Doing Some Party Planning? How About a Luau!

Does the idea of luau party planning intimidate you? Don't let it! A luau is an incredible party especially if you are lucky enough to go to one in Hawaii. It can also be an incredible party if you hold one in your own backyard!

The decorations, the attire, the music, games, and all kinds of luau party planning supplies are all available on Luau party planning web-sites. It's really easy to set up a luau when it comes to all the "stuff" to make it look like you are in the islands.

Oddly enough, there isn't much information available about what food to serve at a luau! And what's a luau without wonderful food?

Let's discuss some great food that you could serve at your own luau!

Beverages

Really, how could you have a luau without some hokey but incredibly delicious beverages? It would be silly! So buy some paper umbrellas and saw the tops off some coconuts (if you're really ambitious.) Or maybe you could just buy some inexpensive tropical drink glasses.

Here are a couple of classic island drink recipes to try:

Piña Colada

1/2 cup crushed ice
6 fluid ounces pineapple juice
2 fluid ounces rum
1 fluid ounce coconut cream
1 fluid ounce heavy cream
1 pineapple wedge
1 maraschino cherry

(Add an ounce of Blue Curacao and call it a Blue Hawaiian)

In a blender, combine ice, pineapple juice, rum, coconut cream and heavy cream. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass and garnish with pineapple wedge and cherry.

Mai Tai

2 oz. Light rum
2 oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. Orange juice
1 oz. cranberry juice
½ oz. grenadine
1 oz. dark rum
½ oz triple sec

Blend all ingredients together and pour over ice in a tall glass. Serve with a pineapple slice on the rim of the glass.

Appetizers

Shrimp-Pineapple Pupus are easy and tasty? Here's the recipe.

Shrimp-Pineapple Pupus

24 large or colossal shrimp, cooked, tail off
24 Dole Pineapple chunks (reserve liquid)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup Heinz Chili Sauce
Colorful food picks

Spear one cooked shrimp and one pineapple chunk on each food pick, with the pineapple atop the shrimp. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Combine the remaining ingredients, mix well and serve as a dipping sauce.

Luaus are not formal affairs. A healthy and delicious appetizer is fresh fruit. And it can double as a decoration. Here's how:

Halve a pineapple and cut out the inside.
Cut the pineapple into cubes and spear them on toothpicks.
Then top each pineapple spear with a maraschino cherry.
Turn the pineapple "shell" halves upside down and decorate with the speared pineapple and cherries.
Surround the pineapple with tropical fruits of your choice. Cut kiwis, mango, and melon look great!

Main Dish and Sides

If you've been to a luau in Hawaii you've had Kalua pork. That's a whole pig that's wrapped in banana leaves and roasted underground for hours and hours. If you're not that ambitious here is an easy recipe that doesn't require a shovel.

Kalua Pig

Makes 12-14 servings

5-6 pound pork butt roast

1 1/2 tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt (coarse sea salt)

1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring

Pierce the pork roast all over with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the roast in a 6 quart slow cooker and rub the salt all over the meat. Drizzle the liquid smoke over the meat.
Cook with the cover for 16-20 hours on low heat. Turn the roast over one time after about 8 hours. When the meat easily shreds with a fork it is ready.
Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Add drippings from the slow cooker as needed to moisten the meat.

Fried Rice is a perfect and traditional luau accompaniment to serve with the Kalua Pig. And if you really want to make it reminiscent of Hawaii, add a little crushed pineapple to the finished dish. A salad would be a great addition to this meal. Garnish is with flowers like nasturtiums or orchids.

Quick Fried Rice

2 to 3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup diced chicken, ham or shrimp

6 cups steamed rice

1 to 1-1/2 cups diced cooked vegetables (peas, carrots, water chestnuts, etc.)

2 to 3 tsp soy sauce

1-1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 to 1 tsp salt, to taste

3 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp thinly sliced green onion or 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple

Heat oil in large skillet or wok.
Sauté meat for 30 seconds on high heat and remove from the pan.
Cook beaten eggs and stir they scramble into small pieces and remove from pan.
Return meat to pan and add rice.
Reduce heat to medium and cook approximately 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Stir in vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and cooked eggs.
Cook 2 additional minutes.
Sprinkle with green onions or crushed pineapple as a garnish.

And the best is last: Dessert

Here's a dessert that you will love! It's not hard to make and it's a lot of fun.

Volcano Cake

1 cake mix - any flavor - mix as directed on the box

Grease and flour a medium sized round metal mixing bowl - about 2 quart size (or any oven-proof round bowl.)
Mix and bake the cake mix as directed. Keep an eye on it. Baking times will differ, depending on the brand you use and the exact size of the bowl.
Test the cake with a toothpick. When it's done the toothpick will come out clean.
Cool in the bowl for ten minutes and then unmold the cake on a cookie sheet.
Cut or scoop a cup or so of cake out of the top of the cake to give it that authentic volcano look!

Meringue:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

8 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

Beat the egg whites with the remaining ingredients until stiff peaks form.
Frost the cake with meringue, leaving a depression in the center of the cake. Make sure that the depression is covered with some meringue. Have fun making swirls and points with the meringue!
Return the cake to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool.
Transfer it to a big cake board (heavy cardboard) that you've covered with foil or pretty paper.
Decorate the cake board with luau "finds" - more paper umbrellas, seashells, fruit - use your imagination!

Lava: (Yes, lava)

A bag of frozen sweetened raspberries of strawberries. If you can't find sweetened you can add some sugar to taste.

Let the fruit thaw and whirl it in a blender to liquefy.
Just before serving, pour the lava down the sides of the cake.
Put a few sparklers in the top of the cake and light! Voila! Instant, and delicious, volcano!

See, luau party planning is a breeze. You can do it!

E. Ann Hill is a successful party planning expert and hospitality professional with many years of personal and professional party and event planning experience.

She loves to entertain and wants to share the easy and challenging lessons she has learned with eager novice and seasoned hosts. Her goal is to instill the #1 objective for entertaining - the host should enjoy planning the party and the party itself as much as his or her guests.


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