Lisa Carter's Blog, page 34

Aloha Style Spam Sliders

Ingredients

1 can (12 oz) Spam® Luncheon Meat

Mayonaise

12 lettuce leaves

12 pineapple slices

King’s Hawaiian Sweet 12 pack dinner rolls

12 slices American cheese

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 onion, sliced

12 thin slices dill pickle

Instructions

Slice Spam into 6 slices. Divide 6 slices into 12 smaller slices.

Using a large skillet saute Spam until lightly browned, remove to paper towels.

Spread mayonaise on both sides of each roll, layer remaining ingredients on the roll bottoms & cover with the tops.

Enjoy.

For more recipes and behind the scene photos of Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Over the Rainbow with Kai Barnes from Aloha Rose

Kai Barnes, fictional hero of Aloha Rose

For more info on Kai, visit http://www.lisacarterauthor.com/aloha_rose_kai.html#.UngCtSR1E7A.

Over the Rainbow with Laney Carrigan from Aloha Rose

Laney Carrigan, fictional heroine of Aloha Rose

For more info on Laney, check out http://www.lisacarterauthor.com/aloha_rose_laney.html#.UngBiSR1E7A.

Sneak Peek—Aloha Rose Book Trailer

One week before release, here’s a look at the book trailer for Aloha Rose.

What do you think?

For more behind-the-scene photos of Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Why I Wrote Aloha Rose

After twenty years, I reunited with a college friend, who shared with me how she’d located her birth father in Hawaii and how a wonderful, new chapter in her life had opened. Through a difficult personal journey, she and her family had come full circle. As we laughed and cried, rejoiced and remembered the pain along the way, that very day, the seed of Aloha Rose, was born.

Like a lot of us, Laney and Kai of Aloha Rose are both on a journey, seeking family, a place to belong, a connection. A huaka’i—the Hawaiians call this—no matter what our journey, that requires truth, heart, and extraordinary courage. The kind of courage Laney and my friend displayed in traveling halfway around the world to find a family. The kind of courage required of those who seek God. The courage intrinsic to all to seek a place to belong and someone to love.

Kai and Laney both at turning points—forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others. How answer this determine whether free of pain of past and find God’s best for them. Like Kai, there are a lot of people trapped inside wounds that have scabbed over but never healed. They yearn to be free of their own gaping pit and the hole that scars their life.

At its heart, Aloha Rose is about grace and the power of the cross. Its sufficiency to save. Where guilt meets His forgiveness. Where confusion meets His peace. Where loneliness meets His companionship. Where the lost find direction. A place for the hurt and wounded, like Kai. A place for restoration of relationships, like with Laney and her birth family.

To choose to trust the cross is to never be afraid again. Easy to say. Hardest thing in the world to do.

My hope is that Aloha Rose will make you laugh. Perhaps make you cry. But most of all,  warm your heart with the greatest love of our life, God’s.

For behind-the-scene photos of Aloha Rose visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Let’s Go Hawaiian—Macadamia Nut Pie Recipe

Macadamia Nut Pie—Makes 1 – 9 inch pie
1 cup dark corn syrup
2/3 cup white sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (6.5 ounce) jar macadamia nuts, Finely chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a large bowl, mix the dark corn syrup, sugar, and eggs.
Stir in the chopped macadamia nuts and melted butter.
Pour into the pie shell.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. If necessary, cover edge with foil to prevent burning.
Allow to cool and garnish with chopped macadamia nuts.

Enjoy. For more recipes and behind the scene photos of Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Let’s Go Hawaiian—Books About the Islands

For other great Christian reads set in the Hawaiian islands, check out—

 
When a young woman stumbles out of the Hanalei Mountains on the island of Kauai with no memory of who she is or how she got there, Cameron Pierce reluctantly agrees to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her arrival. Now known as Jade, the woman begins to recall fragments of what led her to this place, and she realizes the danger isn’t over.

Sierra came to Sunset Beach for relaxation–not for world-class surfing and certainly not for romance! When a wealthy friend offers Sierra Jensen a vacation at an oceanfront beach house, she envisions a quiet retreat where she can plan her next move. Instead, she arrives at the start of the noisy surfing competitions and is surprised to learn that her friend had an ulterior motive–namely, introducing Sierra to Jordan Bryce, the tenant staying below them. Jordan is a photographer whose lens and attention are focused on the surfers, and he is not willing to let anyone get in his way of landing the next cover shot for Surf Days magazine. Sierra and Jordan came to Sunset Beach looking for different things. But as the surf pounds the North Shore, will they discover something better than either of them had imagined?

 





 
 In 1890, Lahaina is in the midst of unrest. Kaiulani, Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Hawaii, has recently become known throughout the world for her intelligence, beauty and determination to restore her nation?’s monarchy. When a Scottish missionary lands on the shores of Lahaina, he finds himself drawn into a revolt by those desirous of annexing the islands to the United States. Will he underestimate Kaiulani, the “barbarian princess” or can they work together to restore peace to this normally tranquil paradise


 

In the land of aloha and paradise, dark secrets lurk just below the surface.

When a tragic accident downs a tourist boat off the coast of Hawaii, dolphin researcher Kaia Oana is one of the first in the water, risking her own life to try and save others. She’s enlisted to help the U.S. Navy find out what really happened – utilizing her specially trained dolphins to help

Kaia and Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews team up in the investigation – but as they edge closer to the truth about the incident, their own lives are threatened. Will a spirit of grace and forgiveness prevail or will it be overshadowed by the distant echoes of past pain and the imminent danger from a cold-blooded killer?

Set on the breathtaking Hawaiian island of Kauai, this novel provides an intoxicating mix of romance and suspense with the rhythms of island life.

And for more behind the scenes photos of Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Let’s Go Hawaiian—Rainbow Shave Ice

What is shave ice?

Hawaiian shave ice resembles snow cones, but instead of using crushed ice, shave ice is made from shaving a block of ice. This difference results in a fine, snowlike texture that absorbs the flavored syrup instead of allowing the syrups to drain to the bottom of the cone. Therefore, a straw is not necessary and locals eat shave ice with a spoon.

All the usual flavors can be ordered, but my favorite is the Rainbow. The rainbow ice reminds me of all the beautiful rainbows in this tropical paradise and the beautiful faces of the Hawaiian people who represent a rainbow of ethnicities.

But since this is Hawaii, you can order shave ice in some uniquely tropical flavors such as pineapple, coconut, guava, mango or passion fruit. Japanese plantation workers brought this delicious dessert from their homeland to the islands. They used heirloom swords to shave the blocks of ice.

If you’ve never had a Hawaiian shave ice . . . well, then you must add this to your bucket list. You’ll be glad you did.

Let’s Go Hawaiian—Over the Rainbow

Why do rainbows appear so often in Hawaii?

To answer this question—let’s take a short look at the science behind rainbows.

How are rainbows formed?

Sunlight, although clear to the naked eye, is a whole range of colors. When sunlight passes through water droplets after a light rain shower, it can refract, or bend. This bent light of several colors forms an arc, a rainbow. Three conditions are necessary—when the sun is low in the sky; the viewer’s back is to the sun; and there are water droplets in the air. The most ideal conditions for a rainbow are a brief rain shower followed by sunlight. In Hawaii, rainbows last sometimes as long as thirty minutes. How is that possible?

Why is Honolulu the world’s best rainbow venue?

Oahu’s windward mountains produce daily, brief rain showers. When these showers are followed by sunlight angling low over the mountains, the result is magical. And because the island is located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, you have the ideal environment for rainbows where the sun is guaranteed to generate too much heat to allow for long rain showers. Thanks to the tropical sun, any rainclouds soon break apart but leave water droplets over the low lying areas of the islands. These water droplets bend the light rays and create beautiful rainbows.

The process reverses itself in late afternoon. There are often double rainbow sightings. Hawaii truly is the place to visit to see rainbows.

For more behind the scene photos in Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.

Let’s Go Hawaiian—The Beautiful Rainbow Population of Hawaii

In the Aloha state, Hawaii is one of only 3 states that has no racial majority. Instead, Hawaii is one of the few places on Earth where a rainbow mix of cultures and ethnicities blend together peacefully. In the spirit of “aloha,” Hawaiians practice a mutual respect for one another. This rainbow population hails from many different ethnic cultures such as Japanese, Caucasian, Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Samoan, Portuguese and Korean. Even though each group may have different beliefs and practices, they share a special bond with one another manifested in their overriding cultural pride of being Hawaiian.

Check out the individual links to each of the colors in Hawaii’s cultural rainbow—http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0310120/.

Chinese—like Elyse’s husband, Ben Ching

Filipino—like a sweet, singing college compatriot of mine

Caucausians—like Kai Barnes

Native Hawaiian—like Tutu Mily and Auntie Teah

Japanese—like Mrs. Nagato and her grandson

Korean—like my friend whose true life story became the inspiration for Aloha Rose

Portuguese—like Daddy Pete and a real life friend with whom I co-labored on mission in the Irish Channel in New Orleans—yes, we were both a long way from home in more ways than one!!!

This ethnic rainbow is one the things I love most about Hawaii—like a precursor to Heaven, like the way things should be on earth.

For more behind the scene photos of Aloha Rose, visit http://www.pinterest.com/quiltsoflove/aloha-rose-by-lisa-carter/.