Coconut Snowballs (Coconut Cupcakes)

This is another Barefoot Bloggers recipe chosen by Jamie, of Jaime’s Green Kitchen. While I’ve never made these cupcakes from scratch, I was given the boxed mix, available at Crate & Barrel, in my Christmas stocking one year. They were wonderful then, and I was looking forward to making them from scratch. In fact, these ended up being the perfect sweet treat to make for my week snowed in, as they remind me of little snowballs.

I made a few ingredient changes to this recipe, since I didn’t have everything on hand. I also halved the recipe, since we’re trying to eat better, and I don’t need lots of cupcakes around the house. I have no idea how this happened, but instead of the 10 cupcakes I should have gotten when I halved the recipe (full recipe would have made 18-20 cupcakes), I ended up with a dozen cupcakes and 10 mini-cupcakes. If you tend to use very little frosting, as I do, you can even half the frosting recipe below – I did and I had plenty for all of these tasty treats.

Coconut Cupcakes

Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients for the Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 2 1/2 extra-large eggs,* at room temperature
  • 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 c. buttermilk*
  • 7 oz. (about 2 c.)  sweetened, shredded coconut
* Note: Instead of buttermilk, I used 1/2 tbs. white vinegar and then filled the measuring cup to the 1/2 cup line with milk. Also, since I had large eggs on hand instead of extra-large, I used 3 large eggs, instead of trying to halve them.

Ingredients for the Frosting:

  • 1/2 lb. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract
  • 3/4 lb confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Lower speed and add eggs one at a time. Scrape down the bowl, and add vanilla and almond extract, beating until combined.

With the mixer on low, add in baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in 3/4 c. flour and half the buttermilk. Repeat. Turn off the mixer when flour and buttermilk has been just combined.

Fold in half the coconut, about 1 cup.

Fill each of the cupcake liners in the prepared pan with batter, to the top of the liner.

Bake 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream all ingredients except the confectioners’ sugar. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes, and sprinkle remaining coconut on top of the frosted cupcakes.

Happy Snow Days!

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon, Pine Nuts & Parmigiano

This green bean salad was quick and easy. It’s easy enough to change up the recipe according to your taste and season – more/less lemon, different nuts or herbs, etc. My husband and I had the green beans as our only side with the Barefoot Contessa’s Indonesian Ginger Chicken, and it was perfect for the two of us. It’s definitely a recipe that I’ll be making again and again. Enjoy!

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon, Pine Nuts, & Parmigiano

Adapted from Fine Cooking 82, pp. 55

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 lb. fresh green beans, rinsed well, stem ends trimmed
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (1 lemon), plus 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/3 c. pine nuts
  • 1/4 c. coarsely grated or shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, combine green beans, garlic, and lemon zest. Sprinkle in pepper and salt to taste. Toss with olive oil until just coated (2-4 Tbs.)

Spread the beans on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the top third of the oven for 10 minutes. Stir, and continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes. Green beans and garlic will be slightly browned.

While green beans are roasting, toast the pine nuts, either on a rimmed baking sheet or in a small skillet, for about 5 minutes, until slightly browned.

When green beans are done, transfer to a bowl or serving dish.

Option 1 to Finish: Toss with lemon juice and another 2 tsp. of olive oil. Sprinkle with pine nuts, Parmigiano, and parsley.

Option 2 to Finish: Skip the lemon juice and olive oil and toss with pine nuts, Parmigiano, and parsley.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutella-Blackberry Oatmeal Squares

When I saw this recipe from Elly Says Opa earlier in the year, I knew I had to try it. I love nutella and can eat it by the spoonful, but have done very little baking with it. These bars were wonderful. While I loved the nutella and blackberry jam, for me, the start of the show was actually the cookie part. It was a bit sweet and tasted nutty (I had to think about whether I put peanut butter in them!). Enjoy!

Nutella-Blackberry Oatmeal Squares

Adapted from Elly Says Opa

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 c. light brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 c. Nutella
  • 2/3 c. blackberry or other preserves or jam
  • 1.5 c. oats, divided
  • 1/4 c. chopped hazelnuts, more if desired

Preheat the oven to 350F and butter a 9×9 baking dish (I used my Pyrex).

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Add in baking powder and salt, again beating to combine. Add flour a little at a time. Add 1 1/4 c. of oats (reserving 1/4 c. on the side) to the mixture and combine.

Remove bowl from stand mixer and check to make sure you don’t have lots of oats at the bottom of the bowl.

Spoon about 2/3-3/4 of the mixture into the buttered baking dish. Using your hands (or a wooden spoon or strong rubber spatula), press down dough.

Microwave nutella for about 20 seconds, just to make it easier to spread. With a butter knife, spread on top of dough. The spread jam over nutella.

Put your KA bowl back into mixer and add remaining 1/4 c. oats and the chopped hazelnuts, beating to combine. Crumble over nutella and jam.

Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Wait until completely cooled to cut and serve, as the bars will be very soft until they cool.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Bananas are one of those foods that have grown on me over time. I used to hate bananas. Now, I like them just slightly under-ripe, although I still don’t like banana bread. The smell of the ripe bananas, even cooked into banana bread, just turns me off. (I know, I’m weird!). Anyway, I needed to use up a couple bananas that were a bit too ripe for my taste and was looking for an alternative to banana bread. These cookies were great. Just a hint of banana, and are super-soft.

In the future, I’d like to make these again with a little less shortening and with some nuts. These would also be great with a whole wheat flour, to healthify them even more.

PS – I know I’ve got to work on my cookie photos! If you have any suggestions for me, I’d love to hear them!

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from Domestic Cents

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3 c. oats
  • 1/2 c. shortening
  • 1/3 c. unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed in
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • Optional: nuts or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat both sugars, shortening, and apple sauce. When combined, add egg, vanilla, and mashed bananas.

Add salt, cinnamon, and baking soda and combine.

Add all-purpose flour. Stir to combine.

Add oats. Again, stir to combine.

If you want to add nuts or chocolate chips, stir in by hand.

Batter will be super wet! Drop batter by the tablespoon on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes, until edges are browned and center looks set. The cookies will be very soft.

Peppercorn Pork with Dijon-Cider Sauce

I’m constantly looking for quick weeknight meals that are flavorful and not boring. This Peppercorn Pork fit the bill. It took about 30 minutes to make. The meat had a bit of kick from the crushed peppercorn, but the sweet Cider Sauce balanced it out nicely. The Apple Barley Salad would be a bit bland on its own, but I really enjoyed it with the pork and sauce.

Peppercorn Pork with Dijon-Cider Sauce

and Apple Barley Salad

Adapted from Cuisine at Home (p. 15)

recipe not posted online but other Cuisine at Home recipes are found here

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 2-inch thick medallions
  • kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs. whole peppercorn blend, freshly ground or crushed
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
  • 1 Tbs. minced shallots
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
  • 1 c. apple juice (or cider)
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Season pork medallions with kosher salt. Dredge one side of the medallions in the crushed pepper. Add to the hot skillet, pepper-side down. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes.

Flip medallions and continue cooking until meat is cooked (about 145F at the center), about 6 more minutes. Transfer medallions to a plate, cover with foil, and let them rest.

In same skillet, add remaining olive oil, shallots, and tomato paste. Saute for 1 minute.

Add wine and deglaze pan, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until almost evaporated.

Add apple juice and vinegar, simmering until it reduces to about 1/3 a cup, 5-7 minutes. Whisk in mustard and season with salt.

Serve with Apple Barley Salad

Ingredients:

  • Barley*
  • 1 sweet red apple, diced
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp. sugar

* Cook barley according to package. I used 1 c. uncooked barley, yielding 3-4 c. cooked.

In a small non-stick pan, melt butter. Add apples and cook until apples are just softened, a couple minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Add to barley and stir to combine.