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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.  So thankful to have a beautiful and healthy family.   Lucky to live in paradise and enjoy another 80 degree sunny day filled with family and friends.  Blessed to love and be loved.  Merry Christmas!!!!!!

SANTA MADE A VISIT AND LEFT A NOTE
CHRISTMAS MORNING IN HAWAII - SO VERY BLESSED TO LIVE IN PARADISE
OUR HOME IS FILLED WITH LOVE ON CHRISTMAS AND EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR
GOTTA TEACH MY DAUGHTER THE CLASSICS OF ROCK N' ROLL
MODELING A NEW OUTFIT

RACK OF LAMB - CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER AT HOME

RACK OF LAMB
CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER AT HOME

If you follow this blog you know that we rarely dine out on Holidays unless we are traveling.  When at home, we like to experience restaurant quality meals at a fraction of the price while still wearing our shorts and t-shirts. This meal for three was less than $25 total.   For Christmas Eve I cooked a delicious Rack of Lamb that was easy to prepare and done in around 30 minutes. I coat the Rack with a mixture of Grey Poupon Mustard, Horseradish, Thyme, Garlic and Rosemary before putting it in the oven at 450 degrees for around 20 minutes or to an internal temperature of 130 degrees for medium rare.  Served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Honey Glazed Carrots.  

RACK OF LAMB 

HEATED OLIVE OIL IN PAN AND SEASONED WITH OIL WITH GARLIC
SEASON THE RACK OF LAMB WITH SALT AND PEPPER AND THEN SEAR BOTH SIDES ON HIGH HEAT
SEARED RACK OF LAMB IS NOW READY TO BE HERB COATED
GREY POUPON MUSTARD, HORSERADISH, THYME, GARLIC AND ROSEMARY
BAKED IN OVEN AT 450 DEGREES FOR 20 MINUTES - 130 DEGREE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
COOKED TO A PERFECT MEDIUM RARE

Saturday, December 21, 2013

PIZZA STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS - PRESSURE COOKER RECIPE

PIZZA STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS
PRESSURE COOKER RECIPE
DINNER AT HOME

One of the busy holiday days where you get home and have to find something to cook for dinner.  With my girls coming home in 30 minutes I looked in the refrigerator to see what we had on hand.  I like using what we have rather than always going to the supermarket.  I found some Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts and then pulled out my Bob Warden Great Food Fast Cookbook.  I quickly flipped through the Chicken recipes and saw Pizza Style Chicken Breasts.  We had Pepperoni and Mozzarella left over from when we made pizza a few weeks back so I went for this recipe.  The only thing that I did not have and omitted was the Green Bell Pepper.  Don't know if it would have made a difference.  This was really the first recipe from Bob Warden's Pressure Cooker Cookbook that the entire family really did not like.  It was not bad but the chicken was a bit dry and the overall dish lacked flavor.  Probably won't be making this one again unless I can figure out a way to pack more flavor into the dish.  I do however HIGHLY recommend that anyone with a Pressure Cooker go out and buy Bob Wardens Great Food Fast Cookbook.  It has dozens of really good recipes that are easy and delicious.  You may buy the Bob Warden cookbook on Amazon via the link below:

PIZZA STYLE CHCKEN BREASTS

PIZZA STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS FROM BOB WARDENS "GREAT FOOD FAST" COOKBOOK
PIZZA STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS PHOTO FROM BOB WARDENS "GREAT FOOD FAST" COOKBOOK
MOZZARELLA CHEESE, PEPPERONI SLICES, BERTOLLI SAUCE AND CHICKEN BREASTS
I WENT WITH ROTELLI PASTA BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE HAD IN THE PANTRY
COAT CHICKEN BREASTS IN SEASONED FLOUR
HEAT TWO TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL IN PRESSURE COOKER AND HEAT UNTIL SIZZLING.
BROWN THE CHICKEN ON BOTH SIDES
CHICKEN BROWNED NICELY AND READY FOR SOME PRESSURE
ADDED WATER AND ONE 24 OZ CAN OF BERTOLLI TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE
PRESSURE COOK FOR 8 MINUTES ON HIGH SETTING
AFTER 8 MINUTES OF COOKING THE CHICKEN AND SAUCE IS READY AND SMOKIN HOT
PLACE CHICKEN ON BAKING SHEET AND COVER EACH BREAST WITH PEPPERONI SLICES
TOP CHICKEN AND PEPPERONI WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE
PLACE UNDER BROILER FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES UNTIL BROWN AND BUBBLING
PIZZA STYLE CHICKEN BREASTS
CHICKEN WAS A BIT DRY AND NEEDED MORE FLAVOR

Sunday, December 15, 2013

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB - SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (SCOTTSDALE)

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB
5350 E. MARRIOTT DRIVE
PHOENIX, AZ  85054
888-705-7775

Played a relaxing round of golf at the Marriott Wildfire Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The course is relatively flat and bunkers line many of the holes.  If you can hit it straight off the tee you will do well here.  Not a bad course and while it was in the 50's I still had a great time playing here.  I lost my iPhone in Phoenix and the first two photos were the last saved in the cloud.  My other photos of this course were lost so I picked a couple off the internet.

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB

WILDFIRE GOLF CLUB AT THE MARRIOTT IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA



MAILE'S THAI BISTRO

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO
HAWAII KAI TOWNE CENTER
333 KEAHOLE STREET
HONOLULU, HI  96825
808-394-2488
808-394-2445 FAX
HOURS:  Monday thru Thursday 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
                 Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
                 Sunday 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

I love Maile's Thai Bistro in Hawaii Kai.  Hands down one of the best Thai restaurants on Oahu.  You cannot go wrong here.  Everything on the menu is bursting with bold Thai flavors.  The restaurant itself is comfortable, hip and always busy with Maile herself greeting customers.  There is no finer host than Maile.  Always smiling, hugging and talking with her guests.  She seems to always find time to stop by your table and make you feel like family.  I have known Maile for probably 20 years now.  We crossed paths when she was a waitress at a small Italian restaurant in Manoa.  Fast forward to today and Maile is a successful business woman with a thriving restaurant in what has to be one of the best locations in Hawaii Kai.  Her restaurant turns five years old this month so Happy Anniversary Maile!  While it is always great to see Maile, we actually go to Maile's for the food.  On this occasion my daughter did well in a speech competition and was rewarded by being taken out.  She picked Maile's because she had been craving the Pad Thai Noodles.  I recommend making a reservation at Maile's as the place can get busy.  Even if you do not have a reservation, the staff will do everything possible to seat you on a timely basis.  You can always take a seat at the bar, but from what I have seen you may not want to move from it.  The little bar has a personality of its own and always seems to be hopping.  Now onto the food.  We always start out with Maile's Tofu ($6.90).  Yes I said Tofu.  I never eat Tofu and you will never find it in our refrigerator.  My wife and daughter however absolutely love the Tofu at Maile's .  The secret to this dish is her homemade sauce.  The ginger, soy and chili sauce is out of this world.  Maile should bottle it.   This stuff is good.  Really good.  Makes even me eat Tofu.  Next up are Maile's French Fries ($4.90).  Again not something we would normally order at a Thai restaurant and something that my wife and daughter always have to order at Maile's.  The fries are thinly cut, crunchy and super delicious.  Once you eat one - it's over.  You will be going back to the cup for more I guarantee.  The Spring Rolls ($10.90) are another family favorite.  Deep fried spring rolls stuffed with mushrooms, carrots, long rice, ground pork and spices.  Served with slices of cucumber, mint leaves, peanuts, house made sweet and sour sauce and lettuce for wrapping.  Place the Spring Roll on a piece of lettuce and add the cucumber, mint peanuts and sauce.  I always top with some spicy Thai Chili Sauce and roll up like a burrito.  The flavors and texture are amazing.  The Green Papaya Salad ($9.90) is light, fresh, spicy and delicious.  Shredded Green Papaya, tomato, long bean with a house made tamarind sauce.  Wrap this mixture up in the cabbage leaves and you have a very healthy vegetarian dish that is full of flavor.  Maile's Spicy Seafood Combo ($17.50) includes shrimp, calamari, scallop with a boat load of fresh vegetables.  Love the bamboo shoots, mushroom and onions.  You need to tell the waiter what level of heat you want with this dish.  While it says spicy in the name, our dish had very little spice.  I would have liked to have kicked it up a few levels.  This dish is very light and satisfying.  A huge family favorite here is the Pad Thai Noodles with Chicken ($12.90).  Rice noodles cooked in a sizzling hot wok with tofu, bean sprouts and chives.  Probably one of my favorite noodle dishes ever.  Love to eat these noodles with plenty of Thai hot sauce.  We also love the Ong Choi with Beef ($12.50).  Beef sautéed with garlic and a savory sauce served with Ong Choi.  Ong Choi is a vegetable that absorbs the flavor of the sauce.  Super delicious.  I am writing this and realizing that Maile's serves up a lot of vegetarian dishes and entrees and appetizers that include lots of vegetables.  Not a lot of fried stuff on the menu.  Actually pretty healthy food.  I highly recommend Maile's.  
It is always a TASTE OF HAWAII FAVORITE!
Click links below for more posts on Maile's Thai Bistro:

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO

MAILE'S THAI BISTRO IN THE HAWAII KAI TOWNE CENTER IS RIGHT
BEHIND THE HUGE CHRISTMAS TREE
 
MAILE'S THAI BISTRO IN HAWAII KAI HAS SOME OF THE BEST THAI FOOD ON OAHU
THE BAR AND RESTAURANT AT MAILE'S IS ALWAYS BUSY AND ALWAYS FUN
TOFU WITH MAILE'S INCREDIBLE LIGHT GINGER SOY CHILI SAUCE
SPRING ROLLS
WRAP SPRING ROLL IN LETTUCE AND ADD CUCUMBER, PEANUTS, SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE.
I TOP WITH THE HOT CHILI SAUCE TOO.   ROLL IT UP AND EAT IT LIKE A BURRITO.
FRENCH FRIES AT A THAI RESTAURANT?  MAILE'S FRIES ARE THE BEST
GREEN PAPAYA SALAD
PLACE SHREDDED GREEN PAPAYA ONTO CABBAGE.  ADD HOT SAUCE AND ENJOY
PAD THAI NOODLES WITH CHICKEN
MAILE'S SPICY SEAFOOD COMBO 
ONG CHOI WITH BEEF

Saturday, December 14, 2013

PEPPA'S KOREAN BBQ - BI BIM KOOK SOO

PEPPA'S KOREAN BBQ
HONOLULU, HAWAII (MAKIKI)

PEPPA'S KOREAN BBQ
1249 WILDER AVE
HONOLULU, HI  96822
808-528-4988
HOURS:  10:30 AM - 9:00 PM

I love Korean BBQ in Hawaii and often go for the Spicy Pork and Chicken dishes.  Decided to try a lighter dish at Peppa's Korean BBQ in Makiki.  As I looked over the menu displayed above the counter there was a photo of Bi Bim Kook Soo.  The dish looked light and refreshing with lots of noodles, cucumber, cabbage, cucumber, bean sprouts, greens and a bit of thinly sliced beef on top.  For around $8 the Bi Bim Kook Soo is a pretty good meal.  I shared the dish with my daughter and we both got full.  We both loved the fresh vegetables in this dish that are lightly cooked.  The noodles are served cold and are coated with a spicy and sweet sauce.  There is not much spice so I added more from a squirt bottle that was on the table.  The marinated thinly sliced beef on top is delicious.  Full of flavor.

PEPPA'S KOREAN BBQ - BI BIM KOOK SOO

PEPPA'S KOREAN BBQ IN MAKIKI
ORDER AT THE COUNTER.  THERE ARE A FEW TABLES AND CIRCULAR BAR TO DINE IN
GREAT SELECTION OF KOREAN VEGETABLES AND SIDES SERVED WITH COMBO MEALS
#16 ON THE MENU - BI BIM KOOK SOO CAUGHT MY EYE