Coconut Raisin Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can sweet potatoes, mashed
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins 
• 1 cups pecans
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 
  

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, milk, butter and raisins. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut.
3. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

A Tokazowski Christmas Ham

Ingredients

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 (12 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, drained
• 1 box round wooden toothpicks

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar and honey. Stir in the juice from the maraschino cherries, and half of the cherries.
3. Score the outer edge of the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4 inch deep. This will allow the ham to soak up the juice. 
4. Place the pineapples onto the top of the ham, and secure with toothpicks. Place cherries into the centers of the rings, and secure with toothpicks also.
5. Place the ham into an oven bag, and carefully pour the juice mixture over it, keeping all of the juice in the bag. It may look like there is too much juice, but the ham will soak it up while baking.  Tie the end of the bag closed with the ties provided, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the top of the oven bag.
6. Bake the ham for 2 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees F (80 degrees C) when done. Be sure not to touch the bone when taking the temperature. Remove ham from bag to a serving plate, and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Candy Cane Fudge Wreath

We made this for Ronnie to take into work on Christmas. According to Ronnie everyone liked, though it does come out be a softer texture than your traditional fudge. 

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) packages vanilla baking chips
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (keep the can)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 cups crushed candy canes (about 12 candy canes)
• 1 dash red or green food coloring (I used green to make it look more like a reef)

Directions

1. Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring and 1C candy canes.
2. Wash out the condensed milk can and place it in the center of a round baking pan. Then cover the can and the pan with aluminum foil, grease. 
3. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Be careful because the can has a tendency to more, I would recommend one person pouring and the other holding the can down. 
4. Sprinkle the remaining candy canes on top, and gentle press down. 
5. Then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 

Chocolate and Coconut Fudge

Ingredients

• 1 package dark chocolate baking chips
• 1  can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1 1/2 Cups flaked coconut
• 
  

Directions

1. Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in 1 Cup coconut.
2. Cover a square baking pan with foil and the greese well.
3. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. 
4. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on top, and gentle press down. 
5. Then place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 

Coconut Macaroons

• I wanted to make something special for Ronnie this Christmas season, I finally decided on these. They were simple and a lot of fun to make. The only problem is that they are very addictive, even if you do not like coconut. 

  Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 egg white, whipped
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 (14 ounce) package flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with foil; grease and flour foil. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white, extracts and coconut; mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets; slightly flatten each mound with a spoon.
3. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Immediately remove from baking sheets (macaroons will stick if allowed to cool); cool on wire racks. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Healthy Garlic and Onion Chicken

Ingredients:

2-4 Chicken Breast

1 Tbsp Garlic per chicken breast

1/2 onion chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp low fat butter

Procedure:

• Slice an opening in the middle of the chicken breast. Do not cut all the way through.
• Stuff garlic into the slit you cut in the chicken breast.
• Lightly coat the top of the chicken breast with butter and sprinkle onions over. Then sprinkle on salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350C, then bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, and serve.

I'm sure that if you love garlic and chicken, you will enjoy this garlic baked chicken breast recipe! It will serve about 2- 4 people.

Indian Hot Curried Pork

We have many Chinese restaurants around us. One of the things that I like more than these restaurants is the container the take-out comes in. It's a nice washable / reusable plastic container. One of the easiest recipes for me to make and bring it to work is Indian curried pork. It sounds hard, but for a not-so-cultured American like myself, even these things are not difficult. =)

The recipe is pulled right from the back of the container (With a few tweaks)

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

1 pound of Pork (The tenderloin)

2 Yellow Onions

6 Tbsp. Patak's Curry Paste

1 Can of Diced Tomatos (15 Oz.)

1 1/3 Cups of water

1. Sauté onion in oil. 

2. Add pork, cook until lightly browned. 

3. Stir in the curry, cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Add tomatoes and water. 

5. Cover simmer until the pork is thoroughly cooked, about 1 hour. Serve over hot, cooked rice.

Bon apatite!

Egg Salad

I love this recipe because it is so simple and yet so yummy. For the record though the measurements are recommendations, make to taste since some people like more relish or mustard. 


Ingredients:


6 Hard Boiled Eggs
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon Mustard
2 Tablespoon relish
Salt and Pepper to taste


Procedure:


1.To boil eggs, place eggs in enough cold water to cover completely, bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2.Reduce heat to a lower MEDIUM BOIL and cook an additional 12 minutes.
Promptly chill eggs so yolks stay bright yellow.
3.Remove shells from eggs, chop with a clean stainless steel knife until the eggs are nicely diced.
4.In a medium sized bowl, mix together chopped eggs, with all other ingredients. Chill.

Great as a single dish, or in a sandwich. Keep refrigerated until served.
Enjoy!