Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Cooking : Ali's Coo Coo for Coconut Relish

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package sweetened shredded coconut
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, or more to taste
1/4 cup coconut flavored syrup
1/4 cup water

Directions
Blend the coconut, jalapeno pepper, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, coconut flavored syrup, and water in a blender until liquefied; pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook the coconut mixture at a gentle boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool before serving as a condiment for hot dogs.

Cooking : Bodacious Brownies

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan.
Melt butter in medium sauce pan. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and cocoa. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture until just blended. Fold in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Cooking : Apple Port Pastry Cups

Ingredients
1/2 (17.3 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm� Puff Pastry Sheets
4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
4 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon port wine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 red or green apple, cored and finely chopped

Directions
Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 14-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 36 (about 2 1/4-inch) squares. Press the pastry squares into 36 (1 3/4-inch) mini muffin pan cups.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastry cups are golden.
Stir the cheese, brown sugar, wine, cinnamon and lemon juice in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth. Add the apples and toss to coat.
Divide the apple mixture among the pastry cups. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling is hot.

Cooking : Apple Streusel Muffins

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter or margarine, softened

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, flour, eggs, water and oil. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fill paper-lined muffin cups one-third full. Combine the filling ingredients; place 2 tablespoonfuls in the center of each muffin cup. Top with remaining batter. Combine the topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over batter.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Cooking : Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cold butter

Directions
For batter, in a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Toss blueberries with remaining flour. Stir blueberries and cream cheese into creamed mixture (batter will be thick). Transfer to a greased 8-in. square baking dish.
For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.