Favourite Thing Friday

My favorite thing this Friday is trying new recipes!  To find out what Mrs. P's favorite thing is this week, head over to Quilting in my Pyjamas.

I am trying a new recipe for dinner tonight - this. 

I found the recipe on Pinterest, and I only needed to use about 1/2 can of coconut milk.  Because I wanted to use the remaining coconut milk, I did a google search.  I found Emeril's recipe for coconut cream pie. 

I remembered that Rob really enjoyed coconut cream pie at a cool restaurant when we were in Florida - so I decided to make one!  The recipe called for whole milk, but I substituted in the remaining coconut milk for part of the milk in the recipe.

The jury is still out on whether or not either of these recipes will be a hit - but it was really fun mixing new ingredients and anticipating how they will taste!  I'll keep you posted.

For now, here are some pictures of the fun I've had this afternoon!  

custard filling with toasted coconut

my blind-baked pie crust

the two components of my pie: custard and meringue topping

just waiting for the meringue

there it is!

before baking

and....after!

I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

How is it possible?

How can time be hurtling by at such a speed that these two.....

Josh, aged four - Kate, aged 6 months (they're now 13 and almost 10)

will be in high school [next year] and turning ten [next month]?

Cherry Cinnamon Bread

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 

I realize this recipe is a little late to the party, but if you live in the US, President's Day weekend is quickly approaching - make this bread for your family sometime this weekend. 

I used the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll dough and then simply added some drained sour cherries.  I freeze some every summer, but I know you can purchase canned sour cherries in the baking aisle.  When I reached the step where I sprinkle the raised dough with cinnamon, sugar, and butter, I placed the cherries on top and rolled up the dough.  Instead of slicing into individual cinnamon rolls, I kept mine in a log and placed into a greased loaf pan. 

I baked my bread at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.  I added icing after the bread cooled.  We seriously loved this bread.  I will be making this again - maybe even this weekend!

note: (I halved the cinnamon roll recipe, it was just perfect for two loaves - which we ate in one day!)

The best thing about dessert

is enjoying it for breakfast the next day!  I love warm apple pie with milk.  I enjoyed mine with a nice cup of coffee.  Perfection.

Here is the link to my apple pie tutorial.

Tastes Like a Memory

grape nuts, raspberries, and milk

Tastes just like my grandparents house.  Don't you love when food takes you back to a special place with special memories?  What "takes you back"?

As a special aside, my grandparents raspberry bushes live on.  Even though my grandfather has been gone since 1995 and my grandmother since 2005, I recently cooked for a family that has the offspring of their bushes.  They inherited the shoots of bushes my grandparents gave to friends.  How cool is that? 

Quiche with potatoes

I don't really know what to call this.  I don't think it's a quiche, I guess it could be called a frittata.  I'm not really sure of the definition, but since my husband and some of my readers are purists, I should quantify it pretty soon.  Whatever it is, you'll love it!  We often have quiche and soup as a dinner during the week.  We all like it, and then the leftovers are great for lunches. 

I do have a recipe for a quiche with a potato crust, but that one seems a little labor intensive.  This was way easier, and the potato flavor was stronger, which was a win with this crowd!  It's kind of like home fries and an omelette, all in one cheesy bite.  Yeah, it's that good. 

What do you think we should call it?

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes, cooked in the microwave until tender, then chop and set aside
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 T canola oil
salt, pepper
1/2 cup chopped deli ham
1 cup cooked broccoli florets
3 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar, with more for topping
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup half and half

1.  In a skillet, saute cooked potatoes and onion until slightly browned, season to your liking with salt and pepper.  Put browned potatoes and onions into your pie plate.
2.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the potato and onion mixture. 
3.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until mixture is set.  Just before the mixture sets, sprinkle extra cheese over, if desired, and bake until golden brown. 

This was honestly so easy!  We all loved it.  This would be perfect for brunch, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Cornbread

Growing up, I used to love when my mom made cornbread.  I have tried to make it for our family over the years, and I could never get it to taste like hers.  Until.  Until I used my skillet.  I don't know why I didn't try this before - my mom always used her skillet for cornbread.  I also tried a new recipe, via a google search.  I had always used the back of the cornmeal container, but I only had bulk cornmeal and so I had to do a little research.

The cornbread was, in Rob's words, "heaven".  Crunchy from the cornmeal, but moist and soft, almost pillowy.  We, of course, topped ours with plenty of butter and honey, and I served it alongside pulled pork and a salad.

Buttery Cornbread Recipe, courtesy of Allrecipes (click here for the link)

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine the eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture.
2. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.