I Steal Great Recipes: coconut

Staff potluck. I signed up to bring cupcakes. I knew there would be tons of food so I figured mini cupcakes would be manageable on a buffet plate.

Oh and it was a tropical theme so I thought something fruity was in order. Key limes were available so I was on the search for a recipe that included key limes. I did find one and I was amused that it is a Paula Deen recipe.

The hardest part of the whole recipe was peeling the zest from these little %#@*$%&!!! I think I spent 25 minutes doing this. Oh and then squeezing the precious juice from them. Honestly, I think I just need a new zester.

The cake was light and fluffy, not too heavy on the lime flavor. The white chocolate frosting was very sweet. Too sweet? I don't know. I think I've shocked people before by saying this but I'm not really a frosting fan. I put a substantial amount on cupcakes for others (who do enjoy it) or to make the cupcakes look pretty but I'm never offended if someone is tempted to scrape off half the frosting. It's a personal preference, yo, and I want to do the same thing myself.

Toasted coconut makes it pretty too. It's really the only coconutty part of the cupcake. I was tempted to make coconut cupcakes originally but I know not everyone is a fan. I had a better chance with the key lime!

This isn't even all of them! Mini cupcakes are 1/3 the size of regulars, and this was a larger than normal cake mix so I ended up with darn near 100 minis. I guess the other time consuming part was the 4 batches of cupcakes to bake, piping the frosting on each mini, and then carefully arranging the coconut on top. I love to bake though (:

I didn't really get to see anyone enjoy a cupcake. I went home sick that day from work so I asked a few of my coworkers to replenish the smaller plate of cupcakes on the buffet table. Oh and to take home the extras. I did find the empty baking pans when I returned Monday so I'm hopeful they made it into some bellies!

I joke that I rarely repeat recipes unless they have salted caramel... But would I make these again? Yes, especially if someone requested something with key lime. Fruit cupcakes aren't a special favorite so maybe these are special occasion cupcakes!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Key Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Coconut Frosting.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce

with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and white rice.

I love love Coconut anything. This was a pretty simple recipe, making a crumb mixture and dipping the chicken in first some beaten eggs and then the crumbs. Bake for 40 minutes and you're done! The apricot sauce I needed to revise a bit- the amount of Dijon mustard was overpowering so I did add a bunch more apricot preserves than the recipe states.

Brussel sprouts have been looking fantastic at the grocery store so I picked up a pound of those without a plan. I quickly looked up how to roast them (I've done it before, but couldn't quite remember) and luckily it was at the same oven temperature as the chicken. I love when things work out like that :)

We would make this Coconut Chicken again. We actually will do that soon since I still have plenty of apricot preserves left! I also told my husband that this is a good recipe for him to make on a day when he's available to start cooking. (Usually our weekday meals, when I'm working, are 30 minute meals. This takes a bit longer than that with the prep and cooking time.)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce. (printable recipe at this link)

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Raspberry Coconut Pops

I was so excited to try this recipe. I love love love coconut. The raspberries kinda sorta overpowered this popsicle but it wasn't unpleasant. The coconut flakes added a great texture. Just yum.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Raspberry Coconut Pops.

Monday, August 1, 2011

German Chocolate Layer Cake

My husband's family came over for a belated birthday celebration dinner on Sunday. I asked him to choose a cake for his day. I was happy that he asked for German Chocolate- I mean, I just don't get to bake with coconut often enough!

I didn't show Jim the cake but just put in the fridge. You can see that the cake looks GOOD.

4 thin layers of moist chocolate cake and loads of coconut pecan filling.

The chocolate cake was very light- not too chocolatey. It was made with a bit of espresso powder for a deep, not too sweet taste. The filling was made lots of egg yolks, sugar, and butter. It is gooey and delicious.

Even after our dinner guests we are left with half of the cake. What to do??? :)

The recipe is from one of my best cookbooks, Baking Illustrated, but I found the recipe online.

Click here for the stolen recipe for German Chocolate Cake.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Fancy lunch today! This was an easy recipe to whip up today for lunch.

The coconut chicken was great. The breading was easy enough to mix up, and dipping the chicken pieces in egg whites and then the breading, and then spraying lightly with cooking spray. Easy.

I do think that the best part of the recipe was the vinaigrette. And wow, just a few ingredients to make that goodness. The recipe only made enough for two servings. After we ate our salads I promptly made a quadruple batch for the rest of the week.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

German Chocolate Cupcakes

I have a friend. Let's call him "Pal". His birthday falls on December 31st, New Year's Eve. Instead of thinking that the whole world celebrates his birthday, he thinks the party is just NEVER about him. Also, his birthday falls during our winter break each year so no treats from his work buddies. When I became friends with Pal I told him that I would make him cupcakes one day. I thought about his half birthday, but darn! That falls during our summer break. (We're not constantly on breaks at Anoka-Hennepin, it just works out that way... Well, unless you visit me at school. I'm constantly on breaks then, right, Pal?) So anyway, running joke that I would make him cupcakes. FINALLY today I knew I was going to see my Pal. I surprised him with these German Chocolate Cupcakes. He once told me that they were among his favorite kind of cakes.

The recipe is from David Lebovitz, AKA the Ice Cream God. He is also a trained pastry chef. He knows his stuff. The cake was wonderful- nice and fluffy from the whipped egg whites and tasty from the Dutch cocoa and coffee. The frosting? Not like a normal German Chocolate frosting. It was more of a topping. Chocolate, toasted coconut, pecans, and a quick custard of evaporated milk and eggs. Mmmmm. Gooey. A six pack! To take home and share.

Happy Birthday Hal! Thanks for giving me an excuse to make one of my favorites too :) Click here for the stolen recipe for German Chocolate Cupcakes.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

The fresh basil really excited me. I can't wait to start growing basil again!

Jim really liked this dinner. I like when a new recipe really works. Some are duds and not worth repeating, but this one is a keeper. I think we're even going to add more vegetables to this recipe, or even switch up the chicken for shrimp. Yes, we are wild and crazy! The curry, the ginger, the jalapenos, the basil- all that came through and made a great dinner.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

I don't have a link to this recipe because it's from my Best 30-Minute Recipe from Cook's Illustrated.

We really liked this soup too. Chicken, mushrooms, coconut milk, bok choy, cilantro, lime juice, curry paste.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Coconut Shrimp

Seriously one of my favorite foods. I don't know why I hadn't made this recipe for a few years, but it used to be one of our regulars. It was in a Cooking Light magazine way back when we used to live in our townhouse. It seems easier to make now, I think because I'm more experienced in the kitchen. I even did the extra step of toasting the coconut. Yum. It filled the kitchen with a lovely smell!

Easy recipe. And I have definitely conquered my fear of raw shrimp. I bought them frozen from Sam's Club. Easy. Cheap(er). Wonderful.

So originally I knew this recipe from a magazine but of course it's made it's way to online.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Coconut Shrimp. I skipped the pineapple salsa. We used Plum Sweet & Sour sauce from Big Bowl.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Carrot Cake

Mmmm. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites. I knew that I would make carrot cake for Easter and I knew I'd bring out Baking Illustrated for the perfect recipe. My sister gave me this book for my birthday and I love it. I need to use it- often!

I turned the cake into cupcakes and then decorated for Easter. The cream cheese frosting was a disappointment (lumpy) but I didn't follow the recipe exactly, not making it in a food processor but with my stand up mixer. I added coconut that I dyed green to look like Easter grass and a Peep sits on top. The cupcake baskets I found at Michael's. This all just came together, I didn't know I'd use the Peeps, I didn't know about the coconut grass until a few days ago after I bought the cupcake baskets.

All this work just for a couple of guests but I love it. I love to bake and follow recipes!

Click here for the stolen recipe. I did follow the recipe in my cookbook but if figures that one of blogger greats also tried the recipe!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime pie with coconut pecan graham crust.

I've made this twice now and my dear husband has already asked for it again. Key Limes aren't in season for very long it seems so he would have to bear with bottled key lime juice and that just doesn't seem right.

Click here for the stolen recipe.

I Steal Great Recipes

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Gluten Free Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Key Lime Cupcakes with White Chocolate Coconut Frosting