Cinco De Mayo-Nachos

Nacho - Copy Cat (Serendipity)

I don't go to Vegas very often, only for certain sporting events, visiting friends, or stopping through on our way to CA.  I am not a gambler but there are certain things that I love in Vegas like the fountains and gardens at the Bilago, and particular restaurants.  My daughter loves the frozen hot chocolate drinks at "Serendipity" but I love the Nachos! In celebration of Cinco De Mayo I once again attempted to make my version of Serendipity's Nachos.  My first try was the best, this time they were not as goopy!  But still a fun treat once in awhile.

Nachos

tortilla chips, I love the Juanita's brand
ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
black beans, rinsed and drained
Tostido's Salsa Con Queso, med or mild
tomato, chopped
green Chiles, optional
guacamole. as desired (previously posted)
sour cream
cheddar cheese, grated (to top)
green onions, chopped

Layer tortilla chips with beans, ground beef, green Chiles, the salsa con queso (generously, after warming), tomato, and guacamole. Repeat layers one or two more times, top with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onion. 

These chips are fabulous, more like I have had in a good Mexican restaurant than any other store bought chip.  Served warm they are even better and they are also gluten free.

Parmesan Rolls (Copy Cat Magelby's-revisited with modifications)

Parmesan Rolls (like Magelby’s)

25 frozen roll dough (preferably the Terrel's brand)

1 c. Parmesan cheese (the powdered kind)
4 t. garlic powder
1/3 c. parsley flakes
1 c. butter melted

While you are preparing the rolls, preheat oven to 200 degrees,  put the butter on a jellyroll pan while the oven heats.  In a bowl mix together Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley flakes.  Roll the frozen dough in the melted butter then the Parmesan mixture. Turn oven off then place rolls in oven.  Let rolls rise between 2-3 hours.  Remove from oven and preheat to 350.  Bake until lightly brown on top 15-20 minutes.

(I found this recipe from a woman who was teaching a class at the Little Theatre in the Orem Macey's during the time I was hosting (working) there.  These are a copy cat from a local restaurant called Magelby's.  The owner recently passed away and learning of this made me pull this dust off this recipe and make it again, it has been far too long!  The restaurant like the owner is gone and it makes me sad but at least I can remember both when I make these.

Buttermilk Dressing (mix)Shrimp Salad- Mo's Style (a good repeat)

I have talked about Mo's before when I posted my Clam Chowder recipe. It is a place in Newport Oregon that "Gourmet Guy" and I have loved for years and years. In fact it is past time to go there again. Newport is a place we like to go to get away from everyday... there are Mo's in other parts of Oregon but this one, the orginal, is our favorite. Of course the Clam Chowder is the best ever but they have other menu items that we love as well. Because it is on the coast the seafood is fresh and tasty. They make a Shrimp Salad that is very enjoyable with a bowl of chowder and garlic toast. The key is the ranch dressing that they make is simply the best. We were told that they were going to market it but we haven't seen it yet. Here is our version! So simple yet so good.

Green cabbage, cut into small pieces

Fresh salad shrimp, cooked and clean

Ranch Dressing, (Mo's would be the best of course but here is a mix recipe that we like with it.)

Ranch Dressing

1/2 c. buttermilk powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. dried minced onion
1 t. MSG
1 t. salt
1 T. dried parsley
1/4 t. ground pepper
2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. water

This is a great mix, I have often made it and given as gifts. I have given each of my married daughters a combination of my mixes as a gift to start them off when they are setting up as Newlyweds. One of my friends asked for my Dill Dip mix every year for Christmas.

Hole In the Wall

Many of the places that are so good to eat at aren't necessarily the most glamorous places to see. The "Gourmet Guy's" dad labeled them as "Holes In the Wall" and so when we as a family hear that phrase we know what kind of place we are going to be going to. Here in Honolulu we are starting to find such places in part because my favorite Mexican food place closed last fall and we are searching for one to find its place; don't even get me started!!!! In our efforts to locate a new one we came across this diamond in the rough. It is a former gas station in Manoa Valley up above the University of Hawaii. There are three "eateries" in this one building Serg's is the Mexican Place that drew us to this site. The food was pretty good and might bring me back.

While we were waiting for the food to come up we noticed the middle shop called Le Crepe Cafe and the Gourmet Guy went to check out the menu, he was impressed. On Martin Luther King Day we decided to return to try it out for breakfast. It was so yummy, in fact we started digging in before I realized we forgot to snap a picture to post. I guess we will just have to go back another time and try something else on the menu.

This is Kim and she was so cute and very outgoing in her little shop.

The third restaurant is called Boston Pizza maybe we'll try it out on another trip. The only bad thing about these three places in one spot is the lack of parking which is a very common thing in Honolulu! Whether a diamond in the rough or hole in the wall we found a new place to add to our favorites list.

Clam Chowder

When I was much younger I had this strange idea that I didn't like any form of seafood. After my husband and I had been married awhile my father-in-law treated us to a weekend in Newport Oregon. There in Newport I tried really good clam chowder for the first time. While working on a project there in Newport my father-in-law found Mo's on the wharf on Newport Bay. After a few family vacations there it has become a favorite family destination and Mo's has become a favorite place to eat. Since we don't get to Newport Oregon as much as we would like to I began a search to find a clam chowder recipe that came close to Mo's, while not the same it is a very good version from a land locked cook. And since it is officially soup season I've been craving it. I also realized that seafood was something that I really did like.

Place the onion, celery, potatoes, salt, and clam juice in a pan and cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile fry bacon until crisp. (I have become some what of bacon snob, I only like the ranch style bacon sold at most butcher blocks. It costs a little more but doesn't fry down as much as typical packages of bacon. I usually buy it when it's on sale and freeze it.)

Chop the bacon into small pieces and add at the very end.

Make the soup base and add to the vegetables to thicken, add the clams.

Before serving add the bacon and ladle into bowls.

Garnish with butter and two-three drops of Tabasco sauce.

Clam Chowder

1 c. onion finely chopped
1 c. celery finely diced
2 c. potatoes, finely diced
¾ c. flour
¾ c. butter or margarine
1 qt half and half
1½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
3-4 6½ oz. clams, undrained

Combine vegetables in small saucepan. Drain clams: pour juice over vegetables; add enough water to cook. Cook covered, until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in large heavy saucepan. Stir in flour until blended and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in cream until smooth, blended and bubbly. Return to heat; cook and stir with wire whip until thick and smooth. Add vegetables and clams heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

For even better flavor add chopped bacon slices and a few drops of Tabasco.

Joes Seafood Grill

The Saturday before I was to come home my husband, Kerry, and I went to the North Shore again because the waves were up and we love to spend time on the beach (This time we didn't put our swimming suits on because we expected it to be to rough, what we were we thinking?) We spent the afternoon walking and riding on the coastline it was wonderful. We had intended to go back to the Hotel/apartment and fix dinner but it got late enough that we decided to try another place in Haleiwa that I had read about. I am still looking for a really good fish place on the Island.

It was a very nice place a little more pricey than we had planned on but we had been curious and decided to try it.
The view out into the ocean was great even though the picture really doesn't show it all that well. We got a kick out of watching the wild chickens run around while we were waiting for our food to arrive. The Blue Cheese dressing was probably the best I have had in a very long time.
I had a Tai Spicy Shrimp dish and they weren't kidding. It was served on top of pasta with pesto that was really good.

Kerry had a ginger based Barbecue Rib plate that was ok. But certainly not anything to write home about. It was nice to try it because we had noticed it before but it isn't one that we will visit over and over. Again the mom and pop places on Oahu have seemed to be the biggest treat for our taste buds. So I am still looking for a really good seafood place on the Island.

Spaghettini's

My favorite restaurant in Haleiwa closed in September and so as we were going back to Honolulu from the North Shore we had to find another place to eat. Our Daughter her husband, and boys were able to come over for the ADA convention and to play with us. We let the boys choose where we were going to have dinner because with young kids it is always a little bit of a challenge to know where to go. They chose a place called Spaghettini's. It is just a little outdoor restaurant that my husband and I have wondered about as we have driven by. I was very impressed with this little place it had very good pasta's and pizza. We were all exhausted from playing tourist and being on the beach so sitting on the porch with a cool breeze was very relaxing.

The pizza slices were huge but very tasty and the boys loved them.

Eating the big pieces was some what of a challenge to begin with.

Such a sweet smile.
Finger food is the best for a three year old.

The restaurant is just off of the road as you drive through town but it appears to be a local favorite. We have discovered another fun and fairly inexpensive place to eat.

Back in Honolulu with my husband again, he is working here! So I haven't been cooking much but we have found more favorite places to eat, this one is in Chinatown and is called "Little Village." There are so many wonderful "Asian" style places to choose from here we could eat in a different place everyday and not make a dent. We try to stay away from the really "Pricey" places and the ones that we would find on the mainland to get a little better feel for local fair.

These Garlic Noodles are probably my favorite noodles ever.

This Szechaun Chicken is different from what we typically think of on the mainland but oh so good!
I love them so much we quite often order the same things but I am determined to try a lot more there because I haven't been disappointed yet.

Aloha

Kerry, my husband, is working in Honolulu on the transit system. I am fortunate to get to go with him from time to time. While it is hard to be apart so much the time we have together is pretty special. We have several places that we like to visit when we are here.

Just wanted to share some of our favorite places to eat.
This is Sweet and Sour Chicken from On Dong a quiet little Chinese Place on King Street.

This is Garlic Shrimp from the Blue Water Shrimp Company. It is literally from a bus on Kuhio a block away from Waikiki. The sauce is so good I use all of it on the rice, but medium is as hot as I dare get it.
On the North Shore of Oahu we found a little place called Rosie's Cantina and were very sad that it is scheduled to close. After years they have lost their lease and so they are closing up for good. Kerry got his favorite Chile Verde (this batch was particularly good.)

My favorite are the Chicken Tamales. Few places make tamales very well and so I love these. I also love the salsa they make. Just wish I could get some of their recipes before they close.
(Thanks to Carol a friend who taught me to appreciate really good tamales.)

We keep saying that we need to try other places for dinner but it seems we keep going back for the good stuff.

Kerry has found a place that has a kitchen in it and so he is busy coming up with recipes of his own. What a treat!