Cookies

Coconut Dessert Bars

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

I’m back at in the baking zone, in particular because I have those sweet tooth’s in the house, in particular everyone but me. But let me stop there for the time being. I say stop because these coconut dessert bars are not only addicting, but holy moly are they delicious.

This all started because I bought a bag of shredded coconut some time ago, and yes it is still fresh, as I was going to knock out some coconut shrimp for my wife and kids. Well, that never happened. I got side tracked, and I will admit that. Three kids, a busy work schedule, well, sometimes I just get spent. But I ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT BAG OF SHREDDED COCONUT. That is when my daughter showed up in the kitchen while I was looking at that bag of coconut, and (she gets me every time as she loves to cook with me) I asked if she could help me with making a dessert. Of course she was sold on making these. What kid or adult would not be!

Coconut Dessert Bars

These bars not only are addicting, but they last a long time. A little bit will do you just fine.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • ~ 3 cups of Quaker oatmeal flakes
  • 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips
  • 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ~ 2 cups shredded Mounds, sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 2o Rolo chocolate candies
  • parchment paper

Simple, fun, awesome. Preheat your oven to 360 degrees.

Here we go.

To about an 8×8 or baking glass/pot to hold your materials (forgive me, I’m not a baker), line it with parchment paper.

To a bowl, add the oats, the salt, then drizzle in the melted butter. Stir.

Next take that baking glass/pot/sheet, what have you, and add the buttery flakes. Push down with the back of a wooden spoon.

loaded-dessert-bars-ingredients

Next, distribute your chocolate chips, and your butterscotch chips (love), along the top.

Top with the coconut flakes, add the Rolo’s, about an inch apart or so, then pour over the condensed milk. I NEVER DO THIS, I ONLY DO IT FOR THE KIDS.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Just make sure you take a peak as that coconut can turn on you, about 18-20 minutes in. Once the coconut is lightly golden, remove, and let cool.

Coconut Dessert Bars Recipe

Once cooled, slice into your bite-sized pieces, and go at it. Again, I’m not a sweet tooth, but holy moly, these coconut dessert bars are a winner. Kids loved them, I loved them (weird), and we brushed our teeth’s three times a day (or at least I did). Hope you enjoy!

How to Make Homemade Butter

Dax Phillips 3 Comments

Homemade butter? Yes, and trust me on this that it might change your take on butter. My oldest kid uses butter on a regular basis to sear up ham and buns, yep, he is into that and I don’t mind as he is exploring in the kitchen and cooking on his own. After watching a recent Vimeo video of this guy’s passion of making bread and butter, I decided that I was going to make my own butter. If you have never made butter before, try it. It was super simple, and you know what you are getting when you are making it yourself, and that is the beauty of it all.

Homemade Butter Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pints of Organic Heavy Cream
  • KitchenAid with Whisk attachment or a large mason jar with lid
  • 2 cups of ice cold water
  • Salt, optional
  • Cheese Cloth, optional

Yep, that’s how butter is made. Way to simple.

I used a KitchenAid, however rumor has it that you can shake the crap out of the cream in a large mason jar. I support KitchenAid, so I went that route.

Start by adding the heavy cream to the KitchenAid bowl. Place in the mixer, and spin on medium to medium-high spin for about 10 minutes, keeping an eye on it along the way.

After about 10 minutes, possibly sooner, the cream begins to curdle and separate. It’s cool, it’s really cool. Once it separates, turn off the mixer. Strain the liquid from the solid. You can reserve the liquid should you desire. Once the liquid has been strained, return the solids back to the mixer. Add in the ice cold water, and continue to mix until you have a tight, solid mixture. Drain the excess water.

how-to-make-homemade-butter-ingredients

Once you think the liquid has been strained, it has not. Use a large wooden spoon and press the butter against the bowl. Lots of liquid will come out, trust me. Continue until you know that all of the liquid has been removed. I ensured this by placing the butter into some cheese cloth and tightening it until all of the liquid was removed.

Now you can add salt if you desire. I added about half of a tablespoon of course Kosher salt. You could add Sriracha salt as well. Give a gentle stir, and save in a sealed tight container, in the refrigerator.

The end result is a great, really great butter. I haven’t seen my wife spread butter on a bagel in some time, and she was all over that. We spread it on corn, as well as seared up some ham sandwiches. Give this a shot if you want some really good product, and remember, use organic, I think that makes a huge difference.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

Dax Phillips Leave a comment

Who doesn’t love cookies, and who doesn’t love cookies that you do not have to bake, right? If that is the case, these are the cookies you might be looking for. I grew up with these and recall my Dad making them for us. They might have been the only dessert that my Dad ever made, I could be wrong on that front, but I’m fairly certain. I made this recipe only due to the fact that it is that time of year when we need to make cookies as the kids are getting excited for Christmas, and my wife, who isn’t really ready to spend hours in the kitchen making and decorating cookies with the kids. That is her annual baking with the kids, not mine, I’m out on that project as I have no patience. Believe me.

These cookies are quick, super yummy, and pretty darn feeling.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup of creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Parchment or Wax Paper

In a sauce pan, add the sugar, cocoa powder, milk and butter, and melt that down and bring to a boil.

How to make chocolate oatmeal cookies

During this time, line a baking sheet with the paper. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium, and then add in your peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla and oatmeal. Mix well, then drop a tablespoon of the mixture onto the baking sheet.

Let them cool, then dig in.

These cookies are so worthy of a super cold glass of milk as well. They are rich, thick, and hearty, and are a perfect grab and go cookie. One or two per day will do you just right.

I hope you enjoy.

Russian Tea Balls

Dax Phillips 3 Comments

Every year, around the Christmas season, my family and I make cookies. I will admit that we are no experts when it comes to baking cookies around the holiday, but we do like to offer a few varieties to the kids, and have them help along the way. For some odd reason, the cookie I make every year is the Russian tea ball, or often referred to as a Russian tea cake.

Russian Tea Balls or Russian Tea Cakes Recipe

I grew up with them, as many of you probably have, and when my wife and I first got married, I realized that they were one of her favorite holiday cookies. That is big news as many of my wife’s cousins bake up and amazing plate of cookies during the holiday season. I’m not kidding when I say this, but they probably have twenty different types of cookies, that they have baked, on a large holiday platter, that they typically deliver during the holiday season. So the Russian tea ball is one of my wife’s favorites? I can see why, as when you bite into these cookies, they are tender, have a bit of texture, and just a nice balance of sweetness. A cookie that just reminds you of the holiday season.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups of chopped walnuts

Begin by adding the butter, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Mix well until it is nice an creamy. To another bowl, combine the salt and flour, and gradually add this to the butter mixture. When everything is combined, fold in the walnuts.

Russian Tea Balls or Russian Tea Cakes Recipe

Roll these into about 1-2 inch balls, depending on your preference, and place on an ungreased baking sheet, in a preheated 350 degree oven,  for approximately 10 minutes. They should be firm, but not golden brown. Carefully remove them from the pan, let them cool down for  a few minutes, then with the remaining cup of powdered sugar, roll the balls to coat. Place them on a plate to let cool. Before you want to serve them, roll them in more sugar for an added holiday bonus.

Enjoy.