NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER AT HOME

NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

AT HOME 

We stayed home as usual for New Year's Eve.  At home with the family eating a great meal, lighting fireworks and enjoying this precious life.  We began our meal with fresh Island Sashimi for good luck.  Our main course was a braised Veal Chop with shallots, wine and veal stock reduction.  On the side was a very nice piece of Chilean Sea Bass topped with Truffle Butter and a poached egg. Served over Risotto with Asparagus.  Simply amazing and delicious.  The Poached Egg was an improvisation on a dish we enjoyed at Gordon Ramsay's in New York.  Gordon places an egg yolk only inside the fish.  We tried pouring a regular egg yolk into an incision we made in the Sea Bass.  The yolk would not fit.  I think we can pull this dish off the right way with smaller yolks.  I was amazed when the egg yolk spilled over the fish at Gordon Ramsay's.  It was a surprise and also very delicious.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

VEAL MARSALA AT HOME

VEAL MARSALA

DINNER AT HOME

Looks like I am hooked on cooking all things pasta and Italian right now.  Tonight was Veal Marsala with Linguine.  This is a simple and fast dish to cook and it really tasted delicious.  I used thinly sliced veal, mushrooms, garlic, shallots, marsala wine, chicken stock, butter, olive oil and fresh rosemary.  Cooked the veal first and then set aside and added it to the sauce when finished.  Made sure not to overcook the veal and it worked.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2010
THE SANTOS FAMILY 


We are blessed and very thankful for a  being a healthy and happy family.  Christmas at home is so special.  We spent the entire day together hanging out with no television allowed.  Keli played her new piano, Dad worked on computer stuff and Mom spent some time with her Mother.  We also enjoyed the many presents from family and friends.  Thanks to everyone who called, emailed, texted and visited our home for the holidays.

PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE - DINNER AT HOME

PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE

DINNER AT HOME

I broke out The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali and found a nice recipe for Bolognese Sauce with Pasta.  The dish includes ground beef, ground pork, pancetta, onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, milk, white wine, fresh thyme and parmigiano-reggiano cheese.  The recipe also called for some veal but we did not have any so we did not include it.  The sauce cooks for 1 1/2 hours and then is mixed with the Pappardelle Pasta.  This was excellent.  Next time I will add a little more tomato sauce or paste.

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER AT HOME

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER

AT HOME 

What a great day staying home and cooking with my girls.  If only the Hawaii Football team could have played better in the Hawaii Bowl.  Would have been a perfect evening.  The food however was a Bowl Winner.  We enjoyed a brined and bacon wrapped turkey that was moist and full of flavor.  Stuffed with herb butter infused with Sage, Thyme, Chives, Basil and Roasted Garlic.  I cooked up an Apple, Sausage and Sage Stuffing, Scalloped Potatoes with Ham, Grilled Onions and three kinds of cheese and then the old favorite of Green Beans with Crunchy Onions.  Everything came out great.  What a perfect day at home.  We are so blessed.   I love my girls and every minute we spend together.

BACON COVERED TURKEY

TURKEY WITH ROASTED POTATOES

LOVE THE HOLIDAYS AT HOME

SAUSAGE, APPLE AND SAGE STUFFING

CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH HAM

SAIGON VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

SAIGON VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

DOWNTOWN HONOLULU, HI

The Holidays afforded me the rare opportunity to share a week day lunch with my best friend Keli.  "What do you want for lunch" I asked her.  "Pho" was her answer.  When it comes to Pho, our first choice is Saigon in Chinatown.  This small family owned restaurant serves up the best Pho in town.  I don't even get a menu anymore here.  As soon as I walk in the door, the owner knows to bring me an order of Spring Rolls and bowl of Pho.  They make mine special with more meat and less noodles.  I never asked for this, but the gracious owner noticed my eating habits and adapted the Pho just for me.  Now that is service.  When I take Keli, they make her a small bowl and put beef balls in hers along with the rare steak.  She tops her soup with lots of fresh bean sprouts.

SHRIMP SCAMPI AT HOME

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH PASTA

DINNER AT HOME

Seems like I am enjoying cooking again.  Lately I have been digging through the refrigerator in an attempt to use ingredients that we have in the house. The goal is to use up what we have and not go to the store.  We had some great looking shrimp and some Italian Parsley so I whipped up a really good Shrimp Scampi with Pasta.  The dish came out perfect and tasted delicious.  Ingredients are;

pasta, shrimp, garlic, butter, olive oil, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice and Italian parsley.  That's it!

SHRIMP SCAMPI COOKED AT HOME - SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS

HOLIDAY DINNER AT HOME WITH FRIENDS

HOLIDAY DINNER

AT HOME WITH FRIENDS 

Enjoyed a wonderful dinner and evening with friends.  My friend knows a wine distributor and he came supplied with a bottle of 2002 Opus One and a 1999 Dom Perignon.  Dinner began with Seared Ahi Tuna, Assorted Cheese, Salami and a Shrimp Civiche served in champagne glasses.  Dinner began with a Caesar Salad with Anchovies and Parmesan Crisps.  We followed the salad with a light pasta with butter, sage, Parmesan and local mushrooms.  The main course included Alaskan King Crab Legs, Filet Mignon, Twice Baked Potatoes stuffed with roasted garlic, butter, ham and cheese.  Also had some Asparagus and a tomato wedge crusted with Parmesan and bread crumbs.  Our friends brought great and tasty creme puffs for desert, but I was so full that I could not even look at them.  We lit the fireplace, kicked back with a glass of wine and enjoyed our beautiful Christmas Tree.  Truly a wonderful evening.

SEARED AHI

CHEESE AND SALAMI PLATTER

SHRIMP CIVICHE

CEASER SALAD

A LITTLE OPUS ONE

PAPPARDELLE WITH MUSHROOMS IN BUTTER SAUCE

ALASKAN KING CRAB LEGS

FILET MIGNON, TWICED BAKED POTATO, ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO

A LITTLE DOM TO CAP OFF THE EVENING

ON THE BORDER MEXICAN RESTAURANT - LOS ANGELES AIRPORT

ON THE BORDER

LOS ANGELES AIRPORT

(AMERICAN AIRLINES TERMINAL)

Had some pretty good Mexican food at the L.A. Airport.  Enjoyed a Chicken Enchilada and Beef Taco combo with beans and rice.  The service was fast, portions were large and food was good.  Liked the salsa too.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA WITH BEEF TACO AND BEANS/RICE

READY FOR SOME CHIPS AND SALSA

SALMON WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

HOLIDAY DINNER AT HOME

HONOLULU, HAWAII

When I first moved to Hawaii almost 20 years ago, I stayed at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel for one month.  I loved the place and often enjoyed breakfast at the Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant overlooking the beach.  They served Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce with a scoop of rice.  I fell in love with the dish and worked to perfect it at home.  These days my wife cooks it perfectly every time.  It is one of my all time favorite meals.  Normally served with asparagus or broccoli.  Enjoyed a crisp Caesar Salad with Anchovies and glass of Pinot too.  This dinner was enjoyed with Mad Dog, my long time friend and Godfather to Keli.
Click links below for more posts and photos of Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce:
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2011/04/salmon-with-hollandaise.html
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2011/08/salmon-with-hollandaise-sauce.html

HOLIDAY DINNER AT HOME

SALMON WITH HOLLANDAISE IS A FAMILY FAVORITE

MAD DOG IN THE HOUSE

KAHAI STREET KITCHEN

KAHAI STREET KITCHEN

HONOLULU, HAWAII 

Kahai Street rocks once again with the most unbelievably good burgers in Hawaii.  I had to try this monster when it appeared on their ever changing menu.  Kahai Street emails a new menu each day.  You never know what is going to show up on the menu.  Everything from Beef Wellington to Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs with Chile and Cheese.  On this day, there was a burger topped with pastrami, bacon, cheese, sauerkraut, lettuce, tomato and onion served with sweet potato fries.  This thing was the "bomb".  So delicious.  I held myself to only eating half.  Wanted to eat the entire burger but did not.

MORTON'S STEAK HOUSE - HONOLULU, HAWAII

MORTON'S STEAK HOUSE 

HONOLULU, HAWAII

My rich friend with a large expense account treated me to a Holiday lunch at Morton's.  During the Holiday Season, they have a special lunch menu for $35 per person.  You can select soup or salad and an entree.  The meal starts with a huge piece of bread topped with onions.  Served up warm with butter.  I chose the Morton's salad.  Kind of like a Caesar Salad topped with Blue Cheese and Anchovies.  My friend ordered the Caesar Salad and it looked about the same but did not include anchovies.  He ordered a side of anchovies.  The salad is huge.  Big enough for two people.  I liked it, but there was way too much dressing.  The thing was swimming in dressing.  For our entrees, we both selected the Filet Mignon.  This was a nice piece of thick beef.  We ordered Medium Rare and the middle was really pink and a bit cold.  My friend did not finish his steak because of the rareness.  He was full by that time so no complaint.  The steak is served with a nice portion of mashed potatoes.  I thought they were really good.

 

MORTON'S FILET WITH MASHED POTATOES

FRESH BAKED BREAD AT MORTON'S

CAESAR SALAD WITH ANCHOVIES

ALA MOANA SHOPPING CENTER - FOOD COURT

 

 

LUNCH AT ALA MOANA CENTER
HONOLULU, HAWAII


We stopped at the Ala Moana food court for lunch while doing some Christmas shopping.  Keli went for Mama's Spaghetti House and I went for a Fat Greek Gyro.  Keli said the pasta was "mushy and watery" and did not want to finish it.  She had the Mini plate of Pasta with Meat Balls.  She liked the Meat Balls.
For around $8, the mini plate is a large dish of pasta.  My Fat Greek Gyro was excellent and was around the same price as the pasta.  The Gyro was filled with fresh lettuce, red onion, tomato and the beef and lamb that makes it a Gyro.  The Fat Greek serves the sandwich with some hot sauce.  It is really good and adds some good heat.

A VERY MERRY SANTOS CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM THE SANTOS FAMILY 


Wishing everyone the very best this Holiday Season.

HOKKAIDO RAMEN

HOKKAIDO RAMEN

HONOLULU, HAWAII 

It was cold last night.  I mean real cold. With the wind chill factor, I could honestly say it was around 70 degrees.  Burrr..... We were on the way to the University of Hawaii Basketball game and decided to stop at a Ramen restaurant close to our house to warm up with some Japanese soup.  Hokkaido is a small place with maybe 8 or 9 tables.  They do a brisk take out business too.  The place was run on this night by a very small girl who handled all the tables and take-out on her own and never missed a beat or failed to say Hi, Thank You or ask about how your meal was.  This girl rocks.  Maintains all tables, cleans the tables, takes the orders, deliver the orders, sells the take-out and is the cashier all in one.  I was amazed how fast the food came out and also amazed with the portions and prices.  Large portions.  Small prices.  We ordered from the Combo Menu.  I had Spring Rolls and the Hokkaido Ramen.  For under $10 you get crispy spring rolls stuffed with vegetables and a huge bowl of Ramen that includes fish, shrimp, calamari, egg, pork, fish cake, cabbage and a host of fresh vegetables and noodles.  I could only finish about half.  My family shared another combo that included a smaller bowl of Ramen served with Fried Rice and Gyoza.  Everyone liked the Fried Rice and Gyoza.  The Gyoza was cooked fresh with a very light wrapper and delicious filling of pork and a great ginger finish.  I really liked Hokkaido and will return often.   The menu is quite diverse with noodle dishes, fish and meat dishes, chicken wings and a host of other food that looked great.
Click link below for another post on Hokkaido Ramen;
http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2014/12/hokkaido-ramen.html

HOKKAIDO RAMEN

HOKKAIDO RAMEN IN KAIMUKI

FRIED RICE

CRISPY SPRING ROLLS

GYOZA

HOKKAIDO RAMEN

GREAT BOWL OF RAMEN