CORNISH GAME HEN DINNER AT HOME

 TYSON PREMIUM CORNISH GAME HEN

DINNER AT HOME

When I saw six Cornish Game Hens at Costco for less than $20  I just had to buy them.  That is less than $4.00 per Hen I thought.  What a great deal.  The deal was better when we cooked the Hens and found out they were large and meaty.  Half a Hen each was enough for each family member.  This incredible meal was only around $6 per person and it was delicious.  I mean really delicious.  Like better than a restaurant that could charge over $20 for this meal.  I paired the Hens with a Chicken Stuffing with Granny Smith Apples and Jimmy Dean Sausage.  Stuffing was very simple.  Sauteed onion, shallot, garlic, celery, apples with some sausage and then added salt, pepper and fresh thyme.  Added half a can of Chicken Broth and reduced to about half the liquid.   Cooked a box of Stove Top Chicken Stuffing that included water and butter and combined it with the vegetables and sausage.  Took less than 20 minutes to make the stuffing and it was awesome.  Perfect match with the Cornish Game Hens.  Just another lesson in cooking really good and healthy restaurant quality food at home for cheap.

CORNISH GAME HEN DINNER

WHEN I SAW SIX CORNISH GAME HENS AT COSTCO FOR AROUND $20.00 I BOUGHT THEM

CORNISH GAME HENS FROM COSTCO ARE HUGE AND MEATY

PLACED ORANGE SLICE, FRESH THYME AND ROSEMARY INSIDE THE CAVITY OF THE HEN.
COATED WITH OLIVE OIL, SALT AND PEPPER.

TIED THE BIRD WITH BUTCHER STRING

DINNER FOR THREE OR MORE FOR $12

BAKED IN OVEN AT 450 DEGREES FOR 25 MINUTES THEN REDUCED HEAT TO 350 FOR 30 MINUTES

SERVED HALF HEN WITH CHICKEN STUFFING WITH GREEN APPLES AND SAUSAGE

 ANOTHER VARIATION WHERE I FILLED THE HENS WITH A COOKED STUFFING PRIOR TO PLACING IN OVEN.  STUFFING WAS MADE WITH ONIONS, CELERY, SAUSAGE, APPLES, SAGE AND ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF CHICKEN STOCK.  

FRESH HAWAII MAHI MAHI WITH VEGETABLES

FRESH HAWAII MAHI MAHI WITH VEGETABLES
DINNER AT HOME

I really did not want to post another photo of Mahi Mahi but this dinner looked and tasted fantastic. The fresh Mahi Mahi available in Hawaii is awesome plus the price has come down a bit.  My lovely bride was able to put this dinner for three on the table for around $15 total.  Total restaurant quality at a fraction of the price plus low in fat and delicious.  Really does not get better than this for a fresh fish dinner.  Added a bit of Beurre Blanc sauce with shallot and thyme that I had left over from a few days ago for flavor.  Added more fat and calories but it was worth it.  Yes this is similar to the meal we had a few days ago, but the dish looked so good I just had to share.

FRESH MAHI MAHI AND VEGETABLES

HEALTHY AND SUPER DELICIOUS MEAL WITH FRESH INGREDIENTS

BBQ RIBS COOKED IN MASTERBUILT ELECTRIC SMOKER

 BBQ ST. LOUIS PORK SPARERIBS

MASTERBUILT ELECTRIC SMOKER

DINNER AT HOME

Pulled out the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker on a rainy Honolulu day and cooked up some tasty St. Louis Pork Spareribs.  Started with a dry rub from the Dadgum That's Good website.  www.dadgumthatsgood.com   

1/2 tbsp Salt

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 1/2 tbsp Chili Powder

1 1/2 tbsp Ground Cumin

2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp Black Pepper

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

Preheated my smoker to 225 degrees and mixed the dry rub in a bowl.  Coated both sides of the ribs with the rub and placed in smoker for 3 hours.  After 3 hours, I removed the ribs and coated them with BBQ Sauce.  Wrapped in foil and placed back in the smoker for another hour.  Ribs were moist and a bit spicy.  Not bad.  I used Hickory Chips in the smoker and they added a deep smokey flavor that tasted like something I have eaten in Texas.  This spice recipe is enough for all three racks.  Use sparingly as it is quite potent.  

BBQ RIBS

DRY RUB INGREDIENTS MIXED IN BOWL

PICKED UP AN ALMOST 10 POUND BAG OF RIBS FOR $27 AT COSTCO

THREE SLABS OF RIBS PER PACKAGE

REMOVED RIBS FROM PACKAGE AND SMOKED ONE RACK FOR THE FAMILY.  FROZE THE REST.

COATED BOTH SIDES OF RIBS WITH DRY RUB

HEATED THE SMOKER UP TO 225 DEGREES.  SET TIMER FOR THREE HOURS
AND PLACED RIBS INSIDE

REMOVED RIBS AFTER THREE HOURS OF SMOKING

COATED RIBS WITH BBQ SAUCE AND PLACED BACK IN SMOKER FOR ANOTHER HOUR

SMOKED RIBS DONE TO PERFECTION IN ABOUT FOUR HOURS

JUICY AND SMOKEY ST. LOUIS PORK RIBS

RIBS WERE SMOKEY, SPICY AND DELICIOUS

JACK IN THE BOX MONSTER TACO

JACK IN THE BOX

MONSTER TACO

Our entire family loves Jack in The Box Tacos so I just had to throw out a post on the Monster Tacos that are not always available.  At $1.49 each these are a good deal.  They taste great and fill you up.  I can eat two max and then I am done.  Got my taco fix for three bucks.  When you look into these tacos they are pretty sparse on ingredients.  A crunchy corn tortilla shell, some cheese, lettuce and sauce.  And don't forget the beef,  or whatever that ground up mixture is at the base of the taco.  The paste mixture is actually beef, water, textured vegetable protein (soy flour, caramel color), defatted soy grits, chili pepper, maltodextrin, spices wheat flour, salt, dry garlic, hydrolyzed soy protein, corn and wheat gluten, monosodium glutamate, dry onion, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, succinct acid, salt, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce (distilled vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor, sulfiting agent).  That's it.  Sounds delicious doesn't it.  Really wish I would not have looked up the ingredients.  Enjoy!

CRUNCHY TORTILLA WITH BEEF/SOY PROTEIN, CHEESE, LETTUCE AND HOT SAUCE

LOVE IT WHEN THE JACK IN THE BOX MONSTER TACO'S ARE BACK

MONSTER TACO IS $1.49 IN HAWAII

MONSTER TACO

MONSTER TACO HAD TWO SLICES OF AMERICAN CHEESE

CRUNCHY, CHEESY AND DELICIOUS

BEEF IS MIXTURE OF REAL BEEF, SOY PROTEIN AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF

ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE - STAN SHERIFF CENTER, HAWAII

ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE

STAN SHERIFF CENTER

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE

STAN SHERIFF CENTER

1355 LOWER CAMPUS ROAD

HONOLULU, HAWAII  96822

808-956-6955

http://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/2008/5/14/stan_sheriff_center.aspx

I love the Stan Sheriff Center for University of Hawaii Volleyball and Basketball games.  This is a great 10,300 seat venue that was built in 1994 on the campus of University of Hawaii at Manoa. I have sat in seats all over this arena during the past twenty years (wow- it does not seem that old), but now have settled into great season ticket seats that we love.  On this night however we sat in somebody else's seats and they were the best ever.  Court Side seats on the floor for Mens Basketball.  The seats included entry into the Ed Wong Hospitality Suite that is under the arena with access to the court.  Great to walk around under the facility and mingle with the players, sportscasters, cheerleaders and Rainbow Dancers.  The Ed Wong Suite features tables and comfortable seating with large leather chairs and an abundance of flat screen televisions to watch the games.  I have been to the Ed Wong Suite when loads of appetizers and food were presented along with an open bar for beer and wine.  On this occasion there were only hot dogs and a no host bar.  I am not complaining one bit, this place is still comfortable and a great place to hang out before the game and at halftime.  We enjoyed a large beefy hot dog.  Added some onion, chili and jalapeños to mine and it was great.  My daughter opted for the Hawaii favorite of plain hot dog with rice and chili.  I washed my dog down with a few cold ones at $4.50 each, picked up a cup to go and was ready for the game.  We walked out of the Ed Wong Suite turned right and the entrance to the court was just a few feet away.  We sat in large black leather chairs on the court.  What a different experience this is.  You can really see the intensity of the game, feel the players emotions and see how tall these basketball players really are.  Amazing experience being on the court.  During halftime we went back to the Ed Wong Suite to partake in a splash as I was a bit parched.  Sat back in the comfortable leather chairs, hoisted a cold one and watched a bit of the half time show on t.v.  Oh….I could get used to this.  Somehow feels that my sixth row Season Tickets will never compare to the seats we enjoyed on this rainy Manoa night.  So thankful and grateful to our hosts that allowed us to join them in the Ed Wong Suite and on the court.  This was awesome!

Click link below for another post on the Ed Wong Hospitality Suite

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2014/11/ed-wong-hospitality-suite-stan-sheriff.html

ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE

STAN SHERIFF CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA

MY LITTLE ONE WITH HER NEW OFFICIAL HAWAII UNIFORM

ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE AT THE STAN SHERIFF CENTER

THE BAR AT THE ED WONG HOSPITALITY SUITE

HOT DOG WITH CHILI, ONIONS AND JALAPENOS 

CANNOT BEAT THESE COURT SIDE SEATS AT THE STAN SHERIFF CENTER

LIKE BEING ON THE TEAM

MY GIRLS LOVED THE COURT SIDE SEATS AND NIGHT AT THE STAN SHERIFF CENTER

MAMA MARY'S THIN AND CRISPY PIZZA CRUST

MAMA MARY'S THIN AND CRISPY PIZZA CRUST

DINNER AT HOME

Really enjoyed the Mama Mary's Thin and Crispy Pizza Crusts we picked up at Costco for cheap.  The package contains four Pizza Crusts and Pizza Sauce.  Simply add some cheese and toppings and you have fresh baked pizza in minutes.  If you like thin and crispy than this is the crust for you.  Super thin. I would not call in gourmet but it really was not bad.  While me and my wife liked the crust, my daughter preferred the more expensive crusts we usually pick up at Whole Foods for three times the price and without the sauce.  I made my favorite pizza with jalapeño, onion and pepperoni.  Always add a little oregano to the sauce too.  Baked in 400 degree oven on our pizza stone for a little over 8 minutes and the pizza came out perfect.

Click link below for another post on Mama Mary's Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust;

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2015/04/mama-marys-thin-and-crispy-pizza-crusts.html

MAMA MARY'S THIN AND CRISPY PIZZA CRUST - BAKED IN OVEN FOR 8 MINUTES

FOUR PIZZA CRUSTS WITH SAUCE

INCLUDES PLASTIC BAG FOR KEEPING CRUSTS YOU DO NOT USE

FOUR SAUCE PACKETS INCLUDED

MAMA MARY'S PIZZA CRUST

JUST THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF SAUCE 

ADDED MOZZARELLA AND PARMESAN CHEESE AND A SPRINKLE OF OREGANO

PEPPERONI PLACED ON TOP OF CHEESE

DID HALF THE PIZZA WITH ONIONS AND JALAPEÑO

SUPER THIN AND CRSIPY

NOT TOO THICK AND NOT TOO HEAVY - GREAT PIZZA!

MAHI MAHI WITH BEURRE BLANC SAUCE

 MAHI MAHI WITH BEURRE BLANC SAUCE

DINNER AT HOME

Enjoyed a super fresh Hawaii Mahi Mahi dinner with some great bok choy, carrots and bell peppers.

Made a quick Beurre Blanc Sauce and added fresh thyme.  Pan seared the Mahi Mahi on a Grill Pan indoors and then finished it in the oven.  This meal was restaurant quality and delicious.  So lucky we live in Hawaii where fresh fish is abundant and delicious.  I know so many people who do not eat fresh fish because they have never really tried it.  If it is not fried they won't touch it.  Eat fresh fish.  It is healthy and delicious when cooked properly. 

FRESH HAWAII MAHI MAHI WITH BEURRE BLANC SAUCE