Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel

As soon as I saw this recipe in my Martha Stewart magazine, I ripped it out and tried them right away.  They are amazing.  I brought this recipe back out today as I am hosting a brunch on Easter Sunday and they were not only requested, but fit the Easter theme perfect.  If you like little bites of heaven, this recipe is for you!

Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel

1 1/2 cups butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1 to 2 tbs spoons cream (the original recipe didn't call for it, but I found just the little extra moisture makes these cookies less crumbly and easier to work with)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 package unsweetened coconut
44 small soft caramel candies
6 tbs whipping cream
Large Flaky sea salt

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla.  With the mixer on slow, slowly beat in flour.  Add in cream.

I use my medium cookie scoop and from the dough into balls, about  11/4 inch.  Dip each ball into the beaten egg and then roll in the coconut.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and make a thumb indentation in each cookie.  Bake for 10 minutes, then remove sheet form oven and re-press indentations.  Bake until golden, about 9-10 mins and cool on wire rack.

Place unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Cook, stirring constantly until the caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4-6 minutes.  Spoon into indentations in cookies and sprinkle with sea salt.  Rewarm caramel if it hardens before all cookies are filled.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

My new favourite thing....Pandora Bracelet

I recently went home to visit my mom.  As an early Easter present she bought me this beautiful bracelet.  It is made by Pandora.  I had seen a Pandora store that had just opened up in Market Mall, but I really don't like jewellery, so I never went in.  What a mistake, I LOVE this bracelet and the charms that you can get.  Are they pricey, yes, but so beautiful and something that you can keep adding on to.  With that in mind, being at the age I am at, I am a little hard to buy for and this is such a great gift.  I have the two initials of my beautiful kids and can't wait to add more!  Thanks mama, I love you!

Double Chocolate Scones with Toffee Bits and Almonds

I was messing around in the kitchen today, trying to make some yummy baking for Easter Brunch.  I looked in my pantry and found just enough left over toffee bits to, well, not really make anything.  I racked my brain, knowing that I wanted some from of scone and come up with this recipe.  By far my favourite scones I have made thus far.

Double Chocolate Scones with Toffee Bits and Almonds

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa (use high quality, really makes a difference)
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup toffee bits (Skor) plus more for the top of scones
1/3 cup crushed raw almonds

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup half and half cream


In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, powder, salt, and cocoa.  Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles small crumbs.  Stir in chocolate chips, toffee bits, and almonds.  Make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients.

In a small bowl or liquid measure, mix together your eggs and cream.  Add your liquids to the well in your dry ingredients all at once.  Using a fork, stir until just combined.  Hint:  If you find your dough a little too dry, stir in little more cream a tsp at a time.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead softly until the dough feels smooth.  Hint:  If your dough feels too sticky, knead in a little flour a tbs at a time.

Pat dough lightly into an 8 inch round circle.  Sprinkle some extra toffee bits on top and light pat them down.  Cut your circle into 8 equal wedges.

Place your wedges 1 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 14-18 mins or until slightly firm to the touch.

Cranberry White Chocolate Coconut Oat Cookies

This recipe is based on a recipe from the Whitewater Cooks From Home cookbook....the book and the cookies are amazing!  I did make one change, I used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose....totally up to you how you want to make them.

Cranberry White Chocolate Coconut Oat Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries (or any other dried fruit you like)

In your mixer combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, soda, powder, rolled oats, and coconut.

Slowly add in your dry ingredients to your butter mixture until combined.  Stir in your chocolate and fruit.

Place by the spoonful onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Do not over bake these cookies, they are meant to be a little soft.

Whitewater Cooks At Home

Tonight my mom made this incredible soup, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Pineapple Currant Chutney.  This soup was so full of flavour...hints of coconut milk, cumin, and curry...divine.

I asked where she got the recipe from and she said the Whitewater Cooks At Home cookbook.  I went and got it and started looking through it, what an amazing cookbook full of yummy recipes.  Being up at Whitewater Ski Hill (a ski hill just outside of Nelson, BC), I can vouch for how amazing their food really is.

Here are just a few recipes in the book:

Ahi Tuna Tartare with Crispy Wontons
Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Terrine
Curried Lamb and Lentil Soup
Sheri's Sole Gratin with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives
Filo Cups with Sauteed Bananas and Caramel Sauce
Mango Coconut Bread Pudding

If you are looking for a recipe book that is full of out of this world food, this is the one for you!

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

No matter what occasion, these cookies are the best if you are looking to make sugar cookie Cutouts.

Sugar Cook Cutouts

2/3 cup butter softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour


In your Kitchen Aid, beat butter, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.  On lowest speed, beat in your flour.

If necessary, cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time until 1/8 inch think.  Cut our desired shapes and place 1 inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are firm and the bottoms are lightly browned.

*Better Homes and Gardens

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This recipe is from my favourite go to cook book, Better Homes and Gardens.  Hands down the best book for all the basics.

The cake itself takes no time and looks rather impressive for such a minimal amount of work.  Enjoy this quick, easy, and delicious recipe.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

2 tbs butter
1/3 packed brown sugar

1 8-oz can pineapple slices
8 maraschino cherries, halved

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk or 1 cup 1% buttermilk (I ALWAYS use buttermilk)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9" round pan, I always spray first with Pam or rub with butter and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, melt the 2 tbs of butter in the microwave.  Stir in brown sugar and pour into the bottom of your prepared pan.  Then arrange your pineapple and cherries on top of the butter/sugar mixture.  Below is an example, but do whatever you want.

In a my Kitchen Aid Mixer, I cream the butter and granulated butter.  I add in my egg, vanilla, and milk until fully combined.

I stop my mixer and put the flour and baking powder in.  Turn the mixer back on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for 30 more seconds.

Spoon batter fruit in the prepared pan.  The batter is pretty thick so spoon as evenly as possible over the fruit.  I then try to spread it lightly with the top of a spatula.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 mins.  Loosen cake from the pan; invert onto plate.  Best served warm.