Featured Recipes
Category Archives: Hawaiian
Banana Bread with Macadamia Nuts
When my husband and I went to Hawaii, we discovered a few stands selling banana bread by the side of the road. We were told that Julia’s was “the world’s best” banana bread. I always thought of banana bread as something you make to save extra bananas from going in the trash. That was until I tasted the heaven that is Julia’s banana bread. One thing that stood out was the buttery flavor. I always made mine using the recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, which uses oil for the fat. I noticed today that our … Continue reading
Aloha Cookies
I’m not sure “Aloha Cookies” is the best name, but it was the best I could come up with. It was that or “Pineapple Coconut Macadamia Cookies”…and I ran out of breath trying to say it. :) I went on a baking frenzy today and decided to come up with something new. Hence this recipe. I also made Anise Biscotti and Oatmeal Cookies. I botched the biscotti, though. It happens. Ah, well! I even cooked up some delicious dulce de leche! I’d never made it before, but there have been so many bloggers raving about how easy it is … Continue reading
Mango Smoothie
When I was in Hawaii last September, one hotel we stayed at served tiny mango smoothies with breakfast every morning. They were delicious; I wished they hadn’t been so small. I found some beautiful mangoes while shopping at a farmers market last week and decided to try making my own. Ingredients: 1 small mango, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup of fruit) 1 cup milk 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1 tablespoon honey Directions: Lay the mango pieces on a plate and freeze for about 30 minutes. Place all the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth, … Continue reading
Shrimp Tacos
While in Kauai, we discovered this place called the Shrimp Shack. Its appearance lives up to its name. I was a bit skeptical about eating anything from this place, but thank goodness I got over that! They make the most amazing shrimp tacos! I made this version about 3 weeks after tasting the ones in Hawaii, so I don’t know how close they are to the original, but they’re still very tasty! 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 1 tablespoon cilantro juice of 1/2 lime 2 teaspoons Sriracha 4 flour tortillas … Continue reading
Macadamia Crusted Salmon
I’m back from Hawaii, and, as promised, I have many island-inspired ideas to share. Almost every restaurant we went to had some version of this dish. It’s easy to see why it’s a local favorite. Here’s my interpretation using Alaskan salmon, though it works well with almost any fish. 1 pound salmon filet, cut into two pieces 1/4 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, finely chopped 1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) 2 tablespoons butter 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill additional lemon and dill for garnish (optional) Mix panko and … Continue reading
