Kiwi Frosted Sugar Cookies

I invented something delicious y'all!

So...these AMAZING little cookies are the love child of kiwis and a store bought sugar cookie mix. Since Im not one for exact measurements, I'll do my best to let you know how to make them below:

Bake sugar cookies a la store bought mix.
The size of the cookies should be about 2 inches in diameter.

Let those cool.

For the frosting...
Peel and smash one ripe kiwi in a medium sized bowl. (a softer kiwi makes it easier to smash)
Add 3-4 Tbsp room temperature butter.
Then add 1tsp Vanilla
Add powdered sugar to desired consistency. (think a little thicker than jar o' store bought frosting consistency)
Then add salt little by little until it tastes juuuust right.

Put the frosting in a ziplock bag and cut off the corner. ie: poor man's piping bag.

Frost cookies one at a time - placing a thin kiwi slice on top immediately.

Tip: The firmer kiwis work best for the slices on top. And after you slice the kiwi, set it on a paper towel to soak up any excess juice. We don't want soggy cookies!

(Note: in the photos above, you'll see that I cut my cookies in half. If you choose to go that route, cut the sugar cookie in half FIRST, then frost and top with half of a kiwi slice)

Refrigerate until ready to serve. And be aware that they taste best fresh and don't really save well. So eat or give them away soon after you make them.

If you happen to try making these, please come back and tell me what you think!

MOCK CURRY OF THE COCONUT GINGER CHICKEN VEGGIE KIND

You're right - the name needs a little work. But once you try this recipe, you won't care what it's called...you'll just be begging for more. And why did I omit the curry you ask? Oh yes, because I got my little pregnant heart set on making curry only to realize we didn't have any curry in the cupboard. Time to IMPROV! So glad it turned out :)

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil (to coat the pan so veggies don't stick)
1 medium-large onion (chopped into pieces)
2 medium sweet potatoes (chopped to bite size pieces)
chicken breasts (very thinly cut into small peices)
4-5 celery stalks (cut into pieces)
1 can coconut milk
ginger powder
light soy sauce
fresh garlic
white sugar
1 small can water chestnuts (drained)
a handful of frozen peas

DIRECTIONS
Heat large pan over medium heat.
Add Olive Oil to keep veggies from sticking to the pan
Add chopped onion and sweet potatoes and let cook for 3-4 minutes
Add Chicken pieces and continue cooking until almost fully opaque
Add celery and cook an additional minute
Add 1 can coconut milk and reduce heat slightly
Add spices (ginger powder, lt. soy sauce, fresh garlic, white sugar)
Allow to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes
Taste and adjust spices accordingly
Add peas and water chestnuts and continue simmering another 5 minutes

Serve over brown rice...and tell your tastebuds to get ready for some satisfaction!

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

I'm a girl who thinks recipes are more like "suggestions" rather than hard and fast rules. Call me adventurous (or call me crazy) but this little chicken dish I improvised had us mmmm-ing and ahhhhh-ing at the dinner table in true "What About Bob" Fashion. It's an adaptation from a recipe I got from my lovely sister Wendy.

INGREDIENTS
CHICKEN BREASTS: Thawed (or fresh) and cut into whatever size pieces you're little heart desires. Note - the smaller the pieces the quicker the cooking time. Behold the convenience. For reference - I used one breast and it fed both John and I...but no left overs. Sad day!
CHOPPED ONION: again - however many you like! I used one medium onion for our one chicken breast. And I also chopped mine into pretty large peices. My husband likes him some onions!
ANY OTHER VEGGIES YOU WANT (I chose frozen yellow squash cut into pieces)
SEASON SALT
FRESH GROUND PEPPER

SAUCE INGREDIENTS
(And this is all to taste here people - so adjust accordingly). I'll give you the measurements I used for one breast/one onion and if you're making more - just add more of each. Naturally you'll need more sauce the more chicken you're making. Mmmmm...saucy!

1/3 of a stick BUTTER melted in the microwave in a glass measuring cup.
Then add...
1/4 c. HONEY
1/8 c. DIJON MUSTARD
1/8 c. REGULAR MUSTARD
Now taste! Adjust butter, honey and mustard accordingly. You can't go wrong :)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place your chicken chunks and onion in a pyrex or corningware (or you know, whatever the heck pan you have).
3. Salt and Pepper generously.
4. Pour prepared sauce over chicken and onions and stir until well coated.
5. Pop in the oven and cook until the onions are translucent and the chicken is done.

Served over brown rice with veggies on the side, this dish is delish!

(I put the rice in my rice cooker before I start the chicken and it usually ends up done at about the right time. Love the convenience).

CULINARY COMMENT #1: FAT GIRLS ROCK!

We all know that fat bottom girls make this rockin world go round. Butt (hehe) what happens when the fats we eat make our bodies "go round" (if you know what I mean). lol I've done my homework on most of the fats out there...and boy does it get complicated. But I think I've broken it down into an easy to follow formula for my family.

So for my own organization and for the viewing pleasure of anyone who reads this blog - I figured I'd outline my personal fat preferences here. I've become a fat enthusiast as of late, because I know which fats to root for and which ones to boot. I love talking about fats (yeah, I'm weird like that) so if you have any insights or if you just want to chew the fat for a while - I'm your girl!

FATS I EAT - GUILT FREE IN MODERATION:
(starting with the highest nutritional value)

1. Fish Oil Capsules. Why? Because I don't much care for fish, and because I can't afford to buy the Whole Foods mercury-free variety. Thus I opt for a supplement to get those all important Omega 3s. I take 1-2 capsules daily of X-Tend Life Fish Oil (A GREAT product from a GREAT company. For more info about their supplements you can see their website here) They are based in New Zealand and their products are of very high quality. Their oil is doubly purified and has a higher DHA than EPA count. Just what I was looking for in my Omega 3. Pricier than I would have liked - but the more I study nutrition, the more I learn that quality matters. We are what we eat! And we are what we eat eats! (get it?)

2. Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or as the health nuts out there know it...EVOO)

3. Avocados

4. Nuts (especially walnuts)

5. Flaxseeds

6. Canola Oil

7. Omega 6's (usually the oils you find in healthy crackers and breads and such)
•corn oil
•safflower oil
•soybean oil
•sunflower oil
•cottonseed oil

***NOTE: Omega 3s and Omega 6s are both essential fats. We must get them from our diets because our bodies can't produce them on their own. The problem in the current and typical American diet is that we eat WAY too many Omega 6s and hardly any Omega 3s. To function optimally, our bodies need a balance of these two essential fats. Which means most of us would do well to lower the amount of Omega 6 in our diet and simultaneously increase our Omega 3 intake. That's what I'm striving to do little by little. It takes some change and planning - but I'm working on it.

FATS I WOULD DO WELL TO ELIMIATE BUT CAN'T HELP BUT ONLY HAVE IN MODERATION:

1. Saturated Fats (ie: Animal Fat and the Fats found within products that come from animals like butter and sour cream and cheese)

FATS I STRIVE TO COMPLETELY AVOID:

1. Trans Fats (ie: anything that has Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated in the ingredient list) Our bodies can't metabolize these fats properly and thus they have no benefit for us. They cause inflammation and major health problems when consumed, especially in excess.

PRODUCT DISCOVERY #1: ALMOND MILK

Milk. It does a body good...or does it? I can't be sure, but I've done quite a bit of reading - and while I still feel like I've only skimmed (pun intended) the surface of the info out there, I've come to a decision. No milk for me. I still eat cheese and yogurt (especially the frozen variety - haha) and a few other dairy products - but for the most part, I've MOOved on to new beverage ventures and left milk in the dust.

I can't say my decision was made on scientific research or figures or facts, but I've got plain old personal experience to back me up. When I drink milk I get bloated and gassy. When I don't drink milk...well...I don't! haha That's all the info I need.

At first it was a bit of an adjustment...ok, a big adjustment. I grew up practically drinking milk by the gallon-full. So what's a girl to do now when she eats her cookies? Water just won't cut it. And naked cereal? No way - not for me.

So I first tried Light Vanilla Soy Milk. Not bad. A different taste for sure, but one I could probably get used to. But what I couldn't get used to? The nagging thought that I was harming my baby from drinking it. I found all these places online saying that its best to stay away from soy during pregnancy. Now whether there's any truth to those claims or not...the onset of motherhood worry has me steering clear of soy.

Ok - so no soy. What do I do now?! My cookies are getting worried here!

Almond milk. The perfect solution. I bought a carton of Vanilla Almond Milk and brought it home eager to taste. Gulp. Delicious! So sweet, it must be the nector of the nut gods. So here I was in this glorious relationship with my Vanilla Almond milk - until I took a closer look at the nutrition facts. Loaded...and I mean LOADED with added sugar. I knew it was too good to be true. Dang! So I headed back to the store in hopes of finding still a better beverage.

Just when I almost lost hope - I FOUND IT! Unsweetened Almond Milk from Whole Foods. It's the same price as all the other "milks" I was buying and it has less than 1 gram of sugar. It has very little flavor - just a distant nutty undertone. Its creamier than water - but not so overpowering that you feel like your downing liquified dessert gulp after gulp. And with 40 calories per 8oz serving...I am one happy cows milk free camper.

So if anyone is looking for a milk alternative - allow me to suggest unsweetened almond milk. I've found my milky match...now its on to continue the nutritional make-over of the rest of my diet.

Bring it on!

CREAM CHEESE AND PECAN STUFFED BERRIES

Summer is here and I've got strawberries on the brain y'all - so here's yet another Paula Dean recipe I'm DYING to try!!! It looks fancy but seems super simple. I'll have to try my hand at it here pretty soon and post some pictures of my own. I'm planning to substitute low fat cream cheese and maybe try stevia instead of powdered sugar. Depends on how calorie consious I feel when I get around to making them. haha Let me know if you've ever tried this - looks delicious to me.

Ingredients
20 whole large strawberries, hulled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture and recipe courtesy of foodnetwork.com

Click here for the original recipe!

TALL ORDER SHORT CAKE