{Coconut Syrup}

Wow this syrup was amazing. I have been wanting to make waffles for dinner ever since. Yummy.

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-2 tsp coconut extract

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan. Add in the buttermilk and 1 cup of sugar. Stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil, while stirring continually. Once you have a rolling boil, let it boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the stove and add 1 tsp baking soda and 1-2 tsp coconut extract.
Stir it all to combine. The syrup will start to foam and bubble. Don't worry. Let it sit for 5 minutes so it can thicken. Pour over waffles of pancakes.


Recipe  Source: Jamie Cooks It Up

{Marshmallow Brownies with Frosting}

My Mother in Law makes these and they are so wonderful. Love them.

1 box of brownie mix (prepared to package directions)
1 bag mini marshmallows

For the Frosting: 

1 cube butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa
t Tbs vanilla
1/2 bag powdered sugar
about 1/4 cup evaporated milk (add until it comes to the right consistency)

Bake brownies according to the directions on the box. Once the brownies are done. Turn on the broiler on the oven. Place the marshmallows on top of brownies and melt them under the broiler (this only takes seconds, so watch carefully)
Make the frosting by adding all of the ingredients in a bowl and mixing until smooth. Once brownies have cooled a bit, frost.

{Buttermilk Biscuits}

I don't make biscuits very often but these went great with our Sunday dinner and didn't take long to prepare at all.

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2tsp baking Powder
1 stick butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and butter until crumbly. Mix in the buttermilk, egg and just enough water to make a workable dough. Mix the dough until it is just barely combined (don't over mix) Roll the dough onto a floured cutting board about 1 inch thick.  Cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter, or a 2 inch round cup. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.                                                                    

{Creamy Pesto Pasta and Chicken}

I love any excuse to cook with pesto. This was a pretty quick meal, and the sauce was amazing.

Chicken:
4-5 chicken breasts
1/2 C flour
1/8 tsp salt
dash pepper
3 Tbs olive oil

Sauce: 
1 (6.25 ounce) jar pesto 
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 C milk
1 C chicken broth
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbs butter

Pasta:
1 box bowtie, penne or corkscrew pasta


Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks and set them aside. Toss together the flour, salt and some pepper into a shallow dish. 
Heat a large skillet up over medium high heat. Add 3 Tbs olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. 
Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and then place them in the hot pan. Turn the heat down to medium low. Let the chicken get golden brown on the bottom. Then turn them over and let them get brown on the other side. When the chicken is all cooked through, remove from the pan onto a clean plate. Cover with foil and set aside. 
While your chicken is cooking, boil some water and cook the pasta according to the directions of the package.
Pour one cup of chicken broth into the hot pan that the chicken was cooking in. Add 1 cup of milk, using a whisk to break up any crispy chicken leftovers on the bottom of the pan. Add just a little less than a cup of pesto and one block of softened cream cheese. Give it a stir. The cream cheese will start to melt down into the sauce. It may be chunky at first, but don't worry. 
Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking it occasionally. Let simmer for about 5 minutes or until it thickens up a bit. 
Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 tsp sugar and 1 Tbs butter. If your sauce is too thick, add a little milk to thin it out. 
Serve over hot pasta with the chicken. 


Recipe Source: Jamie Cooks it Up 

{Starbucks Lemon Loaf}

Have any of you tried the Lemon loaf at starbucks? Its amazing and what I have to get every time I go there. But paying $2.50 a slice adds up. I am so glad I found this recipe. I made it the other day and was in awe of how much it tasted like starbucks. I would even say its better, because you get to eat it while its fresh. It was so moist and yummy.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
zest of one lemon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs whole milk
1/2 tsp lemon extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
in another bowl combine eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice with a mixer until blended.
pour wet ingredients into the dry and blend until smooth. add oil and lemon zest and mix well.
pour into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and pour glaze over the top. Let cool

For the Galze: whisk all the ingredients together until smooth

Recipe Source: Pinterest

{Mexican Lime Soup}

Very yummy and easy soup. The flavors blend so good together, giving this soup tons of flavor.

3-4 limes
2 large chicken breasts
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, plus more to taste
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 1/2 tsp mexican oregano, you can use regular if you don't have mexican
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
2 oz queso fresco, crumbled

Juice as many limes as you need to, to get 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. Use the remaining limes for serving in your soup. season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken, and cook until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the onions to the pan and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, water and lime juice and oregano, then return the chicken to the pan.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover and simmer unti the chicken shows no sign of pink, about 40 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, keep the soup at a simmer. Shred the chicken and stir chicken back into the soup. Adjust the season with salt and pepper until desired taste.
Put the avocado, cheese and lime wedges in separate small bowls. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toppings.


Recipe Source: Williams Sonoma 

{Mini Cheesecakes}

These are the best and easiest little cheesecakes to make. They are perfect for get togethers. You can also make a bunch and freeze them and bring them out when you have a craving for little cheesecakes :)

1 (12oz) package vanilla wafers
1 (8oz) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can pie filling of your choice or fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a miniature muffin tin with mini paper liners
Crush the wafers, and place 1/2 tsp of the crushed wafers into each paper cup.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fill each mini muffin liner with this mixture. almost to the top.
Bake for 15 minutes. Cool, and top each one with your choice of topping


Recipe Source: All Recipes