Coconut Lime Cream

This is tangy, sweet, and ohh so delicious!!!  I got this recipe from my dentist who got it from a friend who lived in Hawaii for a year.  He told me to try it and I have to admit that I was pretty sceptical at first!  I decided to give it a shot, and now I'm hooked!  It's so good!!!

1 half gallon vanilla bean ice cream
1 cup coconut
2 limes cut into wedges

Turn the stove top onto a medium high heat and put the coconut in.  Let sit until you start to see golden brown specs coming through (about 5 min).  Stir coconut briefly and let sit for another couple of minutes.  Stir frequently until most of the coconut is golden to dark brown.  It should no longer be a sticky consistency, it should be hard and crisp. 

Coconut should be pretty dark brown in color, but some white is okay as long as it isn't sticky.

Put the ice cream into four serving bowls and sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.  Garnish with the lime wedges and serve.  The lime should be squeezed on top right before eating.  I like 1/2 a lime on mine, but others don't like it so "limey" and others like more lime. 

It's too simple not to try!

Pineapple Glazed Chicken Thighs

This is a nice light dish that has a lot of flavor.  I like the dark meat because it gives a richer flavor than using a chicken breast. 

6 skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat (I got the boneless skinless so I didn't have to deal with any bones)
3 inch piece of ginger, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2/3 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 cup pineapple chunks
3 green onions, thinly sliced (including green portions)

Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray (don't use oil because it will make your glaze oily) and place over medium heat. Add the chicken and ginger and cook, turning the chicken every few minutes, until the chicken is well browned on both sides; about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice and soy sauce. Pour into the frying pan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and add the sesame seeds and pineapple chunks. Continue cooking, turning the chicken occasionally, until it is opaque throughout and the liquid remaining in the pan has reduced to a glaze, about 5 minutes.

To serve, arrange the chicken, ginger, and pineapple on a large platter. Spoon an equal amount of glaze over each piece of chicken. Garnish with the green onions.

Sweet Honey N' Dill Salmon

This is TJ and I's favorite salmon and I swear it is fool proof!  I do have to add that when picking out Salmon I prefer the Coho Salmon.  It is a fattier salmon and therefor more moist, it is also a very mild tasting fish.  Another option would be the sockeye salmon which is a leaner fish. It is a bit drier due to the lack of fat, and has a stronger fish taste. 

2 lbs Salmon - like I said...we prefer the coho salmon
2 tbsp salted butter
2/3 c honey
1/3 c chopped fresh dill
1 small lemon sliced thin

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay a strip of tin foil twice as long as the salmon on a jelly roll pan the salmon down in the center, curling the sides of the foil up so no liquid can run out.  Thinly slice the butter and put on the salmon.  Poor the honey over the salmon starting at the highest point of the salmon (so the honey runs down and covers the whole salmon).   Sprinkle the dill over the honey and then layer the lemon slices on the salmon.

Wrap salmon up with the remaining foil and place in the oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the salmon is the same color throughout and flakes away easily with a fork.  You want to make sure and check the salmon at 20 minutes because if you overcook it it will taste "fishy."

SOOO stinkin delicious!!!

Cheddar and Herb Biscuits

These taste a lot like the Red Lobster biscuits!  Very easy, and VERY good!

 Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons butter, cold (or room temp works too)
1 cup buttermilk (i never have buttermilk so i use 1 c milk and 1 1/2 tsp vinegar... let them sit together until little bubbles appear on the top, about ten min.)
1 1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (i pretty much do 2 cups)

Buttery Topping:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (not necessary... just pretty)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Cut in shortening and butter until coarse crumbs are formed. Lightly mix in grated cheese. Mix in buttermilk just until moist (dry spots here and there are ok - the biscuits will be tough if they are over mixed). Drop the biscuits onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and golden.

 While the biscuits are baking, in a small bowl combine butter, parsley, garlic powder and salt. Right when the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the butter/herb mixture over the biscuits evenly (alternately, you can dip the top of the biscuit into the butter mixture). Serve immediately.

Crispy Coconut Chicken

1 C flaked coconut

1/2 C flour

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves (however much chicken the mixture will allow)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 C butter or margerine melted on bottom of pan.

heat oven to 400 F. mix coconut, flour, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. dip chicken into egg, then coat with coconut mixture. place in buttered pan. bake 25 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. serve with rice and...

red lobster pina colada dipping sauce:

1/2 C coco lopez cream of coconut (found in the grocery store by the daiquiri and colada mixes)

1/2 C pineapple juice

1/4 C water

2 T crushed pineapple (drained)

1 T sweetened coconut flakes

3 T + 1 t. powder sugar

1 1/2 t. corn starch

3 t. cold water

Mix coco lopez, pineapple juice, water, crushed pineapple, coconut, and powder sugar in a sauce pan. heat on medium low temperature until sauce begins to simmer, stirring frequently. let mixture simmer slowly 10-12 minutes. mix corn starch and water together, add to sauce and blend well. let mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes longer while stirring during and after adding cornstarch. remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

this dinner is also really good with these rolls!

samoan sweet rolls:

1 12 oz package frozen dinner rolls, thawed

1 10 oz can coconut milk

3 T sweetened condensed milk

3/4 C white sugar

Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. coat your hands with cooking spray or shortening, and roll the dough balls in your hands so that they have a light coating. place in a prepared dish. set aside and let rise until doubled. (i used pillsbury frozen rolls and didn't have to let them rise at all, fyi). preheat oven to 350 F. in a small bowl, stir together the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and sugar. pour this mixture over the top of the rolls as evenly as you can. bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. let cool for a few minutes before separating and serving.

Quesadilla Pie

Super delicious. Somewhat nutritious. Always a hit!!!

1 (10 in) flour tortilla
3 cups shredded chicken - rotisserie chicken makes this step quick and is about 3 cups for a whole chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup drained jarred pickled jalapenos, finely chopped (can be lessened or omitted if you don't like spicy food)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 450 degrees.  Grease 9-in pie plate.  Press tortilla into prepared pie plate and spray lightly with vegetable oil spray.  Toss chicken, cilantro, jalapenos, 1 cup cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in bowl until combined.  Spread filling over tortilla.

Whisk egg, flour, milk, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in bowl until smooth.  Slowly pour over filling, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake until surface is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve.

I like to serve with sour cream and guacamole!

Chicken Taquito's

1 bar cream cheese
1/2 cup green enchilada sauce - I LOVE the Las Palmas brand!
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
4 green onions, sliced (greens and whites)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a mix of Mexican cheeses
1 large package flour tortillas

In a large bowl, mash together the cream cheese, enchilada sauce, lime juice, spices, garlic, and green onions.

Mix it together.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cheese, cilantro, and shredded chicken.

Warm up your tortillas so that they are more pliable.  Put a few Tablespoons of the filling in the tortilla and roll up.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil, spray it with cooking spray.  Place the taquitos seam side down.  Spray the top with cooking spray.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the tortillas are brown and crispy.

I like to serve mine with the leftover enchilada sauce.  And alongside some tortilla soup.  It is pretty much heaven.

Restitutions and Resolutions

As part of my news years resolution I want to compose a cook book full of recipes that my family and I love.  My goal is to try two new recipes a week and pending my family's like or dislike they will either be discarded or be put into this blog; we won't settle for mediocre...just the best of the best!  At the end of the year (maybe two depending on my ability to select and cook delicious recipes) I will publish the blog and have a book full of our favorite meals.  I recognize that this may seem ambitious, but I feel like week after week I just make the same meals for dinner.  On the off chance that I do make something super delicious, chances are that in a few months I will have completely forgotten about the recipe and find myself back to square one.

At the end of this venture I'm hoping to become a better cook, expand my menu options, and reduce the moments of stress and anxiety over what I'm going to make for dinner.  The end result of this book is to have lots of thrifty, time saving, and delicious meals that families (mainly mine) will love!