Coconut Chicken

I found this online the other day and tried it tonight. I tweaked it (as usual) to fit my needs, so here's my version.

Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sweetened coconut
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
3 chicken breasts
1/2 cup apricot jam (I used peach and just added a little lemon juice)
2-4 TBSP coarse ground mustard, to taste
cooked rice
canned apricots

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix coconut, flour, salt, garlic, and pepper. Cut chicken into large strips. Dip into egg mixture, then coat in coconut mixture. Place in a greased pan. Sprinkle any remaining coconut mix on top if desired. Spray top of chicken with Pam as well. Bake 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked and coconut is browned a little. For sauce, just mix the jam and the mustard to taste. To serve, pile rice onto plates. Place chicken on top, and pour sauce on top. Lastly, place apricots on the top and serve warm.

CHOCOLATE HAUPIA CAKE

I got this from Leah who got it from a friend. It's a must try!

I made this last night and it was SO yummy!!! I used it with whipped cream and cherries, like a Black Forest (because my friend doesn't do coconut.) But I'm eager to try the frosting! The cake tasted like those with pudding in them! SO GOOD!


CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water (+ 3 T for high altitude)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.



COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring (I added more, but it’s up to you)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (optional)

Directions:
1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add additional confectioners' sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. Stir in the coconut. If desired, spoon toasted coconut evenly over frosted cake.

Darn Good Thumbprint Cookies

This falls into the "I just can't do the same thing as everyone else" category!

Mix together:

• 2/3 c butter (margarine? really -- why bother making cookies to use margarine -- if you are going to blow the diet, use the good stuff!)
• 1/2 c coconut flour
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 cup flour

Chill for 1/2 hour or so. This does two things 1) makes it easier to roll the dough and 2) the coconut flour needs a little time to soften. (Bob's Red Mill makes coconut flour.)

Finely smash/chop a cup or two of macadamia nuts.

Make the dough into 1 inch balls. Dip the dough balls as follows:

• 2 lightly beaten egg whites
• 1 cup of smashed/chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup fine coconut -- not the huge candy pieces -- use really finely shredded macaroon coconut (Bob's Red Mill again for me.)

Place the cookies on the cookie sheets (we can't do this without referring to a certain SNL skit w/ the crazy Alec Baldwin) and make a thumbprint in each one.

Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes. While the cookies are cooling, spoon a bit of jam into each one. They are really good w/ sunshine marmalade or the "Oops I screwed up Carrot Cake Jam" because they both have extra pineapple.

Makes 42 cookies, which is enough to share with two families and still get to eat one after DH snarfs what's left! I was going to post a photo, but someone ate the samples!