luau menu - suggestions still needed

16 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

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Comments (11)

Teresa_MN
16 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
16 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.
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I like Lpinks idea of an antipasto. Everyone picks what they want and it is really easy to assemble. Here is a "do ahead" recipe that I make a lot for times like that.... Marinated Antipasto 3 large carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices 2 large handfuls fresh green beans 2 cups broccoli florets 2 red bell peppers, roasted and cut into strips 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted and cut into strips a 12-ounce jar peperoncini drained well 3/4 pound black or green brine-cured olives or a ombination 3/4 pound marinated or plain bocconcini (small mozzarella balls, available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets) 1/2 pound pepperoni or soppressata (hard Italian sausage, available at Italian markets, some butcher shops, and, some specialty foods shops), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and the slices quartered 2 7-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained well 2 cans Hearts of Palm, cut into 1/2 inch lengths 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves plus, if desired, parsley sprigs for garnish Vinaigrette Dressing Â about 2 cups, use your favorite recipe In a large saucepan of boiling water blanch the carrots for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, drain them, and plunge them into a bowl of ice and cold water. Repeat for the Green Beans and Broccoli. Let the vegetables cool and drain them well. In a large bowl toss together the carrots, Green Beans, Broccoli, the roasted peppers, the peperoncini, the olives, the bocconcini, the pepperoni, the artichoke hearts, the Hearts of Palm, Vinaigrette dressing, the minced parsley until the antipasto is combined well and chill the antipasto, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Transfer the antipasto to a platter, garnish it with the parsley sprigs, and serve it at room temperature.
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Poppers Recipe - originally posted by trudymom This is a delicious appetizer. It can be made ahead of time. I have prepared & baked, cooled & frozen in ziplocks & reheated in low oven to serve. They make a nice presentation, stacked on a round platter. Posted by trudymom (My Page) onSun, Dec 2, 07 Crescent Jalapeno Poppers Recipe #227403 : 40 min : 25 min prep : Recipe Zaar By: Lainey6605 May 10, 2007 These are tasty little appetizers. Serve them with sour cream or guacamole, if desired. SERVES 16 (change servings and units) * 4 jalapeno chiles (about 3 inches long) * 1/3 cup boursin spreadable cheese with garlic and herbs (from 5.2 ounce container) * 8 slices packaged pre-cooked shortcut bacon (from 2.2 ounce package, halved) * 1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner roll * 1/2 cup pineapple salsa (optional) or fruit salsa (optional) Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Carefully remove stems from chiles; cut each in half lengthwise and again horizontally to make 4 pieces. Remove and discard seeds. Spoon about 1 teaspoon cheese into each chile quarter. Wrap half slice of bacon around each. On cutting board, unroll dough; separate dough into 8 triangles. From center of longest side to opposite point, cut each triangle in half, making 16 triangles. Place chile, cheese side down, on dough triangle. Fold 1 point of triangle over filling; fold 2 remaining points over first point. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve with salsa, if desired.
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jenn
Original Author
16 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
16 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
16 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
16 years ago
gbsim and caliloo, thank you for the additional suggestions!
lindac
16 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
16 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
16 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
16 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
16 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

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Teresa_MN

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luau menu - suggestions still needed

Comments (11)

Teresa_MN

jessyf

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