Chicken Katsu

I got this recipe from a Polynesian website. Chicken Katsu is often found on most Japanese, Hawaiian and Korean restaurant menus. These delectable deep fried chicken pieces with a side of dipping sauce can fulfill a good meal and is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. We love chicken Katsu served on a bed of cabbage slices and placed next to a scoop of rice and Macaroni Salad

Chicken Katsu

5 lbs of chicken thighs (deboned)

2 eggs (beaten)

Panko bread crumbs

or substitute with

corn flake crumbs
oil (for deep frying)


Katsu Sauce

• 1/3 cup of ketchup
• 1/4 cup of shoyu or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper (ground)

Procedure for Chicken

1. Make sure that the chicken thighs are de-boned. If needed, cut off any excess fat.
Lightly pound to 1/2 inch thickness

2. Dip, not soak, the chicken into the egg batter.

3. Lay the chicken in the Panko or cornflake crumbs and be sure to coat them.

4. Get your wok or a large skillet heated with the cooking oil. Once the oil is hot and sizzling, slowly drop the chicken pieces into the pan. Use the sides of the pan to drop the pieces; this is to avoid any oil splattering.

5. Remove chicken pieces from the pan once they are golden brown in color. You can also check if the chicken is well cooked by piercing and opening a slit.

6. Cut into slices and serve on a bed of lettuce or cabbage.

Procedure for Sauce

1. Pour the ingredients needed to make the sauce into a pot.

2. Mix together and bring the mixture to a boil.
Serve on side as a dip for chicken or lightly spooned over chicken.

Kalua Pork ( My Favorite)

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs Pork shoulder, boneless preferred
2 Tbsp Liquid smoke
2 Tbsp Salt (sea salt preferred)


Cooking Instructions:
Rub pork with liquid smoke and salt all over. Enclose in aluminum foil and bake at 275 for approximately 4-5 hours. Do not open foil to peek. Remove from oven. Open foil and shred with two forks. Can remove fat if desired. Can use next day for Kalua pork and cabbage. Place foil package in glass baking dish if neatness is an issue. If you can get ti leaves, you can wrap pork in leaves then foil. Not necessary though.

For My Crock Pot Version:

3-6 lbs Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
1/12-2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
1-2 Tbsp Sea Salt
Roughly 2 cups Water with a small amount of Beef Broth

Set timer on Low for 6-10 Hours

Chocolate Haupia (Coconut Milk) Pie

1 prepared 9 inch pie shell

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 cup sugar

1 cup whole milk (but you can us skim or low fat)

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 cup water

7 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

chocolate shavings, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Bake crust for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

3. Set aside to cool.

4. In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, coconut milk and 1 cup sugar.

5. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water.

6. Bring coconut mixture to a boil.

7. Reduce to simmer and slowly whisk in the cornstarch.

8. Continue stirring mixture over low heat until thickened.

9. In a small sauce pan, melt chocolate chips for 1 minute or until melted.

10. Reserve 1/2 of the coconut mixture.

11. Mix remaining half with the melted chocolate and pour in bottom of pie crust;

pour reserved half on top of chocolate layer.

12. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

13. Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.

14. Layer the cream on pie; if desired garnish with chocolate shavings.

15. *Best if it refrigerates over night to completely firm.

Pani PoPo

Recipe #1 Pani Popo

Ingredients:

* 1 Bag Frozen Dinner Rolls
* 1 Can Coconut Milk
* 1 Can of Water
* 1 Cup Sugar
* 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch



Follow directions for frozen dinner rolls. Let rolls rise in a 13" X 9" cake pan. In a quart sauce pan, mix coconut milk, water and sugar. In a small bowl, mix corn starch and a few tablespoons of cold water till all clumps are gone. Bring the coconut sauce to a boil then add the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for about 3 minutes (sauce will thicken a little), then remove sauce from heat. Bake rolls. After 10 minutes take out rolls and pour the coconut sauce over the rolls till 1/2 to 3/4 of each bun is covered in sauce. Put the rolls back in the oven and continue baking the rolls with the sauce until the tops of the rolls are golden brown. Remove pan and allow a few minuites to cool. Serve warm.

Left over sauce can be used to smother rolls when served individually or for a second pan of Pani Popo

Substitutes: You can use any dinner roll recipe instead of the bag of frozen rolls. However, if you have never made bread before, you'll find the frozen rolls are very easy in comparison.

Banana Berry Brownie Pizza

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg

Topping

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 medium firm banana, sliced
• 1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate, melted

1. In a bowl, combine the brownie mix, water, oil and egg until well blended. Spread into a greased and floured 12-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Spread over brownie crust. Bake 15 minutes longer or until topping is set. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Just before serving, arrange strawberries and bananas over topping; drizzle with chocolate. Refrigerate leftovers

Asian Pear and Strawberry Smoothie

1/2 cup ice
1 Asian pear, cored and cubed
2 large strawberries, hulled
2/3 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup fat-free milk
2 teaspoons white sugar

o Place the ice, Asian pear, strawberries, yogurt, milk, and sugar into a blender; blend until smooth.

Peanutty Noodles

2 carrots, peeled

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter (such as Smucker's)

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

2 cups red bell pepper strips
1 pound snow peas, trimmed

8 cups hot cooked linguine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Shave the carrots lengthwise into thin strips using a vegetable peeler, and set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 5 ingredients (broth through salt); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and keep warm. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and snow peas; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Combine carrot, peanut butter mixture, bell pepper mixture, and linguine in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 10 servings

Szechwan Shrimp

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces cooked shrimp, tails removed

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.
2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened.

MinutesYields: 4 servings

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
2.In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
3.Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Yields: 12 servings

Bacon and Tomato Pasta by Guy Fieri

2 tablespoons kosher salt
16 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine
4 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Yields: 4 servings
4 tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Yields: 2 servings
4 ounces linguine pasta
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
breast halves, sliced into thin
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, minced

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. 2.Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat. 3. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through. 4. In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Pork Spare Ribs with Southwestern Barbecue Sauce

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

2 slabs pork spare ribs, about 3 pounds each
2 tablespoons paprika
tablespoons liquid crab boil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons, plus 1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Southwestern Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Place the ribs in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Cover with water and add the crab boil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. In a bowl, combine the sugar, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, remaining tablespoon of salt, and cayenne. Pat the ribs dry and rub well with the spice mixture. Lightly oil the grill rack on a barbecue grill, and preheat to medium-low (about 250 to 275 degrees F). Arrange the ribs on the rack and cover (with foil or upside down hotel pan). Cook, turning every 20 minutes, until tender, about 2 hours, replenishing charcoal as needed. During the last 20 minutes of cooking time, baste the ribs with the sauce, turning twice. Remove the ribs from the grill and serve the ribs with remaining sauce and fried pork rinds. If you want to make this dish in the oven: After rubbing ribs with spice mixture, place them in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Remove. Slather ribs with BBQ sauce, wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap, then wrap in foil, and return to the oven to bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Southwestern Barbecue Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo, with adobo sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until the onions are lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles, and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and lime juice and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the adobo sauce, tomato sauce, molasses, mustard, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain. Yield: 4 cups

Pomegranate (POM) Seared Scallop Salad

1 1/2 lbs. large sea scallops
1/4 cup arils from 1 POM
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
6-8 cups mixed greens
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup cucumber slices
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 cup cherry tomatoes
salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Directions: 1. Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)2. Prepare POM Soy-Ginger Dressing. 3. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and 1 teaspoon ginger; toss with scallops. 4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil in a large skillet.5. Place scallops in the skillet in a single layer. Cook without turning until the underside is crispy brown and then turn. Sear in batches if necessary. 6. Cover scallops, set aside and keep warm while preparing the salad. 7. Arrange greens on 4 dinner plates, top with cucumbers and tomatoes.8. Divide the scallops onto each plate; garnish with arils. Serve with dressing.

The BEST Carmel Corn

3-4 bags of microwave popcorn
1 cup light Karo Syrup
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 stick butter
1 can Eagle brand sweet condensed milk

In a medium pan, melt syrup, sugar and butter. Pour in milk. Stirring
constantly on medium heat, cook until temperature reaches 110۫ or to softball stage. At least 10-15 minutes. Pour over popped popcorn and mix with your hands. YUMMY!