ARTICHOKE & SPINACH DIP

i enjoy all types of dips...i think it's due to my oral-fixation and the motion of bringing a small bite to my mouth. the first time i had a spinach-artichoke dip was at tgi fridays and had to find a recipe that replicated it. i've made this artichoke & spinach dip many times and it has become a tried & true recipe that is always a crowd-pleaser. i actually found a recipe that turns it into a mac & cheese version, which sounds amazing! i'll have to try it out and repost.

anyway, we were headed to my father-in-law's for a night of football. i love bringing treats over and felt this was fit for the occasion. it has nice chunks of artichoke and a great creamy consistency from the alfredo sauce. you can serve this with anything, but i like the presentation in a bread bowl.

ARTICHOKE & SPINACH DIP RESTAURANT STYLE
posted on allrecipes.com by terrad

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
• 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
• 1 10 oz container alfredo-style pasta sauce
• 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

preheat oven to 350°F.

place garlic in small baking dish. bake for 20-30 mins until soft. remove and cool. squeeze softened garlic from skin.

in an 8x8 baking dish, spread all the ingredients together. cover & bake for 30 mins, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. serve warm.

JACK-O-LANTERN STUFFED PEPPERS

happy halloween!

i know i've already provided a stuffed pepper recipe, but i think i found one that is even more amazing! last year i made fun jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers that were super spicy, but i loved the idea for halloween. so, i really wanted to share this sweet little treat for your future halloween festivities. any stuffed bell pepper recipe will do, but i am really in love with the one i found tonight. not only is it super healthy, but anyone would enjoy its simplicity. also, these are supposed to be grilled, but i ended using my gas stove to char and soften the bell pepper. also, i would've chosen yellow or orange peppers, but there weren't any...maybe there were more people who had the bright idea to make these pumpkin-lookalike treats for halloween.

GRILLED STUFFED JACK-O-LANTERN PEPPERS
posted on shabbotts habits on june 29, 2011

• 4-5 large bell peppers,
• 1 large white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• 16-20 ground turkey (or any other ground meat of your choosing)
• 1 1/2 c cooked rice (i actually used quinoa)
• 2 c pasta sauce
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 1 c shredded cheese, plus extra for topping
• salt & pepper to taste

heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. add onions and garlic. saute until translucent.

add ground meat. saute until just browned.

incorporate rice, pasta sauce, and tomato paste. turn off heat. stir in cheese until incorporated. add salt & pepper to your liking.

cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds. cut out little shapes on the side to give it a silly/scary halloween face.

stuff each with the mixture and top with some cheese.

grill over low heat until cheese is melted and bottom is charred.

MY MORIMOTO NAPA BIRTHDAY

in the coming weeks leading up to my birthday, i started thinking about where i wanted to celebrate. the past two years have been milestones and were welcomed with epic celebrations with friends and family (25th was my quarter-life crisis party & 26th was my lucky, golden birthday). this year felt like it should be mellow and intimate, especially since my birthday fell on a monday. so, i thought a culinary experience was the way to go.

i have heard some good things about the morimoto restaurants and have enjoyed his geniusness on iron chef (japan & america), so i thought i'd spend the evening experiencing food according to chef morimoto! i got a tip from a friend that one of us should order the omakase (tasting menu) and the other order other things off the menu so we can try many different things. i can tell you that compared to my experience at cyrus (a two michelin star restaurant), the morimoto experience is much more casual and not as rehearsed, but that doesn't mean it wasn't truly amazing. the imagination he has in presentation is revolutionary and i'm happy that i got to spend my day with chef (and the dear husband)!

first course: toro tartare - i love tuna tartare and actually make a delicious one, but morimoto has taken his to another level. on a wooden slab, there is the fatty tuna with delicious condiments (wasabi, nori paste, morimoto guacamole, crispies) and soy sauce, of course. there is a little paddle to scoop the tuna and its accompaniments.

rock shrimp tempura: we ordered a delicious side-by-side of spicy kochujan and wasabi aioli tempura shrimp. these fried morsels were lightly tossed in the sauces and were served with homemade ranch.

second course: kampachi carpaccio - these gems are amazing! when i hear carpaccio, i think beef, but of course, the italian term can refer to any thinly sliced raw meat. the kampachi was silky smooth and the sauce was perfection. the roasted garlic on top pulled the whole thing together nicely.

third course: bagna cauda - this little assortment was a little strange in concept to me. i know that this is a familar fondue-style of eating and dipping raw veggies in oil, garlic, & anchovies, but i'm not a fan of using oil to flavor things unless it's being cooked in it. the veggies were fresh, but the tempura chicken was a pleasant surprise. but, not my favorite course.

fourth course: foie gras chawan mushi - i really enjoyed this course! the foie gras was silky and amazing, especially with a little wasabi. the duck breast were tasty little morsels that were an added bonus.

green-tini: a concoction of green tea, sake, lychee syrup, & lemon. i love the idea of having green tea powder mixed in a cocktail, especially when there's sake involved.

intermezzo: a nice watermelon wasabi sorbet palate cleanser. even though we ordered only one omakase, they were sweet enough to give us each one. the added crunch and flavor from the pickled watermelon rind and wasabi leaf made this a fun little treat.

fifth course: sushi - the tasting wouldn't be complete without sushi! from left to right: mizudako (live octopus) had a nice crunch, sake (salmon) was super fresh and tender, shimajji (striped jack) was topped with a compressed grapefruit which added a nice tartness, chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) was superbly melt-in-your-mouth, and hamachi (yellowtail) was amazing, as always.
we also added some spicy tuna rolls, which were your classic roll, but maybe needed some extra spice.

sixth course: surf and turf and turf - this was a great play on the classic. the surf was a tempura filled with chu-toro wellington, unagi, and foie gras. this was a great blend of ingredients that could easily have their own starring role, but worked together nicely. turf #1 was a nice bite of washugya beef with a bit of sea salt. the cut was tender and full of flavor. turf #2 was tempura veal cheek, which was amazing and flaky. there were also compressed apple and pear which added sweetness to the whole course.

surf & turf: we had to get this dish specifically for the hamachi ceviche and it did not let down! the washugya beef was similar to the one from the omakase, but it was hamachi alone that made this dish worthwhile. it came with a pipette of hot oil, in case we needed it, and the best little balled avocado you've ever seen. this was fabulous.

seventh course: five spice churro - what a fun dessert! the churros were soft and fresh and seasoned with the five-spice. the soy peach ice cream had a crunchy sugar tuile. it was a perfect light dessert course to round off an incredible tasting.

birthday cupcake: to celebrate my time at morimoto, they had a candle on a vanilla cupcake with coconut & yuzu frosting. definitely the icing on the cake to a fantastic birthday meal.

mini chocolates: of course, i can't leave out the littlest thing. the caramel and green tea puff chocolates were perfect endings to day of innovative dishes.

BESTILLA...MOROCCAN CHICKEN PIE

the first time i had bestilla was at a moroccan restaurant in san francisco, el mansour, which was served family-style. think along came polly-esque, minus the heat and profusely sweating ben stiller. great image to start a recipe entry, right?

anyway, this dish is a meal in itself. the middle eastern-spiced chicken is wrapped in flaky phyllo dough and topped with powdered sugar, making it sweet & savory. i will say that this dish is tasking...this is the first time i used phyllo dough and it is incredibly fragile, but so worth it! i think this is one that will be made for special occasions only.

BESTILLA
published in the food of morocco: a journey for food lovers by tess mallos (pg 189)

• 150 g (5 1/2 oz) smen, ghee, or butter
• 1.5 kg (3 lbs 5 oz) chicken, quartered or 3 x 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) squab pigeon, halved
• 2 large red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t ground tumeric
• pinch of saffron threads soaked in 2 T warm water
• 500 ml (17 fl oz or 2 c) chicken stock
• 1 T lemon juice
• 3 T chopped flat-leaf (italian) parsley
• 3 T chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz or 2/3 c) blanched almonds, toasted and finely chopped
• 3 T icing (confectioners') sugar, plus extra to serve
• 1 t ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve
• 14 sheets phyllo dough
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) smen, extra, melted

preheat oven to 160°C  (315°F).

melt smen in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat and brown the chicken or squab well. remove chicken and set aside.

add onion to heated smen and cook for 10 mins or until golden brown. stir in garlic and spices, then stir in saffron, its soaking liquid, and the stock. add chicken and turn to coat. cover and put in the oven for 1 hr or until cooked, turning occasionally. add a little extra water if needed.

remove the chicken, reserving the sauce. discard the cinnamon stick. remove the meat from the bones and cut into small pieces (or shred).

increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).

put the reserved sauce, lemon juice, and herbs in a large pan and reduce over high heat for 10 mins until thick. reduce the heat to very low, gradually stir in eggs until scrambled, then remove from heat. add meat and season.

in a bowl, mix together almonds, icing sugar, and cinnamon. set aside.

grease a 30 cm (12 in) pizza or pie pan with melted smen.

stack 8 sheets of phyllo dough and brush top sheet with smen. place that sheet evenly across pan with ends overhanging. repeat with the next 7 sheets, brushing and fanning sheets to cover pan, overhanging evenly all round.

fill with the chicken mixture and smooth over. fold half of the flaps back over and brush top with smen and sprinkle with almond mixture. fold the remaining sheets over and brush with smen.

brush remaining 6 sheets with smen, fanning over pie as before. use kitchen scissors, cut overhanging pastry evenly around edge about 3 cm (1 1/4 in) from edge of pan. using a rubber spatula to lift edge of pie, tuck overhanging pastry underneath. bake for 45-50 mins.

sift powdered sugar over top of pie and make a lattice pattern with extra ground cinnamon.

GRANDMA BETTY'S POTATO SALAD

who is grandma betty? she is my husband's grandmother and the sweetest woman ever. the first time i tried her potato salad recipe, i was hooked and was literally going back specifically for it alone. what i like about it the most is the crunch from the celery and red onions, but what makes it stand out is the secret ingredient of ranch dressing. this is a fairly easy recipe to make and i think it's worth a try for your next bbq!

GRANDMA BETTY'S POTATO SALAD

• 12-15 red potatoes
• 5 hard-boiled eggs
• 3/4 c mayo
• 1 packet of dry ranch seasoning mix
• 1 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c chopped red onions
• 1/4 c water
• salt & pepper to taste

boil potatoes until fork tender. drain and let cool for 30 mins. then, peel and dice. set aside.

dice *hard-boiled eggs and set aside.

in a medium bowl, mix mayo, ranch mix, celery, onions, and water.

gently add potatoes and eggs. try not to mash potatoes.

my yummy tip: how to *hard boil eggs - cover eggs with water. bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. drain water and wash with cold water. cover eggs again with cold water and let sit and cool.

THE MOST HANDSOME CHOCOLATE CAKEPOPS EVER

my co-worker asked me for some thoughts on what to do for her event. she has been preparing for her big launch party for her menswear brand, Fifth&Brannan, and i was flattered when she asked for my assistance in how to pull off her event. so, while we were playing with some ideas, she mentioned that in addition to the cheese pairings Cellar360 was offering with the Sledgehammer wines, she wanted something chocolatey and sweet. the first thing that popped in my mind were cakepops...they're easy, portable, fun, impressive favors! she asked if i was sure and i assured her that i would love to contribute however possible to help her with the launch. that meant a total of 200 cakepops, wrapped and finished with a tied strip of fabric straight from her line. these help make them look more distinguished and approachable for her target market...sophisticated, preppy men. if you ever want to attempt this, it takes 3 batches of cake and frosting.

CHOCOLATE CAKEPOPS
posted on the foodie & the family on july 30, 2010

chocolate cake

• 2 c sugar
• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 c milk
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 c boiling water

preheat oven to 350°F. spray four 9" round cake pans with cooking spray.

mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat together on medium speed for 2 mins. stir in boiling water and pour equally into pans.

bake for 25-30 mins or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. cool for 10 mins. remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

brown sugar frosting

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 c brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 c milk
• 2 c powdered sugar, sifted

in a saucepan, melt butter. add brown sugar. bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low.  continue to boil for 2 mins, stirring constantly.

add milk and bring to a boil as you continue to stir.

remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

gradually add powdered sugar and beat until thick enough to spread.

chocolate cakepops

• 3-4 10-12oz bags of dark chocolate candy melts
• 3/4 - 1 c vegetable oil
• 70 4-inch lollipop sticks
• rectangular foam block or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

once cakes are cooled, crumble into large bowl.

add frosting and mix with a mixer until well incorporated.

scoop out about 1/2 T of mix and roll into quarter-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. place in the fridge for 30 mins.

melt candy melts in microwave per the directions on the bag (1 bag at a time). whisk in 1/4 c oil so that the consistency will evenly coat the cakepops.

dip lollipop sticks about 1/2 inch in the candy coating and stick into the cakepops. refrigerate for an additional 30 mins or overnight.

remelt the candy coating, dip completely until fully coated and remove quickly. either place onto a lined cookie sheet or stick upright into the foam block. place back into the fridge for 15-20 mins.

here are a handful of the cakepops with a well-dressed
body form

CYRUS...MY FIRST MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE

one afternoon, i got a phone call from my best foodie, regina, with a proposal to lunch at Cyrus...a two michelin star restaurant in healdsburg. last year, she and friends went to the french laundry and have decided to make this an annual tradition to eat at pretentious, michelin-starred restaurants. i was fortunate enough to be invited, as their fifth foodie wasn't able to attend...lucky me! i will say that this was my first taste at a michelin star restaurant and will NOT be my last. cyrus has become my gateway drug to the true beauty of food and if these are the standards required to achieve this highly acclaimed recognition, then i can't wait to visit them all. at $130 for an 8-course meal, this was worth every penny!

canapés: we started with five tastings to get out palate ready for the meal. bitter - ball of radish and other accompaniments, salty - baked clam & powdered chorizo, sweet - a burst of a sweet liquid (i can't remember), sour - citrus tart, and umami - a broth full of robust flavor, i mostly took away some incredible tartness, something you'd find from lemongrass and lime

amuse bouche: a play on peaches & cream, but with onion puree. the peaches were light and refreshing.

a bread basket came around with little pots of cow milk butter, goat milk butter, and salts. of the mini loaves, i loved the wheat and garlic...i also fell in love with goat milk butter (you'll see why at the sixth course)!

first course: sea scallop with watermelon and coriander broth - the scallop had these delicate grill marks and the watermelon balls complemented it very well.

second course: glazed gulf shrimp with banana blossoms and coconut milk froth - the shrimp was tender and the glaze was familiar, but elevated. i don't tend to like frothy things, but as i broke up the bubbles with a piece of shrimp, i found the coconut milk delightfully robust.

third course: sea bass with artichoke in sake lees, pea sprouts, and dashi - oh wow! this was my favorite protein course. the sea bass was flaky and picked up the fragrance of the broth nicely. again, familiar, but upscale in the best way!

fourth course: miso poached chicken with spring onions and maitake - i've never had chicken done this way. it was evenly cooked and extraordinarily tender. the onions weren't prominent at first, but after taking a few bites, they were pretty distinct and i had to slightly eat around them. i have to also mention that the chicken was actually a pretty decent size, bigger than what i'd expect.

palate cleaner: before the next course, we were given a palate cleanser (probably to reduce the lingering onions). this little guava ginger ale popsicle was such a pleasant little touch!

fifth course: beef short rib with mung bean sprouts and cherry tomato confit, hoisin - i was loving these tender slices and the mung bean sprouts added a nice crunchy texture. the hoisin sauce was a great complement and the cherries gave a nice acidity against the rich hoisin sauce.

sixth course: artisanal and farmhouse cheeses - i mentioned that i loved the sea bass from the fourth course, but this was seriously my all-time favorite moment in life. a cart was wheeled over with 15 different cheeses. our server asked each of us individually our preferences and chose the three cheeses based on what we said. i knew i had to have brie, a bleu, and i was open game for any goat milk cheese. the accompaniments included: crostinis, lavash, hazelnut & date bread, apricot spread, and gingered orange gelee (i think). each one met my expectations and i totally loved the goat cheese.

seventh course: vanilla bean fontainebleau with rhubarb, hibiscus and lime, yogurt streusel - this was such a refreshing dessert course. everything about this dessert was amazing and was a beautiful combination of flavors.

eighth course: milk chocolate peanut butter bar, honeycomb parfait - this was a fun way to eat a candy bar! the milk chocolate peanut butter bar was great with the chocolate ice cream, but the honeycomb parfait was not only amazing, but it also helped reduce the richness of the chocolate.

mignardises: but wait, there's more fun treats! if i thought the cheese cart was amazing here comes more homemade chocolates and goodies. we were given a little favor box with salted caramel chocolates, coconut almond macaroons, rum & coke lollipops, meringue kisses, calamansi chews, truffles, toffee almond brittle, and tangerine gelee.

we weren't, however, allowed to bring home the jarred chocolate pudding, coconut panna cotta, and chocolate-covered rice crisps, but that was okay, i had room.

okay, i think i'm done...i filled the last space i had with chocolate pudding. but, cyrus seems to believe there is still room. so, they bring out tiny maple bourbon glazed donuts! this was a beautiful finishing touch to an amazingly memorable food adventure.




so, a trip to a small town wouldn't be complete without a trip to other well-known hot spots.

THE MODEL BAKERY
we came here because their english muffins came up on food network's the best thing i ever ate, so, of course, we had to see if it was the best english muffin. it was fluffy, but i may have needed to prep it better by toasting it and adding jam or butter...maybe even making it into a breakfast sandwich. it was good, but i think i need to try it again.

BOUCHON BAKERY
the first time i ever tried a french macaron, i was in love and wanted to find more. i think bouchon is the holy grail for the best french macaron. not only are they the size of your palm, they have the perfect balance of crispy outside and chewy inside. the flavors come through so well, from their pistachio to their caramel.

SAN TUNG DRY FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

the first time i tried san francisco's san tung's dry fried chicken wings, i was stunned in pure amazement. i am a traditional buffalo wing type of girl and don't typically do the sweet glazes (which is funny since I have a serious sweet tooth). but, when i tried this crunchy, glazy, sweet & spicy wing, i was in heaven...yes, these will be added to my list of things to eat on my last days on earth. when you go to san tung, you have to expect major delays to find a seat since everyone comes here for these tasty morsels and the other delicious chinese food they serve up. you can tell when a place is good when it gets over 2000 yelp reviews and hold a solid 4 of 5 stars.

the internet is a great resource when you have a craving, but it's other bloggers who can make something from scratch to replicate one-of-a-kind recipe that really amazes me.

DRY FRIED CHICKEN
posted on melonoat on december 27, 2010

WINGS

• 3 qt vegetable oil
• 2 c cornstarch, divided
• 1 1/2 c water
• salt & pepper
• 3-4 lbs wings and/or drummettes

heat oil over medium-low heat. place a thermometer on the side of the pot that can handle 350°F.

wash the wings and pat dry with a paper towel. sprinkle both sides with salt & pepper.

place 1/2 c cornstarch in a bowl and coat wings.

in a separate bowl, mix remaining 1 1/2 c cornstarch and 1 1/2 c water. mix well for each batch, as the cornstarch settles and separates quickly.

check the temperature of the oil. adjust to achieve 350°F. you will need to adjust as you go to maintain this temperature.

set up a drying wire rack station with a cookie sheet, foil, and cooling rack. set aside.

heat oven to 200°F, where you place the wings to keep warm while making the sauce.

when the oil is ready, stir batter, dip each wing and place into oil. fry up to 6-8 wings/batch for 5 mins, moving/stirring occasionally to avoid stick to the bottom of the pan and each other. place on wire rack station to rest. repeat steps to start second batch.

when second batch is placed on wire rack, place first batch back into oil. these wings are twice-fried. repeat steps with second batch. after sitting on wire rack station for a few minutes, place into oven to keep warm until ready to sauce and serve.

SAUCE

• 2-3 scallions, finely chopped
• 10-15 cilantro sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 T soy sauce
• 1/2 c sugar (or honey)
• 1/4 c water
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 t chili garlic sauce (or dried red chili peppers)

chop onions, cilantro, and garlic. set aside half of the onions and scallions for garnish.

in a bowl, mix half the onions & cilantro, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, water, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce.

simmer mixer in a saucepan for 5-10 mins, until thickened. you might need to increase the heat and/or time for a nice glaze consistency.

toss sauce over wings and garnish with cilantro and scallions.

ALOHA TO HAWAII'S SWEET OFFERINGS

i have been to the hawaiian islands four times, three of the four were in waikiki, honolulu. i am not one who likes to fully get away from it all, i guess. i like people and being around those experiencing a new culture. if you are visiting hawaii for the first time, go to waikiki...the gateway drug to a getaway that's close enough to home.

this trip was different from the others, in that the purpose was to finally celebrate my marriage with a honeymoon. we got married a couple years ago, but ran out of money after the wedding was all said and done. then planned to go for our one-year anniversary, but our dear kitten got very sick and our honeymoon money went to save his life. then, i made my 2011 new year's resolution to enjoy MORE of everything i love...pampering, family & friends, and traveling...and new foods, of course! so, hawaii here we come and we're hungry!

AMERICAN AIRLINES FIRST CLASS BRUNCH
i've mentioned this before, but a perk to being part of an airlines family is the possibility of an upgrade to first class. and it was nice for the five-hour flight. the in-flight meal was put together by hawaii's own, sam choy. for starters, a delicious mimosa, then we enjoyed some silver dollar pancakes topped with macadamia nuts, honey butter, and coconut syrup. and, of course, it ended with a delicious, freshly baked white chocolate macadamia cookie and warm tropical nuts.

SAM'S KITCHEN
the first night we were looking for something authentic hawaiian. i mean, why go somewhere to eat some place you've already been and have easy access to at home? i used my yelp app to find hawaiian food nearby that was fast, easy, and delicious. sam's came up and so did their garlic shrimp. so, we walked a couple blocks over and found a cute stand with local faire. we got the highly recommended garlic shrimp, our beloved tuna poke, and some familiar teriyaki chicken. we also ordered a plantation ice tea, which was basically a pineapple iced tea with a huge chunk of pineapple inside. the garlic shrimp was definitely delicious. the garlic sauce was thick and the shrimp were plump & juicy. the poke had some great kicks of wasabi and the tuna was perfectly fresh. the chicken teriyaki was moist and flavorful. the plantation ice tea was incredibly refreshing and delicious! i think if you want to take baby steps, this is the place to start.

PUKA DOG
i am so upset that i didn't take a picture of this awesome treat, but i was hungry! when i made my list of places to eat, hawaiian hot dog was a must. first you pick you hot dog (polish or veggie) and bread (wheat or white), second the garlic lemon secret sauce (mild, spicy, hot, hot-hot), third tropical relish (mango, coconut, pineapple, banana, papaya, or star fruit) and lastly, mustard (lilikoi or guava). here's my combo: polish on wheat (actually it was IN wheat, the bun wasn't the folded kind, it was more like a pocket and the hot dog was inserted) with spicy garlic lemon sauce, mango relish, & lilikoi mustard. this was definitely tropical and so sweet. i really enjoyed it! this was a lot of fun to discover.

PARADISE COVE LUAU
party time! i highly recommend that you go to a luau when in hawaii. you get to learn a couple things about a culture through arts, crafts, & games, eat some authentic food, and watch a show with some beautiful hula dancers. there are many luaus hawaii has to offer, but this is my favorite because it's on a private beach and there's lots to do. the food is buffet style: shredded pork, poi, salad, fried mahi mahi, fried chicken, chocolate cake, coconut cake, and coconut gelee?

KEN'S IN & OUT PLATE
another photo not taken (which i've substituted with us next to a waterfall during our hike), but i'll paint a picture for you. hawaiians enjoy eating plate lunches: meat (shoyu chicken, korean kalbi, etc), a scoop of rice, and macaroni salad. it's pretty basic and easy. i did the korean kalbi and did a half plate and the husband got a regular combo plate with shoyu chicken and teriyaki beef. the meats were tender and perfectly cooked, but the macaroni salad was too mayonnaise-y for me. otherwise, a great takeout spot.

HANAUMA BAY
i love this cove! it is beautiful and, if you're lucky enough, you may come across a sea turtle. that day...we were lucky enough! we found a beautiful 4 foot-long sea turtle, we called "norman", and followed him over the coral reef for half an hour. he took us to his feeding grounds and where the other colorful fish were hiding. it is very peaceful to snorkel around and watch the sea life here.

HAWAIIAN COOKIE COMPANY
i think that these should be a souvenir in addition to the hawaiian host macadamia chocolates. the shortbread is so tasty, from kona coffee to lilikoi to coconut and pineapple. these little pineapple-shaped cookies were so good. they either come in prepacked assortments or you can mix and match your own, which i loved. they also have little bins so that you can try before you buy!

PINEAPPLE & COCONUT HUT
we really wanted to go to the dole plantation, but lost time. luckily, this little stand in the ala moana shopping center had the infamous dole whip.

the following day, i grabbed myself a coconut to drink, then eat. this was really tricky with the small hole provided, but i managed. there's nothing like drinking out of a coconut to really make you feel like your somewhere tropical.

MARUKAME UDON
our hotel was situated right across the international marketplace and when we'd walk around, we pass by this noodle house. every time we passed by, there was a line out the door...which, of course, piqued our interest. you can see the cooks preparing handmade udon noodles from the windows and we definitely needed to try this place out.

the process is easy, order your choice of udon soup, then grab what you can eat of tempura. the seating is cafeteria style, so if you can swoop on a seat, do it! but, you can't scout around until you have your food.

LEONARD'S BAKERY
if you say this "l" word anywhere in oahu...you will get serious smiles. smiles filled with the memory of the fluffy, no hole portugese donut, called MALASADAS. although there are other donuts and morning pastries offered, you go to leonard's specifically for malasadas! they're simple, either white sugar, cinnamon, or other sugar surrounds them or you can add custard, chocolate, or pineapple filling.

SAINT-GERMAIN BAKERY
i need of a close, sweet fix, we were fascinated by this bakery across from our hotel. the homemade bread looked so fluffy and the pastries so delectable. i chose to go with something pumpkin...i couldn't pass up the idea of enjoying a pumpkin treat in mid-april (fall is so far away)!

DON QUIJOTE
this is a great locals supermarket. there were a couple things i was on the hunt for that i was not finding at the abc stores...hurricane popcorn and unsalted macadamia nuts. i used my yelp app and typed in hurricane popcorn and don popped up. this place is great and was only a couple blocks from the mall. if you're looking for something specific, go to don quijote when all else fails.

YARD HOUSE
i tried really hard to eat only hawaiian throughout this trip, but our last dinner included my father-in-law, who was going to be our pilot on american airlines for our trip home the next day. the yard house holds a special place in his heart, similar to other pilots on a layover in honolulu. we opted for a meal of appetizers: lobster, crab, & artichoke dip (delicious, but the dip to chip ratio is off - not enough dip), hawaiian poke stack (yummy, it's fun to break the wontons apart), lettuce wraps (good, but be careful of the spicy sauce), korean bbq beef (everything i could ask for, totally flavorful), buffalo wings (i had a craving and these spicy guys hit the spot), onion ring tower (nice thick batter), and coconut shrimp (nice and crisp). but, you really come to the yard house for their beers, which are plentiful! not a bad dinner to end the hawaiian trip.

overall, this trip was everything i could ask for in a honeymoon...bonding, playing, discovering, laughing, and love. the food was fun to try and the people are very hospitable. here's to two years of marriage with a total of seven wonderful years growing together!