Indian Curry Chicken

Heat the following in hot oil 2 minutes:
3 TBS olive oil
1 Bay leaf
1/2 stick cinnamon (1/2-1 tsp)


Add the following and cook 2 more minutes:
3-6 TBS curry powder (watch out, it can be spicy for little ones so half this amount if you are worried about the spiciness)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala (we didn't have this spice)


Add the following and cook until onions are tender:
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
1 TBS honey
1 TBS tomato paste

Add the following and cook until done:
2 chicken breasts, cubed


Add the following and simmer 10 minutes.
1 C plain yogurt (we used sour cream because that is all we had)
3/4 C coconut milk


Serve over rice.

Recipe Source: Allison R.

Click here for the photo source :)

Sloppy Sams

AKA....Vegetarian Sloppy Joes


3 C water
1 C lentils
1 tsp salt

Cook lentils until tender (45 minutes).

3 TBS Olive Oil
1 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced

Saute above ingredients until crisp and tender.
Add sauted veggies to lentils. 

Add the remaining ingredients:
1/2 6 oz can of tomato paste
1/2 C ketchup
1 tsp mustard powder
1 TBS chili powder
3 TBS molasses
2 tsp vinegar
salt and pepper

Heat and serve over hamburger buns. 

 
Recipe Source: Allison R.

Photo Source:
http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2011/12/22/lentil-sloppy-joes.html

Teriyaki-Coconut Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

I give full credit of this recipe to my friend Rachelle over at To Die For Recipes.  Add her cooking blog to your list!!  She is incredible and I love everything she posts.  You won't be disappointed.  www.rachelleunderwood.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Teriyaki-Coconut Hawaiian Grilled Chicken

1 c soy sauce
3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c water
1/2 can coconut milk (freeze the rest for later use)
1/2 onion, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine all ingredients into a freezer ziplock bag.  Add chicken, and let marinade at least 8 hours, or up to 12 hours.  Grill chicken until done, enjoy!

Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

1 white cake mix (plus ingredients according to package directions)
1 tsp coconut extract

Mix above ingredients and bake 24 cupcakes according to package directions.  Let cool.  Prepare coconut butter-cream frosting.


Coconut Butter-Cream Frosting
1/2 C solid vegetable shortening
1/2 C (1 stick) butter, softened
1-2 tsp coconut extract
4 C sifted confectioners sugar (I didn't sift it)
3-4 TBS milk


Directions:
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add coconut extract. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.

Frosting Recipe Source here: Adapted from Wilton's Chocolate Butter-cream recipe


Set frosting aside.

Toasting Coconut
Spread a package of sweetened coconut onto a cookie sheet.  Place under broiler and set timer for 1 minute.  Pull out coconut and turn over with spatula.  Place tray back in oven and repeat until about half of the coconut is golden brown.  May take 5-10 minutes.  Set timer each time!  :) Let cool.


After frosting cupcakes generously with coconut butter cream frosting (doesn't need to look pretty as the coconut covers it), top cupcakes with a generous amount of toasted coconut.



These got rave reviews when I made them for a church function.  Plus, they are very pretty :) 

Click here for the Photo Source

Lemon Glazed Cupcakes

I am sure there are several fancier and more delicious ways to make the cupcake portion of these lemon glazed cupcakes, but I had to make a billion of them for a church function....hence the cake mix makes its appearance.  What was delicious was the glaze recipe.  It was incredible and a good change to a good old fashioned dose of 2 inches of frosting.  :) 



1 box lemon cake mix (and necessary ingredients according to box directions)

Bake 24 cupcakes according to package directions.  Let cool.  Prepare glaze and drizzle generously over cupcakes.  Top with freshly-grated lemon zest.



Lemon Glaze
Makes 3/4 C

2 C confectioners' sugar
3-4 TBS FRESH lemon juice :)

Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in lemon juice.  (Glaze should be thick, yet pourable).  Add more sugar or lemon juice as necessary, to achieve desired consistency.

Lemon Glaze Source here

Photo Source here

Quadruple Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small jar Neutella (chocolate hazelnut spread located by the peanut butter in store) (optional)
1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see below)
3 squares melting chocolate for shavings on top (optional)



-Make cupcakes with chocolate cake mix according to package directions. Cool completely on wire rack after cooking.



-Using a butter knife, cut a small divit or hole out of the center of each cupcake. Place a dollop of Neutella in the center of each cupcake. The bigger the hole, the more Neutella you can place inside the cupcake. I suggest doing about a teaspoon or two full.



-Frost cupcakes generously with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see recipe below). You can use a piping bag and tip if you want to make it more fancy.



-Microwave melting chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat chocolate until completly melted. Stir. Spread out in a thin layer on a small cookie sheet. Place in refridgerator until hardened. Using a metal spatula, scrape up chocolate until it curls or breaks off in small pieces. Place pieces immediately on top of frosting.



Chocolate Buttercream Frosting here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted (I used cocoa)
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (I used regular vanilla extract)
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 3-4 tablespoons milk

Makes:

About 3 cups of icing.

Instructions:

Step 1

Stiff Consistency: In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add cocoa and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Step 2

Darker Chocolate Icing: Add an additional 1/4 cup cocoa (or one additional 1 oz. square unsweetened chocolate, melted) and 1 additional tablespoon milk to Chocolate Buttercream Icing.


For Thin (Spreading) Consistency Icing: Add 3-4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.

Photo Source here

Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze

My first time making cinnamon rolls was a success thanks to this recipe!!  I copied and pasted the original recipe into my blog.  Can't let a good recipe get away.  :)  If you want to read the tutorial on yeast, visit the original site by clicking the link at the bottom.  My only notes were that I didn't use instant yeast and should have.  I learned from the tutorial that instant yeast is important.  It can be thrown in recipes while the other kind (the name is slipping my mind) needs to be proofed beforehand.  My cinnamon rolls still worked out, it just took much longer for them to rise than it says on the recipe.  

*Make-Ahead: to make these rolls ahead of time, once the rolls are formed and placed on the baking sheet, immediately cover them with lightly greased plastic wrap and refrigerate them; do not let them rise. Refrigerate overnight, up to 16 hours. Let the rolls sit at room temperature, covered, until they have doubled in size about 3-4 hours and then uncover and bake as directed. The rolls can also be frozen at the same point as mentioned above (cover with a layer of greased plastic wrap and a top layer of tin foil). They will need to sit at room temperature for 9-11 hours to defrost and rise before baking.

*Note: as with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in the recipe as a hard fast rule (unless a weight measure is given and then I pull out my kitchen scale). Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe. This tutorial on yeast may help identify how a perfectly floured dough should be.

Makes 12 rolls

INGREDIENTS:
Rolls:
¾ cup buttermilk, warm (I pour the buttermilk in a glass liquid measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute on 50% power)
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
4 ¼ cups (21 ¼ ounces) flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

Filling:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze (or use the delicious cream cheese frosting from this recipe):
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) confectioners sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
For the dough, whisk the warmed buttermilk and butter together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a standing mixer fitted with dough hook (or you can use a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or electric handheld mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and eggs and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (knead for 15-18 minutes by hand). If after 5 minutes of kneading, the dough is still overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough clears the sides of the bowl but has a slight tacky feel when pressed between your fingertips. (See this tutorial for a visual.)

Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, around 2 to 2 ½ hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Meanwhile, lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish (if doubling the recipe, I’ve found using a large rimmed baking sheet, 11X17-inches, works great). In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter (I use my trusty roul’pat for this step) and press it into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle (if you have doubled the recipe, split the dough in half and roll out one half at a time). Gently brush the softened butter over the rectangle, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula. Sprinkle on the brown sugar mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top and bottom edges. Lightly use the palms of your hands to press the brown sugar mixture into the butter, adhering it to the dough.

Lift the longest edge closest to you and begin rolling the dough into a tight log. Pinch the seam closed and roll the log so it is seam side down. Gently stretch the log to be 18 inches in length with an even diameter all the way throughout and pat the ends to even them up.

Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 12 evenly sized rolls (or more if you like your rolls thinner). Arrange the rolls cut side down on the prepared baking pan and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the rolls rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden on top and cooked through but not overly browned.

While the rolls are baking, mix the softened cream cheese and buttermilk together until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix. Whisk in the confectioner’s sugar. Add additional milk or buttermilk one teaspoon at a time until desired glaze consistency is reached. It should be thick yet pourable. Drizzle the warm rolls with the glaze.

Recipe Source Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Photo Source here