Pineapple Chiffon Pie
As far as I’m concerned, this pie is what canned crushed pineapple was born to do! The filling is a dream, with bits of pineapple suspended in a cloud-like custard.
Simple Takuwan
Takuwan (takuan) is pickled daikon, a type of tsukemono, or preserved vegetable. In our house, we called tsukemono, “ko-ko.” Mom would serve just a tiny portion of ko-ko, nestled up against the rice, with every dinner. Here’s a recipe for this ko-ko that is usually bright yellow, but if you are wary of food coloring, you are welcome to leave it out.
Sweet Rolls - 1st Prize Maui County Fair
What delicious little rolls! I made these for Thanksgiving dinner and they were so yummy plain or slathered with butter and dipped in gravy. OMG. They are light and slightly sweet. They were also fun to make, but be sure to account for two rising cycles.
Sekihan (Red Bean Rice)
Sekihan is my spirit food—a dish that runs through my veins. It is one of my favorites, which means that every time I visited my grandma, she had a huge batch of it ready when arrived. She made it the “old fashioned” way, using a stovetop steamer. This recipe uses a rice cooker, which I can handle! The beans infuse the rice with a subtle nutty flavor, which is heightened by a sprinkling with salt and sesame seeds before serving.
Chocolate Chippy
Did I really just find my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe of all time? Yes. Yes, I did! Very crispy all around, with a small chewy center — it is truly the G.O.A.T. 🍪!
Nishime
For me, nishime is a special occasion food. My aunties and grandma would make it for every family gathering. Today, I make it once a year for the New Year. This is a great recipe that results in the perfect balance between sweet and salty that I love so much about this dish.
Mango Upside-Down Cake
I love me an upside-down cake! And after receiving a big box of mangoes, instead of 2 mangoes, in a recent grocery order, I had to find a way to use some mangoes ASAP. This is a simple and delicious recipe. With very little effort, you get a pretty spiral of yummy caramelized mangoes on top of a light and fluffy cake.
Drop Coconut Cookies
Remember the yummy coconut cookies from Roberts Bakery in Hilo? They came in white plastic tubs and I loved these cookies. Roberts is long gone and so are the cookies, but this recipe comes close to delivering the cookie of my childhood. 🥰
Kim Chee Dip
I was intrigued by this recipe because of its simplicity. Just put kim chee and cream cheese in a blender and you have a dip? I had to try it. It is delicious. I ate it all by myself in two days.
German Chocolate Cake
For Hawai'i folks, I think the mere sight of this frosting on this cake will trigger some good memories, even if my execution is pretty wonky! In Hawai'i, this is called chantilly frosting, though outside of the state, chantilly refers to more of whipped cream frosting. For me, this frosting found a place in my heart via a supermarket single-layer german chocolate cake sold frozen in an aluminum pan.
Melting Moments
The recipe author who called this “melting moments” has a knack for poetic AND truthful titles! All I have to say is, what a dreamy cookie. They are a beautiful addition to a holiday cookie spread.
Jelly Roll
I’ve always wanted to make a jelly roll, seeing the calamities on shows like the Great British Bake Off definitely made me apprehensive. But, I believe in the the recipes from our kupuna and this recipe did not disappoint. You don’t need a special jelly roll pan. I baked this on parchment paper in a rimmed cookie sheet.
Puto (Filipino Steamed Muffin)
I remember the first time I had puto—a sweet steamed cupcake. I was 7 and it was at a friend’s house. It was soft, sweet, and cute as Hello Kitty!
The batter is a little looser than pancake batter. Do heed the instructions to fill to 1/2 full. I went to 3/4 and they overflowed. (I love the nubbin that formed on the one on the left in the photo.) Enjoy!
Mayonnaise Biscuits
Okay, what a delicious biscuit! The biscuits are savory and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Seriously yum. The biscuits didn’t rise as high as other biscuits I’ve made, but I think it was my technique. I have a new go-to biscuit recipe now!
Pumpkin Dessert
This is like an upside-down pumpkin pie! In fact, it is difficult to eat without flipping the crust that forms on the top—to the bottom.
Mango Bread
After receiving a box of mangoes, instead of 2 mangoes, in a grocery order, I had to find a way to use some mangoes ASAP. This mango bread was a perfect way to go! The recipe allows for chunks of mango scattered throughout, which along with the fat, makes the bread extremely moist and tasty. The edges are caramelized and crisp with toasted coconut.
Banana Cake 1st Prize
Have a few mushy bananas? Try this alternative to banana bread. Full of banana flavor, fluffier than banana bread, and not too sweet. Even without the frosting, it’s delish and not at all surprising that it won 1st prize somewhere!
Prune Cake De Luxe
How can you NOT try a cake with “De Luxe” in its name? There is no shortage of prune cake recipes in the Hawai'i cookbooks of this era, and based on the results of this one recipe, I can see why. It is fluffy, moist, and subtly prune-y! The tender bits of chopped cooked prunes throughout add a delightful texture.
Fluffy Gingercake
The name of the recipe delivers on its promise—what a fluffy, moist cake full of the flavors of ginger and molasses. I made it to kick off the autumn season and served it with a dollop of whipped cream for a little extra EXTRA.
Breakfast Pinwheels
For as fancy as they look, they were quick to make and are YUM! Instead of 1 T of guava jelly, I used enough guava jam to coat every inch of the rolled out dough with a thin layer. I used shredded coconut instead of nuts because I was out of nuts. When they came out of the oven, they were a little pale, so I brushed the tops with melted butter and put them back in for about 5 minutes.