COOKBOOK

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease muffin cup pan. Combine flour, toasted coconut, sugar, chocolate chips, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk coconut milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla to blend. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean or 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool.

Chocolate Chip Orange Cupcakes

Adapted from Whisk Kid

Ingredients:
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • juice and zest of two oranges
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

    • Chocolate Glaze

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup of unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with 8 liners.
Cream the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar, then add in the egg and vanilla. Beat until very well combined, then add the zest and juice of one orange.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, and baking powder. Sift half into the creamed mixture, stir just until combined, then add the sour cream. Stir briefly, then add the dry ingredients until combined. Add mini chocolate chips and pour into liners. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on it.

While the cupcakes are baking, combine juice and zest of one orange and
1/4 c sugar. In a small saucepan and simmer for five minutes. While the cupcakes are still warm, poke holes in them with a toothpick and pour the orange syrup over them.

For the chocolate glaze: Boil water and sugar until it thickens. Add the chopped chocolate, stir until it melts. In a bowl, add the beaten egg yolks. Pour the chocolate mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. When thickened, spread on the cooled cupcakes.

Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cup self-rising flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and candy cane pieces. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough onto the parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes and cool on a rack.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
  • confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Directions:
Beat egg until frothy. Beat in remaining ingredients except blueberries, until combined. Gently stir in blueberries. Grease a heated griddle. Cook pancakes until puffed and dry around edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.

“Monster” Cookies

Ingredients:
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon (up to 1 teaspoon) cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
Directions:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and blend until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until blended. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate, pecans, and coconut. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using an ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool on a rack.

Kabocha Muffins

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup kabocha, cubed, cooked and mashed
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add kabocha and water. In a separate bowl, mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Note: I cubed the kabocha, microwaved for 4 minutes and then mashed it with a fork – chunky style.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients:
  • 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
  • 1/3 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix mashed bananas and melted butter with a wooden spoon. Mix in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle and stir in the baking soda and salt. Add the flour and chocolate chips last and mix. Pour mixture into a greased 4×8 inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Plum Coconut Crumble

Ingredients:
  • 16 purple Italian or prune plums, pitted and quartered
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp plus 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
In a medium bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp granulated sugar over plums. Set aside. Heat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix brown sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground ginger. Add to plums and mix well. Arrange plums in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. In another small bowl, combine granulated sugar, baking powder, 1 cup flour, coconut, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and salt. Mix well, then stir in beaten egg. Mix thoroughly and sprinkle crumb mixture over plums. Drizzle butter evenly over crumb mixture and bake 30 minutes. When top of crumble is browned, remove from oven and cool on a rack. Serve crumble warm or refrigerate for up to two days, well covered.