Elk and Pineapple Kebabs

Confession time: I scheduled a few of my recent posts in advance. I feel like it’s almost cheating to write up a blog post and then schedule it to pop up later. But I hope you’ll forgive me, because I have a really good reason for it.

I was on VACATION! In HAWAII! Does it get any dreamier than that?


Yes, the land of sun, sand, surf, hula dancers, rainbows, pineapple, palm trees, luaus, tropical drinks with umbrellas, sunsets, ukuleles, and shirts that look tacky if worn anywhere but on the islands – it was all there and we soaked it up.

Living in the geographical center of North America, going anywhere with a beach is a big deal. Living in a town that requires multiple flight connections to get out of the Midwest, going as far as Hawaii for vacation is a really big deal. And to get the entire family out there at the same time is unheard of, so please excuse me if I bask in the afterglow of it all for a bit. We had a fantastic time.

Here's the whole fam-damily at the luau. Can you say "Christmas card"?


Of course we brought little Benjamin came with. Seriously, what's cuter than a baby in swimming trunks?


We stayed on Oahu the whole time. I’ve heard the other islands are lovely, so I only hope to return someday to check out Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. If you are a lucky ducky that gets to go to Hawaii in the near future, here are my favorite things from our short week on Oahu:

Take a surfing lesson, enjoying the fact that the lessons are taught by handsome tanned firefighters. That's me. See how the front tip of the board is dragging in the water? That means I fell off approximately 3.8 seconds after this picture was taken. But that's just between you and me, k?


Snorkel at Haunama Bay. Look for sea turtles. I didn't see any because rumors of an octupus in the area that day freaked me out, so I didn't stay in the water long. I hate tenticles.


Lose the Waikiki crowds and spend a day on the windward side of the island, visiting Waimanalo Beach. Picture perfect and practically nobody there.


On the North Shore, stop by at Ted’s Bakery. Best. Bread. Pudding. Ever. And on the windward east side, don't miss Keneke's, the beach bum lunch joint you've always wanted to stumble upon. However, no guarantees that my studly brother will be standing outside like this when you visit Keneke's.


On Saturday, go to the Honolulu farmers market for Kona coffee and fresh papaya. Eat something you’ve never tried before. Buy flowers.


And above all, relax. It’s a vacation, after all.


Elk and Pineapple Kebabs
Marinade adapted from Gourmet Today. We didn’t lug pineapple back from vacation, as we already had too much baggage with baby in tow to boot, but we ate plenty of it during our island adventure and adding it to these kebabs takes me back to the Aloha state, if only for a moment. I love the Asian influence in Hawaiian food and this marinade reflects that...with the down-home twist of Badlands elk, of course.

1 lb. elk steak, cubed
1 large red pepper, cut into chunks
1 large yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1 pineapple, cut into chunks
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 Tbls. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbls. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbls. minced garlic
Wooden skewers, soaked in water

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic; add steak and marinate for 15 minutes.

Preheat grill on high. Make kebabs by skewering marinated meat, peppers, and pineapple. Place kebabs on grill and reduce heat to medium/medium-high, adjusting temperature as needed. Cook until black grill marks appear, about 6-8 minutes (or more or less, depending on heat of grill and how you like your meat cooked). Rotate and cook on other side until meat is cooked and additional grill marks appear, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.