Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

I saw this Magazine at Sprouts recently and had to check it out. Normally I peruse the internet for recipes related to what I have on-hand but lately the hubby has been needing some healthier options. What I love about this book is that it’s Soups and Stews for 2. In the past, I would make a normal-sized pot and we would end up eating only half and get burned out. Now I can cook small and try meals from around the world...I think Morocco is next :)

Polka Dot Macaroons (Christmas Cookie Countdown 2018 #1)

What a year this has been! Major ups and major downs. I feel like I'm sliding into home this December. So, I guess I won't be reaching my goal of "a cookie a day" this month/year. I did manage to make a few though and can't believe how delicious they were. In fact I made a couple of them twice already :)

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/polka-dot-macaroons/

Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

I've been on a baking hiatus, so when I found this recipe, I was so excited. This is probably one of the easiest, tastiest "bangs for your buck" that you can find. I was actually looking for a German Chocolate poke cake, but nothing compares to this one. It's a great one to bake for company and serve hot with ice cream after dinner. I used lard to grease the pan. Next time, though, I'll use a piping bag for the cream cheese mixture so it doesn't come out in clumps using just a spatula.

https://tidymom.net/2010/gooey-upside-down-german-chocolate-cake/

Jeweled Coconut Drops (Christmas Countdown 2017 #2)

Day number 2 of my 5th annual Countdown to Christmas cookies. So far both have been amazing. I love macaroons anyway so you didn't have to convince me that these would be delicious. Cream cheese and coconut are good any day of the week. I did have to use the wooden spoon again after they finished cooking and used strawberry preserves instead. Here at 6400 ft elevation, I had to cook them for 15 minutes to get them toasted and dry. This will definitely not be the month to lose weight ;)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/jeweled-coconut-drops/amp

Pineapple Mango "Ice Cream" (AIP, gluten-free; dairy free)

This was super easy and delicious! During the summer, the hubby bought a bunch of pineapples and mangos when they were on sale. I pureed and froze it until I could decide what to do with it. Recently I've had couple of friends that are wanting to follow the Auto-Immune Paleo diet, so the hardest part is finding desserts since I'm used to traditional farm baking (with wheat flour in everything). The great thing about this one is that it makes great popcicles too (which the hubby eats every other day). :) For this recipe, taste it before adding the maple syrup. I added some to this one because I wanted more of a sweetened ice cream taste, but for smoothies, you would likely want to omit the syrup.

https://beamingbaker.com/3-ingredient-mango-coconut-vegan-ice-cream-paleo-dairy-free-gf-vegan/

Wyoming Cowboy Cookies

I saw these on Facebook this week and knew I HAD to make them. I was right-they are superb, like a party I  your mouth... Coconut, pecans, chocolate chips, oatmeal...Yum! I also liked that is made a larger batch. You're going to appreciate that when you serve it to your family. 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/wyoming

German Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is now my top favorite cookie. They're technically called Coconut Pecan cookies, but the frosting is the same for German Chocolate cake, so I've renamed them. They also could go by the alias "crack cookies"-sinfully delicious. If you enjoy baking cookies, this one is a MUST on your list. :)

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-cookies

Pina Colada Bread

Our local grocery store had pineapples 98c each, so the hubby (and his shopping addiction) bought 14! So, last night I looked through "The Best of Colorado" cookbook--a Christmas gift from the hubby a few years ago. I found Pina Colada Bread. I think it was delicious, but definitely needs the glaze to enjoy it. We tried it without the glaze and agreed it wasn't as good. I think I added too much baking powder and/or baking soda as it slightly affected the flavor. Next time I will make a couple of adjustments, but overall it was very good. It was fun to make a Colorado favorite. :)