Blueberry Muffins

These make for a great weekend morning breakfast when blueberries are in season. Simply delish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup blueberries (I use 1 1/2 cups)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Fill unused cups with water. 
2. In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.
3. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until evenly incorporated. Stir in blueberries.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about three fourths full. 
5. Bake until toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. 
6. Makes approx 16 muffins

Coconut Whoopie Pies

My husband had a pot luck at work a couple weeks ago and he signed up to make a dessert. Knowing that I love to bake and that he loves coconut I though these would be a no brainier. Needless to say they we a hit at the pot luck!

Ingredients:

For the Whoopies:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• White of 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup lite coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

For the Coconut Fluff Filling:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup marshmallow crème
• 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons lite coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract 

Directions: 

For the Whoopies: 

1. Position oven rack in center of oven.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy at medium speed of an electric mixer.  Add egg and egg white, and beat until incorporated.  Add half of flour mixture and half of coconut milk to creamed mixture; beat at medium speed just until blended.  Add remaining half of flour and coconut milk and vanilla; beat until blended.
4. Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, drop batter into 12 mounds onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.  Or drop batter into 24 mounds by well-rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle half of the mounds with coconut. Bake, one baking sheet at a time, until cakes begin to crack and are firm to the touch, 12 minutes for large cakes and 10 minutes for small cakes.  Remove from oven and slide the parchment paper, with the cakes, onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cookies off the parchment paper.
5. Spread flat side of the plain cakes generously with Coconut Fluff Filling.  Top with remaining coconut-topped cakes, pressing down lightly to seal them together.  

 For the Coconut Fluff Filling:

1. Beat butter and marshmallow crème in a large mixing bowl at medium-high speed of an electric mixer until fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Beat in confectioners’ sugar, coconut, coconut milk, and extracts until smooth.  Makes about 1 3/4 cups.  

Recipe from www.pauladeen.com 

Shrimp with Coconut Curry Sauce

Lately I can't seem to get enough Thai food. This was a healthy take I found that filled the craving.  It was great over brown rice. Hope  you enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 60- 80 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste
• 2 bell peppers, assorted colors, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk 

Directions:

1. Spray 8x 12 inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Whisk together lime juice and curry paste in small bowl; pour over shrimp to coat. Refrigerate 10- 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter bell peppers over fillets and add coconut milk. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake about 20 minutes until shrimp are pink and cooked through.

Nutritional Information:

Serves 4. Per Serving 4 weight watcher points+
166 cals, 3g fat, 6g carbs 2g fiber, 27g prot
Recipe from Weight Watchers Points Plus Just 5; 125 recipes with 5 Ingredients  2011

Tomato Capri

Growing up we always had freshly sliced tomatoes from the garden on the dinner table during the summer. Today I still make this as a fresh summer side dish that is simple and oh so delicious. Next time you are at the farmers market pick up some ripe tomatoes and try this recipe. Also great with heirloom tomatoes.
Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
• A handful of fresh basil to taste, cut into thin ribbons
• Fresh mozzarella cheese 
• Olive Oil to taste
• Balsamic vinegar to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into 1/4 thick slices and  place on platter
2. Stack basil leaves on top of each other and roll lengthwise. Slice the basil into "ribbons". Repeat as necessary.Sprinkle onto tomatoes.
3. Coarsely chop fresh garlic, sprinkle onto tomatoes.
4. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on tomatoes as desired.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chill till ready to eat.

Fresh from the garden....

Pulled these guys up from my garden this morning. Looks like we will be having homegrown new potatoes with fresh green beans with dinner tonight. The summer harvest has begun!  Recipe for New Potatoes and Green Beans

Full Bloom

My love of flowers comes directly from my Grandmother Dukes.  She taught me everything I know about flowers and how to care for them. I can remember as a child looking though all her flower magazines and helping her choose what to get. I still do this today every summer and winter when I plan what I will plant for the coming planting season.  

My personal favorite flower is the poppy, but they don't grow well in the Texas heat and nor do they make good cut flowers for bouquets. Some of my other favorites are lilies of all types and wild flowers.  

The tulips I planted this year reminded me of my very first flower bed that my dad made for me when I was in the 8th grade. It was full of tulips. The iris remind me of my childhood home. We had tons of wild iris growing all over our acreage.  Every spring the  land would be covered with iris blooms of all colors, but mainly the purple ones. This is why I have a majority of purple iris.

Flowers always put a smile on my face, especially when I get to pick a bunch for a gorgeous bouquet. Hope they give you a little cheer too!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This recipe was unbelievably filling and delicious. I highly recommend it.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
•  Salt
•  Peppe
• 1 small (4- to 6-ounce) red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch spears 
•  2 cups corn kernels, frozen and thawed
•  2 cups salsa verde
• 1/2 cup sour cream, reduced-fat
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, packed fresh and chopped
• 12  corn tortillas
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3-quart shallow baking dish.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high. Season chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add to skillet in single layer and sear 2 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just browned. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Add onion and water to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring and scraping pan. Add to chicken in bowl.
4. To skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When hot, add zucchini, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until browned and just tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl with chicken. To skillet, add corn and cook 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Stir in salsa, sour cream, and half of cilantro until well mixed.
5. In prepared dish, arrange 4 tortillas in single layer. Spread evenly with one-third of chicken mixture and then one-third of cheese. Repeat layering twice.
6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until hot. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

Nutritional Information:
Makes 6 LARGE servings. 12 weight watcher points+ per serving.
460 Cals, 20g fat, 45 carbs, 27 protein.
Recipe from Good Housekeeping Magazine January 2011