 Aloha! I hope that you had a great week. Pictured above: A favorite cookbook from my pal, Betsy. I'll be making the sparerib recipe (below) this week. I love this little cookbook, which was copyrighted in 1965. It has an interesting introduction explaining Hawaiian cuisine, and how the cultures (Japanese, Polynesian, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean) came together to create the wonderful fusion of foods. I use it frequently. Back to my friend, Betsy. I should mention that she also co-owns a lovely condominium in Keauhou, near Kailua-Kona. If you are looking for a quiet place to stay, I recommend it. Bordering a golf course, there is a beautiful lanai, where we have enjoyed many meals. It has a great swimming pool (temperature always perfect) and the grounds are kept well. It is very close to Kahaluu Beach Park, where there is terrific snorkeling. It is also right down the hill from KTA Keauhou, so it couldn't be handier. The upcoming week is busy, so I've kept the menus easy. Sunday, 2/1: Costco Rotisserie Chicken (hard to beat at $5 per), Scalloped Potatoes, and Green Beans; Beets with Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle. Monday, 2/2: Let's make use of that leftover chicken and make Chicken Tortilla Soup. There are dozen of recipes on the Intranet, but I just combine chicken broth, leftover chopped chicken, a can of green chiles, a can of chopped tomatoes, and then corn, olives, and whatever starch you like, i.e., rice, chopped potatoes, or pasta. Toss in some salsa and top with tortilla chips. Sometimes I add sour cream and avocados, if I have them around. Tuesday, 2/3: Spareribs, Hawaiian-Style (recipe below), Rice, and Tempura Vegetables. Wednesday, 2/4: Baked Chicken, Kabocha Squash, Stewed Tomatoes and Taro Rolls (I get those at KTA). Thursday, 2/5: Pasta with Bacon, Peas, and Gruyere. Friday, 2/6: Huevos Rancheros. I make a really easy version. Take two cans of fat-free refried beans and put into a large saucepan. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of salsa. Combine. Crack four eggs into the mixture (as far away from each other as possible) and cover with the bean mixture. Cover pan and cook about 10 minutes, until egg yolks are firm. Serve over shredded lettuce topped with grated cheese, more salsa, and sliced avocados. Serve with tortilla chips. Very cheap, satisfying, and fast! Saturday, 2/7: Laulau, Lomi Salmon, Rice and Sliced Pineapple. Below is the recipe I promised. :-) 
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 Apologies for the gap in menu postings - I was on vacation for two weeks. We had Miss Scarlett and her boyfriend here, which was wonderful. Now they are gone, and Hilo's rain (which was absent the entire time they were visiting) is here. Add to that: Back to work, tomorrow. Boy, I'm really hitting the trifecta, aren't I? Well, life goes on. Time to plan some menus. Pictured above: Neighbors NJ and Darryl brought a sack of lemons up, yesterday. Aren't they beautiful? They smell every bit as good as they look. We'll be using some of those, this week.
Sunday: It's raining, and I need comfort food. We'll have Green Beans (I cook in chicken broth) with Bacon and Shallots, Stewed Tomatoes, and Corn Bread. Monday: Chicken Chardonnay, French Bread, and Broccoli. (Rather than one cup of wine, I use 1/2 cup of wine and 1/2 cup of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. You'll see this is very similar to a piccata recipe. If you don't use the mushrooms and instead toss in some capers, you'll pretty much have piccata.) Tuesday: Pork Loin, Mashed Potatoes with Fresh Chives, and Peas. Let's make an easy sauce for that pork with melted butter, a little Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice. Wednesday: Stir-Fried Yellow Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, and Zucchini with Sliced Sausage over Hapa Rice. Thursday: Burrito Bowls (top cooked Hapa rice with cooked, diced chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, avocado and cilantro). Friday: Turkeyburgers with Home Fries Saturday: Laulau (purchased), Rice, Lomi Salmon and Fresh Fruit. Well, the rain has stopped (at least for the moment), so off to the grocery store! Have a great week, everyone. 
 From the Suisan Bridge, heading over to the park We have been having such nice weather! Yesterday, Mr. L decided we should go to Lili'uokalani Park with the dogs. If you are visiting Hilo, I would say this park is a must-see.
It is well-maintained, has many interesting plants, trees, and memorials; the views are stunning. If you like to exercise, you'll have lots of company. The Hilo Bay Cafe (123 Lihiwai Street) sits adjacent to the park; they have delicious food and great views. You can also have an inexpensive breakfast or lunch at The Isles Cafe, which is behind the Suisan Fish Market (check out their fresh fish and poke!). Also close by, if you are traveling, are the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and the Hilo Naniloa Hotel. After walking the dogs, we set up our chairs and sat in the park for a while, relishing the fact that it was 77 degrees in January. Today is again beautiful, so I think I will ask Mr. L to barbeque some pork chops tonight. Let's get to this week's menus. Sunday: Barbequed Pork Loin Chops, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Hapa Rice and Cherry Tomato-Avocado Salad. Monday: Mahi Pasta (basically, pan-seared mahi over this yummy "skinny" Fettucine Alfredo), Caesar Salad Tuesday: Lentil Soup with French-Bread Croutons. Wednesday: Coconut Chicken over Rice. (Based on one of the comments in this recipe, I'll do as suggested and split up the coconut milk in cooking. Will also add cilantro and lime, and chopped mac nuts on top.) Thursday: Bow-tie Pasta with Broccoli Pesto with Sliced Baked Chicken Breast. Note: I am substituting mac nuts for the hazelnuts (I received a Greenwell Farms pack of them for Christmas). Friday: Turkey Meatball and Pepper Sub Sandwiches Saturday: Tomatoes Stuffed with Tuna Salad; French Bread Have a wonderful week. -C. Ironing |
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