Asian Coconut Rice

We like this with just about any kind of Asian dish.  Teriyaki chicken has become pretty popular in our house of late.  I also sometimes add unsweetened coconut flakes to make it more coconutty.

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 1/4 cup water
1tsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 uncooked jasmine rice (although I just use whatever rice I have.  And I never have brown rice)

In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt.

Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in rice.

Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 18-20 min, until rice is tender

Sis. Chalmer's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are literally the best cookies in Georgia.  When I make them elsewhere, like New Mexico, I have mixed results.  I assume it has to do with the humidity or some fine detail about the ingredients that I can't control when out of my home.

The original recipe makes like 2,000 cookies.  So I half it.  But honestly, we half even the half recipe for our family.  Because if you make them you will eat them.  Even if you hide them in the back of your freezer telling yourself that you wont eat a frozen cookie and therefore the 2 minutes that it takes to thaw will be surely enough time for you to rationally talk yourself out of eating yet another cookie you don't really need.  You can eat a frozen cookie, by the way.


1/2 Recipe for Sis Chalmer's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 C Crisco
2/3 C butter or margarine (I use the latter)
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
3 1/2 C flour (I use unbleached all purpose flour, for what it is worth)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 - 1 1/2 C chocolate chips (let's be honest, I usually do the maximum amount)

Blend shortening and margarine.

Blend in sugars, eggs and vanilla

Blend flour with salt and soda, then add to the butter mixture (to save on dirty dishes I usually add those three right to the butter mixture, no pre blending)

Add chocolate chips

Bake at 375* for 8-9 minutes.  (Do not over bake.  They may still look a little raw and only barely brown on the edges but this makes a really soft, wonderful cookie.)

New York Cheesecake

As I was searching for a good birthday cake this year, I found myself falling back on a recipe my sister passed me a few years ago. I thought I would share it.

Crust
1/2 box graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
dash cinnamon

Cake
4 blocks cream cheese, room temperature
4 eggs, separated
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar

Topping
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine crushed crackers, butter, and cinnamon and press into a spring-form pan, pushing crumb against the sides and bottom.

2. Preheat oven to 250-265.

3. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Cream  cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Carefully pour over crust and smooth out. Bake for 1 hour. Immediately turn off oven, but do not open the oven door, and let cake sit for an additional hour.

4. Combine topping ingredients and pour over baked cake. Heat oven to 265 and cook for 10 minutes. Let sit in oven an additional hour. Cake should be slightly jiggly in the middle, but edges should not move.

5. Cool on the counter for 30 minutes and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Note. I have made this in a large 10-inch spring-form pan and in small individual spring-form pans (and mini-pie pans), and I really like the miniature version. It freezes fantastically!

Baked Fried Chicken Recipe?

I would love a great, no-fail, easy Baked Fried Chicken recipe.  I have a tried a few and they always leave me wanting.  Either too buttery, too soggy, not seasoned enough for too many steps.  Surely one of you fine ladies has one that you could share.  Please.

French Toast

I tried this recipe today for Sunday lunch and everyone loved it. I can't remember the last time we had french toast, so I had to look up a recipe. This is from allrecipes.com :)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 12 thick slices bread

1. Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
3. Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown. Serve hot. 

Meatballs

My family has been requesting Spaghetti with Meatballs lately, so I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and gave it a try. I let them cook in the sauce for about 20 minutes and it turned out great. I used a smaller cookie scoop to make the meatballs easier for my kids to eat. We have also used this to make mini-hamburgers, another request from my kids and I baked them in the oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Both variations were yummy.

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
3/4 cup italian bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten

combine all ingredients and shape into meatballs.

Honey Lime Chicken Marinade

This makes a great fresh tasting meal when paired with coconut rice and sugar snap peas. I will be making it alot in the summer, I think.

Mix: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice (the original recipe says to use fresh lime and zest but I just used the bottled kind)

2 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 pounds of chicken, cut into wide strips

Put all ingredients in a bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Cool on the grill on medium high until juices run clear (approx. 6-7 min each side).

Black Bean Burgers

Again, this is from America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Families Cookbook. We eat them on hamburger buns with the typical hamburger fixin's or on a bed of salad greens. Tasty.

2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces (or about 1/2 c. bread crumbs, I use whole wheat)

2 cans black beans, rinsed

2 large eggs

3 T. olive oil

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine

1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro (or 1 T. dried cilantro)

1 shallot, minced (or 1/2 onion, minced)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 F. Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Spread the crumbs out over a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. (I never toast the crumbs. I just pull them from the freezer and use.)

2. Place 2 1/2 c. of the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher until mostly smooth. (I used the food processor.) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, 1 T. of the oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne together.

3. Stir the egg mixture, tossed breadcrumbs, remaining 1/2 c. beans, bell pepper, cilantro, and shallot into the mashed beans until just combined. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 c. each, and lightly pack into 1-inch-thick patties.

4. Heat 1 T. more oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half o f the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Return the skillet to medium heat and repeat with the remaining tablespoon oil and remaining patties. Serve.

Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

This is something Ryan and I love (the boys, not so much). It is from America's Test Kitchen's Healthy Family Cookbook.

2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into pieces (or about 1/2 c. bread crumbs--I use whole wheat)

1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and shredded

salt and pepper

1 1/4 c. Greek yogurt (or strained plain yogurt)

6 scallions, sliced thin

1/4 c. minced cilantro (or 1 T. dried cilantro)

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed

2 large eggs

10 teaspoons olive oil

1 t. garam masala

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 shallot, minced (or 1/2 onion, minced)

lime wedges

1. Adjust an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 F. Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Spread the crumbs out over a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. (I never toast my crumbs; I just scoop them out the of the bucket of crumbs I keep in the freezer.)

2. Meanwhile, toss the cucumber with 1/2 t. salt in a colander and let drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Combine the drained cucumbers, 3/4 c. of the yogurt, 2 T. of the scallions, and 1 T. of the cilantro in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor to a coarse puree with large pieces remaining, about 8 pulses. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, 2 T. of the oil, garam masala, cayenne, and 1/8 t. of salt together. Add the processed chickpeas, breadcrumbs, remaining 1/2 c. yogurt, remaining scallions, remaining 3 T. cilantro, and shallot until just combined. Divide the chickpea mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 c. each, and lightly pack into 1-inch-thick patties. (I always end up with about 8 when I measure by 1/2 c.)

4. Heat 2 t. oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Transfer the cakes to a place and tent loosely with foil. Return the skillet to medium heat and repeat with the remaining 2 t. oil and remaining cakes. Serve with the cucumber-yogurt sauce and lime wedges.