Piña Colada Cake

 It's Mother's Day tomorrow and I am running around trying to get things together for the arrival of my in-laws. When I went to the ABC store (the state-run booze vendor), I told the check out lady that I was buying a fifth of coconut rum for my mother in-law's Mother's Day cake, which *hopefully* will go well with the Thai-themed meal. She suggested that I double (or triple) the alcohol content to help me get through tomorrow, which was  an odd suggestion because (1) I'm obviously pregnant and (2) my in-laws are delightful, non-intrusive people. (Although I did consider upping the alcohol content because there are no teetotalers in our family!)

This recipe came from a really neat cookbook called "Booze Cakes" that I borrowed from Jennifer. It has lots of fun stuff, like cocktail cakes, cake shots (I am bringing these to a party after bebeh is born so I can partake too), classic booze cakes, and homemade booze recipes. If you buy it, make sure to try the Lane Cake. Jennifer made it for Easter and it was amazing.

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup coconut rum
1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut
4 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Frosting

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sweetened cream of coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut rum
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Finishing

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained well (I used the back of a spoon to squeeze out more liquid, which was a mistake. Just set in a strainer for 10 minutes.)
1 (10-oz) package sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (I only had 7 oz, which was plenty)
A few maraschino cherries

Directions

1- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans
2 - In a mixing bowl beat butter, sugar, coconut rum, and cream of coconut (for the cake) 3-5 minutes or until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream. Mix in the flour and milk mixtures in three alternating additions.
3 - Pour batter into pans and bake 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of each pan comes out clean. (I cooked my cakes for 10 extra minutes.) Let cool.
4 - While cakes are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, cream of coconut, vanilla, and coconut rum until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate until cakes are cooled. (If you don't refrigerate, it will be too runny to frost.)
5 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and top with frosting. Add the crushed pineapple and half the toasted coconut. Place second cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the frosting over the cake and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

 My poor work colleagues. They don't know how much I use them. Now, I'm just kidding about this, kind of... I often want to make something delicious, but am afraid of the ramifications of having an entire cake, batch of cookies etc. sitting around the house. My fear of sweets is further heightened by a recent visit to the doctor, where I was told that I've gained too much weight so far in my pregnancy. So disheartening! Anyways, work is the perfect antidote. People are always happy to see a sweet treat sitting in the common area. It is even better now that my new office is far away from said common area!

Anyways, I made these strawberry shortcake bars for a work party last week and they were quite the hit. Super easy and quite cute to look at. Face it, you need to go to a work party soon and these bars should be your date! Plus, strawberries are in season and they taste best now!

Original recipe found here: http://divascancook.com/2012/06/strawberry-shortcake-recipe-bars-easy-homemade.html

Ingredients

Butter-vanilla cake

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 pint strawberries

Cream layer:

8 oz cream cheese, softened (I was impatient and didn't wait long enough. The results were good, but not as smooth as I would have liked.)

¼ – ½ cup powdered sugar

8 oz frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip)

Instructions

  Preheat oven to 350.

1. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until creamy. Mix in eggs, baking powder and salt. Alternate between adding in the flour and milk, beating after each addition. Beat until all ingredients are combined. Stir in vanilla extract.
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Pour batter evenly into the dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cake will be flat and light in color. Let cool completely. Set aside.
3. Dice strawberries. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar and frozen whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on top of cooled cake.
5. Top with fresh, diced strawberries.
6. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

Beer can chicken

 Jennifer showed me this recipe five or so years ago and it's been in heavy rotation since that time. Yes, the poor chicken looks a bit abused. However, you'll quickly forget the image of chickie sitting atop a beer can when you taste the result. Oh, and I highly suggest using a gas grill. Last year I made this for the in-laws and my FIL couldn't get the charcoal grill hotter than 200 F. Needless to say, we didn't eat until 10PM. Despite the late night, it was a hit, which says something. Also, it probably wouldn't hurt to buy the chicken a day ahead of time. I bought mine 10 minutes before I was ready to cook and the inside was frozen. Nice move, Harris Teeter! Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2 Tbsp garlic salt
2 Tbsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 fluid oz) can beer (retain the can)
1 (+4 lb) whole chicken, insides removed and rinsed

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for low heat
2. In a small skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter. Mix in 1 tbsp garlic salt, 1 tbsp paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Discard 1/2 the beer, leaving the remainder in the can. Add remaining butter, garlic salt, paprika, and desired amount of salt and pepper to beer can. Place can on a disposable baking sheet. Set chicken on can, inserting can into the cavity of the chicken. Baste chicken with the melted, seasoned butter.
4. Place baking sheet with butter and chicken on the prepared grill. Cook over low heat for about 3 hours, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 F. Baste occasionally.
Original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beer-butt-chicken/

Almond joy cookies

 It is cookie of the month time again, i.e. the time when Jennifer, my mom, or I makes cookies for my grandma as a Christmas present. It is the perfect thing for her, as my grandma is in the stage of her life when she'd rather give things away rather than accumulate more stuff during Christmas. But, cookies don't count! Also, today is the first day of my 2nd trimester and I feel great. So great in fact that I totally emptied out my office this weekend to make room for baby. As a reward for parting with many a former treasure (hello, undergrad cd collection, or what was left of it after I left the flip of 100 cds behind at the Detroit airport, not one of my better moments) I downed at least three of these delectable morsels! Oh, and this recipe yields ~ 3 dozen cookies. Original recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/almond-joy-cookies-189752?scaleto=3&mode=null&st=true

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped almonds

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F Lightly grease cookie sheets.
2. Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Elote - Mexican corn on the cob

 I've had a lot of new life experiences the past year. We lost my dear grandfather, I got married, and I can now (finally!)  announce that I am pregnant. It has been quite the experience. The hardest thing has been the evening nausea and the never-ending quest for ice cream and pickles. (OK, I thought the latter was an urban myth.) So, no surprise that I've been slacking on my blog, as the last thing I've felt like doing is eating, let alone cooking. Hubby has been a good sport, frequenting whatever local restaurant I'm craving and standing in lines to get exactly what my heart desires. And I'm sure that he's glad the nausea is passing so things can get back to normal!

Tonight I tried my hand at a Mexican style corn on the cob. I've never had this in Mexico, but the local (and seemingly authentic taco truck) made a delicious version, which inspired tonight's post. This was the perfect accompaniment, especially since I still don't have a lot of energy to prepare my typical fancy dinner. So, without further ado...

Ingredients

4 ears of corn, shucked
1/4 cup melted butter (I probably used 2 Tbsp, max)
1/4 cup mayo (I used light mayo and it was awesome)
1/2 cup grated cotija cheese
Cayenne pepper, to taste
4 wedges lime

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
2. Grill corn until hot and lightly charred all over, 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the grill. Roll the ears in melted butter (or brush butter on corn), then spread evenly with mayonnaise. Sprinkle with cotija cheese and cayenne pepper and serve with a lime wedge.
3. Note: I soaked wooden spears in water for a few hours and poked them into the corn before grilling. They made it a lot easier to manipulate (and eat!!!) the corn.

Seafood gumbo

 If you're one of the two people that follow my blog, you'll notice that my activity has dropped off a bit in the last month or so. I blame travel and work. Well, more like the combination, i.e. traveling for work. I also blame work travel for gaining a few pounds. I'm not sure how many, since I'm afraid to step on the scale!

Anyways, last week I was in New Orleans. Our hotel was right on the edge of the French Quarter, which was perfect. Not too noisy, but close to all of the night life. And there is a lot of night life, as some of my more reserved coworkers discovered when walking down Bourbon Street at 10PM. Their reactions still put a smile on my face!

So, as a food tourist in New Orleans, I got to taste many delicious items, including oyster poboys, beignets, chicory coffee, different types of gumbo, and turtle soup. I still can't believe I ordered the turtle soup, but the subtle flavor of sherry (FYI: a southern coworker suggested I ask for more sherry, and the waiter came right over with a bottle, so it must be a common request. Um, yum!) took away a lot of the guilt I had about eating such a cute creature. I've offered to make some for friends, but have yet to find any takers. So, I'm considering tricking hubby into eating it, since turtle meat kind of looks like chicken. I'll report back if (and when) I do!

Oyster poboy at Johnny's Poboys

Anyways, I again digress. After my bowl of seafood gumbo, I immediately got out my computer and started looking for recipes. This recipe, taken from allrecipes.com, was ranked highly and immediately caught my eye. (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/good-new-orleans-creole-gumbo/?scale=10&ismetric=0) I can't say enough good things about it. The recipe was fun to make and immediately brought me back to the French Quarter. The only drawback was that the ingredients were pretty expensive. Be warned! (I could kind of tell this while assembling my grocery list, but felt that the splurge would be worth it. It was!!!)
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp bacon drippings (12 ounces of bacon should do it)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb andouile sausage, sliced
6 cups water
3 cubes beef bouilon
1.5 tsp white sugar
Salt to taste
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning blend
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/2 6 ounce can tomato sauce
1 tsp gumbo file powder
1 tbsp bacon drippings
1 10 ounce package frozen cut okra, thawed
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1/2 lb lump crabmeat
1.5 lbs uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp gumbo file powder

Directions

1. Make a roux by whisking the flour and 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
2. Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 1 tsp of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
4. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. (I didn't cook my okra enough. They should probably be a bit crispy. Mine were lightly cooked and turned to mush in the gumbo.) Mix in crab meat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 1 more tsp of file gumbo powder.

Lemon blueberry pancakes

Have I ever told you how spoiled my husband is? It is not uncommon, although less common since we've been married, for me to greet him with breakfast in bed on the weekend. Perhaps he doesn't know that it is a ploy; I make the coffee extra-strong so he will get out of bed and go do errands with me! Although I've never been on the received end of this, he is pretty good about bringing me a glass of water and my iPhone at night, so I'd say we're even Steven.

Anyways, I rarely make pancakes, instead opting for eggs and toast. However, last night I decided that it was time to mix it up a bit (no pun intended) and I immediately thought of lemons and blueberry. Don't ask me why. All I can say is that these were amazing. The recipe only calls for one tbsp of sugar and it is definitely enough. The lemon adds such a nice hint of sweetness. I'd even go as far to say that these were better than doughnuts. And I love doughnuts!

Makes eight pancakes and is very easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk (next time I"ll add a bit more, as the batter was a bit thick for my taste)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, or use frozen thawed blueberries

Preparation:

Beat egg until frothy; add remaining ingredients except blueberries, beating just until smooth. Gently stir in blueberries. Grease a heated griddle. For each pancake, pour about 3 tablespoons of batter from a large spoon or from pitcher onto the hot griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.