Happy Hollandaise!

 

April 16th is National Eggs Benedict Day. I had no idea this holiday existed until now and I love it! Eggs Benedict is my all time Sunday Brunch favorite. Mostly because of the Hollandaise sauce! Smooth buttery goodness and egg on egg action. Sounds like #FoodPorn to me. *Giggidy*

 Here are some of my favorite EB creations I started in my own kitchen:
The Corny Potagee, Hum-must Have This, and Island Crabenedict.





Left: "The Corny Potagee"
Portuguese Sausage Benedict on Bacon Cornbread
Right: "Hum-must Have This"
Edamame Hummus Benedict on English Muffin




"Island Crabenedict"
Snow Crab Benedict with Papaya Relish

Not gonna tell you exactly how I made these EBs, but I will give you my easy blender recipe for hollandaise sauce that's cheap and extremely fast. Here's what you need:

 

2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon warm water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

 

Melt butter in the microwave. In a blender/food processor, combine egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and salt; blend until frothy. Add melted butter to egg mixture and blend until smooth. And yes, the hot butter will cook the eggs; don't heat the butter to high. Serve immediately. Makes enough for four pieces of Benedict.

 

Pour the sauce on veggies and other meats. Be sure to consume and serve right away; throw it out otherwise. Keep hollandaise in a warm water bath if not serving immediately; no more than an hour. Consuming raw egg products carry a risk of Salmonella contamination. Always use fresh products.

 

Checkout this fun video about the history of the Eggs Benedict.

 

xx

 

Things to do in Honolulu: April 4/19-4/21

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? I always encourage everyone to shop local and support local businesses in Hawaii.Check out these events and deals in the Honolulu area:

 

 

April 19th:

Aloha Friday Series at Cottage by the Sea. Get 50% off their selected beach inspired item. Must be following @CottageHawaii on Instagram to get the discount. Browse the store for more women's wear and checkout the sale rack, too!

 

April 20th:

Bishop Museum hosts the "6th Annual Grow Hawaiian Festival" and offers complimentary admission for Kama'aina and Military guests. Must have your idea upon entering. Bring the kids for fun and learn to pound poi and enjoy other exhibits! Follow them on social media for event updates: @BishopMuseum.

 

Honolulu Night + Market is a good time for art, music, and fashion! Indulge in the featured food trucks, browse local vendors and artists, and enjoy entertainment happening throughout the evening. Find the fun on Auahi Street in Kaka'ako. Street and lot parking available. Bring cash. Alcohol is served in designated area. Family friendly event. Follow social media for updates: @HNLNightMarket.

April 21st:
Eden in Love Boutique turns 3! The clothing store celebrates their third anniversary at Ward Centers  and is offering amazing discounts and an Instagram contest. You could win $200 to shop! Follow: @EdenInLoveBoutique and don't forget to checkout the good these divas do for our community.

 

 

XX

KHON 2 News: Creative ideas to use your tax return

 

There are two things you can guarantee in life: death and taxes. KHON 2 News asked me to share my ideas on how to use your tax return this year. According to online sources, the average return is $2700. Your financial advisor will likely tell you to save it and create a rainy day fund.

If you don't need to save it and have some wiggle room. Here are three ideas to focus on when trying to decide how to use your return. Key thing is to treat it like a paycheck that was owed to you. It's not extra money. It's your hard earned cash, so use it wisely and highlight these concepts: Spend, Invest, and Give.

Spend

-Buy the things you absolutely need, such as new tires for your car or repairs to your home. Taking care of your responsibilities will help to avoid potential issues in the future.

Invest

-Invest in yourself, especially your health! Use your return to purchase better food, a gym membership, new running shoes, or even doctor and dental appointments. Poor periodontal health can contribute to heart disease. You have nothing if you don't have your health!

Give

-Donate to your favorite local charity can be rewarding and satisfying. Plus, you can use the donation as another tax write off. WooHoo!

-You can also give yourself a break. Take the return and plan a weekend stay-cation for yourself and/or with the family. Re-discover the city, try new restaurants, or visit a hotel spa and unwind.

I encourage you to do all three ideas if you have a large enough return. Enjoy the photos I took in-studio with the news team!
 

Left: Ron Mizutani, Anchor

 

Left: Kanoe Gibson-Nitta, Weather Anchor

Right: Olena Heu, Anchor

 

Crispy baked mozzarella bites and marinara

Mozzarella sticks are usually deep friend at many restaurants. I love to indulge in these gooey bites, so I came up with a nice alternative that still tastes great! They're kid friendly, budget friendly, and very easy to make.

• 10          string cheese mozzarella sticks; halved
• 1            large egg; scramble for egg wash
• 1/2 c.     flour
• 1 c.        panko (japanese bread crumbs)
• 1 t.         Italian seasoning; you can also season to your taste

What you need: Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), string cheese, eggs,
Italian seasoning, flour.

Dredge cheese in flour, then the egg wash, followed by seasoned panko crumbs.

Breaded and ready to bake for 10 mins or less at 350 degrees!
Don't forget to freeze these first for at least an hour or they will melt into a
gooey delicious mess.

Puree canned tomatoes for mozzarella dipping sauce. Fewer calories than
other canned sauces. Serve it warm.

The finished product! (Don't mind the messy presentation.
My family was eating them so quickly, I had to take any photo op I could get!)

Makes 20 pieces, serves four, roughly $3.00 a batch.

xx 

Hwipped Cream and Cupcakes

Since spring is here, I decided to make some straw-lemon-berry cupcakes using two boxes of Betty Crocker flavored cake mixes. Thank goodness those mixes go on sale often (roughly $2 per box), 'cause making cake from scratch isn't always budget friendly. Just replace a few ingredients to make it taste like it's from scratch; sub the oil for melted butter, water for milk, and add an extra egg.

I swirled the mix to create a nice pink-yellow marbled look. The sweet and tart taste of the cakes didn't need any more sugar and definitely called for a smooth and fresh taste of whipped cream or as Stewie would say, hwipped cream. Who doesn't like whipped cream? It's great on cakes, pies, and people (TMI? Haha! #sorrynotsorry). The question is...how do ya get it to stay without melting or falling in this warm Hawaiian weather? The answer is, GELATIN!

Here's what you need...

 

 

 

• 2 c.  Heavy Whipping Cream
• 4 T  Cold Water
• 4 T  Confectioners Sugar
• 1 t   Unflavored Gelatin

 

 

Place the cold water in a large bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Wait a few minutes to soften. Heat 4 tablespoons of the heavy cream in the microwave and add to the gelatin mixture. Whisk until incorporated. Chill for 15 minutes until the gelatin-cream mixture thickens equal to an unbeaten egg white.

 

Take the remaining cream and add it to the bowl of your standing mixer if you have one (Fortunately, I have a Ninja blender and managed to whip this in half the time!). Use the whip attachment to whip the remaining cream and sugar. Once it starts forming soft peaks, whip in the gelatin-cream mixture. Be sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl a few times and continue whipping. Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes. Use a plastic food storage bag to pipe the whipped cream by simply cutting one corner of the bag (see below).    

 

 

 Display your cupcakes on a stand! This is one from the Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's. It's on sale online today for $19.99. It's a great investment and something to help elevate your dessert table to impress your guests.
 

 

You'll notice my whipped cream doesn't look totally smooth. I actually rushed this batch of cream ('cause someone failed to tell me we had to be there an hour sooner...eek!) and I don't always measure, so there's more gelatin in these than what I noted in the recipe. Oh, well...still noms!

Here's proof that whipped cream IS great on people! Haha!

 

 

xx