Recipe Collection

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

Recipes and Tips for a Seasonal Buffet with a Taste of Paradise

by: ARA

(ARA) � Hospitality, aloha (love or the spirit of giving) and ohana (family) are some of the key values in Hawaiian culture. These values also play an important role in the celebration of holidays as they are a special time of gift-giving, visiting with loved ones and feasting. A perfect way to incorporate these elements into your next holiday gathering is to create a lunch or dinner buffet. Using buffet service allows guests to relax, reflect and celebrate the seasons, much like the Hawaiian culture does with a luau.

The following are some hiwahiwa (festive) and ono (delicious) recipes and tips provided by King�s Hawaiian for adding a touch of paradise to your holiday buffet.

Buffets allow for an impressive and festive setting in a limited dining space and can accommodate service for large groups of people. Remember that because the food is all presented at the same time, your table should be arranged with artistry and care.

Tips for hosting a holiday buffet:

* Position plates at the beginning of the buffet table and napkins/silverware at the end for convenience.

* Placemats, table runners and lace can take the place of time-honored heavy linen tablecloths.

* Arrange food logically in the order that guests would serve themselves, place appropriate condiments next to that menu item.

* Bring interest to a specific dish or add dimension to your table by placing foods at different heights, using inverted bowls or boxes covered with linens/tablecloths, etc.

* Use candles in various shapes and sizes to add ambiance to the table.

* Silverware can be wrapped in paper or cloth napkins and placed in a basket for easy access. In place of napkin rings, silk flower leis can be cut and tied to napkins to hold them together.

* Flowers play an integral role on the buffet table, whether used as the centerpiece or as additional d�cor. Arrangements made of traditional holiday flowers and plants such as poinsettias, holly, ivy and berries will enhance the decor.

* Pineapples are the universal symbol for hospitality and what better way to welcome guests into your home than with pineapple decorations on the table!

* Bamboo placemats can be placed under hot dishes to serve as hot pads.

Food: Bread plays a major role in most holiday meals, and King�s Hawaiian has prepared a menu guaranteed to sweep your family and guests away to the islands for the La nui (holidays).

King�s Hawaiian Islander Artichoke & Spinach Dip

2 loaves (16 ounces) King�s Hawaiian Sweet Bread

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 package (1 ounce) Ranch-style dip mix

1 can (13 to15 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

Carefully hollow one loaf, leaving 1 inch on sides and bottom. Cube removed bread and additional loaf. Place bowl and cubes on baking sheets and bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Blend mayo, sour cream and dip; mix together in a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts, spinach and water chestnuts; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Transfer to bread bowl and serve with toasted bread cubes.

King�s Hawaiian Cranberry Macadamia Nut Stuffing

6 cups (8 ounces) 1/2 loaf - King�s Hawaiian Sweet Bread

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed

1/2 teaspoon.dried thyme, crushed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 to 2 tbsp. chicken broth (optional)

Cook celery and onion in margarine or butter in a small saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and pepper. Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, macadamia nuts, and cranberries. Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth, tossing to moisten. Use to stuff one 6 to 8-pound turkey. (Transfer any remaining stuffing to a casserole, adding the 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if desired, for extra moistness; cover and chill casserole until ready to bake. Bake the casserole, covered, in a 325-degree oven during the last 30 to 45 minutes of turkey roasting until stuffing is heated through. Serves 6 to 8.

***Tip: To make 6 cups dry bread cubes, cut 3/4 loaf of bread into 1/2-inch square pieces. Spread in a single layer in a shallow pan at room temperature, loosely covered, for 8 to 12 hours.

King�s Hawaiian Rocky Road Bars

1 16-ounce loaf King�s Hawaiian Sweet Bread

1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows, divided

1 cup chopped pecans, divided

1 10.8-ounce package non-dairy whipped topping

1 cup vanilla yogurt

Lightly coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place into an extra large mixing bowl. Set both aside. In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat; stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup pecans for garnish. Stir in whipped topping, and remaining marshmallows and nuts. Combine chocolate mixture with yogurt. Blend well. Fold chocolate mixture into bread until all chunks are well coated. Spoon into baking dish until evenly spread. Garnish with reserved marshmallows and nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 12 to16 servings. Preparation time: 20 minutes

King�s Hawaiian Bread Sandwich Platter

A time-honored tradition practiced during the holidays is to serve turkey, ham, or other types of meat as the main course at family meals. King�s Hawaiian suggests taking a different approach to the traditional main course by allowing guests to make their own King�s Hawaiian sandwiches. Or for a post-holiday buffet substitute the sandwich platter with King�s Hawaiian Turkey Sandwich Supreme using leftover turkey.

Prepare the meat of your choice to your liking, slice it and arrange it on a platter, serve hot or cold. On an additional platter arrange various cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and any other topping that you feel your guests may enjoy. Conventional condiments can accompany seasonal ones such as cranberry sauce and gravy. Arrange King�s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (12-pack, account for 2 per person) near the platters of meat and cheese.

Turkey Sandwich Supreme

1 16-ounce loaf King�s Hawaiian Bread

1/4 cup Ranch-style dressing

10-ounce deli-sliced turkey breast

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

4 fresh plum tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare bread for sandwich filling, slice off top. Set aside. Carefully hollow out loaf within 1 inch of sides and bottom. Reserve removed bread for other use. Brush inside and top of bread with dressing. Line bottom of shell with turkey. Toss together 1/2 cup of cheese, spinach, onion and tomatoes. Spoon over meat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Replace top. Wrap loaf in foil. Bake 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Remove foil and slice into wedges. Can be served hot or cold. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

In addition to these recipes provided by King�s Hawaiian, other holiday food items can be added to enhance your buffet table. Find additional recipes and information on where to find King�s Hawaiian bread and rolls by visiting www.kingshawaiian.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

Soup to Nuts� Holiday Entertaining Guide

Recipes and Tips for a Seasonal Buffet with a T...

Master A New Skill - Bread Baking

Barbeque Basics

Make School Lunches Fun and Nutritious

Champagne raspberry punch

Cowboy Themed Parties Ring in Fall with a Yee-haw

A Simple Approach to Entertaining

Cooking for a Holiday Crowd Made Easy (Peasy)

Sandwich Rolls

Plan the Perfect Wedding Shower

Plan a Chinese New Year Party to Ring in the Ye...

Create a Family Heirloom Cookbook

Get in the �Spirits� for Holiday Celebrations

Cook from the Heart, Not by the Book

Affordable Gourmet-style Recipes

Holiday java = festive coffee!

Gourmet Cooking Made Easy: Holiday Party Ideas

Pan-Frying, Shallow-Frying, Saut�ing

Make Your Own Gourmet Gift Baskets

Holiday Candy Canes Are Festive and Fun

Best Recipes: Classic Jello Milkshake

Best Recipes: Eggnog Milkshake

No Bake Cookies Are Easy to Make and Fun to Eat

Best Ever Apple Pie Recipes

Making Hamburger Recipes is Easy and Fun

Give Me French Fries with that Shake

A Chicken Recipe for Every Occasion

Chocolate Cake Recipes We Love

Best Recipes: Classic Vanilla Milkshake

Best Recipes: I Love Strawberries Milkshake

Best Recipes: Old Fashioned Chocolate Milkshake

Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers

Frugal Cooking With Herbs

Spanish Food: How To Make The Perfect Paella

Shake Things Up With Fun Milkshakes

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Experience

Smooth Refreshing Smoothies

Spanish Food - How To Make The Perfect Paella

Spanish Food - How To Prepare Boquerones

More Article Pages 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

14 Easy Cooking Tips for Meat and Poultry Slow Cooker Recipes
by: Anjali Dawson

The first Christmas we spent with my in-laws in their new country home, my mother-in-law wisely gave me a slow cooker. Her thoughtful gift helped Dan and I enjoy the most convenient of all cooking methods, even with our long work days and commute.

I'll always treasure the memories of delicious aromas wafting through the front door as we stepped into the house after a long day at work and a nerve-jangling commute in heavy traffic.

Most of the slow cooker recipes I used were based on meats and poultry. Here are 14 easy tips to make your slow cooker recipes tasty and safe:

Tip # 1 - According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, bacteria in food are killed at a temperature of 165�F. Meats cooked in the slow cooker reach an internal temperature of 170� in beef and as high as 190�F in poultry. It is important to follow the recommended cooking times and to keep the cover on your slow cooker during the cooking process.

Tip # 2 - It is best not use the slow cooker for large pieces like a roast or whole chicken because the food will cook so slowly it could remain in the bacterial "danger zone" too long.

Tip # 3 - Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.

Tip # 4 - Meats generally cook faster than most vegetables in a slow cooker.

Tip # 5 - Trim all fat from meat and poultry. Fat can increase the temperature of the liquid in the slow cooker and decrease the cooking time. This will cause the food t be overcooked. Fats will also melt with long cooking times, and will add an unpleasant texture to the finished dish.

Tip # 6 - Cooking at higher temperatures will generally give you a tougher piece of meat. for all day cooking or for less-tender cuts of meat, you may want to use the low setting.

Tip # 7 - The slow cooker recipes are best used with the tougher cuts of meats.

Tip # 8 - For the best color and texture, ground beef is best browned before using, except in meatloaf or other similar dishes.

Tip # 9 - It is not necessary to brown meat before slow cooking, but it gives more depth of flavor in the food and removes some of the fat, especially in pork, lamb and sausages. If the meat is lean, well trimmed and not highly marbled, it doesn't need to be browned.

Tip # 10 - For roasts and stews, pour liquid over meat. Use no more liquid than specified in the slow cooker recipes. More juices in meats and vegetables are retained in slow cooking than in conventional cooking.

Tip # 11 - Dark meat takes longer to cook, so if a whole cut up chicken is used, put the thighs and legs on the bottom.

Tip # 12 - The slightly coarser texture of corn-fed, organic or free-range poultry is ideal for slow cooker recipes.

Tip # 13 - Most meats require 8 hours of cooking on LOW. Use cheaper cuts of meat - not only do you save money, but these meats work better for slow cooker recipes. Cheaper cuts of meat have less fat, which makes them more suited to crockpot cooking. Moist, long cooking times result in very tender meats.

Tip # 14 - Farberware FSC600 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker oval design accommodates oversize roasts, whole chickens, hams, and/or ribs. It features a large, 6-quart capacity stoneware liner, which nests inside a chrome slow cooker base and the auto setting switches to a lower 'keep warm' setting after cooking food.

For those who are not concerned about cooking in aluminum the West Bend Versatility 6-quart Oval Slow Cooker will work well to cook meats. It has a removable aluminum insert that can be used on the stovetop to brown meats and caramelize onions before slow cooking. The bottom unit can also be used on its own as a small griddle. Its dishwasher-safe insert has a nonstick interior and an included roasting rack.

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor