Easter, Dad's Birthday and Coconut Baba

WARNING! Long, wordy and lots of photos.

I hope everyone had a very Happy Easter! We had something big to celebrate in our family. Dad's birthday fell on Easter this year. I immediately knew what I wanted to do for him. I would make him a Coconut Baba. My Maw Maw (Dad's Mom) would always make Coconut Baba. I never saw her make it. It was just something she would take from the frig in a covered 9x13 baking pan and unveil at the table after one of her iconic meals. I have never had anything similar any where else. It is a moist yellow cake topped with a creamy coconut layer, then a coconut custard and finished with meringue. We don't have her recipe but Mom would make her own version every now and then. It is definitely a labor of love. Lots of steps involved. Dad said he remembers being the one to crack open the coconuts for Maw Maw. I remember him drilling, beating the coconut with a hammer and even smashing a few coconuts against the garage floor for Mom. See Maw Maw used fresh coconut and simmered it with sugar and the liquid from the coconut. Mom has done this a few times too. But lately we have used store bought sweetened coconut with great success. Warming a bag of sweetened coconut with a can of coconut milk makes a sweet creamy coconut layer. Dad was thrilled with the outcome. He said it tasted like what he remembers. I still wish I had Maw Maw's exact recipe but I am happy I could make our version for Dad's special Easter birthday.

The only problem I had was I needed a deeper cake pan. I found myself dangerously filling the pan to the tippy top. Mom said she thinks Maw Maw used a Jiffy cake mix. I could not find one the day I went to the store. So, I did not use all the custard and meringue for fear it was going to spill over. Jiffy is a smaller cake mix, I think that would help or maybe I just need a bigger pan? Believe me you want to use every bit of these wonderful ingredients.

Now for the Easter garnish. This is totally optional, Maw Maw never garnished her Coconut Baba and it was still delicious. I just got inspired by all the Pinterest desserts featuring little eggs in a nest. I think dear sister's friend "J" would totally approve of using toasted coconut for my nesting material. Mom sure did. She kept asking, "Now how did you do this? What is in the topping?" It is so funny how marvelous toasted coconut is. Coconut is normally quite chewy and not real sweet on it's own. But sweetened and toasted it is like candy! Sweet, light, crispy and still a little chewy. It made a sweet little nest for a few Cadbury eggs. I think this is going to become an Easter tradition.

Coconut Baba

Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix, prepared as directed

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 cup water

Coconut layer:

14 oz bag sweetened coconut

1 can coconut milk (or cream of coconut)

                                                                                                            

Custard layer:

3 cups 2% milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

Dash of salt

5 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringue:

5 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp corn starch

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp hot water

Easter Garnish:

Toasted coconut

Cadbury candy coated milk chocolate eggs

Directions

Prepare cake as directed on box in a rectangle 9x13 pan. Meanwhile, combine shredded coconut and coconut milk in a sauce pan, heat until creamy. When cake is done, remove from oven and prick surface of the cake with a fork. Spread coconut mixture over warm cake.

Prepare custard by combining milk, sugar, flour, and salt. Cook until it begins to thicken. Whisk egg yolks together, temper with a little of milk mixture. Add yolk mixture to milk mixture continue cooking until thick and creamy. Add butter and extract. Pour on top of coconut.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating adding sugar, corn starch, extract and hot water. Beat until stiff peaks form. Swirl over custard and bake at 325 degrees until meringue is browned evenly about 20 minutes. Remove from oven allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Easter Garnish:
Toast 3/4 cup of sweetened coconut in a dry non-stick pan over medium low heat. Stir often until golden brown. Remove from heat, continue to stir until cool. Store in an air tight container until ready to garnish. To garnish place a spoon full on top of each piece of cake forming a nest. Place two or three Cadbury eggs in the center of the coconut nest.

Linking to:

Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

My Pinterventures: The Yuck Stops Here!

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday

It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Diamonds in the Rough: Share Your Stuff Tuesdays

My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Hungry Harps: Get Him Fed Fridays

Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Coconut

Roast Beef and Cucumber Lettuce Wrap

Now that it is getting warmer my thoughts have turned to chilled soups, salads, sandwiches and lettuce wraps. Having just captured a childhood memory of Creamy Cucumber Dressing on a Roast Beef and Cucumber Sandwich. I just couldn't help but wonder how it would be in a lettuce wrap. I embellished it a little more with Greek ingredients. I added feta, tomato and red onion. It was amazing! I liked it better than the sandwich. The dressing really shines in the lettuce wrap version. I dipped my wrap in the dressing. It was nice and messy, so feel free to drizzle the dressing over the top if you prefer. Either way this is a delicious way to enjoy the freshness of a lettuce wrap and those amazing cucumbers.

Roast Beef and Cucumber Lettuce Wrap

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 or 2 Romaine lettuce leaves

3 to 6 slices Deli Roast Beef

6 to 12 English cucumber slices

5 to 10 Roma tomato slices

Red onion, thinly sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Creamy Cucumber Dressing [Click here for the recipe]

Directions

Place one or two lettuce leaves on a plate. Place two or three slices of roast beef in each. Top with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve with Creamy Cucumber Dressing for dipping.

Linking to:

My Pinterventures: The Yuck Stops Here!

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Diamonds in the Rough: Share Your Stuff Tuesdays

Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Sandwiches + Food on Fridays - Cucumber

Roast Beef and Cucumber Sandwich

Well here is the sandwich that inspired the Creamy Cucumber Dressing. Well sort of... I could not find pita bread when I went to the store. So I modernized the recipe by using sandwich thins. They were perfect for this flavor combo. The thin bread let the savory roast beef, crispy cucumbers and creamy dreamy dressing shine through. It really brought me back to my childhood. I am so glad I, we all can make this sandwich or pita again. We don't have to rely on a bottle of dressing from the store any more. Smile!

Roast Beef and Cucumber Sandwich

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 Sandwich thin (or Pita)

3 slices Deli Roast Beef

6 or 7 English cucumber slices

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Creamy Cucumber Dressing [Click here for the recipe]

Directions

Place one sandwich thin on a plate. Spread the bottom half with a little dressing. Place two or three slices of roast beef on top of the dressing. Top with sliced cucumbers, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little more dressing and top with other half of sandwich thin. Enjoy!

Linking to:

Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday

Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Creamy Cucumber Dressing

As a girl, I remember eating a Roast Beef and Cucumber Pita drizzled with Kraft Creamy Cucumber Dressing. They do not make that dressing anymore. I hear they make a Cucumber Ranch, but I haven't seen it in a long time. I really wanted to make one of those childhood pitas, so I started looking for recipes. So many recipes looked like ranch dressing with added cucumber. A few looked more like the Greek dip Tzatziki. Some recipes used non fat Greek yogurt. Some milk or buttermilk. I got so confused. As I remember the dressing, it was just a nice creamy cucumber flavor. So I skipped the yogurt and the buttermilk. I decided to let the cucumber thin out the dressing. It turned out really delicious. I had a hard time waiting for the flavors to blend. I could not wait to make a sandwich. This dressing was great on everything, the sandwich I described, a lettuce wrap and a garden salad. I am so happy to have this dressing with spring here and summer approaching.

Creamy Cucumber Dressing

Makes approx. 2 cups; 16 servings

        

Ingredients

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

3/4 cup light sour cream

1-1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 green onion, sliced

1/2 tsp dill, minced

1/2 tsp garlic, minced

Dash white pepper

A sprinkle cayenne pepper

Directions

Place the cucumber and all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may have to push or stir ingredients once to get things started. Once blended smooth, cover and place in the refrigerator to let flavors blend. Serve as a salad dressing or dipping sauce.

Nutritional Information per serving (2 Tbsp.): Calories 25.4, Total Fat 1.8 g, Saturated Fat 0.9 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g, Cholesterol 4.8 mg, Sodium 115.0 mg, Potassium 13.7 mg, Total Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Dietary Fiber 0.1 g, Sugars 0.9 g, Protein 0.8 g.

Click here for more about my 

Roast Beef and Cucumber Sandwich.

Click here for more about my 

Roast Beef and Cucumber Lettuce Wrap.

Linking to:

Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday

It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Diamonds in the Rough: Share Your Stuff Tuesdays

My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Cucumber

My Pinterventures: Summer Salads Party

Crab and Corn Soup

Confession time! I was planning to make a dip recipe when I bought crab meat at the store. But the Zapps potato chips did not make it. "Blushing" They were gone one day after I brought them home. I had help, so don't judge. Why make the dip now, right? How about Crab and Corn Soup instead? Dear sister and I would sometimes share Crab and Corn Soup for Two at the Chinese restaurant we went to as a family growing up.  It was a little like egg drop soup but made special with the addition of corn and crab. I haven't had it in years. I am not really sure what brought it to mind today? But it was perfect! Today there was still a chill in the air and this recipe was warm and quick to prepare. I love the delicate sweet flavor of the crab and corn. I think it is better warm not piping hot. When is was still bubbling the flavor was masked by the heat. My favorite garnishes were the green onions and hot chili oil. So good! I am sure more soy sauce, sesame oil or even Sriracha would be great too. I look forward to making this soup again in the future.

Crab and Corn Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock

1 can (14.75 oz.) cream-style corn

1 Tbsp. dry sherry

2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup cornstarch, dissolved in

1/4 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

6 oz. lump crab, save some for a garnish

Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Green onions, sliced for a garnish

Hot chili oil (optional)

Directions

In a stock pot, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add the cream-style corn, sherry, soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix well and let simmer for 8 minutes. Add dissolved cornstarch stirring to combine; continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the soup is thick. Add the eggs stirring in with a fork to make ribbons. Add the crab and season with salt, pepper and more soy sauce to taste. Continue to cook for a minute until the eggs have set. Serve garnished with crab, green onions and chili oil (optional).

Note: This soup is better slightly cooled. The delicate flavors are more apparent than when it is piping hot. It was also delicious re-heated.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

My Pinterventures: The Yuck Stops Here!

Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday

It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist

Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays

Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday

Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Seasons Blog Hop

Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Crayfish, Lobster & Crab

5 Spice Sausage Tortellini Soup

The idea to combine 5 spice and tortellini came to me after making Sausage and Peppers Tortellini Soup. The flavor of fennel was so good with the sausage tortellini. I just knew 5 spice with the flavors of star anise, fennel, cinnamon, clove and pepper would be delicious too. This soup was never conceived to be "fusion" cuisine, but it turned out that way. If you like tortellini, pho or french onion soup; there is something in this soup for you. I set out to infuse the broth with onions and ginger like traditional pho; then garnish like pho. But I wanted this to be a quick one pot meal and did not want to strain the broth. That is when this broth started to remind me of french onion soup. The onions really add sweetness to this soup. But all in all, I think the pho inspiration wins out. I went whole hog on the garnishes. I used them all. I love the fresh herbs and lime. I even love how my hands smell "herby" fresh from handling them. I also like how the hoisin supports the 5 spice flavor. Don't forget the spicy sriracha! I love it, but if it's not for you just leave it out. The point of this soup is customization. Add what you like or don't add a thing, it was really good plain right from the pot. Just try it for a quick dinner soup.

One more thing this soup is like all the other tortellini soups, they are great leftovers. The flavor seems to blend and really infuse the tortellini by the next day!

5 Spice Sausage Tortellini Soup

Servings:  4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 small onion, sliced into half moons

1-1/2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and minced

1-1/2 tsp. 5 spice powder

6 cups beef stock

1-1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1-1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce

5 sprigs of cilantro, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

9 oz. package sausage tortellini

Garnishes:

Cilantro tops – leaves and tender stems

Basil leaves

Mint leaves

2 green onions, sliced

1/3 cup shaved red onions

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

1 jalapeno, sliced

Sriracha sauce

Hoisin sauce

Directions

Heat oil in a 3-1/2 qt Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and ginger, saute stirring occasionally until they begin to brown. Stir in 5 spice powder and add broth deglazing the pot. Add sugar, fish sauce, and cilantro; bring to a boil. Add tortellini and mushrooms, reduce heat and simmer 9 minutes or according to package directions. To serve place tortellini and broth in each bowl. Let each person add their choice of garnishes.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Tomato and Breakfast Bacon Pizza

Dear sister and I have always liked to order pizzas with fresh tomato slices and breakfast bacon. It is such a different combination for pizza. I love the fresh and cooked tomato flavors together. The tomato and cheese reminds me of the broiled tomatoes Mom use to make when we were growing up. Delicious!

Today I decided to make this flavorful pizza at home. I used a flour tortilla for the crust like I did for my Breakfast Pizza. It worked beautifully. I added a lot of freshly ground black pepper which was so good with the bacon. Definitely a quick meal using simple ingredients.

Tomato and Breakfast Bacon Pizza

Serves 1 or 2

Ingredients

2 - 6" flour tortilla

2 Tbsp. pizza sauce

3 - 4 Tbsp. Italian cheese blend

1 tomato, sliced

2 slice precooked bacon, chopped

2 tsp. Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place a sheet pan upside down on the middle rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place tortillas on a piece of aluminum foil. Spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each. Top with 1 tbsp. or more of Italian cheese blend, tomato and bacon. Sprinkle the top of each pizza with 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper. Place your tortilla and foil on the sheet pan in the center of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the foil and enjoy!

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
My Pinterventures: The YUCK Stops Here!
It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Season Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Creative K Kids: Tasty Tuesdays
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Pizza

Greek Seasoning

I have been cooking chicken in my Bundt pan again. I just love how the chicken gets a crispy skin all over and is still juicy inside. This time I used Greek seasoning on both the chicken and potatoes. It was so delicious. I really noticed the cinnamon and nutmeg notes this time. Of course the onion, garlic and oregano shine too. I have been using this seasoning for awhile now. It is delicious on any and all proteins. I love it on vegetables too, especially cucumbers. Oh! Popcorn, it is so good on popcorn. Just sprinkle on fresh hot popcorn and maybe add a little Parmesan cheese. Um! So good! If you are looking to add a little Greek flavor to your life this seasoning is definitely for you.

Greek Seasoning
Adapted from: Gifts in a Bag Rubs & Seasonings
Makes 3/8 cup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2-1/4 tsp. onion powder
2-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. beef bouillon powder
1-1/2 tsp. dried parsley
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions

Combine all ingredients and stir until well blended. Store in a air tight container.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
My Pinterventures: The YUCK Stops Here!
It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Season Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Food of the World Greece

Recipe Review: Crunchy Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

In the pursuit of Lettuce Wrap ideas, I came across a lovely blog called Happy Mothering. Chrystal shared a recipe for Gluten Free Crunchy Mushroom Lettuce Wraps. I had to make them right away. My wraps were not gluten free, I had to make some substitutions for items I had on hand. They were so delicious and very crunchy. I LOVED them! The water chestnuts was a brilliant idea, they add such great texture and crunch. I love the natural sweetness of the carrots and honey too. This wrap is sweet and spicy. I did experiment a little and squeezed a little lime over one of the wraps. It was delicious too. It gave the mushrooms a sweet and sour flavor. I made this recipe as a Lenten meal today. But I can see myself making it for many more healthy lunches in the future.

Don't forget to go visit Chrystal for how she makes these gluten free and all her other wonderful creations and tips.

Crunchy Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Adapted from: Happy Mothering

Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 drops of sesame oil

2 carrots, grated

1/2 onion, finely diced
8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

8 oz. package mushrooms, chopped

3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. garlic chili sauce

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Green onions, sliced (optional)

Lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions

Heat canola and sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat, add carrots, onion and water chestnut. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Combine soy sauce, honey and garlic chili sauce. Stir into mushroom mixture and cook a minute longer, or until everything is heated through. To serve spoon the mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Garnish (optional) with green onions and a squeeze of lime.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Memories by the Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
It's Your Life: Tuesday with a Twist
Turnips 2 Tangerines: Four Season Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Pico de Gallo

This Pico was so good it got gobbled up before I could measure how many cups it made. In fact, it was being served before I photographed it. I had to tell dear sister to save some chips and Pico for me to photograph. Most of the recipe got eaten with chips. Some was warmed in a flour tortilla with some colby jack cheese. Sort of a meatless mexi-melt. A few tablespoons served as a topping for Tex Mex Soup. It disappeared really fast. It is also delicious over cheesy eggs, mixed into salads or stirred into soup. It is a mild, fresh blend of tomatoes, peppers and onions. This Pico recipe is a perfect Mexican flourish for any meal or just a great snack.

Pico de Gallo
Makes 6 cups? Maybe? LOL! I don't know for sure.

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

Juice of 1 lime

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Handful of cilantro, chopped

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Chop all ingredients and combine in a large bowl.  Add lime juice, oil, vinegar and cilantro. Stir to combine and season with salt to taste. Refrigerate overnight.  Serve with corn chips.  Will keep in refrigerator about one week.

**UPDATE 5.10.2014**

Try using white balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Also delicious and adds a little fruity sweetness.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo