Pina Colada Cookies

We had some leftover coconut frosting leftover from another baking day and I figure I needed to find another recipe to finish using up this frosting.  I decided to make pina colada cookies.  Brian took these to work and they were well loved.

Pina Colada Cookies

Ingredients

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineaple (I only had rings, so I just chopped them myself)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teasppon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.Drain pineapple, reserving all juice. Set pineapple aside; set juice aside for frosting. In a large bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add pineapple and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Add 3 tablespoons fo juice to the batter for a more pineapple flavor.

2.Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. I don't have a written recipe of the frosting, so I found this one online that was also a great substitute. 

**For frosting, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with enough of the reserved pineapple juice to achieve a smooth spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. 

This will give you about 3 dozen cookies. 

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini was on sale at the store a few weeks ago and I decided to try and my first ever bread recipe.  What is better than Zucchini bread.  I made this right before I left for CIY, and just now getting to this recipe.  That is how busy my summer has been.  This was an easy recipe to follow and tasted really good as well!  Even Brian liked it!  This recipe was found in a Knoxville, IL cookbook from the 1970's that I got from my mother-in-law when she was cleaning out cookbooks.  I just love old cookbooks and the great recipes to be found!

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or use applesauce)
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (didn't add since I didn't have any on hand)

Directions
1. Grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans and preheat oven to 325 degrees. (I didn't have any of these pans so I just did a 9x13 baking dish and made more of a cake then cut into squares)
2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.  Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined.
4. Pour batter into baking dishes.
5. Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until center is fully cooked.  Cool in pan for 20 minutes and then remove from pan to completely cool. 

Mami's Fideo Con Puerco

This is a recipe that I actually had at a job, and then found the recipe since I liked it so much.  It originally came from the Dallas Morning News, but that is all that I know since I copied it from the clipping that the family had. 

I think that this would be just a great with chicken (might need to change the name then :)).  It says it need Fideo, but all this is is Mexican Spaghetti, so if you only have the normal stuff on hand, feel free to use that as well. 

Mami's Fideo con Puerco

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1lb. Lean pork, cubed
1 package Fideo pasta or 7oz. Vermicelli/Spaghetti/etc.
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2cup Sweet onion, chopped
1 Large tomato, diced
21/2 cups hot chicken broth
1/2tbsp Cilantro, chopped (left this out, because Brian doesn't like it)
2 tsp cumin
1/2tbsp lime juice (didn't have any on hand this time)
Salt to taste

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet. When hot, sauté the pork cubes until lightly browned. Remove the pork and reserve for later.
2) Add the pasta to the skillet and sauté to a golden brown, stir frequently to prevent burning.
3) Stir in the garlic, onion, and tomatoes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the broth and lower the heat to medium add the cilantro, and cumin.
4) Add the pork cubes, lower the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and lime juice .remove from heat and serve.

Make 4 servings
Enjoy.