Drippy Coconut Cake

Drippy Coconut Cake--so moist it will drip off your fork!

This is another of my adaptations. It's just a great cake--there's not much more to say about it!

 DRIPPY COCONUT CAKE

1  Moist Yellow Cake Mix modified as follows

1 can Coconut MILK

1 can Creme of Coconut 

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/2 C Bourbon (I always use Cody Road from Mississippi River Distilling Company)

1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 cup Coconut, toasted

Prepare the cake mix according to the instructions on the box except replace the liquid (water or milk, depending on the mix you buy) with an equal amount of the coconut milk. Bake as directed on the box in a 9x13 baking dish. While it is baking, mix the coconut creme, condensed milk, and bourbon together in a bowl. When you remove the cake from the oven, while it is still warm, poke holes all over the top, no more than an inch apart. (I use the handle of a wooden spoon to make nice big holes.) Immediately pour the creme/milk/bourbon mixture over the cake. Get the sauce distributed evenly and allow it to soak into the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely. 

While the cake is cooling, toast the coconut by spreading it evenly on a cookie sheet and baking in a 300° oven for a few minutes. Watch it closely and remove/cool it as soon as it is golden brown. Be careful, it burns easily. 

Frost the cake with the Cool Whip and top with the toasted coconut. Don't plan on any leftovers!

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Comfort food at its best. My recipe makes a big pan--enough for 6-8 servings--so make this for the family or plan on leftovers. It freezes and re-heats well, just wrap a portion in foil, freeze, and it will be ready to toss in the oven to reheat. As usual, I put my own twist on a classic recipe--adapt it to your tastes.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

3# Red Potatoes, washed, unpeeled, and sliced thin (I use my potato peeler to get real thin slices)

1# Boneless Ham, cubed

8 oz Fresh Portabella mushrooms, sliced (I used mini-ports)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted

1 jar Ragu Double Cheddar Pasta Sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

White Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or your favorite kind)

Heat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9x13 glass dish with cooking spray. Slice the potatoes thin, cube the ham, and slice the mushrooms thick. Mix together the soup and cheese sauce in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and stir. Layer the potato cheese mix with the ham cubes and mushrooms. Sprinkle heavily with the two ground peppers, to your taste. Pour into the prepared dish and poor the milk and cream evenly over the potatoes. Seal with foil and bake for one hour. Uncover, bake another hour. Sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese and bake 20 more minutes to brown the top. Remove from the oven, lightly tent with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes--an hour is better--to allow the potatoes to soak up the sauce. For special occasions, serve with a dollop of sour cream. With all of the ham and cheese, this does not need any extra salt! Enjoy in moderation--my recipes are not fat-free!

Creamy Chicken and Rice w/ Spinach

I tried a new twist on an old favorite and came up with a winner. I've always liked a simple classic--Chicken and Rice Casserole--but I've been trying to get more green in my diet so I experimented today and added fresh spinach. It's a hit!

CREAMY CHICKEN AND RICE W/ SPINACH

8 Chicken thighs OR 10 legs
2 Cups White Rice, raw
3 Cups Fresh Spinach (3/4 of a bag of Dole Salad Spinach)
2 Small cans condensed Cream of Mushroom OR Cream of Chicken Soup (Don't add water)

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Cumin 
1 teaspoon dried Basil
     (Or any blend of your favorite herbs)
4 cups chicken broth

Spread the dry rice evenly on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole pan. Put spinach on top of the rice and place the chicken pieces on the spinach. Leave a little space between the pieces. Divide the soup over the chicken, sprinkle the salt and herbs on top. Carefully add the broth.

Seal with foil and bake at 300º for 2 hours. Uncover, test the rice for doneness, and continue baking until the rice is done. Let this rest for a few minutes before serving. Makes 4-8 servings, depending on your appetite.          

Fire Roasted Salsa

Fire Roasted Salsa

My first attempt at making salsa was a hit! I took my inspiration from tv and roasted my vegetables on the grill. It added a level of smoky flavor that a lot of people liked. Make sure you take time to roast the vegetables slowly to get the best flavor.

 

Fire Roasted Salsa

 3# whole tomatoes

1#  tomatillos

3 whole bulbs garlic

1 large red onion

2 yellow bell peppers

2 red bell peppers

2 Serrano peppers

2 Anaheim peppers

1 small can Chipotle peppers

2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves 

Heat the grill to medium high. Separate the garlic bulbs into individual cloves; leave some of the dry skin on the cloves. Grill/roast the tomatoes, tomatillos, and fresh peppers until the skins are blackened, turning every few minutes. Carefully remove from the grill and cool. Slice the onion into thick slabs wihout peeling it. Grill the onions and whole garlic until nice grill marks show. Do not overcook the garlic or it will be VERY bitter. Cool the onion and garlic. 

Remove the skins from the tomatoes, tomatillos, and peppers, remove the seeds and some ribs from the peppers, and chop all the vegetables finely. Peel the onion and garlic after they have cooled and chop--not too small! Remove the seeds and ribs from the chipotles and chop fine.

Mix all the chopped vegetables, add the cumin and whole cilantro leaves. Make sure you taste and adjust for spice. Remember, the spice will change as the flavors marry; let them meld overnight in the fridge. As it's written, this recipe makes 2-3 quarts of salsa, so you might want to share!

Fruit Pasta Salad

Fruit Pasta Salad

Cool. Creamy. Fresh. Light. If you want something perfect for a picnic, this is it. I use Pappardelle's Pasta that I buy at our local Farmer's Market--it's worth the effort to find it. 

 

Fresh Fruit Pasta Salad

1/2 pound Pappardelle's Fruit Blend Pasta, boiled and drained

3 pints fresh seasonal fruit

6 ounces greek yogurt (I use vanilla--choose your favorite)

4 ounces sour cream

2 T honey 

Cook pasta al dente, drain, rinse, and chill. Slice fruit. Mix yogurt, sour cream, and honey. Gently mix pasta, fruit, and dressing. Chill before serving.

Crispy Baked Asparagus

CRISPY BAKED ASPARAGUS

Nothing says Springtime quite like Asparagus! I tried this recipe on some friends at church and it was a hit. (I didn't get my own picture taken so I borrowed this one from the site I used to adapt this to make it my own.) Be sure to buy good fresh asparagus with tight heads and nice green stalks.

CRISPY BAKED ASPARAGUS

1 pound fresh asparagus

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup panko bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 425º. Clean the asparagus. Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, herbs and spices in a bowl. Dip 5-6 stalks at a time into the beaten egg, then into the bread crumb mixture. Lay in a single layer on a raised rack so air will circulate around it as it bakes. 

Bake about 10 minutes, serve warm. 

Soon-to-be-World-Famous Dreamsicle Dessert

Soon-to-be-World-Famous Dreamsicle Dessert

You know me--simple ingredients make memorable meals. In this case, it's delectable desserts. When you're short on time but want something special to share, come back to this SIMPLE recipe that I prefer in the summer-time. It tastes much better than this bland picture makes it look!

Soon-to-be-World-Famous Dreamsicle Dessert

12 ounces  Graham Cracker Crumbs

3/4 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 12 oz can Orange Juice Concentrate

1/2 gallon premium Vanilla Ice Cream

Melt butter and stir into the crumbs and sugar, press into a crust in a 9x13 pan, reserving 1/4 cup for topping.

Soften ice cream and thaw the OJ concentrate. Mix together until evenly blended. Fold onto crust and gently spread evenly. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Freeze until solid.

(It really IS that simple!)

3 PEPPER MAPLE PORK CHOPS

3 PEPPER MAPLE PORK CHOPS

It's Friday evening after a long week at work. I stopped and bought pork chops thinking that I would grill them but then decided it was too cold outside. Yes, too cold on April 19! So I'm forced to get my creative juices flowing and make something memorable. I'm in the mood for spicy, but not too spicy; sweet, but not like pancakes and syrup. Wait! Syrup? Hmmmmm....

 

3 PEPPER MAPLE PORK CHOPS

2 Iowa Cut Pork Chops. (If your butcher doesn't know "Iowa Cut" explain that they are at least 1" thick. And get a new butcher .)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Papricka

REAL Maple Syrup

Heat oven to 350º.

Based on your tastes, generously or sparingly sprinkle one side of your chops with all 3 peppers. Place on a baking pan and roast for 50 minutes. Flip the chops over and sprinkle the other side. Drizzle each one with about a teaspoon of real maple syrup. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Drizzle with another teaspoon of real maple syrup and bake for 20 more minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow the chops to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Of course you can make more than 2 chops. Why would you cook less than two? You'll want leftovers!