and Easy Shelf/Cabinet Lining

I have new (actually old and used from Re-Use Hawaii) kitchen cabinets and put off filling them because of the dreaded task of lining the shelves and drawers. I bought plastic liner rolls from Home Depot that were 20″ wide and they sat and sat.

One ambitious day, I decided to line those bare cabinet drawers. I took measurements and cut a sheet to fit with an exacto blade and straight edge. It was slightly ragged and a bit too big on one side, and too short on another. Aaargh! I used a good pair of scissors to cut the ill fitting sheet, perhaps making it worse with nicks and waves and placed it in the drawer – where it looked terrible.

Tadaaa!

Then I remembered my rotary cutter and mat that I use to cut fabric for quilt pieces. The mat is already gridded and the acrylic ruler held the sheet down and ensured straight perfect cuts. On the first try I was slightly bigger on one side by 1/8″, which I easily cut off with the mat, ruler, and cutter. SO EASY!!

In a matter of minutes, all my drawers were lined, shelves were lined with perfect fits, and I was a very happy camper.

I am still slowly putting utensils, kitchen ware, and all those miscellaneous things in the drawers, but the hardest part is done. I just need to get over my procrastination – which is my middle name.

Costco’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Pie

I am not a dessert person and can easily pass up a piece of cake or after dinner desserts.

But not this one.

OMG, it is like mousse and creamy deliciousness with subtle peanut butter on a crunchy wonderful crust meet up in rich delight. I have had pies from Costco before and have been underwhelmed with them, but THIS one takes the top prize. It is a very big rich pie so it is best to share with friends and/or neighbors. I already cut out a portion to save for myself in a lidded glass pyrex square.

It is quite messy – or maybe it is because I cut it and plop it on my plate so I can dig in right away. No matter. This one is a winnah!

Update: After having a piece a day for 3 days in a row, I am overloaded and don’t like how sweet it is. We ended up giving our neighbors three quarters of it and hope they like it.

Riding the Rail with Esther

Today, thanks to the Department of Transportation and Alana, we got to ride Skyline, Honolulu’s new rail system.

It was really neat! We went from the Aloha Stadium to Kapolei in 21 minutes and back in a smooth comfortable ride. We had birdseye views of places that could not be seen otherwise.

I was one of the constant grumblers about the system from the start but I ate crow today and thoroughly enjoyed the round trip. I plan to load up a senior Holo card for one way trips that cost $1, or opt for a $35 annual senior pass and use it to ride to Kapolei, catch an Uber to the shopping center or theatres there, eat ono Filipino food at Julie’s, and return to town (currently the Aloha Stadium).

Here is a short video of the segment from Leeward Community College to Pearl Highlands. I hope that you enjoy the ride!

Mercari and Temu

Everyone has heard of eBay and Amazon. Those two are the internet giants of online shopping (or maybe just Amazon is the giant). Free shipping, great deals, and finding items to fill our needs and wants.

However, my daughter’s mother-in-law gave me a real nifty pair of bling rubber slippers – but they were one size too small. Fortunately, it still had the info tag, which I searched on Amazon and eBay. No luck. A google search turned up a site called Mercari.com.

Hmmm. This was uncharted territory but it looked like eBay without the traffic. The bling slippers were listed at $3 with $6 shipping from a seller named Mixit. I took the chance, signed up with a user name, password, etc. and ordered it. Lo and behold, it came in brand new, tags on, perfect condition, and fast!

Temu

And then, while sitting in the dentist chair getting my teeth cleaned, my dental hygienist, the loquacious and beautiful Liane told me about Temu.com. She said that it is just like Amazon, but cheaper. And shipping is free for the first 3 orders so take time filling up the cart before finalizing and paying for an order. Temu.com took over Alibaba, the Chinese version of Amazon and thus it sells discounted items with more discounts.

Granted, this was a one-way conversation because my mouth was open and Liane’s fingers and probes were restricting my speaking, but I did manage to ask “what kind of stuff they sell?” And she said “Everything”.

So, I went home and checked it out.

At first, it looked like cheap stuff – like what we used to find at the Dollar Store (when we had that one in Hawaii Kai). But then, they had stuff like solar lights (which is my favorite) and flexible garden hoses (which I like), and Dremel blade and sanding attachments, skin tag remover stickers, sewing clips, gardening stuff, and after awhile, I was so tired of looking, I stopped adding things to my cart, took out some stuff, and hit the pay button. I had 10 items which totaled $36 with free shipping. I wasn’t expecting much, and it did take awhile to get to me, (10 days) but the other day I had a big package delivered with all of them in good condition and felt like I did a big score!

Score!

I was VERY happy with this order – but I did notice that some of the prices went up (if I wanted to re-order) but I actually don’t need to re-order anything. Temu also likes to send me emails and today, I had a “gift” email which was a choose it game, so I played it and chose window #1. This opened up another window of choose a box and I won a 25% discount on one item of my choice, which they immediately doubled to 50%! So of course I scrolled until I found an “expensive” item which was a human sensing solar wall light that was already discounted 46% ($17) and with my 50% discount, I paid $8.74! I might be hooked. And I hope free shipping is NOT just only for the first 3 orders.

It has been fun. But I need to take a break from online shopping. My garden needs weeding and house needs cleaning. And I know, as I go about my daily tasks, I will find that I need this or that. And if Amazon or eBay doesn’t have it, I can also look at Mercari.com and Temu.com. If they don’t have it, then it is not meant to be. Or I have to pay full price – B@(%?*&#!

A shout out to Liane, my favorite dental hygienist at the awesome Dr. Hideki Kurokawa’s office.

Good Chicken

The name of this take out restaurant is understated. It should be DANG Good Chicken, because it really is dang good.

I went there 3 times this week. That’s how ono it was.

The first time I ordered kimchee mandoo only ($13.95) because I had already ordered oxtail soup and chopped steak from Asahi Grill on Ward Avenue. Asahi Grill told me 20 minutes so I took a stroll down Kawaiahao Street and saw the chicken shop (which used to be a Vietnamese restaurant before). It is between Asahi Grill and the Rice Factory on Kawaiahao Street. Limited parking in the front with more parking available in the back.

The kimchee mandoo was dang good! A tad too spicy but super ono since it was made fresh and fried the way I like it. And they were stuffed big and juicy with a vinegary onion & radish sauce on the side.

The next time I went I ordered the Whole Chicken Set ($20.95) which was a deep fried split chicken with french fries and a drink. It is what that kid on the video display was eating with delightful crunchy abandon. Super crispy skin and moist and hot inside. SO good! I also ordered the regular Pork Mandoo fried ($12.95) and loved it. At Jay’s (the owner) suggestion, I added the Pork Mandoo Soup ($12.95) and thought it was very comforting but a bit mild. If I do order soup again, it will be the Kim Chee Mandoo Soup. Here are pictures – which I took after I started chowing down because I just couldn’t wait.

Then, yesterday, Pal Wandaful and I stopped in before we went to the Hawaii Collector’s Expo at the Blaisdell (was a REALLY good show this year!) and we split an order of the fantastic fried Pork Mandoo ($12.95) and a Garlic Chili Chicken Wing plate ($12.95) which was just right spicy, steaming hot out of the kitchen and finger licking good!

Just thinking about it makes me want to order the Garlic Chili Chicken Wings ($16.95 for 10 pieces) or maybe try the Dak Gangjeong with rice cake ($16.95). Or maybe Tteok Bokki (mochi logs) with Yaki Mandoo ($20.95) or their new Kimari seaweed rolls ($5.95). There is a way to order using this QR code but that is too techie for me. I rather just go down, order, and wait. It is really fun to watch that kid in the video eat and eat and eat. EVERYTHING is good there. Dang good!

Update: I went back today because I was out and about (senior discount day at Ross and Savers) and just had to order the 10 pieces of garlic chili chicken wings ($16.95), another whole chicken set ($20.95), half order of Dak Gangjeong ($16.95), more pork mandoo, and the Tteokbokki Rice Cake with Kimari ($13.95 + $10.95). Yes, I was hungry and my forever hungry daughter was coming for dinner and she LOVED the crispy fried chicken and kimari (deep fried seaweed roll).

The Dak Gangjeong was a bit too hot for me – it had a good taste like Chinese style sweet and sour but more heat and rice cake rolls added in for interesting texture. The Kimari had to be ordered with Tteokbokki because it is dipped in and eaten with the radish pickles. Another interesting one. The half order of garlic chili chicken wings was more chicken than a plate lunch and so satisfying, as was the always wonderful pork mandoo. I had cooked a pot of rice and we really did feast tonight – and there was a LOT of leftovers.

I wonder if I’ll ever get tired of their food. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my regular stops. But not tomorrow, I think.

FPJ – Fermented Plant Juice

It has been a LONG year or two and this post is way overdue (sorry, Cleta!)

Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) is food for plants. The best candidates are leaves from strong robust plants that already have beneficial health benefits such as comfrey, portulaca, sweet potato, and mugwort to name a few. If you use fruits rather than leaves, it becomes Fermented Fruit Juice (FFJ).

Here is how to make it:

Go out early just before the sun rises (or you can be lazy like me and go out when you wake up) and pick leafy tips of your chosen plant that still have the morning dew on the leaves. (Actually, it has been so hot that I don’t think we have morning dew anymore.). Pick clean ones because you will not be rinsing them. Only use one type of plant per batch of FPJ.

Trim the stems to 2″ or so and pile them in a bowl. Add equal parts of brown sugar and massage gently until they soften. It feels delicious.

Compress and put the mixture in a wide mouth glass jar or container, leaving about an inch or so of space on top. Sprinkle brown sugar to cap the top. Cover with a cloth or breathable cover for 5-7 days.

Use a filter and pour the liquid into a bottle. Discard the plant material. You have made a bottle of FPJ! Cover with a breathable cover. I like to use a small square of cotton secured on the bottle with a rubber band.

FPJ is used in many Korean Natural Farming recipes. It is even good for human consumption – we can benefit from the nutritional qualities of the plants that we use. Comfrey is great for healing and is known as a bone knitter. Mugwort can pull toxins out. Portulaca (aka purslane) is high in nitrogen.

Here is a gallery, step by step:

That’s it! Rather easy, and very delicious. When used in Korean Natural Farming plant recipes, it is diluted to a 1:500 ratio.

Plant Maintenance Solution and Seed Soak Solution

Both Chris Trump and Drake of PureKNF talk about a Plant Maintenance Solution (though they don’t call it PMS, lol) that they use as a spray on a weekly basis for their crops and plants.

It is a simple formula based on 2 parts Food (FPJ – Fermented Plant Juice), 2 parts Cleanser (BRV – Brown Rice Vinegar), 1 part Medicine (OHN – Oriental Herbal Nutrient), and Drake also adds 1 part Structure (WCP – Water Soluble Calcium Phosphate – a formula that will I will post about later).

The dilution is 1:500 for both BRV and FPJ and 1:1000 for OHN and WCP. To make a small scale mixture, this would equate to 12 oz of non chlorinated water (rain water or let tap water sit for a day or so). Actually, regarding tap water, Drake says that one could fill a bucket with tap water and by simply swishing your hand in, the chlorine dissipates the water and is good to go. To this 12 oz of water, add a tad less than 1/5 tsp of BRV and FPJ, and a tad less than 1/10 tsp of OHN and WCP. An easier measuring system would be to use 60 oz of water (about a half gallon) and 1 tsp of BRV and FPJ, and 1/2 tsp of OHN and WCP. Put in a spray bottle and mist leaves and stems in the early morning or early evening once a week.

This formula can be stored with a sealed lid if not used up because it is diluted. It is very important to follow the formula and not put more of any one component. More is not better in Korean Natural Farming, but it is tempting for beginners. I can attest to that because I killed a young avocado tree with too strong a solution.

Seed Soak Solution

They don’t really refer to this as SSS – not sure why – BUT it is actually the same as the Plant Maintenance Solution, minus the WCP (Calcium Phosphate). It is good to have a bottle around because one never knows when the growing mood comes upon me and I use the solution quite often when transplanting, feeding, or sticking seeds in pots or ground.

I make a half gallon because I save those Govinda fresh squeezed orange juice bottles that are just the right size and they have a handy handle. SSS = 1 tsp each of BRV (Brown Rice Vinegar), FPJ (Fermented Plant Juice), and 1/2 tsp of OHN (Oriental Herbal Nutrient). I put my seeds on a thin handkerchief and in a bowl. Then I pour some Seed Soak Solution in the bowl and let the seeds bask in the liquid. The smaller the seed, the less time it basks. The bigger harder seeds can soak for at least an hour, sometimes even overnight. Soybeans are large but the skin of the seed is like paper so 10 minutes will do. Take the handkerchief out of the bowl and let the seeds dry naturally.

What this soak does is coat the seed with nutrients and protection. You are giving it everything it needs to start and continue growing.

Poke holes in the prepared garden bed or pot of soil and sprinkle seeds in as dense or sparse as you think. Cover the holes with the seeds, water, and watch for little shoots to emerge. Don’t be surprised if these emerge faster than predicted. You have given the seedlings their best chance of survival and growth.

Ideally your soil bed has been prepared with LAB to clean it up. After a few days, sprinkle IMO4 (that post will be coming) on the surface and water. Poke a hole in the prepped soil, add a little IMO4, then drop in the seed(s). Cover and water.

The formula for potted plants is 30% Leaf soil · 30% IMO4 · 30% Cinder · 10% Biochar. What is leaf soil? I really am not sure so I chop up dead dry leaves. I also add garden soil into this mixture. Make a little hole, drop in the seed(s), and then water.

Great even in existing pots

This post is almost the cart before the horse since I haven’t covered IMO4 or Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ) yet but even without it, the PMS/SSS will work. It will also work on regular soil and mixtures for your plants.

And please make sure you do NOT use coffee grounds unless you want to kill your plants. The only ones in my garden that can tolerate or benefit from coffee grounds are citrus trees and roses. For my other plants, it was the kiss of death. I feel bad for my orchids, gingers, avocado tree, pikake, golden dewberry, staghorn fern and others. I think it also killed my poor compost worms. Sob!

Just a quickie

I am super busy in moving my things from upstairs to downstairs and in between. I know I need to do a post on making jook, and continuing the Korean Natural Farming techniques but even my plants and soil are on hold.

A quick note about coffee grounds: I would save my coffee grounds every morning after making my cup of coffee (and adding a teaspoon of MCT oil for brain and body health). Then, after I have an ample quantity, I would sprinkle it around the mango tree, on the grass, and occasionally on potted plants such as roses, bougainvillea, etc. I also started sprinkling it on my bed of struggling asparagus.

Lately, I lost 2 wonderful plants in large pots. One was a small tree with willow like branches and flowers with large white petals – my West Indian pea plant. Another was a rather large spreading bush/tree with glorious purple sprays of flowers like wisteria – Golden dewdrop. I couldn’t figure out what was happening because these were strong healthy plants for years.

Then it hit me – it was the coffee grounds which I was getting more generous in these pots because I thought it was good for them. They could handle a little boost but not chunks of used up coffee grounds. The rose bushes were fine but other more delicate plants such as asparagus could not tolerate it. Even my bougainvillea struggled a bit, but they are such hardy plants that I have turned into bonsai-like trees in restrictive pots, they would lose all their leaves and then get new foliage. Ginger plants started dying. Heliconias shriveled up and disappeared.

So, lesson learned the hard way – I don’t save my coffee grounds anymore. I just toss them in the trash and NOT in the disposal (which I USED to think was good for the disposal).

Do you use coffee grounds successfully? I sure haven’t, poor plants.

An aside:

One of my favorite Seattle blog sites that I visit is Linda’s Letters, who is a wonder in the kitchen and her garden is show worthy. She does wonderful flower arrangements around her house with vintage vases which she picks from her garden planted with species that we can’t have here, such as her canopy of Wisteria that is glorious in bloom. Our common plants here in Hawaii need protection from the cold up there. Linda seems to like tropical plants a lot and takes photos of them whenever she visits plant nurseries in the Pacific Northwest.

I end this quickie post with a lovely centerpiece that I won at our latest HSFAG (Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild) party that past president Aileen Kaneshiro made for all the tables. It is really lovely and made with common plants we have here and probably growing in her back yard. Mahalo, Aileen, for letting me show off a beautiful arrangement of our Hawaii bounty. I wish I could say I did it, but not today.

Heliconia, ti plant, trimmed palm leaves, ferns

Hawaiian Electric’s Mochi Rice Stuffing

lunch-spreadEvery Thanksgiving, Aunty makes this mochi rice stuffing for friends and family.  The very first year, we used it to stuff the turkey that Uncle and Cousin Mike were in charge of – using a large hibachi grill with dome cover.  Because the turkey was stuffed, it took way longer to cook and the 2 “boys” came in sunburned, quite drunk with too many beers, and the stuffing oozing out and charred.

It was really really delicious, though, but the following years, we stopped stuffing it into turkeys in order to save on cooking and drinking time.

We use Mow Lee & Co.  lup cheong from a hole in the wall place at 774 Commercial Street in San Francisco .  Any brand will do, but Aunty really likes the freshness and taste of this one.

Here is the link to Hawaiian Electric’s recipe, or follow along with Aunty below.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups mochi rice
2 1/2 cups water
6 large dried mushrooms, soaked (start the soaking first or use fresh)
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 lb diced lup cheong (Chinese sausage)
1 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped Chinese parsley
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Dash of pepper

Soak the 6 large dried shiitake mushrooms, following package directions.  The Korean shiitake mushrooms from Costco require soaking it in just boiled water for quite a while.  Do this part early because sometimes those mushrooms seems to take forever to soften, or use fresh ones.

Cook the 2 1/2 cups of mochi (sweet) rice in your rice cooker.  I usually do 5 cups so we have more stuffing.  Sometimes I soak before cooking, but many times I don’t remember to prep the rice so I just cook it like regular.

Chop, chop, chop all the ingredients.  This is the junk part but if you prep it all ahead of time, it becomes a pleasure to cook rather than a chore.  Chop the non greasy stuff first, i.e. onions, green onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, Chinese parsley.  Then chop the lup cheong, then the bacon.  I put the chopped onions, green onions, lup cheong, and mushrooms in a big bowl together, and the water chestnuts and Chinese parsley in a smaller bowl together.  The bacon goes right into the pan.

Using the biggest non stick pan you have and a large wooden paddle, stir fry the bacon until crisp.  Then, stir fry in the big bowl of chopped stuff – onions, green onions, lup cheong, and mushrooms.  Cook until onions are clear.

Add the cooked mochi rice in dollops or chunks and stir fry, breaking up the clumps of rice and then add the water chestnuts, Chinese parsley, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and dash of pepper.

Stir fry until you are happy.  Your arms might be tired from all that stirring, but the aromas and deliciousness are your reward.  Serve and enjoy!