Before my husband and I started dating, probably before I even set my “plan” into action to hook him in, I, like many other young girls, had a list of “requirements” for my future husband.  Hah!

My husband and I in 6th grade.  At the time, he liked me, but I didn’t want to give him the time of day (as the picture probably shows).

This sounds especially funny now that I’m writing it, but let’s roll with it for a second.  On this list were goals of sorts in how I wanted to raise my (not our as this list was dreamt up before I knew whom I would start this family with) family.  One thing on the list was to raise my kids speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.

Then my husband and I started dating, and he graduated from college with a double degree in Hawaiian Language and Political Science.  Then we got married, we’re having kids, etc.  But wait, hold up!  Isn’t it amazing that this “requirement” to raise my family speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi is being fulfilled?  I think so.

If it was not for my husband, I know I don’t have the educational background to raise a family speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, no matter my most honest intentions.  While many more people are speaking ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi nowadays, the pool is relatively limited with regards to potential baby daddies that met my other requirements.  AND, I made this list of requirements for my future husband wayyyyy before my husband and I got together.

Now as my older daughter is transitioning to the next milestone, preschool, I also think about how fortunate we are to have the option to send our daughter to a Hawaiian immersion preschool where she will not only learn ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, but will also learn Hawaiian culture.

And it is all due to the tireless work and movement that our lāhui has set the path for us to walk upon, e mau ke ea ka ʻāina i ka pono.  E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi!

My ʻohana and I are continuously trying to push ourselves to not only make smart and healthy food choices, but to also try new recipes.  On top of that, there is added excitement during the holiday season to prepare a home cooked meal.  In anticipation of hosting friends that we had over for a holiday luncheon, I decided to try to make a roast for the first time!  I also made a wrapped brie pastry as an appetizer.  Below, I include the recipes I used, pictures, and my reviews of these new recipes.

Pot Roast – Click here for the recipe I used from Picture Perfect Meals.

This recipe was easy to follow, and I was really excited about being able to put everything into the crock pot, and leave it to cook overnight.

When removing the roast and veggies from the crockpot, the meat was so tender and pulled apart easily!  The only thing is that I am still undecided if I liked the flavoring of the gravy juices.  I think it may be the red wine that I used, but I’m not sure…perhaps my taste buds are a little different since I’m hapai.  While it was not overpowering, there was a slight bitterness to the gravy.

Brie Wrapped in Puff Pastry – Click here for the recipe I used from Tablespoon.

There are tons of recipes out there, and I slightly modified the recipe I used to include some parts from other recipes.  Some recipes include sliced apples, other recipes use dried fruits, and some even use a chutney or jam.  I included sliced Granny Smith apples, and dried cranberries.

This was awesome and I’ll definitely make it again!  It’s something that cannot necessarily be made ahead of time, but it is pretty quick to prepare!

We served it with a multi-grain cracker…then again, I had to ask my husband if he wanted a cracker to go with the brie he was eating.  HAHA!  He loved it!  I’m also glad that I added the cranberries because the apple sweetness was a bit mild.

Have you tried any new recipes this holiday season?  Any recipes, new to you or a family tradition, you’d like to share?  I’d LOVE for you to share your recipes with me to try!