Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno

I wasn't planning on posting about any of the things I made for Thanksgiving, but everytime I eat some of this Cranberry Salsa that was leftover, I think about how good it is and how I should really share it. The picture is from a few days after I made it, so you can't see the intense green of the cilantro and jalapeno, but the flavor is still there. This salsa was so delicious on turkey and I have been eating it on almost anything since then. It is good with pita chips, on crackers with cheese, with fresh cut-up veggies, on salad greens, sandwiches, etc. It is so good. It has a nice spicy bite, thanks to the jalapenos, but it isn't too strong. Just the way I like it. Plus, right now there are still lots of fresh cranberries available and this would be a great dish to share at any holiday dinner, get-together, or for an ordinary day.

Here is the recipe for Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno
* I used about 2 Tbls less sugar than the recipe called for, but used white granulated sugar and not a sugar substitute

Cherry-Lime Cups

I made these little dessert cups almost 2 months ago and somehow they just haven't had their time to shine yet. I made them for no reason really, just because I saw them in an issue of EveryDay Food Magazine and they looked interesting and I had extra egg yolks I was trying to use up.
They consist of a tart-like crust, a simple lime filling and fresh cherries. I made my husband take them to work and they received rave reviews.

Cherry-Lime Cups
from June 2011 issue of Everyday Food Magazine

for the crust:
7 Tbls cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces + more for the muffin pan
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

for the filling:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbls all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbls fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
1/4 tsp coarse salt
9 cherries, halved and pitted

1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter six standard muffins cups. In a food processor, process butter, flour, sugar, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yolks and vanilla and process until dough comes together when pressed (dough will be crumbly).

2. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each into a ball and place in a muffin cup, pressing evenly into bottom and up sides. Place a paper cupcake liner into each muffin cup over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are dry, 15 minutes. Carefully remove liners and weights; bake until crusts are dry and barely golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Place 3 cherry halves into each crust and divide filling among each. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. With the tip of a knife or a small offset spatula, remove cups from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack. (To store, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 day.)

Zucchini and Lime Olive Oil Scones

Here are the results of the Eggland's Best Eggs giveaway. I used a random number generator, copied the widget results below, and the winner is commenter #21- Whitney who said "I LOVE deviled eggs and omelets!! I want to make those avocado deviled eggs for a BBQ I am going to next week!Thanks for the idea!"

True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 22 Result: 21 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Today I am sharing a breakfast treat that I made when my sister and brother were here visiting. I wanted something fun that contained zucchini and saw this recipe for scones.
They turned out good, but weren't really scone-like in texture. They were more like muffins. My youngest daughter absolutely loved them.

I did make a few changes which I listed below.
Have a great day everyone!

Here is the recipe for Zucchini and Lime Olive Oil Scones
*I used low-fat buttermilk in place of the heavy cream
* I omitted the sour cream in the glaze

Spicy Cucumber and Blueberry Salad

I know it really isn't "technically" summer yet, but guess what- at my house, it is. When you are dealing with mid 90's, no school, swimming, sun and fun- that is summer.

I' m all about the fresh and quick salads right now. I saw this in a magazine and decided it would be a fun twist on 2 of our favorite ingredients- blueberries and cucumbers. Plus, I love spicy, so this was a fun one to try.

Colorful, light and easy. I really couldn't ask for anything more on a hot summer day.

Spicy Cucumber and Blueberry Salad from Everyday with Rachael Ray
2 lbs. english cucumbers, halved lengthwise
salt
1 large jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs discarded, finely chopped
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbls olive oil
1 pint blueberries
1 cup cilantro leaves

1. Thinly slice the cucumbers into half-moons, about 1/8-inch thick; season with salt.
2. In a large bowl, combine the jalapeno, lime juice, garlic and cumin; whisk in the olive oil. Add the cucumbers, blueberries, and cilantro and toss to coat.

Avocado Toasties with Kiwi Salsa and Pancetta

Happy New Year! I am really excited for all the good things that I hope 2011 will bring.
I hope you are excited too.

I saw the picture for this recipe in Bon Appetit and thought it looked too interesting to pass up. It combines kiwi, avocadoes and bacon. Sounds like a strange mixture, but I knew it probably would end up tasting really delicious.

I found some cubed pancetta at Trader Joes and decided to use that instead of bacon, because it was already cut into pieces and I like the flavor better.
I am not a big fan of bacon, but I knew in this recipe it would add the perfect amount of crisp, salty crunch. Well, the pancetta would.
I also just used some Italian sandwich bread instead of ciabatta.

This was one of those dishes that really exceeded my expectations.
The mashed avocado on the toast, topped with the kiwi salsa and crisp pancetta was the perfect combination of flavors and textures. It really surprised me how yummy this was.
This tasty little snack would make a great breakfast, lunch or snack. Perfect for anytime of the day. It looks kinda pretty too. I can't wait to make it again.





Original Recipe for Avocado Toasties with Kiwi Salsa and Bacon from Epicurious
* I used cubed pancetta instead of bacon, cooking it until crisp and then sprinkled it on top
* I used sliced Italian sandwich bread instead of ciabatta, and just toasted it

Eggs Barbacoa, kindof

I don't like meat. I don't like to cook it or eat it, so we rarely have it on our dinner table. Of course, if my kids want meatballs or chicken strips/tenders, I take the time to make them, but we usually eat vegetarian meals and lots of fish/seafood.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I saw a recipe that I really wanted to try in Cooking Light Magazine. And it called for beef. It was weird for me because usually meat/chicken dishes do not appeal to me at all.

Then, at the Farmer's Market, a nice farmer/professor had a booth about his grass-fed beef and so I went to talk to him. I asked him lots of questions, even specific ones about how his cows were processed. I took his business card. I thought about it for a couple of weeks.
I decided that if we were going to only eat beef once a year, then it was perfectly okay to pay a higher price for it.

My neighbor happened to buy some grass-fed beef from the same man and she said it was the best beef she had ever tasted.

Now, I kinda did my own thing on putting this together. I cooked the beef according to the Beef Barbacoa recipe but made all sorts of changes when it came to the complete dish. I don't really remember what I did actually, so that is why the picture here and the picture featured over at Cooking Light look entirely different.

The beef was good, but I still just don't care for it. My family on the other hand was really excited about the meat.


Recipe for Eggs Barbacoa

Recipe for Beef Barbacoa

Southwest Quinoa Salad

One of my favorite bloggers recently started a new blog. I loved her old blog, Cafe Johnsonia
(which she has kindly left up so people can still use her recipes) but, I really, really love her new blog- Fresh Clean Start.

It's all about getting to a healthier place and I absolutely love every single post.
When I saw her post about this Quinoa Salad, I could not wait to put it together.

I made this salad for our 4th of July get-together and since the recipe written was enough to serve 1-2 people, I at least quadrupled the salad ingredients, so that everyone could have some and hopefully there would be some leftover for me to eat for lunch sometime during the next week.

I cooked up a bunch of quinoa (something I always do, so that there will be enough for whatever I need during the week) and started chopping my veggies.
I used fresh corn on the cob that I got from the Farmer's Market and I also used some heirloom cherry tomatoes.
I added cumin, chili powder, paprika, and lime juice- tasting it along the way- until it was just right.

I really didn't know how well it would be received at our dinner, but many people really, really liked it. This made me happy, but also limited the amount of leftovers. Luckily, there was enough leftover for lunch one day and I served it over a big pile of salad greens as Lindsey suggested.

This really is so, so good and good for you. I can't wait to make a big batch of it again.



Recipe for Southwest Quinoa Salad
* I used heirloom cherry tomatoes
* I used fresh corn on the cob
* I sprinkled sunflower seeds on top

Sugar Cookie Bars

Once again, I was looking for an easy dessert that would serve lots of people when we made dinner for a local homeless shelter recently.
Bar cookies always seem to be one of the easiest things to make when it comes to crowds and I had a lot of pink frosting leftover in the fridge from a cake that I had made that weekend.

I had seen these sugar cookie bars on multiple blogs and they were the perfect way to 1- feed a crowd and 2- use a ton of pink frosting.
The cookie dough was really easy to mix up. I decided to add a little flavor by mixing in the zest of one lime to the sugar before creaming the sugar and butter together. That really added a nice little zip to these cookie bars.
These turned out to be perfectly chewy and delicious. A big hit with everyone who tried them.
I even snuck a little slice just to make sure they were yummy. They were.
I thought I would share a couple pics of the cake I made for a baby shower(which left me with all that leftover pink frosting). It turned out pretty cute.
I came up with the cupcake design by slicing the end off of jet-puffed marshmallows for the faces to match the cake.
Bad lighting since it was late at night when I took the pictures, but I heard that the cake and cupcakes were quite a hit at the shower.



Recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars
* I added the zest of one lime to the sugar-mixing it together with my fingertips until very aromatic, before creaming the sugar and butter together.
* I used a different frosting than the one the recipe called for

Basic Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 4 Tbls milk

With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract at low speed. Add in milk, bit by bit, until the mixture has reached a spreadable consistency.
Makes about 3 cups.

Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango

This salad is perfect.
Spicy & Sweet.
Healthy & Delicious.
Crunchy & Salty.

Plus, it has many of my favorite things. Eggplant. Lentils. Mango. Romaine. Salad. Nuts.
Salsa.

I saw it in a recent copy of Eating Well and knew I had to make it.

A couple of weeks ago my church collected food for a local food bank.
We walked up and down our street and met all of our neighbors, who willing donated cans of food for the food bank.
After the collecting and transporting of the food to the food bank the next day, we had a picnic for all those who had helped.

I brought this salad to share.
I wasn't sure if anyone else would be as excited about it as I was, but it got rave reviews. Lots of people really liked it. I loved it.
I was sad that there weren't any leftovers for me to take home. I guess I will just have to make it again.

This recipe is gluten and dairy free.
Recipe for Spiced Eggplant-Lentil Salad with Mango
* I reduced the amount of oil in the dressing to 1 1/2 Tbls
* I used Herdez salsa- the only jarred salsa I like

Angel Food Cake with Lime and Fresh Mango Sauce

For my brother's birthday cake, I wanted to make something fresh and light, since it was just the beginning of spring. We also had a busy day planned, so I had to choose a recipe that could be made in a few hours, without lots of different steps or fillings/frostings.

My brother loves mangoes and limes, and I had tons of egg whites in the freezer, so I decided to make an Angel Food Cake. I decided to flavor it with lime zest and then use the fresh mango sauce from Ellie Krieger's new book as the topping. I figured the lime and mango go well with ginger, so the cake and sauce would compliment the ginger ice cream.


Everyone loved the cake and the mango sauce. I thought the mango sauce overpowered the delicate cake a little bit and preferred the flavor of the cake plain, the next day. I doubled the mango sauce because I knew my brother would probably want to eat it plain. I decreased the amount of sugar in the sauce too, because our mangoes were really flavorful and sweet. I used some of the leftover sauce in a really fun muffin, but that will come later.

I don't know if you have ever made an angel food cake from scratch, but they are so delicious. One from a box mix or from the store just can't compare. I am definitely hooked.



Fresh Mango Sauce adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger
2 medium ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
2 Tbls fresh lime juice
1 Tbls sugar

In a blender or food processor, process half the mangoes with the lime juice and sugar. Dice the rest of the mangoes.
Serve with angel food cake.

Recipe for Classic Angel Food Cake
* I used the orange variation listed down below the recipe but change it to lime by added the zest of 2 limes to the batter

TWD-Lemon-Ginger and Lime versions of Coconut Tea Cake

This week's TWD recipe, Coconut Tea Cake, was chosen by Carmen who blogs over at Carmen Cooks. You can find the recipe on her blog. Or you can go to one of the links I have from when I made this recipe previously.
I have made this recipe twice before; I made mini lime bundt cakes and a regular sized Lemon-Ginger Bundt, both times because I had leftover coconut milk that I needed to use.
Basically, Dorie's book is the first thing I turn to if I need to bake something or if I have leftover ingredients that could be used for baking.

Both times I made this cake it was delicious. Both times I made a simple glaze.
It was a hit both times.

Check out the TWD Blogroll to see what other variations people made of this cake!

Today is my younger brother's 18th birthday and I am so thrilled that he is here with me to celebrate! I am going to bake him an awesome cake and we are going to have a fun day~ Happy Birthday Andrew!!!!

Broiled Salmon with Peppercorn Lime Rub and Quinoa Vegetable Salad

It seems like it will never stop raining around here. I am not going to complain about the weather, but somehow it really affects my mood more than I would like it too.
When I wake up to gray skies and rainfall, I want to snuggle back into my covers and stay there for the entire day. At this point in my life, staying in bed all day is not an option.

That little blurb has absolutely nothing to do with this salmon- I just had to share.

I can't remember exactly where I saw this recipe, I think it was in a Cooking Light magazine or cookbook or something. The combination of the pepper and lime sounded really good to me and I liked the fact that the side dish was a quinoa-veggie combination.
This quick rub comes together is seconds and it is a simple flavor combination. Sometimes those simple things have the best results.

I am lucky because my kids really love to eat fish. I have been trying to serve it at least twice a week and it is really helpful that I don't get any complaints when I serve fish for dinner.
This was a really great, quick dinner.
My family loves quinoa too, so there were no fights about that either.
I love having sucessful dinner experiences.



For Quinoa-Vegetable Salad- combine 1 1/4 cups chicken broth and 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring mixture to a boil.
Cover and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini and 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper. (I also added 1 cup sliced mushrooms).
Cover and cook 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat.
Stir in 2 Tbls chopped fresh chives, 2 tsps olive oil, 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

Recipe for Broiled Salmon with Peppercorn Lime Rub

2 Thanksgiving Salads- Pear & Arugula Salad and Priscilla's Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Here are 2 more recipes that would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving Day Menu. Both of these salad recipes were featured in the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

I decided to make the Pear and Arugula Salad because I love arugula and thought the flavors would be great together. Arugula has a nice peppery bite to it, which I absolutely love. The red pear, sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese and delicious, light lemon dressing really made this a refreshing salad. Sometimes the traditional Thanksgiving dishes are so heavy, that I think a nice, light salad would really brighten up the table and add some much needed green to the menu.

The Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad was just too interesting to pass up. I have noticed persimmons the past couple times I have gone to the grocery store, but until I saw this recipe, I really had no idea what to do with one. My kids love pomegranates, so we have been munching on the arils quite a bit already this fall, and the ones at the grocery store right now are beautiful-so large and bright red.
I forgot to pick up pine nuts, so I just subbed in roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). This salad has a nice kick from the jalapeno and the lime juice really brings all the flavors together.
Persimmons are really tasty and so beautiful when you slice them. Be brave and try this salad, you might really love it!


Recipe for Pear and Arugula Salad

Recipe for Priscilla's Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Crispy Tofu with Green Vegetable Stir-fry

As soon as I saw the photo for this recipe in a recent issue of Family Fun Magazine, I ripped it out.
This looked like it could be the one. The recipe that would get certain members of my family excited about tofu. (I won't mention any names, but one of them is not a child- that pretty much gives it away, doesn't it?)
Ok, maybe excited isn't the right word to use there.
Acceptance is what I was going for.

Here you have small tofu cubes that are marinated, breaded, and deliciously crispy.
This recipe is a bit more time intensive than the one I posted last week, but it is also one that I would make again.
The stir-fry is great, the tofu is delicious and my family really loved it.

The tofu cubes are flavorful and crispy-the panko breading is perfect.
The recipe suggested serving this over rice, but we don't eat alot of rice and I had some whole wheat angel hair pasta, so I served the stir-fry over noodles instead.
The recipe also suggested using any combination of green vegetables that you like, such as: asparagus, fresh green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, snow peas, and/or zucchini.
I used all of the above, except for the sugar snap peas and snow peas.

My daughter (the one that loves tofu), even ate some of the leftover cubes as a snack the next day. Cold, out of the refrigerator.

I'm just saying....


Crispy Tofu with Green Veggie Stir-Fry adapted from Family Fun Magazine
Ingredients
For the tofu:
1 14 oz package extra firm tofu
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs found in the ethnic food aisle of supermarkets)
1/3 cup canola oil (I used 2 Tbls and cooking spray)

1- Drain the tofu, then press it with paper towels to remove excess water. Cut into cubes.
2. Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a 8-inch square baking dish. Add the tofu cubes and turn them to coat all sides. Set the cubes aside to marinate for 30 minutes, turning them once halfway through.
3. For dredging, make an assembly line of three small dishes: the first containing the cornstarch; the second, the egg; and the third, the panko. Toss each tofu cube lightly in each dish, in the order listed. Set the cubes aside on a plate until all are coated.
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Heat a 10 to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, then the tofu cubes to the pan. Fry them on one side until golden and crisp, then continue cooking until all sides are golden, using tongs to turn them, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the cubes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven to keep the tofu warm.

For the stir-fry sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 Tbls oyster sauce
1 Tbls soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the stir-fry:
1 Tbls canola oil
1 small bunch scallions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
4 cups cut up vegetables to stir-fry(I used broccoli, asparagus, zucchini and fresh green beans)
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds ( I totally forgot about these)

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the oil, then the scallions and ginger. Stir-fry until they're just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until they're crisp tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the sauce, stir-frying the mixture until it's bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve stir-fry with rice or noodles and top with 12 cubes of tofu, per serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

One Year Ago-Red Lentil Soup-2 ways and Bundles of Joy with homemade Pear Butter

TWD-Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie with Mango

Sometimes a recipe in Baking:from my home to yours looks so good, that I just can't wait for someone to choose it for Tuesday's with Dorie.
Such is the case with the Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie, which I opted to make with the mango that Dorie suggests in the Playing Around section.

I made this at Thanksgiving last year because I wanted something a little bit tropical to go along with the other desserts we had.

You can find my post and my version of the recipe HERE. Instead of the normal pie crust called for, I made a gingersnap/macadamia nut/ crystallized ginger crust- the crust from this recipe.

I also reduced the amount of butter in the filling by 2 sticks. Yes, you heard me right. I left out 2 sticks of butter in the filling. The lime cream filling in this pie is almost exactly the same as the lemon filling in The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart that we made last year for TWD. I remember tasting the cream before I blended in the 2+ sticks of butter for that tart and thinking that it tasted better without all the butter, so this time I just left it out. I think I added 3 Tbls and that is it.

I also doubled the meringue because I wanted it to be tall and tasty.

Thanks to Linda of Tender Crumb for choosing this great-tasting pie. You can find the recipe on Linda's blog also, as well as some beautiful pictures. Make sure you check out the rest of the TWD Blogroll to find a million great variations of this pie!

Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

I have this thing for watermelon. I really love it. I think that if I had to, I could probably survive off watermelon alone.

I also really like fruit salsas. Especially when they are paired with fish or other kinds of seafood.

I was thumbing through one of my cookbooks and found this recipe. I thought it sounded really good and I knew that my kids would love the fish, so I decided to try it.

The salsa was spicy! I don't know if I just got a really hot jalapeno or it was the combination of the jalapeno and the red onion, which was a hot one, but it had a real spicy kick- which I loved.
It was a little too much for my kids- they all tried it, but couldn't handle the heat, so they ended up eating the fish on its own, with some plain watermelon and sliced green peppers.

I can't even tell you what a wonderful combination this was. The tilapia was flavored just right and the watermelon salsa was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Putting the 2 together was amazing. One of the best dinners I have had in awhile. I was sorta glad that the salsa was too spicy for my kids, because that left more for me!

Recipe for Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

One Year Ago-2 Bean Wonton Taco Cups and Fajitas

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

This recipe caught my eye in the last issue of Cooking Light. It was on the very last page, so I am sure that is what it was intended to do.
We were taking dinner to someone and I thought this was the perfect dessert to share.
I always end up doing that. I make something I have never tried before and give it to people. I guess I just have faith that most recipes will turn out deliciously.
Am I the only one who does that?
Maybe it is because I like trying new things all the time.
Anyway, I had some lite coconut milk leftover in the fridge, so I decided to sub half of the milk called for with the coconut milk. Just for an extra dash of flavor.
I didn't have any trouble finding potato starch, which I have never used before and I am not really sure if it affected the texture or taste of these cupcakes.
We loved them. I doubled the recipe so I would have enough to share and some to try.
The best part was the frosting. I used the leftovers on the Fresh Mango Bread Muffins I made a couple of days ago. Yum-my!


We are moving this weekend to Georgia! My husband is flying in tomorrow night and then we are packing the truck and heading out of here on Monday morning. We are taking our time, trekking across the U.S. and making stops along the way. We hope to be in Georgia by friday night. I have made enough treats and meals in the past couple weeks, that I will still have new material to blog about, so keep coming back to check in and have a good weekend!

Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting from Cooking Light

Find potato starch in the supermarket baking aisle. Use lemon rind and fresh lemon juice in place of the lime for a variation.

Cupcakes:

Cooking spray

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)

3 tablespoons potato starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 large egg

1 large egg white

2/3 cup fat-free milk (I used 1/3 cup lite coconut milk and 1/3 cup fat-free milk)

2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

4.75 ounces powdered sugar, sifted (about 1 1/3 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cupcakes, place 2 muffin cup liners in each of 12 muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
4. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (mixture will be the consistency of damp sand). Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in coconut and vanilla.
5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly in the center. Cool in pan 2 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
6. To prepare frosting, combine 3 tablespoons butter and next 3 ingredients (through juice) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until smooth. Spread about 2 1/2 teaspoons frosting onto each cupcake.


Coming on Sunday- Banana Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Lime Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate and Almonds, Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies and Chewy Ginger Cookies

My younger brother asked me if I would make him some cookies to take to school for a class activity. I said sure and then tried to narrow it down to 3 cookie recipes that I wanted to make.
I spotted the shortbread recipe in Bon Appetit and wanted to try it, partly because of the flavors, but also because it is baked in a 9x13-inch pan, so it would be hard to mess up and easy to get the triangles all the same size. It was a great success! The cookies were the perfect size and my brother said that they tasted great.
I wanted to make the ginger cookies when I saw them in Health magazine and I had just enough crystallized ginger to do the recipe. These were nice and spicy and really chewy. My brothers favorite.
The chocolate cookies were made because I needed another fast cookie and I thought something chocolately would be perfect.
I didn't make them as big as the recipe said, because I wanted enough for the entire class to share.
They were all a success. No leftovers came back with my brother!

Lime Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate and Almonds Bon Appétit April 2009
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
A buttery shortbread with bright lime flavor and a crunchy topping.

Yield: Makes 24

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes (includes cooling time)
2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 tablespoons finely grated lime peel, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3.5-ounce bar high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter, 2 tablespoons lime peel, and vanilla; process just until blended and dough forms clumps. Press evenly into prepared baking pan. Pierce dough all over with fork. Using sharp knife, cut dough into 12 squares, cutting through dough completely, then cut each square in half on diagonal, forming 24 triangles total.
Bake shortbread until golden brown, crisp around edges, and firm to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Using sharp knife, immediately recut shortbread, gently separating triangles. Cool shortbread in pan on rack.
Place white chocolate in small metal bowl. Set bowl over small saucepan of gently simmering water and stir just until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Using fork, drizzle melted chocolate in zigzag pattern over shortbread. Sprinkle evenly with almonds and remaining 1 tablespoon lime peel. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.


Chewy Ginger Cookies from Health Magazine

Prep: 15 minutes

Chill: 2 hours

Bake: 15 minutes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg3 tablespoons molasses

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine first 5 ingredients (through crystallized ginger) in a bowl.

2. Beat next 4 ingredients (through brown sugar) with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add dry ingredients; mix until just blended. Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

4. Fill 2 bowls: 1 with cold water, 1 with granulated sugar. Dampen hands in water; form a 1-inch ball of dough. Roll in sugar; place on baking sheet. Make cookies; place 3 inches apart and lightly flatten tops. Bake 13–15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Remove from oven; cool 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.


Giant Chocolate Sugar Cookies from Martha Stewarts Cookies
Ingredients
Makes 8.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup good-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, substitute 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in shortening (or additional butter). Add egg and vanilla; mix until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Using a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 4 inches apart. Bake until edges are firm, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Coming Next- Lemon Angel Food cupcakes