Tag: coconut

Bars, Desserts, Recipes

Incredible Chocolate Marshmallow Krispie Treats #FoodBloggerLove

Sarah

Seriously the BEST marshmallow krispie treats you’ve ever had. These little bars are incredible–so chocolately, so marshmallow-y, and full of fun mix-ins like coffee, pistachios, and coconut. The perfect treat for your Valentine or anyone, anytime. 

Seriously the BEST marshmallow krispie treats you've ever had. These little bars are incredible--so chocolately, so marshmallow-y, and full of fun mix-ins like coffee, pistachios, and coconut. The perfect treat for your Valentine or anyone, anytime.  #FoodBloggerLove

Hey, hey! It’s Monday… and it’s #FoodBloggerLove, organized by The PinterTest Kitchen. It’s sort of a spinoff of The Secret Recipe Club days of olde, where we would swap blogger names each month and make a recipe off someone else’s site. But, in the newest twist, #FoodBloggerLove has a little more freedom. We could make a Valentine’s Day recipe OR we could write our post to celebrate another blogger. I took the latter option, since I ❤ SRC, and was given the lovely Amy of Amy’s Cooking Adventures. So today, I’ve made Amy (and all of you awesome readers), the most INCREDIBLE rice krispie treats I’ve ever had the privilege to taste. They are chocolately and super marshmallow-y and also are studded with pistachios, coconut, and a hint of coffee flavor. Basically, they’re the best. If you’re looking for fancy rice krispie treats… look no further. You’ve found a winner of a recipe.

Seriously the BEST marshmallow krispie treats you've ever had. These little bars are incredible--so chocolately, so marshmallow-y, and full of fun mix-ins like coffee, pistachios, and coconut. The perfect treat for your Valentine or anyone, anytime.  #FoodBloggerLove

I wish I could hang out with Amy in person today and share some of these cereal bars with her. We’d have a lot to talk about… we’re both busy working mamas (though she has two kiddos, and I just have one). And, drumroll please… we’re both librarians! She works at a school and I’m at a university, but we’d have lots to chat about I’m sure! She loves cooking healthy homemade meals for her family, desserts, bread, and carbs. Meeeeeeee too, girl, me too!

Seriously the BEST marshmallow krispie treats you've ever had. These little bars are incredible--so chocolately, so marshmallow-y, and full of fun mix-ins like coffee, pistachios, and coconut. The perfect treat for your Valentine or anyone, anytime.  #FoodBloggerLove

I know the next treat you’re going to make in your kitchen are these rice krispie treats, right?? *wink wink* They really are absolutely wonderful–I shared them with a few different groups of people and they received rave reviews. All the chocolate and mix-ins add a little extra personality, but it’s the abundance of marshmallows that truly takes these treats over the top! But, I also want you to check out some of Amy’s recipes. I made this Turkey Sausage Penne Skillet the other week, and it was amazing! The weather prevented me from taking photos but you better believe it’s a make-again recipe. 🙂 (Actually, my husband made this! Super easy!) Some of Amy’s other recipes on my radar for the future are this delectable S’mores Frappuccino, Rosemary Pan Bread, and Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies with Chocolate Ganache. Can you say y-u-m??

Seriously the BEST marshmallow krispie treats you've ever had. These little bars are incredible--so chocolately, so marshmallow-y, and full of fun mix-ins like coffee, pistachios, and coconut. The perfect treat for your Valentine or anyone, anytime.  #FoodBloggerLove

Hope you enjoy these treats–share some with your Valentine! And be sure to show Amy some love today. Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter. She always has great recipes and fun pics of her kiddos and her latest eats to share. 🙂

one year ago: Peanut Butter Honey Oatmeal Cookies
two years ago: Tangy Sweet Potato Hash 
three years ago: Spiced Fig Turkey Mini Meatloaf
four years ago: Sweet Potato Pork Quesadillas
five years ago: Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies
six years ago: Caramel S’more Cups
seven years ago: Bacon-Wrapped Feta & Almond Stuffed Dates

Be sure to find more great Valentine’s Day recipes and tributes to other food bloggers at the linky below!

Incredible Chocolate Marshmallow Krispie Treats

  • Servings: 24
  • Print

slightly adapted from Love & Flour

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter (4 ounces or 1 stick)
  • 2 – 10 ounce bags of mini marshmallows
  • 5 cups rice krispies cereal
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi sweet or milk chocolate)
  • 1/2 cup unshelled pistachios
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 teaspoons ground coffee (not instant)

Directions:

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.

In a pot set over medium-low heat, melt butter. Reduce heat a bit and add one bag of marshmallows. Stir frequently until mostly melted, then add 1/3 of the second bag of marshmallows. Stir constantly until melted.

Remove from heat and stir in cereal.

Fold in chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, ground coffee, and remaining marshmallows. Stir until fully incorporated, then transfer to prepared pan.

Use a bit of wax paper or your greased hands to press down. Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Advertisement
Breakfast, Oatmeal, Recipes

Fantastical Food Fight: Everyday Stovetop Oatmeal

Sarah

Everyday stovetop oatmeal… don’t settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it’s practically hands free, so you can make it while you’re getting the rest of your day in order. 

Everyday stovetop oatmeal... don't settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it's practically hands free, so you can make it while you're getting the rest of your day in order.  #FantasticalFoodFight

When I saw that the Fantastical Food Fight theme for January was oatmeal, I may have squealed. You see, I love oatmeal SO much. I agonized over what I was going to make for this fun event. A new baked oatmeal recipe? A new overnight oat recipe? Finally try my hand at savory oats (that my husband thinks sound disgusting)? But then I talked some sense into myself. Don’t make it complicated! Many days I just make a bowl of oatmeal on the stovetop. And I’ve never shared my method on the blog! Perfecttt!

Everyday stovetop oatmeal... don't settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it's practically hands free, so you can make it while you're getting the rest of your day in order.  #FantasticalFoodFight

I know you can make oatmeal in the microwave, or you can use those instant oat packets, or even use those fancy single serving tubs. There’s a time and a place for all of those (I keep instant oats at work for emergencies, for instance). But most days? I make a quick batch of my everyday stovetop oats for breakfast. My son LOVES oatmeal mornings and so do I. What I love about these oats is how easy they are–literally dump, stir, cook, forget it (set a timer)! I let these oats cook on my stove when I’m running around the house getting ready in the morning… and they are so simple and pretty much foolproof. I also love how creamy they are! Half milk, half water is my preferred liquid ratio for taste and creaminess. I also add some chia seeds and the consistency is so great! I know it’s weird to say oatmeal is luxurious, but these oats are! Lastly, I love how these oats are the perfect vehicle for your favorite toppings. You can find an ultimate list of oatmeal toppings in the recipe notes below, but for starters… here are some of my favorite combos. Fresh blueberries, sliced almonds, and a touch of brown sugar. S’mores. Peanut butter and strawberry jam. Sliced bananas, sliced almonds, toasted coconut, and maple syrup. Fresh strawberries, almond butter, and honey. The possibilities are endless! The toppings in the pictures are diced Bosc pear, sliced almonds, and dark brown sugar. SO good. Enjoy, friends! Hope you hop on my oatmeal bandwagon. 🙂

Everyday stovetop oatmeal... don't settle for a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast. If you have 10 minutes, you can have a delicious, hot bowl of oatmeal. And it's practically hands free, so you can make it while you're getting the rest of your day in order.  #FantasticalFoodFight

one year ago: Annette’s Layered Chicken Enchiladas
two years ago: Amish Cheeseburger Soup
three years ago: Healthy Tropical Banana Muffins
four years ago: Cranberry Steel Cut Oats with Caramelized Pears
five years ago: Mexican Cornbread Pot Pie
six years ago: Lasagna Soup
seven years ago: Whole-Wheat Corn Bread

Find more oatmeal recipes at the link below!

Everyday Stovetop Oatmeal

  • Servings: 1
  • Print
Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup milk*
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds**
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • any desired toppings***

Directions:

Combine milk, water, oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes. Do NOT stir… resist the urge! Stir only when the oatmeal starts bubbling, usually about 6-7 minutes on my stove. Allow to cook until oatmeal reaches desired consistency.

Remove from heat and immediately transfer oatmeal to a bowl. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

Notes:

Recipe as written serves one adult. You can scale it up to serve more, or scale it down if the serving size is too big for you. When I’m making some for my toddler as well, I add an extra 2 tablespoons oats, 2 tablespoons milk, and 2 tablespoons water. It doesn’t sound like much but makes enough for him (and he probably gets a little of my portion as well).

*MILK… I usually have both dairy milk and almond milk in my fridge, so this oatmeal works with either. I usually use skim or 2% milk OR unsweetened regular or vanilla almond milk. Any kind of milk should be fine.

**CHIA…The chia seeds help thicken the oatmeal and give it a great consistency. A similar consistency can be achieved with flax or hemp seeds, but I wouldn’t substitute nuts in this step. But you can add them as a topping.

***TOPPINGS…

  • Fruit: I prefer fresh fruit instead of frozen in my oatmeal. Frozen blueberries or cranberries are the exception–just add them at the beginning of the cooking time. My favorite fruits for oatmeal include: any berries, sliced bananas, diced peaches, diced pears, and grated apples. Sauteed apples are good too, but usually too time consuming for busy mornings.
  • Dried fruit: Any kind! Soak them in the cooked oatmeal before eating. It’ll change your life!!
  • Jam: Any kind! Usually when I add jam I find I don’t need other sweetener.
  • Nuts: Any kind! Sliced almonds are my go-to.
  • Nut butter: Lots of people love nut butter in oatmeal… I personally am a little iffy on it because it feels too heavy. I can occasionally do a little peanut or almond butter with sliced bananas, or with jam for a pb&j twist.
  • Coconut: Bonus points if it’s toasted… sometimes I toast extra for a recipe so I can have some on hand for oatmeal.
  • Chocolate chips: A fun indulgence… usually means I don’t need any other sweetener, or just a tiny bit.
  • Sweetener: I like about 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup in my oatmeal. My husband uses more like a tablespoon, and I don’t give our toddler any most days. You do you!

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

SRC: Zucchini Apple Walnut Muffins

Sarah

Take zucchini muffins up a notch with some sweet bits of apple and crunchy walnuts. You’ll always be coming back for just one more muffin, I promise. 

Zucchini Apple Walnut Muffins for #secretrecipeclub | find the recipe for these healthy 'n delicious muffins on thepajamachef.com

This month for Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Chelsy’s blog, Mangia. Mangia means “eat” in Italian and boy does Chelsy make some good things to eat! She lives in Texas where she is a personal trainer, prefers pjs/workout clothes to jeans [ME TOO!], and loves sharing her food with family and friends. Fun fact: Chelsy started her blog in July 2010 just like me. We’re practically twins. 🙂 Since she’s been blogging for SOOOO long, there were so many great recipes to choose from. Eventually I settled on these muffins but first I was sidetracked by other deliciousness–Tahini Chickpea Salad, Ultimate Mushroom Soup,  Lemon Sweet Potato Muffins, and Toasted Coconut Espresso Mini Muffins. NOM! I’m going to have to try allll those recipes, asap.

But in the meantime, I’ll be over here munching on these Zucchini Apple Walnut Muffins. They are amazing, you guys! Where do I start? For one, like most muffins I make, they’re really fairly healthy and as such, a great snack or breakfast [though let’s be real: one muffin is not my idea of a filling breakfast, but I digress]. Agave is the only added sweetener in these muffins. I have mixed feelings about agave, so you could always use honey if you prefer. I just had a bottle that I’m trying to use up! :/ They’re also made with white whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and walnuts for some crunch! I’m normally not a fan of nuts in baked goods, but they work here for sure!

Zucchini Apple Walnut Muffins for #secretrecipeclub | find the recipe for these healthy 'n delicious muffins on thepajamachef.com

Zucchini and apple combine to make a super moist, super flavorful, super delicious muffin. Though they don’t really need anything else to make them yummy [besides the aforementioned walnuts], some pumpkin pie spice [because I can’t wait for pumpkin season and didn’t want to use just cinnamon] and coconut emulsion really spiced these babies up a notch! Speaking of babies, I made them over the weekend when my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and my cute nephew were here. Let me just say everyone inhaled these. So they’re family approved and ready for making in your kitchen! 🙂 Enjoy!

P.S. I forgot to mention that Chelsy’s original recipe used coconut flour and as such, are gluten free. I just used ingredients I had but check out her original recipe if GF is your thing!

Zucchini Apple Walnut Muffins

  • Servings: 20-24 muffins
  • Print

adapted from Mangia

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour [240 grams in weight]
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice –> or an equivalent amount of cinnamon with a bit of nutmeg would work too
  • ~2 cups grated zucchini, with water gently squeezed out in a dishcloth –> from 2 small/medium zucchinis
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, diced
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon coconut emulsion/flavoring/extract –> I’ve seen it sold all three ways
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. In a medium bowl, whisk together zucchini, apple, eggs, agave, oil, and coconut emulsion. Gently add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, then stir until just combined. Fold in walnuts.

Divide batter between muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy immediately, or cool on a wire rack for later. Muffins freeze well!

Check out the other SRC recipes below!

Beverages, Recipes

SRC: Iced Coconut Mocha

Sarah

Creamy coconut meets an iced mocha for a delightful summer treat… plus this drink is made with a SECRET INGREDIENT. Ooooh! What more can you ask for?!
Iced Coconut Mocha from thepajamachef.com #secretrecipeclub

Iced coffee is my drink of choice in the summer. I LOVE making a batch of cold brew coffee to have a special treat in the afternoons [my simple method: make a pot of french press coffee as usual, same ratio of coffee to water, but use cold water. Place in the fridge or on countertop overnight to brew for at least 12 hours, up to 24. Press as usual, then store in the fridge.]. Lately I’ve been enjoying my coffee with half and half and some mint simple syrup. But I love ANYTHING coconut so when I saw this iced coconut mocha on Happy Go Lucky, my blog assignment for this month’s edition of Secret Recipe Club, I was awestruck. Mmm! Kara has a great blog full of awesome DIY projects and yummy recipes–like this BLT chicken salad, s’mores brownies, or Hawaiian grilled cheese. Kara lives with her family in Virginia Beach, a city that holds special memories since Ben and I got engaged there when I spent the summer on the beach with Cru for a summer project in 2008. I loved checking out Kara’s blog–so much goodness there!

Iced Coconut Mocha from thepajamachef.com #secretrecipeclubSince you’re dying to know, the secret ingredient in this iced coconut mocha is a coconut POPSICLE! How genius is that?!? I meant to buy some at the grocery store to make this coffee drink, but I forgot… so I made my own. 🙂 Ha! And guess what? They worked perfectly! You can make this drink in several ways–hot coffee with cold popsicle, cold brew coffee with leftover coconut popsicle “batter,” or blending it all together, frappe style. No matter how you mix it, this drink is a fabulous pick-me-up… It’s sweet and creamy, with lots of chocolate and coconut flavor. No need to go to the coffee shop when you have this in your repertoire.

Iced Coconut Mocha from thepajamachef.com #secretrecipeclub

I will be making this mocha ALL summer long. Thanks, Kara!

one year ago: Mango Coconut Muffins
two years ago: Double Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes
three years ago: Banana Crumb Muffins
four years ago: Creamy Taco Mac

Iced Coconut Mocha

  • Servings: 1
  • Print

from Happy Go Lucky

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee – hot or cold
  • 1 coconut popsicle – storebought or homemade
  • chocolate syrup
  • sugar, to taste
  • whipped cream
  • toasted coconut
  • ice cubes- made with coffee, if you can!

Directions:

There are three ways to make this delicious drink!

Method 1, from Kara: brew coffee. Place about 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup in the bottom of a glass, then top with 8 ounces hot coffee. Sweeten to taste, then add 1 popsicle. It will melt and cool down the drink. Stir then add ice. Top with whipped cream, more chocolate syrup, and toasted coconut.

Method 2, I made homemade coconut popsicles from the link above [1 can coconut milk + 1/3 cup coconut flakes + 1/2 tablespoon agave, pulsed in a blender, then frozen in popsicle molds.] I had about 1/2 cup coconut milk mixture left so I added 1/2 cup coconut milk mixture to a jar with 1 cup cold brew coffee and 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup, then shook it all up and poured into a glass. Add ice, then top with whipped cream, more chocolate syrup, and toasted coconut.

Method 3, that I haven’t tried but seems like it would work. Place 1 cup coffee [cooled a bit if not using cold brew] in a blender with ice, the coconut popsicle, and 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup. Pulse until combined, then top with whipped cream, more chocolate syrup, and toasted coconut.

Enjoy!

Check out more recipes from other members of the Secret Recipe Club below!

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Mystery Dish: Pineapple Scones

Sarah

Sweet, tropical pineapple scones… with smooth coconut and crunchy cashews, these are a treat you won’t be able to resist!

Pineapple Scones... a tropical treat with crunchy cashews, smooth coconut, and sweet pineapple in every bite! Find the recipe on thepajamachef.com

This month for Mystery Dish, Kristi at Inspiration Kitchen was our host and she challenged us to use three ingredients from this fabulous list: apricots, asparagus, vidalia onions, fennel/tarragon, chicken, puff pastry, coconut, cashews, chocolate, and pineapple. I’m a fruit girl at heart, and there’s nothing I love more than a big bowl of fresh pineapple. Feels like summer to me! So when I saw pineapple on that list, I KNEW it would be front and center in my recipe. I had all sorts of ideas, but finally landed on the idea of a quick and tasty scone.

Pineapple Scones... a tropical treat with crunchy cashews, smooth coconut, and sweet pineapple in every bite! Find the recipe on thepajamachef.com

I know you might be thinking… pineapple? In a scone? Is she crazy? I have to admit I was skeptical too. Pineapple seems too… wet or something to be baked like this. But truly, these are some of the best scones I’ve ever made. They are sweet but not cloyingly so, light and airy with just a bit of crunch from the coconut and cashews. Tropical flavors at their best! On a whim, I stirred in some Lightly Dried Ginger that I received from Gourmet Gardens as part of the #HotSummerEats blogging event I’m joining this summer. And as I suspected, ginger + pineapple + coconut + cashews = heaven. Enjoy!

Pineapple Scones... a tropical treat with crunchy cashews, smooth coconut, and sweet pineapple in every bite! Find the recipe on thepajamachef.com

one year ago: Chili Lime Popcorn
two years ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
three years ago: Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

Pineapple Scones

  • Servings: 16
  • Print

from Land O Lakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained [reserve juice]
  • 2-3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger – or lightly dried ginger from Gourmet Garden
  • 1/2 cup sweetened coconut + more for sprinkling
  • 1/3 cup chopped cashews

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and brown sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple, 2 tablespoons juice, and eggs. Fold wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.

Knead dough in bowl a few times, incorporating a little more flour or pineapple juice depending on how wet/dry the dough is [I had to add an extra tablespoon of pineapple juice]. Dough will be sticky.

Divide dough in half, then pat each half into a circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges [or 6 if you want them a bit bigger]. Do not separate as dough puffs during baking. Sprinkle dough with additional coconut. Bake for 13-15 minutes, increase oven temperature to 500 degrees for last 30-45 seconds of baking to toast coconut further if desired.

Allow scones to cool a few minutes, then cut wedges to separate into individual scones. Enjoy warm!

Check out what my other Mystery Dish pals made this month!

Pineapple Cake from I Dig Pinterest

Tropical Chicken Tacos from Inspiration Kitchen

Honey Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Skillet from Flavor the Moments

Chicken Alfredo Bacon Pastry Pockets from Simply Gloria

Ricotta Asparagus Tart from Yummy Healthy Easy

Pineapple Scones from The Pajama Chef

Disclosure: I received an assortment of herbs from Gourmet Garden to try as part of my participation in the #HotSummerEats blogging event, coming this summer. I was not compensated in any other way, and am not required to publish positive comments. My opinions are my own.