Pineapple Bars with Coconut Drizzle

I made the first pan of pineapple bars on Wednesday and I had to sample and OMG!!! I had to go back 3 more times. This dis was made for the Thanksgiving dinner, well, I had to make another pan. Just to say this was a hit with family and friends and this will forever be a dessert for holidays dinners..

Recipe >> Pineapple Bars with Coconut Drizzle @ laughingspatula.com

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Here is one such recipe that is gluten-free, low-fructose and low-FODMAP. The only issues with this recipe may be with the dairy products. Hard cheese, such as cheddar, and heavy cream are very low in lactose and I don't seem to have much issue with them. I'm really not sure if I'm lactose intolerant. I was always a big cottage cheese eater and recently stopped eating it and I feel maybe just a tad better. I'm still not sure if it's enough of a difference to go completely dairy-free, though. I love cheese and I love this casserole. It started out as just a chicken and potato casserole, but then I made some changes to it and I decided that it was so similar to the ingredients in a loaded baked potato, I would just call it that!

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced (about 1.5 lbs. or 4 1/2 cups)
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, cooled and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 green onions, sliced (green parts only for low-FODMAP/low-fructose)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" baking pan or casserole dish.
2. Spread half of the diced potatoes in bottom of pan. Place the diced chicken breasts evenly on top. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the bacon crumbles, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and half the green onions.
3. Spread the remaining diced potatoes on top, followed by the remaining bacon, another 1/2 cup cheese, remaining green onions and another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour heavy cream over top of casserole and then dot with the butter. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
4. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes. In the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and bake until melted. Serve.

Perfect Cheesecake

Just made this last night. I used digestive biscuits for the crust as graham crackers are hard to find in Korea. I also used an 8″ springform pan and simply adjusted the recipe by multiplying the amounts by 0.8. [Though if you want to be extremely exact you should multiply by 0.79 ;)] I halved the sour cream topping recipe as well. Wrapped the pan in three layers of foil – and am really glad I did, because water leaked through the first two layers. All turned out perfectly!

Perfect Cheesecake

Just made this last night. I used digestive biscuits for the crust as graham crackers are hard to find in Korea. I also used an 8″ springform pan and simply adjusted the recipe by multiplying the amounts by 0.8. [Though if you want to be extremely exact you should multiply by 0.79 ;)] I halved the sour cream topping recipe as well. Wrapped the pan in three layers of foil – and am really glad I did, because water leaked through the first two layers. All turned out perfectly! 

Recipe >>  Perfect Cheesecake @ simplyrecipes.com

Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp

Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

•     cilantro pesto ( recipe below )  
•     about 20, wild medium size shrimp (Peeled & De-veined)
•     7 x 8′ wooden skewers

  

Cilantro Pesto Recipe( Makes 2 cups ) :

•     2 bunches organic cilantro – packed
•     2 cups organic baby spinach – packed
•     1 organic lemon – zested
•     1/2 organic lemon – juiced
•     2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts – toast in a dry heated saute pan for 3-4 minutes stirring periodically until browned
•     1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•     1 1/2 cups organic olive oil
•     sea salt and fresh ground pepper for taste

Directions ( Cilantro Pesto ):
Add all pesto ingredients in a food processor, except for olive oil. Blend and gradually pour in olive oil. Season with about ¼ tsp. sea salt and ¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper. Done.

Directions ( Shrimp Skewers ):

Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 2 hours. This will help prevent them from going up in flames when they hit the grill.

Toss the shrimp in about half of the cilantro pesto sauce and put aside the other half for later.
I prefer to marinate the shrimp in the pesto sauce first for at least 2 hours in the fridge, but you do not have to.

Once marinated, skewer 3 shrimp on each skewer. You can of course use larger metal skewers if you prefer. The skewers are really only for cooking purposes so you don’t end up loosing some shrimp on the grill.

On a preheated hot grill, sear each skewer for 2 minutes each side until shrimp turn opaque and are firm to the touch.


Remove shrimp from grill and serve on (or off) skewer with drizzled pesto on top. Perfectly paired with chicken or fish and field greens salad.

Coconut Cream Poke Cake

I just made this for my husband’s birthday cake. We all loved it (seven of us were at his party). I traded the cool whip for an altered WilliamsSonoma recipe for Seven Minute Frosting ( http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/seven-minute-coconut-frosting.html ). And I altered the cake as well:
For the Coconut Cream Poke Cake I used Duncan Hines white cake mix, 2 backyard jumbo eggs, 3 TBS sour cream, 3 TBS oil, 1 c water. Mixed, baked, & cooled.
POKED & Cream of Coconut (Roland brand) heated a little and poured on.
Chilled.
7minute frosting (WilliamsSonoma) untoasted coconut on the frosted cake
use only: 4 egg whites, 1/8 salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 3/4 c sugar, 1/4 c dark Karo syrup. Whisk in vanilla & then continue to whisk & heat over hot water (doubleBoilerStyle) until the whites are hot to the touch. Beat till room temp & thick. Frost the cooled coconut cake. Top w/soft UNtoasted coconut.


Recipe >> Coconut Cream Poke Cake @ dessertnowdinnerlater.com

Chewy Sugar Cookies

My original intent was to make these sugar cookies and roll them in orange sugar to be festive for October, but I couldn't find any orange sugar in my baking cabinet. They still came out pretty though. They are similar to the chewy Pepperidge Farm cookies, but they aren't quite as thick. I try not to eat much sugar, but I've already had 4 of these. That's how good they are!

Chewy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.
4. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.