Kalua Pork

(Recipe From My Kitchen Cafe)

10-12 pounds pork shoulder butt roast (don't substitute a leaner cut of pork or it will be dry)
1 bottle liquid smoke
2 tablespoons sea salt (or hula salt if you can find it)
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Trim roast of large pockets of fat (but leave some fat on there to help the pork stay tender while cooking). Place pork in large roasting pan (the aluminum, deep roasting pans you can buy at the grocery store work great if you don't own a heavy-duty roasting pan). Rub 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt into pork. Pour the bottle of liquid smoke over and around the pork. Pour the water around the pork. Cover roasting pan TIGHTLY with two layers of aluminum foil.

Bake for 5-7 hours (don't uncover while baking - let the steam and heat work it's magic!).

Shred with two forks and serve with rice.

Um, can you say FABULOUS? I don't know where this recipe has been all my life! We bought a big old pork shoulder butt roast from Sams and we weren't quite sure what to do with it. All I know is that is was on a great deal! I am sooo glad I found this recipe. Since cooking this we have gone on to make our cafe rio meat, smothered BBQ sauce over the top for shredded BBQ pork sandwiches, and eaten with cooked cabbage and rice. Yum!

*You may need to cut this recipe in half depending on the size of your roast!

Pie Crust #2

Here is another favorite pie crust recipe!

3 flour

1 1/4 c. shortening, margarine or half and half

1 egg

1 T. vinegar

1/2 t. salt

5 T. cold water

Beat together and mix with flour. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Makes 2 large pie shells.

Easy enough right? The hardest part is patiently waiting for the refrigeration time!

Guymon's Easy Microwave Marshmallow Popcorn

2 bags of microwave popcorn
1/2 c. margarine or butter
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. brown sugar
10-12 large marshmallows

Microwave margarine, brown sugar, and marshmallows on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Cook for 1 minutes more on high. Add baking soda. Stir and cook for 5 seconds. Stir and pour over popped corn.

Erika's Black Bottom Coconut Cream Pie

(Unfinished picture of pie. It still needed the whipped cream and toasted coconut on top).




1 Pastry for a 1-crust pie, home-made or refrigerated ready-to-use
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 c. coconut milk
1 c. milk
3 large egg yolks
1 bag (7 oz size) sweetened flaked coconut, divided
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tsp. coconut extract

Directions:

Line a 9 inch pie plate with the pastry, prick it all over with a fork, line with a double thickness of foil and bake at 375 F degrees, about 20 minutes, until it is beginning to brown. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until it is fully brown. Or follow label directions on premade crust for baking empty. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of the cream in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Pour into the pie shell, spread if necessary and set aside to cool completely.

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Add about 1/4 cup of the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth. Add another 3/4 cup of the milk, stirring well after each, then stir in the 2 cups of coconut milk, stirring well.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, and scraping around the edges of the pan bottom, until the mixture is as thick as pudding, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the hot milk mixture a couple of Tablespoons at a time until the eggs are room temperature. Pour this egg-milk mixture into the hot mixture in the pan, stirring well immediately. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens again.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and the butter, almond and coconut extract. Let cool 10 minutes, then spoon and pour over the chocolate in the pie shell. Put a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the filling (to keep skin from forming), and chill overnight or for several hours.

Meanwhile, spread the remaining cup of coconut onto a baking sheet and toast it at 350 F degrees 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is golden. Cool completely.

Whip the remaining 2/3 cup of cream and spread or pipe it on the cooled pie; decorate with toasted coconut

***MAKE SURE TO CHILL PIE OVERNIGHT, OR SEVERAL HOURS***
Some how this pie ends up inviting itself to dinner every Thanksgiving. It's just become one of the family! It's a fabulous pie..I Promise! I have altered and adjusted this pie going on 5 years now. Hopefully it'll continue to be on the menu for years to come. Please just remember to give ample time to refrigerate because you want the chocolate to harden (it's texture will end up being like a truffle). Yumm-o!

Leftover Turkey? Make My Turkey Soup!

Turkey Soup

2 c. cubed vegetables (we use peas, carrots, celery, potatoes, and onion)
1/2 c. butter (divided)
1 can vegetable broth
1 can chicken broth
3/4 c. flour
2-3 chicken bullion cubes
Turkey meat (cooked and shredded)
2 c. milk
2 c. half and half
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 t. dill weed
1/4-1/2 t. garlic salt

Saute onion,celery, & 1/2 of the stick of butter in small saucepan. Add onion/celery to soup pot when tender.
Cook vegetables, the rest of the butter, and broth until done. Add chicken bullion cubes and spices to taste. Add the turkey meat. Whisk flour and milk mixture together in a small bowl. Once stirred well, add to the soup. Add the turkey meat. Lastly, add the half and half. (We like thick and creamy soups. If you prefer it a little more watered down, or you need to feed an Army, just add water!)

Every year after Thanksgiving we find time to make this wonderful soup. Enjoy!

Erika's Homemade Egg Nog

2 eggs well beaten
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 t. vanilla
¼ t. salt
1 T. sugar
2 quarts whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 (3 oz. pkg) vanilla instant pudding
3 t. nutmeg

Whip eggs, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg together. Next whip in cream, milk and vanilla pudding. Chill. Stir before serving.
This is a little more mild Egg nog then the recipe below.

or.....

2 eggs well beaten
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 quart whole milk
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Combine first four ingredients. Mix or beat in blender until mixed well. Gradually stir in milk. Fold in cream. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and chill for 2-6 hours. Stir before serving.
Serves 8-10

Egg Nog was a Holiday tradition in our home. I remember thinking how could something so yummy tasting have so many eggs (which I do not like)? But this recipe we make only uses 2 eggs...and I'm o.k. with that! I hope my children will continue making this part of their family holiday tradition also!

Peanut Butter Rice KrispieTreats

1 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. peanut butter
6 c. rice krispies
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
6 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips

Mix sugar & corn syrup in a 3 qt. saucepan. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Mix in peanut butter & rice krispies until the rice krispies are coated. Pour into buttered 9" x 13" pan. Mix together chips & spread evenly over the top. (I had to put mine in the microwave for a few seconds because the chips wouldn't melt.)

Yum! I love these treats. My sister was just saying she made these for her family, and I realized I hadn't made these in a long time for mine!

Yummy Yeast Rolls

This recipe is from one of my fabulous cook books...Taste Of Home 2007

• 2 to 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm water (120° to 130°)(the dough seemed a little thick, so we used a little more water)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a well floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough to 3/8-in. thickness; cut with a lightly floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375° for 11-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack. Yield: about 1 dozen.

MAKE SURE YOU DOUBLE THIS RECIPE! IT'S REALLY GOOD!

This is a quick roll recipe if your looking for one! It's only about a 30 minute rise.
These did seem a little too sweet for me, next time I may reduce the sugar. Other then that we really like them!