Leah L Harbottle
Gregory HarbottleSpring Break Maui Style!
Spring Break Maui Style!
It’s mid-March and you know what that means – IT’S SPRING BREAK TIME! Across all fifty states, students from elementary school to university receive a brief reprieve from academic rigor. But here’s a difference: Where the idea of spring break might conjure up visions of roving packs of teenagers, Maui’s influx of “Breakers” tends to be more along the lines of moms, dads, all the kids and even an occasional grandparent in tow. For some time now Hawaii, and Maui in particular, have become the adventure of choice for many looking to escape the winter doldrums of chilly weather and sneak in some sunshine and family time.
We enjoy this annual tradition, and apparently, so do our condo owners and local businesses. Not surprisingly, as the notable presence of mini vans and strollers increase, so does island commerce. Everything from to condo and hotel reservations to our neighborhood coffee shop gets a boost this time of year as life on the island bustles along. And while there’s an obvious economic benefit, there’s just something about seeing these groups of happy travelers smiling, laughing, and taking a well needed break together that certainly puts a “spring” in our step! With that, we say bring on the Breakers!
Aloha, Greg & Leah
Hawaiian Haystacks is a quick and easy meal that takes only 30 minutes! Serve fluffy rice with this amazing chicken sauce, then pile it high with your favorite toppings like pineapple, mandarin oranges, cranberries, almonds, and peppers!
Hawaiian Haystacks
Ingredients
- Rice: White rice is our favorite. You can also use brown rice or jasmine rice.
- Butter: Real butter is best. Salted or unsalted
- Onion: White, sweet, yellow, red
- All-purpose Flour: Substitute cornstarch to make gluten-free haystacks
- Milk: 2%, whole, or skim
- Pineapple Juice: If you’re using pineapple as a topping reserve the juice from that.
- Chicken Broth: Optional, you can use all pineapple juice instead
- Seasonings: Curry, salt, ground ginger
- Shredded Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breast or rotisserie chicken is a great headstart on this meal.
You’ll need shredded or diced chicken for this recipe. Making it ahead of time in big batches and having it ready whenever you need it is a big time saver.
Instructions
1. Shredded Chicken:
Stovetop: Add chicken to a saucepan and cover with water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to hold a simmer. Cook until chicken is tender and reaches 165 degrees. Depending on the thickness of the chicken this will take about 30 minutes.
Pressure Cooker: Using the Instant Pot to cook chicken is my favorite way. Add chicken breast and 1 cup chicken broth to the pot. Close lid and pressure valve. Cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes. Open pressure valve to release steam.
Slow Cooker: Add chicken to the crock pot. Cover with chicken broth. Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
2. Curry: Melt butter in a saucepan and sautee onions until tender.
3. Add curry, ginger, and salt to onions.
4. Add flour and stir until thickened to make a roux. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add cooked shredded or diced chicken. Stir.
6. Layer curry over rice and add your toppings as you see fit.
Topping Ideas:
- Fruit: Pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, grapes, dried cranberries
- Vegetables: Diced tomatoes, green peppers, green onions, thawed green peas, celery
- Shredded Cheese: This is a must! Cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack are all good options.
- Nuts: Slivered walnuts, chopped almonds, or pecans.
- Coconut: shredded. So good!
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Olives