Archive for the ‘#1 Go-To Recipes’ Category
Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Only 3 ingredients and these are tasty. For the chocolate, feel free to use chocolate compound, almond bark, or chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 285 grams shredded coconut, (10 oz)
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 chocolate, melted, type and method of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The parchment paper is highly recommended, if you are out, foil greased with butter will work but expect a little sticking as well.
- In a mixing bowl, add the coconut and the condensed milk.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of coconut mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet, shape into a rounded mound. These do not spread so you can place them fairly close.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Remove from the sheet and place on a rack to cool.
- Melt the chocolate of your choice, I used chocolate almond bark melted in a double boiler. When the chocolate is melted. Drop a macaroon onto the chocolate and lift out with a fork to a sheet of foil and allow to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Oreo Pie
This recipe comes from the label on a Oreo pie crust, and uses Oreo Cookies N' Cream pudding mix, and I will be taking a few boxes of that with me when I return to Thailand. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 Oreo pie crust, store bought or homemade, Shortcut
- 2 boxes Oreo Cookies N' Cream pudding, (4 servings per box)
- 2 1/2 cups cold milk
- 1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed, (8 oz)
- 3-4 Oreo cookies, cut in half, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the pudding mix and milk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk for 2 minutes.
- Stir in half of the whipped topping.
- Pour mixture into the pie crust. Cover and place in the fridge in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until the pie is fully set and firm.
- When ready to serve, top with remaining whipped topping. Top with the cookie halves, evenly spaced. Use 6 pieces for 6 slices or 8 pieces for 8 slices.
- Slice evenly between the cookies, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Orange Slice Cookies
I found this recipe on the internet and decided to give it a try, and I must say, these are really good! These cookies contain the orange slice candies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, room temp, (1 block / 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 370 grams orange slice candies, (13 oz)
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup coconut, shredded
Instructions
- Set the butter out to soften. Place the tablespoon of flour into a medium size bowl. Slice the orange slice candies into 5 pieces. As you slice a few candies and add them to the bowl, toss them with the flour - the pieces are sticky and this will prevent them from sticking together.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Measure out the oats, coconut, and walnuts and set them aside.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk together then add the butter mixture and mix together.
- Add the oats, coconut, walnuts, and orange slices, and mix those in. The mixture will be stiff.
- Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon of dough. Roll the dough between your hands then place the dough ball on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on the sheet for a few minutes, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variants: 1. Use pecans or roasted peanuts in place of walnuts. 2. Use the mixed fruit jelly candies in place of just orange. 3. This would be an excellent recipe to shape then freeze for fresh baked cookies at a later time.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Ghirardelli Brownie Cake
This recipe is from a boxed Ghirardelli Brownie Mix and is straight forward as well, and for this I am using the dark chocolate mix as that is my Mom's favorite type of chocolate. This is a 3 layer cake, and the frosting is your choice, such as store bought, a homemade ganache, or a even a homemade buttercream frosting. I will be using my homemade chocolate buttercream frosting for this cake. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Ghirardelli Brownie Mix
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 eggs
- frosting, of your choice, Shortcut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 165 C (325 F). Grease with butter 3 round cake pans if you are using pans with easy release cutters or removable bottoms. If using fixed pans grease the sides and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- To a mixing bowl, add both mixes, eggs, oil, and water.
- Mix batter, pour the batter equally into all three pans.
- Bake for 38 minutes and remove from the oven. Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing them from the pans.
- When the cakes are completely cooled, prepare your frosting of choice. I made my homemade chocolate buttercream frosting and made 1 1/12 times the recipe.
- Frost just between the layers or between and the sides, totally up to you.
- I also added some candy sprinkles.
- Place in the fridge until you serve.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
For the US, this is low cost per serving since each box of this brand of brownie mix is $2.75, in Thailand, another brand mix would be $10+. I will also work up a brownie mix for Thailand that will greatly reduce the cost.
Shortcut: Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Adapted from a recipe on a boxed brownie mix.
Snowman Cookies
This recipe will use the store bought Nutter Butter cookies and the reason for this is the shape. No quantities are given for this guide, this is just a make what you want guide.
Ingredients
- Nutter Butter cookies
- vanilla almond bark
- MM candies
- decorating gel, red or orange
- decorating gel, black
Instructions
- Place the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you start, you need them chilled when you start dipping them.
- Setup a double boiler and add the vanilla almond bark and let it melt fully. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Add some MM candies to a small bowl.
- When the bark is melted and smooth, drop a Nutter Butter cookie into the bark, use a fork and roll it over to make sure it is coated, lift it out, shake off the excess, and place on the foil or parchment. Place two MM candies (same color) on one end of the cookie, these will be the buttons. Repeat for as many as you want to make.
- Once the vanilla bark cools and hardens, use the black decorating gel to make eyes and a mouth and the red or orange to make a nose. Let the gel set.
- Serve and enjoy, don't stack these or you may damage the eye, mouth, and nose features.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from looking at a photo of these.
Chocolate Covered...
I used the Tulip brand of chocolate compound, aka almond bark, in Thailand when I made Rocky Road Candies, and they turned out great. Then after that, I dipped cookies spread with peanut butter in the chocolate, and even cherries. This is just a guide and more or less for me to document what I am coating with the chocolate. Since chocolate compound needs no tempering, just melt and use. No quantities are listed for this guide.
Ingredients
- chocolate compound
Items to Dip (what I have used)
- large marshmallows
- maraschino cherries
- vanilla wafer cookies
- graham crackers
- butter crackers, flavor the chocolate with peppermint extract
- peanut butter cheese crackers
- Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cream Wafer Cookies
Instructions
- First thing to do is to chill whatever you plan on coating with chocolate. Place items on a tray and place in the fridge to chill for at 30 minutes.
- Setup two pots, one that fits inside the other, with the smaller pot ideally with handles to keep it above the bottom of the larger pot. Add water to the larger pot set the smaller pot inside. The goal is to just heat the smaller pot with steam from the larger pot. Add your chocolate compound. I have 1 kilo (2 lbs) in this pot. Put the pot on medium heat to create steam, no need for a rolling boil with the water.
- Once the chocolate compound is fully melted, you are ready to start. When you get done, just pour the left over chocolate into a small foil dish or heatproof bowl and allow to cool. Once hardened, you can simply use it again at a later date.
Marshmallows
- For large marshmallows, you can spear each one with a wooden skewer or simply toss one in the chocolate, flip it around with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool.
- Serve and enjoy.
Peanut Butter Cheese Crackers
- Here is the glow in the dark crackers I remember from my childhood.
- Simply toss one in the chocolate, flip it over with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool. I sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles I had on hand.
- Serve and enjoy.
Butter Cracker Thin Mints
- Mix in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, after it is mixed in, simply toss a cracker in the chocolate, flip it over with a fork, lift it out, shake off excess, and place on parchment paper or foil to cool. I sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles I had on hand.
- Serve and enjoy.
Marshmallow Peeps
- Dip then add a mini marshmallow for a tail. I also added chocolate sprinkles.
ChipMates
- This is my shout to Kroger. ChipMates are a Kroger brand of cookies that are excellent, and I used the Chunky version of these.
Graham Crackers
- This basically makes S'mores but I dipped the crackers first in the chocolate, let that set up.
- Add some marshmallow cream to a cracker, top with another cracker, cheater type S'more.
Notes
In Thailand, a block of Tulip brand chocolate compound, 1 kilo (2 lbs), costs about 218 Baht ($7.25), in the US, Walmart brand, chocolate almond bark, 1 1/2 lbs (24 oz / 680 g) costs about $2.77. Per serving cost is actually low as you can dip a lot of items. The good part is you can save leftovers of the compound and use at another time or add to a new batch.
Common method for making candies, nothing new here.
Biscuit Pigs in Blankets
I come across this when researching what to make with store bought biscuits in a tube, and I made these, and they are actually pretty tasty and a different way to prepare Pigs in Blankets. When I return to Thailand, I will prepare these again in Thailand with homemade biscuits. No servings or measurements given, this is just a make with what you want guide.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- biscuit dough, tubed or homemade
- smoked sausage links, hot dogs
Instructions
- Preheat your according to the packaged biscuits or per your own biscuit recipe. Get out a baking sheet and line with foil or parchment paper for fast cleanup.
- For tubed biscuits, open and remove the biscuits. Lay a biscuit on the counter, flatten down with your fingers, shaping the dough about 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Place a sausage link or hot dog (I used cheese filled smoked sausage links) on a narrow end of the dough and roll the dough around it, ending with the end of the dough on the bottom. Place on your baking sheet. Repeat as desired.
- For homemade biscuits, roll the dough out and cut into triangles, place a sausage link or hot dog on a narrow end of the dough and roll the dough around it, ending with the end of the dough on the bottom. Place on your baking sheet. Repeat as desired.
- Bake until the biscuits are golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Italian Sausage & Peppers (Slow Cooker)
This is an easy, and flavorful dish. I used store bought sausage links and I look forward to making this again when I get back home (Thailand) and using my homemade Italian sausage. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 8 Italian sausage links, (about 1 lb 8 oz / 750 g), Shortcut
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, (28 oz / 793 g)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- For the sausage, you can chop first or just place whole in the slow cooker and chop when the cooking time is done.
- Add everything to the slow cooker except the sausage and mix together.
- Add the sausage and move them down into the liquid. Cover and set to Low setting for 6 hours. I actually have 10 links in here.
- If you started with whole sausages, remove them to a cutting board, slice, and return them to the pot.
- Serve over pasta or rice or even as is. Enjoy
Notes
I am in the US currently and I bought the sausage at Kroger for about $5.25, the remaining ingredients are minimal. For 6 servings, this is about 88 cents per serving. When I return to Thailand, I will make the sausage myself and maybe get the cost down to about 50 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Italian Sausage.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Banana Split Pie
Easy and tasty! This is a delicious pie.
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cookie crust
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 boxes instant vanilla pudding, (4 serving size)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced lengthwise
- 1 banana, sliced
- 12 maraschino cherries, drained well
- 1 tub Cool Whip, divided, (8 oz tub)
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
- chocolate syrup, as desired
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the milk and pudding mixes, whisk for 2 minutes.
- Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding in the pie shell.
- Top the pudding with strawberry and banana slices.
- Add half the Cool Whip to the remaining pudding and stir together until blended.
- Spread mixture over the fruit. (I totally missed taking this photo.)
- Spread remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture.
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.
- Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.
- Slice, top each slice with a maraschino cherry, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost in the US, I will price this again if I can make this in Thailand.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Mandarin Orange Pie I
Sounds good, on my to make and taste list, and soon.
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz can)
- 1 package Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 250 grams)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 cans Mandarin oranges, drained well, (14 oz 425 g cans)
- 1 graham cracker crust
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the condensed milk, cream cheese, and lemon juice.
- Beat with an electric mixer until mostly smooth.
- Fold in the drained orange segments.
- Spread filling in the graham cracker crust. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to fully set.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving in the US, for Thailand, I will experiment making this with fresh mandarin oranges and will price that when I prepare that.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
