Kahlua Pig

"This is the best Pork I HAVE EVER TASTED" exclaimed my dad. I had made a Kalua Pig for our Christmas Luau. (see post bellow) It truly was the best pork I had ever tasted as well. I had to share the recipe with you as my readers. If you would like to host a luau of your own this is an easy can't be beat recipe for pork. I did lots of research and read many recipes but made many changes to it in the end so I cannot credit any one recipe from which this was adapted.

KALUA PIG

4-5 pound Pork Butt Roast
2 tbsp liquid smoke
4-5 banana peels
5-6 Ti Leaves
Butchers twine

Rub liquid smoke all over Pork Butt Roast, wrap roast completely in banana peels (you can use discarded banana's for a Hawaiian smoothie later.) wrap roast in Ti leaves (very hard to find, I finally found them by calling a florist is desperation and they knew exactly what I needed) Tie the whole thing together with butchers twine so it won't fall apart in the oven. Place the Roast in the oven at 350 F. The best way to ensure a well cooked roast is to use a meat thermometer. Turn oven up to 400 after the first hour has passed. Meat will take approximately 30 mins per pound of meat. Using a meat thermometer allow the meat to reach 145 F then remove it from the oven. Let the meat sit for 15 minutes to ensure juices settle in the meat. Temperature will continue to increase by 5-10 F as the meat sits. Slice the pork and serve hot. Enjoy

Mela Kalikimaha

This year both my sister and I will be spending the holidays in Louisiana with our in-laws. As a result we had to hold an early Christmas celebration with our local family. Our Christmas traditions are varied and have been gathered from various places and people through the years. Dad is French Canadian so he likes to have a french Canadian meal on Christmas Eve and then open presents that evening. Mom thinks opening presents "early" ruins Christmas. JP (22, brother, basement dweller) doesn't care as long as no one forgets to buy him gifts (this hardened once but that is a story for another blog). Mom hates to shop, Dad LOVES to shop and he always gets the right things so he shops for everyone. Christine (sister, Mother of Jazz 4 and Eli 3) just likes to party.

Honestly my mom didn't like Christmas much when we were kids because it forced her to do all the things she didn't like and thought she wasn't very good at. ie: shopping (before Dad took it over a few years back) cooking, decorating ect... She took on those roles because she thought it was what she was supposed to do as a wife and mother. But she hated those things, we as kids thought she just didn't like Christmas, we had to become adults before we really figured out what was really going on. If we were being honest everyone hates doing things they don't think they are good at. Who wants a whole season that shows us all our weak spots.

As we all grew up and had families we have slowly divided up the responsibilities of holidays based on what we are all good at. Dad shops, he grins as he runs out the door to the mall, his credit card hot in his hands he returns and smoke is coming out of his wallet as he lugs in his gifts for all the grand kids. Christine picks up decorations and fun things to do on Christmas. This year we did a Hawaiian Luau for Christmas. There were flowers, palm trees and even a huge angel fish we blew up. The guys play video games while I do what I like best COOKING!!! I made Kalua Pig, Pancit and salad we had pineapple and papaya for desert. We opened gifts on the 11th of December. All in all we had a great Luau it was beautiful, the food was great and Mom played in the hot tub with the kids which as it turns out is what she is BEST at. Merry Christmas!!! or Mela Kahlikimaha as they say in Hawaii