Wanderings of a Jet Lagged Mind

After the long trip from Japan to Oklahoma City, and a couple days that I don’t even really remember, I am finally starting to recover from the jet lag.  We arrived in the USA on Tuesday morning.  After spending all day in airports and airplanes we finally got to OKC at 5 pm.  My brother in law, bless his heart, was there to pick us up.  After a little confusion on the meeting place we finally found each other. 

The first day was bad.  I barely remember Wednesday.  I think I fought drowsiness and the urge to take a nap all day long.  My mom was off work and we hung out at her house with our kitties.  They were a little happier to see us.  Tuesday evening they punished us with the cold shoulder.  Wednesday evening we went to our good friends home for a brief, but nice, visit.  Again, there was confusion as they thought we were spending the night and I had already told my sister that we would be coming back to her house.  I hope I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

 

Thursday was a little better.  Although, I was awake at 6 am.  Marc and I ventured into town.  Our first stop was the dive shop.  We brought our equipment for inspection since we have been told that the equipment technicians in Okinawa are questionable.  From there w  went to the health food store for some gluten free items and then Petsmart for some kitty items and then finally WalMart.  I was pretty drowsy  as we pulled in to the parking lot at Walmart.  I’m sorry to report that we didn’t encounter any photo worthy “people of walmart.”

  

By the time we arrived back at my sister’s house my drowsy episode had passed.  I pulled out my sister’s 30 year old Kitchen Aid stand mixer and set to making a French silk pie.  It turned out well and they seemed impressed.  I also made chicken fingers, mashed potatoes and gravy and a green salad with homemade ranch dressing.  Also, least I forget, I made Texas toast for everyone but myself.

 

This morning I awoke again just before 6 am.  Marc was also awake.  After fighting with him all night long for space on the bed I was ready to get up and start moving around.  I came into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee and decided that some left-over chicken would be a great choice for breakfast.  Soon after my sister came through the kitchen with her morning ritual of trying to get her three boys up and ready to leave for school.  Every morning it’s the same.   One of them is almost impossible to get up and get going.  The others aren’t so bad.  But, they lollygag around wasting time and she is just this side of late getting out of the house. 

 About 8 am I got a message from my sister that in the chaos of the morning she had left her lunch in the freezer at home.  I told her I could bring something up to the school.  It has been 21 years since I have been a student at Little Axe.  While it has changed in appearance, to some degree, it’s basically still the same.  I arrived just a few minutes before the lunch bell rang.  I elected to wait in my car until I saw kids coming down the sidewalk.   As soon as I saw them bustling through the doors I thought it was safe to make my way to her room without interrupting any serious learning.

After lunch was over I headed back out to my car and made my way home.  On the way home I drove by the lake.  It’s cold and cloudy today and there was no one at the lake, just me and the waves and the breeze and a group of ducks out on the water.   I sat there and shuffled through all the summertime memories of time spent at the lake.  Those memories go way back to my childhood.

 

It’s funny how the mind works.  I sat there and looked out across the water and thought about being at the lake on my dad’s boat and being at the lake on our boat and all the times we went fishing and played in the water.   I thought about the time that I took Marc out there to go fishing at night and we dropped the car keys in the water and we had to search for them in the dark.  I thought about the time I slipped on the algae on the ramp and fell under the boat trailer.  I thought about the time my sister and I were sitting on the dock and a beaver swam under our feet and we both screamed.  I thought about the way the lake looked a few years ago when there was a drought and the water level dropped so low that the dock was no longer floating.  I thought about the following year when the rains came and the lake was so flooded that there was only one boat ramp open and it looked like the dock was going to float away. I thought about just this past summer when we were out there with all the kids and we towed them around on the newest inflated toy.  I thought of all these things all at the same time.  My mind just kind of lumped it all together and played it back to me. 

On the way home I discovered something about myself.  Something that I think I have always known.  I hate chaos and disorder.  I like order and schedules.  I like to make plans and follow through.  I don’t like to be late, or too early.  I prefer to be right on time.  I really don’t like the fact that I don’t really know what I’ll be doing for the next four years.  At this point, the only thing I can say for sure is that on December 8 I’ll get on a plane and go back to Okinawa.  After that I don’t have a clue!

Galbi - Korean Short Ribs

     This recipe is more about the marinade than it is about the meat.  I think this marinade would be phenomenal with just about any cut of beef that you would normally cook on either a charcoal grill or gas grill.  The flavors are bold and stand up well against the bold taste of beef.  I used beef flanken style ribs, or Korean Short Ribs, for this recipe.   If you are going to use the flanken style ribs be sure to wash them well first.  They can sometimes have small slivers of bone stuck to the meaty areas.  A quick rinse will remove that and you won't have to worry about it.  

 I think I may try it with flank steak or skirt steak.  I think it would also work well with Ribeye or even those cheap chuck steaks that are usually tough as shoe leather.  
     The secret ingredient here is the Asian Pear.  This baby has the power to tenderize meat.  It's a large piece of fruit and closely resembles a large yellow apple.  I have seen them in Wal-Mart in the produce section. So, you shouldn't have a problem finding one.  Unless you are planning to double the recipe, you will only need 1/2 the pear.  That leaves the other half for snacking.  Snacking is good!  Get you a nice piece of sharp cheddar to go with it.  :-)

     Here is the list of ingredients: 
1/2 Asian Pear, peeled and cored.
1/2 medium white onion
1 bulb garlic (not the cloves, the whole thing)
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup water
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar (you can use regular vinegar)
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 bunch green onion sliced 1/4 inch or smaller.
3 lbs beef flanken ribs or flank steak (or other cut of beef of your choice)


Remove the papery skins on the garlic cloves and discard.  Place all ingredients, except the sliced green onion and meat, into a blender and pulse on high until it is finely pureed. 


Place meat into glass dish, or plastic bag for marinating.  Just don't marinate it in a metal bowl/dish.  Pour the pureed mixture over the beef and then sprinkle green onions over it.  Make sure all surfaces of the beef are covered with the marinade.

Let it marinate for 4 - 24 hours.  I wouldn't let it sit for more than a day.


When you are ready, fire up the grill and cook to your preferred level of doneness.  I like mine cooked medium which takes about 3 minutes per side depending on how thick your meat is cut.  

Shopping in the Local Okinawan Grocery Store.

     Today I decided I wanted to make Kalbi, or Galbi.  It seems to have two different names.  It’s basically Korean Short Ribs.  A couple weeks ago I saw some beef flanken  ribs at the meat counter in the commissary.  I picked them up not knowing what I would make with them. 

     Then, in the bargin bin, there was another package of beef flanken ribs.  Now, go ahead, call me cheap.  What kind of person shops for meat in the bargin bin?  I have a friend who is a firm believer that if something is on sale there must be something wrong with it.  For the record, the meat counters at the commissary are only allowed to keep the meat in the “fresh” bins for 1 day.  Anything that doesn’t sell by the end of the day goes to the bargin bin, which happens to be in a freezer compartment.   The way I see it is that I was going to bring it home and stick it in the freezer anyway.  Plus, I can save 50% by letting them freeze it for me.   I have never had a problem purchasing items from the bargin bin.

     I decided that I wanted to make Kalbi, before that little bargin bin explanation.  There are various versions of Kalbi.  The version that I wanted required Asian pear and green onions among several other items.  The problem, I had neither of none of these items.

     I could easily go to the commissary here on base and fight the horrible parking lot only to find that they didn’t have what I want or that it was in horrible condition.  Sometimes their produce isn’t the best in the world.  My other option is to go off base to one of the local Okinawan markets and find all kinds of good things. 

     With this in mind I decided that I would go to the San-A.  San-A is a really nice market with ample parking in a parking garage and also on the roof.  They have a department store on the second floor and the grocery store is on the first floor.  They usually have anything you might need. 

    I grabbed my camera and headed out.  I like to park on the third floor parking garage.  They have these cutesy little paintings on the wall so to help you remember where you parked. 

       

     When you walk in the doors you are greeted by the ubiquitous vending machines.  They have soda, tea, coffee machines, cigarette machines and toy machines.

These toy vending machines are in every shopping venue on the island.  I know my sister's kids would love them.  But, I'm not sure which to buy.  Maybe I'll just go in there and buy a something from a few different machines and see what the kids have to say about them.  

To get into the grocery shopping area you have to take the escalator down to the first floor.  Upon stepping off the escalator you find yourself immediately in the produce section.  Everything is so fresh and bright.  It all looks like it was just picked this morning.  I purchased a couple stalks of the broccoli in the photo below.  Also bought a couple of those beautiful red tomatoes.    

     In the photo below you can see that they have all kinds of different spouts, celery, goya melon and other items.  

     The fall brings persimmons.  I have never really been a fan of persimmons.  I'm not sure what they use them for, but they seem to be on sale!

Mushrooms anyone?  In the photo below you can see all the different kinds of mushrooms available.  

This next photo is a little blurred.  Sorry about that.  Remember I was sneaking around taking photos when I shouldn't have been.  They don't like photography in the shopping environment.  So, the photo below is bean paste.  At least that's what I think it is.  I'm not buying it to find out.  We'll just leave this one a mystery.

     You can find sushi just about anywhere here.  They make it fresh daily.  Marc loves to get these for lunch. The prices on these ranges from 250 Yen to just under 400 Yen.  So, if you are craving sushi you can have a nice lunch for under $5.00.  What you can't see in this photo is above the shelf the sushi chef is preparing these boxed lunches.  I'm sure as I write this someone is chowing down on a sushi lunch!

     This is a first for me.  I didn't know that anyone ate Butterfly fish.  They are cheap too. You can get 3 of them for about two bucks.  

Okay, moving on. I'm not really crazy about the fish section.  It smells pretty fishy!  

Below is a photo of some cake rolls.  These look wonderful and if I wasn't going to get sick, I'd sure buy one and bring it home with me.

     Panko breaded shrimp!  Need I say more?     Marc and I used to buy these all the time.  I can't eat it anymore.  You can get two trays of them for 500 Yen.  Where else can you get that much shrimp for about $5.00?  Granted you'll have to cook it.  But, that's half the fun.   

     In the photo below I have a close up of the extra fancy sushi.  These are larger pieces and I must say it looks really good.     I'm kind of funny about sushi.  I will only eat it in Japan.  I've had it in the states before and it is just not as good.  I don't know if it's due to the fact that the fish is not as fresh or what.  It's just not the same.  

     Here is the liquor aisle.  I'm not sure if this is sake or awamori.  

     Okay, I saved the best photo for last.  In the spice aisle I found these containers of pepper.  From what I can tell these are the hot ones!  I'm guessing that the red container is so hot that it will make you crazy.  The black one is so hot that it'll make you cry.  I have come to this conclusion based on the artistic rendering of the chili pepper on each container.  This right here, folks, is why Japan is so much fun!

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Walnut Crust

     Pumpkin Cheesecake!  There is something about this time of year that just makes me want stuff made with pumpkin.  I used to make pumpkin rolls every year to bring to work for food days.  Then, there is pumpkin bread, that I converted to gluten free.  Pumpkin spice coffee, you make my heart sing.  Pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes.  Pumpkin pie!  I love pumpkin pie.  I also love cheesecake.  
     My sister used to make this pumpkin layer cheesecake stuff.  She probably still makes it, I just don't remember it because she doesn't make it gluten free.  
  I was plowing through the pumpkin pie recipes on all recipes.com and then started thinking about cheesecake and then thought of my sister's layer pumpkin cheesecake.  Then I found a pumpkin cheesecake.  Not a layer cheesecake with pumpkin pie stuff on top of it.  This was a pumpkin cheesecake.  
     This one had a strange sour cream layer on the top.  Not sure I really want to go that direction.  I'll just take a dollop of whipped cream instead.  Maybe cinnamon whipped cream, or cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream.
  So, I set out to create my pumpkin cheesecake.  It's a compilation of several different recipes.  You know I can't leave anything alone!


Walnut Crust
1 1/2 cups walnuts
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons white sugar or splenda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the walnuts in the bowl of food processor and pulse until they are ground in to very small pieces.  Add the butter, sugar/splenda and cinnamon and pulse until all combined.  Should look like this:

Press this into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Although if you want to use this crust for something like a cream pie, or French Silk, you could use a pie plate.  Since I'm making a cheesecake I'm putting it into the bottom of my springform pan.  Be sure and press it down with your fingers or use a silicone spatula sprayed with a little canola oil.  

Pop this baby in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  


The beauty of this crust, other than the fact that it's totally gluten free, is that you can use any kind of nuts you want.  I've made it with almonds, pecans, and walnuts.  I'm thinking that it will be spectacular with macadamia nuts in a French Silk pie.  Can you tell that I've been thinking about making another French Silk Pie?  Oh, and be absolutely sure to use real butter and be sure that it's unsalted butter.  
     Okay, so now onto the pumpkin cheesecake.  You'll need the following items in this order:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese at room temp.
1 cup granulated sugar or splenda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar or the splenda blend
1 (15 ounce) can 100% pure pumpkin
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning (I added this because I felt like it needed something more and I didn't feel like cinnamon was the answer)
2 large eggs slightly beaten


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Now, take the springform pan that has your crust in it and wrap the bottom of it in heavy duty aluminum foil.  Get another pan, I used a 12 inch oven proof skillet, and place the aluminum foil wrapped springform pan inside it.  Then, fill the outer pan with water so that it comes about 2 inches up the side of the springform pan.  This is to create a "water bath" for the cheesecake.  This will keep it from cracking down the middle.
     In your mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar/splenda, and brown sugar until fluffy.  
     Add pumpkin and evaporated milk and beat until fully combined, then add the cornstarch and spices beating until combined.  


If you have a paddle for your mixer put that on.  If not that's okay.  Add the slightly beaten eggs to the mix.  Be very careful to not over beat them or your cheesecake will be dry and crumbly.  Mix the eggs just until everything is combined.  
     Next, pour it into the springform pan and place in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. As soon as the 55 minutes have passed turn off the oven.  Do not remove the cheesecake.  You can look at it, but do not move it.  Leave that bad boy where it's at.  Let it sit there until the oven is completely cooled off.  I'm serious!  Leave it there for about 3 hours.  Then, take it out, take the foil off and put it in the refrigerator.  Cheesecake is best if it's left alone for about 24 hours. 

     Here is what it looked like when I took it out of the oven after the cooling period.  See what I mean about the water bath.  Just make sure you use the extra wide aluminum foil so that water doesn't get into the bottom of the spring form pan.  

Look at how light and fluffy that turned out!  I can't wait to try it.  

     Be sure to run a knife around the edge of the pan before removing the spring form.  
     For the topping I'm going to make Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting with a hint of cinnamon.
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese room temp.
1 cup white sugar (I'm going to use splenda)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream.


Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form, set aside.
In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and cinnamon until smooth.  
Fold in whipped cream.


     You can omit the cinnamon depending on what you're going to use it for.  It think the cinnamon will be awesome with the pumpkin cheesecake.  I have used this frosting for carrot cake and I can say it's really REALLY good.!

A Trip Down Route 58

     I have been battling a cold.  Why could this not happen last week when the weather was bad, or the week after when it was too windy to get in the water.  Oh well.  Of course today was spectacular and this weekend is supposed to be more of the same.  


     I am, for the record, felling better today.  I spent the morning in shock over the shooting at Ft. Hood.  I don't know of anyone there, but I feel for everyone involved.  Marc came home for lunch and we talked about it.  Then, he talked about the trouble maker he is having to deal with at work.  


     After he went back to work I decided that I needed to go to the commissary to get some items to make a pumpkin cheesecake.  So, with my list and reusable walmart bags in hand I grabbed my camera and off I went.


    I was only planning to go to the commissary here on Kadena.  At the last moment, while sitting at the stoplight I thought.  Turn left and go to the Kadena  Commissary or, turn right and go to Camp Foster.  I really need to go to Camp Foster to get Marc's birthday present.  So, I flipped my signal and went right!

     Now, don't freakout!  We drive on the left side of the road here.  I know, it just looks strange.  Oddly enough, it's easy to get used to.  

     This building over to the left is one of the 3 Chapels on base.  This is really a cool building.  Maybe one day I 'll get a photo coming from the other direction!

       That right there, my friends, is a F-15.  They have a really cool display of aircraft right outside the Legal Office here on base.  They just finished repainting the jets on display.  Since it is unlawful for me to take any photos of the planes out here this is probably the only photo you well ever see of a F-15.  Well, unless one is airborne and it sneaks into one of my other photos.  

     So, once off base I made another left and now I'm on Route 58.  

     
     Space is at a premium in Okinawa.  This building houses an Indian restaurant on top and a Mexican restaurant on the bottom.  

     Blue Seal Ice Cream.  Blue Seal started as a dairy plant for US Military members right after the end of WWII.  Dairy products are not traditional in the Okinawan diet.  So, they had to bring milk to Okinawa for the US Military.  Good thing too. They eventually started making ice cream and now they are famous all over Okinawa for it.  I agree.  This is some good stuff. Oh, for an interesting twist, they sell in on the side of the road during the summer.  I'm not kidding!  They will have a person sitting under an umbrella at various bus stops up and down Route 58.  You just pull over and let them know what you want and then you are on your way ice cream cone in hand!

     While sitting at the stop light I noticed this guy walking around with his pointy hat on.  You never know what you will see.  

     So, the light turned green and I was on my way again.  

The speed limit is 60 KM - right on the nose!

     Yep, there's the Mc Donalds.  Their lobby is very strange.  A few tables on the bottom floor but most of them are on the second floor.  Oh, and they have a very high tech bathroom.  Don't press any buttons on the toilet, I'm just saying!

     Okay, this photo was taken on Camp Foster by the Sada gate.  I think they still call it that.  To the left, at this intersection, is the road that leads to the Globe and Anchor.  Some people call it the Hook and Jab.  Basically, it's the enlisted club and it can get pretty rowdy on a Friday night.  In addition to the bar and club area, they have a restaurant in there that serves really great food.  

     Okay, for those of you who always want me to take photos of hot Marines, here they are!  I can guarantee they are hot as it was 86 degrees today.  I'm not sure where they are going as it was about 1500 on a Friday afternoon.  For those, non-military people, that's 3 pm.  


While I was on Camp Foster I went over to Tsunami Scuba to get Marc some  purple tanks.  We saw these tanks a couple weeks ago.  He has been dreaming about them ever since.  He even sings about them.  Think Prince and Purple Rain, except replace Rain with Tank.  I know, it's crazy.  But, it's total Marc! 

     Here's Marc posing with his new purple tank!  He still can't believe that I got them for him!  He was sure they would all be sold by the time we decided to get them.  

     He is trying to demonstrate the beauty of the purple.  It really just looks like dark blue with only the orange street light and the flash from the camera.  

Here they are in the back of my Pajero next to the brilliant blue tanks we got from Blue Water Divers in OKC a couple years ago.  


I also made a stop in the commissary and picked up a few items.  The bagger guy acted confused with the Wal-Mart reusable bags.  He put just a few things in each bag.  I wanted, so badly, to tell him to stuff those babies full!  But, I didn't want to come off rude.  Well, and I don't think this guy could speak a word of English.


As for the pumpkin cheesecake...it's in the oven.  I've been taking photos.  As soon as I take it out of the oven I'll post a blog with the photos and recipe.  I can tell you it smells phenomenal!  Oh, and I substituted the sugar with splenda.  More on that later!

Chicken Soup - That's What I Need

     It all started last night.  My head began to ache and my nasal passages felt like they were closing in on me.  Even my teeth were beginning to hurt.  Blech!  How can I be getting sick?  I have not been anywhere but facebook in the past few days!  Marc suggested that it might be mold.


     You see, he still has that stupid pumpkin.  You know, the one that was so charming on Halloween.  Well, it's still here.  He has been lighting a candle in it every night. 

 Last night when I complained of my head hurting he suggested that it might be mold.  Mold from the pumpkin.  Apparently the stupid thing is growing mold.  But, has he thrown it out?  No way! Look at the way it just sits there mocking me! Thankfully, it's gone now.  However, I'm still not feeling so great.  


     So, today I lazed around.  Big surprise there, right?  No really, I stayed in bed until 9:30.  That is a rare thing for me.  So, I got up  to take a hot shower.  I thought to my self that I was really glad that since I had to get sick it is better now than in two weeks.  In two weeks I'll be on my way to get my kitties in OKC.  I do not want to be sick on a trans-Pacific flight.  I've done that before and it's no fun.  Trust me on this!


    To top it all off we had planned to go get flu shots today.  I guess if I'm sick I will not notice any side effects from the flu shot.  Right?  


     Marc came to get me about 2 pm.  We got to the immunizations clinic and there were 12 people ahead of us.  Lots of families in there with small children waiting for flu shots.  Lucky for us they were all on good behavior.  That's the thing with military kids, they are either great kids or total brats!  Sorry no photos from the immunization clinic.  


     On the way home from the 18th Medical Group clinic Marc said that he was starting to feel dizzy.  By the time we got home he had declared that he was going to have to lay down.  Poor thing is still asleep on the couch.  


I have decided that what we need is chicken noodle soup.  For most people that is as easy as opening a can.  Not us.  Certainly not us.  I must make everything from scratch in order to avoid contaminating myself with wheat gluten that is assuredly lurking in those little cans with the red and white labels.  Oh well!  


     Lucky for me I have a great chicken and rice soup recipe.  I'll just convert that over to chicken and noodle soup.  I have some gluten free noodles in my pantry that will make an excellent substitution for egg noodles.  

Check out those carrots.  Those are short fat carrots grown in Japan.  They are very sweet and not woody at all.  You would think that they would be tough and nasty. But, they aren't.  I had forgotten how good they are.

• 2 large chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
• 2 or 3 large carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled
• 1 box Swanson Chicken stock (32 ounce) (14.5 
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 pinch poultry seasoning
• 1 pinch dried basil
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 pinch dried parsley
• 1/4 package gluten free fettuccine noodles broken into 2 inch pieces.  Or regular egg noodles for you gluten eaters.

Place all ingredients, except the noodles, into a stock pot. Bring to a boil.  When the chicken is cooked remove and cut into bite size pieces.  You can also make this with whole chicken parts and then pick from the bones when it is cooked.   After you cut the chicken into bite size pieces add it back to the soup and then bring to a boil. 

 Add the noodles and then return to boil.  With the Tinkyada gluten free noodles I use I just turn the burner off and cover with the lid for about 20 minutes.  If you over boil gluten free noodles they may fall apart.  Feel free to add more water if it seems like it needs it.  

This is mmm mmm good and way better than anything out of a can.