Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup drained crushed canned pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Icing:

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup icing sugar

Preparation:
Grease and flour 13- x 9-inch metal cake pan; set aside. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat together granulated and brown sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth; pour over flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans. Spread in prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350°F oven for 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack. (Make-ahead: Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or ovenwrap with heavy duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks; let thaw before continuing.)

Icing: 
In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Beat in icing sugar, one-third at a time, until smooth. Spread over top of cake. (Make-ahead: Cover loosely and refrigerate for up to I day.)

Língua de Gato with a Tweak

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
 2 eggs

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Beat the sugar and butter together.
3) Add the eggs gradually as it continues beating.
4) Add the salt and vanilla and let it continue until it is an even consistency.
5) Place the mixture in a bowl and add the flour, baking powder and coconut and mix and mix the dough well until it is of even consistency.
6) spoon onto baking sheet.
7) Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. (watch them or they'll burn)
7) Remove and let cool.
8) Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Portuguese Custard Cake

9 eggs

4 cups of milk

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of sugar for topping

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F

1. Beat the eggs and sugar.

2. Add milk and vanilla, and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, and set aside.

3. In a 9 inch metal baking pan, caramelize the 1 cup of sugar on medium heat until golden brown.

4. Prepare a large pan and fill with hot water to about halfway up the 9 inch pan. Put the pan with water on the oven rack so that you don't spill when you transfer the custard mixture.

5. Put the pan with the caramelized sugar in the pan with the water.

6. Pour the custard mixture into the pan with the caramelized sugar.

7. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes (approx.) Shake the pan a bit to see if it has set.

8. Cool custard to room temperature and then run a knife around the edges, and turn out onto a large plate.

Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Delish.

Dead Easy Coconut Pie.

Ingredients:

1 cup flaked or shredded coconut 
3/4  cup sugar 
1/2  cup Original Bisquick® mix 
1/4  cup butter softened 
2 cups  milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 
4 eggs

Method:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch pie plate with shortening or cooking spray.
 In medium bowl, stir all ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.
(Very runny. Pour it with the pie plate on the oven rack.)
 Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

From here.
 

Almond Crescents

Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg vanilla sugar
1 cup butter, cold

Decoration:
1 cup icing sugar
3 pkg vanilla sugar

Preheat the oven to 300F

Grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

Blend flour, ground almonds, sugar, and vanilla sugar together in a large bowl or on a pastry board.
Cut cold butter into small pieces over dry ingredients.
Work together like you would pastry until you get a smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
Roll a small amount of dough into pencil like strips.
Cut into small rolls about 2 inches in length.
Place on baking sheet, and shape into crescents.
Bake at 300F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Sprinkle warm cookies with icing sugar and vanilla sugar mixture, and let cool.
Store in an airtight container.
(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)

A favourite at my Tetka's house for Slava....I finally have the recipe.

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, large
2 tbsps lemon zest
2 tbsps lemon juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the tart lemon glaze:
4 tbsps lemon juice
8 tsps lemon zest
1 cup icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
3. Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
6. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.
8. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will dry.
9. Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.
10. Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.
11. Cut into bars and serve.

Found this on FB, and don't have a link  back to the original poster...AND, they are Lemon Bars...not Brownies because, let's face it...Brownies  have to have chocolate.
Either way, this recipe is fantastic, and pretty easy.
I needed it on here for reference, so I don't lose the recipe.
:)

Skor Bar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups butter
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups Skor English toffee bits

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together,set aside.
3 In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
4 Add vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.
5 Add flour mixture and beat until just combined.
6 Mix in Skor pieces by hand.
7 Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar.
8 Place on cookie sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass.
9 Bake about 10-12 minutes until set but not brown.
10 Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to rack.

Avocado Dressing

Ingredients: 1 avocado 3 tbs. olive oil 2 tbs. Balsamic vinegar juice of 1 lemon 1/2 tbs. white sugar 1. Place all ingredients in blender and mix until well combined. 2. Toss dressing with any lettuce/spinach/kale.

Apple Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups melted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

3 to 4 McIntosh apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)

1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour; set aside.
2. Working over a large sheet of parchment paper, sift together flour, spices, baking soda and powder, and salt; gather sifted ingredients into center of sheet; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine melted butter, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow.
4. Fold reserved parchment in half lengthwise; with mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.
5. Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.
8. Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack.

Revised from this recipe. Photo is also from the link...because mine is still in the oven and I need to post this so that I can keep it for the future. :)

Nut Brittle

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 golden corn syrup

1 1/2 cups salted peanuts 

Method:

In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until melted, smooth and bubbly. Cover and cook for 1 minute.
Add nuts and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, stirring constantly until nuts are lightly browned and syrup is a warm golden colour, about 5 minutes.
Pour mixture onto a foil-lined and lightly buttered baking sheet, spreading as thinly aspossible. Cool until hard. Peel candy from foil and break into pieces.

 Brittle can be stored, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

I've substituted peanuts with cashews, and added coconut. Very yummy.

Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts (or both)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Batter:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F

- Mix together topping ingredients and set aside.
-Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.
-In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar.
-Add eggs and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
-Turn 2/3 of batter into a well buttered 9' pan.
-Sprinkle with 2/3 of the topping mixture.
-Carefully swirl knife tip through the batter and topping.
-Add remaining batter.
-Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.

This cake is nice and light and fluffy.

Almond Cake

You'll need:
1/2 cup butter,
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1tsp almond extract
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
Sliced almonds

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F

In a separate bowl, blend together the flour,
ground almond, salt and baking powder.
Cream butter with sugar. Gradually beat in eggs.
Add the flour mixture alternately with milk.
Add almond extract.
Throw in some sliced almonds


Beat until light and fluffy.
Pour into pan evenly.
The batter is quite thick.
Top with some sliced almonds.
Bake until golden brown, and knife comes out clean.

Kale, Chicken and Chick Pea Soup

You'll need:

• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 to 3 pieces of chicken (skin removed)
  
• 1 large onion coarsely chopped
• 1-1 1/2 pounds kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 carton of reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 or 2 cups of water (to cover meat and vegetables)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala,
• 1 small bunch of thyme tied together and discarded later
• 1 tsp tumeric
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegeta to taste
  
• 1 medium sized potato
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry chicken until golden brown. Set aside.

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chick peas and fry for about 1 minute.

2. Add chick peas and cook for about a minute.

3. Add kale and cook, tossing with a large spoon, until bright green, about 1 minute.

4. Add broth, and spices.

5. Add potato, chicken and thyme

6. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender and potatoes are cooked

Pineapple Tart

Pastry Crust



In a bowl combine: 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 3 tbsp sugar, about a tsp of baking power and mix well. Then add one cup of chilled butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry mixture. When it's well mixed, meaning the butter is no longer in big chunks....


In a small bowl, beat 1 tsp of almond extract with one egg. Make a little well in the flour mixture adding sprinkles of water just until the dough holds together.

For the filling
1 large pineapple (4½ pounds), peeled, quartered, and cored
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp mixed essence
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
½ cup dark rum


Make the filling: Cut each pineapple quarter crosswise into ⅓-inch-thick slices. Combine sugars, mixed essence, and lemon juice in a large saute pan. Add pineapple, and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugars dissolve and mixture becomes saucy, about 3 minutes. Add rum, and simmer until pineapple has softened and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Spread pineapple mixture evenly in shell. Beat egg, and brush along top edges of tart. Brush top of lattice with egg wash.

Take a little more than half for the bottom of the baking pan and roll out the dough on a well floured surface. Fill shell with fruit filling, and roll out the other half.

Use a knife to cut dough into strips for lattice pie top....or don't bother with it and just cut a hole in the top with a cookie cutter.

Place your pie on a baking sheet because mine has a tendency to bubble over on occasion when the fruit expands. I'd rather be safe than have to clean the drips after the fact.

Brush with egg yolk (I find it browns nicer than with milk or egg whites) and bake in the oven at 350F until golden brown. (about 50 minutes)

Plum Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup soft butter
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder

Also:
1/4 cup of Apple Jelly
4 large plums
1 + 1 tablespoons icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325F .
Grease the pan.
Wash plums, cut into quarters, remove seeds.



Cream butter, sugar and salt.
Add the whole eggs, flour and baking powder - mix .


The dough is dense.



Place dough into the pan, level the top and spread with apple jelly.



Lay the plums on top lightly.



Sprinkle with powdered sugar and put into preheated oven.
Bake 30-40 minutes (check with knife or toothpick until it comes out clean).

After baking, remove from oven, cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Peach Cobbler

Recipe found here from Canadian Living.

The only thing I added was some vanilla to the peach mixture.

Coconut Pineapple Cake

It's this recipe, from here...with these changes:

I didn't toast the coconut because I'm lazy.
I used whipping cream instead of sour cream.
I used a cake pan instead of a loaf pan.
I cut the fresh pineapple into bigger chunks.

The result was a good, very moist cake...with almost a cheesecake quality.
definitely a keeper.

Cherry Clafouti

Made this today...dead easy.

Find the recipe here.

Spicy Shrimp

I was looking for something to try today, and this was it.

Ingredients:
1 lb Shrimp (Peeled and de-veined)
Olive Oil

Seasoning:
1 heaping tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaping teaspoon adobo seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground smokey paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano


Cute little paprika containers.


Mix the seasoning together.



dry the shrimp and use about 1 tablespoon and a half of the seasoning and coat the shrimp.



Fry in olive oil until cooked.

Done...and very delicious on a bed of white rice!

Put the rest of the seasoning in a shaker, and use it for other things.

Spicy Carrot Coconut Curry

Made it as a side tonight and it's a keeper!

Find the recipe here