Helen Said:

Any ideas for easy/simple recipes for a high school graduation party with a Hawaiian theme.?

We Answered:

Hawaiian Pizza

Pizza Dough:
1/8-ounce yeast
3/8-ounce sugar
16 ounces water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2-ounce salt
2 pounds flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
Tomato sauce:
4 vine ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped roasted garlic
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
2 tablespoons taro oil or olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Yellow tomato sauce:
2 ripe yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Kalua pork:
5 pounds pork butt, cut into thirds
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
3 cups chicken stock
10 Ti leaves or green cabbage leaves
Toppings:
3 ounces shredded Fontina
1-ounce grated Parmesan

Place the yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of water in a mixing bowl and dissolve the yeast. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornmeal and mix on slow speed with a dough hook until a ball is formed. Change the speed to medium and mix for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until a sooth and elastic dough is formed. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl or pan cover and allow the dough to rest for approximately 4 hours.
To make the tomato sauce, place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl, combine well and adjust the seasonings. Let the flavors combine for approximately 30 minutes or longer.
To make the yellow tomato sauce, combine all of the ingredients into a blender and puree. Adjust the seasoning.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the pork with the smoke flavoring and sea salt. Using a roasting pan, line the bottom with 1/2 of the leaves and place the pork butt on top. Add the chicken stock, being careful not to pour on top of the pork. Cover with the remaining leaves. Cover tightly with foil and roast for approximately 3 1/2 hours. Cook the pork to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F. When done the pork should shred easily and be very moist.
To make the pizza, press or roll out the dough to approximately 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the pizza to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal. Add the yellow tomato sauce and spread evenly. Add the fontina cheese, shredded pork, tomato mixture, and finish with some grated Parmesan. Place pizza in a hot oven turning occasionally until crust is evenly browned and the bottom is golden in color. Remove from oven, slice, and serve.


Shrimp and Scallops Skewers

8 (6 to 8-inch) bamboo skewers
16 jumbo deveined, peeled shrimp
16 sea scallops
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/3 palmful
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it
1 lemon zested and juiced
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, a handful
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat.
On bamboo skewers, thread 4 shrimp on 4 skewers, 4 scallops on each of 4 skewers. Season both shrimp and scallop skewers with salt and pepper on both sides. Combine paprika, crushed pepper, lemon zest and parsley in a small dish. Sprinkle combined herbs and spices over shrimp and rub. Add a 1/2 a turn of the pan of extra virgin olive oil, (1 1/2 teaspoons), to the hot skillet and sear the shrimps 3 minutes on each side or until curled and pink. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the pan and remove to a warm platter. Return pan to the heat and add remaining oil. Cook scallops 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until caramel in color. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the pan and transfer skewers to serving platter along side shrimp.

Tropical Island Banana Cake

2 purchased angel food cakes (10 to 12 ounces each)
2 containers (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
1 teaspoon imitation banana extract
Yellow food coloring
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate morsels or chopped chocolate, melted
1 tube store-bought green icing
1 cup fruit-shaped candies
Special Equipment: 1 palm tree decoration, aluminum foil


Place 1 cake, wide side down, on a serving platter. Stir frosting and banana extract in a large bowl to blend. Stir in yellow food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until desired color is achieved. Transfer 1/2 cup of banana frosting to a medium bowl; stir in mashed banana. Spread mashed banana mixture over top of cake. Cut 1 (2-inch wide) wedge from second cake. Spread 1/4 cup of yellow frosting over cut ends of second cake. Bring cut ends of second cake together, pressing to adhere. Place second cake, wide side down, atop cake on platter. Tear cut cake wedge into cubes. Fill hole in center of cakes with cake cubes. Spread remaining yellow frosting evenly over top and sides of cake to coat completely. Sprinkle cake with coconut, pressing lightly to adhere.
Create an island "volcano" mold by shaping aluminum foil into a volcano shape, measuring 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Dip in melted chocolate and let cool and harden. Place the mold on top of the cake. Fill the center of the mold with green icing and smooth out. Place palm tree decoration inside the mold. Arrange fruit-shaped candy decoratively around the palm tree and base of cake.



Paradise Crab Dip Wontons Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee
Show: Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Episode: Hawaiian Luau





1 can (6 1/2 ounces) crabmeat, shells removed
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon steak sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
24 wonton wrappers
Vegetable oil, for frying

Mix crabmeat, cream cheese, steak sauce, and garlic powder together in a medium bowl. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of crab mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water; fold in half diagonally and press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wonton wrappers. Heat 1/4-inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (around 350 degrees F), carefully add the wontons, in batches as necessary, and fry until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter to drain before serving.

Sweet and Sour Pork Kabobs with Fried Rice Recipe courtesy
Show: Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee
Episode: Hawaiian Luau





Kabobs:
1/3 cup sweet and sour sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice from canned pineapple
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into quarters
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into quarters
1/2 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces
4 (10-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 10 minutes to keep from burning
Fried Rice:
1 package (6.25 ounces) fried rice
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups water
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1/4 cup frozen cut corn kernels, thawed


Kabobs:
In a small bowl, mix first 5 ingredients together to make a marinade. Set marinade aside. In a medium bowl, place vegetables and pineapple. Place pork in a different medium bowl. Distribute marinade evenly between the 2 bowls and toss pork to coat. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Preheat the broiler.

Thread the pork, vegetables, and pineapple alternately on 4 skewers. Place skewers in a broiling pan and broil until pork is cooked through and beginning to brown, turning skewers halfway through cooking, about 5 minutes per side.

Fried Rice:
Open fried rice package and reserve seasonings. Combine rice and butter in a heavy large skillet and saute over medium heat until rice is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 2 cups water, soy sauce, and seasonings from fried rice package. Bring to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle pineapple, peas, carrots, and corn over rice mixture. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and mix in pineapple, peas, carrots, and corn.

Melanie Said:

In desperate need of some cool/original high school graduation party ideas!?

We Answered:

Get a collection of his favorite bands and songs and have enough music for the duration of the party. Another cool idea would be to book a band from his highschool. Good food and friends is all you need to have a good party. I would focus on the music and the food more than a theme or a schedule of games.

Jerome Said:

Does anyone have any cool ideas for a high school graduation party?

We Answered:

Have everyone bring something to place in a time capsule to be opened at their 10-year reunion. Have them each write a letter to themselves that they can read in 10 years.

Do a gift exchange--everyone bring a wrapped gift, something another person could use in college.

Do a photo scavenger hunt--divide people into groups and give them a list of things they have to go out and photograph. After all the teams return, download the pics and show them during the rest of the party in a slideshow. Make the list of things to photograph things from/about school (photo of your group with one of your teachers, photo of your group spelling out the school initials, photo of someone in your group dressing a statue in a graduation cap/gown, draw your school mascot on the ground with sidewalk chalk and photograph it, etc.)

Make a poster with your party menu on it. Make your menu themed according to the school--so you might have "Panther Burgers," or "Spartan Spaghetti," etc.

Have fun!
Have fun!

Guy Said:

I need some good graduation games to play at my brother's high school graduation party. Any ideas?

We Answered:

I am also planning a party for someone.

You can get door prizes and get tickets and have drawings. Starbuck gift cards, Gas Cards and money are great door prizes for grads.
Get a DJ or get a long list of songs from your brother and make a CD for the party.
Play your brothers favorite radio station and call them and have them tell your brother Congradulations.
Get all the photos you can find of your brother and put them on a CD and give to everyone that comes to the party.
If you have some Videos of your brother play them during the party.
If the weather is good. Any yard game is good. You may also find it surprising how a few deck of cards can help.
You can go down to the local flea market and get some great deals on small prizes and give them to the game winners.
Play games that you and your brother liked with you were younger.
Get old year books and family albums out and see who can find the funniest photo of your brother.
Get some dog Chew toys at the dollor store that look like newspapers and put them in a big water thing and have them bob for diploma's. put a $20.00 bill around one with a rubber band and blindfold the person and see if they can get it. (this gets people involved. Don't for get towels.
I hope this helps. I have other ideas but your Christian family would not like them.
Be happy and know your all blessed for everyone that comes to the party and let them know it.

Clayton Said:

Creative high school graduation party ideas (Ohio State party)?

We Answered:

this article has a ton of ideas for food

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article…

and for decorations, well, if you know the school she's going to then decorations should be in Ohio State's colors..

Jesse Said:

Need to make appetizers for a high school graduation party. Any good ideas or recipes?

We Answered:

Here are easy tasty appetizers
1)Veggies and dip
celery, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes,
broccoli,green or red or yellow sweet pepper slices etc.
2)Hollowed out crusty Italian bread with a dip poured inside the space use the removed bread(to make the hollow container) cut bite sized pieces for dipping. See recipe that follows below.
3)crackers with cheese tray
4)fresh fruit cut up and placed nicely on a tray
5)chopped liver and crackers
SPINACH DIP
1 block (8 oz.) of cream cheese
8 oz. (2 cups) bag of shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar/mozzarella cheese mix
1 frozen box of chopped spinach
1 medium tomato
1 small onion (white, yellow or red)
Let the spinach thaw out and chop up the tomato and onion.
Put all the food ingredients in the big bowl except the chips, stir to mix. Heat in microwave on medium to medium-high heat until cheese is all melted, about 6-8 minutes. Stir about halfway through cooking. After all heated and cheese is all melted, stir to mix everything together and dip!
One creative option - hollow out a loaf of crusty Italian bread and scoop the dip into the hollowed out crust!
This dip is also great in a low fat variety, using part-skim cheddar cheese and fat free cream cheese. It honestly tastes ALMOST as good with like 80% less fat and one half the calories as the regular version.