Coconut Milk Lemon Pound Cake

This post was going to be about an apology I gave someone.  I changed my mind.  After I apologized, I talked to E about it and the first thing he asked was, "Well when was the last time she called you? You're beating yourself up communicating with someone who doesn't reach out to you."

I, for real, had to think about the last time she sent a text OR called and COULD NOT remember.  And here it is four months into the new year and she has not so much as sent me a text.  The same thing she was upset with me about, not calling enough, is the same thing she has been doing to me since the inception of our friendship.  If I am the only one initiating contact what kind of friendship is that?

So instead I am going to write about a good girlfriend who stopped by a couple of weekends ago.  She is ALWAYS a blessing to me and she gives the most awesome hugs. The BEST.  She also has one of the most handsome little boys I have ever seen and he is as sweet as pie too!  I don't get to see her as often as I'd like but when we get together we never miss a beat! 

She is struggling with following her heart or remaining complacent.  Tuh! Y'all know encouraging people is one of my most favorite things to do! We talked about it and I encouraged her to FOLLOW HER HEART because it wouldn't be as hard as she thinks it would be.  She would be award winning if she did what her heart is calling her to do.

You just need to step out on faith

Leap without seeing the stairs

Trust that God will keep you

Follow your dream

Stop wasting your time and JUST DO IT!  I will cheer you on from the sidelines!

During our visit she mentioned how she hadn't been able to find a good pound cake recipe.  Well here's one of my favorites! I hope you enjoy them! Love you lots "RD."

Coconut Milk Lemon Pound Cake

What you need:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup grated lemon zest (10-12 large lemons)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (NOT cream of coconut)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

What to do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans 
• Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time. A the lemon zest.
• In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• In another bowl, combine the lemon juice, the coconut milk and vanilla. Add the flour and milk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Ancho Chili Rubbed Fish Tacos w/Lime Ginger Slaw and Avocado Crema

This is kind of long!

I recently dealt with a situation with a Recent Friend that made me think about a similar issue I had early last year with a Former Friend, and how vastly different they were handled.

I’ve spoken about Former Friend:  she and I had been friends for years.  She was fun and funny and I really enjoyed hanging out with her.  She didn’t like something I said about her, to her.  Instead of coming to me with her issues with what or how I said something she did it maliciously, behind my back. With Recent Friend the situation was handled so much better and, most importantly, the relationship was preserved.  

A group of us went out to dinner one Friday night.  Let me back up…

The preceding Thursday I lost my debit card. I didn't realize it until Friday when I was trying to buy lunch.   I cancel the card but since my bank is not local it will take a couple of business days to get a new card to me.  No big deal.

So I get the text about Friday night dinner and I am hyped!  Not only do I get to hug her neck (she'd recently gotten married!!) but, I also get to meet up with another one of my favorite couples, and another mutual friend who’s in town for a conference!  All the win right?!  

I ended up working late and never gave a second thought about my card.  Well, I get downtown and it hits me that I don’t have my card.  I was already late for dinner and I didn’t want to simp out and cancel.  So I found free parking, made sure I had my emergency $20, that E insists I keep on me, and I head out.

I enjoy hanging with my peeps, I’m mindful of my meager cash budget and have the most delicious fish tacos at the tapas spot.  When the bill comes I hand over my $20 and failed to ask for change!  Waiter thanks us for being great customers and leaves.  I tell Recent Friend that he failed to bring me change.  I THOUGHT she felt some kind of way about me asking for change; she and her husband ended up giving it to me.  It bothered me for two or three days before I finally sent her a text message explaining, hoping we were OK.

She basically told me to get my entire life! LOL She said that we were cool, she apologized if she gave any impression that she was “put off” about anything, she appreciated me addressing how I felt and expressed how she hated misunderstandings too.  We e-hugged it out and all is well!  Reading the text made me smile real big and made me thankful for having for real good people in my life.

So in honor of those happy feelings I made my version of those delicious fish tacos I had at the tapas restaurant.  Remind me to tell you how Recent Friend and her Husband always choose the BEST places for us to hang out. 

Chili Rubbed Fish Tacos w/Lime Ginger Slaw and Avocado Crema

What you need:

• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 3-4 Firm white fish fillets (tilapia, cod, etc.) 
• 3-4 Tablespoons of oil. Enough oil to lightly pan sear the fish
• Flour or *corn tortillas

 
For the slaw (while fresh is always best, bagged slaw mix saves time during the workweek):

• Juice of 1-2 limes
• 1-2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups bagged slaw mix

For the Avocado Crema:

• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 ripened avocado
• 1 de-seeded jalapeno, chopped
• Juice of one lime
• Salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste

What to do:

Make the Crema

• In a blender or food processor, puree the yogurt, avocado, jalapeno, lime juice and seasonings. 
• Cover and place in fridge until ready to build tacos

Make the slaw

• In small bowl, whisk the first five ingredients for the dressing. Cover and place in the fridge.
• Right before serving the fish drizzle the dressing over the slaw and give it a good stir to coat.  Add directly on top of tacos!

For the fish

• Place all of the spices and herbs in a small bowl and mix well.  Test for flavor and adjust accordingly
• Sprinkle a generous amount of the spice blend onto the back and front of the fish  
• Gently rub the seasoning on the fish
• Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a pan, over medium heat
• Add the fish, 1 or 2 fillets at a time, and sear 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.  Try to only flip it once
• Continue cooking, adding additional oil as needed, until all fish is cooked through.
• Build your tacos: fish, slaw, crema, cheese!
• Enjoy!

*If using corn tortillas, heat them in a tiny bit of oil for few seconds per side to make them more pliable

Fresh Lime Tarts

 

   I say this often, but I work with, not only super smart people, but folks who grow stuff!  The Southern Girl in me loves this....cause I can't grow a doggone thing!  however, I do have fond memories helping my grandmothers in their gardens!  I love it even more that they know how much I love cooking and baking and happily share their bounty with me.   Such was the case with these limes that were picked from my co-worker's tree.  She bought a grocery bag full of these beauties for me.  So guess what this week will be full of? That's right, lime inspired dishes.  First up, these really delicious tarts.   I used my regular recipe for a tart crust that can be found here and the lemon curd that can be found here.  I simply subbed the lemon for lime.  I also added lime zest to the crust after I took the dough mixture out of the oven.  My colleague had never had a lime tart before so I made sure I bought one for her lunch time pleasure! 

Sweet Orange Salmon

We eat tons of fish and seafood in our home. I mean we should own stock in a fishery somewhere! We eat so much salmon I am always scouting and trying new recipes. I love lemon on seafood but never thought to add any other type of citrus.

Baybey! This right here…is banging! What’s so gangsta about it is that it literally took less then 20 minutes to prep AND cook! I love easy but top that with delicious and it’s on and poppin! Trust this will be a repeat! Contrary to the title it is not that sweet and there is only a hint of orange. To me it had the perfect combo of sweet and smokey and citrus. Another reason this will remain in the arsenal, you only need non-stick cooking spray to cook it with!

Sweet Orange Salmon

Adapted from Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/

What You Need:

• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• Juice and zest from an entire orange
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
• Cooking spray

What To Do:

• Preheat broiler
• Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl
• Rub spice mixture over salmon
• Place salmon on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray
• Broil for 8 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork
• Squeeze fresh orange juice over hot fish. Enjoy

Originally posted on May 12, 2010 from an old blog

Tarte au Citron

 

My most favorite dessert is a lemon tart.  My family has eaten more lemon tart variations than I am sure they care to admit.  I could absolutely eat one every week if I didn't want to maintain my hot mama-ness *sigh*

 

I used the tart crust recipe from yesterday and did not wait for the baked shells to cool before filling them with this lemony luscious-ness! I'm greedy!

 

Tarte au Citron

Heavily Adapted from: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/tart-au-citron-french-lemon-tart/

Enough curd for One 9-inch tart

What you need:

• 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• Grated zest of one lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted, cut into bits
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• One pre-baked 9-inch tart shell

What to do:

• In a medium-sized *non-reactive saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter. Have a mesh strainer nearby
• In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and the yolks
• When the butter is melted, whisk some of the warm lemon mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly, to warm them.
• Scrape the warmed eggs back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and almost begins to bubble around the edges
• Pour the lemon curd though a strainer directly into the pre-baked tart shell, scraping with a rubber spatula to press it through
• Smooth the top of the tart and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

*A nonreactive saucepan is one that is made from stainless steel, glass, or ceramic materials 



Citrus and Tequila Chops

A couple of years ago I did a tasting of new recipes at a friend's house.  It was a Mexican food themed event. I made orange pork tacos with a fresh orange pico de gallo. They were a hit!  

For these chops, I upped the marinade flavor by adding, not only fresh orange juice, but lemon and lime juices as well.   

What you need:

• Juice of one lime, one lemon and two oranges
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 Tbs oregano
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1 Tbs cilantro roughly chopped
• 4-6 thick cut pork chops
• Tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic powder

What to do:

• Mix all the ingredients in a zip lock bag or bowl, except salt pepper and garlic powder
• Add pork chops and marinate for at least four and up to 24 hours
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Remove chops from marinade and discard marinade
• Sprinkle chops with salt pepper and garlic powder
• Spray a grill pan or oven proof skillet with non-stick spray.
• Over high heat, seer the pork chops for three to five minutes on each side. DO NOT press chops down on the skillet or constantly flip the chops. Place them on the skillet and let them get a good seer
• Finish chops in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear
• Let the chops rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into them

Coconut Pound Cake w/Coconut Lime Glaze

Apparently, I am going to have to change my stance on coconut cause I've been cooking with it a lot lately. Coconut is a flavor I can take or leave unless it is in a cocktail.  However, sweetened coconut flakes add a really nice subtle flavor to baked goods that I think I might like after all.

This was an easy one bowl cake that I will definitely add to my growing cake arsenal! The glaze is optional because the flavor of the cake holds its on.

Coconut Pound Cake w/Coconut Lime Glaze Adapted from: http://www.twirlandtaste.com/2012/12/old-fashioned-southern-coconut-pound.html
What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil (canola, vegetable, olive, etc)
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup coconut milk or whole milk (NOT cream of coconut)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded and sweetened coconut
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract
• Non-stick spray

For the glaze 1 cup sugar Juice and zest from one lime 2 Tbs butter 1 tsp coconut extract
What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare bundt or tube pan with the non-stick spray, set aside
• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
• Bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean

To make the glaze:

• Mix all ingredients over medium high heat until mixture comes to a boil and the sugar melts.
• Remove from heat and carefully pour glaze over cake.
• Let the glaze firm up for about ten minutes before