Aloha Friday Recipe: Hawaiian Cookie Tarts

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1-3/4 all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

1 cup pineapple preserves*
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups coconut
Additional powdered sugar (about 2 tablespoons)

*In place of the pineapple preserves, 1/2 cup apricot preserves mixed with 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple can be used.

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the cornstarch. With spoon, beat in butter and vanilla until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 ball in each of 36 ungreased mini muffin cups; press in bottom and up side of each cup. Spoon 1 teaspoon pineapple preserves into each dough-lined cup.

In small bowl, beat granulated sugar and egg with fork until well blended. Stir in coconut until well coated with egg mixture. Spoon 1 teaspoon coconut mixture over preserves in each cup. Bake 23 to 33 minutes or until cookie crusts are very light golden brown. Cool in pans on cooling racks 20 minutes. To release cookies from cups, hold muffin pan upside down at an angle over cooling rack. With handle of table knife, firmly tap bottom of each cup until cookie releases. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

1 Cookie Tart: Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 4.5g; Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg: Sodium 50mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 0g; Sugars 109); Protein 0g % Daily Value: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2% Exchanges: 1 Other Carbohydrate, 1-1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1

Recipe courtesy GlobalGourmet.com

Four Foods on Friday 99

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This week’s questions

How do drink your hot chocolate? Marshmallows? From boxed or scratch?
From a box. Usually do a packet of Swiss Miss, a scoopy of Ghirardelli Hazelnut cocoa, melted marshmallows and a dollop of whipped cream! YUM!

Do you prefer cider hot or cold?
Hot. Cold cider is called apple juice. Hee hee/

Do you like egg nog?
YUCK!!! The texture feels like slime going down. My husband does like a glass or two at Christmas time but I wish they sold them in pints becauce the half gallon never gets consumed.

How do you make punch?
2 2 liters of Tahitian Treat, 1 bottle of tropical or passion fruit nectar.

If you’d like to play along on your blog, there’s still time! Stop by Val’s place and post by tomorrow!

Give the gift of Hawaii

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While much of the mainland is feeling the deep freeze, you could give the much appreciated gift of a tropical escape. Sunsets of Hawaii and Sunsets of Kauai are a great gift any time of year for the Hawaii lover or someone needing to relax from the the everyday hustle and bustle of their busy lives.

If you buy direct through Sunsets of Hawaii.com, you can receive $2 off per DVD for a price of $16.95! Remember this price only applies when buying direct! If you hurry, you can select priority shipping and may get it by Christmas.

Stop by SunsetsofHawaii.com today!

Big Island cell phone ban goes into effect 1/1/2010

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Starting January 1st, 2010, you will not be able to use a cell phone or electronic mobile device unless it’s hands free on the Big Island. The penalty for doing so is up to $150 or $500 if you are involved in an accident while using these devices. The devices included in this ban are cell phones, text message or paging devices, PDA’s, laptops, video games, digital cameras.

It doesn’t include navigation systems, on board emergency systems or DVDs for back seat passengers.

The half exception to the rule is making a 911 call which they would have to prove a call to 911 was made and the driver could still be cited.

Those planning a trip to the islands, remember to pull over to make calls or have your passenger make any necessary calls on the Big Island.

Hawaiian Word of the Week

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Snow- Hau (how)

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: Hawaiian Oatmeal Cookies

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1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening, plus extra for greasing the baking sheets
1 large egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange or lemon extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in natural juice, well-drained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Grease baking sheets with shortening. In a large mixing bowl beat brown sugar, shortening, egg, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla and orange extract until creamy. In another mixing bowl stir together oats, flour, baking soda, salt and ginger. Gradually stir flour mixture into creamy mixture. Stir in pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe courtesy Christmas-cookies.com

Four Foods on Friday 98

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How many cookbooks do you have? (1-10, 11-20, 20+)
I believe I’m around 11 or 12. Several of them personalized and autographed.

Where do you keep your large utensils (such as slotted sppons, spatulas, etc)?
In a stainless utensil crock. (Is that what they’re called? LOL)

What is your countertop made of?
A grey suede-ish looking laminate.

Do you use canisters in your kitchen?
Just a stainless canister for the sugar but it’s in the cupboard since counter space is limited!

Want to play along? There’s still time! Swing by Val’s place and post by tomorrow!

Hawaii being pounded by high surf

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The islands are getting pounded by high surf this week which makes serious surfers happy and locals and visitors alike stop in their tracks to witness Mother Nature’s fury. While it is beautiful and picturesque, it should go without saying that swimming or novice surfing should not be attempted in these conditions. Watch from the safe shoreline and park in designated parking or risk getting a nice souvenir ticket from the local police department!

Travel tips to get you through the airport

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With the holiday travel season almost upon us, now would be a good time to brush up on ways to get you through security quickly. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or haven’t flown for a while, these tips are good to remember not just now but any time of year.

Click here for these helpful tips.