bills Coconut Bread

This, I think, is my absolute favorite quick bread in the entire world.  I came across this recipe quite some time ago, and was intrigued by the origin.  bills is a successful restaurant that was started in Sydney, Australia in 1993 (I have never been there, but I have high hopes for the future!)  I believe that there are now six bills restaurants; four in Australia, and two in Japan (Tokyo and Yokohama - places that my brother knows well).  Anyhow, this bread comes from that restaurant, and I believe that it is the actual recipe that they use.  I've said this before, but if at all possible, weigh out your ingredients on a kitchen scale.  This will produce the most accurate result.

This bread is extremely moist and tender.  It is full of coconut, and has a luscious warmth from the cinnamon.  Yes, cinnamon.  I was very skeptical at first about adding a load of cinnamon to my coconut bread, but man o man was it a good idea.  No wonder they have a highly successful restaurant and I don't.  Now all I think about is what I can eat all the time with coconut and cinnamon in it...oatmeal...cookies...oatmeal cookies...

bills Coconut Bread

2 eggs

300 ml (1 1/4 cups) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

350 g (2 1/2 cups) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

225 g (heavy 1 cup) caster sugar

150 g (2 cups) shredded coconut

75 g (1/3 cup) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F.  Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside.  Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir in the sugar and coconut.   make a well in the center and pour in the egg mixture.  Stir until just combined.  Add butter and stir until just smooth, being careful not to over mix.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  Makes 1 loaf, 12 slices.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Nutella Pastry Tarts

I don't quite know where to start with these.  They are flaky.  They are buttery. They are so good you might want to cry.  I found this recipe online a while ago, and pretty much re-invented everything except for the basic idea.  They were originally called Nutella Poptarts, but I cannot, in good faith call these anything even close to a poptart.  These transcend the unappetizingly pedestrian poptarts to such a degree that you won't be able to call them poptarts either.  I apologize for the picture, but I actually wasn't going to write about these.  I slapped them together in a big hurry, and by the time I tried one, the light was almost gone.  You know, in the movie "I Am Legend" where Will Smith is always watching that last sliver of light get narrower and narrower before disaster (in the form of quasi human people eaters) strikes...?  Yeah, that was me without (unfortunately) Will Smith, and (fortunately) the quasi human people eaters.  Anyhow.  That explains the picture, lets get to the FOOD!

These pastry tarts start with my favorite pie crust, but use only real butter - no shortening involved this time.  It turned out to be the flakiest, most buttery pastry that has ever come out of my kitchen.  I mixed the Nutella with an egg white for stability while baking.  I was a little bit worried that the Nutella would ooze out of the pastry during the bake time, and that I would have to lick it off the pan as soon as it was cool enough to stick my tongue on it.  I just couldn't bear to subject my hungry puppies to that image, hence the egg.  Please make this.  You might hate me for it, but I can bear it because you will love these pastry tarts!

Nutella Pastry Tarts

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

7 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

4 to 6 Tablespoons ice water

7 ounces Nutella

1 egg white

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt.  Add the cold butter and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, fork, or two knives, until it forms crumbs no larger than a pea.  Slowly add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.  In a separate bowl, combine the Nutella and egg white, and mix carefully until well combined.  This will be difficult at first, but just keep stirring and they will come together.

Roll out the pastry dough into a large rectangle, relatively thin.  Cut the rolled pastry into 12 rectangles.  Scoop the Nutella onto 6 of the rectangles, and carefully spread it to within a 1/4 inch of the edges of the pastry.  It helps to dip your fingers in cold water when you spread the Nutella, as it won't stick to you quite as much.  Brush a little water around the edges of the Nutella covered pastry, and carefully place an empty pastry on top of it.  Gently press down on the edges to seal them.  Transfer the pastries to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour or overnight.

When ready to bake the tarts, preheat the oven to 350F.  Remove the plastic wrap from the tarts and pop them into the oven straight from fridge so they are still cold.  Bake the tarts for about 30 to 35 minutes, until they are golden brown.  Remove them from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.  Take a bite, sigh with bliss, eat the rest.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy

Snickerdoodles

Today I needed a fast, easy cookie recipe that  1.) didn't require a trip to the store to get special ingredients, and 2.) that would be loved, accepted, approved of, and eaten by both an FHE family and a relief society. Completely stumped and in a bind, I texted Chemist Cuisinier, PhD, who--once again--saved me by suggesting I make snickerdoodles. I went back to my The Great Cookie Book book and tossed together a recipe for snickerdoodles. As per usual, I did a test cookie--thank goodness! What I pulled out of the oven was more of a snickerpuddle than a snickerdoodle. Bring on the flour! I ended up adding about 1/3 C more flour and increasing the bake time by a few minutes. Once I had the correct amount of flour and the bake time, everything was fabulous! Slightly chewy on the outside, very soft on the inside. Perfectly sweet with a balance of cinnamon and slight tang/tart. Both FHE family and Relief Society gobbled them all up. It only took me the length of Star Wars IV to make these (that's including my flour trial), and my reputation as a fabulous cook continues to go untarnished. I will definitely be making these again.

1 1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C Margarine or Butter, softened
1/2 C Shortening
2 Eggs
2 3/4 C All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
3 T Sugar, for rolling
3 tsp Ground Cinnamon, for rolling

1. Heat over to 350
2. In a large bowl mix sugar, margarine or butter, shortening and eggs thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until blended. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfulls into balls.
3. In a small bowl mix 3 T sugar and the cinnamon, roll balls in sugar mixture.
4. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Waffle Cookies

When I first came across this recipe I was so excited! The idea of waffle cookies sounded so fun and interesting that I could hardly wait to make them. I finally had some time to make them last night and...I was disappointed. While they tasted just fine, they were not cookies at all. I basically had about 24 1-square-inch chocolate chip waffles. Don't get me wrong, as waffles these are just fine and make a fun little snack, but if you're looking for cookies these are not it. I do have to say, though, that they are better the second day after being stored in a container. Even so--although they would make a delicious breakfast--I probably will not be making these again.

1/2 C Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 C plus 2 T Light Brown Sugar, packed
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 C Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats (not instant)
1/2 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips

In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in dry mixture to the wet. Add oats and chocolate chips and stir until combined.

Coat the grids of the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to portion out a cookie onto each waffle square. Close the iron and cook until set and beginning to brown (1.5-3 minutes). Use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cooked cookies to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining dough, coating the grids with spray as necessary. Yield: 24 Cookies

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty

Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes

This is another fail-safe, must-make, go-to recipe. I created it after witnessing a roommate during my freshman year make something somewhat similar and much more basic, and have repeatedly made it since then (each time enjoying just as much, if not more). Tender, juicy chicken and spicy, herbed potatoes are engulfed by warm, melty cheddar cheese. This dish is warm, filling, and full of flavor; it won't stick around long once it's made! I haven't found anything to really go with it as a side, so I just sit down to a bowl full of just cheesy chicken and potatoes.

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2-3 Potatoes (medium), peeled and cubed
1 1/2 C Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 Clove Garlic
1 Small-Medium Onion, chopped
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Chipotle Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
Basil
Oregano
Splash of Olive Oil

In a large bowl toss potato cubes in a small bit of olive oil (just enough to coat). Add salt, paprika, and chipotle. Sprinkle desired amount of oregano and basil and mix until all potatoes are coated. Bake at 375 on a greased pan until tender (about 30 minutes).

In a large skillet (one with high edges) saute garlic in a little bit of olive oil. Add chicken. When chicken is half done add onion and continue to cook until chicken is done and onions are tender. Add cooked potatoes to the pan. Take the pan off the heat and add cheese. Mix until everything is coated with melted cheese.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

May I just start out by saying how heavenly and luscious and delectably delicious these are? ... These are so heavenly and luscious and delectably delicious! I decided to put almond extract in the chocolate chips rather than vanilla, and I am so glad I did. The chocolate, almond, and strawberry flavors create an extremely unique but perfectly harmonious trio. The chocolate is so smooth as it melts in your mouth and the strawberry is oh so juicy. Heavenly! One more time, just for the record: Heavenly!

A word of caution to this tail: be ever so careful melting the chocolate, or you will fail. Well, almost. If you add the almond extract to the chocolate chips before melting them, you will end up with a hard lump of seized chocolate. And your spatula will melt. We won't go into the details of how I know this; just take my word for it on this one. I used the extra melted chocolate to make chocolate covered pretzels--also delicious.

3/4 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 T Butter
1 tsp Almond Extract
1/4 C White Chocolate Chips
20 Fresh Strawberries

Wash a dry strawberries. Melt chocolate chips with butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring so as to keep it from burning. When butter and chocolate chips are melted, add almond extract and stir until combined. Remove from heat. Dip strawberries in the chocolate 2-3 times before placing on waxed paper. Chill chocolate-covered strawberries for about 5 minutes.

While strawberries are chilling, heat white chocolate over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and retrieve chilled strawberries. Using a spoon, drizzle white chocolate over each strawberry. Chill strawberries again until all chocolate is hardened. They are best when kept refrigerated and served cold.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

This recipe has a special place in my heart...and my stomach. It was the very first meal I ventured to photograph after deciding to pursue food photography (that covers the heart part), and it tastes so good (there's the stomach). I don't remember the exact place I found the original recipe (somewhere from allrecipes), but I made it once then changed it anyway by adding some things to give it a bit more interest and diversity. The chicken is perfectly tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. Rice with the marinade drizzled on top is a perfect compliment to this jerk chicken. The whole dish is packed with flavor and spice which tantalize, tease, and delight your taste buds. Even just smelling the sauce while you're making it is like heaven. This dish is will please over and over and will be requested often (trust me!).

1 Small Onion
3 T Brown Sugar
4 T Soy Sauce
4 T Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Ground Thyme
1/4 tsp Sesame Seeds
3 Cloves Garlic
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1 Chipotle Pepper
1/4 tsp Sriracha Sauce
Freshly Ground Ginger (I usually put about 1 T in because I love ginger)
4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts

Combine onion, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, thyme, sesame seeds, garlic, allspice, chipotle pepper, and sriracha in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour 3/4 mixture in a plastic bag. Poke chicken several times with a fork and place in bag with marinade. Marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place chicken and marinade in bottom of a baking dish. Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes. Check the middle of the chicken to make sure it's done.

Serve with rice and remaining 1/4 sauce.

Mahlzeit!
-Coriaunty