Pineapple Carrot Muffins

When I was pregnant with Caleb I had a hankering for these muffins! Although I'd never had them before, the combination sounded wonderful. So, I did one of my favorite activities of all time...recipe hunt! This recipe will not disappoint! I took them to church one Sunday and they got rave reviews!

Pineapple Carrot Muffins

1 c sugar
2/3 c oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c carrots, grated
1 c crushed pineapple

Mix in order given and bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.

So simple and so yummy!!!

Almond Crusted Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

I made this for Mother's Day and it.is.fantastic! Definitely savory enough and different enough for a special occasion! I used tilapia, but any white fresh fish would work well. The sauce is worth the work! The recipe serves 2 and is from Bahama Breeze restaurant.

Almond Crusted Tilapia

2 Tbsp olive oil
4 tilapia filets
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Almond Crust (recipe below)
1/2 cup Lemon Butter Sauce (recipe below)

Lightly season the filets on both sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Top filets with Almond Crust and continue baking for an additional 7-10 minutes. Transfer filets to warm serving plate and top with hot lemon butter sauce.

Almond Crust

1 slice of fresh white bread
1/4 cup honey roasted sliced almonds (I used regular)
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Place slive of bread into a food processor or blender and pulse to make course bread crumbs. Measure out 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix to evenly combine. {This almost has a stuffing consistency and will need to be spooned and pressed onto the filets.}

Lemon Butter Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp white wine
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 cup heavy cream
3 threads Saffron (super expensive! I did not use)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter cubes, cold
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp cold water

Add the oil to a heated small sauce pan. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the wine and thyme; reduce by half. Add the cream, saffron and lemon juice; bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Add the butter cubes and stir until combined. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add slowly to the sauce, while stirring until thickened. Season the sauce with salt and white pepper to taste. Strain the sauce through a find mesh strainer and serve hot. {This is a most fantastic sauce! Totally makes the dish!}

Green Bean Bundles

I get rave reviews each time I make these! Plus, they are really pretty in a nice serving dish! Oh, and every hostesses favorite - you can make them ahead of time!

Green Bean Bundles

4 cans whole green beans
bacon strips cut in half
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp garlic salt

Wrap about 12 green beans (or the diameter of a quarter) with half a slice of bacon. Place in a greased 13x9 dish. Repeat until all beans are done.
Melt butter. Add brown sugar and garlic salt. Mix together and pour over bundles.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Broil for 4-5 minutes.

Best Frosting

This is another PW recipe. It's a very different type of frosting - buttercream-y, but with a firm, moldable texture. Anyhow, I've never made anything quiet like it, but it is very good paired with chocolate sheet cake (search Desserts for the recipe).

Best Frosting

5 Tbsp flour
1 c milk (or 1/2 and 1/2)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c butter
1 c granulated sugar (NOT powdered sugar)

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If you're in a hurry, you can place it in the freezer for 10 minutes.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, keep beating it. Beat it until the texture resembles whipped cream.
Spread on a cooled cake.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This really is a wonderful chocolate sheet cake. SO good and so many things to do with it!

Chocolate Sheet Cake
{From PW}

2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 c boiling water
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sprayed sheet cake pan (13X18) and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream is very easy to make - don't be intimidated! Just be sure to keep it cold or cool - it starts getting slippery at regular room temp. This frosting has a lovely flavor and the Key lime zest gives the perfect hint of green to it. I used it on white cupcakes, topped with a salty pretzel!

Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp Key lime zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 16-oz package powdered sugar

3 Tbsp Key lime juice

1 to 2 Tbsp milk

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with Key lime juice, 1 Tbsp at a time. Add 1 Tbsp milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in up to 1 Tbsp additional milk for desired consistency.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

We had some rainy and cold days last week- perfect for a dinner of soup and cornbread. This recipe is a great "clean-out-the-pantry" meal and can be easily adjusted to fit what's in yours! Both kids ate all of their helpings, and rumor has it my brother licked the bowl the next day at lunch!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 c shredded carrots

5 c water

1 (6.2 oz) package fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli

2 c chopped cooked chicken

1 (8 oz) loaf Velveeta, cubed

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Saute onion and carrots in a lightly greased Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add 5 c water, seasoning packet from rice, broccoli, and chicken. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice; reduce heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

Add cheese and soup; cook, stirring constantly, 5 min or until cheese melts.

Serve immediately.