Monthly Archives: October 2011

Chibo Okonomiyaki House 5-course Dinner

By Sharon | Review

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake made with cabbage, eggs, seafood, meats and lots of great seasonings. In Japan you can go into tiny places and they bring you the ingredients and you cook them right on a grill at your table. There are also nice restaurants that serve a fancier sort of Okonomiyaki.

A little more than two years ago when we stayed in Waikiki for the first time we went to Chibo for dinner and loved it. We returned last night for dinner. Dinner was cooked on flat grills right in front of you. We ordered from a menu that included five courses and was prepared by the assistant executive chef. He adjusted our choices for Ken to have only seafood, substituting scallops for the beef part of the meal
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Hula Grill Island Breakfast

By Sharon | Travel

We started our day with a sunrise walk in the waves hitting the beach. Okay I walked and Ken ran. Bare feet in warm, soft sand seems to work up an appetite.

Breakfast on Tuesday morning was at the Hula Grill on the beach in Waikiki. The sun was up, the surfers and paddle boarders were out catching the small waves coming in. It’s a very relaxing way to enjoy any morning on the beach.

We specifically hunted down a restaurant that served the Hawaiian Sweet Bread French Toast as it’s one of my favorite breakfasts and the only way I get Hawaiian Sweet Bread back in Texas is to make it. I was not disappointed, the French Toast was cooked perfectly and served with fresh island strawberries.

Ken ordered the most unusual dish of Hula Eggs Benedict and Seared Peppered Ahi with wasabi hollandaise. The Ahi was seared perfectly with juicy pink inside lightly browned outside. The seasoning was perfect, the homestyle potatoes were tender and seasoned well.

Breakfast was a great start to our first full day on the island. Later in the day we had massages at the Westin Moana Lani Spa.

Pumpkin Hazelnut Spice Muffins

By Sharon | Happenings

I love when pumpkin season comes around.  Many years ago I found multiple recipes for Pumpkin Hazelnut Spice Muffins and I tried many of them.  One of my issues was the huge amount of sugar in every one of these recipes.  I’ve cut my sugar down since I don’t think breakfast should be loaded with sugar.

This is one of my favorite recipes for using fresh pumpkin.  You can use canned but the fresh is really delicious.

I’ve also adjusted the spices and I usually add even more than this recipe calls for.  These muffins are good warm out of the oven, with or without butter.  I make the large batch and freeze them unbaked so I can just pop them in my toaster oven on the mornings I want them.

Preparing Fairytale Pumpkin to Cook With

By Sharon | Tips

This year I read all the descriptions of the variety of pumpkins at Whole Foods and selected a Fairytale Pumpkin for my baking needs.  From research on the internet a Cinderella Pumpkin looks the same but has an orange skin. The Fairytale Pumpkin has more of a tan skin. They are both good for baking.

I know this looks like a large pumpkin and a lot of pumpkin when you’re finished but there is a lot of water that will be removed in the end. You can freeze your cooked pumpkin for later use. Just think of the endless recipes you can make with fresh pumpkin; Mini Pumpkin Pies, Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, Pumpkin Hazelnut Muffins, Pumpkin and Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli, and any number of pies, cakes, breads, and soups.Continue reading

Irish Cod with Mash and Peas

By Sharon | Recipes , Wordless Wednesday

Get the recipe: Irish Cod with Mash and Peas