Food – Haughtypenguin Blog

July 10, 2012October 3, 2013

How to easily peel/eat a Mexican Mango

Eating a mango always seems to be messy business. They are very tasty, but they have a huge seed in the middle, and they are very juicy. I have tried mango pitters before, but if your mango is too ripe, it will just get squashed. Even if you do pit the seed out, you still have mango juice all over the place now.

Growing up I would watch my mom cut mangoes. She would do what I refer to as the “flower technique,” or inversion technique.

Mango Flower/Inversion — Flower/Inversion Technique for eating Mangoes

She slices the Mango vertically, (lateral to each side of the seed). Then she will slice cross hatches in the mango. Then invert the mango, pushing on the skin of the mango. It makes eating the meat of the mango easier. [image to the left obtained via a google search which led me to http://soupbelly.com/]

*disclaimer, I have not tried this on the big mangoes, just the mini Mexican Atulfo Mangoes*

Somehow I never seen these mini mangoes before until I went to Beijing, China. Odd thing is once I came back from China, I noticed that we should the mini mangoes here in Ohio. Eitherway, I saw someone there eating what seemed to be an oddly shaped banana, but on closer examination, this lady was eating a mango. She had peeled the skin off like a banana. Interestingly it works well with these Mini Mangoes, and is better if the mango is ripe. So here is my take on peeling mangoes. The benefits are great: 1. you dont waste any of the mango, 2. it is less laborious to peel and eat a mango. Unfortunately it does not solve the problem of the mess after.

Step: 1. Cut the mango skin superficially at 90 deg angles all the way down. Makes it easier to peel (without the skin breaking off mid peel)

Step 2. Peel the mango gently.

Step 3. Eat the mango.

Obviously if you are out and about, and do not happen to carry knives with you, you can easily enough just peel the mango without cutting. This is just a tad messier, but better than not eating a mango at all.

on to sprouting and growing a mango tree from a seed

June 25, 2012June 25, 2012

When to start training a baby… to use chopsticks…

Vivienne loves to mimic us and do things we are doing. It’s rather cute. We were at Sunflower Chinese Restaurant this past weekend eating some Dim Sum, and ViviBear really wanted to play with our chop sticks. Well I figured what the heck. I let her have mine, since she already threw hers on the ground. The first thing she did was stab some shrimp dumplings [Hsia Jiao] (i was never good with the phonetics) and proceeded to feed herself. She stopped, and gave me a sly look and offered to me. Not a bad try. Heck I still stab food with my chopsticks too. Actually, I apparently do not even use chopsticks properly. When I spent a month in China a 4 years ago, the servers or owners at the local restaurants/food carts would love to point out to me how I use chopsticks really weird and like a child. Well whatever. Back to the point. I wonder if it is too early to start training Vivienne how to use chopsticks. Well, it’s kind of like me teaching her Chinese I suppose, or a penguin teaching a pomeranian how to fly. Well I at least can kind use chopsticks to move food from point A to point B, no matter how improper my technique.

“Vivi trying to use chopsticks”

On one of her attempts she actually grabbed some sticky rice with the chopsticks, but I unfortunately did not record that part. I dont really remember when I learned how to use chopsticks. maybe it’s innate in all Asian people (hah). I still find it amazing to watch ViviBear grow up, and start doing new things. I fear the day when she starts doing things I dont want her to. shudder.

On a similar note, it’s funny to hear some people’s reaction to things like potty training. Vivienne has been using the baby toilet since about… 6 months? maybe earlier. I dont remember. There is a picture somewhere with a censored ViviPoo After re-reading that post, I think she was around 6-7 months when she first started.

I figure, if we can train our offspring to do things early as possible, why not? I mean I do not forsee any sort of “traumatic experience” as long as we are not berating and yelling at them. I figure if I see her doing something, we can give her positive reinforcement such as fetching slippers:

I mean she started washing windows on her own (after watching Nai Nai do it) as soon as she could cruise:

“10 month old window washer (from MommyMD)”

Now I just need her to start mowing the lawn.

May 24, 2012May 24, 2012

Oodles: noodle and dumpling bar

Eating lunch at Oodles off of Main Street by the adolescent medicine clinic. Ordered the special of the day:sezchuan eggplant.

For $7.39 you get the main dish, a side (I chose sweet amd sour soup), and a drink. Overall if you like eggplant, you’ll like this.

Got a side of hot and sour as well. I must say this is pretty good. Too nad I likely wont come down town just to eat this, then again it, may worthwhile. Oodles is located next to indian oven.

May 10, 2012May 10, 2012

DIY: Uncrustables – save the money!

The home made uncrustable. Why pay $4 a box (about 1$ a sandwich) when you can just make it yourself. Reality is: it tastes the same, and you can do so much more. I personally like whole wheat, and avoid white bread when possible. You gotta have the fiber!

Dont want colon cancer one day (or hemorrhoids or constipation for that matter). Eitherway; I scoured the internet for a while looking for other “sandwich sealing” and “decrusting” devices. I came across one device from the Pampered Chef. From my earlier post I linked to a page the showed you how to make your own uncrustable as well [http://jonandlaura.blogspot.com/2009/04/im-in-love-with-cut-n-seal.html]

I really didnt want to fork over $10.00 (not including shipping) for this contraption. Let alone my biggest issue with this device… IT WASTES SO MUCH BREAD! Being circular… and most bread loafs are… well not.

Pan Pita: Sandwich Press and Seal and Decruster

I wanted something that was lest wasteful. With a lengthy google search I finally came across this one from Japan. I purchased it on amazon.com for about $3 and some, with free shipping. I actually later found it at my local Japanese Grocery Store to be about a dollar less, but after you add tax, meh. evens out.

Wonderbread made one too, but I didnt like the way it looked. I tried to find one that would make a shape of a penguin, but didnt really find anything.

Looking at the back of the package, there were some instructions in Japanese with pictures. You dont really need instructions to figure out how to stick some bread inbetween this device and press, but the pictures did give me some great ideas about making some ham and egg sandwiches (like you find at the Asian bakeries- at least the ones in Asia). For the purpose of this post, I am just going to stick with PB&J.

That said, I will do my step by step instruction for making my own uncrustables.

IMAG1257 — Pan Pita - decrusting and sealing device

IMAG1260 — 3. Stick the PB&J in the center and the loaf centered on the device

Here I like to get a little wild (though it is now demonstrated in the photo) and get the PB and J all the way to the edge. I figure that once I cut the crust off, I dont want to waste it, so I am going to eat it anyway. Might as well have some PB&J on it already.

IMAG1261 — 4. Stick the other side of the bread on top

IMAG1263 — 5. Place the top part on and PRESS!

IMAG1266 — 7. Take top off (the device not yours)

IMAG1269 — 9. Place in sandwich bag and freeze.

What I did the first day I tried it was I used a whole loaf of whole wheat bread. Made some uncrustables, placed them in a baggies and threw them in the freezer. For one thing, this will keep my bread from going stale. I usually eat a whole bunch, then forget about the bread. Then the bread goes bad.

At least this way it will be preserved better. Just like the Smukers Uncrustabels, when you want to eat it, take it out of the freezer, let it sit for about 30-4o min. Then voila. Chomp down as one would on the left. I figure when ViviBear goes to school in about 5 years from now, I can have her take PB&J with her. I wont have to wake up extra early just to make her lunch. What a great money saving time saving idea!!! I also figured each time I make the sandwiches from a whole loaf, I’d be able to just eat the crust as my lunch or what not. I’d hate to waste all that crust. I never understood why people hated the crust so much. I actually like the crust.

So with my stash of PB&J without crust sandwiches, I had some snacks premade for the next few days. I noticed each time I checked them out, my stash was slowly disappearing. Turned out MommyMD was taking them to work to eat. Well someone is eating it.

Overall review of the Pan Pita: Cheap. Easy to clean. easy to use. Some bread (if smashed a bit) will not fit perfectly, and you may have some residual crust. I’d rather have that than waste too much bread as you would with the Pampered Chef CutNSeal. Buy one if you want to be lazy like me and premake the PB&J. When I showed this to my mother her response was: why are you so lazy? Just make the sandwich when you want it. meh…

April 29, 2012April 29, 2012

Uncrustables! Why make your own PB&J?

My buddy Tejal introduced me to this amazing invention. Apparently it has been around “for a long time” yet I have never seen or come across it before. I was sitting in the dining room and I saw Tejal with this apple pie/dumpling looking snack. It appeared very tasty. When she told me what it was I was in awe, yet dumbfounded. Why would anyone buy this? It is probably much more expensive than getting two slices of bread, some jelly and peanut butter. If you really hate the crust just cut it off. It just looked so good I decided to go pick up one up in the cafeteria as well (after eating lunch already).

First impressions: just two pieces of bread with PB&J crimped along the edges. Yumm! Well no less yum than a PB&J sandwich, but YUM nonetheless.

PROS: with the ends crimped, you dont really have to worry about the jelly falling out on one end. It’s premade and comes frozen. You let it thaw at room temp for 30 min and then eat it up to 8 hrs (according to the box). If you hate crust… voila no crust. Easy for the lazy or kitchen challenged parent to grab one, throw it in a lunch box, and send the kiddies on their way to school.

CONS: cost! about 3$ for a box of four. I dont think it comes in whole wheat.

Overall: cool idea, and I wonder if they sell crimpers to make these things at home in case Vivi hates crust, and I want to premake PB&J weeks in advance.

Suffice it to say, on my milk run tonight I opted to buy a box or two and share with MommyMD.

Thanks Tejal for introducing me to such a cool treat.

here’s a little diddy I found from a google search on making your own:

http://thecreativeimperative.blogspot.com/2011/06/make-your-own-uncrustables.html

http://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Sandwich-Sealer-N-Decruster/dp/B004M5J1NG

I’m liking this:

Now I need a penguin shaped sandwich sealer

April 28, 2012

Mango Mojito

I love mangoes, and what’s better than a Mango Mojito?

You will need:

Mango Rum – I personally like the Malibu for some reason, but it depends on your pref.

Diet Sprite – I like to use diet sprite instead of the tonic water
Mint Leaves
Lime

Mix 50/50 Diet Sprite with the Mango rum, throw in a mint leaf and then throw in a slice of Lime. Voila. Mango Mojito. You can obviously change the ratio of Rum to Sprite. Eitherway it’s tastey.

April 28, 2012April 28, 2012

DIY Rotisserie Chicken/Cornish Hen

My personal Recipe for Rotisserie Chicken. I personally use Cornish Hen because they are smaller/easier to handle. I also dont want tons of leftovers.

Things you need:

2 Cornish Hens
Butter (doesnt matter what kind really) and a ceramic/porcelain bowl
Rosemary
Garlic or Garlic Salt
Rotisserie
Basting Brush
some sort of string that you can tie the legs and wings together (otherwise they flop all over)

I love my grill, and if you want a top of the line grill without going overboard, get an American Outdoor Grill (AOG). They are made by the same company who makes FIRE MAGIC, which is in the high end grill range. I will dedicate a review specifically when I get to it.

First you want to fire up the grill to heat it up. One thing I noticed is when grilling in the dead of winter with snow, things take FOREVER to cook. Didnt think it would matter since I would have the grill cover down, but… yep it matters. Eitherway, it is nice if you have a back burner for the rotisserie, but if you dont have one and just have a regular burner, that should be fine, as long as you get the temperature up to around 350-400 degF.

You will need to make the basting/marinade. I just use about half a stick of butter, place it in the bowl, place the rosemary and garlic salt in. Set the bowl in the grill as well (off to the side not on a direct flame). This melts the butter nicely.

Now wash up the hens nicely/thaw them out. Stick them on the rotisserie spit and tie the legs and wings together so they do not flop around as discussed earlier. Once the grill is up to heat, mount the spit on the rotisserie motor and let it roll. Take the butter/rosemary/garlic salt mix and start basting the hen every 5-10 min. This thing will smell amazing, and be so tender when it is done.

So how long should you cook this for? Well in the dead of winter, I’ve noted cooking times as long as 1-2 hrs. Not sure if it really should take that long, but it was definitely cooked and was not dried out at all. During the spring/summer it seems 40 min is sufficient. I obviously would always make sure the meat is cooked through before eating.

Once all and done, eat up and share with friends:)

April 28, 2012March 6, 2013

DIY Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Recipe from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-s…
Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

* 1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
* 2 pounds ground lamb
* 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
* 1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Tzatziki Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:

Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.

Preheat the grill to high.

Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Tzatziki Sauce:

16 ounces plain yogurt

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

Pinch kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced

Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

April 28, 2012April 28, 2012

Steamed Salmon with Spring Onions and Tsai’s Special Sauce

: Fresh Salmon

This recipe was inspired from:

First you take some fresh salmon, clean it up real good like a gangsta.
Throw some salt on it
Cut up some spring/green onions length wise and sprinkle it along the salmon
Let the salmon sit in the fridge for about 20 min (you dont want it to get all nasty on you)

: Ready to Steam

Then you want to steam the fish, but there are multiple ways to do this. You do not need a power burner, or an outdoor kitchen to do this, but it’s just so much more fun. The fish will take about 20-30 minutes to steam. While that is gett’n goin, you will want to prep the special sauce. Now I can not really take any credit for this at all, but I did take some liberty in how this is made.

The Sauce:

take some fresh garlic, about 3-4 cloves, dice them up and throw them in a small pot to boil
cut some ginger in discs, sqaures, strips, doesnt matter. I always am at a shortage of giner, so I just use ginger powder (good enough). How much? meh… trow in a tsp or so.
throw in some brown sugar, about 3-5 tbl spoons
add 3/4 cup to 1 cup light soy sauce
add 3/4-1 cup of cooking wine (sometimes I use Soju or Sake)
get about 2-3 tsp of seasamie oil and heat it over an open flame to get it nice and toasty, then add it into the sauce concoction.
continue to hear the mix until it boils a bit, then you are good to go. you can play around with amount of ingredients.

Now the fish and sauce shold be ready. You want to be careful with the fish, as there will be a lot of water sloshing around. Try to drain some if possible. However you do it, just be careful because it is HOT.

Pour the sauce over the fish and serve. Goes great with some stir fried spinach and rice. yummmmmmmmm.

February 12, 2012March 5, 2012

Biscuits+Honey Bears – Babies = :)

In a followup to my Biscuit and Honey post. I figured I would just buy frozen biscuits and a honey bear from Kroger. Can NOT beat fresh Biscuits and Honey. Just need to keep the honey away from the baby. PSA: no honey for babies, or you get a floppy baby… then a dead baby. That is no good.

but the sweet delectable honey on biscuits is!