Tuesday, October 21, 2008

HAWAII - International Dinner

Have you ever been involved in an International Dinner? They are SO much fun! We have one every year during our Missions Conference. This year, we had a table decorating contest along with it. It was neat to see the people go all out on their tables. We are starting to have as many men involved in it, as we do ladies. And that's exciting! This year, I chose Hawaii. It's not a different country, but it is certainly a different culture. I had fun. I didn't win the table contest, but it wouldn't look very fair if the preacher's wife won, now would it? haha

The first recipe I want to share with you is the Volcano punch. That is the purple liquid on the end of the table there, it's in a clam shaped bowl. It was to die for!! I only bought enough to make 2 punch bowls full, and people were waiting in line for it. It was so different and so good. You simply MUST try it at your next function!

VOLCANO PUNCH

3 cans frozen fruit punch concentrate
1 64oz-can pineapple juice
1 can cream of coconut
2 2-Liters ginger ale
ice cubes

In a large punch bowl add the 3 cans of frozen fruit punch concentrate. Keep one of the empty frozen juice cans. Fill the can with water 6 times and add to punch bowl. Add pineapple juice, one bottle of ginger ale, and ice cubes then stir. Then add as much of the 2nd bottle of ginger ale as possible leaving at least 3 inches from the rim of the punch bowl and stir again. Pour in the can of cream of coconut on top. Will serve 40-70 people.

* I didn't have a punch bowl big enough to make the entire batch at once, so made it 1/2 at a time.

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I flew solo on my table this year, so didn't get a good pic of it before all the dishes of food got set on it. But you get the idea.

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The next recipe is Hawaiian Shrimp - and man alive were they ever good! I will definitely be making these again. These are the kabobs that you see in the light blue bowl. My dh grilled these for me, but next time, I'll just do them under the broiler. They are quick and easy!

HAWAIIAN SHRIMP

2 lbs fresh shrimp -- peeled & deveined

40 ounces pineapple chunks in juice -- canned (RESERVE JUICE!)
1/2 lb bacon slices -- cut in 2" pieces
2 red peppers -- cut in 1" pieces
1/2 lb mushroom caps
1 pint cherry tomatoes
8 ounces sweet and sour sauce
16 skewers


Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Combine vegetables with shrimp on skewers
and place in shallow pan. Mix sweet-and-sour sauce with reserved pineapple
juice and pour over kabobs. Grill or broil kabobs for 3 to 4 minutes on each
side or until cooked. Baste often with sauce.
Super easy!

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The next one is Crispy coconut chicken. This turned out so delicious! It was a favorite on the table and several ladies asked me for the recipe. You can also use this same recipe to coat shrimp.

CRISPY COCONUT CHICKEN FINGERS

1 cup Angel Flake Coconut
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" strips
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter or margarine

Dipping Sauce

1 cup apricot preserves

2T Dijon mustard

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix coconut, flour, salt, pepper and garlic pwder in medium bowl. Dip chicken strips into egg, then coat with coconut mixture. Place in a shallow baking pan; drizzle with melted butter. Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through, turning once. Serve with Apricot Dipping Sauce (mixture of apricot preserves and Dijon mustard) or Honey mustard.

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I know I already showed this pic, but the Tropical Muffins are in the pic too. You can barely see them in the background in the wire basket. I made mini muffins out of them, so they would go farther. The recipe calls for baking in a bread pan, you can do that if you choose, or do muffins, it is entirely up to you. They are so moist and yummy! One of the men that was there asked if I would mind if he took the leftovers home "to his wife." haha I gladly let him.
This one would be great for gift giving - bake it in mini bread pans.

TROPICAL NUT BREAD

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 1/4 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)*
1/3 cup orange juice (using one of the Dole 100% juice mixes is good, too...especially the orange, mango, peach)*

1/2 cup butter (you can half the amount of butter and add 1/4 cup applesauce to lower fat)*
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped macadamia nuts (walnuts or pecans or no nuts at all work also)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 lb loaf pan *(or 3-4 mini loaf pans). Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Combine pineapple, banana, and orange juice and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add a small amount of the flour mixture alternately with the fruit mixture, mixing only enough to moisten the
flour. Stir in the nuts and pour batter into pan(s). Bake for 1 hr and 15 minutes *(check mini loaves after 35 minutes). Note: This bread is much better after a day or two.

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This last one is Wiki Wiki Coconut Cake. Wiki Wiki means "quick quick." So next time you want your kids to move it, say "Wiki Wiki" to them and see what they do! haha This one was soooooo moist and delicious! Wow! I made it the night before so it would have time to sit and get all happy with the toppings that were poured over it! Mmm! A real keeper!

WIKI WIKI COCONUT CAKE

1 White cake mix (with ingredients listed on back of box)
1 (16 oz) pineapple w/ juice
1 C. Brown sugar
1 Tblsp Cinnamon
1 can coconut milk
1 Lg. Instant Vanilla pudding
1 (12 oz) Cool whip
1 cup shredded flaked coconut


Bake cake according to pkg. directions. Poke holes in cake and set aside. In saucepan, over med. - high heat, combine the pineapple with juice, brown sugar, 1 Tblsp. of cinnamon and 1 cup of coconut milk. Heat until bubbly and pour evenly over top of cake. Mix pudding according to pkg. directions and pour evenly over top of cake. Cool completely and spread cool whip over top. Sprinkle generously with coconut flakes. ENJOY!

10 comments:

TO BECOME said...

All of those dishes sound absolutely wonderful. I will be trying all of them, probably very soon. We have "All Day Services" at our church Sunday so I will probably make some of it then. Thanks for the ideas and the recipes. connie from Texas

Starr said...

Great Connie! You'll have to come back and let me know how they turn out.

Arlene said...

I have a recipe for "Island Chicken" if you're interested. :o) I make it all the time for our "international banquet" (which we hold at the end of every missions' conference).

Starr said...

I would LOVE the recipe for Island Chicken Arlene! I'll pop over to your blog and remind you to send it *wink wink*

Arlene said...

Okay, well, we're fixin' to head out the door for church, so I'll just try to remember to post it when we get back! :P

I hope the deal for the burgers and all that will still work for you, too! :o) My hubby was very impressed after I showed him -- what's with all the men thinking there has to be a catch? :P

Arlene said...

Do you have an address I can send the recipe to (email or snail mail, lol)? Mine is unmistakable1 AT yahoo DOT com if you want to send me yours. :~)

Kathy said...

The table contest did sound fun! I would have voted for your table especially because of what was on it! Your cooking is so impressive. I have a document entitled, recipes from the preacher's wife, that I copy all of the recipes you post on to. Thanks for sharing! By the way, is your husband one of the Tharp brothers?

Starr said...

Arlene - I'm sorry I thought my email was on here somewhere. It's labc@iserv.net

And Kathy - yes my hubby is one of the Tharps - he is the oldest brother and oldest of 6 children. They also have 3 sisters. 2 of them are married to preachers, and 1 is single and serves the Lord here in our church.

Starr said...

Hey Arlene - THANK YOU for this recipe - it sounds absolutely delicious! I'm posting it here for others to see. When I do make it, I'll post it again w/ pictures!

Hey, Starr!

Here is that recipe I told you about; our pastor's wife (from our last church in Japan) gave me this recipe, and it's a family favorite! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. :o)

Island Chicken

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. oil
1 lg. can pineapple chunks, drained
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
3 lbs. chicken

(Our pastor's wife noted to use dark meat with bone. I've used drumsticks and drumettes. I've never used boneless, skinless chicken, so I can't tell you how that tastes!)

Mix first 7 ingredients together. Stir in fruit and veggies. Place chicken in 13x9" dish. Pour sauce evenly over top. Bake uncovered @ 325* - 350* for 1 1/2 hours; baste chicken occasionally. Serve over rice.

**I bake at 350*, but you might need a lower temp, depending on your oven. Rather than basting, I just turn the meat every 15 minutes (or thirty minutes, if I'm especially lazy, lol).

Then, if using drumsticks, remove meat from bones. Place meat and sauce in crockpot on low for at least an hour; this helps the flavors to blend and intensify.

You can serve it immediately, but letting it sit for a while makes a world of difference! I've found that with the drumsticks, the flavor doesn't get deep enough into the meat, so that's why I started removing it from the bones/shredding it into the sauce and letting it sit. I've never done this, but you might even try cooking the whole thing in the crockpot; only, my mom tried it once, and it can get watery, so... you might have to adjust liquids to take that into account.

LOL, so complicated sounding, I know! But, I promise, it's really good, and people will follow you into the fellowship hall asking what that wonderful aroma is! :o)

Hugs,
Arlene

pss said...

Just wanted to let you know that I tried the recipe for the crispy coconut chicken fingers last night and it was a hit with both my husband and my 2 year old!! (I've also made the granola bar recipe that you posted a while ago) I've been "lurking" on your blog and drool over lots of your recipes...finally got around to letting you know I appreciate the pictures and the recipes.

By the way, my name is Pearl, I live on the east coast with husband (seminary graduate and former assistant pastor) and our 2 boys (ages 2 yr and 8 mo), and I love trying new recipes to find out if they're "keepers."

Looking forward to more yummy recipes!!