"And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses."
~ Joni Mitchell

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WELCOME ~ E KOMO MAI

As tumble into the glories of spring 2012 and get a little further into the delicious opportunities of this auspicious lunar year, The Year of the Dragon, be prepared for the unexpected.  (Oooh la la!)  Chinese tradition tells us that this is an unpredictable year of optimistic energy and vitality, of power and daring. 

Step out of the usual, out of routine, and out of the familiarity of home. This is the year to get outside, push out of our comfort zones, open our minds and arms to mysterious, enigmatic and memorable moments.  Oh goody goody gumdrops! 

The Dragon – all powerful and gorgeously enthralling.  Once upon a time creatures of fairy tales and legends, Dragons represent daylight and darkness, invincibility and some serious magic. 

This Year of the Dragon signals a dynamic and constantly changing period of ultimate auspiciousness.  A year of invincible strength, and overwhelming appreciation, with a charming weakness, for beauty and good deeds.

What a stage set……of mythical proporations, for cooking and feasting!

All of us pleasure seeking foodies can tap into our inner Dragons, seize gutsy, take more and more brazen, luscious leaps and conjure to our heart’s content.  Ignite your palates!

I can't wait to throw on some great tunes (because cooking without music is like a dragon without magic) and play with some sumptuous new flavours and ingredients, not knowing where they might take us……Into the Mystic......perhaps....

But please keep in mind that I am still pretty much a rookie blogger.  Be patient with me, as I continue to learn the ropes.....as I figure out how to make my blog good lookin', with lots of what I like best and even more of what you like best.

Stay tuned, much more to come.  Goodies from here, recipes from there.  What I'm cookin' up these days in My Okanagan Kitchen, as I gaze upon the beautiful forests of Trepanier, up above the lakeside hamlet of Peachland in BC's beautiful Wine Country.  Family feasts, down home comfort and tasty little treats.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. 
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. 
Catch the trade winds in your sails. 
Explore.  Dream.  Discover."
~ Mark Twain

Summer view from my kitchen in the forest in the Okanagan Valley.
 
On the other hand, I'm going to sweep you away to far off tropical islands with my memoirs of what I conjured up in My Hawaiian Kitchen a few years back when I was lucky enough to call the amazing Big Island of Hawaii home for a few years.  And these days too, when I'm blissed out to be vacationing to my 'Home Sweet Island Home".  Bountiful island ingredients, local specialties with my own little twists and ono (delicious) new revelations on old stand-bys and of course Hapa tunes to fill my spirit and kitchen with luscious Aloha.

Sunset view from the lanai just off one of my favorite Hawaiian kitchens. 

So come on in!  I'm here waiting for you with a big warm invitation to pull up a stool along my kitchen counter, plunk down at my dinner table, or just hang out with me while I do what I love best.  Alo-ha!

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THE LAST WONTON RECIPE INDEX

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MY HAWAIIAN KITCHEN RECIPES, so far.......
(also included in Main Recipe Index, as linked above)

Pahoa Pesto Pork Pats Pasta ~ Kuawa Riblets ~ Broken Pork Nachos ~ Pad Hai ~
Chickie Flautas ~ Island Macaroni Salad ~ Huli Huli Chicken ~
Creamy Chicken 'Chiladas ~ Swallowing Clouds Soup ~
Chocolate Frosted Koko Java Cupcakes ~ Chicken Sate Potstickers ~ Avo Hummus
Michelle's Island Corn Salsa ~ Hula ula ula Salad ~ Cliff's Lemon Lime Chicken 
Tender-Baby-Tender Baby Back Ribs ~ Mom's Pineapple Chicken ~
Volcano Chicken ~ Lemony Orange Snack Cake ~ Kawaihae Pie aka Sex In A Pan

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It is my pleasure to recommend ONE WORLD SPOKANE Organic Community Kitchen for all you Spokane-ites and for anyone visiting the Spokane area.  One World Spokane is dedicated to making the world a better place, one meal at a time.  The One World concept is about Organic, Local Food, Sustainability, Partnerships, Building Community, Reducing waste and providing customers with delicious, vibrant cuisine & an exceptional dining experience where everyone "breaks bread" together.

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"My kitchen is a mystical place, a kind of temple for me. It is a place where
the surfaces seem to have significance, where the sounds and odors carry
meaning that transfers from the past and bridges to the future."
~ Pearl Bailey

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Comments

[Candace]

What a beautiful blog you have! I'm going to follow along with you. I look forward to getting to know you. Have a beautiful day ~Candace

[Lisa-Marie]

Jude!! You are amazing!!!!! i have a good idea for you, you can offer your amazing cooking to the guests that stay at camp okanagan!!! how amazing would that be to get dinner delivered right to your door, especially your cooking!!!! wuv u!

[bellini]

So very well said Judi. I look forward to sharing your kitchen with you during the year of the Golden Rabbit. May your kitchen be filled with successes!!!

[Alison Waters]

Judi Judi Judi - all looks fab and having just eaten Thanksgiving dinner at your place I know it all tastes as good as it looks!!! Exciting stuff!!! I'll keep checking in. xox

[Jennifer]

Wow, great job! I look forward to meeting you. See you at the workshop in September, but until then, I'll keep up with your foodie wanderings. Jennifer!

[Karen]

Congratulations on starting your blog. I love the Hawaiian recipes.

[Judi]

Oh yay Brent! I'm glad you're giving the chickie flautas a try. Let me know how they turn out for you. I want the low down.......the 'real' lowdown...... Have a great weekend. I'm off to Vancouver, but will be back at my post Monday morning first thing.

[Brent]

Drape with Avocado sauce....perfect. I am going to make these over the weekend.

[Judi]

Aloha! Hope everyone is enjoying a nice, relaxing Sunday. Just popping in to let you know that if you follow the clicks from the blog introduction into My Hawaiian Kitchen that I've started posting 'Hawaiian' recipes. Well recipe. But you've got to start someplace. Much more to come. Stay tuned.

[Elyssa]

Awesome stuff Judi! Soooo glad you made this :)

[Tricia Mogstad]

congrats Judi, looking forward to seeing more recipes and lovely pictures.. Tricia

[Roslyne Buchanan]

Yahoo! Congratulations, Judi, on launching your blog. Great start and I'll be looking forward to sharing the journey. I might even dust off my breadmaker for this creation.

Oh yeah, and I vote "Betty" as the name because Betty White rocks and look how she's still going after all these years. Did you catch Saturday Night Live with her hosting? What a legend!