MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Aloha Kalikimaka from our "GROWING" 'Ohana to yours!!

Pumpkin Crunch

Here is a simple 'ono recipe for the holiday season... ENJOY!! -- especially posted for Cousin Aurora :)

PUMPKIN CRUNCH

2 blocks butter
1 large can pumpkin
1 13oz. can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:
Line 9x13 pan with wax/parchment paper. Melt butter and cool. Mix together in a big bowl with: pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, and eggs. Pour mixture into lined pan. Sprinkle dry yellow cake mix (right from the box) evenings over pumpkin mix. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Pour cooled butter evenly over the entire pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. After baking wait 5-10 minutes and then turn cake over while still hot onto a serving tray. It hardens as it cools. Carefully pull wax/parchment paper away. Top with frosting.

FROSTING:
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups Cool Whip
-- Mix together & top dessert.

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Recipe taken from Recipezaar

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (melted)
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla
whipped topping (optional)

Directions
In a large bowl mix together the first eight ingredients.
Transfer to crock pot coated with Pam.
Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.
Serve in bowls with whip cream, if desired.

Last Thanksgiving, I made this for my in-laws. They seemed to like it, I know my father-in-law LOVED it. Serve it with some vanilla ice cream - can't go wrong. May want to double the recipe too - didn't seem to be too much.

Cream Puff Cake

Here is the recipe for the infamous Cream Puff Cake :)

Crust:
1 cup water
1 block butter
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Boil water & butter. Add flour and stir until mixture pulls away from sides. Cool. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Spread on the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 pan. Beak at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool 15 min.

Filling:
2 small boxes Chocolate pudding
2 -1/2 cups milk
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened

Beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup milk. Add remaining milk and pudding, beat well. Chill for 15 min. Layer filling over crust and chill.

Topping:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 egg yolks

Mix sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and egg yolks in saucepan. Cook over med heat stirring occasionally, until thick, about 12 min. Beat until spreading consistency.

ENJOY!

N+D BIRTHDAY LOVE!

Our [fur] babies MAKE ONE!! :) WOOT WOOT!! Happy Birthday to our little loves, Dallas + Nai'a - who celebrated their birthday on 10.16.09! :)

WHO WANTS A BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE??


Yummy Banana & Sweet Potato Puppy Cupcakes made by Sweet Nothing Bakery! Thank you, Darren!







Moving the party outside - so the ants can have a shot at the goodness too! ;)
Nai'a is trying out the Banana cupcake...




Dallas started with the Sweet Potato one...




Once he was pau with his, he started to head over to help sister finish her's... she wasn't having anything to do with that plan!


Hau'oli la Hanau to our two precious [FUR] babies... WE LOVE YOU!!

strawberry cake w/ strawberry & cream cheese frosting

Strawberry Cake w/Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
(adapted from my g/f Sharice Cabral's Strawberry Coconut Pecan recipe)

Ingredients:
White cake mix
3 oz Strawberry Jell-o
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 c milk (I even use Soymilk)
4 eggs
1 cup mashed fresh strawberries with juice (I use frozen strawberries thawed)

Mix cake mix, jello, oil, milk, eggs, once incorporated, add in strawberries & juice. mix at low speed for 1 min, scape bowl, then mix 2 more min.

Lightly grease and flour (2) 9-in round pans. Divide batter and bake for about 30-45 min at 350 until brown and toothpick comes out clean. Run a knife along sides of pan, cool for about 15 min. Invert and cool for 30 min.

Frosting:
2 blocks cream cheese
1 box vanilla pudding
left over strawberries & juice (about 3/4 cup)
milk to get to desired consistency

blend cream cheese & pudding, a little milk at a time, add strawberries & juice - keep adding milk till you get to your desired consistency

Frost cake and let set in fridge.
ENJOY!!

updated puppy pictures!

These pictures were taken when we got together with our friends Ale, Jane, JoAnn & Amber, we cruised through Haleiwa had some garlic shrimp and even stopped for some shave ice...

ENJOY!!

summer hiking expeditions

I am so blessed to live in HI!! I love all the beauty that surrounds us! And connecting with nature this Summer seems to be one of my priorities :)

Here are some pics from my summer hikes with my friends Deane, Kim (and a few with D's keiki & Kim's cousin)... so much fun and a GREAT way to find peace!

Hike #1: Aiea Loop Trail





Hike #2: Manana Trail














Other pics from my Ma'umae hike with more KS crew to come :)
More photos will be posted on La'akea's site... :) Keep an eye out for them!

my BIG boy!

Seriously you guys... look how big my Dallas is... I needed to post this pic because I have been wondering how my back has been KILLING me!! I bet this has something to do with it!!


Gotta love him! :)

celebrating KARA at GB!

Okay - so I am close to a month late in posting this! :) ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KARA!!! :)

We all gathered at GB to celebrate Ms. Kara Romersa's birthday! It was such a great night with AWESOME friends!! Thanks, ladies (& guys)!!




I *HEART* MY GIRLFRIENDS!!!

k- still not sure why I am holding Can's hand! LOL :)
MUAH ... XOXO!!

remembering our baby hiwa...

It will be one year, on May 2nd that we said goodbye to our baby girl, Hiwa. She was with us on earth for 7 years before she crossed over to heaven. We miss her everyday and know that she is waiting for us on the other side of the Rainbow bridge:)

We love you and miss you, Hiwa-girl!!