Triple Berry Macaroons

In Montana I had huckleberry macaroons made from desiccated coconut. After a bit of research, I made a batch of my caramel toffee macaroons with a combo of flaked and desiccated coconut. They were a bit dry. But I messed with the ratio and the triple berry macaroons are delicious! I never thought I'd say this but I think I like them even better...

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/3 cup triple berry jam

1 egg white

1/4 tsp salt

Mix well in mixer bowl with paddle attachment.

Add:

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup desiccated coconut

Mix until well combined.

Pack tightly into a cookie scoop (I used a#60) and drop onto a lightly greased silpat mat.

Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes or until bottoms and tops begin to turn slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place baking tray on cooling rack. Let sit 5 minutes. Then remove to rack to cool completely.

Store in zipper bag or airtight container in fridge.

Bottled Lemon Curd

 This is the best lemon curd recipe ever! I can use fresh or bottled juice and lime works as well. I love that it only needs one whole egg and doesn't make a huge batch! I will be making it again soon... 

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup lemon juice

Mix these ingredients in a small heavy saucepan with a whisk. 

Heat on medium heat while whisking constantly. It will become frothy. Keep cooking and whisking until it becomes thick and completely frothy. Test on the back of a metal spoon. If it coats the spoon and doesn't fill in the line made by your finger, it is done.

Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 4 Tablespoons of cold butter, one at a time, using the whisk.

Pour into bowl and chill. 

Alabama Smoked Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

 After much research and cross-referencing, I chose my food challenge for 2021. Once a week, I will make an iconic dish from each state. First up: Alabama and smoked chicken with white BBQ sauce. Thankful for friends with a new smoker to help me out with the chicken and bring dessert. 😋

It's pretty simple recipe to make, just don't forget to make up the sauce the day before so it has time to really come together and all those flavors can marry. 😁 We also thought it would be good on a smoked pork chop. 👍

If you don't have a smoker, you can also serve this over grilled chicken. I would suggest thighs or leg quarters.

1 cup mayonaise

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 heaping Tablespoon brown sugar

1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk together in a small bowl and chill for about 12-24 hours.

Brush unto chicken a couple of times at the end of grilling or place smoked chicken under the broiler.

Heat the leftover sauce until warm, but not hot, to serve poured on top of the chicken.

Ninja Egg Cups

 I love mini egg bakes! And the Ninja makes them so easy to do, I even made them while camping for our anniversary! 

Now that I've made them again at home, I decided I'd better post my recipe before I forgot how I did it. Disclaimer- this is really more of a method than a recipe. :) 

First make your eggs however you would prepare them for scrambled eggs. Just beat some eggs and milk together and season with salt and pepper. For 6 standard sized muffin cups, I used 3-4 large eggs with some milk.

Then cut up whatever you want in your egg cups: peppers, onions, mushrooms, bacon, ham, sausage... Cut it up pretty small because your cups aren't very big.

I sauté my fillings to get rid of any extra moisture in them (especially mushrooms and ham).

Pour 1 cup of water into your Ninja Foodi. Place silicon muffin cups in round baking pan on rack. Spray your cups with non-stick baking spray. I suppose you can also use a silicone egg cup mold but I don't have one of those... :) 

Fill your cups with some shredded cheese and your filling. Don't put too much in them.

Pour egg mixture into cups and fill them to nearly the top. Then carefully lower them into the Foodi on the rack.

Place glass or pressure lid on Foodi. If using pressure lid be sure it is on vent. Steam for 12 minutes.

Be careful when you remove the lid not to get too much water on top of the egg cups. Test them with a knife in the centers. If they come clean, they are done. 

I like mine a bit drier, so I lower the Air Crisp lid and bake them for 4 minutes at 375. 

Remove the rack from the Foodi and let them cool for a minute or so before you remove them from the cups... 

Quick & Easy Rice Pudding

About two years ago, I posted a recipe for stovetop Norwegian-style rice pudding. It took quite a while to make and it was a bit too smooth for me. I like my rice pudding with a little more texture. And on cold winter mornings, I don't want to spend 40 minutes standing at the stove.

So here's my super quick and easy version to do with leftover cooked white rice.

This isn't really a recipe, it's more of just directions. You can do this however you want to your taste...

Put some cold, cooked white rice in a small saucepan.

Cover it with sweetened vanilla almond milk.

Simmer and stir constantly on medium-high heat until it is thick.

Serve hot with desired toppings. I like butter, cinnamon sugar and dried cranberries...

Pumpkin Spice Mochi

I had pumpkin mochi at a hot pot restaurant while in China and I've been craving it ever since. This recipe isn't exactly the same but it still satisfied my craving. It is an interesting cross between cake and mochi and is the perfect accompaniment for a good Asian meal on a Fall day. I think it would be especially tasty for dessert with my Sichuan Style Pork Stew and rice.

1 1/4 cup Mochiko rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Mix dry ingredients in small bowl.

In a large bowl, mix together:
2 eggs
7 oz sweetened condensed milk (regular or coconut)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
15oz can pure pumpkin

Sift dry ingredients into bowl with pumpkin mixture. Whisk until smooth. Pour into greased 8x8 glass baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown.

Cool on wire rack 2 hours. Turn out onto rack and continue to cool 4 hours.

Cut into small squares before serving.

Foil Packet Bibimbap

I had leftover cooked rice and hamburger and all the fixings for bibimbap. But I wanted something fast and something I could cook outside. It's just too hot in the kitchen to cook! So I wondered if you could put it all in a foil packet on the grill.

Yup... you can.

Place a scoop of cooked white rice in the center of a piece of foil. Place individual sized servings of cooked hamburger (with some fresh minced garlic on top) and your choice of matchstick-sliced veggies around the rice.

You can use so many different veggies, but some are more traditional:
carrots
cucumbers
spinach (you don't have to cut this up)
mushrooms
bean sprouts

Drizzle with sesame oil, vegetable oil and soy sauce to taste.

Seal up the foil packets and cook over medium coals until heated through, turning once while cooking. Cooking time depends on the heat of your grill and how full your packets are.

Open packets, top with an over easy cooked egg and some sesame seeds.

Squirt some gochujang (Korean hot sauce) on top, mix it all together and eat with chopsticks. Or a fork... ;)

Thai Coconut Curry Seafood Soup

I've been working on this recipe for the last few weeks and have craved it so much that I believe I have finally perfected it!

This recipe does not have any measurements because you really have to do it to suit your tastes and adjust to your number of servings...

Put cold water in a soup pan. Add red curry paste to taste to make the broth.

Throw in some chopped red or orange bell peppers and sliced green onion.

Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Cut up some white fish (I use tilapia) into bite-sized pieces. Also cut up raw shrimp into small pieces.

Place into the simmering broth and cook for 7-8 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and fish flakes easily with a fork.

Pour in one or more cans of coconut milk and some chopped fresh cilantro. Heat through, but don't let it boil.

Serve soup over a scoop of cooked white rice.

Squeeze fresh lime juice into the soup and stir well before eating.

Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

This recipe is a variation on a dear friend's blueberry pie filling recipe combined with a not-so-sweet no-bake cheesecake filling I came up with. I think the two came together to make a super nice dessert... Made with cornstarch and a gluten-free cookie crust, this would be an easy GF dessert.

1 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons flour or cornstarch (I think I prefer cornstarch)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk together in a small saucepan.

Whisk in:
1 cup cold water
grated zest from small lemon

Stir in:
1 cup fresh blueberries

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly (about 10 minutes).

Stir in 4-5 cups of fresh blueberries and the juice from 1/2 of small lemon.

Let filling cool in fridge.

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar, remove 2 Tablespoons of  it and place in a small bowl
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Mix in 1 teaspoon lemon juice (from second half of the lemon)
scant 1/4 cup of sour cream

3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar (reserved from the 1/3 cup)
heaping 1/2 Tablespoon instant clear gel (optional to help stabilize cream)

Mix the sugar and clear gel together and pour into heavy cream in a bowl. Whip until forms stiff peaks.

Mix the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and well incorporated.

Spoon cheesecake mixture into the bottom of a graham cracker crust.

Top with chilled blueberry topping.

Chill for at least three hours before serving.

Overnight Oats

This is a quick, easy breakfast that has almost endless possibilities: pumpkin butter, jams, fresh fruits, curd...

pumpkin butter

blueberry lemon curd

chocolate banana

strawberry jam

Just follow this simple formula for whatever you choose.

Mix equal parts of oats, yogurt, and milk. Stir in whatever add-ins you want and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds.

Cover in small jar or bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Chai Cider

Chai tea tastes like India and Autumn. On cold rainy days, a hot, creamy sweet chai tea warms you from the inside. But on warm sunny fall days,a chai cider hits the spot. What is chai cider? Cold chai tea and apple cider.

Mine was made with my homemade chai and the cider we pressed on Saturday.

To make chai, simmer 3 black tea bags in 6 cups of water with your favorite blend of spices for 15-20 minutes. I haven't found a combination I didn't like...

Choose from these spices: (always use whole spices, not ground)
cardamom
allspice
black pepper
cloves
cinnamon
nutmeg (whole grated)
star anise
fennel
ginger root

Serve hot with cream and sugar or cold with apple cider.

Hawaiian Ham

This is an easy way to use up leftover ham.

Drain a can of pineapple chunks, reserve the juice.

Saute some:

ham, cut into chunks
thinly sliced carrots
chopped onion
bell peppers, cut into pieces
pineapple chunks

Saute in a bit of oil over med-high heat until ham is hot and veggies are tender.

Whisk the following ingredients into the pineapple juice:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Stir the sauce into the skillet and stir over med-high heat until thick and bubbly.

Serve over white rice.

Crock Pot Egg Bake

Today I made my favorite Tater Tot Egg Bake in my crock pot. So easy and it cooked while we were at church and was ready for brunch for us and our company when we got home.

I'm guessing it would work for any egg bake recipe, but here's the one I like best...

Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom with frozen potato rounds/crowns (the flat tater tots).

Cover with your favorite egg bake cooked meats (bacon, sausage or ham), sauteed veggies and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Beat 8 eggs and about 1/2 cup milk.

Pour over stuff in the crock pot.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours.

Remove lid and let sit a couple of minutes before serving.