COCONUT MANGO PUDDING

I picked up a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket for dinner, and the kids from school, after their activities and clubs were finished.
I planned to meet friends at a local yoga studio, Urban Asana, to try an aerial yoga class for the first time, but before I gamely threw my yoga mat over my shoulder and walked to the studio, I made this Coconut Mango Pudding. My husband and I chatted and caught up on the events of the day, as I chopped and cooked and poured and cooled.
Although I had difficulty trusting I wasn't going to crash to the ground, and as uncoordinated and ungraceful as I was, it was a really great experience, and one I would definitely repeat for the novelty, but probably not how I would regularly choose to practice.

Amber at Urban Asana Yoga

COCONUT MANGO PUDDING

1 cup ripe mango, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 (13 ounce) can of coconut milk

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add eggs and coconut milk, and beat until well mixed. Cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly until pudding thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat. Gently mix mango into pudding. Pour into small custard cups or decorative bowl. Cover, and refrigerate until cool.
Decorate with toasted coconut and/or extra mango before serving, if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Morning News
April 2004

post for Motherlode - Easter 2014 - Truffle Eggs

Happy Easter - make sure and take a few minutes to check out the FABULOUS Motherlode site http://nwamotherlode.com
Always full of fabulous information and wonderful people - you can also find these fun eggs and many more delicious recipes.

Mealtime Mama: Truffle eggs for Easter brunch

By nwamamas - Last updated: Friday, April 18, 2014

Our foodie friend, Ceri Wilkin (who blogs at Recipe Doodle) sent us this awesome recipe for truffle eggs. Aren’t they beautiful?

Ceri said these adorable eggs are fun (and easy) to make — plus they taste delicious!

truffle eggs

1/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons nutella

1/2 pound white candy coating disks

5 to 6 drops of blue food coloring

1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

Directions: In a saucepan, bring the cream, butter and corn syrup to a boil. Add chocolate and nutella and remove from the heat (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until combined.

Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 15 minutes.

Shape 1 tablespoon of chocolate mixture into an egg. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating, stir until smooth. Stir in food coloring. Dip eggs into cane coating, allow excess to drip off. Return to baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with coffee granules. Let stand until set.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Easter Recipe Cards, April 2012

- See more at: http://nwamotherlode.com/#sthash.wMOEyl4E.dpuf

CHOCOLATE NESTS

A sweet Easter treat - and fun for the kids!

CHOCOLATE NESTS

8 ounces of chocolate
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup chow mein noodles
miniature candy-coated chocolate eggs

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and shortening. Microwave on medium, stirring at 1-minute intervals until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Gently stir rice cereal and chow mein noodles into chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended.
Drop chocolate mixture by heaping tablespoons 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon, make an indentation in each spoonful of chocolate mixture to form a nest. Place 3 eggs in each indentation.
Place chocolate nests on baking sheets in the refrigerator, chill until set, about 1 hour.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Great American Home Baking, cookie collection
www.mygreatrecipes.com/home-baking

SAUSAGE AND GRITS QUICHE and CARAMEL CAKE PANCAKES

Breakfast for dinner and dessert!

SAUSAGE AND GRITS QUICHE

1 (10 ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach
1 (16 ounce) package of ground pork sausage
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup uncooked grits
1 cup grated asiago cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup white cheddar, grated, divided use
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons plain white cornmeal

Thaw spinach, drain well, pressing between paper towels.
Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, remove from the skillet and drain.
Heat oven to 350F.
Bring broth, cream and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat, stir in asiago, pepper and 3/4 cup cheddar until melted.
Gradually stir in about 1/4 of hot grits into eggs, stir egg mixture into remaining hot grits. Stir in spinach and sausage until blended.
Sprinkle bottom and sides of a lightly greased 10 inch pie plate with cornmeal. Spoon grits mixture into pie plate, sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, November 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

CARAMEL CAKE PANCAKES

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Caramel syrup

Whisk together flour and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together milk, eggs and butter in another bowl. Gradually stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Heat pan over medium heat, melt a pat of butter, and scoop batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on the top and the bottoms are golden brown, then flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on other side.

CARAMEL SYRUP

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture turns a caramel color. Gradually add 3/4 cup whipping cream and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, December 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

SPINACH PESTO AND SAUSAGE STRATA

I served this simple but satisfying strata as a quick and convenient dinner, alongside a lightly dressed green salad.
It would also be lovely as a breakfast, brunch or lunch dish.

SPINACH PESTO AND SAUSAGE STRATA

6 ounces of fresh spinach
1/3 cup jarred pesto
salt and pepper
3 eggs
1 cup half and half
1 cup grated pecorino-romano
3/4 cup sliced scallions
12 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed
1 loaf sourdough bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups grated fontina cheese

Heat oven to 350F.
In a food processor, puree 2 cups spinach with the pesto, season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, pecorino-romano and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.
In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until cooked, about 7 minutes, finely chop the remaining spinach and add to the skillet, cooking for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl.
Using half of the ingredients, arrange bread in a 7 by 11 inch baking dish, spread on pesto, then ricotta, pour in egg mixture and top with spinach-sausage mixture and fontina. Repeat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Bake the strata until puffed and browned, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, April 2013
www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

TANGERINE CHESS PIE and CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

Happy Thanksgiving - here is a little something sweet to finish the festivities!!

TANGERINE CHESS PIE

1 package of refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons tangerine or orange zest
1/3 cup fresh tangerine or orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 450F.
Unroll piecrusts, fit one into a 9 inch pie plate. Prick bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Bake 8 minutes, cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cornmeal, salt, butter, zest, tangerine and lemon juices and eggs, until blended. Pour into prepared piecrust.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, February 2012
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

1 ready made pie crust
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces chocolate
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350F.
Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate.
Microwave butter and chocolate, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30 second intervals.
Whisk in evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla.
Stir together sugar, cocoa, flour and salt. Add sugar mixture to chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth, Pour mixture into prepared crust.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove to a wire rack, and cool completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, November 2011
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

SOUTHERN CHESS PIE

1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 pie shell

Heat oven to 400F.
Cream and sugar in a bowl together. Stir in the flour. Add lightly beaten eggs, evaporated milk, nutmeg, vanilla and salt, mix well.
Pour into unbaked pie shell, bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300F and bake for 30 minutes longer. Refrigerate after it cools completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Holiday Cookbook, 2009

HUEVOS RANCHEROS WITH QUESO FRESCO

This made for a wonderful, lazy, Saturday brunch. I have been out of town the past 2 weekends and it was such a treat to be home with my family, and to enjoy a day where there was nothing but each others company and quality time.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS WITH QUESO FRESCO

1 (10 ounce) can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
cooking spray
4 large eggs
4 flour tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese, or feta cheese

Combine the tomatoes and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Set aside.
Place water and beans in a saucepan, partially mash with a fork. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until hot.
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add eggs, cook 1 minute on each side or to desired degree of doneness.
Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spread about 1/3 cup of beans over each tortilla, top each tortilla with 1 egg. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce around each egg, sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese.
Serves 4.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
www.cookinglight.com/

CHEESE, BACON AND POTATO PIE

Everyone in my family loved this - even my oldest son who tends to look at any new food with suspicion. He peered at it closely and poked it a bit with his fork - once his initial examination was done he tried a bite, then finished his entire piece, then asked for another.

We had planned to pick out our christmas tree then go out for dinner, but it was such a drizzly, miserable evening, we decided to postpone.
Since I was cooking for an event the next day, while attempting to develop an award winning cocktail, I thought I might as well cook my family a bit of dinner too.

Not bad for a dinner thrown together at the very last second.

CHEESE, BACON AND POTATO PIE

12 ounces of turkey bacon

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

1/2 cup fontina cheese

1 onion

1 potato

6 eggs

Heat oven to 350F. Butter a 9 inch pie plate.

Cut bacon into pieces, fry until well cooked and crisp, set aside.

Grate cheese and peel and finely chop onion. Peel and grate potato.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add bacon, cheese, onion and potato, stir.

Pour mixture into prepared dish, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until eggs are cooked.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, December 2005

www.arkansas.com/dining/recipes/