Pineapple Coconut Crumb Muffins

Crumb Topping

1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. coconut (chopped if desired)
3 T. sugar
3 t/ chipped macadamia nuts
3 T. butter, softened

Mix together cutting the butter into the other ingredients with a knife.  Set aside.

Muffin Batter

1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coconut, slightly chopped
2 large eggs, whipped
1/2 c. oil
3 T. pineapple juice (reserve from drained pineapple)
3/4 c. drained crushed pineapple

Preheat oven to 375 degrees...Makes 12 regular muffins.
Stir together the dry ingredients and mix together the wet ingredients.  Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just mixed.  Fill cups 2/3 full.  Crumble topping over batter.  Slightly press the topping into the batter.  Bake for 20-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool in tin for about 5 minutes.  Remove to wire rack or eat them while they are warm. 

These taste a lot like the Hawaiian Coffee Cake but with a little twist.  Dad even liked them!

Ginger Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps

1 T. oil
1 lb. ground turkey
1 pouch Simply Asia Ginger Teriyaki Stir-Fry Sauce
large lettuce leaves.

Heat the oil and cook the turkey until cooked.  Add the sauce.  Serve in lettuce leaves with shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, chopped chives or green onions.  If you like water chestnuts, chops those up fine and add to the cooked meat.

SUPER EASY AND GOOD (recipe from Brittany's Simply Asia Party).

Homemade Caramel Ice Cream

I'm sure most of you have this recipe from the Candrian cookbook mom made us, but maybe it's one that gets looked over. Or, you don't have an ice cream maker. In that case, go buy one, just so you can make this anytime you want. Yes, it's that delicious!

Beware, it makes a TON.

Caramel Ice Cream:

1 1/3 c. sugar-caramelized
7 c. milk
Add milk to sugar and boil the sugar out
(the sugar will harden once the cold milk is added, and you'll think you burned it or messed up. Don't worry, the sugar will eventually boil out, be patient.)

Beat together:
3 eggs
1 T. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar

Add to milk mixture, beating constantly with beater. Let mixture come to a full boil. Cool in refrigerator.

Since you need the mixture to cool completely before moving on to the next step, it's best to make the night before. It saves time at least. Thanks for the tip mom!

Once cooled add:
2/3 quart cream
1/3 tsp. salt
2 T vanilla (I used maple flavoring since I'm allergic to vanilla and it tasted perfect)

Pour all ingredients into ice cream maker and add milk to 4" from the top of the can. I just realized I didn't do that, but it still turned out just fine. My canister was about 3/4 full anyway.

Freeze using finely chopped ice and 2 quarts of coarse salt.

Teryiaki Steak Quesadillas

Oh baby, we made these for dinner tonight and they were so dang good. I never would have thought to make a quesadilla like this, but it was a nice change and quite tasty! We dipped them in guacamole and they were even better.

Steak Teriyak

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 beef top sirloin steak (1 inch thick and 3/4 pound)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 6 flour tortillas (8 inches)

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients; set aside 3 tablespoons for filling. Pour remaining mixture into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the steak; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Drain steak and discard marinade. Grill steak, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 8-11 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°).
• Remove steak from the grill and cool slightly; cut into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, red onion, green pepper and beef.
• Sprinkle half of the cheese over three tortillas. Using a slotted spoon, top with beef mixture. Drizzle with reserved soy mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; top with remaining tortillas.
• Grill over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Cut each into six wedges; serve immediately. Yield: 18 wedges.

From: Taste of Home magazine

Nutrition Facts: 1 wedge equals 113 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 15 mg cholesterol, 245 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 9 g protein.

Chicken Piccata

I don't have a picture. I'm sure I could find one. But oh-well. I made this for dinner tonight. It was dang good. Even Brian loved it. When he got home from work and saw it, he asked if he could have regular pasta sauce instead, but I made him try it and he was pleasantly surprised and didn't ask for it again after that. He even commented after dinner was over that he wouldn't mind if I made it again! I served it with angel hair pasta and green salad.

Chicken Piccata (from Food Network)

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (I halved this)
  
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• dash of white cooking wine (optional, but I think it adds great flavor)
  
• approximately 1/4 cup cream (optional, but you know me and of course I added it)
  

Directions

Ingredients:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, wine, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. If the sauce reduces too much (which mine did), add more chicken stock. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce (and cream, if desired) and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Summer Salad

This salad tastes of all thing summer. It's healthy, flavorful, and incredibly delicious.

Image and recipe from here

Combine:
1 cup nectarine
1 cup avocado
1 mango
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup sweet corn off the cob, raw
1 cucumber
1 tomato, I used a lemon boy
3-4 slices of bacon, I used turkey bacon
or cubes of grilled chicken
(I even think black beans would be good added, but I didn't do that)

Mix together:
3 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 TBS Balsamic Vinigar
Squeeze of honey or apricot nectar
Dash of black pepper and garlic salt

Pour over top of salad and eat to your hearts content.

Apple Pie

This is the recipe for everyone's favorite apple pie. I got the recipe from my BYU Food Prep class and have been using it ever since.

Here's the crust everyone loves:

Yield: 2 single crust pie shells or 1 double crust pie

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

1 cup shortening

Ice water, enough to make soft dough (I think I usually use between 1/4-1/2 cup)

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening to the size of peas. Gradually add ice water to form a soft dough. Divide into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Shape as desired. Bake single crust pie shells at 400-degrees. Bake double crust pie according to filling instructions.

Fresh Apple Pie filling (This is all tenuous because I don't really follow this. I kind of just make up the filling myself because I like a more caramelish filling, so I sprinkle in more brown sugar than white sugar and usually add more apple pie spice):

3 1/2 cups blanched, fresh apples is 1/4 inch slices

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. nutmeg

3 T. cornstarch, or 6 T. flour

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup apple juice

2 T. lemon juice

Peel, core and slice apples into medium bowl. The recipe says to cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until apples are tender. Then it says to combine dry ingredients in a medium saucepan and then add the wet ingredients until thick. But I usually just stir all the ingredients in a big pan over the stove and cook over medium heat until the apples are tender (but not too soft) and the filling is thick and bubbly and to my liking. Then pour the filling into the pie crust and seal the edges well. I never have much luck making it look very pretty, but it hasn't stopped anyone from eating it. Prick the top and decorate as desired. Brush lightly with milk, avoiding crimped edges, and sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar (I usually don't do this, because who owns coarse sugar?). Bake at 400-degrees for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!