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.

Home-Made Nacho's--Mom Style

I (Angela) grew up in a house, where there wasn't a lot of home made dish's and if it came from a box or a can then we probably ate it.  This is probably why some of my favorite recipes growing up are simple to do and easy to use. 

This is how my Mom use to make nachos all the time.  It is a great and easy way to have some comfort food.

Home Made Nachos-Mom Style

Ingredients:
1 can of refried beans (any type that you like)
1 bag of Cheddar cheese (or any cheese that you like)
1 bag of Tortilla chips (again, any type that you like-round, triangle, lime flavored, etc.)
Sour Cream to garnish

**You could also add in, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, cilantro, etc. at this point

Directions:

1. Open the bag of chips and lay out on a baking sheet.
2. Open the can of beans and spread onto the chips one at a time.
3. Top with Cheddar cheese (and any other toppings that you want)
4. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted.
5. Top with sour cream (and any toppings not put in the oven).

Enjoy this easy, care-free, and fun set of nachos.

Back from vacation

Beemer in Europe for two weeks and finishing school the two weeks before that. Hoping to cook this week and add some new recipes!

Gone with the Wind--Scarlet O'Hara

Okay.  So I think I have fallen off the face of the world with finishing up at SMU and trying to get the end of my teaching year finished as well.  I went to a jewelry party last night with some old teaching friends and made some new ones as well.  It was fun times by all and I got a new recipe out of this.

This recipe comes from Darla who I worked with my first year at Houston and was my team leader.  She has since moved on to another school in the district, but is still a great colleague.  Here is her recipe for a killer cocktail!

Scarlet O'Hara

Ingredients:
Southern Comfort
Dash of Lime
Lime wedge for garnish
Cranberry Juice
Ice

Directions:
1.  Mix one part Southern Comfort to two parts Cranberry Juice in a shaker with ice.
2.  Add a dash of lime.
3.  Serve in a Martini Glass.
4. Garnish with Lime
3. Pour

Brownies

I have been trying for a while to start cooking more from scratch when I have time.  Here is a great brownie recipe from scratch.  Enjoy!

Scratch Brownies

• 1 cup butter or margarine (melted)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 cups plain flour
• optional - nuts, raisins, chocolate chunks, caramel pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream margarine and sugar. This works well with a mixer, but you can do it by hand.
3. After the creaming stage, do switch to a spoon for mixing. Brownies tend to get tough if worked too much.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix just until smooth.
5. Pour in cocoa and flour. Again, mix until smooth and lumps are broken up. But, don't go to wild on the mixing.
6. If you want to add extras, just fold those in easily.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes in 2 pans size 8 inches by 8 inches. You can use a larger pan like the 9 x 9 and cook for a little longer-25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you use a single pan, then the Scratch Brownies are thicker.