Mango Coconut Smoothie

Another delicious reason to own one of these!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks, slightly thawed
juice of one lime
agave nectar, to taste

Directions:

Place ingredients in a blender, in listed order. Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

*www.kitchenconfidante.com

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

uh.maze.balls.

 (serves 4!!)

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
• Cooking spray
• 3 cups hot cooked basmati rice 
• 4 lime wedges

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions.  (I used brown rice.)

Preheat broiler.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce, rice, and lime wedges.

*Cooking Light, September 2002

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Pudding Cookies

these are so yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3.4 oz. package white chocolate instant pudding mix (*I couldn't find white chocolate instant pudding mix.  White chocolate pudding mix now only comes in sugar-free and will not work for this recipe.  I substituted the white chocolate pudding mix for vanilla instant pudding mix. **Update: I found white chocolate instant pudding mix at Jewel.  Very hard to find!!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white chocolate chips (I'd reduce to 1-1/2 cups.)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silpat.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and white chocolate pudding mix. Set aside.

3.  In your mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Add eggs and mix together.  Add your bowl of dry ingredients.  Mix together and finally add white chocolate chips.

4.  Mix in a small bowl, assemble the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Scoop out cookie dough and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and place two inches apart on baking sheet.

5.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden.  Let cool and enjoy!

*Adapted from www.therecipecritic.com

Donna Giblin's Artichoke Chicken

you guys.  seriously omg.  not a joke.  unreal.

Ingredients:
3 1/2-4 pound chicken legs and thighs
1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered (Canned is totally fine...that's what I used.)
1 medium onion (cut into medium diced pieces - to match the size of the artichokes)
1 pound white button mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1. Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan.  (I seasoned my chicken with salt and pepper at this point as well.)  Distribute onion, artichoke, and mushrooms over the top.  Combine olive oil, mustard, red wine, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried spices, and salt and pepper, and pour over the chicken. 

2. Bake at 350º for 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour.

3.  Holy crap.

*ABC's The Chew 

Simple Butternut Squash Soup

stop everything you're doing and make this.

Task of the day: Find a BBB 20% off coupon and go buy one of these.  

Not kidding.  It changed my life!!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. diced butternut squash (Costco has a 2 lb. container! Easy peasy!)
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¼ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• toasted walnuts
• salt to taste
• cream to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the squash, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle with a little salt and saute until lightly browned and the squash is cooked through.  This process takes about 45 minutes.  You want the squash to be fork tender. 
2. Place the cooked squash in a blender and add the milk and cayenne. Blend for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth. Season generously with salt. Top each serving with toasted walnuts and a drizzle of cream.

Notes:

You can adjust the taste and consistency to your liking by adding more milk, salt, or even vegetable broth, etc.  Alternatively, you could also add the walnuts into the blender (about ½ cup) in addition to putting the whole ones on top. Add, taste, add, taste, add, taste. 

*www.pinchofyum.com