If you're craving the enchanting Spirit of Aloha, prepare a family-friendly feast inspired by the islands of Hawaii. These recipes are inspired by two luau staples–pork and pineapple–and are sure to delight the taste buds of both adventurous and picky eaters. Let's get started!
Hawaiian Roll Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Reciepe from Tatest of Lizzy TIngredients
For the pork:- 4-5 pounds pork butt or shoulder
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 12 ounces pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 3 cups pulled pork
- ⅔ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup pineapple tidbits drained
- 12 Hawaiian dinner rolls
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese
- Shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- French fried onions or red onion
Instructions
For the pulled pork:1. Place pork in slow cooker. ***Place the pork in fatty side up to let the fat flavor drip into the meat.***
2. Cover pork with all dry ingredients.
3. Pour the pineapple juice around the pork.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the pork is shreddable.
5. Shred the pork and then make the sliders.
For the sliders:1. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, seeds, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce and ginger. Whisk well.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the pulled pork and barbecue sauce. Mix well.
4. Use a large serrated knife to slice the rolls in half, separating the tops from the bottoms. Place the bottom of the rolls onto the prepared baking pan.
5. Brush a few tablespoons of the butter mixture onto the bottom of the rolls.
7. Layer the pulled pork over the rolls and sprinkle the pineapple tidbits over the pork. Top with sliced pepper jack cheese.
8. Place the tops of the rolls onto the sandwiches and brush the remaining butter mixture evenly over the rolls.
9. Cover the rolls loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven until the rolls are lightly browned and the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 3-5 minutes to brown.
10. Slice into individual slider sandwiches through the pork and cheese layers to serve. Top with coleslaw, cabbage or french fried onions, if desired.
Spicy, Sweet Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites
Recepie from Dinner Then DessertIngredients
- 1 pound thick cut bacon , cut in half to make two shorter wide strips out of each slice
- 1/2 pineapple , trimmed and cut into 1" chunks
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (your favorite hot wing sauce would be great)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut bacon in half and wrap each strip around a piece of pineapple.
3. Roll in the brown sugar, packing on the sugar onto the ends.
4. Spoon over a small amount of hot wing sauce over each bundle.
5. If you want to help avoid a mess in the pan from the brown sugar line the pan with foil.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the brown sugar is all bubbly.
Ham and Cheese Pigs in a Blanket
Recipe from AllRecipesIngredients
- 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
- 8 thin slices cooked ham
- 4 thin slices Cheddar cheese, cut into strips
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Place 1 piece of ham on each triangle; place 2 strips of cheese down center of ham. Fold in edges of ham to match shape of dough triangle.
2. Roll up each crescent, ending at tip of triangle. Place with tips down on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 15 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.
Easy Grilled Pineapple Meatball Skewers
Reciepe from Suburban SimplicityIngredients
- 1 pound pre-cooked meatballs
- ½ fresh pineapple (cut into sections)
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- 2 oz. tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (or to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar (or to taste)
Instructions
1. Thaw or partially cook the meatballs according to package directions so that you will be able to insert a skewer safely. Set aside.
2. Combine the crushed pineapple, tomato paste, garlic, and brown sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook until hot throughout and fully combined.
3. Add in the meatballs and stir to coat completely.
4. Let cool if the kids are helping assemble the skewers—alternate meatballs with pineapple. Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium-high heat.
5. Thread the meatballs and pineapple slices on metal or bamboo skewers. Cook directly on the grill for about 5 minutes on each side to get a delicious-looking sear on the pineapples.
Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
Recipe from The Girl Who Ate EverythingIngredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 24 maraschino cherries
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (reserve juice)
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix (and vegetable oil and eggs called for on the package)
- 1 1/3 cups pineapple juice, (you just need as much pineapple juice as water called for on the cake mix package - see note)
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Line a work surface with parchment or waxed paper.
3. Spoon 1 teaspoon melted butter into the bottom of the pan of each sprayed muffin cup.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon brown sugar in each muffin cup.
5. Press a maraschino cherry into the center of the brown sugar in each muffin cup.
6. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of crushed pineapple over the cherry and compact it with the back of a spoon into an even layer.
7. Mix cake mix according to the package directions, substitute pineapple juice for the water in the recipe. This may vary according to which cake mixture you use. In large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Turn mixer speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.
7. Pour pineapple cake batter into the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top.
8. Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool at least 5 minutes before inverting muffin cups onto the waxed paper to release. Serve with pineapple and cherry sides up. Sprinkle cupcakes lightly with confectioners' sugar if desired.
Hungry for more? Book a vacation package to Hawaii and treat yourself to island eats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
