Chocolate Coconut Bars

With Easter being only a few days away I decided to break my holiday baking up into three nights.  Mommy duties always come first, so I have to manage my time.  If I do a little every night (after bedtime :) I'll get it all done. I love baking at night - apron on over my jammies, a hot cup of tea on hand, and the radio to keep me company. 

We are having friends and family stopping by Friday and Saturday, so I need to have plenty of treats on hand to serve with coffee - or else what kind of hostess would I be?....wink, wink....  

Tonight I made chocolate coconut bars.  These bars are so easy and delicious.  The best part is that you use crescent rolls for the crust.  They are so buttery and flaky.  You will really love these....

Here's what you need to make them:

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup flaked coconut

1 cup (6 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Unroll the crescent roll dough into one long rectangle on an ungreased baking sheet.  Seal seams and perforations.  Roll out (or stretch with your fingers) into a rectangle to cover the surface of the cookie sheet. 

In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and egg until smooth. 

Stir in the coconut.

Spread over crust. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cream cheese is set.  (In my oven 12 minutes is perfect.  The cream cheese is set and the edges are slightly browned).

Take out of the oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes.

With a spatula, spread melted chips over the top and sprinkle with nuts.

For this batch I also sprinkled and extra fistful of coconut over the top as well.  After all, it's Easter and you can never have too much coconut. 

Let cool completely before cutting.

Of course I had to cut myself two pieces and gobble them up....just to make sure they were OK......

The soundtrack to my baking tonight were these two cd's:

I've had these cd's a long time and I love them so much.  I purchased them many years ago through Parade Magazine, that came in the Sunday Globe newspaper.  This was way back before Internet shopping or even QVC.  I saw an add in the magazine, mailed my check, and waited patiently for 6 to 8 weeks for them to arrive. 

As you can tell by the corny prom picture on the cover, these cd's are a collection of romantic songs from the 50's and 60's.

Songs like Tears on My Pillow by Little Anthony, Only You by the Platters, and Crazy by Patsy Cline.  There's also Chances Are by Johnny Mathis, Earth Angel by the Penguins, and Crying in the Rain by the Everly Brothers.....ahhh those Everly Brothers.  They get me every time.

While dancing around the kitchen tonight (by myself of course) I was thinking about how I originally bought these because I wanted to have one particular song. And that song was I Only Have Eyes For You by the Flamingos. I was broken hearted at the time and wanted to drown my sorrows in that song. (I was also very overly dramatic...)  Nonetheless,  I think it's one of the most romantic songs ever made.  For me it's right up there with I Love You For Sentimental Reasons by Sam Cooke, and Stardust - the Nat King Cole version. 

When I really think about it, it always amazes me how timeless music is.  My parents and people of their generation listened to this music back in the 50's and felt the same way about it as I do here tonight, baking in my kitchen, while my husband and son dream the night away.  What a special gift that is.

I'll be back tomorrow with Coconut Cream Eggs!  Sweet Dreams.....

PS I wasn't broken-hearted for long.  We made up and got married.  In fact, I can hear him snoring at this very moment.  Sometimes I just love irony, don't you?



Acorn Squash

A lot of people are fascinated by Acorn Squash.  They don't quite know what to do with it and they think squash is a vegetable that you just eat in the fall.  Whenever  I serve it to company on any day other than Thanksgiving, they wonder if I've gone mad.  That is, until they taste it. 

I grew up eating squash all year long - butternut, summer, acorn, winter, etc.  You name it, we ate it.  It's probably my favorite vegetable of all time. I love acorn because it's so easy to make, and goes with just about any meal.  I introduced my hubby to it when we got married and he fell in love with it too.  I make it at least once a week.  There are several different ways you can prepare acorn squash, but this way is my favorite.

Cut the squash in half.....

With a spoon, scrape out all the seeds...

Place the half's face down in a glass (Pyrex) dish.  Add a little water (a few tablespoons) to the dish and cover with plastic wrap. 

I have a "vegetable" setting on my microwave.  I hit that button and it cooks for about 15 minutes.  You could cook these in the oven (just until tender) but it would take a lot longer. I find cooking them in the microwave is the easiest and fastest way.

Once the squash is cooked (test by sticking your fork in them - if the fork goes in easy they are done) carefully remove the plastic wrap and drain out the water.

Fill the cavities with a dollop of butter and about a teaspoon of brown sugar (in each).  Put them in a warm oven just to melt the butter.

Each half is one serving.  Once they come out of the oven they are very hot, so I put them in individual bowls.

To eat, just scrape up all the goodness with your fork.  You will never look at squash the same way again. 

On holidays my mother fills the cavities with peas and sometimes cranberries in the fall. 

Try this as a side dish for your next meal.  Enjoy!

Here Comes Easter

With Easter only a week away I've been a busy little bunny around here.  I've been decorating, baking, and "Easter Bunny" shopping till my heart's content. 

This is my Easter Bunny Village.  My mom gave it to me a few years ago.  I love all the pastel colors. 

Couldn't you imagine yourself walking down this street of bunnies?  They all look so friendly....

How can you not smile when you look at this?  I'll keep this village out all spring.

My little one loves it and calls it "Disney World". He said the same thing about my Christmas Village : )   

This year we decided to do an egg tree in the front yard.  I've always admired them in other people's yards and have been wanting to do one of my own for a long time.  When I mentioned it to my three year old he loved the idea!

It was a cold and windy day when we were decorating our tree...brrrr!

Now the Easter Bunny will know where to find him.  : )

I have little touches of Easter everywhere.  I love decorating for this holiday because it's an excuse to have all the tulips you want around the house.  All the colors are so bright and pretty. 



Inside, the promise of better days continues.  This weekend I planted my first seeds of the season.

These are lavender and daisys....

And these are  marigolds and wildflowers.  For now they are making their home on a sunny windowsill at my mother's house.  Once they are little sproutletts I will transplant them into pots and put them on my deck.  The thought of looking out my slider and seeing beautiful, colorful, flowers as I drink my morning coffee will someday be a reality - in only a few short weeks.  Yippeeeeee!

As a reward for doing such a good job decorating our Easter tree I had to make my little one a special desert. He Loves Sweets - - - it runs in the family.

This is just a plain yellow cake that I baked in a heart shaped pan.

I frosted it with chocolate frosting.  In my opinion, there is nothing better than yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  They are as good of friends a peanut butter and jelly!

To make the cake special I decorated it with M&M's, which are his favorite.  It only take a few minutes to turn something ordinary into some thing extra-ordinary....

and something that will make your little three year old's eyes go wide and think you are the best mom in the world.  If that's all it takes, then I'm IN!



Contentment

I love the look of lemons on the kitchen window sill.  I start doing this every spring, when the days start to get longer and the weather turns from bitter cold to just chilly.

The way the sun shines in through the window onto the lemons makes them look more YELLOW and lemon-y.  Little balls of sunshine.  Happy me ~

They call to me in the grocery store - 4 for a $1.00 - Buy me!!!  And in the basket they go.  I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but there they are, ready to be sliced, squeezed, and made into something delicious.

The best thing about lemons is that you can literally do anything with them.  Here are some of my favorite things to do with lemons:

Susan Branch's Lemon Coconut Cake - I make this cake every year for my mother's birthday in July.  The best part is the lemon curd filling.  It is soooo good.  I love making this cake as much as I love eating it.  (if that's possible...)

After squeezing lemons I always grind up the rinds in the garbage disposal.  They clean the drain and fill the sink with a fresh citrus scent. (I also do this with oranges)

For a dinner party, put fresh lemon slices into a glass pitcher of ice water.  Jazzes up plain water and makes your table look fancy. 

Put lemon half's into the bottom of a glass vase filled with flowers - especially yellow roses.  It looks so pretty and elegant.

Attention Gardener's:  Plunge your finger tips into a lemon half and it will help keep your finger nails white.  This is a very good trick after you've been digging in the dirt all day. 

Put some sugar and lemon rind or zest in an air tight container and make lemon sugar.  Divine in tea!

I could go on and on...lemon squares dusted with powdered sugar, homemade lemonade with mint, and of course my Lemon Zest Yankee Candle.  This candle is a kitchen must have.  I burn it for a few minutes after cooking anything stinky - fish, broccoli, etc.  It cleans the air and makes the kitchen smell fresh and clean.

This past Sunday we had my parents over for dinner.  Naturally I had just purchased 3 beautiful, plump, lemons from the grocery store on Saturday.  My mother had offered to bring desert, so I knew that I wasn't going to bake with them, I would use them in the main course.  Hmmmm....  Lemon Chicken Tenders.

The weather was beautiful that day.  It was still a bit chilly, but the sun was shining and we didn't need our heavy coats - only light jackets.  My little one had been nursing a cold all week and was itching to get out of the house.  It's amazing how much energy a three year old has, even with a cold.  We thought that a little fresh air would be good for him so we spent our first afternoon of the season at the playground.  I was almost teary-eyed when I realized how much he has changed in a year.  Last summer he needed help going up and down the ladder of the slide.  Now he's up and down so fast I could hardly keep up with him.  He has no fear and is a definite risk taker.  The higher the swings and the faster the slide the better.  I'm so happy for him because that's what being three is all about.  He doesn't have a care in the world and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible.  My hubby and I love to watch him and we dream of what he'll be someday.  He has the ability to be anything he wants to be and in time he'll realize that.  For now he's happy being three, watching Scooby-doo, eating a rice crispy treat. 

One of the best things about having kids is how much they ground you.  Sometimes I get so depressed watching the news and hearing about all the terrible things going on in the world.  My heart breaks for people in pain.  And then I see my little guy in his Toy Story jammies and all is right in my world - and in his.  I'm so grateful for that.  I pray for those in need and thank God for the blessing I have.

We came home from the playground in plenty of time to prepare dinner.  Mom & Dad would be here within the hour so it was time to get to work.  The boys went outside to draw with chalk on the driveway and I had the kitchen all to myself.  Just the way I like it!

Lemon Chicken Tenders - This dish is so easy and requires very few ingredients.  Here's what you need:

15-20 Chicken tenders
1 1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 cup chicken stock
Juice of 3 lovely lemons
Parsley

Between two pieces of wax paper, pound chicken tenders with a mallet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter and oil in a skillet (or electric fry pan).  Fill a plastic bag with flour and drop the chicken pieces in to coat.

On med-high heat, brown the chicken - about 3 minutes on each side.  When both sides are browned, turn the heat to low/simmer and add the chicken stock and lemon juice.  Let simmer for about ten minutes or so until the chicken is done.  (The chicken stock will make it nice and tender).  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.  (serves 6)

I served this with baked potatoes and a veggie.  I cooked frozen broccoli and cauliflower in the microwave. For a special treat I put a few cubes of Velveeta Cheese on top and put it back into the oven for a few minutes, just to melt the cheese. 

The Velveeta makes an unbelievably good cheese sauce that will make any three year old want to eat his veggies (get my angle....wink, wink...)

I turned to the Pillsbury Doughboy for help with the bread.  My family is a family of bread eaters.  We do NOT have a meal without bread.  I once heard Rachael Ray say that on her table bread is considered a utensil.  I can relate to this.  The first thing my father says to my mother as she's serving dinner is "where's the bread?"  It cannot be forgotten.  I happen to love, love, Pillsbury rolls and bread.  To me, it's the closest thing to fresh baked bread you can get unless you spend the day kneading and rising.  For our Sunday meal I chose the Pillsbury Italian loaf.  Within 25 minutes my house was filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread. 

And no one cares I cheated.  It's that good.  I served it warm, right from the oven and it was sooo delicious. Is there anything better than melted butter on warm, freshly baked bread?  I think not.

My mom surprised us and brought cream puffs for desert.  My day keeps getting better and better!  I would not let anyone touch them until I took a picture.  It was tough keeping little three year old fingers out of the shot.  For something different she filled them with vanilla pudding instead of whipped cream.  I liked it better.  The pudding has more flavor and goes so well with the light and flaky pastry.  Rob, the hubby, asked her if maybe next time she would soak them in rum...haha.  Good for us, but maybe not for the kids.  :)

Our Sunday was one of those days where nothing too exciting happened, but everything was just right.  I went to bed that night feeling very content with my life and the people around me. 

Happy Days ~