I've got a lovely bunch of Coconuts...

...there they all are standing in a row
Big ones small ones, some as big as your head
Give it a twist, a flick of the writs and here we go again....."

But this is not about the song.  It's about the power of the coconut.

First let me dispel a myth that is currently floating out there:
MYTH: Coconuts are bad for you.  They are high in cholesterol. 
FACT:  Coconuts are GOOD for you.  They are high in cholesterol, but it's the GOOD kind - like the kind found in almonds.

I came across this link about  Coconut Oil from my good friend Carey (who also has this blog) and the research about the amazing health benefits of consuming coconut oil are amazing.

Important note: if you are going to use coconut oil, you need to be sure that you are buying PURE coconut oil.

"Researchers say the ketones found in coconut oil have slowed the progression of Alzheimer's disease in some people and may actually prevent it."

My grandmother has dementia and so there is a part of me that is fearful that I too may get it.  So as a preventative measure, I'm starting to use coconut oil in my cooking and baking.

SIDE NOTE:  Although coconut oil is made from coconuts, it actually doesn't taste like a coconut.  I was worried that everything I cooked or baked would have an overtone of coconut, but it actually doesn't.

Chicken stock

Chicken stock, like beef stock, is very high in sodium if bought at the store.

Time: about 3 hours, largely unattended

3 to 4 lbs chicken parts and/or bones.  I usually use an entire chicken carcass.  (you can also use raw chicken pieces)
1 cup chopped onion (don't bother peeling)
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 spring fresh thyme or a pinch of dry thyme
1/2 bay leaf
several springs of fresh parsley
1 tsp kosher sea salt (more if necessary)
16 cups of water

1. combine everything in a stock pot

2. bring to just about a boil, then partially cover and adjust heat so the mixture sends up a few bobbles at a time.  Cook until the meat falls off the bone and the bones separate.  About 2 - 3 hours.

3.Strain, pressing on the veggies and meat to extract juices.  Taste and add more salt if necessary

4. freeze or refrigerate.   Then skim fat from the top.  Can stay in the fridge for 4 to 5 days (longer if boiled every 3 days).

I divided mine in to 4 cup portions and froze them.

Beef Stock

After looking at the sodium level of stocks at the store, I decided to make my own.

Time: at least 3 hours, largely unattended.

3 to 4 lbs meaty beef bones, such as shank or short rids (I use short ribs)
1 cup chopped onion (don't bother to peal it)
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 springs fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
at least 10 springs of fresh parsley
1 tsp kosher sea salt (more if necessary)
3 to 4 garlic cloves
10 peppercorns
about 16 cups of water.


Optional step 1 - roast the meat first for a dark stock

1. Combine everything into a stock pot.

2. bring to just about a boil, then partially cover and adjust heat so the mixture sends up a few bubbles at a time.  Cook until the meat falls off the bones - about 2 - 3 hours.

3. strain, pressing on the veggies and meat to extract as much juice as possible.  Taste and add more salt if necessary (i didn't find it necessary)

4. freeze or refrigerate.   Then skim fat from the top.  Can stay in the fridge for 4 to 5 days (longer if boiled every 3 days).

I divided mine in to 4 cup portions and froze them.

white wine alfredo

This dish tastes AMAZING.  wow! You will NOT be disappointed, I promise.

You need:
1 cup Heavy Cream
(if you do NOT have heave cream, use 4 TBS each butter and flour and 2 cups milk)
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry white wine
Milk
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
3 TBS fresh parsley
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

1a). if you do no have heavy cream - in a sauce pan melt butter and stir in flour.  Then add milk and whisk together and simmer
1b. if you DO have heavy cream, simmer in a sauce pan (do NOT boil!)
2. add garlic and cheese.  stir until cheese in melted.
3.mix in wine, parsley, nutmeg and salt and pepper
4. add milk until desired consistency is reached.
5. simmer for about 6 - 8 minutes.

Pour over your favorite pasta and enjoy!

You can add chicken or fish plus whatever veggie you want.

Mac and Cheese

I love mac and cheese.  It's a real comfort food for our family.  It's one of those dishes that you can do a million things with and it still will taste great!

You will need:
Kosher sea salt
6 TBS unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
6 TBS unbleached all-purpose flour
1 quart milk, heated
1 large sprig fresh thyme, plus 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 cups, packed , extra sharp white cheddar
1 cup packed, Monterrey Jack
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pepper
1 lb macaroni or other small pasta
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmigiano-Reggiano (or Parmesan cheese)

1.pre-heat oven to 400F
2. cook pasta
3. in a heavy sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, 1/2 tsp salt until onion soft (4 - 5  minutes) add flour and mix well.  Switch to a whisk and add the milk.
4. stir in thyme and bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a slow boil.
5. remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper.

6. Pour pasta into a casserole dish and mix in cheese sauce.
7. In a  medium bowl, toss the breadcrumbs Parmigiano, olive oil chopped thyme 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.  Scatter the crumbs over the pasta.
8. Bake until crumb topping is golden, about 15 minutes.  Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes before serving

you could add bacon, or tomatoes or Tabasco sauce or ground beef.....or whatever else you can think of.

If you have a picky eater you can make cauliflower puree.  Use 1/2 puree. 1/2 milk and then add the rest of the ingredients.

For a more sophisticated mac and cheese you could use 31/2 cups of milk and 1 1/2 cups of dry white wine.  Then sub in cheese like Gruyere, Emmentaler and grated fontina.  Use sage instead of thyme in the dish and chives in the topping instead of thyme.

Rainbow Cup Cakes

These fun cupcakes are no cake-walk to make.  They are by no means challenging in terms of skill, just time consuming.

After you mix up your cake batter either from scratch or from a box, you divide the batter evenly as possible into 5 or 6 bowls.

n each of those bowls, you add food colouring to obtain the colour you desire.  I tried to make Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue and Purple.  As you can see, yellow and orange mixed together while baking.

After that, you with grease or use muffin cups and scoop a generous teaspoon of one colour in each cup.  Then a generous teaspoon of the next colour. And so on and so on, until all the colour are in the muffin cups. 

It will look something like this when you are done.  Then you bake then in the oven until cooked and the result is this:

12 yummy muffins, 2 very happy children and a LOT of dishes!


Variations on a theme:
You could also layer different colour, like pink, purple, pink purple.  or lots of orange and a green top for carrot looking cup cakes etc.