White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Happy Aloha Friday!

Since today is the last Aloha Friday of the summer, I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by sharing this fabulous cookie recipe. For my family and I, macadamia nuts are the most important souvenir to bring home when traveling to Hawaii. Baking them in these cookies is one of the most delicious ways to indulge in them. Including the white chocolate chips brings out the yummy sweet taste of the cookies.

I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and it's great for some nice chewy and soft Macadamia Nut Cookies. If you don't have almond extract (like me) don't worry about not adding it because they'll still taste amazing without it.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips (chopped or not)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets (not greased).

3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Hummus - Middle East

Hummus with pita bread/chips is a delicious and refreshing summer snack. I can't believe summer is almost over and couldn't end it without making some yummy hummus. I first came across this recipe when I was pregnant trying to find all different kinds of healthy snacks to munch on. It's an excellent healthy snack and would also be great as an appetizer when visitors are over.

It's a pretty simple dip to whip up by throwing all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Make sure you refrigerate it after and enjoy it for a week (maybe even longer) after it's made. The recipe is from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4-6 tablespoons water, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced parsley for garnish

1. Combine chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the water in a food processor. Process until smooth. With processor running, pour in olive oil. Process until just combined. Add additional water by tablespoon until you reach the consistency you like.

2. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. For optimal flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hrs before serving. Right before serving, top with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is cake #2 I made for my boy's birthday; his special "smash" cake! I probably ate about 20 times more of this cake than he did because of it's addicting flavor. It was really simple and even a slightly healthy alternative to a store bought frosting.

Cupcakes or carrot cake/cupcakes would also taste delicious with this frosting. The lemon zest adds a yummy taste without overdoing it for your taste buds. This recipe is a must try and I promise you will not be dissapointed with it's extreme deliciousness. I found the recipe on food network.com by Ellie Krieger.

I couldn't resist adding a pic of my cute big boy!

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest


With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.

With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy.

Frost cake or cupcakes as desired and indulge!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Monkey Cake and Cupcakes

Happy 1st Birthday Maikah!

My son's 1st birthday was the 18th and I couldn't resist making this delicious and cute monkey cake. I know it doesn't really go with the international theme of my blog but there was just no way I couldn't post this yummy cake. 

Since there was no room to write Happy Birthday on the cake I decided to make cupcakes to go along with the cake. The peanut butter frosting adds a unique and delicious flavor to the cake. It's also not too sweet to handle. The Cocoa Krispies add a unique and tasty crunch to the cake. Since I love chocolate chip cookies I decided to use those for the ears but I'm sure any other cookie would work.

I found the recipe from birdonacake.blogspot.com doubling the frosting recipe for the cupcakes and ended up just using a box mix for the cake with store bought chocolate frosting. For a healthy alternative I substituted the oil required for the cake mix with applesauce, it still came out delicious.

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix
1 `jar of chocolate frosting
1 cup Cocoa Krispies cereal
2 large cookies
2 white candy melts
2 brown M&Ms

1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
approx. 1/8 cup milk

Peanut Butter Frosting:

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until well combined. Gradually add the sugar. When it starts to get thick, add the milk a little at a time until frosting is spreadable. (The amount of milk you use depends on the thickness of your peanut butter.) Beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.

Assembling Your Cake:

Level your cooled cake layers. Place one layer on a cake stand. Spread peanut butter frosting on it, then top with the second cake layer. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake, in the shape of a monkey face. Carefully spread chocolate frosting around the edges of the face and down the sides of the cake. Slide the cookies into the frosting between the cake layers, opposite from each other. Press cocoa rice cereal into the chocolate frosting. Spoon some chocolate frosting into a decorating bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off (cheaper alternative). Pipe dots on the back of the M&M's and attach them to the flat side of the candy melts. Put candy melts on the cake or the eyes. Pipe a nose and mouth.   Enjoy and maybe make some cupcakes to go with it!

Taco Pizza - Mexico and Italy

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

 If you ever get tired of making the same tacos or the same pizza, you must try this recipe! The delicous taste of Italian pizza is combined with Mexican tacos resulting in a yummy creation.


My husband gets tired of eating Mexican food consisting of tacos,taco salad, and enchiladas; so when he bit into this fabulous combination he couldn’t stop eating. For those of you who might have that one family member (like my husband) who is not too fond of either tacos, pizza, or both; they may have a pleasant surprise when biting into this dish. A great thing about pizza in general is it can easily be modified according to any taste bud. For example, if you prefer spicy foods you can add tobasco sauce and if you don’t like onions just subtract them. In the end, this is a must try recipe!


The pizza dough is adapted from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen and the pizza is adapted from the allrecipe.com website with some personal modifications.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1 can fat-free refried beans

1/3 cup salsa
½ pound ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon tobasco sauce, or to taste
¼ cup chopped onions
3 cups cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes
lettuce

The dough:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour, divided

1. In a large bowl combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

2. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 1 1/2- 2 1/2 cups) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

3. Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a circle. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

4. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

5. In another bowl, mix refried beans, salsa, and onion; set aside. In a large skillet, cook ground beef until evenly brown; drain excess fat. Season with the remaining 1/4 package of taco seasoning and a small amount of water. Simmer a few minutes, then remove from heat.

6. Spread a layer of the bean mixture on. Sprinkle with seasoned beef and top with cheddar cheese.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

8. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and your favorite toppings!

Lok Lak - Cambodia

Happy Cambodian New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey)!

Tomorrow, April 13, is the first day of the 3 day Cambodian New Year celebration. Since my husband is Cambodian, there is no way I could forget this holiday. 3 years ago, my husband and I visited Cambodia during Cambodian New Year and enjoyed amazing traditional food and culture. Yummy Khmer (Cambodian) food is beautifully prepared for every meal during the New Year weekend. Not only is cooking fresh meals a huge priority during the New Year, but every day for Cambodian families.

 

 

 

Lok Lak is one of the most popular Cambodian dishes. It's my favorite dish and one my husband taught me how to make while we were dating in Hawaii. I must admit that this very dish is the one that convinced me to marry him. In other words I am married to a yummy plate of food (hehe)! Although I'm just kidding, this is a phenomenol dish of food that all of you must cook. It's not only very simple to make but very healthy. Add a side of rice and this is a completely delicious and authentic Cambodian dish.
 

 

Serving size: 4 

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 pound beef round steak cut into diced pieces

1 tablespoon oyser sauce

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium tomato

1 medium cucumber

romaine lettuce

1 clove minced garlic

1 egg

 

Heat skillet to medium-high heat. Cook garlic until lightly browned. Cook beef until almost fully cooked. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar to beef and mix. Remove beef from skillet. Cook egg as desired.

 

Peel and cut cucumber. Cut tomato. Put lettuce, cucumber, and tomato around the plate. Put cooked beef onto the center of the plate. Lay cooked egg on top of beef. Enjoy with your favorite cooked rice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Dyed Deviled Eggs - Ancient Rome

Happy Easter!

 

Deviled Eggs originated in Ancient Rome and are highly popular in America and all over Europe today. In the 18th century, the term "deviled" was used to describe highly seasoned, boiled, or fried dishes; but by the 19th century, it was simply used to describe hot seasonings in general. Deviled eggs are yummy either spicy or not. 

 

Like most of you, dying eggs for easter has been a tradition of my family ever since I was young. Usually eggs are dyed before the shell is taken off but this time it was fun to try dying the inside of the egg (after it was cooked of course). These colorful eggs are almost to pretty to eat but taste delicious once entered into one's mouth.This was my first time making deviled eggs and it turns out they are very simple to make. I used the recipe found on The Real Mom Kitchen website with a few modifications. It calls for only mayannaise but I added a dash of cayenne pepper for a little spice. Mustard can also be added for more flavor.

 

Enjoy and have a fabulous Easter!
 



Ingredients

• 10 hard boiled eggs
• food coloring
• 1 tsp vinegar for each color you are using
• water
• ½ cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip or half of each (I use Miracle Whip)
• Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the shells from the hard boiled eggs and slice each egg in half.
2. Remove the yolks from the egg halves and place in a bowl. Set the yolks aside.
3. Get enough glasses or mugs for the number of colors you want to use. Fill the mugs or glasses ⅔ of the way full with cold water.
4. Add 3 drops of desired food coloring along with 1 tsp vinegar to each mug or cup.
5. Place egg whites in the mugs and allow to sit in the food coloring until desired color is reached.
6. Remove whites from dye and drain on a plate lined with a couple of paper towels.
7. Take the reserved yolks and mash them with a fork. Then mix in the ½ cup mayonnaise and a dash of cayenne pepper with the mashed yolk.
8. Pipe or spoon the yolk mix into the colored egg whites. Makes 20 deviled egg halves.