Happy Hour Friday

 Oh welcome to the weekend people, time to unwind and party yeah and Dr. Max Bergman is taking us to that party place.  Since Max has many sides and can be very focused he can multitask at a crime scene.  
Though when the moment hits and he decides that this  Friday is going to be Happy Hour at his place it is time to jump into action.  Be advised co-workers unlike movie night this will not be blown off.  Do you understand Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams!    


So our favorite coroner has come up with a theme for Happy Hour, he is going Mexican, and since we know he can go all out.  Kick back and enjoy, now the boys are going to bring the cervezas, so Max is going to mix the margaritas and make the munchies.  Max is going a little crazy, he is a coroner so blood orange would make sense, but for you feel free to use any margarita mix of your choice.  The best part of a party is to have fun and mix it up, so whether you attempt it from scratch, buy the juice or pick up a mix, Max and I hope you Enjoy!




Koko  'Alani  Margarita
(Blood Orange)

1 lime wedge

Coarse salt for rim

Ice

2 ounces of tequila

1-1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounce orange liqueur

1/2 ounce simple syrup

3/4 ounce blood orange puree (see below)

1 lime wheel

1 blood orange wedge optional

1. Moisten the outside edges of a rocks glass with a lime wedge.
2. Sprinkle a little salt on a small plate and dip the moistened rim in the salt to coat it lightly.
3. Fill the glass and a cocktail shaker with ice.
4. Add the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, simple syrup and blood orange puree and shake vigorously.

Strain into the glass, garnish with lime and blood orange wheels

Blood Orange Puree

4 blood oranges, peeled, segmented and seeded

2 tablespoon simple syrup

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. In a blender or food processor, combine orange segments, simple syrup and lemon juice. Puree until smooth.
2. Taste and adjust amounts of simple syrup and lemon juice as needed.

Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Pour into a glass jar and cover, refrigerating until needed.

Guacamole

2 avocados

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ripe tomato, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper.  
2. Season mixture with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors.

Maki Quesadilla Recipe

Large flour tortillas

Grated cheese - mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack

Olive oil

Optional:

Green onions

Black olives, sliced

Fresh tomatoes, diced

Chicken pieces

Avocado

Lettuce

1.       Heat a large frying pan to medium high heat; add a small amount of oil. Place one large flour tortilla and put it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips.

2.      When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, add whatever ingredients you choose. Just don’t layer the ingredients too thickly.

3.      Reduce the heat to low and cover, after a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and keep checking every minute until the cheese is melted. When the cheese is melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side and cook till browned.

4.      Remove from pan and cut into wedges. Serve with the lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

MeaNui Nachos

4 cups tortilla chips

 1 15-ounce can  black beans, rinsed and drained

 1/2 cup  bottled salsa

 2 cups  shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Chihuahua cheese (8 ounces)

 1/2 cup  bottled roasted red sweet peppers, cut into thin strips

 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh or canned sliced jalapeno peppers

    Desired toppings, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on an 11- or 12-inch ovenproof platter, overlapping them slightly.
2. In a small saucepan, combine black beans and 1/2 cup salsa. Cook and stir over medium heat just until heated through. Spoon bean mixture over chips. Sprinkle with cheese, roasted red pepper, and jalapeno pepper.  
3. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve nachos with desired toppings. Makes 12 servings.

Dessert (Decadent) Thursday

It has been one hell of a week so far, you get back from reserve duty, your partner/friend (for some reason you guys have issues admitting this) turned your home into a college dorm room.  Yeah lets not forget his attempt at cooking that smoked out the place, and yeah he did let the dog sleep in your bed.  So when it comes to rising stress levels, you may have it in boat loads. 




You are Steve McGarrett, and of course we need to throw a murder into the mix and nothing straight forward, Hawaiian warriors, and and old friend happens to be there as well.  All said and done a boss needs to do what he has to for his team, his friends, his ohana.  




So Steve sit back and think what exactly can you do for you guys to show them you care?  No can't be a healthy treat this has to be decadent, chocolaty,  scrumptious, amazing to look at, gratifying when it touches the palate, a luxurious texture, creamy, basically an orgasmic experience.  So Navy Seal this is a challenge that is so suited to you, more than you realize.  No worries, I can hook you up with a recipe, that can make you look good.


Today it is a twist on the classic tiramisu, just taste this powerfully chocolate tiramisu and you will forsake all your self-control.  

Alekaneka Brownie Tiramisu

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup coffee liqueur

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee

6-oz.  semisweet chocolate divided

3/4 cup butter

2 1/4 cups sugar, divided

3 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-8-oz. container mascarpone cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. 
2. Stir together coffee liqueur and coffee.  Coarsely chop 4 oz chocolate.  Microwave coarsely chopped chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. 
3. Whisk in 2 cups sugar and eggs, whisking until blended; stir in flour, stirring just until blended. Spoon batter into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch pan.  Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven, and cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Pierce brownie multiple times using the tines of a fork. Pour coffee mixture over brownie. Let cool on wire rack 1 hour or until completely cool.  
4. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup sugar, mascarpone cheese, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.  
5. Crumble half of brownies, and divide evenly among 6 (8-oz.) glasses. Spoon half of mascarpone cheese mixture over brownies. Repeat procedure with remaining brownies and mascarpone cheese mixture.  
6. Chop remaining chocolate into thin shreds. Sprinkle chocolate and pecans over mascarpone cheese mixture.  
7.  Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 24 hours.

I want to give some very special thanks for the help I received in completing today's blog and helping a girl when the words wouldn't come.  So Wanda (Wanaka), Catherine (Kakalina), Maddie (Makie), and Ellen (Elena) love you guys.


Cheryl (Kelela) 

Miscellaneous Wednesday

Happy Wednesday I 
know it is the middle of the week but it could still be date night, right?  Especially if maybe you have been seeing a certain person for the past 3 months, maybe you might feel the need to surprise with a little something something.  So  our sweet Danny needs to get himself home since he made a date with Gabby for a quiet little dinner, yet boss man not making it very easy (as usual). Not only giving our hero a hard time about the date, but about cooking the meal, remember the fritata Danno?  



Danny with his east coast ego in check plans on heading forward with a simple, light and burn proof meal.  Even make it easier, buy a bag of steamer veggies,  and rice, you are more than set.  Besides what could be more romantic than shrimp and lobster tails.... a bottle of white wine, the rest, Danny I leave to you.  You new lady love, beautiful, so as  Danny and Gabby enjoy I do hope you do as well. 

Kapalina Shrimp and Lobster Tails served with Hot Lime Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce*

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 small lobster tails, meat removed from shell and coarsely chopped

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup white wine

Cooked white rice

1. Mix 1/2 cup of butter with hot pepper sauce and lime juice in a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; stir in shrimp and lobster tails. Cook and stir until shrimp just turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the mushrooms, garlic, and white wine; continue to cook and stir until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are tender, about 5 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the Key lime juice mixture until melted.  Serve over cooked rice.

* You may cut down on pepper sauce or just use ground black pepper if you do not like spicy

Side Dish Tuesday

It's Tuesday and you made the mistake of inviting the boss, his friend and your cousin over for dinner, what were you not thinking. But you are however Kono Kalakaua and you can manage just about anything can't you. That is why she is my girl of the day can you blame me?  One great cop one amazing woman who can get is done.




Then there is a knock at the door first one here it's your cousin, then it hits you forgot the damn side dish.  Your Navy Seal boss and his friend Joe are always on time, what does a girl do? (Me I smile cause check out the men coming to dinner) Our girl kicks up only as she can and comes up with a potato dish even a seal (yes Navy Seal) would love. 


What makes this dish so easy is it cooks in the microwave in minutes.  There is an extra special something you can add and takes a few extra minutes in the oven.  I do hope you give this a try with its very tropical flair.

                                               

• Kalake Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
  4 sweet potatoes
• ½ cup milk

    1 cup crushed pineapple in juice

1. Wash the sweet potatoes and then pierce the skin a few times with a fork. 
2. Place them on a paper towel so that they do not touch each other and microwave on high for 7 minutes.  Turn them over and microwave another 6 minutes.  Check to be sure the potatoes are done, cooking longer if they are not.  
3. Cut a slice in the long side of the potato and scoop out the pulp leaving a shell about 1/4 inch thick. Put the pulp of all the potatoes in a food processor bowl.  Add the milk and a dash of pepper, if desired.  
4. Drain the pineapple and then added the drained fruit to the food processor. Process until thoroughly mixed.  
5. Refill the shells with the sweet potato/pineapple mixture. Put the filled potatoes on a microwave safe plate and cook on high for 4 minutes.

If you would like to make it fancy, make a crumb topping...

Topping 

½ cup plain flour

½ cup rolled oats

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup desiccated coconut (or unsweetened) 

½ teaspoon cinnamon

4tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix to combine flour, oats, sugar, coconut and cinnamon.  
3. Rub in butter with fingertips until mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Sprinkle over potatoes and place in oven for about 10-15 minutes to cook crumbs.. Remove and enjoy!

It's Main Dish Monday

 Yes we are back to Monday we know what that means.... another episode of Hawaii Five 0 (okay and it's Main dish Monday as well).  So Many of us may be of for President's Day, others working , but the dish I chose whether you make tonight or next year is a simple take on an old Italian classic that you can still twist up.




My H50 chef of the day of sort will be none other Kamekona because he could  be the only one that could do justice to Lasagna.  A happy guy can bring happy food to all his friends to enjoy, and get them to come together. 


Kailolu Lasagna 


1 lb ground beef
3 cups tomato sauce (homemade or your favorite jar -28 oz)
1 box (16oz) lasagna noodles (either no boil or boil which you prefer but no boil is quicker)
2lbs ricotta cheese
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Brown meat in saucepan; drain then add sauce and simmer 15 minutes.  If cooking lasagna noodles follow package instructions.  
3. Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt pepper,eggs.  
4. Pour 1/2 cup meat sauce on bottom of 13x9 inch pan place noodles, spread 1/3 of cheese filling, and about 1 cup of sauce.  Repeat and finish with the remainder of mozzarella cheese. 
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly then remove foil to let brown another 10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes then serve.

This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, or even frozen for up to 2 months.  If you choose to bake a refrigerated lasagna cooking time may increase to 1 hour.

Also you may use ground turkey instead of beef, omit it completely if you choose to.  You may, shred carrots zucchini, saute spinach, make this your own.