Sonia Tastes Hawaii

One of my versions of Shrimp & Grits

 

We had a late breakfast today, so we skipped lunch and had an early dinner

Our dinner last evening was breakfast of grits, eggs and bacon..when I make grits, I always make double, so that I can have leftovers..but I usually pour the leftovers in bowls that have flat bottoms and straight sides,. When I unmold them, they look like thick discs... Dinner tonight was one of my versions of Shrimp & Grits... using the discs as base..

 

Cooked grits

Fresh asparagus spears

Shrimp

Butter, bacon grease, or avocado oil

Dry Sherry

Greek yogurt

Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce

Fresh flat leaf parsley

 

Make your grits as you would usually...save some and mold for another meal

 

When disc is cold and firm, slide from mold and heat in skillet...this time I used bacon grease left over from last night to heat the disc, on both sides.

Then I cooked some fresh asparagus spear in the same bacon great until slightly al dente.

After taking the asparagus out of the pan, I add dry sherry to deglaze pan, then added a scoop of plain Greek yogurt, a couple of tablespoons of Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce. Mixed well and added the shrimp. Cooked shrimp just enough to turn pink.  they were so nice they popped when you bit into them/

 

To plate:

Grits disc

Asparagus

Shrimp

Sauce

Parsley as garnish

 

 

What is in your refrigerator and how to use it?...the times, they are changing, continued...

 

We're staying at home...hostages to a vicious virus... hopefully we are well stocked for a longer than 2 week siege...we also need to use up the bits and dregs left in jars, fridge drawers and fruit bins before things spoil...or just to make room ...but trying hard to use up everything and not let anything go to waste.

 

My friend Karen did something I thought was pure genius... she found she had multiple jars of jam and jelly in the fridge, none full but all still good. To save space and be thrifty, she put them all together in a pan, brought it to a boil and recooked them, making mixed fruit jam. She had strawberry, red raspberry, and black cherry, but you can do that with whatever combination of different jams and jellies you might have on hand. Karen washed the largest of the jars and stored the mix back in it.

 

 

Yesterday I found I had a dozen Granny Smith apples and 4 or 5 pears that would soon spoil if I didn't do something with them...so I cut them all in chunks, put it all in my Dutch oven, added a bit of leftover apple juice that was in the fridge, a couple of spoonfuls of brown sugar, and cinnamon... Cooked them down to a pulp and mashed it all into 'a fruit butter'...  I got enough to fill a 32 ounce jar and a smaller jar I gave our next door neighbor.

 

Are bananas rotting?  Banana bread is simple to make and delicious...

Easy Peasy Banana Bread

3 medium bananas mashed

1/2 cup mayonnaise or dressing

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

 

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl mix together mashed bananas, mayo and egg. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and pecans

Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just until combined. Note: The mixture will be very thick, do not over mix

Pour into a greased loaf pan.

Tip: when greasing the pan, use butter and use granulated sugar instead of flour to coat the sides. It gives the surface a slightly crusty finish giving you a nice satisfying little crunch when you bite into it.

 

Bake 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from pan and allow to cool completely. Can be wrapped and frozen.

 

 

If you have bits and pieces of leftover veggies and chicken, or beef, pot pies are easy and delicious...you can use a combination of fresh or canned veggies, if that's what you have on hand.

Homemade Chicken (or beef) Pot Pie

3 chicken thighs - boneless, skinless (or bits and pieces of leftover chicken or beef)

3 medium-small potatoes, quartered

3 medium-small carrots, cut in several chunks

1 small onion - diced small

1 shallot - diced small

1 garlic clove - minced

 

I cleaned/cut off all the fat globs left on the chicken.  Placed chicken in medium saucepan with water and added the peeled and quartered potatoes and peeled and chunked carrots...Of course, if the chicken or beef you have on hand, are leftover, just ignore this part...

 

Saute the onion, shallot and garlic in just a little bit on olive oil, just long enough to sweeten the taste, but not brown.

 

When the chicken and veggies are cooked, add the sautéed onion, shallot and garlic combination, season with salt and pepper (*) and cook down to a very small amount of chicken broth.  Take the chicken and potatoes out and dice small and cut the carrots in small medallions.

 

To the chicken and veggies combination I added petit pois leftover from a previous meal,  and the leftover Broccoli-Cheddar Cream Soup from a couple of days before...and heated it just a little bit to combine with the little bit of chicken broth and to meld the flavors.

Use your favorite pie crust recipe for the top.  I used a Bisquick dough for the topping and I did not put a bottom to ours.

 

I love coming up with new ways of using leftovers... and sometimes cannot duplicate my efforts because it all depends on what I have on hand...!

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is in your pantry and how do you use it?...the times, they are changing, continued...

In one of the groups in which I'm a member the discussion topic a week or so ago was:

''We can't really avoid this topic. If it comes down to eating from our pantry staples, what are some of your favorite recipes using canned and dry goods?''

We keep an emergency food pantry year 'round due to several reasons, and one of them is...why not be prepared when you live in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and 'things can happen unexpectedly'

Here is a list of some staples/canned goods we normally keep in the emergency pantry and use it periodically to rotate and keep our stock 'fresh' - below I will share a few of the things we do with them.

Flour, Bisquick, yeast, sugar, salt, pepper, and other spices I use the most.  Coffee. Canned milks (condensed, evaporated), powdered milk, and long shelf life boxed plain milk (not almond or rice or soy, etc).  Cereals, grits, polenta, rice. Assortment of dried beans, Assorted pastas. Potato flakes are a good substitute if fresh potatoes are not available...can also be used as a thickener for soups and stews instead of using flour or cornstarch. We also like to keep an assortment of bottled juices and ginger ale.  Bottle juices can be too sweet for our taste and the addition of ginger ale helps.

We keep certain canned veggies in our emergency pantry...sliced carrots, beets, kernel corn and creamed corn, spinach, an assortment of beans (black, red, navy, garbanzos, etc) and petit pois (LeSueur brand is our fave) Also diced and or whole stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce or paste. I cannot stand the taste of canned green beans or asparagus.

To keep the stash fairly fresh, I sometimes will mix a canned veggie with fresh to make soups or stews, or depending on veggie, mix with rice. Yellow rice with kernel corn and Spanish chorizo is a favorite. - I once bought some canned potatoes and used them in a potato salad...they weren't bad.

We keep a good supply of canned chicken and tuna...I can 'create' lots of different dishes with either... from salads, to sandwich fillings, etc...Not too long ago, I had lots of fresh broccoli and was trying to find ways to use it up...opened a can of chicken meat and made Chicken Divan... turned out not bad at all. Then of course, there is the old style tuna and pasta casseroles ;-) (although it's been ages since I've made that one.

I don't like canned soups but do like boxed soups...I also usually keep quite a bit of homemade chicken or vegetable stock in my freezer.. You can easily make chicken stock with the skin and bones and bit and pieces of a store-bought rotisserie chicken, strain into bags or jars. I make vegetable stock by saving peelings, parings, ends, limp veggies, etc and then strain into bags or jars.

Beans and rice can be turned into soups...in fact, almost any leftovers can be turned into soups.   I sometimes make a big pot of soup or stew by cleaning out the leftovers in the fridge. You can also turn them into a purée and use them as dips.

Leftover ham, or beef, or cooked liver can be turned into paté or sandwich spreads by grinding them with cream cheese in a food processor. Fritters or pancakes from mashed potatoes, or leftover corn...zucchini fritters are great also.

 

I made potato fritters with the leftover colcannon I had made for St. Patrick's dinner by adding an egg to the mix and 'frying' in one tablespoon avocado oil...You can also make croquettes out of almost anything by processing it with flour and they can be fried in oil or oven fried.

 

Fried rice or rice casseroles are something simple that can be made with leftover rice, a few leftover veggies or pieces of meat...

 "One Stick Butter" Rice Casserole

This version of the recipe is very accommodating; you can use any type rice and any vegetables you want. You can use fresh or canned veggies and switch as you wish...

1 cup Harvest Medley Rice (combination of Basmati Brown, Wild Rice, Heirloom Red Rice & Sweet Brown Rice) - this comes already mixed.

1 shallot or small onion, chopped
2 large button mushroom
2 celery sticks, chopped
5 water chestnuts, sliced
3/4 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 envelope onion soup / dip mix
1 stick butter, cut in pieces
2 cups water
Caramelize the shallot /onion in a tiny bit of the butter. Add the rest of the veggies, the rice, the onion soup mix, butter and water. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 30 minutes. I found I needed to cook the rice just a little bit longer, about 5 more minutes.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa or Dip

The secret of this one is the citrus and cumin...Fun to take to potlucks!

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans kernel corn, drained
1 large chopped red bell pepper
4 - 5 small chopped Hawaiian chile peppers
2/3 cup lime or calamondin juice
1 small bunch chopped parsley, watercress, or cilantro
1 small bunch chopped green onions, some of the green added
Garlic infused olive oil, to taste
1 - 2 teaspoons Badia Tropical Seasoning (no MSG) or to taste
2 teaspoons slightly heaped ground cumin, or to taste

Since we don;t care much for cilantro and my son cannot eat it, I use parsley or watercress, instead. You can add ripe diced avocado or tomatoes if you wish.

We serve them with little star bowl shaped corn tortillas for scooping.

Sometimes I will add canned dice tomatoes... Any leftovers can be used for lunch, wrapped in warm flour tortillas with melted cheese and served with a dollop of sour cream or Crème Fraîche

Yield: Enough for a small crowd and probably have leftovers.
Source: my new cookbook "From Soup to Nuts" page 68

 

An old family favorite: "Indian Corn Casserole" in the crockpot or in a Dutch Oven (if baking) - .an old campfire type recipe from when the kids were in scouts, adapted to making in the kitchen...rotating/using up some of the Emergency Closet canned goods along with grass-fed ground beef..

Indian Corn Casserole

1 can kernel corn

1 can red beans (not kidney)

1 can stewed (crushed) or diced tomatoes

1 can sliced mushrooms (drained)

1 pound lean ground beef

Salt & pepper to taste

or

your favorite seasoning mix

1 box Jiffy Mix cornbread mix

 

Brown the ground beef and discard any extra fat.

Mix all ingredients in a casserole, crockpot or Dutch Oven... and bake at 350 F until set and golden on top.

 

 

Here is another one using canned corn and Jiffy Cornmeal Mix - Original recipe by a friend in the cookbookers group (Blaise Doubman)

 

Corn Pudding 

1 can whole kernel corn - not drained
1 can cream corn
2 large eggs
1 box Jiffy cornmeal muffin mix
1 stick butter - melted
Salt & lots of black pepper
1 cup sour cream

Mix and stir
Pour into greased casserole
You can sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top before baking if you wish

Bake at 350 F for one hour

 

Impossible pies can be made with Bisquick and any leftovers as filling...just whirl some Bisquick, eggs, milk and seasonings in the blender and pour into a pie dish over whatever fillings you might have on hand.

 

Memories of past Chinese New Year Celebrations in Hilo

I thought I had attended them all, but I have a lot of them missing...or can't find records for them. To read them click on each link, below the date.

The Chinese New Year starts on the first evening of a new year's month with a new moon and lasts for 15 days.  It is also celebrated in China as the beginning of Spring. 

February 2008

Kung Hee Fat Choy - Chinese New Year Celebration in Hilo!

 

February 2009

7th Annual Chinese New Year in Hilo 

 

February 2010

This Chinese New Year is called the Year of the Tiger

 

February 2011

9th Chinese New Year Celebration in Hilo

9th Chinese New Year's Celebration in Hilo - continued

 

February 2013

11th Annual Chinese New Year Fest in Hilo

 

February 2014

12th Annual Chinese New Year Festival in Hilo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7th Annual Chinese New Year in Hilo

 

11th Annual Chinese New Year Fest in Hilo

 

♫ ♫ Mango…que rico el mango!...♫ ♫

This article was originally published in the Hamakua Times of Honoka'a  (August 2011 issue)

The mango season has me singing a song that originated in my birth island of Cuba. The original song words use ‘mambo’ instead of mango…and ‘que rico’ means ‘how delicious’ ….and we know that mangoes are now plentiful, at their peak and definitely onolicious! 

In a column I wrote for The Hamakua Times in July of 1999, I mention that the mango (Mangifera indica) is probably a more important fruit in the tropics than the apple is in the temperate zones and has been in cultivation for at least 6,000 years. 

In another column for this same newspaper, in August of 2000, I again write about mangoes and share that the mango is a relative of the cashew and pistachio trees and also to the poison ivy and poison oak vines which we’re very lucky to not have in the islands! 

More mango facts: 

*There are hundreds of species and varieties of mangoes grown throughout the world.

*Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A and contain large quantities of Vitamins B and C as well as potassium, iron, iodine and calcium. 

*The top exporters of mangoes in the world are India, Pakistan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Israel, Peru and South Africa. 

*Some people can develop severe skin rashes when in contact with any parts of the tree or fruit, same as if they touched poison ivy or poison oak vines. 

*Ah Ping, Fairchild, Gouveia, Harders, Keitt, Momi K, Pope, and Rapoza are the best recommended mango varieties for Hawaii.

*In the Kama Sutra, Vatsyayana advises lovers to drink mango juice before making love… 

Whether that last one is true or not, I will let the readers find out for themselves. 

Mangoes have always been my most favorite fruit and when reading recipes using other fruits such as peaches, apricots and nectarines, I automatically think mangoes! 

Mangoes can be eaten out of hand just plucked from the tree with juices running down your chin and arms or in what my grandmother would have considered a more civilized manner by peeling and dicing, cutting or slicing the fresh fruit; mixed in tropical fruit salads, as juice by itself or in tall refreshing mixed drinks; in pies, cheesecakes, tarts, cakes, smoothies, ice cream, pickles, chutneys, mousse and puddings, sauces, soups, jams and preserves and even used as an ingredient in cooked dishes. 

Did you know?: 
*Mangoes have a practical application as a meat tenderizer. 
*The fruit is very high in Vitamin A (beta-carotene) which is considered a cancer-fighting agent. 
*Mangoes are said to be good for the kidneys, aid digestion, relieve clogged skin pores, reduce cysts and reduce excess body heat and fevers. 
*The mango flowers and sap also have medicinal uses, but there are many people allergic to the skin of the mango and the sap from the trees, but can eat a peeled fruit. *The leaves are toxic when digested.

Choosing and Storing: 
When choosing fresh mangoes make sure that the surface yields to gentle pressure and that there are no blemishes or dark and soft spots. 

A ripe mango will yield a very noticeable fragrant aroma. If the mangoes are still hard and green when picked, place them in a brown paper bag on the counter for a few days to ripen. If picked too soon, they will not ripen properly and will smell and taste like turpentine. 

A ripe mango can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. 

To freeze mangoes, just peel, seed and slice or cut in chunks and place in a freezer-proof plastic bag, taking care to extract all the excess air… or do as my mother used to do when we lived in Cuba and had more mangoes than we could consume… wash and freeze them whole. These can be used in recipes, or as we kids used to love to eat them, frozen and peeling with our teeth….they tasted like mango ice cream!

If you want to learn more about mangoes, celebrate the mango and taste all kine ono ways in which mangoes can be enjoyed, I invite you to attend the Hawaii Healing Garden & Mango Festival at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort this coming Saturday the 30th of July from 10 am to 5 pm. 

Mango Bread Pudding 




If you have only eaten plain bread puddings, you are missing great treats when combined with fruits. Serve hot or warm with your favorite tropical fruit sauce or the Mango Sauce recipe below. 

4 eggs 2 cups milk 
1/2 cup sugar 
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 
3 to 4 ripe mangoes, sliced 
5 to 6 cups day-old bread (*) 
1 Tablespoon butter, cut up small 
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped small and slightly toasted (optional) 

Spray 8 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Break up bread into pan, tuck mango slices in between bread and sprinkle the chopped nuts all over. 

Mix beaten eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla until all the egg breaks up and sugar is dissolved. Pour egg mixture over the bread and mangoes, dot with pieces of butter. Bake at 325 degrees for about 55 minutes. Note: Can be assembled night before and put in refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. 

(*) For a special treat, use Portuguese sweet bread. 

Mango Sauce 
Try this over the bread pudding above, ice cream, angel food or pound cake. For an even greater taste explosion, try over a slice of chocolate cake! Excellent served with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp. This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily. 

1 ripe mango 
1/2 to 1 cup fresh homemade lemonade 

Peel the mango and remove flesh cutting off from around the stone. Combine mango pieces with the lemonade in a blender and process until smooth. If too thin, add more mangoes. If too thick, add a little bit more lemonade. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a slow boil, stirring with a whisk. Remove from heat and cool. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. 

Habanero Chile Mango Ice Cream 




Eat cautiously! It is deceptively cool at first, and absolutely delicious, but then........... hot, Hot, HOT!

1 quart Half & Half
6 or 8 whole cardamom pods 1 vanilla bean pod, split 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup mango juice
Juice from one lemon
1 cup sugar
3 or 4 Habanero chile peppers, seeded, cored and chopped
1 large ripe mango, peeled and mashed

Bring Half & Half, cardamom and vanilla pods to nearly boiling. Do not scald. Let cool completely, at least 4 hours.

Mix mango juice and cornstarch. Add sugar and lemon juice bringing mixture to a boil. Simmer till mixture begins to thicken. Let cool completely.

Remove cardamom and vanilla pods from cream. Add juice mixture, the chopped Habanero chiles and mango pulp.

Mix thoroughly. Freeze in ice cream maker, according to directions; or freeze in large bowl and whip every couple of hours till desired
consistency. 

Sonia's Note:
If you cannot find fresh, ripe mango buy frozen mango chunks. Comes in 3-5 pound bags at Costco - of course...fresh is better!

Also when you add the juice/cornstarch mixture to the cool milk mixture, it stays sort of solid. I had to strain through a fine mesh sieve and then push it through with a spoon. 

Picnic with mainland friends

 

Sorry about my finger in the pic... 

Friends from the mainland are visiting our island from Oregon...they've been staying on the Kona side but came over to join us for a picnic at Leleiwi Beach Park yesterday.

Friends Galyn & Sharon also joined us...and Galyn invited a new Big Island resident to come and join us to get to meet some people.

 

Tomato Tart with caramelized purple onion, Gorgonzola crumbles, and fresh thyme

 

Cheese & fruit tray (I forgot to put the crackers out!)

Tomato tart, taro rolls, rice, Puerto Rican stew, mixed green salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado, cheese & fruit tray...and pumpkin pie for dessert... fruit punch and water the beverages.

 

Photo by Mark G - All set, but waiting for one more!

 

Photo by Mark G - YUM!

 

Photo by Mark G - Mark, Kerry, Sonia, Galyn, Michael, Sharon, & Anthony

Photo by Mark G. - It was a gorgeous day...and a good time was had by all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maggie and Beach Day

 

A group of friends gets together on the first Sunday of each month for 'Beach Day'... it's a potluck affair and everyone who can go is invited.  We don't go every Sunday, but did the first Sunday and also attended the 'Bonus Beach Day' yesterday to welcome back friends from Oregon who are spending a few days on the island.

 

We had a great time...the day was gorgeous, which was actually a bonus, because we have been having horrible weather for the last couple of weeks...windy, cold, and rainy...but yesterday was pristine!

Maggie was in her element...first our little friend Acasia walked her for a bit...and everyone had to say Hi and pet her..she loves that!

 

Anthony, Maggie & Wade

Maggie had some Anthony time...

 

Anthony, Maggie, Wade, Carey, Galyn. Sonia, & Sharon! (Wade and Sonia playing 'footsies'...)

 

She also had to have some Sonia time.

 

The potlucks are always fabulous!

Stasia and I were talking to Maggie, while Wade, Lori, and Sharon were serving themselves. Stasia and Wade are our friends from Portland... a Beach Potluck is the perfect welcome!

 

...and Maggie loved all of the attention!

 

Photos by Liz & Stasia

Meyer lemons and lots of tips

 

My Meyer lemon tree has been producing lots of lemons the last couple of years.  At this time we have ripe fruit, still green fruit and blossoms!

Besides making Limonade, Limoncello, Spritzers,  and Limoncello Cream there are lots of other things you can do with them...

 

Tips for using Meyer Lemons –

*From my friends Diane in California and Deb in Georgia –Use a vegetable peeler and save the peel before juicing the lemons. Freeze the peels in small snack size bags. When lemon zest is needed, just take the needed amount out, defrost, mince and you will have fresh lemon zest to use in baking and all types of recipes.

The Meyer Lemon peels can be candied as well. They are really tasty and make pretty decorations for cup cakes, cakes, tarts, and other pastries (see my great-grandmother's recipe below)

The following are by Amy Scattergood Los Angeles Times Staff Writer in the January 16th, 2008 issue.

* Infuse your favorite olive oil with Meyer lemon peel: Warm a cup of olive oil and the peel from 2 lemons over very low heat for 15 minutes, then allow cooling for half an hour. Strain and pour into an antique bottle with a tight stopper.

* Make Meyer lemon vinaigrette with extra virgin olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, a splash of champagne vinegar, sea salt, cracked black pepper and a little lemon zest.

* Add Meyer lemon peels into a jar of honey and allow to sit for a few weeks; the peel will perfume the honey while it slowly candies in the jar.

* Perfume your sugar bowl by stirring strips of Meyer lemon peel down into the sugar.

* Make Hollandaise sauce with Meyer lemon.

* Whisk the zest of a few Meyer lemons into your favorite meringue recipe.

* Throw the peel of a Meyer lemon on the grill before cooking shrimp.

* Peel a whole Meyer lemon in one continuous long strand and drop the peel into a mug of hot chocolate.

...and my Great-grandmother's Candied Citrus Peels

Great-Grandmother Rachel (Rate) McElrath Parker Fisher's Grapefruit / Orange / Lemon Rind Candy

Better if made with thick skinned fruit

1. Quarter the rinds.
2. Soak in cold, salty water overnight.
3. Pour all (rinds and salty water) into a boiler. Bring to a rolling boil.
4. Pour off water and cover with tap water.
5. Bring to another rolling boil.
6. Repeat about 6 to 8 times (no salt, just water)
7. Drain and cover heavily with sugar and cold water - continue to add sugar and water as it cooks down -- cook about 3? hours with lid off on low heat (or until cooked down). Turn with fork.
8. Watch closely so it doesn't stick or burn on bottom.
9. Take rinds out and put directly on a pan (no foil or wax paper)
10. Turn occasionally while cooling.
11. Sprinkle with sugar on each side.
12. Let stand out overnight (not covered)
13. Cut with scissors when it is getting dry -- put in a plastic sack with sugar and shake.
This was not written down-- Mama (Nancy's mom, Kathy Griggs Pearson) just told from memory, thus the ? on cooking time.
Delicious!

Sonia's note: I remember eating this made by my Grandmother Arla Genevieve fisher Harris, but never saw her make it!

ps...if I left this out overnight, uncovered, my kitchen would be crawling with ants and geckos trying to get to them!

 

5th Annual Christmas Party

 

This past Saturday & Sunday were very busy days for me...

On Saturday I participated in a cookbook signing event at a bookstore on the other side of the island, so a 3 hour event turned into an all day affair...

and on Sunday, our group of friends, and friends of friends held our 5th Annual Christmas Party at a local county park, with our friend Galyn acting as host.

 

As usual, too much food...delicious or 'onolicious' as we say in Hawai'i, desserts, a fun gift exchange game (where I was the very last person to pick a gift and got the olive wood board and mortar & pestle I had been tracking all during the game and got to steal it and keep it!)

The most incredible dessert was brought by our young friend Lori!. Her dessert was the talk of the party and I want to share it with you, because I think it would be a wonderful dessert to feature during any Holiday Party!

It is called a Kransekake, a traditional Danish and Norwegian confection, usually eaten on special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, Christmas, or New Year's Eve.

 

Following is the recipe as she found it, but she made a couple of substitutions and an addition, which I thought made it even better!

Lori followed the recipe, but used almond flour instead of the ground almonds and omitted the pistachios, but added about 2 tablespoons of Japanese matcha tea powder and 1 teaspoon ginger powder.

Christmas Kransekake

600g (4 cups) blanched almonds, finely ground
600g (4 cups) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
3 large egg whites, beaten
1 tsp almond extract
300g (2 cups) Iranian pistachios, finely ground

For the decoration

3 egg whites / 6 tbsp pasteurized egg whites
600g (4 cups) icing sugar
25g (2 Tablespoons) white sugar florist paste
Cornflour, for dusting (she used powdered sugar)

To make the dough, tip the ground almonds and icing sugar into a bowl, add the beaten egg whites and the almond extract and mix to a dough with your hands. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight or freeze for 30 minutes.

For the star, roll out the florist paste on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour to the thickness of a 2 pence piece. Make a template, then cut out 2, six pointed stars each measuring 5cm across. Cut a 2mm channel from one of the points of each star into the middle of each star and leave to set.

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°F/gas 5 (between 350 and 375). Line 3 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 2cm thick. Place the ground pistachios on a large baking sheet and gently roll the ropes in the pistachios to coat - (since Lori did not use the pistachios, she instead mixed the macha tea powder into the 'dough' and did not do this step)

Gently press the tops of the ropes with the heel of your hand to flatten them slightly–this will make it easier to form them into rings. Run an offset spatula under the ropes to loosen.

Cut the dough into strips (these will become rings): The smallest strip should measure 8cm, the next 11cm, the next 14cm and so on. Continue in 3cm increments until you reach the largest strip, which should measure 41cm long

Shape the strips into rings and push the edges together to seal. Make sure the curved surface is on the outside of the rings. (The smaller rings are the hardest to make, so take your time shaping them.)

Place the rings on the prepared baking sheets. Place a piece of parchment on top of the rings. Place an empty baking sheet on top of the parchment paper and press gently to flatten the tops of the rings. Remove the baking sheet and parchment paper and bake the rings for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool completely.

For the icing, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Gradually whisk in the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, until stiff, glossy peaks form when the whisk is removed.

Once the rings have cooled, begin to build the tower. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a number 4 writing nozzle. Pipe a few dots of white icing onto the base of the largest ring and stick it to a large serving plate. Pipe the icing in a zigzag pattern around the ring. Repeat with the remaining rings, stacking them one on top of the other, from largest to smallest, piping a zigzag pattern on every ring.

Once the stars are hard, interlink the 2 stars by sliding one channel into the other creating a 3 dimensional star.

Top the kransekake with the star and dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

Any mistakes in the conversions between metric and US measurements are mine.

 

Welcoming new friends

Yesterday we welcomed new friends when a small group of friends got together for a pot-luck picnic at one of our beach parks.  

Our host invited us to a late afternoon shish kebab cookout at our favorite little pavilion at Leleiwi Beach Park...he did not assign dishes to the rest of us, but as it seems to always work out, no matter how large or how small the group, the food was plentiful, delicious, and varied!...unfortunately, I did not get to take a picture of every single dish.

There was a cheese board with rosemary flavored almonds, apples, cheddar slices, a crock with blue cheese spread, grapes, and pimento stuffed olives.

 

Delicious pasta salad!

 

An assortment of shish-kabobs, not all pictured - shrimp, chicken, kielbasa, beef, and tofu for the vegetarians - our host pre-boiled the mini-potatoes first, then coated them with avocado oil and seasonings before adding them to the sticks... I tasted a piece of the beef and the kielbasa and they were both delicious, but the shrimp was perfect...YUM!

 

 

My plate with the shrimp kabob...at top right corner a rice dish, cooked in beef broth and then stir-fried with onions and veggies, plus cubed fresh mangoes and on far right, the pasta salad

 

 

We also had a choice of three desserts!  Pictured is the pumpkin cheesecake (delish!) - story behind the pumpkin cheesecake...once upon a time, one of these made by the person who brought it, was auctioned off at a school benefit in Colorado for $300!!!! -  not pictured a chocolate cheesecake and a traditional pumpkin pie.

The day was blustery and breezy, but not as cold there at the point as it can get...but a very good time was had by all, as we welcomed new friends to the island!

E komo mai to the Gonzalez Family!