Lihing Mui Animal Crackers

I couldn't find a recipe for these crackers anywhere on the internet! Thank goodness teachers are sharing because this treat is just genius. Who would have guessed that you could take a kid snack, throw some candied lihing mui powder on it, and it would turn it into something so dangerously addicting! Definitely puts the Crack in Animal Crackers...

Ingredients

About 5 cups animal crackers
1 1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 Tablespoons Lihing Mui powder

Directions

1. Melt butter and sugar and add lihing mui powder and salt.
2. Heat oven to 250 degrees.
3. Pour mixture over crackers in a large baking pan (big foil pan)
4. Bake for 1 1/2 hours and mix every half hour till it forms a candy coating.
5. Share with your friends! At first you'll get weird looks but then they'll love you even more.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you believe that the invention of the Chocolate Chip Cookie was an accident!? Ruth Wakefield was making chocolate flavored cookies when she realized she was out of baker's chocolate. She decided to drop in broken pieces of chocolate in hopes that it would melt and absorb into the cookies. Little did she know, her mistake was the first chocolate chip cookie!! Today I give you a recipe loaded with three of the most deadliest delicious combinations...rich peanut butter, chewy oats, and nauhty chocolate chips! You will LOVE these. THANK YOU RUTH! And thank you for mistakes!!!

Makes about 50 large cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, slightly softened (2 sticks)
2/3 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy that's up to you)
1 1/2 cup light/dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks (save the whites for an omelette perhaps?)


2 1/2 cups flour (make sure to level off top of measuring cup with a knife so you don't put too much)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a big bowl cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until it is smooth and fluffy (about 3 minutes) .
3. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, oats, and chocolate chips.
5. Carefully mix the flour mixture into the wet dough mixture until just combined. ( I like to put half the cookie dough into the freezer to bake another day for a fresh batch anytime!)
6. Scoop big ping pong ball sized dough onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Creating bigger cookies allows cookies to have crispier edges and soft interiors. Everything a cookie should be!
7. Bake for 12 minutes for a gooey plop on ice cream cookie, 13-15 for a chewy soft cookie *suggested, or 16-17 for a crisper cookie.
8. Eat while hot with a cold glass of milk or vanilla ice cream! Warning: Impossible to eat just one.

Crab and Cream Cheese Pockets

Truly, one of the prettiest things I have ever pulled out of the oven.  I bet you could do a ton of different versions of this... Pizza Pockets, Spinach artichoke dip, Portuguese Sausage and eggs, Apple pie... Way too many options! Whoever thought of this whole flower idea is a genius... No, no don't look at me, I can't take any of the credit. How did people even come up with ideas before Pinterest?! ;-)

Makes about 16 crab stuffed pockets

Ingredients

2 cans croissant or pizza dough
1 block cream cheese
1 cup of chopped real crab OR 1 package of imitation crab, chopped
3/4 cup mozzarella, parmesan or provolone cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs of green onion, chopped
paprika, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make crab mixture by mixing together cream cheese, imitation crab, cheese, garlic, spices and green onion. Set on the side.

3. On a cookie sheet, roll one can of dough into a big ball then flatten out into a large circle. Use a mug to make an imprint in the middle of the dough circle. 

4. Place the crab mixture on the dough in a ring shape and pile the remaining crab in a lump in the middle circle indentation.

5. Roll out the second can of dough, making sure this one is slightly larger than the first, and lay over the crab ring.

6. Use your fingers to press the dough down to hug the crab and be "fitted."

7. With a fork, press around all the edges to seal.

8. Using a sharp knife, cut slices all around the circumference about 11/2 inches apart. You can also slice an X in the middle for decoration. 

9. Here's the fun part... Take each slice and rotate it so it is facing up. Go in the same direction all around.

10. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until it is golden brown all over.

11.  Serve warm and be ready to get some hugs...

Cream Puffs

Filled with cream? Enough said... Here are cream puffs that are inspired by a bakery in Vancouver that served green tea puffs. Anyways, how often are you able to fly over to Oahu to get the ones at Liliha Bakery? Now you can bake these up right at home.

Green Tea Cream Puffs

Chantilly Chocolate! 

When Liliha Bakery is on the wrong island!

Makes 9 bomboocha cream puffs, 12 medium, or 20 mini puffs

Ingredients

Cream puff shells

1 stick butter

1 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan combine the butter, water, salt and sugar and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Remove the pan from heat then add the flour and stir vigorously for about 3 minutes. You want most of the moisture to steam off.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Dough should be smooth and satiny.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

5. Drop the dough in spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Use a heaping spoonful for large puffs and Tablespoon for mini puffs. Yes, they will look flat like a cookie at this point but that will change!

6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Meanwhile, make the cream filling (see below).

7. After puffs have fully cooled, poke a hole in the bottom with a chopstick/cut in half then fill a plastic ziploc bag with the cream filling, snip the corner, and inject the puff with the cream.

8. Garnish with powdered sugar, matcha powder, whipped cream, chocolate shavings or whatever your heart desires.

9. Eat up and try to share!

Variations of cream filling

Green Tea

1 cup heavy cream (or container of cool whip)

1 1/4 cup milk

1 package vanilla pudding mix

1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons Matcha powder (depending how strong you want it)

1. Mix together the milk, pudding mix, and matcha powder until smooth. 

2. Whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until it forms soft peaks, about 4 minutes. Skip step if you are using Cool Whip.

3.  Fold the green mixture into the whipped cream and chill in fridge until it's ready to fill the puffs

Chocolate/Chantilly

Chocolate Cream:

1 small box chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2-1 container cool whip (depending on the desired consistency)

1. Mix together milk and chocolate pudding mix

2. Fold in cool whip. Use whole container of cool whip if you want the cream to be more fluffy.

Chantilly:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup finely ground macadamia nuts ( I used my blender)

1. Mix together evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla in a bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water.

2. Cook over medium heat and stir constantly until thick, about 12 minutes.

3. Remove from heat then add in macadamia nuts and let cool.

4. Refrigerate until ready to fill cream puffs

Chicken Hekka

This is a delicious comfort food for a cold night! Did you know why they call it Chicken Hekka? It's because you will eat Heck of a lot. Alright, don't worry I have better taste in food then jokes.

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

2-3 pounds boneless skinless thighs cut into chunks
3/4 cup shoyu
1/4 cup sugar
1 can chicken broth + 1 can water (or more)
1 small piece  (2 inch) smashed ginger
1 carrot sliced
1 bag pepeiao soaked in hot water and sliced
1 onion sliced
1 can bamboo, drained
big handful/can of mushrooms
1 handful watercress
1 bundle long rice soaked in hot water and cut into shorter noodles
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a big pot cook the chicken until no longer pink then drain the extra oil.

2.  Along with the chicken add in chicken broth, water, sugar, ginger, shoyu, and onions and bring to boil then lower to medium heat for 10 minutes.

3. Add in the bamboo, carrots, pepeiao, and mushrooms and continue to simmer until carrots are tender (about 10 minutes).

4. Turn off heat then mix in the watercress and long rice. Let sit for a few minutes until noodles are soft.

5. Serve on rice.

Pirate Stew

This is what Black Beard ate when he landed in the Caribbean. Actually, I have no idea why this is called pirate stew. More importantly, it's tasty! Thank you to Uncle Bill, Kelsey's uncle who gave me this recipe after I went back for 3 servings. Going back for more has to be the best compliment you can give a chef!

Ingredients

3 pounds pork ribs chopped into bite sized pieces
4 large tomatoes
1 onion diced
2 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic
2 handfuls spinach
salt and pepper
water

Directions

1. Brown pork and drain out excess oil.
2. Boil about 2 1/2 cups of water and add in bay leaves, pork, and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes.
3. Lower heat to simmer and add in onions and tomatoes and continue to cook for 45 minutes.
4. Turn heat off then stir in the spinach leaves.
5. Serve hot over rice!

Pickled Mango

What comes to mind when you think of the summer, Hanapepe, and side of the road? Some people might think of that Japanese guy with the toothless smile, short shorts, joyfully waving around his flags, but for me I think of pickled mango being sold. Here's a recipe that will make you want to bust out your short shorts and dance alongside the road too ;-)

Makes 1 big jar of pickled mango

Ingredients

4 green mangos

Pickle Sauce

(Depending on whether you like your mangoes more sweet, salty, or bitter, you can adjust these ingredients. Use these measurements as a guideline)

1 cup rice vinegar

2 cups water

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Hawaiian Salt

A dash of li hing mui powder

Li hing mui seeds

Directions

1. Peel mangoes then cut into thin slices. 

2. In a pot boil the water, turn off the heat, then mix in the brown sugar and salt until it dissolves.

3. Remove the pot from heat then add in the rice vinegar and li hing mui powder and seeds.

4. Let cool then pour over mangoes and put in the fridge.

5. Let mangoes soak up the sauce and it should be ready to eat in 2-3 days!

Brownkies

YOU MUST MAKE THESE! Brownkies, Brookies, Coonies whatever you wanna call it, these are a combination of the 2 best things in the dessert world, brownies and cookies. This has to be one of my favorite desserts when it's hot from the oven and plopped on a scoop of vanilla ice cream! I die!
Adapted from my friend The Brown Eyed Baker

Just look at that crackly crust...

And who could forget that gooey center?

May I interest you in a fresh Ice Cream Sandwich?

Makes 20 big Okole cookies

Ingredients

3 cups of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup and 3 Tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with wax paper.

2. In medium pot simmer water. Place chocolate and butter in smaller pot and place pot in barely simmering water.

3. Stir until smooth and melted.

4. Mix together eggs, vanilla, and sugar.

5. Combine flour and baking powder.

6. Pour chocolate mixture into eggy mixture and stir until well mixed.

7. Combine wet mixture into flour mixture just until incorporated and friendly then scoop medium sized globs onto cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes and eat right away with milk or ice cream. Ahhhhhhhhh

Acai Bowl

When I first figured out I could make this I think I ate it for breakfast and snack for almost a year (remember that Divina?). Luckily, it's healthy and the ingredients are fairly easy to get anywhere you are. I made it in Washington when I was homesick even if it was snowing outside. Okay you guys, no more spending 12 bucks now for this little bowl of purple smoothie!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries or frozen blueberries

2 bananas (apple banana is best use 3)

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (optional)

1/2 cup acai juice (find at CostCo)

Optional add ins

Lilikoi (passion fruit)

1/2 a papaya

mango

Toppings

Granola (see my recipe for honey nut granola)

Fresh blueberries/stawberries/bananas for topping 

Honey 

Directions

1. Slice some of the banana and save on the side for topping.

2. In the blender mix remaining banana, yogurt, acai juice, and frozen berries.

3. Pour smoothie into bowls and top with granola then blueberries and sliced bananas.

4. Last, drizzle that up with HONEY and dig in. Taste of paradise is what that is.

Poke Nachos

Hawaiian Style Nachos :-)

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 package won ton wrappers

Oil for frying

1 container poi (Hanalei is best)

1/2 pound of your choice of poke

Directions

1. Fry won ton wrappers and drain extra oil on paper towel.
2. Place a dab of poi on the chip and top with poke.
3. Eat a few then take a nap!

Brushchetta

Doesn't it irk you when you go to restaurants and the most simple dishes are so expensive?! Well now you can make your own Italian Bruschetta and save some money! This is a great appetizer when you want something fresh.

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

FRESH loaf of French bread sliced
Brie cheese sliced
handful of basil
1 avocado sliced
1 box tomatoes (cherry or regular) sliced
balsamic vinegar
Pepper grinder

Directions

1. Create the balsamic reduction (thicker syrup) by bringing the balsamic vinegar to a boil then lowering the heat to a simmer.  Stir until it is slightly thickened (about 8-10 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, put your oven on broil and put all your bread slices on a cookie sheet.
3. Place cheese, tomatoes and avocado on bread then broil in oven for about 2-4 minutes (check every 30 seconds)
4. When toasted and cheese is all gooey melty take out and put on basil, drizzle on balsamic reduction, and the last touch of freshly cracked pepper.
5. Serve warm!

Almond Butter

Almond Butter has a mild and sweet taste then can be put on anything you put peanut butter on...Banana, celery, apples, nut jelly sandwiches, in milkshakes, and in cookies, just to name a few.  Keep in mind that this stuff is addicting and don't be like me and use any nearby fruit as a vessel to get mounds of almond butter in your mouth... but... ENJOY!

Makes about 3 small jars of butter

Ingredients

2 cups Almonds 

1-2 Tablespoons Coconut oil

Optional-salt/sugar

Directions

1.  Toast almonds for 12 minutes at 350 degrees then let cool.
2. Put almonds and oil in blender/Ninja and blend until smooth (about 8 minutes). It will be extremely loud. Do not make this in the middle of the night!
3. Eat right away or store in the refrigerator in glass jars.

Pumpkin Mochi

Isn't it great that you can turn any flavor into mochi? This one's for all those Fall and Pumpkin Spice lovers.

Ingredients

Dry:

1 box mochiko

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp Pumpkin spice or a mixture of 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp clove

Wet:

4 beaten eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 big can of Pumpkin (29 oz)

1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)

2 blocks melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients.
3. Mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Combine wet and dry mixture.
5. Pour into a 13 x 9 pan and bake for an hour.
6. Once cooled and eaten, repeat steps 1- 5 as much as desired.

Skimpy Chimpy Milkshake

Here's a healthy version of a Chunky Monkey. Not only is does this give you energy (like scary amounts) it's also healthy....and it tastes like ice cream!

Ingredients

4 Frozen Apple Bananas

Big glob of Almond Butter (see recipe for Almond Butter)

Sprinkle of Cacao Nibs

1 cup Almond Milk

1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon or chai powder

Blend it all together for a sweet and satisfying snack or dessert that won't add pooch to your pouch.

Fauxtail Soup

I named this Faux tail soup because the real recipe would use ox tail but because it's either hard to find or too expensive for most of us I changed to a cheaper cut of beef. This is one of those extremely easy meals to make as long as you have a little extra time. This meal is great for when you're feeling a little crummy or the weather is a bit chilly. Well, actually I'm making this tonight and it's the middle of summer so... It's delicious anytime!

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

3-4 pounds beef short ribs or chuck steak, cut into pieces
1 can beef broth
1 can chicken broth
Water
5 star anise (or more to your liking)
4 inch piece of ginger (2  inch grated for topping, 2 inches smashed to go into the broth)
1 onion thinly sliced
1 Bok choy chopped into thin strips
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 bundle of Long rice or Pho noodles soaked in hot water cut in half

Directions

1. Brown meat in pot then add enough water to cover and boil for 30 minutes on medium high.
2. Add chicken and beef broths, smashed ginger, and star anise, and onions.
3. Simmer on medium low for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, soak long rice or pho noodles in hot water and cut them in half
5. Once the 1 1/2 hours of cook time is up add in your noodles and remove from heat.
6. Serve with grated ginger, bok choy, and cilantro for toppings.
7. Eat over rice and find your happy place :-)