Thanksgiving 2006

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Thanksgiving's just like any other dinner with me. I don't celebrate it, really. why spend hundreds on a dinner to say you're thankful, when you should be thankful everyday?

[WindwardOahuRN]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006: Zippy's TTG

I'm looking at this year's Zippy's Thankgiving Meals to Go flier. Looks pretty good.

Whole Turkey Package
(refrigerated, ready to reheat, serves 8-10)
Whole Roast Turkey (8-10 lbs. cooked weight)
4 lbs. Stuffing
4 lbs. Real Mashed Potatoes
4 lbs. Poultry Gravy
1 lb. Cranberry/Pineapple Relish
1 doz. Sweet Dinner Rolls
$63.95 + tax

A half turkey package (serves up to 4) is also available for $32.95.

Pay and pick-up at Ewa, Kapolei, Waiau, Waipahu, McCully, Mililani, Vineyard, Kahala, Koko Marina, Kaneohe and Kailua locations only.

Not bad. We paid $80 for last year's Hyatt TTG. This one is appealing since we can pay and pick up right up the street at the Koko Marina Zippy's. It doesn't include a pie, which is good, since I'd rather buy Ted's Pumpkin Haupia Pie for dessert.

Anyone ever try Zippy's TTG? Any good?

We all pitched in to buy it one year at work. IMHO, the gravy was awful. The rest of the meal was just okay.

[damontucker]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

If anyone feels like meeting up and going to help out the homeless on Thanksgiving... Please PM me...

I think the total time will be about 3-4 hours max...

I will be assisting the Kau Kau wagon if they get some of there needed supplies.

The following post is cut and pasted from a blog...
------------------------
Aloha All

It's that time again. The Kau Kau is requesting your support for our annual Thanksgiving of Hope Dinner. Every year for 20 years we celebrate the holidays with those who are not able to have a hot holiday meal.

EVERY week all year long we bring food, juice, snacks and sometimes cloths, toiletries and other items when we get them.

Our meal represents more then just a belly full of Ono food, it represents the hope of a whole community coming together in unity, caring about the well being of others and providing a moment of Hope for those who may have little or none. Never underestimate the value and power of hope.

When I was young I was one of those who had lil to nothing. The holiday season was extra tough. I would always be wishing it away. But inside me was a dream that one day I and others could make those joyous holidays be real for everyone.

The Kau Kau Wagon and it's many volunteers made that dream a reality for me and those who need it most. How can you ever find enough ways to say thank you for that, I am not sure I will ever know.

The most amazing part is how most of us walk away at the end of the day feeling like we got so much more then we could ever give. That moment in time makes a smile in the soul last forever.

We have come a very long way thanks to ALL of you! Every year the hearts of aloha and hope shared, grows tremendously. We are blessed. We meet the best of the best. Last year we actually had live music. It was wonderful!.

There could never be enough times and ways to say MAHALO to each of you for creating and making this event of hope come to the awesome reality it has been and will hopefully continue to be. LET'S DO IT AGAIN and even better!!! We have never yet to fail out doing each year!!!!

MAHALO NUI LOA
From ALL of us at the KAU KAU WAGON
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

DATE: NOVEMBER 25th Saturday 2006 TIME: 1:00pm Serving
12:00pm we will be setting up and accepting drops off items.

PLACE: Gateway Park, downtown Corner of Bethel Street and Hotel Street, next to Hawaii Theater.

****#1 FOOD ITEMS NEEDED:

25-30 Hot TURKEYS fully cooked, sliced and ready to serve

5-6 gallons of hot TURKEY GRAVY ready to serve

20 Hot HAMS fully cooked, sliced and ready to serve

45 hot large pans of STUFFING ready to serve

45 hot pans ready to serve YAMS

600 servings of hot ready to serve RICE

700 servings of CORN hot and ready to serve

700 servings of STRINGBEANS hot and ready to serve

15 large pans of ready to serve CRANBERRY SAUCE

35 Dozen DINNER ROLLS

70 PIES sliced and ready to serve

10 cans of WHIPPED CREAM

600 servings of FRESH FRUIT, Apples, bananas, oranges etc.

700 servings of SNACKS, Such as sealed crackers, small candy treats, any bagged items edible that do not need to be refrigerated or special stored.

30 GALLONS OF JUICE OR OTHER READY SERVE BEVERAGE


***NON FOOD ITEMS WANTED:

800 each PLASTIC, FORKS, KNIVES, SPOONS

1000 DINNER PAPER PLATES and NAPKINS

700 PIE PAPER PLATES

700 CUPS

12 PAPER TABLE COVERS

15 TABLES and approximately 50 folding chairs

10 POP UP TENTS for covering the tables

400 TO GO CONTAINERS

ZIP LOCK BAGS

1 large ROLL OF FOIL

12 TARPS FOR THE GROUND

TOILETRY ITEMS such as soaps, shampoos, toothbrushes, tooth paste, blankets, sheets, etc....no razors please lol

OLD CLOTHS, SLIPPAHS, TOWELS, WASHCLOTHS,

************OUR WISH LIST**********

LIVE MUSIC,

FAST FOOD GIFT CERTIFICATES such as McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King etc., would be great!!! It would allow those we serve to get a hot meal when we are not there or if we run out of food on our regular weekends of service.

Bus Passes

Umbrellas

A FREE SERVICE THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE such as haircuts, dental, advise would be a wonderful bonus of help.

A generator to help us expand the kinds of food we bring. Right now we make mostly sandwiches. Sometimes when we have enough we make hot dogs and or other hot foods. We would love to be able to provide more hot meals.

FINALLY THE BIGGEST HOPE OF NEED FOR US IS.............

***A SECURE STORAGE AREA OF APPROXIMATELY 400ft, easy to access with our van, where we can store all year round our KAU KAU WAGON donations and operating and supply items.

This year we purchased a few hot dog carts so we can serve hot dogs and try and sell some at events so that we can be able to better financially continue on doing what we do all year. We HOPE to be able to make enough financially to help our program and other programs as well. We are not government funded. Most funds are out of pocket from those of us who volunteer. A storage area would really make a huge difference for us. It's a BIG dream.

MAHALO AGAIN ! HAVE A WONDERFUL SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!
We can be reached at 808 398 6665

Please feel free to leave a message if we are not able to answer your call. Our phone service on this line isn't always the best. So please if we have not returned your call, call us back. Your call is important to us.

MAHALO FROM ALL OF US AT THE KAU KAU WAGON
You can also e-mail us at
KauKauWagon@aol.com

[1stwahine]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Manoa, It's not on Thanksgiving Day. It's Thanksgiving Saturday...but your heart is in the right place.

Mahalo

Auntie Lynn

[damontucker]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Manoa, It's not on Thanksgiving Day. It's Thanksgiving Saturday...but your heart is in the right place.

Mahalo

Auntie Lynn

Hopefully the week before... as I'm scheduled to be at a wedding on the 25th!

BTW...where you been?

[1stwahine]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Hopefully the week before... as I'm scheduled to be at a wedding on the 25th!

BTW...where you been?

Thanksgiving Saturday is the 25th!

As for where I've been ~ AROUND!

dRIVING mostly.heheheh

[damontucker]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

This is not good news to me... as I have previously committed to a wedding that day.

I thought the Kau Kau thing was going to be on the actual Day of thanksgiving.

I will give my efforts to another organization for the day since Kau Kau isn't doing it on the actual day of thanksgiving....

Any organizations want to PM me for some volunteer work on thanksgiving... let me know..

[hawaiifiveoh]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

The gouls are gone and Halloween is over, and now it's time again to plan for that good 'ole American (Thursday, November 23rd) THANKSGIVING FEAST!

You know the rules: Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mash, cran', rolls, glazed ham, yams. 'Den you get da' local 'kine stuff like sushi, beef stew, manapua, mac salad, poke.. anykine grinds!

So what's on your plans this year? Cook from scratch, "Turkey to Go", restaurant or celebration at friends or family's home? What's on TV? Football? Playstation 3!?

Gobble Gobble!

I get to go back home to Cali. My doggies and the 50"+ plasma screen TV are there too. Oh yeah, and the fam. I cant wait to grind!!!

[christa]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

we're orphaned. i didn't want to go to california n my boyfriend doesn't want to go to vegas. our poor families. we're probably going to just go out. the idea of getting a hotel and having a feast for all other orphans came to mind.

[Pomai]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

I was given the task of roasting a turkey for a church rosary group yesterday. So I brined the turkey in a solution of water, 1 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup cane (brown) sugar, with garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns.

Let me tell ya'.. BRINE YOUR BIRD! OMG, talk about butter. I could practically carve it with a fork, that's how tender and moist it came out. Hardly anything was leftover. Not to brag, but folks were saying that was the best turk' they ever had.

Brining is the key to a successful turkey. It'll make an amateur cook (like me) look like a pro. I swear by it.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

In 2004 we ordered a Turkey-To-Go dinner from Pac Beach Hotel. That was EXCELLENT.

Last year we ordered a Turkey-To-Go dinner from the Hyatt. Next.

This year, we'll probably do another TTG, but not sure where yet. Any TTG suggestions?

Is the Ilikai still doing it? I know Safeway was and some of the other super markets.

One year intead of one huge turkey, I ordered two-dozen stuffed cornish game hens. It was easier and everybody thought it was a better idea.

But on this festive occasion bring the only wine to serve: Boujoulais Nouveau Village. Make sure it says "Village" or else it's not the real thing.

[Pomai]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Is the Ilikai still doing it?

Not sure about Ilikai, but next door at the Hawaii Prince Hotel they're doing a TTG. In fact, that's who we ordered from this year. It was just over $100 for a HOT, ready-to-eat 8-10 person serving. I'll keep ya' posted tomorrow how it turns out.

Seems every year, more and more restaurants are jumping on the TTG bandwagon. Must be profitable.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

Not sure about Ilikai, but next door at the Hawaii Prince Hotel they're doing a TTG. In fact, that's who we ordered from this year. It was just over $100 for a HOT, ready-to-eat 8-10 person serving. I'll keep ya' posted tomorrow how it turns out.

Seems every year, more and more restaurants are jumping on the TTG bandwagon. Must be profitable.

I'm sure HECO/HELCO/MELCO must be hating it though. Commercial electric accounts typically get a lower per/Kw rate than residential customers so on that day when the electric companies nationwide brace themselves for increased revenue.

But then again most restaurants use gas so I guess the Gas Company will be feeling the pinch as well.

For the most part I think these TTG's are the best way to go as I'd rather be spending my time chatting with family rather than tending to a bird that may come out on the dry side (yes BRINE THAT TURKEY!!!) and use chicken broth (das da secret to really moist turkey).

[alohabear]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

I plan on making this Chocolate Haupia pie for my family dinner( I have to bring dessert).

Chocolate Haupia Pie
1 9-inch prepared pie crust
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
Shaved chocolate, for garnish
>> Haupia:
1 can coconut milk
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crust until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make haupia: Whisk coconut milk, milk and sugar together in a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water. Bring coconut milk mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and whisk in cornstarch mixture, whisking until thickened.

Microwave chocolate pieces on high 1 minute; stir to melt completely. Pour half the haupia into a bowl. Mix remaining haupia with melted chocolate and pour over the bottom of the baked pie crust. Layer white haupia over the top. Cool pie at least 1 hour in refrigerator.

Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar until still peaks form. Garnish pie with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Chill another hour. Serves 6 to 8.

Nutritional information unavailable.

[pzarquon]

Re: Thanksgiving 2006

We've done TTG packages before. The Zippy's one wasn't bad at all, both for the price and the neighborhood convenience. We also did Molly's Smokehouse in Wahiawa a couple of times. Sadly, both times turned out to be fiascos, and we'll not be turning to them for Turkey Day again. I've heard good things about the various hotel packages, and we might try one next year. This year we're doing it on our own, and heaven knows if we'll survive!

Here's a recent write up of some of the turkey-to-go offerings in town.