Kuhn Rikon Quickslice Mandoline

My Grandma is so good to us when it comes to kitchen items. I have fallen in love with Kuhn Rikon products. I have a few knives and I also have these babies!

These little things are absolutely great! If you don't have a large mandoline or just don't feel like busting out the big guns. These come in handy! I have two, one for grating and one for julienne . They have a notch under them to grip onto a bowl and are non slip. There is a guard that helps protect your hands as your slicing away.


I like using this one to shred carrots. You could use it to shred other vegetables. It would probably be great for making Cole slaw or any other dish that requires shredded veggies.

This one is great for making thin slices. It cuts 1/8" slices. It's great for onions, potatoes, carrots, and other veggies. It also has a double edged blade. These products are very easy to use. They clean easily as well. I believe they are also dishwasher safe. These are a great quick alternative to a standard mandoline. Great for quick recipes.



If you would like to purchase them you can purchase them here: http://kuhnrikon.com/products/tools/tools.php3?id=222

~Feather
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Recipe of The Day: Teriyaki Pork Steaks

This is just a quick recipe. I love teriyaki, and I have already featured a chicken recipe. So today I give you pork steaks.

I prefer to buy pork steaks instead of pork chops. You can use whatever meat you like. I just used a recipe from Hawaii's Best Local Dishes cookbook. Very easy to prepare.

Teriyaki Pork Steaks

Prep Time: Marinade 15-2hours (depends on how strong you want I did it several hours)
Serving Size: 4 People
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pack pork steaks
2 tablespoons oil for frying
3 tablespoons shoyu
4 teaspoons sugar
1 small chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)

Marinade:
2 tablespoons shoyu
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Combine marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag or plastic container. Marinade chops for 15 minutes or 2 hours. You can do it longer if you like. If you would like a stronger flavor.

Once marinading is done, heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown chops on both sides. Lower to medium heat and cook the chops until they are done. That will take about 5-6 minutes. Add soy sauce, sugar and chili pepper. Stir ingredients well until sugar is dissolved. I like to let the chops cook until the sauce because a little sticky. Keep an eye on them to make sure you don't burn them. You want to have a nice golden brown chop. I am serving these with hot rice and veggies. Enjoy!




~Feather

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Recipe of The Day: Pumpkin Seeds!

This is the first year we purchased Pumpkins to make Jack-O-Lanterns. We bought the kids mini pumpkins to draw on. Not only did we carve the pumpkins for Halloween, we also used the opportunity to make Pumpkin Seeds!

Pumpkin Seeds

Prep Time: Depending on what your doing with your Pumpkin. It took us about 30 minutes to clean and carve the pumpkins.
Serving Size: About 2 cups of Pumpkin Seeds
Cook Time: About 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Two Large Pumpkins
1 tablespoon Margarine or Butter
Salt to taste




The first thing you will need to do is obviously cut open the pumpkin and clean it out. This process can be lengthy. Get the pumpkin as clean as you can. We placed the seeds and other stuff in a large bowl.



Rinse and clean the seeds well and drain.





Now, you are supposed to let these dry out overnight. Since, we don't have time for all that. Well, we could but we really wanted to eat them. lol You can throw them in the microwave in the colander for about 3 minutes. Remove them from microwave, stir vigorously in colander to let some of the steam out. Then place on a cookie sheet spread them out to cool off.





Make your spread them out good. Make a scary face in your seeds to further cool! No just kidding, just make sure they are spread out enough to cool down.






Place seeds on cookie sheet in oven for about 10 minutes. Just ensure they are very dry. Remove from oven.







Get a shallow baking dish and line with foil. Pour pumpkin seeds in pan. Sprinkle with salt. Take one tablespoon of margarine or butter. Stir until it is well incorporated. Place in a 350 degree oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.




Remove from oven. Place back in colander, stir around a bit to let the steam out. Sprinkle with more salt. Seeds should be a nice golden brown. Let the seeds cool and enjoy! It's a lot of work, but well worth it. Here are ten health reasons that pumpkin seeds are great!

Prostate Protection
They promote overall prostate health and alleviate the difficult urination associated with an enlarged prostate.

Improved Bladder Function
In some studies, pumpkin seed extracts improved bladder function in animals.

Depression Treatment
They contain L-tryptophan, a compound naturally effective against depression.

Prevention of Osteoporosis
Because they are high in zinc, pumpkin seeds are a natural protector against osteoporosis. Low intake of zinc is linked to higher rates of osteoporosis.

Natural Anti-Inflammatory
Pumpkin seeds effectively reduce inflammation without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Prevention of Kidney Stones
They prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation, according to studies.

Treatment of Parasites
They are used in many cultures as a natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites. Studies also show them to be effective against acute schistosomiasis, a parasite contracted from snails.

Great Source of Magnesium
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds contains 92% of your daily value of magnesium, a mineral in which most Americans are deficient.

Lower Cholesterol
Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterols, compounds that that have been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.

Cancer Prevention
The same phytosterols that lower cholesterol also protect against many cancers.

Source:http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-pumpkin-seeds.html


~Johnny
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Recipe of The Day: Cornish Game Hens

Today's recipe is very simple! I got this recipe from my Mother. I believe she said this is something that my father used to make. I haven't made this recipe in years! There are only 4 ingredients and it will only take an hour and a half of your time.

Cornish Game Hens

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours
Serving Size: 2-4 People

Ingredients:
Two Cornish Games Hens (I got the ones with the giblets and necks already removed)
3 heaping tablespoons of butter or margarine(whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup Soy Sauce (I use a Korean brand that has a stronger flavor)
1 cup Maple Syrup (any brand)

Before you begin, make sure you follow the directions for thoroughly defrosting your Hens. Begin by preheating oven at 350 degrees. Then combine butter, syrup, and soy sauce in a small pan. The recipe originally calls for equal amounts of the butter, soy sauce and syrup. Because, I am using Korean soy sauce I only used 1/2 cup. The Korean soy sauce has a stronger flavor then most regular soy sauces you would find. You can adjust the flavors. Make sure that the flavor is balanced. You should not have anything that stands out more than the other. Heat stove on medium low heat. Keep stirring mixture until butter is melted and everything is well incorporated.


Next, place Hens in a shallow baking dish.

Pour mixture over hens. You can also baste them a bit before you stick them in the oven. Place in oven, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Baste Hens every 15 minutes. Hens should have a nice brown tone when they are done. You can also use a thermometer to make sure it is fully cooked.


And there you have it! Once I take the Hens out of the oven I like to drizzle a little more of the sauce mixture over them. This is a very simple and very tasty meal. You can pair this with some roasted or mashed potatoes and a side of veggies. Hope you enjoy!



~Feather
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Banginfood Mini Road Tour

Check us out!



We had a lot of fun!
~JP and Feather
Banginfood
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Taco No!

We bring you another review from our friends at Taco Bell. Today's review, the Volcano Taco...


So, I guess an in effort to bring out something fun, different, and gimmicky. Taco Bell unleashes the Volcano Taco! A red fiery, spicy taco which is supposed to have your mouth smokin! Based upon the commercials they run with people having smoke coming out of their heads. Placed on Taco Bell's value menu, you can't go wrong for just a mere 0.89 cents. At first glance, it's red all right. A hard red shell, meat cheese, and lettuce and the infamous volcanic sauce. JP took the first bite, and didn't seemed pleased. I took a bite, and it only took one bite for each of us to totally dislike this taco. At first bite, it's sort of bland and then it just gets really hot. Not even a flavorful hot. Just plain old set your mouth on fire. Taco Bell offers other regular tacos at the same price, and I can tell you they taste a lot better. So, skip the gimmicks and just buy a regular taco. This was not Bangin at all! Sorry Taco Bell.



The dissected Volcano Taco


So save your money and pick something else worth your while. This gets two thumbs down from the Banginfood Team.

~Feather
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Cookbook Series

Ok, I'm sure some are wondering where Johnny and I get are recipes from. A lot of them are recipes from our Parents and Grandparents. Sometimes it's just pure experimentation. We even find good ones online, and of course some of them come out of the cookbooks we have here at our home.


Today, I will share with you all my favorite cookbook. This cookbook is called Hawaii's Best Local Dishes, By Jan Watanabe Hee. This book showcases a lot of the favorite dishes loved by most local people of Hawaii. There are few classic American dishes, but the book stays true to Hawaii's many ethnic influenced foods. Some of the dishes include Korean Short Ribs, Kalua Pig, and Corned Beef Cabbage to name a few. All the recipes are easy to follow and the results are great! I like to grab this book when I feel like something from home. I took a picture of three of the recipes in the book to give you an example of what's inside.

There is a recipe for Oxtail Soup, in which they actually have a picture of. Looks pretty tasty to me. If your a fan of Oxtails this soup is pretty tasty. I wish Oxtails didn't cost so much, I'd be eating more of them!LOL

(Click on photos to enlarge)



(Picture of Oxtail Soup)

Then here are two more recipes, one for Lau Lau. I could eat Lau Lau all day. Lau Lau is a Hawaiian treat. Butterfish and Pork in Luau leaves, and then wrapped in Ti Leaves and steamed. The other recipe is for Chicken Katsu another favorite of mine. We have actually featured that recipe on the site before.




Here is another picture of some dishes featured in the book. In the upper left hand side is a picture of Nishime, on the bottom of that Curried Lobster with Fried Haupia. Then on the upper right hand side is Cold Chicken with Ginger Sauce, and on the bottom of that Chicken Enchilada and Spanish Rice. Everything looks so good.



I thoroughly enjoy making recipes from this book. If you are looking to try something different this definitely may spark your interest. There are dishes from many different Ethnic groups such as, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and of course Hawaiian. You may have to venture out to your local Asian market to find some of the ingredients, but it never hurts to try something new. You can purchase the book from Amazon. Hope you enjoyed.

~Feather

Link To Cookbook

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