The Big Island, Hawaii – The Coffee Shack, Punalu’u Black Sand Beach, and Volcano National Park – Tuesday, June 14, 2011

6-14-11 French Toast made out of their homemade luau bread

Hey Young Chefs!

The day before we leave to go home, I ate homemade French Toast made out of luau bread from The Coffee Shack. It was really good. At The Coffee Shack, I saw two Madagascar geckos eating guava jelly next to our table. It was so funny!

6-14-11 Two Madagascar geckos eating guava jelly at The Coffee Shack

After we ate, we drove to Punalu’u Black Sand Beach where the water is crystal clear. The wet black sand and dry black sands’ colors are totally different.

6-14-11 Wet black sand and dry black sand

Soleil found a rainbow rock that is so pretty.

6-14-11 A cool rainbow rock

Punalu’u is so pretty and so different from any other beach I’ve been to.

6-14-11 Me at Black Sand Beach

After we changed, we headed to Volcano National Park. We saw the steam vents, that feel like a sauna. It was cold and hot at Volcano National Park.

6-14-11 The hot steam vents

Then, we drove to the crater. The crater was huge. There was hardened black and brown lava everywhere! This is a panorama of the rainbow and the crater. My camera didn’t stitch it well. LOL At least it looks like a double rainbow.

6-14-11 A panorama of a rainbow and the crater

Next, we walked through a rain forest in Volcano National Park.

6-14-11 Eliana and Soleil walk through the rainforest at Volcano National Park

After walking through the rainforest, we finally reach inside the Thurston Lava Tube!

6-14-11 Inside the Thurston Lava Tube at Volcano National Park

When we were finished walking through the lava tube, we left Volcano National Park and drove around the rest of the island, eating dinner in Hilo. Finally, we went back to our hotel. What a day!

Cool Kids Cook and Visit Black Sand Beaches and the Volcano National Park!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

Oahu, Hawaii – Food Tour & BobKat’s Pizza – Tuesday, June 7, 2011

6-7-11 Me at the market in Chinatown

Hey Young Chefs!

I got back from Hawaii less than a week ago! Hawaii is an AMAZING place to go visit for a vacation!!!

On this day, we went on a food tour with Hawaii Food Tours. We toured different local restaurants. This is spam musubi, marinated tuna, and fresh mango. Spam musubi is spam and sticky rice wrapped in nori, which is seaweed.

6-7-11 Spam Musubi, Marinated Tuna, and Mango

Next, we went to a noodle factory in Chinatown. This is what the noodles look like after they’re folded. It was so cool to see them make the noodles. We also ate rice noodles with chicken and rice noodles with shrimp. It was delicious!

6-7-11 Fresh stack of noodles on a cookie sheet

We tasted so many different foods that day, but my favorite is manapua. In Hawaiian that means flower power. Manapua is sweet bread with a sweet or savory filling inside. I ate a coconut manapua. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

6-7-11 Me in front of a big batch of manapua

After the food tour was over and we went back to our hotel, we swam at the hotel’s beach! The water was so cold. You get used to it after a while. The water was super clear and very pretty.

6-7-11 My mom and I at our hotel's beach

Then we went to Uncle BobKat’s house for dinner. For dinner, we had homemade pizza.

6-7-11 The fresh homemade pizza that my mom's Uncle BobKat made

This is the best pizza ever!!!

Cool Kids Cook and Go on Food Tours!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

Carnival Cruise Day 2-Sunday, November 21, 2010

11-21-10 What a beautiful couple! Mom hand beaded her dress with pearls and rhinestones.

Hey Young Chefs!

On November 21st my Nana and Paw Paw renewed their vows on the Carnival Cruise! It was a gorgeous vow renewal. Here is a picture of all the grandchildren, including me, waiting for our turn to walk down the aisle.

11-21-10 The grandchildren process down the aisle for the vow renewal ceremony

(Left to right) Jasmynn, me, Camrynn, Ashlynn, Jourdan, and finally Soleil. We walked down the aisle for Nana. Here is mommy walking Nana down the aisle. Isn’t that sweet?!

11-21-10 Mom had the privilege of walking my Nana down the aisle

After the vow renewal was over, we had the wedding reception. Nana and Paw Paw cut the cake together. There was a lot of food, but we still hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so we didn’t eat a lot. They had fruit, lamb empanadas, egg rolls, and chicken nuggets with a zesty honey mustard. The food was delicious!

11-21-10 I wish you could see how intricately the fruit was carved. Gorgeous!

After the vow renewal, we went to dinner. For the entree I ate my first lobster! It tasted awesome. It also came with shrimp.

11-21-10 Kid Chef Eliana eats her first lobster!

As for dessert, I had the Warm Melting Chocolate Cake. I’m so mad that I didn’t take a picture because it was the best dessert. After dinner we went to our cabins because we were exhausted. We were knocked out! That was a fun night.

Cool Kids Cook and Cruise!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

Carnival Cruise Day 1 at Sea-Saturday, November 20, 2010

11-20-10 On board the Carnival Triumph with our Sign & Sail Cards

Hey Young Chefs!

During the Thanksgiving holiday week I went on a Carnival Cruise to Belize, Honduras, and Mexico! It was exciting. I ate a lot of tasty food, had some thrilling adventures, and had the time of my life. (Sing Fergie!) LOL

11-20-10 Taking a picture before we set sail, with New Orleans as our backdrop

We were on the Carnival Triumph. It was my first time on a cruise ship. Boy, was it BIG. On the Lido Deck (Floor 9), there was a humongous screen for an outdoor theater; 4 swimming pools and 5 Jacuzzi tubs; a basketball court; and a putt putt golf course.

11-20-10 Paw Paw enjoys putt putt golf with my cousins, Ashlynn & Camrynn on the top deck of the ship

The view from the top deck was amazing. Here is a picture of the city of New Orleans. Pretty!

11-20-10 A picture of the city of New Orleans from the aft of the top deck of the Carnival Triumph

After the ship set sail, we had dinner and then we went to a family dance party at the Hollywood Dance Club. We even learned a new dance called “The Wobble.” It’s so much fun!

11-20-10 My mom, my cousins and I dance at a family dance party in the Hollywood Dance Club. We learned a new dance called the Wobble!

It was a fun ending to a great first day on the Carnival Triumph. More to come!

Cool Kids Cook and Cruise!

Bon Appetit, Kid Chef Eliana

Aunt Heidi’s visit to New Orleans June 18-23, 2009

Hey Young Chefs!

Aunt Heidi came to visit to New Orleans. Nana made a Filipino Fiesta! We had white rice, fried rice, lumpia (a Filipino eggroll), pancit (like lo mein with clear, skinny noodles), chicken and pork adobo (made with garlic, vinegar and soy sauce), ribs, and carrot cake for dessert. It was ma sarap (very yummy)!

On Sunday, after a Father’s Day dinner at Outback Steakhouse, we took Aunt Heidi to the French Quarter. Above, I am standing in front of Jackson Square, one of New Orleans’ most famous places. The big building behind me is St. Louis Cathedral, a Catholic church. Here is Aunt Heidi in front of the Mississippi River. See the paddle wheel boat in the background?

Here I am with my family on a bench in Jackson Square – Paw Paw, Nana, Soleil, and Aunt Heidi behind us.

We took a carriage ride through the French Quarter. Our mule was named Ada. It was fun but I was a little sleepy. Hahaha

While we were riding through the French Quarter, we saw a miniature horse (not a pony). It was so cute. I had never seen a miniature horse before.

Here I am with Ada the Mule.

The carriage ride was fun. We rode for about 1 hour. We learned a lot of important history during the ride. It was my first carriage ride through the French Quarter.

Afterwards, we went to Cafe’ Du Monde for beignets! Beignets are French donuts. They are square and puffed up, with powdered sugar on top. My sister said, “When you eat beignets, you can’t breathe in and you can’t breathe out.” The powdered sugar goes everywhere! This is why you wear a napkin bib (especially if you are wearing the color black).

Here is a picture of me in front of beautiful sculptures at Cafe’ Du Monde. I love the bright colors and it’s a pretty water feature.

This man set up a high-powered telescope on the sidewalk – John Brown’s Sidewalk Astronomy, right in front of Cafe’ Du Monde. My sister, my mom and I were able to see Saturn with its ring! It was so cool.

We had a fun time in the French Quarter. I can’t wait to go back (when the weather is cooler). hahaha

Cool kids cook and eat beignets!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Beef Brisket Dinner – Sunday, October 5, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight, Mommy cooked a HUGE dinner for the entire family. Everyone came over – Nana & Pawpaw, Uncle Gary and his girlfriend Aline, and my cousins – Jourdan, Camrynn, Ashlynn & Jasmynn. Actually, Camrynn and I helped Mommy in the kitchen. We rolled the meatballs, made the ladybug pesto pizzettas, helped clean the kitchen, and set the table. Here’s what was on the menu:

Appetizers:
Lady bug Pesto Pizzetas
Stuffed Mushrooms
BBQ Chipotle Cheddar Turkey Meatballs
Roasted Garlic & Baked Brie Cheese with Crackers

Main Course:
Beef Brisket
Roasted Garlic Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
Wilted Spinach & Sauteed Mushrooms
Garlic Polenta Patties
Fresh Pineapple

Dessert:
Berries N Banana Shortcake with Crema & Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips

Mommy made the beautiful floral centerpiece. She cut off the top of the pumpkin and scooped the insides out. Then she filled it with water and arranged fall-colored flowers inside. It’s simple and elegant.

I helped Mommy make dessert. Here my cousins watch as I cut and quarter the strawberries for the dessert. Hi Ashlynn, Camrynn & Jasmynn!

This is what the dessert looked like when it was finished. Yum! Yum!

My cousins want to come to an Eliana Cooks! Culinary Clinic. I guess I’ll have to start teaching classes! LOL

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana