Pregnancy Snack: Fruit Bruschetta!

Until about 12 weeks, I was majorly having trouble eating enough fruits and veggies. That drove me to get creative to make it appealing! This is something I've made a couple of times in the past and it is delicious, during pregnancy or not! It is completely customizable depending on the bread, fruit, and even cheese you want to use. I used cherries and peaches here, with mascarpone cheese, and a baguette. 

Fruit Bruschetta

Serves 1-2 as an appetizer or snack

Ingredients

Diced assorted fruit - I used one doughnut peach and about 10 cherries

6-8 slices of french bread

3-4 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese (another option is cream cheese)

Drizzle of honey (optional)

Method

Toast the baguette slices and spread them with the cheese. 

Toss the diced fruit with a small amount of honey if desired.

Top the bread slices with fruit mixture. 

This is so good! 

Green Apple and Bleu Grilled Cheese

I made this sandwich the other night for us when I had a bit of bleu cheese leftover. They were really tasty and though this isn't as much of a recipe as it is a suggestion of a flavor combination, I thought they were good enough to share! The side salad is simply the same ingredients from the sandwiches, just made into a salad with some chopped pecans and a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Hope you enjoy these if you try them - and are inspired to be creative with ingredients you have on hand!

APPLE AND BLEU GRILLED CHEESE


Ingredients:
Slices of sourdough or other artisan bread
Thin apple slices
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Crumbled Bleu Cheese
Mayo, if desired
Salt and Pepper
Arugula
Butter (I would use spray butter if I was at home since it has zero calories but grills well)

Build sandwiches by spreading bread with a thin layer of mayo and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Add desired amount of mozzarella cheese, bleu cheese, and top with apple slices and arugula. Spread (or spray!) butter on the outside and grill. :)

Sugar Cookie Bar Variations: Strawberry Kiwi Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

As promised, here's the other variation on the sugar cookie bars that I've made. I'm sure you could come up with many other awesome desserts using this dough, too! I love a great, versatile recipe I can get creative with while being sure I'll come out with a great product.

This "recipe" is one I'm writing right now. When I made this, I used some extra dough from the big batch of pink sugar cookie bars I made and ended up with 6 "cupcakes". But I didn't take notes as I made these, so it's really more of a guess as to how many of these babies you'll actually end up with. If you make this, let me know how many this recipe made and I'll update this post! Side note: I took this dessert over to my neighbor's house for dinner since she's Muslim and needed to eat something halal. Though most desserts you probably make are halal since it mainly refers to how meat products (gelatin is included in this) are dealt with, it's good to know if you're ever in the same situation as me!

Again, you could top these with any fruit you wanted, but I like the contrast of the red and green together. I guess you could even deem these appropriate for a Christmas event? Maybe they're too summery. Christmas in the summer here confuses my normal thinking about it. I've been anticipating it because of the cold for months now.

STRAWBERRY KIWI SUGAR COOKIE CUPCAKES

Makes approximately 6 cupcakes, easily doubled for more

Ingredients

For the cookie base:

1/4 cup butter (or 1/2 stick)

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

For topping:

About 4 oz. or 1/2 block of cream cheese, softened

1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 kiwi

3 - 4 large strawberries

Directions

Grease the muffin cups with butter. For the cookie base, cream sugar and butter together in large bowl on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Mix in egg, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. *Note: I like to do this step in a wire mesh strainer hooked to the top of my mixing bowl so that it sifts the flour at the same time, but you could also do it in separate bowl.* Add flour mixture to wet ingredients on low speed until just incorporated.

Press dough into muffin cups, about half of the way full. Bake them at 350 F for about 10 minutes. You will need to keep an eye on these because I don't remember how long I actually cooked them. Just make sure the edges are a bit browned and center is mostly set. If it's a little soft still that's probably good if you're like me and enjoy soft chewy cookies. Let fully cool before frosting.

For the topping, blend together the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners sugar. Add more sugar as needed to reach desired consistency and taste. Frost cupcakes with the sweetened cream cheese. Dice up a kiwi and a few strawberries and use them for topping. Eat the leftovers, they're good for you. :)

PS: this post is my first one that I've "scheduled"! I feel like a real live blogger!

Sugar Cookie Bar Variations: Strawberry Lime Sugar Cookie Pizza

Hope you guys are having a nice day. I have had a great day. After prayer, Jordan took me by the new Nike store so I could get a new workout shirt and pants! Very fun. I have been trying to be really good about exercise this year, especially in the winter because I was feeling pretty stir crazy and lethargic. Exercise always helps this, and I find I'm much happier when I get in several workouts in a week. Bonus: it's actually been really fun to have somewhere already paid for to go [we got Scoopons for a local gym for $30 for 3 months!] since things can get a bit pricey here in Melbourne.

Now, to the food. Sorry about the incredibly long title! After I posted the sugar cookie bar recipe, I wanted to follow it up with a couple of variations I've made this year. I probably liked them better than the original recipe, and they are definitely more fancy! I made this a long time ago now and took it to a STINT dinner we were having, and everyone loved it! It's spring and strawberry season here, so I should really make it again since they are so cheap!

To make this variation on the traditional bars, mold the dough into a deep dish pizza pan. Alternately, you could use a jelly roll pan or any other pan with sides. This would just make the dough different heights. I decreased the amount of dough for these, but it still leaves a pretty thick cookie base for this fruit pizza with sweetened cream cheese as your "sauce." Since I love lime and strawberry flavors together, this was a fun combination for me to try. However, you could put any type of fruit you had onto this base and it would be awesome. Also, I think the more lime the better. I didn't put in as much as I could have in this - so feel free to add more. It would probably be delicious and more of a key lime cheesecake flavor. YUM.

Here's the recipe:

STRAWBERRY LIME SUGAR COOKIE PIZZA

Ingredients

For the dough:

170 grams butter (or 1 1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest from one lime (or two or three!)

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda

For the topping:

8 oz cream cheese at room temperature, or softened in the microwave

56 g or 1/4 cup butter at room temperature, or softened in the microwave

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

4-5 tsp lime juice (or more)

Zest from one lime

Pint of strawberries

Directions

Grease pan lightly with butter. To make the cookie dough, cream sugar and butter together in large bowl on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in vanilla and zest. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. *Note: I like to do this step in a wire mesh strainer hooked to the top of my mixing bowl so that it sifts the flour at the same time, but you could also do it in separate bowl.* Add flour mixture to wet ingredients on low speed until just incorporated.

Press into deep dish pizza pan, or other pan with sides. *Note: you may need to adjust baking time if in a different pan.* Bake at 350 F (or 180 C) for about 10-15 minutes, until edges begin to brown and center is set. Let it cool completely before frosting.

To make the topping, cream together cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add sifted confectioners sugar and lime juice alternately. Stir in zest. If you choose to add more lime juice than the recipe calls for, you may need to add more sugar to reach the desired consistency. Spread evenly over the cookie base, leaving a bit of a border. Slice strawberries and arrange on top for a pretty presentation!

Sugar Cookie Bars

I have been really happy to have this recipe this year. It is a really easy, delicious dough that is quick and inexpensive to throw together with all staple ingredients. And, the full recipe feeds a LOT. The frosting is really light and buttery and a nice complement to the sugar cookies, and would be easy to tint different colors based on whatever event you are bringing them to. I think they would be just perfect with maroon icing and some orange sprinkles! I have also used the dough recipe for a few other desserts this year too, which I will share in a few days. If you make these, be prepared to have a lot of these little bars on your hands, since you make these in a large jelly roll pan. Or perhaps half the recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan so you won't have so many!


Sugar Cookie Bars 
Makes about 48 bars
Ingredients:
For the cookie bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Zest from 1 lemon
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
For the frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
5 tbsp. milk
Food coloring (optional, but pretty!)


Directions:
     To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 13"x18" rimmed baking sheet. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and lemon zest. In a medium bowl (or a wire mesh colander fitted to the top of your bowl), combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until incorporated. 
     Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet and press into an even layer. Bake 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The edges should be just starting to lightly brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
     To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium-high speed until smooth. Blend in the vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Mix in the milk. Tint as desired with food coloring. Spread over the cookie in the pan, cut into bars and serve. *Note: Since this frosting is mostly butter, it will melt quickly on the bars if they are not cooled completely. (I learned this the hard way the first time when I tried to rush it!)
Source: Annie's Eats, who got it from The Repressed Pastry Chef

Grilled Tuna* with White Bean and Charred Onion Salad

*Any fish could probably be substituted for the tuna. I have only made this with basa, which I think is the Aussie name for tilapia.

I fixed this for dinner this week and was really AMAZED by how delicious it was! I kept saying it because I really didn't expect it to be THAT good. It's a really simple recipe with a great citrus marinade and an easy bean and vegetable salad. I think serving it over a bed of baby arugula puts this meal over the top, since the peppery, wonderful taste of it is so flavorful itself. I can not endorse this meal enough, so hope you try it because it's super healthy and protein-packed.

Grilled Tuna with White Bean and Charred Onion Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the Tuna or other fish:

1  tablespoon grated lemon rind

2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2  teaspoon olive oil

1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks

Cooking spray or olive oil

For the Salad:

1 medium Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons  red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1/4 teaspoon  salt

1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon  Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup  chopped seeded peeled cucumber

1/4 cup  chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon capers

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula is my personal favorite for this)

Preparation:

To prepare tuna, combine the first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add tuna to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. 

Prepare grill or heat a pan with a little olive oil or cooking spray over medium-high heat.

To prepare salad, place onion slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Alternately, coarsely chop onion and cook in your preheated pan until a bit charred. Cool and/or chop.

Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add onion, cucumber, parsley, capers, and beans to vinegar mixture; toss to coat.

Remove tuna from bag; discard marinade. Place tuna on grill rack coated with cooking spray or in pan; grill 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. If cooking in skillet, I look for the edges to become cooked and a bit crispy before flipping it, but it doesn't take long!

While the fish is cooking, arrange 1 1/2 cups salad greens on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 1/2 cup onion mixture and 1 tuna steak. Enjoy!

Source: Cooking Light. 

Calories: 383

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins were ones I first made for a retreat I went on about a year ago, and have been meaning to make them again! They are moist and peanut-buttery without being overwhelmingly sweet for breakfast.  I also like that they keep fresh for several days after without drying out at all. I will come back to this recipe again and again though because I nearly always have all the ingredients on hand and because most everyone in my life loves the peanut-butter and chocolate combo, including me!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Muffins
What you need:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 tbsp. butter melted and cooled (the cooling is an important step in the process, I learned!)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 lg. eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin pan with liners and spray with cooking spray if desired. In a large bowl, beat together melted and cooled butter, peanut butter, eggs, and milk until smooth. In a fine mesh strainer fitted over the bowl (or a separate bowl), mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar and sift into wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide into the 12 muffin liners, filling each to the top. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely, or just eat them warm!

Source: Annie's Eats via Baking Bites

A bit about today and the last installment of Mid-Year Recipes!

Today I am going to RMIT Brunswick, a small campus mainly for design majors, that's close to home and relaxed. Nicole and I are hosting an afternoon tea, in hopes to generate some more interest at this school. Although we are leading Christianity Explained with two girls who don't know Jesus yet, it's been pretty slow otherwise and we're eager for more students to be involved. Plus, it's mainly all-female campus so it's fun for Nicole and I to go together. It's been so nice having her here this year. Pray that more than a few girls come to our tea! 

I have been lagging on my attempts to post all the recipes I have stored away, ready to post. I really like cooking, and it's been my only real hobby besides going to the gym this year. I get into the kitchen to cook when I'm stressed and need to relax, when I'm bored, when I want to bless someone with yummy things, or when I'm feeling homesick I make things to remind me of home. It's been a great thing for me to do just enjoy life more. The past few weekends I've cooked either Saturday or Sunday all day. Just trying new things and talking with Jordan or listening to a radio station from home on ITunes - K95 has been getting the most time!

So here is the rest of the Mid-Year retreat menu/recipes. Hope you enjoy having them - if anyone from our team is reading this!

Wednesday Lunch
Jane's Salad with Teriyaki Chicken and Snow Peas
      Jane's Salad is what we call a beloved staple for our team: a cabbage, almond, chow mein noodle, 
      scallions, yummy Asian dressing salad. To this I added teriyaki marinated chicken and snow peas.
Watermelon and Strawberries
Tim Tams

Wednesday Dinner
Fish Tacos with Fruit Salsa
       I loosely made this based on several recipes I had. I used pineapple, red onion, red pepper, lime 
       juice and cilantro for the salsa. Added red cabbage. Made Avocado Crema by blending together
      avocado, a bit of sour cream, S&P and lime juice. Made a dry rub for the fish which was grilled 
      with garlic, olive oil, cilantro, cumin, and chili powder. These were great and were a favorite.
Nachos with Refried Beans, Guacamole, Salsa, and Cheese
Mexican Rice

Wednesday Dessert

image from tasty kitchen


Sopapillas and Honey
Vanilla Ice Cream

Thursday Breakfast
image from the pioneer woman
Cinnamon Baked French Toast
Strawberries
Bacon
Juice, Milk, Coffee, Tea

Thursday Lunch
Baked Potatoes and Toppings: Cheese, Broccoli, Corn, Bacon Bits, Sour Cream, Scallions, Pineapple
Salad with Cucumbers, Carrots, Tomato, Feta, Scallions, Boiled Egg, Broccoli
Tim Tams

Thursday Dinner: Out to Eat!

Thursday Supper
Brownie Sundaes with Hot Fudge


Friday Breakfast
English Muffins, Crumpets, and Toast
Jam, Butter, Honey, Peanut Butter
Yogurt and Muesli
Boiled Eggs
Mandarins
Milk, Juice, Coffee, Tea

Mid-Year Retreat Menu Part 2

Tuesday Breakfast

Breakfast Burritos with Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, Scallions, and Tomatoes (the link is not to the recipe I used, but sounds like a great one; also picture is not of recipe I used - I just compiled these ingredients for people to roll up in tortillas)

Kiwi

Juice, Milk, Coffee, Tea

Tuesday Lunch

Tuna Melts on English Muffins (I actually didn't like these, so wouldn't make them again, but others seemed to; it seems I prefer basic tuna mixed with mayo and some relish)

image via the pioneer woman

Zucchini, Tomato, and Feta Pasta Salad (this made a ton and I served it with several consecutive meals - I really like it)

image via the pioneer woman

Chips

Grapes

Fudge Chews

image via all recipes

Tuesday Dinner (This meal was the one that went the most wrong! I forgot to buy skewers and when your whole menu is kabobs, that affects things, so we grilled them sans skewers and it was just fine - the pasta was forgotten as well and so we had the pasta salad from lunch and some leftover roasted potato salad from the previous night - turned out great, thankfully!)

Meat Kabobs (Steak, Pork, and Chicken)

Grilled Veggie Kabobs (Red Pepper, Onion, and Zucchini)

Grilled Fruit Kabobs (Pineapple, Mango, and Peach - turned this into a fruit salad)

Pasta with Butter, Lemon, and Garlic (and Sour Cream)

Bread and Butter

Tuesday Supper

Popcorn

Chocolate Chip Cookies (our team is crazy for them with a bit of sea salt on top! also, this recipe is for brownie stuffed cookies, which are awesome, but I just use the cookie dough recipe, so everything minus the brownie mix)

Milk and/or Ice Cream

Wednesday Breakfast

Eggs in a Basket with Cheese

Bacon (forgot to cook this that morning so we had tons on Friday!)

Apples, Grapes, and Yogurt

Juice, Milk, Coffee, Tea

Mid-Year Retreat Menu

Sunday Dinner

Barbecued Chicken (I used the chicken pieces that were cheapest at the counter)

Creamed Corn (canned with butter)

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans (canned with garlic and a bouillon cube)

Rolls and Butter

Sweet Tea (crowd pleaser on my team!)

image via martha stewart

Sunday Supper (what Aussies call dessert)

Dump Cake with Ice Cream (I used only 1 stick of butter, put cinnamon on top, and used canned apple pie filling, but a drained can peaches and crushed pineapple are great too!)

image via the pioneer woman

Monday Breakfast (we all left for snorkeling early so it needed to be quick)

English Muffins, Croissants, or Toast

Jam, Butter, Peanut Butter, Honey

Yogurt and Muesli

Mandarins

Milk, Juice, Tea, Coffee

Monday Lunch (packed lunch for only 9 while snorkeling)

Sandwiches: Bread, Turkey, Ham, Cheese, Peanut Butter, Jelly

Mayo and Dijon Mustard

Carrots

Chips

Apples

Cookies (non-melty since we'd be outside!)

Monday Dinner

Burgers (patties made in the morning by people who left in the second shift): Worcestershire sauce, Scallions, Garlic, and S&P mixed in) with Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Ketchup, and Mayo

Roasted Potato, Sweet Potato, and Green Bean Salad (we all loved this!)

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter (just mix lime juice into softened butter, then chill)

Watermelon

Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade (nixed this because of the budget, but groceries are WAY cheaper in the states!)

image via how sweet eats

Monday Supper

Maria's Birthday Cake! Chocolate Raspberry Cake (not the exact recipe, but we made one like it; however I would have made this one if I had more time!)

Chocolate Ice Cream

image via cakes you can bake

Herbed Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

I haven't updated this blog in forever, but I figure the easiest way to start that process again is to post about something I really like talking about! Recipes! However, we have had a million things going on and hopefully I'll post about them someday.

Risotto is something I never considered trying until I moved to Australia, where it is extremely common and it's on every menu, everywhere. It's also made frequently by most home cooks. I think the only place I'd ever heard it talked about was in Gilmore Girls, by Sookie, who raved about how great her's was. I just assumed it was too complicated. However, after I tasted the creamy goodness of risotto for the first time, I was hooked! I found this recipe and immediately wanted to try it. It is a very fool-proof method and really doesn't even require that much time [another risotto myth]. Jordan loves this recipe, too! Enjoy!

Herbed Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:
1½ tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
¾ tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 cups Arborio (medium grain) rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives [I just used chives]
Ground black pepper

Directions:

Add 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken pieces to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165˚ F or until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add ¾ cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, parsley and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to ½ cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.

Source: Annie's Eats, adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2010

Amish Baked Oatmeal

Yum. This breakfast is reminiscent of college for me. I am sure if any of my roommates read this they will probably remember it. I discovered this recipe in a cookbook my grandma gave me for my birthday and it is so delicious! If you love oatmeal and strawberries you will love this. I often make it for weekday breakfasts since it is super easy to make then can just bake for 20-30 minutes while you get ready. Jordan, who is not a fan of oatmeal, loves this and it is something we can enjoy together (since he is crazy and doesn't enjoy 90% of breakfast foods. I know, who did I marry?!) Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so I appreciate this. I am making it for the staff team's brekky (breakfast) on Friday so we'll see what they think!

PS: Jess, if you read this, it is originally from a B&B in Lancaster, PA. :)

Amish Baked Oatmeal

• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Warm milk (you can add a bit of cinnamon and that tastes great too!)
• Fresh fruit (raspberries or diced strawberries work the best) and/or brown sugar, optional
• 
  
• Combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately spoon into bowls; add warm milk. Top with fruit and/or brown sugar if desired. Serves 4-6. (usually 4 for us!)

Source: Taste of Home

Spicy Mango Shrimp with Coconut-Lime Rice

One thing I really miss from America and my life there is the arrival of my Southern Living magazine each month! I probably miss it more than usual since my current residence is in a very non-southern city. It's just completely different. Anyway, my lovely mom sent me the February issue in a box filled with other American goodies, including our favorite cereal "Oh's." You must enjoy some for us this month for breakfast. Delicious!

This recipe was one of the ones in the February issue. It looked really healthy and I already had shrimp, so I went for it! Unfortunately, when I got to the fruit stand, I found that mangoes were "out of season." What!? This simply does not happen in America. Each time I have ever wanted a mango or anything else for that matter, it has just been there...I hadn't even known before when mango season was! (It is a summer fruit, I now know, and go figure summer is rapidly leaving us here in the Southern Hemisphere.) So I opted for pineapple, and I have to say it was a nice substitute. I suppose if I made it again, and had access to mangoes, I would use them, but I would probably miss the pineapple flavor. Plus then I had the rest of the pineapple already cut up to enjoy!

We found this to be much better than it even looked. Jordan and I both really loved the coconut on top and so used a lot of it! It had that nice sweet and salty combination going on. Don't leave it out if you make this!

Spicy Mango Shrimp with Coconut-Lime Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• • 1 1/2 pounds peeled, large raw shrimp (1 6/20 count)
• • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• • 1 cup chopped green onions
• • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• • • 2 garlic cloves, minced
• • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• • 1/2 to 1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
• • 1 cup chopped fresh mango
• • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• • 1/4 cup soy sauce
• • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• • Topping: toasted sweetened flaked coconut

Preparation

1. Prepare Coconut-Lime Rice.

Bring coconut milk, salt, and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in lime zest and juice.

2. Meanwhile, sauté half of shrimp in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from skillet. Repeat procedure with 1 Tbsp. hot oil and remaining shrimp.

3. Sauté onions and next 4 ingredients in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot oil over medium-high heat 1 minute. Stir in mango and next 3 ingredients, and cook 1 minute; stir in shrimp. Serve over hot cooked Coconut-Lime Rice; top with toasted coconut.