An edible 5-year annivesary in Kauai

It was so tempting to post all of the photos of the food we ate in Kaui on my Facebook page, but if I'm sick of looking at other people's food on Facebook, I'm probably not the only one. Instead, I will torture you with the deliciousness we devoured during our return to Kauai for our five-year anniversary.

Our first night, after an entire day of travel and three flights (two that were first class so I can't complain!), we crossed the street from our home for the week at the Wailua Bayview Condos and headed to the Korean Bar-B-Q. It was late, and I wasn't really hungry after all of those Mai Tais on the plane, but both Bryan and I couldn't resist the Dinner Special.

Clockwise from the top: bean sprout salad, green salad, potato salad, shrimp tempura, Meat Jun (which was a beef coated with egg batter then lightly fried) and Kalbi. What a wonderful welcome to the island!

Being a sucker for a good deal, we also grabbed a few steaks from Costco, which carries a dizzying supply of Asian snacks, including pork-filled humbao, seaweed salad and my favorite king oyster mushrooms, shown at right. (Which showcases the beginning of my no-veggie week. Yes, I gained back the 5 pounds I lost before the trip, but it doesn't matter anymore!)

By now, we were ready for some Hawaiian food, and I had found quite a few places in "The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook" that I thought would do the trick. But as tourists our timing was way off the islander schedule and we kept missing lunch, and instead had to settle for some takeout poke from the Pono Market that was so delicious, it just made us hungry for more!

We got lucky during another stop at Costco and found a generous sashimi tray for two for a steal at $20 — a friend on the island says it's the best deal available, so bravo to us!

But my favorite night on the island was at Caffe Coco, an outdoor BYOB eatery that also was right across the street from our condo. We were quickly won over by the live music by Ken Solin and Co., and tempted to come back again because the cafe offers up live music nightly. And then our dinner arrived.

By the time I was served this spectacular seared ahi with a wasabi-coconut milk-mushroom sauce (and the only salad I had all week), the tears were flowing with joy at the perfection of the evening.

Bryan liked his Charmoula plate so much, he gave me one just itty-bitty bite of the sweet-potato pastry on the right. Of course we wanted to come back, who wouldn't? But we also knew that a night that perfect just can't be repeated ... at least not until our next visit to the island!

Despite the perfect ambiance at Caffe Coco, it did lack a view, which we made up for at Scotty's Beachside BBQ. Eh, I could give a rip about American barbecue, but on the night of our anniversary, I wanted to be able to gaze out at the ocean with dreamy eyes.

Service was unbelievably fast, Mai Tai was the best on the island, barbecue was forgettable, but the view was unbeatable.

So, you ask, did I ever get my Hawaiian food? Indeed, on our last day, as we were wandering around Koloa trying to find the restaurant we ate at before our wedding, we figured out it was Tomkats Grill.

Of course, I had to get the same Kalua Pig I got five years earlier, and yes, I was satisfied.

Bryan also had been wanting Kalua Pig all week, but he hates getting the same thing as me so he got these beautiful ahi tacos instead.

And to top it all off, I finished my visit in Kauai with Spam Musubi from the airport, which was the exact same place I had my very first Spam Musubi, also at the end of our first visit to the island five years ago.

Kauai, I missed you before we even got off the ground, and I hope to be back before another five years have passed!

Ringing in the New Year with Egg Custards

Since Christmas Day ended up being just a small gathering with Mom and Charlie this year, we made up for it last night with a big party at my Aunt Sandy and Uncle Burly's.

Burly and Sandy prepared an amazing feast with lobster, garlic chicken, egg foo young (with homemade BBQ pork) and Chinese veggies, followed by everyone's favorite dim sum snack: Egg Custard.

Although the actual custard seemed easy enough, the crust was even easier since they came from a giant box of tartlet shells Burly had found at Cash & Carry.

Egg Custards
2 eggs
2 oz. sugar
3 oz. water
3 oz. milk (can use evaporated milk)

Preheat oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix ingredients together, then pour into tartlet shells. Bake for 5 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 360 degrees. Keep an eye on the tarts, then remove from oven just before tops begin to blister, about 10-15 more minutes.

Kalbi that almost cost me an extra $45

All this talk about Korean BBQ got me in a Korean BBQ mood, so decided to prepare Kalbi the easy way: Instead of making my own sauce, which Mom does, I just used a Korean-Style BBQ Sauce for Beef Ribs that I found at a Korean store in Mom's neighborhood.

Unfortunately, this cut of beef rib is a bit hard to find, and the store I bought them at this week, which will remain unnamed, is now on my *?#! list because they overcharged me $45. Yes, I got the money back when I by chance noticed the mistake, but think I deserved a little more than an apology, don't you? A gift card, perhaps? Even better, a free bottle of wine!

Would have tasted great with the ribs I marinated overnight, then simply pan-fried for about 2-3 minutes per side. Ideally, I would have grilled them, but brrrr! We'll leave winter grilling to the masters like Mom!

When do you add the barbecue sauce?

The last time Mom let me help her barbecue, I learned a valuable lesson that most people know already: Don't put barbecue sauce on the side that you're about to put directly over the flames. Maybe that's why my meat always turned out so burned until last night, when I did it the right way.

During the last 10-15 minutes or so of cooking, coat the top side of the meat with a thin layer of sauce, then close the lid and let it cook for about three to four minutes. Then turn the meat over, apply another thin coating of sauce to the top, and let that cook. Keep an eye on the meat to be sure the barbecue sauce on the bottom doesn't get singed. After another three to four minutes, turn the meat over again to let the second layer of sauce get a little browned, then it's eatin' time.

Do not, I repeat, do not coat the top then immediately turn it over, because it will just burn burn burn. Giving it some time to cook while it's not directly over the flames helps it meld with the meat a little better, too.

And that's my lesson for the day that most of you probably learned years ago. Live and learn.

No "Ruined" stamp for my Asian-style Salmon

It's no wonder I ruin all of Mom's recipes when I seem unable to ever adhere to them. In all honesty, though, I follow Mom's recipes about as closely as she does. I doubt she's ever made the same dish the exact same way twice - not only because she doesn't measure anything, but it also depends on what she has on hand as well as her constantly changing tastes.

Almost every time I go to her house, she's got a new way of making tea or some special dish that she suddenly is saying is the way they "always do it." In these cases, "always" usually means about two weeks, but her way of cooking is a constantly evolving cycle, so maybe she just doesn't notice the little additions and subtractions she makes here and there.

I still tried to kind-of follow her recipe for Asian-style Fish, although I immediately ruined it by 1) using a salmon fillet, 2) using powdered ginger instead of fresh ginger root 3) using a combination of green onions and baby fennel instead of leeks, and 4) grilling it for about 25 minutes wrapped in foil instead of (blech!) microwaving it.

In my defense, I was simply using what I had, and I did learn that trick from the best. I got the baby fennel from Full Circle Farm and really have no idea what else to do with it, and the green onions are the tops of some beautiful red onions that appeared in my fridge over the weekend (thank you James and Debbie!). Not to mention that it topped 70 in Seattle today, which means a barbecue is obligatory.

And you know what? The salmon turned out really, really tasty. Which makes me think I should have named this blog Improving Mom's Recipes instead of Ruining Mom's Recipes. Doesn't quite have the same ring, though, does it?

Barbecue Pork Ribs ... without the barbecue

Wow. I just took ruining mom's recipes to a whole new level, and I have to say, I'm not all that disappointed with the results.

Now, when I pulled these pork ribs out of the freezer yesterday, I fully intended on cooking them Mom's style. Since I was spending the day with her, I knew I'd have an opportunity to ask her exactly how she barbecues her spectacular ribs.

But then she told me that she first puts them in the microwave for about 10 minutes to cook them through, and I kinda started making my own plans.

Mom really likes the microwave -- it's easy, fast, effective, etc. However, I can't but help believing all those studies that say it zaps all of the life out of your food. Especially meat. So I decided to instead cook it in the oven at 325 degrees over a pan of water for 1-1/2 hours, then follow her barbecue directions.

But by the time the ribs were cooked through and ready to barbecue, it was all windy and the barbecue was in the garage and Bryan and I are just lazy ... so I simply slathered on some barbecue sauce, cooked the ribs for another 15 minutes, did the same with the other side, then cut them up and ate them.

And they were good. So maybe they didn't have the charcoal taste of the barbecue, but some days you just want to fake it. Part of me wants to say this method actually kept the meat much more moist, and it was certainly better than the dry rub ribs I made earlier this year, but naturally, it doesn't compare to Mom's.

If you want to try her barbecue method, with or without using the microwave, she cooks them right over the flames for about 15-20 minutes, adding barbecue sauce in the end for about 5-6 minutes per side.

Lucky you, I got her to make her barbecue sauce while I was over there yesterday. Although she used to add Char Siu sauce, she says it's too expensive now so she just uses ketchup. So experiment with both and decide what you like the best.

Mom's Barbecue Sauce

1/2 c. ketchup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. garlic-chili sauce

2 T. Worcestershire

2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T. oyster sauce

1 t. sugar

Mix all ingredients together then taste and add more of what you like to make it your own unique sauce!

This is enough for about 2 lbs. pork ribs.

The closest you can get to grilling risotto

As if we're going to let a little rain keep us from grilling. It is Labor Day weekend after all. Aren't barbecues a required event to see off summer?

And besides, I can't resist all the sale items that just beg for the grill. Yes, that's Mom's fault. She even called me this week specifically to tell me about a certain sale on steak and was trying to buy me an extra package to put in my freezer. I do not need extra packages of steak hanging out in my freezer. That just sounds like trouble. Not to mention that I'm gluttonous enough on my own, since I bought a package with three HUGE steaks in it -- and I spent a good hour the last two days pondering how I could use the third one on Day 2 without making another trip to the store.

Then it came to me: one of our favorite dishes, risotto, but this one I'd make barbecue style. We marinated the steaks overnight using Mom's recipe, but this time I added a mutant-sized clove of garlic that was equivalent to about three. Cooking in advance for the risotto meal, I threw an onion and a red bell pepper on the grill, using extra-virgin olive oil infused with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes that Mom made in her dehydrator (and grew in her garden!). And I made an extra ear of corn for the risotto, too, with the infused olive oil, salt and pepper rubbed all over it and cooked in foil over the flames.

Barbecue Steak Risotto
4 c. beef broth
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. arborio rice
1/2 c. white wine
1 grilled onion, chopped
1 grilled red bell pepper, deseeded, skinned and chopped
1 grilled ear corn, cut off cob
2 green onions, chopped
1 lb. leftover grilled steak, cut in bite-sized chunks or strips
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat broth in a medium sauce pan and keep on low heat while you make the risotto.

Heat a second larger, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, then add olive oil and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then add arborio rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add wine and let simmer until wine is absorbed. Gradually stir in broth in 1/2 c. increments, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more broth. Stir frequently -- a wooden spoon with a long handle works best. When all the broth has been used (this usually takes about a half-hour), add onion, pepper, corn and green onion, and continue stirring until heated through. Add the steak and continue stirring until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

Maybe I should look at the recipe next time

I learned a valuable lesson last night. It's much easier to not ruin Mom's recipes if I actually bother to look at them first.

Yesterday I marinated some country-style pork ribs to make my uncle's Chinese Barbecue Pork. When it came time to put them on the grill, I opened up my cupboard and saw a jar of Char Siu Sauce (aka Chinese Barbecue Sauce), and I panicked. I was sure I'd messed up the recipe so I had Bryan put that sauce on instead of the Hoison sauce, which not only does the recipe call for, but it's also what the pork had marinated in all day.

Well, it turns out the two sauces don't have that different of a flavor, so it still turned out delicious. But no, it's not as good as Mom's since I, of course, ruined it!

I did not, however, ruin my own recipe for my favorite grilled veggie, zucchini. Well, one of my favorites, but since it's so easy, it's often on the grill.

Grilled Zucchini
4 zucchini, cut in 1-inch pieces
2-4 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. sea salt
1 t. Mrs. Dash Garlic Seasoning
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, then place cut side on grill heated to medium high. Turn when zucchini starts to brown and grill marks show up on zucchini, about 5 minutes. Cook other cut side until brown and zucchini is soft, about 5 more minutes.

Toss Zucchini in same bowl, then serve.

P.S. Doesn't Bryan look cute behind the grill?

Steak is great, but so is life

What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

So when Mom makes three pounds of the most delicious steak that Charlie cannot eat, it only makes him stronger. Of course, he says he doesn't want to eat it anyway, but when I take a bite of the juicy deliciousness (sorry, the photo was an afterthought and it shows!), I have my doubts about his honesty. Especially since the meal was a belated Father's Day gathering.

At least now we know he'll be around for many more.

Mom's Barbecue Steak

3 pounds tri-tip steak

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. (or less) water

1 t. (or less) sugar

1 t. chili garlic sauce

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c. white wine (optional)

Marinate overnight, and turn often to distribute marinade evenly.

Turn grill on high, and cook about 5 minutes per side after grill is sizzling hot.

Like I said before, it's all about the heat!

Julie also wanted me to share the recipe for Mom's awesome Potato Salad. I make it all the time and only Chelsea seemed to like it, but maybe it's more of a hit than I suspected. Some people aren't fans of hidden fruit in their potato salad, but it helps reduce the amount of mayo you need, so I suppose that could be considered a healthy compromise.

On that note, Mom didn't add any salt to her Potato Salad last night, and it still tasted great. However, I usually add kosher salt, Lawry's Seasoning Salt and a little freshly ground pepper (and sometimes a few slices of cooked bacon chopped up!). So as usual, make yours to taste!

Potato Salad with Apples and Pineapple

4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-size chunks

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

2 baby dill pickles, diced

1 apple (she used Fuji but isn't particular), chopped

1 small can pineapple tidbits

1 T. mustard

2 T.-1/4 c. mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients and chill before serving.

Chinese Barbecue Pork sans the red dye

Unfortunately, my mom is not the only chef in the family who doesn't believe in measurements. My aunt and uncle also fall into that category. They make a mean poor man's barbecue pork that I have tried many times to emulate, but so far I have been unsuccessful. It's still better than that stuff you can buy at the grocery store that is a scary red color and dry as a bone, though!

Here's my most recent rendition, which I tried this weekend and will be finishing off tonight with some fried rice. You can expect that recipe tomorrow.

Chinese Barbecue Pork

4 pounds country-style boneless pork ribs

1 c. hoison sauce, divided

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 t. salt

Mix 1/2 c. hoison sauce, chicken broth and salt in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork and marinate overnight.

Place on grill, then brush on remaining sauce as the pork continues to cook.

My aunt and uncle also cook this in the oven at 350 degrees, for about 30 minutes. I always use a meat thermometer, though, just to be safe.

Barbecue Chicken revisited

My brother was not impressed with my lack of an actual recipe for our mom's Barbecue Chicken marinade. After all, he is a voracious Alton Brown fan, which means he's also a fan of measurements and the science behind cooking. Good point, Stephen. And since this blog is called Ruining Mom's Recipes, and Mom didn't share with me the proportions she uses, I guess I'll just share mine and let you go nuts with it.

Mai Ling's Marinade for Barbecue Chicken and Pork Ribs
3-4 pounds chicken drumsticks/thighs
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. Mrs. Dash Garlic Seasoning, divided
1 t. garlic powder, divided
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Mix soy sauce and 1/2 t. each of Mrs. Dash Garlic Seasoning and garlic powder in zip-top plastic bag.

Wash and pat dry chicken, then place on cutting board or other large surface. Evenly sprinkle salt, pepper and remaining Garlic Seasoning and garlic powder over all sides of chicken. Place chicken in marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Meet Mom - at her home outside the home

For years, I’ve been talking about putting together a book for friends and family full of my mom's beloved cooking. It’s been so long since I started gathering her tried and true recipes, that she’s changed her whole menu around and is now making different foods. But I still have my favorites. And I’ll still share them with you. However, instead of a book – or maybe in addition to one way down the road – I’ve decided that nothing but the public is better at keeping one on task. So, instead I’ll be blogging, sharing my trials and tribulations as I struggle with measurements as instructed from a woman who doesn’t believe in measuring. Yeah, it’s real fun. Needless to say, everything that follows is “to taste.” But please hold back on the sugar or my mom will blame me for sure!

So over the weekend, the Chinese side of the family gathered at Mom’s for a very late Mother’s Day. Long story, but we were supposed to take a road trip to celebrate together with my mother-in-law, then things didn’t work out, so it’s REALLY not my fault and I’m REALLY not a horrible daughter (even though I did let my mom cook her own post-Mother's Day meal ... )!

As usual, rain or shine, snow or sleet, Mom barbecued. But that's not all she did. When I talked to her the day before, she said she was tired because she'd spent the whole day painting the screen door, so she was going take it easy and make Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash (minus the salt and half the cheese, but just as tasty!). Oh, and some extra Pork Ribs she had from some other recent dinner party. Oh, and also a Rhubarb Pie because she had way too much rhubarb in the garden. Let me just say here, if I were going to make an easy meal, I would not make ANY of those things!

Anyway, I have yet to try my hand at her Barbecue Pork Ribs. I'm moving slowly toward it. Last week, I took a baby step and made her famous Barbecue Chicken, which uses the same marinade. Sure, it was good, but it was far from Mom good. I think her trick is marinating it overnight, instead of the measly four hours I planned for. Plus, she’s not as wary as I am of food poisoning, so she lets it marinate at room temperature for some of that time, which is also supposed to add more flavoring. Next time …

Sorry, she didn't give me measurements for the marinade, but I'll give you a hint: Soy sauce is the main ingredient!

Barbecue Chicken
Bone-in chicken
Soy sauce
Salt
No-salt seasoning of your choice (Mom uses Spike, I use Mrs. Dash Garlic Seasoning, but there’s no way that’s the secret ingredient!)
Garlic powder
Pepper

Mix ingredients to taste, then add chicken and let marinate for at least 2 hours, if not overnight. Grill and enjoy!

Mom doesn’t use barbecue sauce for her chicken, but she makes a great sauce for the Pork Ribs:

Barbecue Sauce for Pork Ribs
½ c. Char Siu Sauce
1 T. garlic chili sauce
1 T. oyster sauce
1 T. fresh lime or lemon juice
2 t. Worcestershire sauce

Play with these ingredients as you will. Don’t put it on until the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, otherwise you’ll just burn off the good stuff. Use the same marinade as for the Barbecue Chicken, but the ribs only need to marinate for a few hours.

By the way, the pie she made was delicious. It wasn't just a Rhubarb Pie, but a Rhubarb-Apple Pie, and she used a whole cinnamon stick in it. Genius.