CHILI WITH BEEF, CHEESE, ONIONS AND SOUR CREAM

 CHILI WITH BEEF, CHEESE, ONIONS AND SOUR CREAM

LUNCH AT HOME

I have been craving Chili since I saw an Instagram post of a local chef making it last week.

Since we are in lockdown, I decided to make homemade Chili for lunch.  Simple recipe that anyone can whip up in about an hour.  Flavor was fantastic.  We did not have any Kidney Beans so this is a beanless Chili.  Loved it!

CHILI WITH BEEF, CHEESE, ONIONS AND SOUR CREAM

BROWNED GROUND BEEF AND SOME BOTTOM ROUND.  SEASONED WITH SALT AND PEPPER.

SET ASIDE THE MEAT 

SAUTED A LARGE ONION AND TWO JALAPEÑOS

ADDED GARLIC

1/4 CUP OF CHILI SPICES AND 1 TEASPOON OF TOMATO PASTE AND TEASPOON OF SALT.
I ALSO ADDED CAYENNE PEPPER FOR SOME HEAT

MIX IT ALL UP FOR ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO

ADDED TWO 14OZ CANS OF TOMATOES AND 1 1/2 CUPS OF BEEF BROTH

CRUSED UP ALL THE TOMATOES SO THEY WERE NOT IN LARGE CHUNKS.  COOK UNTIL BOILING

REDUCE HEAT AND ADD IN THE BEEF

SIMMER FOR 3O MINUTES TO AN HOUR

A FEW OF THE INGREDIENTS

MEGS DRIVE INN CHEF SALAD

MEGS DRIVE INN

743 WAIAKAMILO ROAD

HONOLULU, HI  96817

808-845-3943

HOURS: Monday thru Saturday 5:30 AM - 8:30 PM / Closed Sunday

www.yelp.com/biz/megs-drive-in-honolulu

Megs is close to my office so I eat here often.  My go to dish is the Chef Salad.  It is very filling without being heavy and full of calories and fat.  

MEGS CHEF SALAD

GYU-KAKU JAPANESE BBQ

GYU-KAKU

1339 N. SCHOOL STREET

HONOLULU, HI 96817

808-888-5349

HOURS:  Daily 11AM - 8PM

www.gyu-kaku.com/kalihi/

www.yelp.com/biz/gyu-kaku-japanese-bbq-honolulu-8

www.facebook.com/gyukakukalihihi/

www.instagram.com/gyukakujbbq/?hl=en

Keeping with my word to support local restaurants during the COVID-19 epidemic.  Every week I buy 30 lunches from a local restaurant for my office.  This week it was lunch from my friends restaurant Gyu-Kaku.  I ordered the Meat Lovers lunch that comes with rice, kimchi, salad and miso soup.  The office loved this Japanese BBQ!

GYU-KAKU JAPANESE BBQ MEAT LOVERS LUNCH

ONO KOREAN BBQ

ONO KOREAN BBQ
1210 DILLINGHAM BLVD
HONOLULU, HI 96817
808-842-1110
HOURS:  Daily 10AM - 9PM / Sunday 10AM - 7PM
www.yelp.com/biz/ono-korean-bbq-honolulu-2
www.facebook.com/pages/Ono-Korean-Bbq/303208379860299

Back to our "go to" Korean BBQ near the office.  Ono means delicious in Hawaii and this is really delicous Korean food.  I always go for the Spicy Pork/Spicy Chicken Combo with Daikon, Cucumber and Kimchi.  Great thing about this lunch is that there is always enough to take home for dinner.

SPICY PORK/SPICY CHICKEN KOREAN BBQ

KIMCHI AND SPICY PORK FRIED RICE

 KIMCHI AND SPICY PORK FRIED RICE

BREAKFAST AT HOME

I had Korean BBQ for lunch this week and ended up not eating much.  Took the leftovers home and made Kimchi and Spicy Pork Fried Rice.  This is probably the best Fried Rice I have ever eaten.
Click link below for Drew's Fried Rice recipe;
https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2020/03/drews-fried-rice.html

KIMCHI AND SPICY PORK FRIED RICE

CARROTS, ONION, GARLIC, PEAS, KIMCHI, SPICY PORK, GREEN ONION, EGGS, PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE,SOY SAUCE, OYSTER SAUCE, RICE AND LOVE

 LEFTOVER SPICY PORK AND KIMCHI 

CHOPPED UP THE SPICY PORK AND KIMCHI AND ADDED TO THE RICE

GRILLED OPAH WITH GARLIC, SHALLOT AND CAPER CREAM SAUCE

 GRILLED OPAH WITH GARLIC, SHALLOT AND CAPER CREAM SAUCE

DINNER AT HOME

Wow....this was delicious.  So blessed to live in Hawaii where we have an abundance of fresh fish.

This Opah was amazing.  Grilled and served with a sauce made with garlic, shallots, white wine, chicken stock, capers, lemon juice and butter.  Better than any restaurant in Hawaii!

GRILLED OPAH WITH GARLIC, SHALLOT AND CAPERS CREAM SAUCE

FRESH HAWAII OPAH 

THIS SAUCE MADE THE DISH

GRILLED FRESH ONO SANDWICH

 GRILLED FRESH ONO SANDWICH

LUNCH AT HOME

Good Friday means no meat eating for the day in this family so I made Grilled Ono Sandwiches for lunch.  Grilled the buns, made homemade Tarter Sauce (Mayonnaise/Sweet Pickle Relish) and layered fresh vegetables like making a burger.  This was the perfect Fish Sandwich and better than most all restaurants where I have eaten Fish Sandwiches.  Really that good!

GRILLED FRESH ONO SANDWICH

FRESH INGREDIENTS AND HOMEMADE TARTER SAUCE MAKE THIS THE BEST!

FRESH HAWAII ONO

FRESH AND FRIED SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE LUMPIA

FRESH AND FRIED SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE LUMPIA

LUNCH AT HOME

Shirley made some incredible fresh and fried Lumpia.  Cannot pick one over the other as both are great.  What I do like about the Fried ones though is she makes a spicy vinegar sauce that I just love.  Adds flavor and heat which makes these Lumpia's hard to beat!

LOTS OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND SHRIMP

THE FRESH VERSION JUST GETS A WRAP AND NO FRY

FRESH VEGETABLE AND SHRIMP LUMPIA

FRIED VEGETABLE AND SHRIMP LUMPIA WITH MY FAVE SAUCE

BACON, EGG AND AVOCADO SANDWICH

 BACON, EGG AND AVOCADO SANDWICH

BREAKFAST AT HOME

 This breakfast sandwich was delicious.  Only thing missing was a little lettuce but we were out.

BACON, EGG AND AVOCADO SANDWICH

A DELICIOUS BLT WITHOUT THE "L"

FRESH MARLIN SLIDERS

 FRESH MARLIN SLIDERS

LUNCH AT HOME

Enjoying some more delicious fresh Marlin.  This time I made little Sliders with grilled Marlin, Homemade Tarter Sauce, Lettuce, Onion, Tomato and Avocado.  These little babies are so damn good that if you tried one you would want to kiss the chef (me)!

FRESH MARLIN SLIDERS

THESE LITTLE SANDWICHES ARE PURE MARLIN HEAVEN

EGG, BEAN AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST BURRITO

EGG, BEAN AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST BURRITO

BREAKFAST AT HOME 

Decided to start todays self-isolation with a Breakfast Burrito.  Refried Beans, Eggs, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Avocado, Cheese and Hot Sauce.  

EGG,  BEAN AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST BURRITO

GRILLED MARLIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

GRILLED MARLIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

DINNER AT HOME

Fresh fish is abundant and inexpensive now so I bought some Marlin that was only $3.  Grilled it and served with an incredible Pineapple Salsa with Balsamic Glaze.  Also made a little sauce using Shallots, Garlic, Olive Oil, White Wine, Butter and Cream.  My Wife cooked Parmesan Crusted Zucchini in the Air Fryer as a side.  This dinner was more than delicious.  It was amazing!

GRILLED MARLIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

FRESH MARLIN

PINEAPPLE SALSA IN THE MAKING

ADDED A BIT OF BALSAMIC GLAZE TO THE SALSA

THIS PINEAPPLE SALSA ROCKED

GRILLED MARLIN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

PICKLES AND SWISS CHEESE BITES

PICKLES AND SWISS CHEESE BITES

SNACKING AT HOME

Discovered my new favorite snack during self-isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Take a Mini Kosher Dill Pickle and wrap it in a piece of Swiss Cheese.  Oh my...what a delicious combination.  Tri it!

PICKLES AND SWISS CHEESE BITES

THIS COMBINATION IS DELICIOUS

SEARED AHI SALAD

SEARED AHI SALAD

DINNER AT HOME

Fresh fish prices in Hawaii are at an all time low because hotels and restaurants are closed.  I am taking this opportunity to enjoy as much as I can.  Bought this beautiful piece of fresh Ahi Tuna and made a Seared Ahi Salad.  This is so simple.  Coat the Ahi in Cajun Spices and sear for about 20-30 seconds on all sides in heated olive oil.  Thinly slice the Ahi and dip in a mixture of Soy Sauce, Wasabi, Sesame Oil and Honey.  One of my all-time favorite dishes in Hawaii!

SEARED AHI SALAD

FRESH AHI

COATED IN CAJUN SPICES AND THEN SEARED ON ALL SIDES

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO TAKEOUT

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO

1200 ALA MOANA BLVD

HONOLULU, HI  96814

808-591-2488

HOURS:  Monday thru Thursday/Sunday 11AM - 9PM

                 Friday and Saturday 11AM - 10PM

www.mailesthaibistro.com

www.yelp.com/biz/mailes-thai-at-ward-honolulu-2

www.facebook.com/mailesthai/

I am on a mission to do what I can do to support local restaurants and small businesses during these Covid-19 times.  Besides donating to @showalohachallenge, each week I am buying lunch for my entire office of 30 people. This week it was Maile's Thai Bistro.  I have known Maile for over 20 years and she is an incredible person and chef.  She works so hard at her Hawaii Kai and Ward restaurants and is always there to support my golf tournament that raises money for cancer research.

Ordering 30 lunches from Maile made me so happy.  Maile made up a special plate that consisted of Pad Thai Noodles, Fried Chicken, Green Curry with Chicken, Jasmine Rice and a salad.

Click link below to view previous post on Maile's Thai Bistro;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2019/07/mailes-thai-bistro-ward.html

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO PLATE LUNCH

AND A NICE SALAD

30 LUNCHES FOR THE OFFICE

OLENA BY CHEF RON SIMON

OLENA BY CHEF RON SIMON

1933 REPUBLICAN STREET

HONOLULU, HI 96819

808-745-7777

HOURS:  Daily 10AM - 3PM / Closed Sunday

www.olena.chefronsimon.com

www.yelp.com/biz/ōlena-by-chef-ron-simon-honolulu-2

www.facebook.com/Olenabychefron/

www.instagram.com/olenahi/?hl=en

I follow Olena on Instagram and love the videos they post showing Chef Ron preparing his food.

On this morning he was making an Italian Meatball Sandwich and it looked so good.  After seeing the short video I texted the restaurant to ask how much the sandwich was.  They texted me right back and said $15.  Wow...a bit expensive I thought but it looks so good.  I asked if I can order five sandwiches for pickup at 11AM.  A text came back asking me to order on their website so it would be in their system.  This was great because I could order and pay online and just have the sandwiches picked up.    One of my Associates at work drove up to Olena at 11AM and they were greeted and given the food in just seconds.  As a thank you for a nice tip my bag included some free Poke and a Chicken Porridge.  This was so nice I thought.  The Meatball Sandwiches included the Meatballs, Muenster Cheese, Peppers and Onions on a buttered and toasted bun.  Delicous!  Oh why did I order five sandwiches?  Bought four extra for my front counter personnel who work hard serving our customers.  Olena is a great small business that needs to be supported during these difficult times.

OLENA MEATBALL SANDWICH WITH COME COMPLIMENTARY SIDES

MEATBALL SUB

AHI POKE

CHICKEN PORRIDGE

BEEF BROCCOLI

 BEEF BROCCOLI

DINNER AT HOME

My Wife made this delicious Beef Broccoli dinner which was better than most restaurants.
Click link below to view previous post and recipe for Beef Broccoli;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2012/11/beef-broccoli.html

BEEF BROCCOLI 

HOMEMADE BEEF BROCCOLI IS READY TO SERVE