Aloha Friday Recipe: Haupia Pumpkin Pie

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Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (13 ounces) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
9-inch unbaked pie shell
1 package (2 1/2 ounces) haupia pudding mix
1 cup heavy cream, whipped and sweetened

Instructions

Preheat electric oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin and eggs. Add sugar, salt, and spices. Stir in milk and 1 cup of the coconut. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes; lower heat to 350 degrees and bake about 40 to 45 more minutes or until filling is set. Cool. Prepare haupia pudding mix according to package directions. Cool slightly, then pour over pie. Chill until haupia is firm. Just before serving, spread whipped cream over pie. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Makes 8 servings.

Happy Thanksgiving from True Aloha

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I wanted to take a minute to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my True Aloha readers. Have a wonderful day filled with family, friends and of course ono kau kau! If you’d like, feel free to comment on what you are making or had for Thanksgiving dinner. I always love seeing how different people’s traditions are. Enjoy your holiday and if you’re gearing up for Black Friday tomorrow, get to bed early and rest up!

Four Foods on Friday meme #57

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I’m posting on Wednesday because some of you might be a little busy tomorrow. *smile* So if you’d like to participate in this meme, just head on over to Val’s and you can post your responses on Black Friday while everyone else is fighting the crowds!

#1. What’s your favorite carbonated beverage?

I usually drink caffeine free Pepsi or Sunkist/Orange Crush if the mood strikes me.

#2. What’s your favorite spicy food?

Hmm, I LOVE spicy foods so it’s hard to name just one. There used to be this restaurant called China Coast that was a chain and they had this dish called Pork Ja Ja Mein that was the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted and I’d get it “EXTRA EXTRA hot.” My lips would be numb, it was great! LOL (If any former employee out there has the recipe for the Ja Ja Mein sauce, I would be ever so grateful!!) Since I can’t have that anymore, I guess I’d have to say a good spicy Mexican dish.

#3. How do you handle hot dishes? Oven mitt, pot holder, towel?

Pot holders.

#4. Ice cream. How do you like yours?

Just scoop it out, plop it in a bowl and there ya go. That’s if we have company. If it’s just us we get a pint of ice cream and I eat straight from that. My favorites are Graeter’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip and their Mint Chocolate Chip. Also like Haagen Dazs Dulce De Leche and their Cinnamon Dulce De Leche. Man you put those with a slice apple or pumpkin pie…mmmm!!!

‘That Bites’ Week at Maui Ocean Center

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If you’ve ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes at the Hawaiian Aquarium or about the daily duties of these divers in the exhibits, this duo of exclusive tours is for you!

“Meet the Diver” and “Meet the Aquarist” gives visitors the chance to interact with Maui Ocean Center’s curatorial staff, learn about their aquarium duties through a guided tour, and enjoy a supervised feeding of marine animals, including turtles, hammerhead sharks, Surge Zone creatures, and seahorses. This hands-on activity is fun for the entire family and a great learning experience. Participants will also receive a gift from the Maui Ocean Center Store!

Each tour is $10 per adult or child and does not include park admission. Tours may be purchased at the Front Gate day of or booked 24 hours in advance. To book a tour in advance, call (808) 270-7089.

Tour Times & Dates

Meet the Diver
Dates: November 25, 26, & 30
Time: 1 p.m.

Meet the Aquarist
Dates: November 24, 28, 29
Time: 4 p.m.

Hawaiian word of the week

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Pua-(poo-uh)- Flower

The alphabet contains 12 letters: 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 7 consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w). To simplify pronunciation, sound consonants as in English and break up words so they are easy to say (ie- Humuhumunukunukuapua’a would be pronounced humu-humu-nuku-nuku-apu-a-a)

Pronounce vowels as follows:

a - a in above; e - e in set; i - ee in see; o - o in some; u - oo in moon.

Pronounce vowels marked by a glottal stop (`) quickly ie- o`o sounds like oh-oh! in English.

Stress rising dipthongs (ae, ai, ao, au, oi, ou, eu, ei) on the first letter and end with a short e, i, o or u. ie- oi sounds like oy in soy, ending with a short “i”.

Aloha Friday Recipe: Basil and Mac Nut Pesto

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Ingredients

5 cups sweet basil leaves, well packed
1/2 cup whole macadamia nuts
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place basil, nuts, garlic, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor, process until leaves and
nuts are finely chopped. With the machine running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

Four Foods on Friday #56

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Posting a day early for those who want to get in their post in time. Don’t be afraid, jump on in and swing by Val’s place to play along!

#1. What’s the worst tasting food you’ve ever eaten?
My dad made some noodle dish when I was in 2nd grade and he sprinkled caraway seeds all over it and I about gagged. He sat there and made me eat it. 3 hours later when Mom got home, she threw it away and even now if I even get a WHIFF of rye bread or even see the words caraway seeds, I almost retch.

#2. Share a funny or embarassing story about a meal you’re made.
Made my famous meatloaf for the in-laws at their place and I couldn’t find a glass pan so I used her cookie sheet…and burnt it beyond recognition. Note to self, use foil if you’re forced to use a cookie sheet. To make a bad situation worse, I went to sprinkle on some italian seasoning on roasted potatoes and hers didn’t have the shaker snapped on tight and half the bottle fell out onto the potatoes. Next note to self, never cook at anyone elses house.

#3. What food do you burn or have problems cooking most often?
Pancakes. I don’t burn them but they’re never golden looking. I’ve tried every temp setting on the stove and the first two might turn out fine but the last two will be a little darker looking. It’s irritating.

#4. Name two foods you’ll be eating on this Thanksgiving.
Turkey and noodles. YUM! One week until chow time!

Crazy gagdet for Lilo and Stitch fans

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Now I’m as big a Lilo and Stitch fan as an 8 year old. I’ve got a few stuffed animals and do dads they released and I could probably recite dialog from the movie. However I’m a little puzzled by Disney’s newest addition their Lilo and Stitch line of products 6 years after its release. The Stitch USB powered humidifier plugs into your computer and “belches” warm, wet air to keep your nasal passages properly moisturized during those dry winter months. Yeah. I can buy the novelty of that but they seem quite a few years too late but how much would you be willing to pay for such an item? $10? $20? $50? Try $117!!!! Good luck selling any of these lovelies Disney especially in this economy.

Coming to the islands? What should you expect?

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The following are good tips from TravelSmartHawaii.com pre-arrival to Hawaii.

How to Dress
When deciding your wardrobe for Hawaii, plan on packing clothes that suit your lifestyle and travel plans. Start with clothes that are light, loose, and comfortable.

Daytime
• Shorts, sandals or some good walking shoes
• Short sleeve shirts or tops
• Hat and sunglasses
• Swim trunks or swimsuit for the beach

Evenings
• Casual pants and shirts for both men and women
• Dress or skirt and top for women
• Sport coat (if you plan to visit Hawaii’s finest restaurants)
• Light jacket or sweater

Special situations
You’ll need warm clothes if your trip will take you to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island, or to Maui’s Haleakala National Park. That also applies if you’ll be hiking at higher elevations or spending time on the ocean. It does get cool on occasion, particularly if you’ll be spending time up-country on one of the islands, so it’s probably smart to bring a coat or sweater if that’s where you’re headed. Consider bringing:
• Light coat or windbreaker
• Sweater or sweatshirt
• Long pants
• Hiking shoes

It’s also a good idea to check what your weather averages are. We’re heading into rainy season so you may want to consider whether that’s an issue for you or not. Also note when low and high seasons are. You will pay more around the holidays and many accommodations will require a minimum stay that is longer than their typical requirements. If you’re planning a trip to the Big Island, accommodations fill up well in advance around the time of the Ironman Triathlon (October 10, 2009) and Merrie Monarch Festival (April 12-18, 2009.) The Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo tends to fill up the rentals in Volcano, Hawaii 30 miles away where rentals are limited so book way ahead around this time of year.