luau menu - suggestions still needed

13 years ago

I'm still planning the menu for the luau we're planning for my mom's 80th birthday next Sunday. This will be a very small party (immediate family only) and no alcohol will be served (recovering alcoholic in attendance -- I know, I've heard the "serve it anyway and let them deal with it" but I choose not to anyway).

Anyhoo... we will cook hamburgers on the Weber charcoal grill.... not typically luau fare, but she requested them and they were always a family favorite. I am planning a luau-ish menu around the burgers. My time will be VERY limited because I work full time and will be busy with something else most of the day next Saturday. The party is on Sunday, so I would like to include some items we can prepare ahead.

Everyone will arrive around noon-ish, and we plan to eat the main meal (burgers etc.) around 4:00. Everyone will be starving if I don't serve substantial food before then.

This is my tentative menu -- your favorite recipes and suggestions would be appreciated!!!:

Appetizers:

-Lomi Lomi w/crackers (made from good canned salmon)

-Shrimp cocktail

-Teriyaki chicken on skewers (***seeking a good recipe***)

-Fresh fruit skewers with vanilla-yogurt dip and toasted coconut

Main meal:

- Hamburgers w/ the trimmings

- Cabbage salad

- Tossed green salad w/toasted macadamia nuts

- Corn on the cob (???)

- Fresh fruit: pineapple, watermelon, kiwi, papaya, etc.

Dessert:

- Cupcake cake (white cupcakes w/ whipped cream frosting, decorated w/ a lei around the edge using buttercream flowers)

- Homemade vanilla and chocolate ice creams

- Fresh strawberries

Beverages:

- Iced tea (probably Good Earth)

- Fruit smootie (plain yogurt-based)

- Coffee

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

Teresa_MN
13 years ago
It sounds delightful!

My niece had a Hawaiian themed party a couple years ago for the families of the town firemen. Her husband is a fireman in the little town of Waconia, Minnesota. I grew elephant ears that year. The party was in August so I did not mind dismantling my elephant ears. We cut the leaves off of one plant and she decorated the buffet with them. We dug up two of the plants - no easy feat as they were almost 6 feet tall! We made an entrance to her yard with a elephant ear plant on either side of the entry. The little kids really enjoyed getting their pictures taken with leis on and standing next to the giant plant! Several families had a group picture taken and used it as their Christmas card.

I hope you have wonderful weather for the day!
jessyf
13 years ago
Email me directions I'm coming. Especially if you aren't roasting a pig, grin.

I'd pick either a cabbage salad or the tossed salad - either with an Asian dressing. I don't think you need both.

If you've found a recipe that works with canned salmon for the Lomi Lomi, you're OK, but I think it is started with fresh salmon, and marinated/salted overnight. I wouldn't reach for a canned salmon version but you know your family and your schedule best.

Lose the corn in favor of rice or a rice salad. Yeah, I know its corn season. Hey you could chase down poi....he heh. I see lots of potato and macaroni salads on Hawaiian menus, FWIW.

Serve a pineapple or coconut based dessert. Don't forget the macadamia nuts! If you are short-cutting with a box mix for the cupcakes, you could sub a tropical juice for the water.

Here is a cabbage salad that has me drooling - I'm a sucker for Asian salads.

SESAME CABBAGE SALAD
1 head cabbage chopped
1 bunch green onions chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery or peppers
3 packages Ramen chicken soup (dry soup pks)
1 bag frozen peas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tablespoon sugar
8oz chunk almonds, toasted
4 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Mix cabbage, green onions, and celery. Break up dry Ramen noodles and toss in. Mix dressing of vinegar, oil, and soup mix. Toss dressing and toasted almonds and sesame seeds with salad mix. This yields a lot of salad and is best served same day. Serves 15-20 people.
Related Discussions
Menu Suggestions Please
Q
Comments (19)
The Chicken and Stuffing casserole is a favorite, love it! You could use the chicken meat from Sam's roasted chickens to make it easy on you and add a vegetable, salad, rolls, and easy dessert, bars/cookies or cobbler. Wrapping a hot casserole in foil and then in towels or newspaper will help keep it hot. If you have some styrofoam around the house, you could put some on the bottom of the casserole and some on the top after the foil wrapping. One of the caterers here in town uses "hot boxes" with styrofoam lined cardboard boxes to hold foil casseroles for an hour after they are packed. A styrofoam cooler would probably work well too. Here is another family favorite casserole: Hamburger Cheese Noodle Bake Serves/Makes: 8 Ingredients: 1 1/2 pound ground beef 1 can (10 ounce size) tomatoes 1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce 3 ounces cream cheese 1 cup sour cream 1 cup grated sharp cheese 8 ounces flat egg noodles 6 green onions salt and pepper garlic Directions: Brown meat and drain. Add salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Add tomato sauce and tomatoes, and simmer 20 minutes. Boil noodles, then drain. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and onions together with the cooked noodles. Mix well. Layer the meat mixture, noodles and grated cheddar cheese in a baking dish, ending with cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Teresa
...See More
Luau-ish suggestions wanted
Q
Comments (18)
Just wanted to come back to the thread to thank you all. The party was a huge success, with lots and lots of compliments going to the recipes from the CF'ers. My original estimate of 100 people was a bit off. Not exactly sure, but we think it was actually very close to 200 that attended! So here's the food recap: Kalua Pork --- amazing! We used whole pork butts, wrapped them in banana leaves. On Friday, we lightly smoked them - 2 hours or so (capturing the juices from the meat). Then the day of the party, finished cooking them in the oven for about 4-5 hours. At the party, we shredded the meat, added back the juice from the smoking, and kept the meat at a safe temperature in a tabletop roaster. Glenda_al's Sour Cream Banana Bread --- wonderful flavor and very moist, lots of requests for the recipe. Judi's Asian Style Green Beans --- a perfect complement to the kalua pork. I varied the method a bit by steaming the beans ahead of time, then sauteeing the garlic and ginger and making the sauce (with less cornstarch). At the party, we just mixed batches of the beans with the marinade as needed. It worked out great. Ruthanna's Tahitian Rum Punch --- when I first mixed all that rum with the fruit it tasted awful! But after 2 days, it was transformed to a wonderful nectar. The one change we made (both to cut down on the amount of alcohol a bit and because it sounded kind of odd) was to replace the wine in the recipe with Sparkling water with Lime - crystal geyser or Trader Joes). On the day of the party, we added the ice to the punch, then put the sparkling water separate, so guests added the sparkling water and more ice to their glasses to taste. It worked out perfectly. A few even said it surpassed DH's homebrew (which is a HUGE compliment, since he's very skilled at brewing!) Jim's suggestion for Spam Musubi --- aside from the side effect of having to break into the Monty Python Spam skit all day long, the musubi was a hit and one of the first things to go. Claire's Watermelon Popsicles --- sorry to say, by Friday, I was too exhausted to make one more thing, so DH went to Trader Joes and picked up their fresh fruit popsicles (they even had one that was layered raspberry, lemon, strawberry). The kids loved them, especially after hours of running around with squirt guns and playing laser tag. We just served the sliced watermelon, always welcome. Al --- I wish I would have made the coconut buns instead of coconut rice. Although my recipe had good flavor, I made it in the oven, and it came out a bit too mushy, plus others brought rice dishes... but the hawaiian bakery rolls were great with the kalua pork and all was well... but next time! plllog's suggestion for puu puu platter items --- I served lumpia and rumaki (bacon/date version). Guests couldn't get enough of the rumaki and were offering to man the broiler to get them out faster. sffog's idea for teriyaki chicken --- good call. For the first time ever, we ran out of the main meat dish. Thanks to sffog, I had 15 lbs. of teriyaki chicken skewers on hand and a guest brought about 50 pineapple/tofu/veggie skewers and I made an additional 20 or so skewers of just mini sweet peppers and onion slices, so all was well. Ahi Poke --- as you can imagine, 5 lbs. of sushi-grade ahi... what's not to like! We made small batches through the day so it was never sitting out long. It worked well. DH's home brew --- the kegs were empty by 11 pm (including a 13-gallon keg of Hofbrau from BevMo). His brew just gets better and better! Misc. salads and slaws - lots of compliments all around. And then our guests outdid themselves with offerings of beautiful Vietnamese spring rolls, pineapple upside down cakes, fresh fruit cobblers, homemade salsas and dips (Jezebel sauce - yum!) and fruit platters. It was a perfect day, not too hot, live music from DH's band and another friend's band going throughout the party. Good time had by all!
...See More
new year's eve party menu -any suggestions?
Q
Comments (16)
I made these last year and although it sounds like an unusual combination of ingredients, after people tried them, they didn't last long. SAVORY DATE RUGELACH Â makes 4 dozen 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided 4 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes 48 pitted dates (about 12 oz.) 1 large egg white 1 tsp. water Dough: In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Stir in flour and salt just until blended (or use mixer on low speed). Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; flatten each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Filling: In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse Â½ cup walnuts until finely chopped; reserve in small bowl. In same food processor, pulse blue cheese and remaining 1 cup of walnuts 7 to 8 times or until a coarse mixture forms. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. (I used parchment paper.) On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round. Cut into 12 equal wedges. Beginning 1 inch from outside edge, sprinkle 1/2 cup blue cheese mixture in 2 Âinch wide ring on dough, leaving dough exposed in center. Place one whole date crosswise on wide end of each wedge. Starting at wide end, roll up each wedge, jelly-roll fashion. Place rugelach, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheets, point side down. Repeat with remaining four dough disks. In small bowl, beat egg white and water. Brush rolls with egg white and sprinkle with reserved walnuts. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Let stand for a minute or two and then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. To make ahead: Arrange unbaked rugelach in single layer in jelly roll pan; cover and freeze until firm. Remove from pan and place in freezer containers with waxed paper in between each layer. Seal and freeze up to 3 months. About 45 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with foil; grease foil. Arrange frozen rugelach on prepared cookie sheets and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.
...See More
Lunch menu suggestions?
Q
Comments (29)
This is my twisted version of Tlalpeno Soup. Traditionally it has chipotle peppers in adobo but I don't like them. I tend not to use recipes so this is a "loose" recipe intended for those comfortable with seasoning to taste. It is very adaptable to your own preferences and what you have on hand. Like I said previously, I've dropped the chicken and upped the chickpeas.. I have also added brown rice. The one thing I wouldn't eliminate is the cilantro. I know many people don't care for cilantro but it really makes this particular soup. Ingredients: 1 small onion diced 1 stalk celery diced 1-2 jalapeno, diced 1 roasted poblano pepper, skin removed 1 chicken breast (1 large breast) 6 cups chicken broth (I sometimes swap a cup of tomato juice for a cup of broth) 1 can petite diced tomatoes with chilies (or use fresh italian tomatoes) 1 cup chickpeas 1 c fresh cilantro chopped Add seasonings to taste: oregano chile powder cumin cayenne pepper salt pepper garlic powder (if you prefer minced, add at the very end of the vegetable saute) Directions:1. Shred or dice the cooked chicken. Saute onion, celery, jalapenos in a small amount of olive oil until soft (about 3-5 min). Add chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken and broth. (it should be a fairly brothy soup at this point). Add 1/4 cup or so of the chopped cilantro and seasoning to taste. Be cautious with seasonings at this point-- the spiciness will intensify as it simmers. 5. Let simmer for 30-40 min. Taste again and add seasonings as required. 6. Add remaining cilantro and let simmer 5 min. 7. Serve in bowls and top with some, none or all of the following optional toppings: avocado, shredded cabbage, chopped radish, sour cream. Me? I like just a squeeze of lime.
...See More
jenn
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!

Jessy, I was planning to make a lemon cake (white cake with lemon custard filling) but being VERY short on time I decided to order a cupcake-cake (a "cake" formed by putting cupcakes together, then frosting covering all).
gbsim1
13 years ago
Sounds wonderful! I think you've got it covered and I love the elephant ear (or single palm fronds) for "flower decorations.

About the only thing I could think of to add, might be another cold drink....We've been loving pomegranate spritzers that we make with a dollop of pomegranate concentrate from Whole Foods mixed in with sparkling water... or for something a bit heavier how about virgin pina coladas?
caliloo
13 years ago
I think it sounds fantastic too. As far as a suggestion for the chicken teriyaki - I would find a couple of bottles of Soy Vey brand (either the Island Teriyaki or the Veri Veri Teriyaki) and use those. They are excellent!

Alexa
jenn
Original Author
13 years ago
gbsim and caliloo, thank you for the additional suggestions!
lindac
13 years ago
I am reading the menu and picturing standing around for about 3 or 4 hours snacking on salmon, shrimp and chicken and fruit....and I think I would be wishing for a platter of raw veggies too.

Seconding the Soy-Vey marinade...or you could mix 1/2 cup light soy sauce, with 2 or 3 cloves of crushed garlic and 2 T brown sugar. Marinate in that and sprinkle with sesame seeds before grilling.
Linda c
jenn
Original Author
13 years ago
Linda, I appreciate your suggestion, and I was considering one. It also means more items to wash and chop, and my time will be VERY limited.
jenn
Original Author
13 years ago
Please help calm my nerves!

I have a commitment on Saturday, from early morning until mid-afternoon, which will eat up a lot of my preparation time for this party and will leave me a little fatigued for the rest of that day. The party is Sunday starting around noon. I am trying to make things nice without going overboard. My husband keeps saying chips and dip, popcorn, and nuts are suitable for appetizers, but I want to offer something more substantial to satisfy until dinner, and I'd like to stick with my current menu.

I don't want to buy a lot of pre-made food.

On the other hand, I bet Trader Joe's has some good stuff in their freezer section!

Did I mention I work full time and we're leaving on a 2-week road trip the following weekend that we are organizing for our bicycle group???!!!
lindac
13 years ago
My easy peasy appies are cheese and crackers, have a variety ands erve in chunks on a board or marble dish with a knife and crackers on the side...
A bag of baby carrots and some prewashed and cut up celery, and perhaps a couple of peppers....doesn't take long to cut them up.
And a couple of pounds of frozen tail on precooked shrimp....thawed served with a cocktail sauce....finish with a candle warmer full of little smokies heated with Sweet baby Ray's BBQ sauce....and then your chicken terayaki.
Buy your fresh fruit already cut up and skip the cabbage salad....the rest should be doable.
Linda C
sands99
13 years ago
Sounds great! If you could get your hands on some taro chips (like potato chips) they would be a nice addition to the burger course with an island twist. My dh used to order them with a group at work - some little elves working kettles of all kinds of chips but not greasy at all - I loved the taro chips they had character! Wish I could remember the darn company...

luau menu - suggestions still needed

Comments (11)

Teresa_MN

jessyf

Related Discussions

jenn
Original Author

gbsim1

caliloo

jenn
Original Author

lindac

jenn
Original Author

jenn
Original Author

lindac

sands99

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

luau menu - suggestions still needed

Comments (11)

Teresa_MN

jessyf

Related Discussions

jennOriginal Author

gbsim1

caliloo

jennOriginal Author

lindac

jennOriginal Author

jennOriginal Author

lindac

sands99

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

jenn
Original Author

jenn
Original Author

jenn
Original Author

jenn
Original Author