Coca-Cola Glazed Baby Back Ribs

May 8: Have a Coke Day

Islander went to the World of Coca-Cola when a weekend meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, ended early. The tourist attraction features exhibits of old and new advertising and marketing campaigns, short informational films, presentations of mascots and memorabilia, historical displays of the soft drink, global gallery of soda pop culture, view of the bottling line process, product tasting center and souvenir shop. Although she did not buy a Coke cookbook from there (free recipes are listed on the corporation’s website), she still has concocted cuisine with cola on occasion, such as Coca-Cola glazed baby back ribs for the “Have a Coke Day” national food holiday.

Recipe

(Adapted from Virginia Willis Culinary Productions)

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds of baby back pork ribs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of Coca-Cola
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, halved with seeds removed

Directions

Salt and pepper both sides of the ribs.  Place on a wire rack on a foil-lined broiling pan.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the Coke glaze.  In a saucepan, combine the Coke, vinegar and brown sugar and stir over high heat.

Add the pepper(s) and boil the glaze. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until syrupy. Discard the peppers. Keep the glaze on low heat while the ribs are baking. Generously baste the ribs every 15-30 minutes for 1 ½ hours or until the ribs are fully cooked and the meat is tender. Remove from the oven and slice before serving.

Notes

• The recipe above produces a light, sticky glaze and is not as thick as other barbecue sauces.
• A knockoff of the Coca-Cola Company’s logotype lettering can be downloaded for free at various font sites.
• Search our blog for other recipe posts that feature cola as an ingredient.

Mini Haupia Pies

May 8: National Coconut Cream Pie Day

Haupia (pronounced “how-pee-yah”) is Hawaii’s version of a coconut cream dessert.  It is traditionally served at luaus and local gatherings as cute cubes of gelatin (think coconut cream Jell-o) and at special occasions as a pudding-like topping for white or coconut cakes (we had one of these Dee Lite-ful desserts at our engagement party). It is also a flavorful filling in malasadas (Portuguese donuts) and even in McDonald’s snack pies (see Notes below)! For a tropical take on National Coconut Cream Pie Day, we present an easy blog recipe post for mini haupia pies.

Recipe

(Adapted from The Honolulu Star-Bulletin)

Ingredients

• 1 package of 8 frozen mini pie/tart shells
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) of coconut milk
• ¾ cup water, divided (½ cup and ¼ cup)
• 5 tablespoons sugar (we used C&H brand, granulated white)
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tub of Cool Whip or whipped cream

Directions

Defrost the mini pie/tart shells according to the package instructions.  Poke holes using the tines of a fork in each shell. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Prepare the haupia filling.  In a saucepan, stir the coconut milk, ½ cup of water and sugar over low heat.  In a small bowl, make a paste with the cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Pour into the saucepan with the coconut milk mixture.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and allow the haupia to cool.

Scoop the haupia into the shells.  Refrigerate until the haupia becomes firm. Fill a pastry bag with Cool Whip or whipped cream and decorate the top of the mini haupia pies.

Notes

• Noh makes haupia mixes that can be used in a simple haupia pie recipe. Just add water and it doesn’t get any easier than that!

• Here is another haupia recipe. Cut into cubes and enjoy like coconut cream gelatin!

• We can’t resist stopping by a Malasada-mobile whenever it parks at a neighborhood street corner. These wagons have a rotating schedule of when and where they travel around Oahu. Malasadas can be filled with haupia, custard, Dobash or special tropical fruit fillings.

• McDonald’s tries to cater to local tastes by occasionally featuring haupia and taro snack pies alongside their apple snack pies in their value menus—only in Hawaii! They are cheap and ono (delicious)!

Chicken Mole

May 5: Cinco de Mayo

We moved into our Texas home on Cinco de Mayo (May 5). When Islander’s parents came to visit and see our new place, our friends’ mom, Señora J, cooked an entire Mexican meal to welcome them! The main dish was a very tasty and tender chicken mole (pronounced MOH-leh), which she served with rice, beans, tortillas and pan dulce (sweet bread). She must have spent all day in the kitchen and we appreciate her generosity and hospitality! Although she has admitted to using mole sauce from a jar on occasion, she has found other shortcuts to preparing chicken mole, such as using a slow cooker. This blog recipe post features the crock pot method for easier cooking.

Recipe

(Inspired by Señora J)

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
• 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 14-ounce can of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablet of Mexican chocolate
• sesame seeds
• cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

Mix the tomato paste, bouillon, broth, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt together in the slow cooker. Stir in the peanut butter. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker. Add the chocolate tablet. Cover and cook on high for at least four hours or on low for at least six hours.  Check halfway to see if the chocolate tablet is melted. Stir the sauce. When cooked, mix well until the chicken is shredded. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Notes

• Look for Mexican chocolate tablets in either the Latino food aisle or hot chocolate drink packets section of the grocery store. The tablets are not sweet like candy. It also has a hint of cinnamon flavor.
• For a hot and spicy dish, add more chili powder or a can of diced tomatoes with jalapeños.