Mango Pina Colada

I've been making these a lot lately as I try to use up my mangos from my Bountiful Basket. This was the first I'd ever used cream of coconut. It's available in the same aisle as alcoholic beverages. Let's just say that I keep making this just so I can lick the spoon after scooping the cream of coconut out of the can. It is SO GOOD! Yum! I'm looking for other recipes using cream of coconut and I found some at the Coco Lopez website. YUM!

1 C chopped mango (about 1 medium mango)
1/3 C or more cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk)
1/2 C pineapple chunks, including some of the juice or syrup
juice from one lime (approx. 2 T)
1 tsp. rum extract (or almond extract is still good if you don't have rum)
crushed ice

Combine chopped mango, pineapple chunks and juice, lime juice, and cream of coconut in blender. While blender is running, add crushed ice until desired consistency is reached.

Pour drink into glasses (3 generous servings).

Recipe from Our Best Bites

Lemon Cream Pie

1 pie crust, cooked and cooled
1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup melted butter

1 Tbsp. lemon rind

1 cup milk or half-and-half
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 egg yolks slightly beaten
1 c sour cream
whipped cream, if desired

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add butter, lemon rind, milk, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly. Cool.

Stir in sour cream and spoon into a baked, cooled pie crust. Place plastic wrap on top of pie to prevent it from forming a skin. Chill till ready to serve. Cover the top with whipped cream if desired.

Recipe from Made

Raspberry Chocolate Surprise Cake

Although this is a Dutch oven recipe, it should work in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

1 chocolate cake mix, prepared as directed
1 (20 oz) can raspberry pie filling
1 (8 0z) brick cream cheese
1 egg
3 T sugar
1 t vanilla

Pour prepared cake batter into a greased 12" Dutch oven. Spoon raspberry pie filling into clumps over cake batter. In a small mixing bowl cream together cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Drop by tablespoons over top of cake.

Place lid on oven. Bake using 8-10 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 1 hour or until top center of cake springs back when touched.

Serve warm with ice cream as topping.

Serves: 10-12

Recipe from Byron's Dutch Oven Recipes

Lemon-Herb Zucchini Fettuccine

"Garlic-infused olive oil coats warm pasta with flecks of lemon zest and fresh herbs. Grilled Zucchini and lemon-chicken top it off with savory Parmesan cheese running throughout." This is very fragrant and fresh! A nice, lighter alternative to fettuccine Alfredo. The recipe calls for Fettuccine, but I always use angel hair pasta because it cooks so quickly. I broiled the zucchini and chicken in the oven, but it would probably be even better on the grill. Yum!

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
1/2 lb Fettuccine
2 medium zucchini
1 C shredded parmesan cheese (about :)
5-6 cloves garlic
Fresh Basil (about 1/2 C)
Fresh Oregano (about 1/4 C) If you don't have fresh oregano, just add a little dried.
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Prepare grill. You could also do this on the stove top in a skillet, or a grill pan.

Place chicken in a zip-lock bag with the juice of one lemon, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Smoosh around and set bag aside while you get your other things ready. (If you've got time to spare, let the chicken marinade for 30 minutes, if you don't, just take what you can get.)

Put the pot on the stove to boil water for the pasta. While you're waiting for the water to boil, slice the zucchini in half length-wise. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Press, or finely mince garlic cloves. In a small sauce pan on the stove, place 1/4 C olive oil and add garlic. Turn burner onto low-med heat. It shouldn't be popping and frying, it should just slowly warm, infusing the oil with the garlic and removing that zing fresh garlic has.

When water boils, add pasta and a spoonful of salt

Remove chicken from bag and salt and pepper both sides. Place chicken, and zucchini on grill.

While chicken and zucchsini are grilling and pasta is boiling, chop herbs and get out cheese. Zest both lemons and juice the one that hasn't been juiced.

Keep an eye on that garlic. You DON'T want it to get brown and crispy. It should still look nice and white. Give it a stir. If it starts really cooking, just take it off the heat and set aside.

When zucchini and chicken are done take them off the grill and chop them up.

Reserve about 1/2 C pasta water. Drain pasta and immediately place in a big bowl. Place chopped zuch and chicken on top. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, cheese, herbs, and garlic-olive oil mixture.

Now take some tongs and give everything a big toss. If you feel it needs more moisture, add a little of the pasta water, or a little more olive oil. This will make 4 generous servings.

Garnish with a little more Parmesan on top and another squeeze of lemon if you have any left.


Recipe from Our Best Bites

GRILLED CHICKEN FAJITAS

These are very flavorful. The recipe indicates that you should grill the chicken and the vegetables. I'm sure this would be ideal. However, I did it all in the frying pan and it was still really good.

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1½ tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. pepper
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (6 halves total), about 1½ lbs.
1 large red onion (about 14 oz.), sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers (about 10 oz. each), stemmed, quartered and seeded
tortillas

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken breast halves in the marinade and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the chicken breast halves from the marinade and transfer to a hot grill; discard the left over marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the grill (you want this side of the grill to be cooler). Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside. Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed. When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers into strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Best Pizza Crust

1 pkg dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 c warm water
3 cups flour
1 tea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
3/4 cup cold water

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture and knead with dough hook for 5 minutes. Cover and let rise for about an hour. Drizzle pizza stone or cookie sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with corn meal.
Prebake crust for 10 min at 450 degrees. Add toppings and bake again for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 12-inch pizzas or one cookie sheet.

We topped with ranch dressing (instead of pizza sauce), pepper jack cheese, grilled chicken, and bacon. Yum yum!

Recipe from my friend, Angie