Katsu Spam Musubi

 My childhood favorite all grown up!  If you love spam musubi you are going to have your mind blown by this treat! Crispy on the outside while being savory, sticky, and meaty on the inside. This one is sure to be a favorite among both the adults and keiki!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Spam Musubis

1 can SPAM

At least 4 cups cooked white rice

Nori Sheets cut in half

Katsu Coating

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup oil for frying

Toppings

Sushi sauce, unagi sauce or thick teriyaki sauce

Furikake

Directions

1. After your white sticky rice is done cooking slice the spam into 12 pieces and fry until golden brown.

2. Assemble your spam musubis using a spam musubi maker. Search on Youtube if unfamiliar with spam musubi making steps.

3. Get out a bowl and crack and mix the eggs into it.

4. Get 2 small plates and pour flour into 1 and panko into the other.

5. Heat up the oil in a pan on medium high.

6. Dip a spam musubi into the flour then egg, then last panko and place into hot oil. Fry about 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Use tongs to help fry the 2 ends as well!

7. Repeat for the rest of your spam musubi.

8. Cool for a few minutes then slice into sushi sized pieces. 

9. Garnish with teriyaki/sushi sauce and furikake and enjoy while crispy and hot!

 

Corned Beef Palusami

This is an easy and ono meal inspired by the famous coconut and luau dish brought to us from our Samoan friends! Crock pot meals are the best for busy, weekday meals and although it may not look the most "pretty" it sure does win in the taste category!

Serves 4-6 

 Ingredients

2 cans corned beef (Palm brand because it has large meat chunks)
2 cans coconut milk
1 bag taro leaves (about 20 leaves, rinsed)
1 onion, diced
Optional: 1 package imitation crab, chopped into large chunks

Directions

1. In crock pot lay half of the taro leaves on the bottom.
2. Add in the 2 cans corned beef, onion, 1 can coconut milk, and imitation crab, if desired.
3. Layer on top the rest of the leaves facing downward. Tuck in leaves so nothing will hang out from under lid.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. If possible, midway through cooking press down the leaves into the liquid. Remember, undercooked luau leaves will feel miserable on your throat!
5. Half an hour before serving, add another can of coconut milk.
6. Serve hot with rice!

Jalapeño Poppers

 Thank you to my life loving friend Laura for this recipe that has forever changed my foodie life. Here you have a sweet and spicy jalapeño boat stuffed with cream cheese and topped with crunchy browned bacon. Just 3 ingredients and this combination is killer because everything balances the heat out.

 I miss you Laura whenever I make these!

Makes 20 Poppers

Ingredients

10 large Jalapeños (the larger the more cream cheese they hold)

1 package cream cheese

1 pack bacon

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. I like to line my baking sheet with a drying rack so the bacon grease can drip off (see photo).
2. Slice off the stems of the jalapeños and slice them in half. Remove the seeds. This is where the intense heat is held so make sur you get all the seeds out. Lay these side by side on a baking sheet.
3. With a butter knife or spoon fill the jalapeno halves with cream cheese about 2/3 full as they will shrink.
4. Cut the bacon strips into thirds and lay one slice over each popper. 
5. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 
6. To give the bacon a nice crisp turn on low broil for 2-3 minutes or until bacon has brown edges.
7. Serve fresh and eat up. Some will taste sweet and others may surprise you with a little kick!

Sweet Cornbread

 My grandma used to make an amazing sweet cornbread and her secret was using yellow cake mix in the batter! The texture is perfectly fluffy, moist, and with a little grit of corn. This recipe is so easy yet so impressive and tastes heavenly when it's fresh out the oven with some honey drizzled over it.

Make it a chili dinner night and whip this up to go alongside it!

Makes 1 13x9 pan 

Cook time: Just 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix

9 oz Jiffy cornbread mix

1/3 cup milk

4 eggs

5 tablespoons butter melted

1 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray or wipe with some oil. You can also use cupcake pans.
3. Mix together cake mix and corn bread mix in a large bowl.
4. Add in the eggs, water, butter, and milk. It will be thick!
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center doesn't come  out wet. Be careful not to overcook as this will dry it out.
6. Enjoy your cornbread hot and fresh for breakfast, dinner or all by itself!

Fish or Chicken Piccata

When we're lucky my fisherman husband brings home fresh fish. I was getting tired of eating it the same old way... fried, fried, fried... Am I crazy for complaining about fresh fried fish!? So I decided to go for an Italian spin on things.

This piccata sauce is so rich, creamy, and citrusy it compliments both chicken and fish beautifully. Drinking white wine while cooking is also a good time!

Ingredients

Pasta of your choice (spaghetti, angel hair, fettucine, linguine, bowtie... you get the gist...)

Choice of Chicken thighs or white fish ( about 2 pounds of meat)

Sauce

1 cup Whipping Cream (to make a lighter version use half and half instead)

2 Tablespoons capers

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 stick butter

1 entire head of garlic, chopped (yes head not clove!)

1 cup White Wine of your choice, I like Chardonnay

Fresh or dried parsley to garnish

For meat Coating

Olive oil/oil of your choice

Flour

Salt/pepper

Directions

1. Boil pasta until slightly al dente (just a tad firm) as it  will cook more with the sauce.
2. Heat up a large pan and coat the bottom with a drizzle of olive oil.
3. Meanwhile take your cut up meat and dip it into a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper.
4. When the oil is heated, cook your meat until it has a little golden brown crisp on it. You get a crisp  coating my going medium high on the heat and by only flipping the meat once so it can brown.
5. Remove the fish or chicken from the pan and add the half stick butter, garlic, and capers into the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add in 1 cup white wine, 1 cup heavy cream, and lemon juice then heat until hot and bubbly. It will start to thicken into a creamy sauce. Add in salt and pepper to your liking.
7. Add your pasta into the pan and cook for a few minutes so it can soak up some sauce.
8. Finally top with your fish or chicken and sprinkle fresh or dried parsley before serving.
9. Enjoy your pasta dish with a side of white wine! Buon Appetito!

Crispy Reese's Cake

 

Makes 2 13 x 9 pans of cake

Cook time: 25 minutes (1 hour to chill)

Thank you Jaylin for this recipe! I instantly fell in love with all  the different textures in this dessert. The top starts with a smooth peanut buttery chocolate which has rice crispies to crunch through, then your hit with a gooey marshmallow all  on top of the rich chocolate cake! It is a perfect bite! This one is a winner at every potluck and someone always asks for the recipe!

Ingredients

1 package Devils Food Cake Mix

Eggs and oil from cake directions

4 cups mini marshmallows

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

2 cups peanut butter

3 cups Rice Crispy cereal

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two 13x9 pans.
3. Prepare cake mix according to the box directions  and pour evenly into the 2 pans.
4. Bake for 13 minutes.
5. Take out cakes from the oven and sprinkle marshmallows over cakes then return to oven and bake for 3 more minutes.
6. While cake is cooling heat up the peanut butter and chocolate over medium heat until smooth.
7. Once the chocolate mixture is smooth add in the rice crispies.
8. Spread this mixture over the cakes and chill in fridge for 1 hour before serving.
9. Be ready to share the recipes with your friends because if they know good food they WILL ask you  for it.

Smashed Potatoes

Makes 8 smashed potatoes (about 4 servings)

Cook time: 45 minutes

 This side dish is for the couple who can't agree between a baked potato or crispy fries. These potatoes are soft and fluffy in the center like traditional baked potatoes but crispy on the edges like hash browns and fries! No arguments necessary! Everyone can be happy!

Ingredients

8 Yukon Gold potatoes (These are creamy and buttery)
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Fresh or dried Rosemary or Thyme (chopped)

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes for 12 minutes or until a fork can pierce through and is soft.
2. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil or a non stick silicone mat.
4. Drizzle some olive oil onto the pan.
5. Place the potatoes spread out on the pan and smash it down with the bottom of a mug.
6. Drizzle over a little more olive oil and season with garlic salt, pepper, and rosemary/thyme.
7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. Crisp it off by setting on the low broil for 3 minutes or until the edges are brown and crispy.
9. You're all done, dig in, will never want plain baked potatoes again!

Thick Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stumbling upon a Pinterest picture of a cookie from NY's Levain Bakery was one of the best things to happen to my life. Apparently this style of cookie is from a super famous bakery that always has a line out the door. I see why if this cookie tastes anything close to the real thing..

Firm and crisp on the outside yet thick, goopy rich cookie dough on the inside. What else can you ask for in the perfect cookie? I made a few tweaks off some recipes I found to be the picture you see below.

There are many components to thank that make this cookie bypass your basic B from the back of the chocolate chip bag recipe.

For one, the extra hot oven temperature along with the massive size of the cookies allows the outside to crisp up quickly while keeping the inside slightly undercooked. Just as all cookies aspire to be. Next, is the cornstarch which thickens the batter and keeps it's tall shape. Lastly, there is some cake flour which makes the cookie very tender

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter cut into small cubes

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (apparently not in Levain's recipe but I prefer this vanilla taste included)

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt (don't skip it enhances flavor)

1 1/2 cups of a mixture of semisweet chocolate bar (cut up roughly) and chocolate chips -I like both for different sizes of chocolate but you can totally stick to one or the other

1 cup of Walnuts chopped (optional) I know this world is divided on team nuts in cookies vs. team no nuts so you decide!

Other add ons: Oats 1 cup, peanut butter 1/2 cup

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 410 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine the butter and both sugars and cream with a mixture until it's thick and creamy.
3. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix again.
4. In another bowl mix together the flours, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
5. With a spatula, stir together both mixtures just until combined. A basic rule to follow is never to overmix once you put together your dry and wet ingredients in cookies or it will make your cookie cakey instead of chewy.
6. Last, stir in your chocolate and nuts or whatever else you fancy.
7. Line your baking sheet with a silicone mat, tin foil, or parchment paper to help with cookie removal.
8. Make big cookie dough ball between the size of a ping pong and a pool table ball. You can fit about 6 at a time on a sheet.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookie will be a little golden brown on top but still very soft.
10. Here's the hard part... Let the cookies set up for 15 minutes before picking it up to eat.. Unless of course your plopping it right into your vanilla ice cream!
11. Die a little because this is the best thing you've eaten ALL week!

Pumpkin Bread

It's the end of March and I made this bread. Who makes the rules that you can only have pumpkin things in the fall? This recipe makes for a sweet, moist, hearty bread that you'll want to make year round.

Ingredients

Dry

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar

Wet

1 can (15 oz) canned Pumpkin
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice or water

Optional 

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix together the wet ingredients in another bowl.
4. Combine the wet and dry until just combined then add in your walnuts and cranberry if you like.
5. Bake in 2 loaf pans for 60 minutes or until a skewer or knife comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
6. This is so amazing to eat fresh out of the oven. 

Spam Bombs

Once I figured out where in the store they hide these tofu purses I immediately thought of what I could stuff them with. The possibilities are endless! This was the creation of my first idea. I have never seen this combination before but there's no way I'm the first.. Or am I? Anywho, this pupu is perfect for a party.

Makes 22 Spam pockets

Ingredients

2 cups sticky rice (dry) cooked
2 cans spam, sliced (I like using the SPICY flavor)
2 packages Abura-age (sweet pockets created from fried tofu)
Optional-Furikake, teriyaki sauce

Directions

1.  Add in 2 1/2 cups water with your rice into your rice cooker or pot for cooking.
2. Meanwhile, slice your spam into thin 1 inch long slices and fry until golden brown pink.
3. Once rice is done and slightly cooled fill the Abura-age pockets 2/3 way with rice.
4. Top the pocket with your preference of friend spam.
5. Sprinkle top with furikake and teriyaki sauce if you like!
6. Share with your buddies!