About Maui Flour Child

Aloha, I'm Maui Flour Child. I love cooking for my family & friends using fresh, local ingredients. Live life with aloha in your heart and flour in your hair! -Angela

Hey Cinco de Mayo, Put this in your Crock Pot and Cook It!

May 4, 2013 By Maui Flour Child Leave a Comment

I’d like to say I planned this. Last week when I talked about my basic cooking recipes, the building blocks if you will, and teased you with my shredded chicken taco recipe, I’d like to say I knew Cinco de Mayo was right around the corner. That would be a lie.

I’m pretty sure something bigger than me and my poor organizational skills brought us here right now. While I’m not the best at paying attention to a calendar, I do like to pay attention to the lovely signs and arrows life occasionally gives us to let us know we are on the right path.

This is clearly fate and meant to be. And if you find yourself wondering what to cook for Cinco de Mayo and also find yourself reading this post, then clearly that is fate telling you to cook this. Listen to the signs and listen to your tummy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chicken, Mexican Tagged With: mexican food, shredded chicken, tacos

Avocado Dip and Getting Back to the Basics

April 25, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 7 Comments

So much has happened. I went to Coachella and it was ahhhh-mazing!

You are probably thinking, Coachella, wow, aren’t you a little old for that? And the answer is no, well I hope not. You are never too old to go to a music festival and dance your heart out in a desert sand storm for 3 straight days. Right Grandpa?

Granted I came home looking tired and a few years older, it’s what’s inside that counts, and I came home feeling young!

Young and rebellious. Like I didn’t have to live according to societies rules anymore. I mean we make our own realities, right? Why couldn’t we just home school our kids in an RV while traveling from festival to festival? YOLO! (Mom- yolo stands for- you only live once:)

It took about a week for the Coachella aftershocks to wear off. And as the fog began to lift, it became perfectly clear that if I dragged my kids around to festivals they would grow up to be worse than Lindsey Lohan.

For the same reasons I explain to my children, if it was your birthday everyday it wouldn’t be special. Besides there is a certain beauty and security in the everyday life. I know there is, sometimes it’s just hard to feel.

So now it’s back to the basics. Going to the gym, parent-teacher conferences, packing lunch boxes, paying bills, sitting in a sweltering hot, swimming pool size petri-dish counting the minutes till gymnastics is over while a toddler repeatedly rams a toy truck into my leg. You know.

Thinking about getting back to the basics made me think a lot about Maui Flour Child. To be honest, it’s not all White Sauce Pizzettas and Red Wine Poached Pears around here. You can’t eat fancy food everyday nor can you go to Coachella every weekend. Boo.

So I thought I’d start a unit on my basic recipes. I mean, you know a lot about me, but you don’t even know my shredded chicken taco recipe yet. We have a lot to cover. Let’s begin with this fabulously simple Creamy Avocado Dip.

I love me a good chunky guacamole but this avocado dip is so versatile and flavorful that it has become a staple whenever I make Mexican food. Don’t you think it would be yummy in a squeeze bottle and drizzled over this Tortilla Chip Crusted Shrimp? Or what if you made it a little thinner and tossed it with a edamame cucumber salad? I’m just thinking out loud here. And getting very hungry.

Here’s what we will need:

2 ripe avocados

1 jalapeño (with the seeds, live a little)

1 clove garlic

a handful of cilantro

a generous pinch of kosher salt

some pepper

a dash of cumin

1 cup milk

Here’s what we are going to do:

Put music on loud. Put everything except the milk into the cusinart.

Turn it on and slowly add the milk until you get a nice creamy consistency. Not too thick, not too thin. Taste. Make sure there’s enough salt or else it will be bland, and that’s no way to live. Unless your doctor says… Since all avocados are not created equal, you be the judge of how much milk to add.

Get you bag of chips.

Creamy + Cool + Spicy= Ahhhh-mazing

353 Days till Coachella 2014,

Filed Under: Appetizers, Mexican Tagged With: Avocado, dip

Shrimp Ceviche with Cucumber Salsa

April 2, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 5 Comments

One of the cutest things about kids who grow up in Hawaii is that they eat sushi, sashimi and poke like it’s nobody’s business. I have had many proud mommy’s moments at restaurants on the mainland when my kids have asked for these foods.

My daughter’s favorite thing to eat is shrimp ceviche. Good call little one! It has been since she was one and a half years old. There is nothing I love more than the shocked look on doctors, teachers, and family’s faces when they ask her what she likes to eat and shrimp ceviche is the answer she gives. It really just warms my heart to hear this. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizers, Mexican, Shrimp Tagged With: ceviche, citrus, shrimp

Sesame Soy Mahimahi En Papillote

March 13, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 2 Comments

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare fresh island fish. Cooking en papillote is fancy for cooking in parchment paper. It is a great method for cooking healthy and flavorful dishes as it locks in all the moisture and aromatics.

You can prep these packets in the morning then pop them in the oven at dinnertime. That’s a no-brainer for easy entertaining in my book. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fresh Island Fish, Main Course Tagged With: bok choy, Fish

Desperately Seeking Culture through Salted Caramel Fudge

March 3, 2013 By Maui Flour Child Leave a Comment

It’s cultural tradition month at my daughter’s preschool and guess who is at a loss.

Last week we were supposed to bring in a cultural artifact of some sort. Well, my Grandma on my Mom’s side was from Wisconsin, would cheddar cheese with salami in it work? Someone at some point was German but I don’t think I want to claim anything to do with that. I think my great, great Grandpa from my Dad’s side was Greek, but I certainly don’t have a cultural artifact. Nor do I identify with any of those cultures.

“Well, what are we Mom?” My daughter wants to know. It’s not that simple, I tell her. We are a diluted mix of European that gets categorized as boring, culture-less American. To further complicate it we were born and raised in a very culture-rich environment that we can participate in and appreciate but not claim as our own. Even if there were any cultural ties to hold on to, our family has been broken and rebuilt so many times they are long lost now. “Does that make sense?” I ask my 4-year old. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: black lava sea salt, caramel, chocolate, fudge

Orecchiette Pasta with Kale, Sausage and Garlic Chips

February 21, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 4 Comments

There’s no real reason to beat around the bush, so I’ll just come out and say it. I’m sorry. I’ve been a terrible food blogger lately. I know you count on me to deliver stunning recipes with sharp wit straight to your inbox, and I have let you down.

You have probably been checking your email everyday and wondering,”Where in the world is Maui Flour Child?” By the way, if you didn’t notice I was gone, no need to say anything.

So it’s kind of a long story… Let’s just say, my life got hit by a hurricane and then I went to Las Vegas. Yikes!

What’s important is that I’m back. I’ve picked up the pieces of my scattered life and put everything in it’s rightful place. (Well, except the laundry.) I’ve even made a few changes. Like for example, my New Year’s Resolution of being more free-spirited. Yeah, that was a terrible idea. My new February resolution is to be more structured, and disciplined. Righteous path here I come!

So I don’t know about you, but after a hurricane hits my life I want to eat something hearty and nourishing. Like pasta! Like a big steaming bowl of sausage, kale and Orecchiette pasta garnished with garlic chips, parmesan, red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon. Like the kind of pasta your Grandma would make you if you were lucky enough to be Italian!

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian Sausage, casing removed (I used turkey sausage)

6 stalks organic kale

1 package Orecchiette pasta

1/2 onion, diced

5 cloves garlic

8 TB olive oil

Parmesan

1 Lemon

What to do:

Start by making your garlic chips. Thinly slice your 5 cloves of garlic Goodfellas style.

In a small pan arrange the garlic slices in a single layer and cover with olive oil.

Bring to medium heat. Keep a close eye on the garlic. The goal is to flavor the oil and also to make garlic chips, but you have to be careful not to burn the garlic or it will taste bitter. So as soon as you see the garlic slices turning golden, strain, reserving the oil. Lay out the chips on a paper towel and set aside. By the way, if you don’t like garlic, skip this step.

Next, cut, wash and dry your kale, removing the stems.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for your pasta. The reason I use salted water is one, it makes the pasta taste awesome, and two, I love to use the salty, starchy water the pasta cooks in to create a pasta sauce. I know all that salt is probably not good for you, but that stuff is seriously magic! Cook your pasta and reserve 2 cups of that magic water.

In a large pan, heat the reserved garlic oil (you don’t have to use it all) and add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. When it is almost done and starting to look nice and browned, add the onion. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, then add the kale, slowly stirring and working it into the mixture.

Add one cup of the reserved magic pasta water and cover, stirring occasionally until the kale is tender. Add the cooked Orecchiette and mix everything together. If you want the pasta to be looser and have more moisture, add more of the pasta water.

Serve in a large family style bowl and garnish with the garlic chips, parmesan, a squeeze of lemon and red chili flakes.

Feels good to be back,

Filed Under: Pasta Tagged With: Garlic Chips, Italian Sausage, kale, Orecchiette

Italian Wedding Soup and Keeping Dinner Fresh

January 22, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 5 Comments

We have a new game at our house. You can play it too. All you need is a library card and a cookbook stand. The cookbook stand is optional, but props always make games more fun. We have been stuck in a dinner rut. There are basically 3 dinners that everyone in our family will eat. Spaghetti, tacos and teriyaki chicken. And to avoid having to make different dinners for picky eaters, I end up making one of those three more often than a food blogger would care to admit.

The game originated one day after an amazing trip to Target. I love living next to Target by the way, it really is all I ever thought it would be. I bought a cute little cookbook stand there. When we got home my 7 year old daughter, aka our family’s interior designer, set up the stand with a cookbook opened to a picture of a dish she wanted to eat for dinner. Lightbulb!

Here’s how you play. Get a stack of healthy, picture-rich cookbooks and magazines. It’s really important that the pictures are nice. It is especially true with kids that they eat first with their eyes, so make sure it looks good. Our library has a huge selection of cookbooks. Everyday Food Light by Martha Stewart is a great example.

Let your kids take turns finding a recipe they would like to eat for dinner. Once she has decided, she can put the cookbook in the stand open to her choice. When mom gets around to it, she will make it for dinner.

The rules. Everyone gets a turn. Everyone has to at least try it. Mom’s only making that. No saying rude remarks about other family members choices or about moms cooking, ever! Also, no riding in the back of trucks. I like to throw that rule in whenever I can…

You might be surprised by what your kids choose. We have had pork and broccoli, shrimp lo mein, chicken and watercress soup and our favorite so far… Italian Wedding Soup. Let your kids take ownership of their choices and give them lots of praise for picking a fun new dinner and for trying new things.

Italian Wedding Soup

adapted from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food Light cookbook

1 pound ground turkey (buy lean NOT extra lean!)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 egg

1/2 C panko breadcrumbs

1/4 C shredded parmesan

1 TB flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper

1 TB olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 celery stalk diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

3 cans chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

2 stalks green chard chopped (The recipe calls for escarole. That is not something I can find around here so I substituted chard. If you can find escarole, use 1 head coarsely chopped.)

Directions

Mix turkey, garlic, egg, panko, parmesan, parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a bowl. Roll into small meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a large pot and add onions, celery and carrot. Stir occasionally over medium heat until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and a can of tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Drop the meatballs in one by one and don’t stir. When they float to the top in about 5-7 minutes add the chard or escarole and cover, cooking for about 5 minutes more.

Garnish with parmesan and flat leaf parsley.

Filed Under: Soup Tagged With: chicken broth, green chard, ground turkey, soup, Tomatoes

Tortilla Chip Shrimp with Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

January 9, 2013 By Maui Flour Child 2 Comments

I pretty much make the same two New Year’s resolutions every year. Of course I have the usual good intentions of drinking less, eating more brown rice, and reading more non-fiction. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But the two big ones, the two I take seriously are:

1. Floss Everyday

2. Be More Free-Spirited

The main goal I have in mind is happiness. How can one be a good mother, wife, role model, and person if one is not happy? But just saying I want to be a happier person is much too vague. It’s a big world out there and if you don’t have specifics in mind you could easily get off track and end up somewhere pretty weird. Like at a drum circle at Little Beach. (Unless that’s your thing, then by all means- drum away!)

So it’s important to have action steps to stay focused.

Flossing everyday is pretty straight forward, but you can’t be happy if your teeth hurt…so I keep that one on the list.

Being more free-spirited ironically takes some planning. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Shrimp Tagged With: black beans, corn, shrimp, Tomatillos, tortilla chips

Grape and Ricotta Pizza with Thyme and Pine Nuts

December 28, 2012 By Maui Flour Child 1 Comment

I have finally made it through the holiday tornado that tore through my house and life. Yes, it was a whirlwind of family, friends, fun, food, drinks, presents, cooking and cleaning. And did I mention fun?

Here were the highlights: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pizza, Vegetarian Tagged With: grapes, pine nuts, pizza, ricotta

Roasted Artichoke and Caramelized Onion Dip

December 13, 2012 By Maui Flour Child 5 Comments

Well I’m pleased to tell you that since we last talked I have gotten my Christmas act together. We have a tree, a real tree, with a tree stand, lights and decorations. We even have stockings…with our initials on them. And, no big deal, we listened to Christmas songs and drank hot coco while we decked the halls. I feel like a real adult now, one who creates Holiday traditions for her children to cherish and someday imitate.

It turns out my daughter Tiare is somewhat of an elf. She cut out about 100 paper snowflakes in less than an hour and strung them throughout the house. Her productivity is quite impressive! Unfortunately I am now out of printer paper and will forever be picking up tiny white shreds off the ground, but it really does look lovely.

Roasted Artichoke Hearts and Caramelized Onions. Call it a dip, call it a spread, call it what you want, but this is exactly what I expect to eat as an appetizer when I am invited to a holiday party. Served hot please, with crostinis! Just kidding. You can make me whatever you want. I will gladly eat it and wash dishes!

Let’s get real here for a minute. If you are on some kind of holiday diet or if you are considering substituting all the ingredients for fat-free alternatives, this dish is not for you. Stop reading now. Maybe you should make Carrot Lentil Soup or a Papaya and Grilled Chicken Salad. Here’s a Maui Flour Child cooking tip: don’t try to make unhealthy food healthy. It is not in that foods nature and will just end up tasting weird. Let food be itself. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizers, Holidays Tagged With: artichoke hearts, caramelized onions, cream cheese