Pina Colada French Toast

Dennis and I went to the Bahamas for our honeymoon! It was the best honeymoon I could have ever asked for. We had a blast.  While we were there we had some of the best food I have ever tasted peas and rice, jerk chicken, pina coladas, jonny cakes, pineapple lime chicken ( The best dish I have ever had!) Guava pancakes and coconut french toast.  We didn't eat out much because everything was very expensive, but the food we did eat was incredible! Last night for dinner I finally tried making the coconut french toast, but i added a little bit of a twist to it.  These french toast were very rich and sweet they would make a great breakfast served with a fried egg or they could be a dessert- a modified bread pudding served with ice cream. Either way they are filling and tasty!

Pina colada french toast:

6 pieces of whole wheat or white bread
2 cups of coconut
1/2 cup crushed pineapple or tidbits plus juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
butter or oil for the fry pan

Heat a large fry pan or a griddle to Medium-high heat.  In a shallow bowl or a pie tin whisk the eggs with a wire whisk or a fork add milk, vanilla, and pineapple and juice to eggs.  Put coconut in another shallow bowl or pie tin.  Butter or oil the pan- you can use a cooking spray, but it tastes better if it has a slightly fried taste.  Place the bread in the egg mixture making sure it is full coated with egg and pineapple them fully coat the egged bread in the coconut and place on the hot pan.  This will take a little longer than regular french toast and be sure to watch that the coconut does not get burned.  Serve immediately.

I would suggest to serve with a warm syrup.  Another suggestion I have is put some cream cheese on top.  It is very tasty! Let me know what you think!

Pumpkin rice krispy treats

1 bag mini marshmallows
4 tbs butter
1 box orange Jello
5 cups rice krispies

1 bag mixed candy corn
chocolate frosting
sprinkles or any other decorative candies

Directions:

In a large pot melt butter on medium heat. When butter is melted add the bag of marshmallows and mix with a wooden spoon continually to be sure marshmallows don't burn. Once marshmallows are partially melted add package of Jello mix still mixing.  Put rice krispies into a large mixing bowl.  Once Marshmallows are melted pour over rice krispies mixing with a wet wooden spoon until rice krispies are completely covered.  Wet your hands after the mixture has cooled a little and make the krispies into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Once rice krispy balls have cooled add halloween cookies as you please to make pumpkin faces.  Enjoy!

Cupcakes or cookie? how about both!

Can't decide on whether to make cookies or cupcakes for your next party! Have no fear Lauren is here with an answer to your problem... chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes!! They are very tasty and fun to make. They are easy a little time consuming about two hours total, but i promise that when you show up to your friend's surprise birthday party and tell them there is a surprise in their cupcake you will be the hit of the party well besides the birthday person. 

Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake

·         1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/4 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/4 teaspoon sea salt

·         1/2 cup butter, softened

·         1/4 cup white sugar

·         1/2 cup brown sugar

·         1 egg

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

·          

·         1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix or any cake mix really

·         1 1/3 cups water

·         1/3 cup canola oil

·         3 eggs

Directions

1.     Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.

2.     Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

3.     Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack

top with your favorite icing ( chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese....)

Chicken Toes

The name usually freaks people out, but have no fear chicken toes are just chicken nuggets with a fun name. I have made these for several parties and get togethers and they are always a crowd pleaser.  The thing that makes these chicken toes special is the brown sugar in the breading.  It makes them sweet and tasty.  They are great for the whole family.

1 lb chicken tenders or cut up chicken breast
1 cup cornflakes (or crunched up ritz crackers)
2 pinches allspice
1 Tbs vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
2-3 Tbs flour
1/2 cup Brown Sugar

crush 1 cup of cornflakes. Mix cornflakes with bread crumbs, allspice, salt and pepper, brown sugar and oil in a shallow dish.  Crack eggs in a separate bowl and break yolks and mix slightly with a fork.  In third container pit 2-3 tbs of flour.  Cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Drench individual pieces in flour, egg and then cornflake mixture.  Place on a baking sheet and cook in oven for 15- 20 min or until cooked through.

Serve with honey mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.

I usually make homemade French fries to go with chicken toes.

Apples on Pork? I say tasty!!

A couple of weeks ago I was obsessed with my crock pot. After receiving 5 of them as wedding gifts I thought I better use one of them (we did end up taking all but one back). Dennis let me buy a crock pot recipe book from target and I love it! The recipe book has some very tasty recipes.  I found one that both Dennis and I fell in love with. The recipe is very simple. Another amazing thing is my mom made this pork for my family and they all liked it, which doesn't happen very often.  This is a great fall recipe and will be great for the whole family. The mixture of sweet and spicy is just perfect! Try it and let me know what you think!

Simply Delicious Pork

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 6 pieces or 6 boneless pork loin chops
4 medium golden delicious apples
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can green chili's
2 cloves garlic

1. place pork in a crock pot.
2. cut apples in small slices ( leave skins on) place in a bowl
3. combine rest of ingredients in with the apple. mix until apple are completely coated. Place apples on top of the pork. Cook LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 Hours

served best with a rice pilaf or mash potato's. 

Apples are good on anything!

I bought a bunch of apples because it is apple season. I love apples and I really do think that they go really well on or in just about anything. Last night we had some of our friends over to play games and I wanted to make something tasty for them. I have a bunch of cake mixes, but I really wanted to make something from scratch. After about a half hour of searching Google for a recipe that is simple and tasty, but consisted of ingredients I had in the house I almost resorted to using a cake mix- which isn't a bad thing, but I wanted to cook. I finally stumbled on a recipe for a simple apple cake that did not call for apple butter, apple sauce or apple juice. The cake was delicious, moist and exactly what I was craving. My husband and my guest loved it!

(this is not my cake, but it looked very similar to this- so tasty)

Yummy Apple cake

• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 5 1/2 cups chopped apples (about 5-6 apples- I used Gala, but you can use any kind) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla, mix well. Add the nuts and apple, mix until all of the apples are evenly coated. Pour into a 9x9 inch pan.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve warm or cool.

Note: if using a bunt cake pan bake for 60- 70 minutes 

can be served with whipping cream, vanilla ice cream, or a powdered sugar glaze. For best results serve warm.

Grandma Joyce’s Whole Wheat Bread

This Wheat Bread recipe is my new favorite. It was one of my Grandma's. My Grandma was an amazing cook. She is the reason that I love to cook so much. After she died last May I wanted to feel close to her even though she was gone. I have always loved cooking since i was a little girl, but now it has been magnified. Dennis and I no longer buy bread. I got a Bosch mixer for a wedding gift from my grandpa and my mom's brothers. It is the best ever. I would suggest if you are contemplating getting a mixer buy a Bosch in stead of a kitchen aid. It is amazing! I hope you enjoy this recipe. We sure do!

3 tbs of yeast sprinkled on ¾ cup of warm water and 1 tsp of sugar (set aside)

Mix thoroughly in mixer:

2/3 cup oil                                                                    5 cups warm water

2/3 cup of honey or brown or raw sugar                       7 cups whole wheat flour (I do half wheat half white)

2 tbs of salt

Add yeast mixture.  Ad three cups of flour and mix for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle 3-4 cups of flour into mixer while mixing 5 more minutes.  (Add enough flour till dough cleans side of bowl)  Mold into pans, let rest 25 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

For sweeter bread use ¾ cup of honey ( it makes it taste a million times better!)

Lauren's Signature Egg rolls

Everyone loves Eggs Rolls. They are usually a special treat when you go to a Chinese restaurant, but my recipe is simple and tasty. It will take you about 2 hours total, but they are worth it. A crowd pleaser for sure. This is my husband and my friends favorite dish I make. They never get old! Everyone will love them!

1 pound lean country style sausage or ground Chicken

Mix meat with 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger and ½ teaspoon salt.  Brown mixture and drain well. 

Stir Fry the following:

4 cups diced cabbage

¼ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

After stir-frying, add:

2 teaspoons hoisin sauce

2 teaspoon soy sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

Shake garlic powder over the mixture or add fresh garlic and pepper to taste

Regular egg roll wrappers or Lumpia wrappers may be used.  Moisten all along the edges and corners with water to help seal.  Place filling in one corner of the wrapper.  Fold sides in and bring up bottom corner. (the egg roll package shows how this is accomplished.) Roll several times until filling is securely sealed inside.  Fry until golden brown in 350 degree oil.  Drain on a paper towel.

Sweet and Sour dipping sauce

1 ½ teaspoon oil

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon onion flakes

½  cup rice vinegar (I used red wine vinegar and it worked good too)

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup soy sauce

1 clove of garlic

Half can of mandarin oranges 

Cook mixture together until well mixed, dissolved, and cooking.  Add smashed clove of garlic and half a can of mandarin oranges mashed with the juice and pulp. 

To thicken, and add ¼ cup cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup cold water.  To avoid cornstarch lumping, it is helpful to add some hot liquid to the cornstarch mixture, stirring it a bit before adding it to the sauce.  

 Egg Roll Filling ( chicken, carrots, celery, cabbage, garlic, ginger and sauces-see recipe above)

Regular egg roll wrappers or Lumpia wrappers may be used.

Small bowl of warm Water

Most wrappers will have directions.  Here are my step by step directions

Place dough in a diamond shape

Wet all four edges with warm water

Place a large spoonful of filling in the lower part of the wrapper. Make sure the majority of the liquid is drained from the spoon full. ( the liquid will cause the wrapper to get saggy, stick to the pan, and rip)

lift bottom corner

fold right side in ( the wet edges will stick to the other peices of the dough so be sure you place it where you want it the first time

 fold other edge in

fold the top edges in just a little more to make a smaller point. You may need to add a little more water on these edges 

Then roll up. You now have an egg roll. place on a cookie sheet until oil is hot. Be sure not to let them sit too long because they will get saggy and rip.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

These cupcakes were very delicious.  The frosting was not my favorite, but they looked really good. For the frosting i would probably suggest to do just a simple butter cream frosting with the same amounts of strawberry and lemon, but if you want to get creative then you can use it. It is fun to make.  They were a crowd pleaser for sure.  The recipe only makes about 12 so I had to double it and it didn't even make 24, but they were very yummy! Plan about two hours total with all of the prep and cooking. It was great to do with my husband because he was able to help juice the lemons and cut the strawberries. We had a great time making them together.   

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes.

ingredients
Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Frosting:
2 ounces of fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions
Preheat oven to 350?F.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth. Fill cupcake liners with a scant 1/4 cup of batter (should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

The Frosting

To make frosting, first wash and hull strawberries and toss them into a food processor. Puree strawberries and set aside.

Add sugar and egg whites into a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. Don’t freak out if your buttercream curdles or separates, keep beating and it will come together again.

Once the buttercream is thick and smooth, gradually beat in the lemon juice on medium speed, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. By this point you should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. You can stop at this point if you want to stick with lemon buttercream. For strawberry buttercream, gradually add in strawberry puree, beating on medium speed until well incorporated.

Love for cooking!

I have grown up spend hours in the kitchen with my mom creating new ways to make food take yummy! Now that I am married and I live on my own I am creating my own creations. Most of the time I steal recipe's from other people and then modify the recipe in ways I think will make the best meal or treat you can have. Friends and Family have always asked me and my mom for our recipes, but do they ever really get those recipes? Not usually. So... I have decided that I will make a blog of my creations so others can have as fun as I do making food.

Starting next week I will have an abundance of free time. I excited to share my recipes and hopefully bless the lives of my friends and family through my love of cooking! I love food. I love making food. I love eating food. I love everything that had to do with food! I hope you enjoy!