Pina Colada Cupcakes

Pina colada is one of my favorite flavors and it's wonderful in cupcake form!  Even better, it's low fat.

Ingredients:
cupcakes:
2 cups moist style yellow cake mix
12 oz canned crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 tsp coconut extract
optional: 3/4 cup shredded coconut

icing:
4 oz canned crushed pineapple, drained
1 sugar free vanilla pudding snack size
1/8 tsp coconut extract

1  1/2 TBS light cream cheese

1 sweetener packet like splenda

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all icing ingredients together and refrigerate until needed.

In large bowl combine cake mix, undrained pineapple and coconut extract.  Line a muffin tin with baking cups and distribute batter evenly.  Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to completely cool, then frost and enjoy!

Crock Pot Apricot Pineapple Stuffing and Chicken

Easy crock pot meal for the family...  Serves 4, or double it to serve 8 like I did when the whole family was on vacation together!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, divided in halves
• 1 box of cornbread stuffing mix
• 4 boneless, skinless ckicken breasts
• 6-8 oz. jar of apricot pineapple preserves (I usually find these at Walmart, Great Value brand. Otherwise just apricot is fine)
• 8 oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained

In a mixing bowl, make stuffing with 1/2 stick of the butter and the amount of water called for on box. Place chicken on bottom of slow cooker.  Spoon stuffing over top of chicken.  Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter with the preserves in microwave or on stove top and stir, then stir in pineapples.  Pour over chicken and stuffing.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 31/2 hours.

Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

One of our favorite things from Trader Joe's is the Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli.  I literally stocked up an entire shelf of my freezer at the end of fall last year because I didn't want to be without them all year!  The first few times we ate them we had an alfredo sauce with them, which was good, but then I discovered this Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce recipe and we absolutely LOVE it.  It's such a wonderful and different combination of flavors!  I want to try this with other pastas as well, I'm sure it would work well with butternut squash ravioli or even cheese ravioli/ tortellini.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin Ravioli or any kind of pasta you want
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 2 1/2 TBS light butter spread
• salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 TBS good quality balsamic vinegar
• Freshly grated parmesan reggiano or another cheese you like

Heat oven to 350.
Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.  Give them a shake or stir every few minutes to prevent burning.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, then add hazelnuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Watch for the butter to turn a golden brown, but don't let it burn.  Once this happens take pan off heat and salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Make pasta according to package directions.

Stir cooked pasta in with butter sauce...

Glaze with balsamic vinegar....

Top with cheese to serve.

Monica's Tangy Guacamole

This recipe is from my Aunt Monica and it's always delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 ripe avocados, mashed
• juice from 3 small limes
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ground pepper to taste
• chopped parsley optional

Mix all ingredients together at least a half hour before you want to eat this and refrigerate.  If you keep the avocado pit in the middle it helps the guacamole not to brown in the fridge.  

Enjoy with chips or on burritos or quesadillas... any way you want!

Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I bought almond flour at Trader Joe's a while ago and kept meaning to find a recipe and make something with it, but honestly I was afraid of how it would turn out.  Then last weekend I found out that a friend coming over to my house was gluten free, so it gave me the motivation to try this recipe so she wouldn't be left out when the cookies were served.  It turned out better than I ever imagined!  These cookies are delicious beyond belief!  Very moist with a wonderful combination of flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (heaping) coarse salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  

Whisk together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Baker's tip:  If you don't like the flavor of coconut don't use coconut oil as you do taste it in these cookies.  I love it and it makes this cookie all the more wonderful in my opinion!

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips. 

Now add the 2 eggs to the liquid mixture and whisk to combine (waiting to add these insures the melted oil or butter is completely cooled and you don't scramble your eggs!).

Combine wet and dry ingredients. 

Using a cookie scoop drop onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes.  I did 12 minutes but ovens vary.

Makes 30 cookies.  Best kept refrigerated. 

They were a huge hit with my gluten free friend and EVERYONE else who's tried them!  I'm getting requests to make more already!

Sam's Chicken Enchiladas

My friend Samantha gets requests for these from all her friends who have tasted them before, they are SO GOOD!  I had to have the recipe to make them myself!  I personally like these because unlike the ones you get at a Mexican restaurant, they only have a white creamy sauce on them, not the red enchilada sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups light sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 small can of diced green chilies, drained
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can black beans (drained), or refried or pinto if you prefer
• 2 cups cheddar or taco cheese
• 2-3 good sized boneless chicken breasts or 6-7 boneless tenderloins
• 7-8 large flour tortillas, or any tortillas you prefer

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and put chicken in to cook for 20 minutes.  When cooked, use a fork to shred the chicken.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream soup and 1 cup sour cream.  Spread a few spoonfuls of that mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 dish as your base.  

Into your bowl of the sour cream and soup mixture, pour your chilies, diced onion, black beans, shredded chicken and 1 cup of the cheese.

Mix all together.

Start filling tortillas with the mixture, rolling each up and placing seam side down in dish. 

 Top the enchiladas with remaining mixture (plus leftover 1/2 cup sour cream) and bake for 30 minutes.  

Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and put back in oven for 5 minutes to melt.

Variations:  You can add corn, diced tomatoes, or avocado to the mixture.  Another thing I want to try next time is the kraft queso shredded cheese in these, I think that would be the ultimate cheesiness!

The Hub gets super duper excited when I make these!!! 

Zesty Quinoa Salad

Guest blogger day!  My friend Rita made this delicious quinoa salad and sent me the recipe and photos for the blog.  Thanks Rita!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 limes, juiced (microwave 20 sec to get extra juicy before cutting)
• 2 TBS ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 c halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (I use low sodium)
• 5 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in saucepan.  Reduce to medium low and cover.  Simmer until quinoa is tender and water has absorbed, 10-15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes together.  

Combine quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, and green onions together in a bowl.  Pour dressing mixture over and toss to coat.  Stir in cilantro, season with salt and pepper if desired.

For best taste chill in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to let flavors marry.  Great with tacos! Very filling as a side dish as well.  Enjoy!

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