mom's rum cake recipe

INGREDIENTS
 
Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 up cooking oil
4 eggs
1 3-3/4 oz package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cinnamon



Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix walnuts, sugar and cinnamon and set aside. Grease and flour a bundt pan well. Mix all remaining ingredients together. Put half the nut mixture on the bottom of the pan, pour half the batter then remaining nut mixture, top with remaining batter. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.

Prepare the glaze by melting butter in a sauce pan, add water, and sugar. Boil five minutes. Stir in rum and remove from heat. Poke holes in the cake with a chopstick and drizzle the glaze over the top and down the sides. Let cool. Invert on serving plate.

Note: If you want less of a coffee cake like taste, you can eliminate the sugar and cinnamon dry mixture. I just put chopped walnuts on the bottom of the pan and pour in the batter.

on this year's christmas wish list

What girl wouldn't want Dezso jewelry piece for Christmas?! These beautifully designed bracelets are at the top of my list. I love their seaside elements, the unique carved stones and molded seashells. They're every island girl's dream!

I love Verner Panton's cantilevered stacking chair. It's a great alternative for the typical dining room chair, and comes in a variety of great colors.

Shu Uemura's Essence Absolute, a nourishing protective hair oil that moisturizes and protects with intense nutrition.

I currently have a pair of Nike Air Max shoes, that are great for running and Turbo Kick Boxing classes, but are in need of replacing. My current pair has the most amazing cushion, and I love the colors on these 2010 shoes.

I love the color gold, so Midas collection of glasses & carafe is perfect glassware

I've been lusting after this bag-less vacuum cleaner by Dyson (DC24 Animal). If I have to clean, the vacuum would at least make it more fun with it's unique design and ball technology. It comes standard with a mini Turbine Head attachment that is ideal for removing Tibbee fur.

We're getting rid of our five gallon water coolers at work, and since I'm not a huge fan of tap water, this sleek charcoal filter water pitcher, would be perfect. This charcoal Water Pitcher from Design Within Reach creates filtered, mineral-rich water. The stones come from the mountains in Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast. The charcoal is specially prepared for potable water use, and also works as a deodorizer to create odor-free water.

haute new resort wear boutique

On October 1st a fabulous new boutique opened at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Cabana is a concept store by Seaside Luxe, the company behind Four Season Resort Hualalai's exquisite Luxe boutique. The store is beautifully furnished with tables and shelves piled with gorgeous fabrics making up colorful Pucci robes, Indah scarves and Vince tees. Glass cases with white coral feature glittering jewelry of semi-precious stones and gold.

While Cabana definitely caters to Resort guests and price points run slightly higher than what you would find at an outside store, the store carries many brands that can't be found else where on Maui. Some of my favorite fab finds include Sachin + Babi tunics, Nili Lotan dresses, Joie blouses, Diane Von Furstenburg cover-ups and jewelry by Dezso.

Cabana primarily features clothing, jewelry, accessories and shoes for women, however they also have super cute kids clothes with finds by locally local designers Coral & Polyp and girls tunics by Letarte, as well as a mens section with golf and beach wear. Shelves are well stocked with sunglasses for men and women by Tom Ford and custom James Perse fine knit tees.

Looking forward to the opening of Ports, a casual sundries and logo wear store, and 22 Knots, which showcases exclusive luxury designers this December at the Four Seasons Resort Maui.

pasta puttanesca tonight

Feeling like a little bit of Italia for dinner, I whipped up a quick batch of puttanesca, a lovely tomato based sauce with some spice. I especially like the combination of basil, kalamata olives and capers. The best part is that it only takes about 10 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 8 anchovy fillets
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Two 28-ounce can whole peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 basil sprigs
• 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the sugar, basil, olives and capers. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 30 minutes. In the meantime prepare pasta of your choice. My favorite pasta with this sauce is penne.

Feeling like a variation of the puttanesca sauce, here's a great recipe for vodka sauce that's just as easy to prepare:

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces pancetta, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Two 28-ounce can whole peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 basil sprigs
• Salt
  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the pancetta, garlic and crushed red pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with vodka. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the sugar and basil, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 30 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

happy birthday tibbee!

On October 31st my furry, four-legged companion celebrated his 11th birthday with presents, homemade organic dog treats, and an enormous jack-o-lantern.

his first present was a stuffed sock monkey toy


Tibbee with his toy and homemade organic sweet potato treats (recipe below)

Tibbee with his birthday jock-o-lantern the cyclops

Sweet Potato Dog Treats Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup Okinawan sweet potato, steamed, peeled & mashed
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup organic honey
4 1/2 cups organic rolled oats
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl mix both flours and the rolled oats
2. Incorporate the sweet potato, oil and honey
3. Add water gradually while mixing until the mixture holds together and can form a ball
4. Divide the mixture into four balls
5. Flour a surface and roll out the ball to a 1/8" thickness
6. Use your favorite cookie cutter or a cup about an inch in a half in diameter to cut circular cookies
7. Repeat with all four balls of mixture
   
8. Bake at 375 degrees until the treats are golden brown and crunchy
   

Makes about 120 small circular treats.

quick, easy, delish chicken recipe

If you're looking for an easy dinner recipe, shaun whipped this one up tonight and it was pretty awesome, and it only takes about 30 minutes. Quinoa makes the perfect accompaniment.

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH CURRIED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

Ingredients:
extra virgin olive oil
2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp muchi curry powder
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 scallions thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
Parsley for garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a baking pan or sheet with olive oil.
• Lay the chicken breast flat. Holding knife parallel to surface cut chicken breast in half. Placed the chicken on the baking pan and season with salt, pepper and curry powder.
• Cut the mushrooms in half inch pieces and toss with curry powder, salt, basil, garlic, scallions, and two tablespoons of olive oil.
• Top the chicken breasts with the mushroom mix. Bake until mushrooms are golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
• Serve with quinoa and top with freshly chopped parsley.
  

nature, culture & history in iao valley

Iao Valley State Park has a bit of something for everyone. Whether it’s your first visit or tenth, you can always discover something new and amazing.

Iao Needle + View of Iao stream, looking towards Kahului

For the nature lovers: The dense, tropical foliage that covers the mountainsides and valley floor are a natural wonderland for locals and visitors alike. The main attraction here is Iao Needle, made primarily of basalt, juts 2,250 feet above sea level and resembles a finger pointing upward into the heavens. Often the tip of Iao Needle can be found nestled in a bank of clouds, which may be where the name “iao” or “supreme cloud” came from. In addition to the picturesque Iao Needle, there are lookouts that offer views toward Kahului harbor, the valley floor, and Iao stream. Not to be overlooked are the pathways that traverse the botanical gardens and run alongside stretches of the stream, which feature taro patches and other native Hawaiian plants.

For the history buffs: Iao Needle or Kuka`emoku was known as the phallic stone of Kanaloa, Hawaiian god of the ocean. Of great historical significance is the 1790 Battle of Kapaniwai, where King Kamehameha I fought with Maui’s warriors in his quest to unite the Hawaiian Islands. Iao Needle served as a lookout point for members of the Maui King Kahekili’s army. In the end King Kamehameha and his men defeated Maui’s forces in a fierce fight that changed the course of Hawaii’s history.

Kepaniwai Park's Heritage Gardens Portuguese statue of Mary + Korean structure

For the culture cravers: Kepaniwai Park's Heritage Gardens were established in 1952 to showcase Maui's rich and culturally diverse heritage. There are structures and gardens representing the Hawaiian, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, English, and Filipino ethnicities. Each area is devoted to a particular culture, and displays tell the story of how each ethnic group came to Maui, and often their role in shaping Maui’s history. The ponds and small waterfalls that flow throughout the gardens are fed by Iao stream. I loved taking photos of the unique gardens and buildings, like snapshots of different countries all in one central location.

Chicken curry salad with papaya

For the foodies: After exploring Iao Valley I was famished. Luckily there’s a wonderful eatery near by at the Hawaii Nature Center. Their menu offerings consist of an assortment of sandwiches on homemade bread, salads on Kula greens, and all fruit smoothies. Everything looked delicious and I was torn between the curry chicken salad and the baby brie and bacon sandwich on toasted focaccia. In the end I opted for the healthier choice, chunks of chicken breast tossed with julienned carrots and zucchini on a bed of lettuce and topped with fresh papaya. So yummy!