Musings of a wife and mother, born and raised in Hawaii. Far away from home now, but creating and discovering bits of sunshine and paradise in everyday life.
Food
Dragonfruit Smoothie

Dragonfruit Smoothie

One of the best things I enjoy doing in Hawaii is eating all the local fruits. As you know, I’m a big fan of Hawaiian papayas, pineapples and strawberries, but dragonfruit is something relatively new to me. It’s not a fruit that was grown commercially in Hawaii until fairly recently–I don’t remember growing up eating...
Whole Wheat Pasta with Portuguese Sausage, Sweet Onions and Lucini Tomato Gorgonzola Sauce

Whole Wheat Pasta with Portuguese Sausage, Sweet Onions and Lucini Tomato Gorgonzola Sauce

Tonight’s great dinner idea comes straight from Tania, of MauiShopGirl. It sounded sooo good, I had to try it as soon as possible. There’s something about Portuguese sausage that makes anything with it taste delicious. Fortunately, I just happened to find the Lucini Robust Tomato Gorgonzola Sauce on sale at Bel-Air Market for $7.69. That’s...
Cole and Kallie make Ramen and Ippudo NYC

Cole and Kallie make Ramen and Ippudo NYC

A few weeks ago, Cole and Kallie decided to go through the laborious task of making ramen broth from scratch for our family dinner. The ingredients included:  4 lbs pork trotters, 4 chicken carcasses (3 cooked, 1 raw), bones from 3 racks of baby back ribs (barbecued), 1 onion, 2 leeks, 15 cloves of garlic,...
Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Several days ago, I was delighted with the sight of different colored beets, piled high on the tables at the farmer’s market. Vibrant colors of pink, orange, and deep, deep red mesmerized me. I couldn’t resist, and found myself grabbing a bunch of each color. After I cleaned and trimmed them, I roasted them to...
Musubi Day

Musubi Day

The weather’s been so nice lately, that it’s actually getting a little hot in the afternoons. We’re expecting temperatures in the 80’s by this weekend. Picnic weather = musubi weather. =) This morning I got up earlier than usual for some reason, so I decided to make some musubi. It’s usually too hectic to make...
Baked Pomme Frites with Curry Ketchup

Baked Pomme Frites with Curry Ketchup

In yesterday’s post I mentioned visiting Pomme Frites, a small restaurant specializing in Belgian french fries and dipping sauces, on our way back from visiting the Statue of Liberty. The kids enjoyed them, so I thought I’d try to make a home version. The original pomme frites are deep fried twice–the first time to cook...
Roasted Mini Eggplant

Roasted Mini Eggplant

I love eggplant, and when I spied these mini ones, I just couldn’t resist getting them. So adorably cute, and only about the size of figs. It doesn’t hurt that violet just so happens to be my favorite color. After washing them, I pierced them all over with the tip of a paring knife before...
Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing - Part 5

Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing – Part 5

More Steamy Kitchen Test Recipes:  Roasted Kabocha Squash They say eating sweet vegetables helps when you have cravings for sweets. I had this roasted Kabocha squash last night sprinkled with spices, and it did a pretty good job of filling a need for something sweet. Though it’ll never take the place of cake, of course!...
Cabbage Day!

Cabbage Day!

Sauteed Cabbage with Carrots and Fennel Seeds With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I prepared a couple of cabbage dishes. Here I’ve used a regular green cabbage, and some sliced carrots. I steamed the carrots first, since the pieces of cabbage would cook so much faster than the raw carrots would. I think...
Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing - Part 2

Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing – Part 2

Stir-fried Bean Sprouts and Snow Peas Glorious Vegetables! I’ve been testing more recipes for Steamy Kitchen here. Steamed Carrots with Sesame Ponzu Vinaigrette Blackened Tofu with Ginger Ponzu Sauce Ma Po Tofu  
Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing - Part 1

Steamy Kitchen Recipe Testing – Part 1

Recently I was delighted to be chosen to help test recipes for Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen. She’s working on her second cookbook, which will focus on lighter and healthier Asian fare. The recipes themselves remain under wraps, so enjoy the pictures for now. I had one child home sick today, so soup seemed to be...