Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Another, "Hmmm, I can't decide what I want, ooh!  Coconut!!" recipe.

I really wanted Oatmeal cookies, and went scrounging for ingredients.  I found everything, but I was short on oats...and found some coconut and molasses while I was digging and thought that sounded pretty awesome mixed in!  And stumbled onto craisens and white chocolate...so, here is the final list:

1/2 cup (1 stick of butter) softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 granulated suger (just the regular stuff or you can use raw)
2 eggs
1 teasp of vanilla (generous)
1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flower (I used whole wheat)
1 teasp of baking soda
1 teasp of cinnamon (heaping)
1/2 teasp of salt
I like molasses, so I added some...probably 2-3 tablespoons
2 cups dry quick oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup Ghiradelli white chocolate chips
1 cup craisens


Throw everything in a bowl, in stages

Mix well

Spoon out onto a cookie sheet

Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes

Taco Egg Casserole

This was a discovery born of boredom and leftovers:
I wanted to make a protein-heavy, store-able, warm breakfast.  Elise likes carbs for breakfast.  I am trying to maintain her weight but keep her from being hungry...and so I abruptly decided to make "Church Eggs" as she calls egg/breakfast casserole...because the only time I make it or she eats it, is at Sunday School breakfast socials.

I decided to use deer meat instead of sausage, because of its significantly lower fat content.  (You can of course, use lean beef!)  I thought I had some in the fridge already browned up for quick meal use, and stumbled onto some meat leftover from taco night...and realized that would be REALLY good!!  And so:

Burger 1-2lbs
taco seasoning
6-10 eggs
sharp cheddar cheese
salt
bread 3-6 slices


Brown a pound or so of deer burger (or lean hamburger or turkey burger)

Mix in a liberal amount of taco seasoning.  I use McCormick's, although you can use any or make your own!

Tear up last week's dry bread (or whatever!) and put it at the bottom of a casserole dish.

Put taco burger heavily on top of the bread

Sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese

Mix eggs with personal preference of salt

Pour eggs over everything

Bake in oven at 350* until eggs are firm.

Serve

Devour

Excellent for breakfast and supper.

Mmmm

Greek Yogurt Ice Cream

Greek yogurt of your choice  (1 large tub or 4 single serve cups {6oz})
Whipping cream (organic has no stablizers)
Honey to taste
1 or 2 teaspoons of vanilla

Whip the whipping cream, add vanilla, add honey to taste, mix in greek yogurt, freeze.  You don't even need to put it in an ice cream maker, and it scoops out, remarkably well...

So far, I've used strawberry and vanilla and both are fantastic!!

If you are in a hurry you can use Tru Whip...but I have to say, the real cream is YUM.

Scratch Red Pepper Hummus

My mama made this and shared it with me...and it has been a HUGE hit!!

 

HUMMUS

1 15 oz. can chick peas (rinsed & drained)

1 head of garlic

1 red bell pepper

Sea Salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 Tbs. Olive oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Slice a clean cut off the top of the entire head of garlic (to expose the very tip of the cloves). Loosely wrap garlic in foil with a Tbs or so of water. Place wrapped garlic and bell pepper in baking dish. Roast for 45 minutes. The bell pepper should get pretty dark, maybe even black in places. That’s good!

After pepper has cooled, remove skin & seeds. Slice pepper into strips. Use a blender or food processor for remaining steps. Pour chick peas into processor. Add pepper strips. Squeeze all of that delicious, roasted garlic goodness into blender. Gently pulse until it starts to come together. At this point you can drizzle in olive oil or leave it out. Continue to pulse until smooth dip consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate to let the flavors really mesh.

My favorite cookies of all time. Honest.

(Katie's) Molasses Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening (melted)
1 cup sugar + 3 TBSP
1/4 molasses
1 egg
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

There were all sorts of complex directions about sifting and chilling and stuff...but I don't do that...

Then ball up on your cookie sheet and bake at 325* for about 10-12 minutes.

SPEC.TAC.ULAR

Ice Cream

*sigh*
This has been nasty tricky.  Thankfully, I have found one that doesn't tear up Charlotte too badly.

I got a recipe from a friend that involved Cool Whip.  WOW.  I cannot even begin to tell how how many brands of crazy that brought out in Charlotte.  I mean INSANE.

But another friend volunteered that she thought she saw a cool whip natural alternative in the organic section at Kroger.  Frankly, with all of Charlotte's issues, my BEST option would be actually whipping whipping cream, but that's for another day...

Tru Whip
Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Almond Milk (or coconut...pick your option)
Throw it in the ice cream maker of your choice.

I used Chocolate Almond milk once it it was pretty yum, too. 

Both Tru Whip and The Eagle brand have milk products in them, but there is less than other options, so it's an improvement...and most importantly, it doesn't make Charlotte nuts.


I'm still trying to work out the freezing kinks to Greek yogurt and just make ice cream that way...as for some reason the milk does not play havoc on her belly in that form...

But these were AWESOME...and I just put ginger snaps in the bottom of the cupcake papers instead of making the crusts...shaved some serious time off the preparation...And I jacked the lime juice way up because I like the "bite"...
http://www.littlebittybakes.com/2012/07/key-lime-yogurt-pie-bites/

I've been thinking about making ice cream with Tru Whip and Greek yogurt...that's the plan for tonight...I'll let you know it it turns out!  :)

Summer is moving in fast!!

Fantastic link to homemade popcicles!!!  Which will be VERY important in a few short weeks!  :)

http://tipnut.com/homemade-popsicles/