Juanita's Cocina

Grilled Tilapia with Olives, Tomatoes, & Capers ~ A @STAR_Fine_Foods Feature & #Giveaway!

Jen — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:37 +0000

It’s officially grilling season in Texas, y’all. The unofficial start to grilling season is the first time the temperature reaches 80 degrees…which was in March this year. I hope that’s not a sign of temperatures to come. The official start to grilling season is, of course, Memorial Day.

To me, grilling season translates, almost always, to meat and potato salad.

Not that I’m tooting my own horn or anything, but meat and potato salad is a specialty of mine. Just ask my wife. She’ll totally back me up…since meat and potatoes are the way to her heart and all.

But this year? This year I’m readying my body for Florida swimsuit weather. In only a few short weeks, the Cocina family will be descending on Central Florida with the smell of burning rubber in our wake. And THIS Cocina dweller needs to show up ready to get in a swimsuit.

So, when I was once again given the opportunity to work with STAR Fine Foods, and I was tasked with developing a recipe that would be perfect for grilling season, I decided I needed to lighten things up a bit…because “bathing suit” has been flashing like a neon sign in my brain.

STAR sent me a huge box of their STAR Olive Pouches to use in my grilling. The new STAR Olive Pouches are a convenient way to enjoy a healthy, delicious, on-the-go snack that is low in calories, cholesterol and are gluten free. You can choose from five delicious ready-to-eat flavors {Olives Seasoned with Provencal Herbs, Olives Seasoned with Basil, Medium Pitted Olives, Olives Stuffed with Pimento, & Pitted Manzanilla Olives}. The pouches are resealable and contain 5 servings per container.

I used the Manzanilla Olives to set off this grilled tilapia in a fabulous way.

Tilapia is one of my favorite types of fish. It’s light, doesn’t taste “fishy”, it’s cheap, and it carries the flavors of whatever it is cooked with extremely well.

One of our favorite dishes as a family is a Spanish-Style Tilapia, which is simmered in a spicy tomato, olive, and caper sauce. I immediately thought of transforming that stove-top dish into something more appropriate for the grill!

What emerged from that brainstorm is this Grilled Tilapia with Olives, Tomatoes, & Capers. It is light, fresh, and super quick to prepare! You can get your grill on and still feel fabulous!

I grilled my tilapia filets in small aluminum foil pouches with all of their fresh toppings. Seriously…20 minutes and a delicious and healthy grilled dinner was on the table. And everyone gobbled it up!

Grilled Tilapia with Olives, Tomatoes, & Capers

Ingredients

4 Tilapia filets
10 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pouch of STAR Manzanilla Olives, drained and sliced
2 Tbs. capers
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter (you can also use olive oil), divided
2 Tbs. white wine, divided
4 large sheets of aluminum foil, sized large enough to make a pouch for the fish and toppings

Instructions

Preheat your grill to a medium-high setting.

In a bowl, mix the grape tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, and red pepper flakes until well-combined.

Lay one piece of tilapia in the center of a piece of foil. Season the fish liberally with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/4 of the olive and tomato mixture over the top of the fish. Fold all of the sides of the aluminum foil up to form a “boat” around the fish. Pour 1/2 Tbs. of white wine over the fish and veggies. Top fish with 1/2 Tbs. of butter, broken into small pieces. Completely seal the aluminum foil up and around the fish and veggies so that the seal is on top, and no liquid will be able to escape during grilling.

Repeat the process with the remaining fish.

Grill the sealed fish packets for approximatel 15-17 minutes, or until the fish has cooked through and the tomatoes have softened.

Serve immediately over a bed of rice or quinoa.

The flavors in this dish are light, fresh, and will instantly remind you of summer!

You won’t feel deprived at all while you’re eating this fabulous grilled dish.

If you want a stronger olive flavor, simply add more olives to the topping mix!

You’re just minutes away from a healthy, flavorful, grilled dinner!

********************

And now, for the giveaway!

STAR Fine Foods is teaming up with Juanita’s Cocina to give away 5 sets of their ready-to-eat STAR Olive Pouches!

In order to enter to win your set of STAR Olive Pouches, please CLICK HERE TO ENTER on the STAR Facebook page!

The giveaway starts today, May 21st, 2013, and ends June 3rd, 2013. 5 Winners will be chosen. One entry is allowed per person. Additional entries are gained if you share the promotion when prompted by the entry form and someone uses your unique link to enter. Winners will be notified on the STAR Fine Foods’ and Juanita’s Cocina’s Facebook pages.

If you’d like to learn more about STAR Fine Foods and their products, you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter. You can also shop for their products in their online store!

***Disclaimer: I was sent free product and was compensated in exchange for this post and recipe. As always, all opinions contained within this blog post belong to me.***

Grilled Pesto, Mozzarella, & Sundried Tomato Flatbread ~ May #SecretRecipeClub!

Jen — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:51 +0000

It’s time for May’s Secret Recipe Club reveal!

Secret Recipe Club is a monthly blog hop where members choose recipes from other members’ blogs to make and blog! We don’t know who’s made what from whose blog until reveal day…hence the “secret” part of The Secret Recipe Club!

This month I was assigned Tandy’s blog, Lavender and Lime. Tandy lives in South Africa! (it’s a dream of mine to travel there) She’s been blogging since 2009, and loves to share the things she creates in the kitchen. Her love of cooking comes from her grandparents, who guided her love of food during her childhood. Tandy has been featured in multiple online and print publications, and her culinary features have won multiple awards.

So, you can imagine how much difficulty I had when trying to select a recipe to make from this incredibly accomplished lady! There was just so much to choose from! I mean, just check out her Sourdough Monkey Bread, Chocolate Pasta, Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Rustica, and Mixed Seafood Risotto.

But then I stumbled across Tandy’s recipe for Griddled Flatbreads. And I knew I’d found my recipe.

Tandy has taken a regular flatbread recipe and turned it fabulous by griddling them (cooking them on an indoor grill pan). I’ve been wanting to grill pizza for a while, but had yet to attempt it in my own kitchen. I knew this was my chance!

I modified Tandy’s flatbread recipe just a bit (I subbed some all purpose flour for her whole wheat bread flour, because bread flours tend to create a chewier bread, and I wanted my flatbreads to be tender). And then I topped the grilled flatbreads with some homemade pesto, some mozzarella cheese, and sundried tomatoes.

My word, were these delicious! And they are quick to make, quick to grill, and perfect for any time when you’d like to use your grill in a nontraditional way.

Thanks to Tandy for the wonderful recipe and inspiration!

Grilled Pesto, Mozzarella, & Sundried Tomato Flatbread

Ingredients

For the Flatbread Dough

3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. yeast
1 Tbs. milk
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. all purpose flour

For the Flatbread Pizzas

Olive oil for brushing the dough
Approximately 1 cup prepared pesto
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Sundried tomatoes, sliced thin (amount depends on how many you’d like on each flatbread)
Red pepper flakes

Instructions

For the Flatbread Dough

Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in a measuring cup. Allow the yeast to bloom (bubble and foam) for approximately 8-10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the bloomed water/yeast mixture, milk, olive oil, and both flours. Using your dough hook, knead the dough on low until it pulls away from the wall of the bowl. Turn the mixer to medium and knead for another 5 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth ball. Once a ball has formed, place the dough ball into a lightly-greased bowl, cover the bowl, and set it aside in a warm place. Allow the dough to rise for an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

For the Flatbread Pizzas

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a large, flat rectangle shape, approximately 10 inches x 5 inches.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat.

Once the grill is hot, brush the top of one flatbread with olive oil. Place the oiled side down on the grill and grill for 2-3 minutes, or until char marks have appeared on the bread, and the dough is set. Brush the other side with olive oil before flipping and cooking for another 1-2 minutes, or until the flatbread has cooked through. Remove flatbread from the grill, and repeat the process with the other flatbreads.

Heat the oven to broil. Place flatbreads on a baking sheet (you will need two different baking sheets).

Top each flatbread with 1/4 of the pesto, 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese, and desired amount of sundried tomatoes. Broil flatbreads until cheese is melted (one pan at a time). Once flatbreads are removed from the oven, sprinkle the tops with red pepper flakes. Cut and serve immediately.

I love that you can customize these flatbreads with any toppings that you’d like! (wait till you see what I’ve got coming up next!)

This version, with the fresh pesto, cheese, and sundried tomatoes…*muah*! SO good!

I’ve turned into a grilled flatbread fiend!

Basically, I want to put everything on a flatbread now…and it’s all Tandy’s fault!

Make sure you check out all the other SRC peeps to see what they’ve made!

Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake ~ Low & Slow #SundaySupper!

Jen — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:00:36 +0000

A few years ago, shortly after I had moved to Texas with UncleR, my mother called before Christmas asking what we wanted as a Christmas gift. Since we had an already established household, it was difficult to think of something we could use! We finally settled on a crockpot, because the one we had was, ummmm, probably as old as me. And it was one of those tiny ones, that you can only fit in enough food to serve half an army. And since I like to serve a whole army, we needed something bigger.

What? You don’t cook to serve an army like me? Where is the fun in your life?

Mom delivered big time with a fabulous crockpot for Christmas, and it has literally been one of my best friends in the kitchen ever since. I use my crockpot for everything. I use it an average (and this is a low estimate) of once per week. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter…my crockpot is always on my counter filled with yummy things. Pulled pork, shredded chicken, soup, chili, queso…you name it! It’s been made in my slow cooker!

So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard that this week’s #SundaySupper theme was “Cooking Low & Slow”. Our hostess with the mostest, Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen, asked us to make something that could be cooked low and slow, whether it be in the slow cooker, a smoker, or simply cooked low and slow in the oven.

Y’all know where I went, right? Straight to my friend the crockpot.

Now for all of the savory soups, appetizers, side dishes, and mains that I’ve made in my trusty crockpot, the one thing I’ve never made is dessert.

Dessert? In a slow cooker???

Oh yes, I did.

I found a recipe for a Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake on 365 Days of Slow Cooking. I doubled the recipe for the cake because I generally make dessert on the weekends, and then we enjoy them during the week. So, I needed something that would last a few days.

Y’all…ohmahgaw. This Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake is DEE-VINE, with an emphasis on the dee.

You dump crushed pineapple into the bottom of your slow cooker, cover it with cake batter, and then pour a “sauce” over the whole thing. During the cooking process, something magic happens. The cake rises to the top, and the sauce sinks to the bottom and meshes with the pineapple to form a gooey, caramel-y sauce.

This cake is best served warm…with vanilla ice cream, of course. And don’t worry, this reheats just fine. Once it cools off in your slow cooker, you can scoop it up in large portions and store it in a covered dish. Then, when you need your second, third, or eighth serving, just scoop it out, plop it in a dish, and reheat it in the microwave. It’s just as good and as gooey as it is straight from the crockpot!

UncleR says she’s thankful to my mom for the slow cooker. Without it, there wouldn’t be this cake. And life just wouldn’t be as sweet.

Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake

Ingredients

1 24 oz. + 1 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple, drained but juice reserved
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
2 14 oz. cans of Cream of Coconut, divided
4 Tbs. canola oil
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut, divided
2 cups evaporated milk

Instructions

In the bottom of a 6 qt. slow cooker that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, spread the drained pineapple to cover the bottom.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, vanilla, 2/3 cup of Cream of Coconut, 1 1/3 cups of the reserved pineapple juice, oil, and 1 cup of the shredded coconut, until well-combined. Spread the batter over the pineapple in the slow cooker.

In a small saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and all of the remaining Cream of Coconut until it is boiling. Once the mixture boils, pour the liquid over the top of the batter in the slow cooker, but do not stir.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, or until the cake portion is cooked through and the edges are golden brown. (A knife inserted through the cake in the middle will come out clean of batter, but may have some sauce from the bottom of the slow cooker)

In a small skillet heated over medium heat, toast the remaining coconut, stirring frequently, until it turns a golden, toasty brown. Once coconut is toasted, remove it from the heat immediately so it does not burn.

To serve, scoop down through the cake to the pineapple/sauce layer, and spoon a portion into a serving dish. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream and some of the toasted coconut.

DO NOT forget the vanilla ice cream and toasted coconut.

Those two things take this from ohmahgaw to OHMAHGAW! (if you know what I’m sayin’…)

Turns out, my slow cooker really is my best friend.

After all, she brought me cake. And friends that bring you cake are the best kind.

********************

Make sure you check out the other #SundaySupper participants to see what they’ve shared for today’s Low & Slow #SundaySupper!

Low & Slow Breads & Starters:

Asiago Meatballs from Daily Dish Recipes
Slow Cooker Bread: Easy Dinner Rolls from Growing Up Gabel

Low & Slow Mains:

Apricot-Mustard Baked Ham from Healthy.Delicious.
Braniya {Lamb and Eggplant Tajine} from MarocMama
Brisket from Sustainable Dad
Brisket with Ale BBQ Sauce from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
Carnitas from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Dairyfree Chicken and Mushroom Ragout from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Dry Rubbed Smoked Back Ribs from Noshing With The Nolands
French Dip Sandwiches from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Fried Beef Ribs from The Urban Mrs
Italian Beef from Curious Cuisiniere
Italian Sunday Gravy from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Jambalaya from Gourmet Drizzles
Minestrone Soup from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Osso Buco from Webicurean
Pork and Sauerkraut Sandwiches from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Rice, Bean and Vegetable Casserole from Happy Baking Days
Salsa Chicken from Momma’s Meals
Sauerbraten from Magnolia Days
Slow Cooker Chana Masala from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Slow-Cooker Mole from girlichef
Slow Cooked Pork Sausage and Onions from Family Foodie
Sweet Pork from Table for Seven

Low & Slow Sides:

Caramelized Garlic in the Crock-Pot from Shockingly Delicious
Slow Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Low & Slow Desserts:

8-hour Cheesecake with Roasted Grapes (gluten free) from Vintage Kitchen
Gluten Free Slow Cooker Glazed Cinnamon Coffee Cake from Blueberries and Blessings
Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake from Juanita’s Cocina
Slow Cooker Pineapple Coconut Rice Pudding from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Low & Slow Food from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today to talk about slow cooking! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

What’s Been Happenin’ In The Cocina ~ 5/18/13!

Jen — Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:21 +0000

What do you do in times of stress?

I cook and clean.

Unfortunately, the last few days have been full of angst, stress, worry, and sleepless nights.

On Wednesday night, a series of tornadoes tore through nearby towns, affecting the community where I work. I have friends and co-workers that have seen more devastation in the last few days than any one person should. Due to the tornadoes, I’ve had some unexpected time at home.

I have spent every hour the last few days cooking, cleaning, and taking care of things around my home that have been neglected. I’m antsy. I want to be helping my friends and co-workers, but I know that I need to remain out of the way, and I’m better off at home.

So, I’ve been doing the only thing I can…scrubbing toilets and making cake. Yes, I’m serious.

To all my friends and co-workers (and you know who you are), please know that my thoughts have been with you constantly over the last few days. And I can’t wait to hug all of your necks.

I feel sort of silly posting a round-up post today, but it’s keeping my mind busy. And that’s a good thing. So, this post is more for me than anything. I just needed to write something down…even if it’s just posting the things I shared in the Cocina this week.

So, let’s do it, y’all! Let’s recap the things that I cooked up in the Cocina this week!

Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones

Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Restaurant-Style Salsa

********************

There’s also two giveaways going on in the Cocina!

First, you can win one of these:

If you haven’t entered to win the Keurig yet, enter HERE!

You can also win some of these beauties:

Want to win a dozen cookies from Keep It Sweet Desserts? Enter HERE!

********************

I’ve also been a pinning fool this week! Here’s some things that I’ve pinned from some of your blogs that I can’t wait to make!

Homemade Hoagie Rolls ~ Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Crispy Fried Calamari ~ From Away
Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pizza ~ Two Peas and Their Pod
Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches ~ Chocolate Moosey
Cherry Garcia Cake ~ Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

********************

So, that’s what’s BEEN happenin’ in the Cocina! What’s to come?

Well, make sure you stay tuned tomorrow for a fabulous “Low and Slow” #SundaySupper, hosted by my friend Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen!

Then, make sure you stop by the rest of the week for more fabulous recipes, including a new giveaway!

Hug your loved ones on this fine Saturday, y’all. And send good thoughts to all of those here in Central Texas that have been affected by the horrible storms this past week.

Restaurant-Style Salsa ~ And Mexi-CAN vs. Mexi-CAN’T Restaurants!

Jen — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:13 +0000

Growing up in a Mexican household has/had me spoiled. I understand what REAL Mexican foods and flavors are. And I can spot a fake a mile away.

I’m UBER picky about my Mexican restaurants. I can tell in a few minutes, most times even before I get my food, whether a Mexican restaurant will get my stamp of approval.

There are two different kinds of Mexican eateries…Mexi-CAN and Mexi-CAN’T.

Mexi-CAN restaurants are the authentic spots. They don’t serve hamburgers and chicken nuggets…because those AREN’T Mexican food, people. They have REAL chile (not chili). Tortillas (both flour and corn) are fresh made…and you cannot get the same brand at the supermarket down the street. Also, they have salsa that you could eat like soup. In fact, the salsa could be a meal of its own.

Mexi-CAN’T restaurants just…can’t. They have “sauce” instead of salsa, and you suspect ketchup to be a main ingredient. You suspect that the taco shells may come in a yellow box and can be purchased at Wal-Mart. They serve things like hamburgers and chicken nuggets because they want something everyone will eat (this should be illegal). You may go in looking for a spicy dish, and come out with something that makes your nose run in the same way that table pepper does. These places are NOT authentic, they are sad. Not even a margarita can make their “Mexican food” okay. And the salsa sits in the little bowl on the table, untouched…because it is better served on hot dogs rather than tostadas.

Seriously…if I go into a Mexican joint and I don’t want to lap the salsa up like a dog, I will never go back.

And let’s talk about salsa for a bit.

If I had to live on one food for the rest of my life, it would be chips and salsa. I don’t need anything else. And really, the chips are just a vessel, people. They’re only to get the salsa from the bowl to my mouth, so I don’t look weird spooning the salsa straight into my face. They give my “meal” a little crunch too. And crunch is important.

What I’m saying is…I love salsa. I’m picky about salsa. Basically…salsa is sort of a passion of mine.

I’ve made several different salsas at home. I have my own recipe which I’ve made for years. But, I also love trying new versions.

One day, UncleR handed me a recipe card from a former neighbor of hers. Carol lived up the road more than a decade ago, and she was kind enough to share her salsa with UncleR one time. My wife loved it so much that she asked for the recipe. This is UncleR’s favorite salsa…and now it’s mine. I mean…I’ve made it four times in the last few weeks, if that tells you anything. Sadly, Carol is no longer with us on earth, but her spirit (which I hear was spicy) certainly lives on in her fabulous recipes.

This Restaurant-Style Salsa is easy to whip up, and is SERIOUSLY good enough to just eat in a bowl like soup. It has a perfect amount of heat (but it’s not too spicy), and it even has a secret ingredient which takes it to the next level! If you want this less or more spicy, reduce or increase the amount of jalapenos.

This salsa is SO Mexi-CAN!

Restaurant-Style Salsa

Ingredients

1 green bell pepper, stem removed
2 jalapenos, stem removed
1 large sweet onion
1 handful fresh cilantro
4 roma tomatoes
2 cans (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 shake (pinch) of cinnamon

Instructions

Place bell pepper, jalapenos, onion, and cilantro into a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are broken up into small chunks.

Add roma tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, salt, chili powder, and cinnamon to the food processor. Process until salsa has achieved your desired consistency.

Chill until service.

This salsa is perfect as a dip for chips, and it is perfect to serve alongside any dish!

This salsa is so good that our son actually made a batch and took it to school for one of his classes.

This salsa is so good that I may or may not have stood over the bowl sipping it from a spoon.

Don’t forget the cinnamon…THAT is the secret ingredient!

Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars ~ It’s a #ChocolateMooseyBirthday!

Jen — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:00:38 +0000

If you asked me what my favorite part of food blogging is, even more than the food, it’s the friendships I’ve made with other bloggers. These people have turned from nameless faces on the interwebs to real-life friends. We know each others likes, dislikes, family members’ names, favorite vacation spots, and even our favorite foods.

One of those bloggers turned real-life friends is one of the first bloggers that I befriended when I started blogging a year-and-a-half ago…Carla from Chocolate Moosey.

If you don’t know Carla or her fabulous blog, you’re missing out.

We chat almost daily. This week, she’s on vacation and I feel like I’m going through withdrawal. Seriously.

Carla is sweet, talented, supportive, strong, and DANG does she ever make a mean cookie! I have been the recipient of some of her best creations…because that’s what we bloggers do. We make each other fat by sending each other baked goods. It’s one of the best things about having a blogging buddy. (don’t start sending me your addresses, people)

Well, it just so happens that today is Carla’s birthday. I won’t tell you how old she is…because a lady never tells her own age, or the age of her friends. But, I will say…she should get lots of spankings.

I decided that Carla deserved a party for her birthday this year. And since I’m in Texas, and she’s currently visiting Dolly Parton on her vacation, I did the next best thing…I organized some of her blogging buddies into a virtual birthday party in her honor…because every Moosey needs a fan-tab-u-lous celebration with all of her friends.

So, here’s to you, Miss Carla/Chocolate Moosey!

Happy birthday, dahling! I won’t sing to you, because that would be unfair to your ears. But, I will make you baked goods and eat them in your honor.

When I was deciding what to make for Carla for her special day, I knew I had to go OVER THE TOP, y’all. Because if Miss Moosey knows anything, it’s fabulous desserts.

I settled on these Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Basically, these are a luscious chocolate chip cookie bar {I used a recipe from The Comfort of Cooking}, STUFFED with Oreo Coconut Fudge Cream Cookies. Which means these are basically the best thing you’ll ever eat. And basically, I had to take all of these to work so I wouldn’t eat them all.

I knew these cookie-stuffed cookie bars would be perfect for Carla, because she loves to stuff things in the middle of baked goods too. Need proof? Look here, here, here, AND here.

And if you’ve never had one of the new Oreo Coconut Fudge Cream Cookies…WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN to the store NOW! They are…divine. And they’re even more divine stuffed inside these perfect, chewy, buttery, chocolate chip cookie bars.

I wish I could send you some of these Carla! But I took them all to work so I didn’t have them laying around my house. So, when you’re home from vaca…you let me know. I’ll send you batch #2!

Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients

2 cups + 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
12 Tbs. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 package Coconut Oreo Fudge Cream Cookies (approximately 20 cookies)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 and prepare a 9×13 baking pan by lining it with foil or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Add the whole egg and egg yolk and the vanilla and whisk well. Fold the flour mixture into the butter/egg mixture and mix with a spatula until no flour bits remain at the bottom of the bowl (do not overmix). Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Press half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer 4 or 5 rows of Coconut Oreo Fudge Cream cookies on top of the cookie dough (I had 5 rows of 4 cookies each). Layer the other half of the cookie dough over the fudge cream cookies, pressing gently with your hands so that none of the cookies show through the dough, and the top is mostly smooth.

Bake the cookies for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges and top of the cookie bars are a light, golden brown, and a knife inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean of cookie dough (you may see some melted chocolate). Let the cookie bars cool completely in the baking pan. Once cooled, remove the bars from the pan using the foil, and cut into individual bars.

Then dive in.

These are like Pringles…you can’t eat just one. (hence the reason I had to take the leftovers to work…you’re welcome work people…)

You don’t need to have a birthday to make these, by the way.

But, Carla’s birthday is the perfect excuse to enjoy them, if I do say so myself! Happy birthday, MOOSEY!!!!

********************

Make sure you check out Carla’s other blogging buddies that are celebrating her special day today to see what they’ve made in her honor!

Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars ~ Juanita’s Cocina
Chocolate Mousse Cake for Chocolate Moosey ~ Chocolate, Chocolate, and More
Chocolate Moose Cookies | Happy Birthday Chocolate Moosey ~ Cravings of a Lunatic
Individual Funfetti Cake ~ The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Chocolate Moose Cupcakes ~ Daily Dish Recipes
Torticas de Moron (Cuban Sugar Cookies) ~ Magnolia Days
Funfetti Cookie Cups ~ The Messy Baker
Happy Birthday Thumbprint Cookies ~ Family Foodie
Lemon Poppyseed Layer Cake for a Chocolate Moosey Birthday ~ Gotta Get Baked
Blackberry Cobbler ~ Jen’s Favorite Cookies

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!! A Keep It Sweet Desserts Review & #Giveaway!

Jen — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:02 +0000

In my wildest dreams, I’d work full-time in my kitchen. I don’t know if I’d be catering or creating mounds of delectable treats, but I know I’d be covered in flour, donning an apron. In my wildest dreams.

One of the sweetest and most talented food bloggers around, Lauren Lilling, is living my wildest dreams.

Lauren is the brainchild and owner of Keep It Sweet Dessert, an online bakery, based in New York City, specializing in delectable cookies and special event catering. Lauren’s mission is to put a smile on your face and satisfy your sweet tooth all at the same time.

And y’all, she succeeds.

Lauren graduated from college and hung in the trenches of the finance world before she decided to turn her baking hobby into a passion and business.

Keep It Sweet Desserts has been noted and featured by prominent media shows and organizations such as The Today Show, Fox & Friends, New York Live, and Star Magazine! She was also a finalist for Martha Stewart’s American Made Award!

Seriously…she’s living my wildest dreams.

Lauren was sweet (get it…sweet???) enough to send me a HUGE box of her fabulous goodies to review…if you can even call eating her cookies “reviewing” them. Really, it’s more like catapulting myself over everyone in the family to get to the box first…and then eating any crumbs that drop so nothing goes to waste. Allegedly.

Lauren sent me samples of some of her best cookies!

I received samples of KISD’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies {chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside}, Smoked Sea Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies {dark chocolate chips, sweet caramel, and smoked sea salt}, and Triple Chocolate Cookies with Creme de Menthe Buttercream {triple chocolate cookies sandwiched with a rich, creme de menthe buttercream}.

I’m going to tell you right now…those Triple Chocolate Cookies with Creme de Menthe Buttercream should come with a warning label. Something like: WARNING! These will change your life and you won’t want to ever eat anything else again!

Lauren’s perfect chocolate chip cookies and her salty caramel chocolate chip cookies are both some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

I wish Lauren would spill all of her secrets to me.

********************

Now…how would you like to win some of your very own Keep It Sweet Desserts treats?

Guess what!!! You can! Lauren is giving one dozen of her tasty treats to one of you…and it’s your choice which of Lauren’s sweets you want delivered straight to your door!

***This giveaway is for One Dozen Treats (winner’s choice) from Keep It Sweet Desserts! This giveaway is open to Continental US residents only. When the contest concludes, the winner will be chosen by random draw. I will then notify the winner through e-mail and they will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you’d like to learn more about Lauren or Keep It Sweet Desserts, make sure you check Lauren out on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter!

***Disclaimer: I received product from Keep It Sweet Desserts to review. I was not compensated further for this review and giveaway. As always, all opinions contained in this blog post belong to me.***

Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones ~ Mother’s Day #SundaySupper

Jen — Sun, 12 May 2013 10:00:28 +0000

Today, our #SundaySupper group is celebrating Mother’s Day the best way we know how…by making things for or that remind us of the mothers in our lives. Our awesome hostess, Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks, has rangled us all into one fantastic Mother’s Day feast!

Today, I’m going to reflect on the favorite mother in my life…my wife.

I had my son, J, at a very young age. I raised him as a single mother, putting myself through college, and caring for him through his various health and developmental issues. I had help from family, but never had a co-parent to rely on.

Then, four years ago, the most wonderful woman came into my life. And everything changed.

UncleR came into J’s life and has stood firmly as his “other (sometimes cooler) mom” since the very beginning. It was a drastic adjustment for me, probably more so than for J. I wasn’t used to sharing the responsibility, looking to another person for their opinion, or seeking outside guidance when needed.

But UncleR was ready for her job. She has loved J, parented him, and stepped in when both he and I have needed it. She is J’s other mother, my co-parent, and she’s completed our family in a way that I didn’t know we needed.

This world isn’t easy to navigate for a child with two moms. But, we’ve taught J what love means, what stability is, and what it is like to be loved to death (sometimes almost literally…he is a teenager after all) by two, caring parents. I was very proud to overhear a conversation in the not-too distant past between J and my brother-in-law, Big C:

Big C: “Your mom told me blahblahblahblahblah.”

J: “Which one? I have two.”

Every night in our household ends with hugs, kisses, and “I Love you’s” amongst all of us.

So, today I’m honoring the woman who has loved our son every day that she’s known him, just like his “other mother” should. Thank you for being my co-parent. Now let’s go knock some sense into that teenage head of his…

…..

When I was settling on a Mother’s Day dish that was appropriate to share for #SundaySupper, I immediately went to breakfast food.

I mean, aren’t we supposed to celebrate the mothers and caregivers in our lives by bringing them breakfast in bed?

UncleR has always said she doesn’t like scones. Mmmmhmmmm. That sounds like a challenge.

One bite into these Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones had her swooning and scrambling for more. I may or may not have said, “I thought you didn’t like scones?” To which she replied, “Well, these aren’t scones. I’d call them biscuits.” (insert sideways evil-eyed glance here)

Okay, fine. She can win that one if she wants. It is Mother’s Day after all.

But, whatever you call them, these Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones {originally from Batter and Beat} are amazing. They’re light, have just the right amount of sweetness, and, ummm…THEY HAVE A LEMON GLAZE!!! Apparently heaven is spelled: l-e-m-o-n-g-l-a-z-e. Just sayin’.

If you’re looking to please the palate of the mom, caregiver, or special person in your life, these Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones are totally it!

Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones

Ingredients

For the Scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, cold and cut into chunks
1 cup heavy cream (plus more for brushing the tops of the scones)
1 cup fresh raspberries

For the Lemon Glaze

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 Tbs. unsalted butter

Instructions

For the Scones

Preheat the oven to 400, and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until ingredients are crumbly and “sand-like” in texture. Add the heavy cream to the flour/butter mixture and fold everything together, just until most of the flour has incorporated with the cream. Do not overwork the dough. Fold the raspberries into the dough as best as possible (dough will still be a bit crumbly).

Press the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and shape it into a rectangle that is approximately 12×4 inches. Cut the rectangle in half, and then cut both halves in half, giving you 4 equal portions of dough. Cut diagonally through each portion of dough, giving you two triangles on either side of the diagonal cut. You should end with 8 triangle-shaped scones.

Place the scones on the baking sheet and brush the tops with heavy cream. Bake scones for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops turn a light, golden brown and scones are cooked through. Allow scones to cool completely before glazing.

For the Glaze

Whisk the lemon juice and powdered sugar together in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the glaze in the microwave for 1 minute. Add the lemon zest and butter and heat the glaze for another 30 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Whisk until smooth.

Set glaze aside and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before glazing scones.

Once scones are ready to glaze, whisk the glaze. Drizzle desired amount of glaze over the scones. Serve once glaze has set for 15 minutes.

That is a loooong 15 minutes to wait.

These scones are perfect for any breakfast or brunch.

The scones themselves are not sweet, and the lemony glaze gives them just the right amount of sweetness.

And the fresh berries? Delicious. And you can absolutely sub in another berry of your liking.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who are mothers, caregivers, or just play the role of mom. May today be an extra special day for you!

********************

Make sure you check out all of the other #SundaySupper peeps to see what they’ve made for our Mother’s Day #SundaySupper!

Mother’s Day Brunch:

Blueberry Coffee Cake from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Cornbread Pancakes with Blackberries from The Wimpy Vegetarian
Crepes from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Hot N Sweet Mango Chutney from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Lemon Glazed Raspberry Scones from Juanita’s Cocina
Quiche Lorraine from Supper for a Steal
Seafood Quiche from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote from Noshing with the Nolands
Sweet French Breakfast Crepes from Curious Cuisiniere
Vidalia Onion Quiche from Comfy Cuisine

Mother’s Day Entrees:

Cod with Stewed Tomatoes from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheesefrom Foxes Love Lemons
Lemon Risotto from Healthy. Delicious.
Lobster Ravioli with Shrimp Caper Sauce from Family Foodie
Pork dumpling (Shumai) from The Urban Mrs.

Mother’s Day Sides:

Spaetzle from Magnolia Days

Mother’s Day Desserts and Drinks:

Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Gotta Get Baked
Chocolate Kahlua Cream Pie from Ruffles & Truffles
Espresso Brownies from What Smells So Good?
Fresh Blackberry Elderflower Sorbet from Shockingly Delicious
Fresh Fig and Walnut Pie from Vintage Kitchen
Gluten Free Coconut Cake with Chocolate Ganache, Berries, and Fresh Whipped Cream from Neighborfood
Lavender Shortbread Cookies from girlichef
Lemon Meringue Pie from Pies and Plots
Lemon Petit Fours from Home Cooking Memories
Lemon Sorbet in Prosecco from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Milky Way Brownies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Mini Coconut Pies from La Cocina de Leslie
Mini Strawberry and Cheese Pies from Basic N Delicious
Mom’s Apple Crisp from Cravings of a Lunatic
Mom’s Texas Sheetcake from Daily Dish Recipes
Raspberry and Hazlenut Friands from Happy Baking Days
Semolina Balls (Suji Laddoo) from Soni’s Food
Too-Good-to-Be-Lowfat Chocolate Eclair Icebox Dessert from The Weekend Gourmet

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter today to celebrate Mother’s Day! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes that celebrate mom. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

What’s Been Happenin’ In The Cocina ~ 5/11/13!

Jen — Sat, 11 May 2013 10:00:52 +0000

Are you wondering where April went like me? Heck, we’re already into the double digits in May and I don’t even know how it happened! Of course, the good news when reflecting on the calender is that I only have 4 1/2 more weeks of work, and 5 weeks till I set off on a plane headed for Florida. Not that I’m counting days or anything…

This week has been a SUPER busy week in the Cocina! There’s been a giveaway every day here in the Cocina! Why? Because tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and I wanted to celebrate the mothers and caregivers in all of our lives…whether that’s you or someone else, I hope you celebrate with me!

So, let’s not dawdle. Let’s hop right on the review train and see ‘zactly what has been thrown down in the Cocina this week! Here’s what you may have missed:

Roasted Poblano & Corn Lasagna

Tangerine Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Bruschetta

Homemade No-Bake Twix Bars

********************

There are also FOUR giveaways going on in the Cocina right now. Yes, I said four.

First, there is STILL a giveaway for a $100 Visa Gift Card! You only have until the 15th to comment on THIS POST for RiceSelect. It’s that simple! Just let me know what you’d make with rice in your Cocina!

Now…do you like gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegars? You do??? You have until next Tuesday, the 14th, to win your pick of gourmet olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Devo Olive Oil Co.! Comment HERE!

If you’re looking for some great online shopping to splurge on you (or your mom!), make sure you stop by THIS POST to enter to win a gift certificate to the online boutique, Catching Fireflies! They’ve got great gift ideas, kitchen gadgets, and home decor!

And last but not least…for you kawfee drinkers out there, I’m giving away a Keurig! Enter HERE!

Whew! That’s a lot of giveaways!

********************

Now, like always, I’ve been pin, pin, pinning away this week! Here’s some things I’ve pinned from some of YOUR sites that I can’t wait to make!

Cobb Grilled Cheese ~ Foodie Crush
Cheesy Tex-Mex Rice ~ The Kitchn
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas ~ Feasting At Home
Lemon Poke Cake ~ Real Housemoms
Not So Humble Pie ~ Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

********************

So, that’s what’s been happenin’ in the Cocina this week! What’s to come?

Well, make sure you stop in tomorrow for a fabulous Mother’s Day #SundaySupper, hosted by my friend Heather from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks!

Then I have another very special giveaway from a fellow food blogger this week, and you’re really not going to want to miss that!

Then the rest of the week will be filled with…food. You’re welcome!

Happy Saturday, y’all! Don’t forget to call all of the mothers in your lives tomorrow!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!! Let’s Kawfee Tawk ~ It’s A Keurig #Giveaway!

Jen — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:00:05 +0000

There’s two kinds of people in this world: those that love coffee, and those that don’t.

If you’re the former, then today’s post is all about you, baby.

I’m the former, although I tend to lean towards the expensive, duded-up drinks from one of the major coffee shop spots. You know the ones…they cost you $4.58 (not that I’m being specific or anything), and they only last an hour. (The shakes last a lot longer sometimes) My wife, on the other hand, needs a permanent drip. Seriously, there are rules in this house:

I get up first during the week for work, so I turn on the coffee pot so it’s ready when she wakes up.
There is no conversation allowed until the first cup of coffee has been ~~drained~~ consumed, unless it’s an emergency.
The above should really be amended to the first POT of coffee.
There must always be a surplus of coffee, filters, and even an extra working coffee pot. (don’t ask about the time that it quit in the middle of the morning pot…that required a trip to the store in pajamas)
Coffee is serious business. It is not a joke. Do not attempt to joke about the coffee habits in this home.
Hotel accommodations are not acceptable unless there is a pot in the room WITH coffee.
Tagging onto the bullet above: ALWAYS ask for extra coffee while staying at a hotel.
Locate the nearest coffee chain for emergencies when away from home.
Some coffee is better than no coffee.

When I was given the opportunity by Staples to review a new Keurig with a variety of K-Cups, I, of course, did a little back-flip. You should have seen it. It was at least a 7.

Oh yeah, and you can win one too. Because I have your kawfee-loving backs and all.

Staples sent me a Keurig OfficePRO Single-Cup Commercial Coffee Brewer. I’m in love with this machine!

You can choose between three brewing sizes: 6, 8, and 10 oz.
The machine has a 48 oz. water reservoir, so there’s no need to refill after just one cup of coffee.
The machine will power off by itself after inactivity.
It is travel mug friendly!
The machine is easy to set up! Ready for a first-use in mere minutes!

I had my new Keurig up and running in under 10 minutes, including priming the machine for its first use.

The first K-Cup flavor that I enjoyed with my new Keurig was the Coffee People Original Donut Shop Sweet & Creamy Regular Iced Coffee. Did you know you can brew iced coffee with a Keurig? Y’all…my world just opened up. No more $4.58 icy coffee drinks before work. I can make my own at home! I absolutely LOVED this brand of K-Cup. There’s no need to sweeten or add cream to your freshly brewed cup of iced coffee! The K-Cup comes sweetened with cream! And, there are way less calories and fat in your at-home version than the store-bought iced coffee drinks.

I also received a box of Starbucks House Blend Coffee K-Cups. These had my wife’s name written all over them. She loves her coffee straight black…no fuss, no muss. She loved the smooth taste of the Starbucks House Blend, and enjoyed getting her Starbucks fix at home!

********************

Now, how would YOU like to get your hands on your very own Keurig? Well, fantabulous news! I’m giving one away!

***This giveaway is for one Keurig K10 Mini Plus Single-Cup Coffee Brewer {ARV: $99}! This giveaway is open to Continental US residents only. When the contest concludes, the winner will be chosen by random draw. I will then notify the winner through e-mail and they will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***Full disclosure: Staples provided me with these items for review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly my own. Feel free to shop their entire line of Keurig Coffee Makers and K-Cups online.***

Juanita's Cocina

Grilled Tilapia with Olives, Tomatoes, & Capers ~ A @STAR_Fine_Foods Feature & #Giveaway!

Grilled Pesto, Mozzarella, & Sundried Tomato Flatbread ~ May #SecretRecipeClub!

Slow-Cooked Gooey Pina Colada Cake ~ Low & Slow #SundaySupper!

What’s Been Happenin’ In The Cocina ~ 5/18/13!

Restaurant-Style Salsa ~ And Mexi-CAN vs. Mexi-CAN’T Restaurants!

Coconut Fudge Cream-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars ~ It’s a #ChocolateMooseyBirthday!

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!*** A Keep It Sweet Desserts Review & #Giveaway!

Lemon-Glazed Raspberry Scones ~ Mother’s Day #SundaySupper

What’s Been Happenin’ In The Cocina ~ 5/11/13!

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!*** Let’s Kawfee Tawk ~ It’s A Keurig #Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!! A Keep It Sweet Desserts Review & #Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!! Let’s Kawfee Tawk ~ It’s A Keurig #Giveaway!