Coconut Cream Bread...

 8 oz Cream Cheese

 1/2 C Butter

 1 1/2 C Sugar

 2 Eggs

 2 1/4 C Flour

 1 tsp Salt

 1 Tbsp Baking Powder

 1 C Coconut Milk

 1 tsp Vanilla

 2 Tbsp Shredded coconut (optional)

Combine cream cheese and butter, cream well.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, milk and vanilla.  Mix well. Stir in coconut if wanted.  Spray 2 loaf pans or 6 mini loaf pans or 1 bundt pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes (large pans) or 35 minutes (small pans).  Or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and remove to wire rack to finish cooling. 

 

Variations:  Orange Cream Bread.  Substitute 1 C Orange Juice for Coconut milk. Orange Zest for shredded Coconut.   After 10 minutes of cooling, pour 1/4 C Orange juice over top of bread to soak in.  Or glaze with a light citrus glaze...

 

Oh my goodness... A Pintrest find, listed as Orange Cream Bread, I altered it to Coconut Cream. Next time I'll try a pineapple glaze for a "pina colada" twist.  1/4 C Pineapple Juice & 1 C Powdered Sugar. This is EASY & DELICIOUS.  Soooo good!

Omelette...

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (separated)
3 Free Range Eggs (beaten fluffy)
1/2 Tbsp Cilantro (snipped)
1/2 Tbsp Green Onion (snipped)
1 Clove Garlic (pressed)
2 Tbsp Mushrooms (sliced)
1 Tbsp each of Green Pepper, Red Pepper & Yellow Pepper (chopped)

Over high heat saute veggies in 1 Tbsp Olive Oil until desired tenderness.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add remaining Tbsp of oil to hot pan and reduce heat to medium.  Pour egg mixture into pan and spread like a crepe...  As the edges cook, rock the pan to spread out liquid egg.  When almost solid, return veggies and place them on half the omelette.  Flip the remaining half over to cover veggies and cook to desired doneness.  At the point of the flip, I remove it from heat, cover and let it "steam" until it's the right texture.  This is a preference...

I like my omelette done, but wet.  James likes his eggs hard and almost dry.)  Season with pepper.  Try to avoid salt.  That's what the garlic and cilantro are for! :)  Because I miss the cheese... I sliced 1/4 of an avacado over the top for the creamy texture.  This was delicious.  Other options would be to add the veggies of your choice.  Onions, spinach, carrots, broccoli...

Chicken Spaghetti...

1 Cut Up Fryer Chicken
1 Onion - chopped
1 Celery Stalk - chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1 Green Pepper - chopped
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
6 Tbsp Butter
1 14 oz Can Chicken Broth (2 Cups)
1 10.5 oz Can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 C Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 16 oz pkg Velveeta Cheese - cubed
1 16 oz pkg Spaghetti Noodles

Cook and shred the chicken.  Reserve  the "broth" as the "water" to cook the spaghetti noodles... Chop veggies and saute them in the butter with salt & pepper until the onions are soft and clear.  Combine broth, cream of chicken and velveeta in microwave safe bowl.  Cook until melted and smooth.  (About 5-7 minutes, stop often and stir)  Combine sauteed veggies, chicken and (drained) noodles with cheese mixture.  Stir until well coated.  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish and pour mixture in.  Top with shredded sharp cheese.  Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

(I put this in two 8x8 casserole dishes and freeze one before baking... Delicious comfort food!)

Ham & White Bean Soup...

• 4 cups Water
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 15oz Cans Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans)
• 2 Cups Cubed Ham
• 1 Christmas Honey Baked Ham Bone
• 1 Large Onion - chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 4 Carrots - chopped
• 1 Rib Celery - chopped
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce 

In a large pot, place ham bone, water, broth, spices and veggies.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.  Add beans, tomato sauce and cubed ham.  Simmer for another 20-30 minutes.  Remove ham bone and bay leaf before serving.       (YUM!!! I am pleased to note that this "soup" was good enough for Calls, Taryn, Owen and EVEN James to admit... GOOD!  Maybe soup "is a meal"!  Although I can't find mom's actual recipe, this tastes exactly like my childhood memories...)

Shoyu Chicken...

 

2 Cups Soy Sauce
1 Cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Sprite or Water
4 Cloves Pressed Garlic
2 pieces ginger, crushed
2 Green Onions - Snipped Small

1 Tray of Chicken Thighs & Drumsticks

Mix all together and marinade chicken in sauce for at least 2 hours.  Broil or grill chicken.  Serve with steamed white rice and Mac salad.  Aloha!

Spam Musubi

2 C Rice (uncooked)
2 C Water
6 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1/4 C Soy Sauce
1/4 C Oyster Sauce
1/2 C  Sugar
Furikake (Oriental Spice)
1 Can Spam
Nori Sheets (Seaweed)
Oil

Soak rice for 4 hours in water.  Drain and bring 2 cups water to a boil.  Add the soaked rice, cover, reduce heat to low.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.  In a flat marinading dish, mix vinegar, soy, oyster sauce and sugar together.  Marinade spam for 5-10 minutes.  Fry spam in oil for 2 minutes on each side.  Until lightly browned.  See pics for assembly.  Press cooked rice into sushi maker halfway full.  Add a light sprinkling of furikake, spam, another light sprinkling of furikake and fill the remaining space with rice.  Wrap with Nori.  Slice and serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:
3/4 C Mayonaise
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Furikake

 

Fresh Peach Glaze

4 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Orange Juice Concentrate (undiluted)
1 1/2 C Water
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
6-8 Large Peaches (peeled and sliced)

Mix cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan with a whisk.  Add liquids and heat until thick and boiling.  Cool to room temperature and fold enough into sliced peaches to coat.  Should be enough glaze for two pies.

(I like to use Aunt Vi's Peach Pie (Crust) Recipe and the cream cheese layer from Raspberry Cream Pies all put together to make an incredible pie...  I LOVE PEACHES!!!)

Spaghetti Salad...

16 Oz of Cooked Spaghetti
1/2 C Red Wine Vinegar
8 Oz Bottle of Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp Salad Supreme Spice
1 C Thick cut Pepperoni
3/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Large Can Sliced Black Olives
1 Can Artichoke Hearts
4 Cups Fresh Veggies (Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Broccoli, etc...)

Mix all together and chill for several hours before serving.  Feeds a lot...  I love this in the summer when the tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini come from MY garden!

Strawberry Cream Pie...

25 Oreos

1/4 C Melted Butter

2 C Fresh Strawberries

2 Tbsp Sugar

2 - 6 oz Strawberry Yogurt Cups

1 Small Pkg Vanilla Instant Pudding  

1 C Whipping Cream

Crush the oreos and add melted butter.  Press into a pie plate and bake for 4 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Let cool.  Crush or puree fresh strawberries, add sugar.  In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt and instant pudding.  Mix well.  Add whipping cream and beat for 2 or 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.  Fold in the strawberry mixture and pour into prepared pie crust.  Place in freezer for about 20 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for an additional 2 hours or overnight.

Substitute Raspberries for Strawberries for another amazing treat...

Hot Buttered Pretzels...

DOUGH:

2.5 Cups Flour

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

2 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast

1 Cup Lukewarm Water

TOPPING:

1/2 Cup Boiling Water

1 Tbsp Baking Soda

Sea Salt

3 Tbsp Melted Butter

Combine dough ingredients and mix until combined.  Knead dough for 5 minutes.  The dough should be soft and smooth, not sticky.  Lightly dust with flour and place in a gallon size ziploc bag.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Cut dough into 8 pieces and let rest for 5 minutes.  Whisk baking soda into boiling water.  Roll each piece of dough into a long rope and shape into a pretzel.  Dip each pretzel into the hot soda wash.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and let rest for 10 minutes.  Bake 9-10 minutes or until pretzels are golden brown.  Brush melted butter onto hot pretzels. 

(Another amazing PINTREST find by McCall... YUM!)

Vanilla Ice Cream...

2 Quarts Half and Half
1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Salt

Mix all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.  This recipe fits in my ice cream freezer.  Layer Rock Salt and Ice and process until desired thickness.  I pour it in a saved round, plastic, 1 gallon ice cream container with lid.  It fits nicely and then we know exactly what's in it... Vanilla Ice Cream!

Ice Cream in a Bag...

 

 

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Cup Half and Half

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

1 Gallon Size Ziploc Bag

1 Sandwich Size Ziploc Bag

1/2 Cup Rock Salt

Cubed Ice 

In small ziploc, put sugar, half and half, vanilla and pinch of salt.  Seal the bag COMPLETELY and knead bag to mix ingredients, try to get as much air out of the bag as possible.  Place small bag in large ziploc.  Fill large ziploc bag half-way with ice.  Add rock salt and seal bag.  shake. Shake... SHAKE! until the ice cream is frozen to desired consistency.  Approximately 10 minutes.  Add favorite mix-ins if desired.  (crushed oreo, butterfinger, m&m's, mini marshmallows, cookie dough, etc...)  Enjoy out of the bag!

(A fun family favorite for years...)

Blue Cheese Vinaigrette...

1/2 C Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Dijon Style Mustard
1/2 tsp finely minced Garlic
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 C Olive Oil
1/2 C Blue Cheese Crumbles

Combine vinegar, lime juice, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper with a hand mixer until the salt is dissolved.   Slowly drizzle the oil in mixing continuously.  Stir in the blue cheese.  Refrigerate up to a month.

Chicken & Pineapple Skewers...

4 Serano Chili Peppers (seedes and finely chopped)
4 Tbsp finely chopped Cilantro
4 tsp Lime Zest
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken Breast (cubed)
1 fresh Pineapple (cut into 1" cubes)

Combine the serranop pepper, cilantro, lime juice & zest, brown sugar, oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Add chicken and transfer all to a ziploc freezer bag.  Marinate 2-24 hours.

Thread the cubes of chicken and pineapple chunks onto wooden skewers.  Grill until done.  I serve it over Cilantro Lime Rice.

Artichoke Dip...

16 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
2 Cans 1/4 Artichoke Hearts (not marinated)
1/2 C Mayonnaise
2 Cloves Pressed Garlic (1 tsp.)
2 C Grated Parmesan Cheese
6 oz can Diced Green Chilies

Mix all ingredients together well.  Place in an oven safe serving dish.  Bake at 350 for a 1/2 hour until bubbly.  Spread on toasted bread.

(From My friend Don Peterson.  Delicious! Spread on toasted Bread.) 

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce...

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion (diced)
3 Cloves of Garlic
28 oz can of pureed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 C Heavy Cream

In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.  Do not burn!  Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil as liquid reduces.  About 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cream and butter.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 more minutes. 

(I added two cups of mini shrimp and tossed the sauce with a box of (cooked) mostaccioli.  We all liked it.  That's a plus and a surprise...)

Kalua Pig... (Mainland Style)

3 lb. Pork Roast

1 Tbsp. Coarse Sea Salt (or Rock Salt)

1 Tbsp. Liquid Smoke

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 Cups Water

Cook in a crockpot on "low" for 6-8 hours.  Shred with a fork.  Serve over white rice.

(This gives you the taste you're craving without the pit in the backyard... Aloha!)

Caribbean Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup...

1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 15 oz. can Pumpkin

1 15 oz. can Black Beans, drained

1 14 oz can unsweetened Coconut Milk

1 C. canned Vegetable Broth

4 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped 

2 tsp. fresh Lime Juice

3/4 tsp. Lime Peel, grated

Stir the cumin in a medium saucepan over high heat for 30 seconds.  Add pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, broth and 3 Tbsp. cilantro.  Bring soup to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors.  Mix in lime juice and peel.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Ladle into bowls and top with remaining cilantro.

(I tasted this at a church dinner spotlighting soups in homemade bread bowls.  It is very different, but delicious.  Serve with cornbread.)

Macaroni & Cheese...

1 lb. Box of Pasta
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup (or any "cream" soup)
1/4 C Milk
1/2 t Tabasco Sauce
1 1/2 C. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Boil pasta, (I like mostaccioli or bow ties) in lightly salted water per package directions.  Drain.  Return to pan.  Add butter, soup, tabasco and cheese.  Stir over medium-low heat until pasta is well coated and cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Salt & Pepper to taste.

(Yummy and Easy.  If you're not a fan of Kraft... Give this a try!)

Chicken Noodle Soup...

4 Large Chicken Breast halves (with skin & bones)
1 Gallon of Water (16 C.)
1 large Onion (diced)
4 large sprigs of Parsley
6 Stalks of Celery (divided)
6 Large Carrots (divided)
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Dill Weed
2 Tbsp. Chicken Bouillon Crystals
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 C. Cold Water

In a large pot, place chicken, water, and onion.  Use 4 leafy stalks of celery broken into large pieces and 3 of the carrots cut into 6 large pieces.  Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to handle.  Remove chicken from bone, tear and return to broth, discard cooked parsley, celery and carrots.  Chop remaining (raw) celery and carrots into bite size pieces.  Add to broth.  Add salt, dill weed, bouillon crystals and cornstarch mixture.  Bring to boil stirring constantly.  Add noodles and cook until noodles and veggies have reached desired tenderness.

(Grandma Norma makes the best chicken noodle soup!  I'm not sure how much like her recipe this is... but, it was her recipe that introduced me to dill weed, a favorite addition.  I think the main difference between mine and Grandma's is that I like lots of chunky veggies in mine.  I often add extra carrots, celery, green beans and corn.  The Christensen family likes to eat their chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes!)

Orange Cream Jell-O Salad

1 Large box of Orange Jell-O
20 oz can of Crushed Pineapple (Or Mandarin Oranges)
2 C. Buttermilk
12 oz tub of Cool Whip

In a large microwave safe bowl, place pineapple or oranges (INCLUDING juice) and microwave for 3 minutes.  Add Jell-O and stir until completely dissolved.  Cool 30 minutes on countertop.  Add buttermilk and whisk in cool whip.  Chill in refrigerator for a few hours.

(From Grandma Norma who got it from Aunt Jenny... I don't tell the masses that it's made with BUTTERMILK.  We just enjoy it!)

Taco Soup...

1 -  1 1/2 lbs of Ground Beef
1 C. Chopped Onion
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 1/2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 15 oz can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Chilies
1 C. Frozen Corn
1 15 oz can Black Beans
1 15 oz can Red Beans
1 15 oz can White Beans
Tortilla Chips

In a colander mix all beans together and let drain while preparing the soup.  In a large pot brown the ground beef, drain.  Add onion, garlic, taco seasoning, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, rotel and corn.  Add in the beans.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.  (Or... I brown the meat and put everything in a crock pot and let simmer on low for about 4-6 hours.)

Use tortilla chips as "spoons" and garnish with your favorite taco fixin's.  We like shredded cheese, sour cream, cubed avacado and green onion.

(A family favorite for 2 decades... Corn is a recent addition... Most of us like it.  Serve with Cornbread and Honeybutter.)

Pasta Weesie...

Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp in a garlic - lemon butter - white wine sauce topped with sautéed mushrooms and scallions...

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO:
I Pkg of Linguine
1/4 C Butter
1 C Heavy Cream
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 T Fresh Parsley (minced)
1 1/2 C Fresh Parmesan Cheese (grated)

While linguine pasta is cooking...  Melt butter over medium heat, add cream.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and whisk in parmesan cheese.  Stir until well combined. (This was plenty thick, I added 1/2-3/4 Cup milk to thin it down after adding the cheese.)  Toss with pasta.

SHRIMP:
1 lb of Shrimp
1/4 C Butter
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/4 C White Wine
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

Melt butter over medium heat, add shrimp - cook halfway through before adding lemon juice, white wine and garlic.  Continue to cook to reduce the liquid down to desired thickness.  Add to Fettuccine Alfredo.

MUSHROOMS:
1 C Mushrooms (chopped)
2 T Butter
2 T Sliced Scallions
1/2 C White Wine

Rough chop the mushrooms, saute in butter with scallions and white wine until desired doneness.  Top the Pasta and Shrimp.

(My favorite meal from Carrabba's Italian Grill... Or at least my imitation of it.  Served with delicious European bread and a Romaine/Parmesan/Kalamata Olive/Caesar Salad...  I fed 6 of us for a lot less than two of us could eat out.  But, we didn't GET to eat out... I don't have white wine on hand, so substitute White Grape Juice or Ginger Ale...  )

Shrimp Bisque...

2 C. Chicken Broth
1 Medium Onion (diced)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
6 Tbsp Butter
6 Tbsp Flour
4 C. Half & Half
8 oz Tomato Sauce or 1 Large Ripe Tomato (pureed)
1 lb Cooked Mini Shrimp
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Cooking Sherry (optional)
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

In a large pot, cook onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes.  Stirring constantly.  Sprinkle flour and whisk in well.  While continuing to whisk add broth.  Stirring constantly, bring to a boil.  Gradually pour in half & half, tomato sauce, shrimp, Worcestershire, sherry and cayenne.  Heat soup until almost boiling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer about 40 minutes.

(My favorite ZUPA'S soup is Lobster Bisque...  This is a little different, but the same idea.  I love it.  I found a basic Lobster Bisque recipe and tweaked the spices a bit, added my delicious garden fresh tomatoes, and used the shrimp I had instead of trying to decide how to buy lobster...  Oh my goodness!  Yum!  It would also be good to add 1 1/2 C. diced potatoes with the onion to make it a little bit "heartier" or more "chowder" like.)

Lemon Pineapple Cake...

1 Lemon Cake Mix
1 Large Can Crushed Pineapple
1 Small Pkg. Lemon Instant Pudding
1 1/2 C. Milk
8 oz. Carton Cool Whip
Shredded or Flaked Coconut

Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions.  While still warm, poke holes all over with end of wooden spoon.  Spread pineapple, juice and all, over cake.  Mix pudding and milk until thick.  Fold in cool whip.  Spread over pineapple.  Sprinkle the top with coconut. 
(From Diane Jolley.  This is delicious!  But... it's a GROWN UP cake!  My kids wouldn't even taste it.  Chunks of pineapple and coconut saw to that... They missed out! The neighbors and I loved it!)