Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Let me preface this recipe by saying that the hubs hates broccoli.  Even my daughter refuses to eat, "The trees..."  When I made this recipe, the hubs said, "Congratulations honey!  You just made broccoli edible."  Then, I saw him, and I kid you not, snitch a piece of broccoli off of the pan.  What the?  What's happening in my house?  My husband who eats Captain Crunch, Lucky Charms, or Frosted Flakes for breakfast every morning, snitching broccoli?  Either the world has come to an end or this broccoli is ridiculously good.  This is DEFINITELY a great way to eat broccoli. 

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:
1-2 heads of broccoli
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 medium lemon
zest of half of a lemon
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Wash your broccoli and dry completely. (It is essential that the broccoli is dry to crisp correctly.) Cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. Place broccoli on foil in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss this around. Sprinkle broccoli with lemon zest and squeeze the juice of half your lemon over broccoli. Add salt, pepper and chopped garlic and toss this all around getting everything well coated. Roast in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. The broccoli should get crispy in spots and be a dark green color. You'll see it start to turn dark brown in spots and this means its getting good, really good.

Once the broccoli is fork tender and crispy to your liking take it out.  Squeeze the other half of the lemon all over the broccoli if desired. Sprinkle grated Parmesan over broccoli and let the heat from the broccoli melt it slightly.  Remember the broccoli is going to cook down so it may look like a lot initially but once it's roasted it will be about half the amount.

Recipe Source:  My friend Brook adapted this recipe from Ina Garten

Linked to:  Full Plate Thursday, Friday Food, Potluck Sunday

Hershey's Kisses Macaroon Cookies

Have I told you that I love coconut?  Huge fan and lover of all things coconut. So when I originally saw a picture of these on the back of a Hershey Kiss bag I knew these had to be created.  I loved the idea, but not the recipe.  So I changed it up a bit and came up with this.  Let me be the first to tell you...Fabulous!  The cookie is so soft and moist and topped with the chocolate kiss.  Hello y'all!  Just a perfect combo. 

Hershey's Kisses Macaroon Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter or magarine, softened

1/3 cup sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided

about 36 Hershey's Kisses

Directions:

1. Beat butter, sour cream and sugar in large bowl until well blended.  Add egg yolk and vanilla.  Beat well.  Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended.  Stir in 3 cups coconut. 

2.  Cover, refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.  Remove wrappers from chocolate kisses.  Heat oven to 350.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in remaining 2 cups coconut.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

3.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven; immediately press a chocolate kiss on top of each cookie.  Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 

Linked to:  Friday Favorites, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday, Friday Food, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, A Themed Bakers Sunday

Our Favorite Buttermilk Pancakes

I grew up feasting upon these pancakes and now make these for my family all the time.  We absolutely love them.  They also turn out so delicious and moist.  You can top them with anything from fruit to chocolate.  They are our absolute favorite buttermilk pancakes ever!

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 eggs - separate whites and yolks

3 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup oil

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons soda

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a medium size bowl, mix egg yolks, buttermilk, and oil.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, soda, and salt.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.  Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into other ingredients. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Pour batter (1/4 cup per pancake) onto the greased skillet.  When pancake is bubbling and browned, flip to the other side with a spatula.  Brown other side of the pancake and serve.

Linked to:  Tuesday Night Supper Club, Full Plate Thursday

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies

Hey y'all.  I just have to tell you that these cookies are so, so yummy!  Definitely one of my all time favorite cookie recipes.  Someone always asks for the recipe when we bring these cookies to parties and such.  They are delish! 

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
8 ounces of chocolate chips
1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
3 ½ ounces macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely (about ¾ cup)

Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 17x14-inch cookie sheets. In mixer, beat butter, sugars, egg, salt, and vanilla at medium speed until fluffy. Reduce mix to low speed, add flour, increase mixer speed gradually and beat just until blended. Stir in chocolate, coconut, and nuts. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on cookie sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 17 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned and tops look dry. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to completely cool. Makes 26 cookies.

Recipe Source:  My Mom

Linked to:  Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Friday Potluck, Sweets for a Saturday, Potluck Sunday, Savory Sundays, A Themed Baker's Sunday

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

Dear Sweet Pork, oh how I love you. I loved you enough to eat you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the same day. Should I be admitting that? I had a salad with it, and I made a burrito with it. Then I made the same meal again the next week which we never do in our foodie home. That's how much I liked it. The second time I made it using homemade enchilada sauce which made it even more fabulous! I really adore Cafe Rio, but I don't live close enough to get any. Now I feel like I can bring Cafe Rio home anytime I want, and I have. : )

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork

Ingredients:
2 pounds pork (boneless pork rib meat works great)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (or use homemade - half the recipe of the Quick Enchilada Sauce for the Sweet Pork)
1 c. brown sugar

Directions:
1. Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinate. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

3. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

4. Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Recipe Source: Favorite Family Recipes

This is how we like to eat our Cafe Rio Sweet Pork:

In the tortilla:
Sweet Pork
Mexican Mix Cheese
Black Beans
Cilantro Rice

To the side:
Pico de Gallo
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Lettuce

Linked to:  Hunk of Meat Mondays, Potluck Sunday

Lion House Cheesecake

Holy smokes people!  This cheesecake is heavenly!  I really, really enjoy a good cheesecake, and this cheesecake is among the best I've ever had.  You wanna hear my theory on why it is so delectable and more desirable than other cheesecakes?  Okay, so it has this sour cream topping layer, and I tell you what, that is the secret ingredient to making it so fabulous.  Cheesecake can get really rich at times, but watch out, because the sour cream layer tones the richness down and makes it purely delicious until the very last bite.  Thus, I eat way bigger pieces than I should multiple times a day.  It's that addicting!  This cheesecake is just so smooth and creamy.  It's perfection in a graham cracker crust.  Oh peeps, you have to have some.  Do y'all want to come over for dessert?

Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine

Filling:
3 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1 pint sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Crust:  In a medium bowl thoroughly mix the ingredients.  Press firmly into a 10-inch springform pan, lining bottom and sides; set aside.  Make filling.

Filling:  In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese well.  Add sugar a little at a time; add eggs one at a time; add vanilla.  Combine thoroughly.  Pour into crust; fill to within 1/2 inch of top to allow room for topping.  Bake 55 to 60 minutes at 300 degrees.  While cheesecake is baking, prepare topping.

Topping:  In a small mixer bowl whip sour cream; add sugar gradually, add vanilla.  Pour over baked cheesecake and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Makes 10-12 servings.

Recipe Source:  Lion House Desserts

We topped it with raspberry topping, but you could use any topping or leave it naked. ;)

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday, Potluck Sunday, A Themed Bakers Sunday

My Mother's Day line up starting with Praline-Pecan French Toast

Let me just start out by saying - I have the best husband ever!!!!  There I said it.  It's out in the open.  All Saturday night, he was prepping food for me so that I didn't have to cook or prepare a single thing on Mother's Day.  And let me just say, the hubs has been holding out on me.  He has some crazy skills in the kitchen.  The boy can cook.  So he surprised me for breakfast by baking me this Praline-Pecan French Toast...

Yep, that's bread underneath there smothered in a praline-pecan mixture.  It was fantastic!  I even had the leftovers this morning, and it was still delicious!  He and the kidlets brought me breakfast in bed with the sweetest cards ever!  I thoroughly enjoyed laying in bed, reading my cards and eating 'til I was stuffed.

Then for dinner, he made me a gourmet burger which, oh my heavenly days, was delicious.  I felt like a Carl's Jr. commercial eating it.  "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face."

 
Click here for a recipe of these gourmet burgers.  My man knows how to work that grill.  :)

For dessert?  Creamy, perfectly smooth, decadent, cheesecake.  Yes, he baked me a cheesecake.  That's what he was doing the night before.  I love cheesecake.  This was definitely one of the best cheesecakes I've ever eaten.  I'll be posting his recipe soon.  Mouthwatering! 

It was not only a great day for food, but to reflect on how much I am truly blessed.  I was raised by a wonderful mother who is an absolute angel. The gratitude and love I have for her are more than I could ever express in words.  I have a wonderful mother-in-law who I also love dearly, and I have the best husband and sweetest kids ever.  I am so blessed! 

Now on to Praline-Pecan French Toast

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) French bread loaf
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Cut 10 (1 inch thick) slices of bread.  Reserve remaining bread for another use. 

2.  Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; pour into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with chopped pecans. 

3. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients.  Arrange bread slices over pecans; pour egg mixture over bread.  Cover and chill 8 hours. 

4.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake bread 35-37 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately. 

Recipe Source:  Southern Living February 2011

This is how the french toast looks when you pull it out of the oven.  The pecan side is face down.  Just flip it over and serve. 

Linked to:  This Week's Cravings, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Full Plate Thursday

Pina Colada Cupcakes

WOWZER!!!  This is our idea of a rockin' Cinco de Mayo dessert.  These cupcakes were so moist, soft, and loaded with flavor and were really easy to make too.  They were like heaven in a paper liner.  So yummy!  I think I love them.  Yep, I'm pretty sure I do. 

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
3 eggs
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped vanilla frosting
3/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water, 1 teaspoon rum extract, the pineapple and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

2.  Bake 14 to 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3.  Stir coconut extract and 1 teaspoon rum extract into frosting. Spread frosting on cupcakes. Dip tops of frosted cupcakes in coconut. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Recipe Source: Betty Crocker

Check out Amanda's recipe for a Pina Colada Cheesecake (Yes, those three words are combined!) at her fabulous blog Eating In Winnipeg!  It looks absolutely scrumptious!

Linked to:  Friday Potluck, It's a Keeper Thursday, Sweets for a Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Muffin Monday

Lion House Rolls

I can't tell you how many roll recipes I've tried and enjoyed throughout my life.  I have a thing for bread, muffins, and pretty much all baked goods.  Oh........these rolls.........heavenly.  They are soft, buttery, and delightful. Definitely a recipe to make over and over and over again.  The Lion House is famous for it's delicious baked items.  If you haven't tried this recipe yet, you must partake of the goodness.

Lion House Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
5 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:
In your mixer combine water and dry milk. Stir until dissolved. Add yeast, sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add 2 more cups flour, and mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, and 2 minutes on medium speed. Add remaining flour a 1/2 cup at a time.  The dough should be soft, but not overly sticky.  (You may not need to add in all the flour.) Once combined, knead with hands, or knead in a mixer. Place dough in a oiled bowl. Turn over once so dough is covered with oil. Cover with plastic or a towel, and let rise in a warm place until double in size.  I always put my dough in the oven with the light on.  Place dough on floured surface. Roll out dough, and brush with melted butter. (Can you see why these are soooo good?)  Cut rolls into desired shape and size.  (Click here for a video to help shape your rolls, Lion House Style.) Place on a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Let rise in warm place until rolls are doubled in size. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot.  I was able to make 25 rolls with my dough, but it really depends on how big you make your rolls. 

Linked to:  Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits, Full Plate Thursday, Saturday Swap, Savory Sundays