Food

Dining Outside the Home: Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa, Kauai. A table for two was nestled against the nontraditional Hawaiian pine tree whose vivid boughs were as feathery as ringlets on a toddler’s head. Golden pineapple ornaments dangled in scattered formation among exotic hula dancers and bamboo ukuleles while background music played softly overhead. The master chef’s menu for the night before Christmas presented itself with a culinary experience long remembered.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Party Pork Carnitas! Have a celebration in your mouth by taking an ordinary pork roast and turn it into a new party favorite. This is where Paleo meets Gluten-Free for an extraordinary taste explosion. The secret is in the seasoning. 
PARTY PORK CARNITAS 
Ingredients:

4 pound pork roast

1 teaspoon seasoned salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 

1 1/2 cups light beer

1 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 tablespoon oil

Corn tortilla chips
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 275°. Rinse pork roast. Rub with seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin powder, and Italian seasonings. Place in a covered roaster. Add apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and beer. Bake for 5 hours. Then add the diced tomatoes and green chilies. The liquid will reduce and keep the pork juicy. Bake covered 2 hours longer. The meat will be tender and shred very easily. Heat the oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add a layer of shredded pork. Press down to cook until brown and crusty. Reduce heat and sprinkle cheddar cheese over top. Transfer to a shallow dish. Serve with warmed tortilla corn chips. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Dried Beef Pretzel Dip! Try a new creamy variation of the traditional chipped beef cheeseball. In lieu of the cream cheese, substitute Greek yogurt instead. Make it super lo-cal by serving it with fresh veggies and whole-grain crackers. The blend of parsley and dill give it an irresistible twist only lighter! 
DRIED BEEF PRETZEL DIP
Ingredients:

16 ounces of Greek yogurt 

16 ounces of light mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 teaspoons dill weed

2 teaspoons parsley flakes 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

2 2.5-ounce packages lean smoked chopped beef, cut-up
Instructions:

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine yogurt and mayonnaise. Blend until smooth. Add seasoned salt, dill weed, parsley flakes, and onion powder. Stir until combined. Fold in cut-up smoked beef pieces. Refrigerate one hour before serving. Easy peasy. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Cinnamon Glazed Pears! Presenting a dessert as sweet as honey and as satisfying as a piece of pie. Make one for yourself or enough for a crowd. The aroma alone will make your house smell amazing! Split pears are the perfect size for filling with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of decadent whipped cream. After dinner cordials are also a nice compliment. 
CINNAMON GLAZED PEARS
Ingredients:

3 slightly firm pears; peeled, halved, and cored

6 tablespoons sweet dessert wine

3 tablespoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted

Cinnamon to taste
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Arrange pear halves in a small baking dish, cut side up. Sprinkle cinnamon, then vanilla over pears. Dot each pear with butter. Drizzle honey over each pear half. Pour in the sweet wine. Roast for 40 minutes. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the dish from the oven. Tilt the dish so the juices pool in one corner. Take a spoon and baste the pears. Turn each pear over and return to the oven to roast 20 minutes longer or until a paring knife inserts easily. Baste occasionally for a caramelized finish. The sauce will thicken slightly. Serve warm. 

Mele Kalikimaka!

Dining Outside the Home: Marriott Beach Resort on Kauai, Hawaii. Dinner and a Movie was a festive holiday experience from the wood-fired outdoor pig roast complete with traditional Hawaiian menu to the indoor feature presentation of the “Miracle on 34th Street” at the indoor theater. What an exciting holiday twist with refreshing tropical flavor. Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas…..to you!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Golden Oyster Stew! I knew it was something special when my father requested this savory stew once a year. Although he was the only one who indulged in its aromatic creaminess, I managed to sneak one spoonful each time. I guess you could say eventually I acquired a taste for this seafood delicacy. Now I’m sharing it with you. Carry on the tradition. 
GOLDEN OYSTER STEW
Ingredients:

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon onion, chopped 

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

8 ounces of fancy whole oysters, with oyster liquor 

1 cup light cream

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, finely shredded 

Oyster crackers 
Instructions:

In a 2-quart pan over medium high heat, combine potatoes, onion, butter, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add oysters with liquor, cream, and cheese. Stir occasionally for cheese to melt. Gently bubble until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. Do not boil over. Serve the golden oyster stew immediately with oyster crackers. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Chocolate Chip Candied Cheese Ball! The most amazing surprise appears at first bite. Dark chocolate blended with sweetened cream cheese presents itself as a first class cheeseball that leaves everyone smacking their lips in satisfaction. The fun of swiping a cinnamon graham cracker cookie transforms this dessert in a mouth-watering finger food. Make this holiday surprise the happiest one yet. 
CHOCOLATE CHIP CANDIED CHEESE BALL
Ingredients:

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup sugared pecans, crushed

Graham cracker sticks
Instructions:

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and completely incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Chill two hours. On a sheet of waxed paper, sprinkle crushed sugared pecans. Form chilled mixture into a ball. Roll in pecan coating. Chill overnight. Serve with honey graham cracker sticks or cinnamon graham cracker sticks. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home For the Holidays: Precious Pomegranate Arils! Never mind the antioxidants, vitamins A or C, or it’s antiviral benefits; these seeds are amazingly sweet. Add lime zest for zing and pizzazz. Did you know there are over a hundred juicy gem-like seeds in every pomegranate? Another reason to choose this powerfully magnetic mythological mystery. 
PRECIOUS POMEGRANATE ARILS
Ingredients:

1 ripe pomegranate 

1 fresh lime
Instructions:

Make sure the pomegranate’s skin is hard to the touch. No dark spots or blemishes which indicate bruising. There’s more than one way to open a pomegranate. For me, the underwater technique wins my vote. It’s less messy without staining my fingers red and can be done in a few minutes. Fill a large bowl with cool water. Cut the end that looks like a small crown. Then score the skin as though you were going to quarter the fruit. Basically this gives you a line where you can separate it into four sections. Now place one section under water. Turn the skin inside out. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float. Remove the membrane pieces and repeat with the remaining three sections. When finished pour the bowl of water through a strainer to rinse the pomegranate arils. Transfer them back to the empty bowl. Take a fresh lime and zest the entire skin. Quarter the lime squeezing the juice over all. Use the ruby red seeds to garnish beverages, top yogurt, embellish a smoothie, or as a simple indulgence. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays: Special Edition 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! What’s cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home for the Holidays: Festive Ham Egg Cups! While everyone is still sleeping and the coffee is brewing, these tasty little breakfast cups can be assembled in minutes. By the time the aromas wafting from the kitchen arouse the senses, it will appear as though you’ve been baking for hours. Not so! Good morning. I’m so glad you could join me for breakfast!
FESTIVE HAM EGG CUPS
Ingredients:
Nonstick Cooking Spray

6 slices Smoked Virginia Ham

6 large eggs

6 teaspoons Gouda cheese, shredded 

1 green onion

Seasoned salt and cracked pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly coat six muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Place one slice of ham into each cup forming a bowl. Layer one teaspoon of cheese on top of ham. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Divide the green onion by slicing it between all six cups. This is easily done with a kitchen shears. Next crack one egg into each cup, being careful not to break the yolk. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and broil on High for one minute. The whites should be cooked, but the yolks a little runny. Watch! Remove egg cups onto serving platter and sprinkle chia seeds on top before serving. Enjoy!
*TIP: Make ahead and gently reheat in the microwave on 20% power for those mornings-on-the-run.