Mango Muffins

We have a mango tree in our backyard. Mango season in Hawaii is in the summer, so we have been enjoying amazing mangos! They taste so incredibly good straight from the tree. They are slightly warmed from the sun (I know warmed mango sounds gross, but it's so good). We have probably had about 50 mangos from our trees so far, and probably another 50 to go. My husband eats 3 a day!
We have breakfast for dinner at least once a week in our family. I decided to make these muffins to go with our eggs and bacon. Muffins are a great way to have something sweet on side, when you don't want to make pancakes. Plus, we eat the leftover muffins the next day for breakfast. I think this muffin base is good for any fresh fruit. I packed mine FULL of mangos. My husband said they tasted like mango/peach cobbler. I guess that's a compliment??? if you do not have or like almond extract, leave it out. But, you know how I love anything almond!

Mango Muffins

2 mangos, peeled, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c shredded coconut
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c oil
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 tbs vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

In a separate measuring cup, measure milk and vinegar, stir, and then let sit. (You are creating your own buttermilk) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a medium bowl combine sugar, oil, and eggs, mix well. Add vanilla and almond extract, mix. Combine salt, baking soda, and flour in a bowl. Add milk and flour a little bit at a time, until combined. Stir in chopped mango and coconut. Fill muffin tins to the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

We had some corn on the co leftover from Memorial Day, and I decided to make a corn salsa with it. This is super simple, and you don't have to use fresh corn. You can buy frozen petite white corn, and it will taste super fresh as well. I served this with my fish tacos recipe found here. This would be good as an appetizer with chips or on top a salad with grilled chicken. You could use pinto beans instead of black beans, and you could also use lemon juice instead of lime juice. I used whatever I had on hand. There are so many versions out there, but this is the one I made. I decided against adding any heat, so that my kids could eat it. But, adding 1/2 a jalapeno would make this really good and spicy. The key to a good corn salsa: acidity and salt.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

2 ears of corn (already cooked) or 1 c frozen white corn, defrosted
1 large tomato, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c cilantro, minced
1/4 c onion, minced
1/2 tsp garlic salt
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients all together. Salt and pepper to taste. Let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Stir before serving.

How the process is done....

So, I have decided to share with my followers and friends the process which it takes to keep this blog going. 2 years ago, I typed up a bunch of my recipes, and copied them off, bounded them together, and created a cookbook called TDF Recipes. It was so much work to type every single recipe out at one time. I decided that I was going to start a blog, to make it easier to compile my recipes. I discovered along the way how much I loved this new publishing hobby of mine. It is fun for me to help others in the kitchen with ideas, recipes, and tips. And it is so nice when someone asks me for a recipe, I can say "its on the blog". Besides the fact that now, I have a great collection for myself online.I think it is absolutely necessary to have a picture with each recipe. I HATE recipe books without pictures, I won't even attempt to make a recipe if it doesn't have a picture. So, to get my pictures, after I cook the recipe that I post, I go to google images and match the picture that matches best with my outcome. I make sure there aren't any ingredients in the picture that aren't in the recipe. This saves me a ton of time. I'm not a photographer,and I don't have any interest in being one. This blog is a hobby, not a business.
The process of getting my recipes comes through several different outlets. I watch alot of Food Network cooking shows, read cookbooks, and read other cooking blogs. Through these outlets, I'm able to learn what flavors go together, and then I customize the recipe to fit my palate.
This hobby is so much fun for me, and I enjoy the "no pressure" element that comes with my food blog. I appreciate all the followers and readers that visit my blog regularly. It really makes my day when a recipe turns out for you. Thanks again for reading! I look forward to sharing many more TDF recipes with you! And just because I can't resist, here is a recipe for an easy party punch...it's a family favorite!

Party Punch

1 large can pineapple juice (chilled)
1 (2 liter) bottle Sprite or 7-up (chilled)

Combine the two together, and serve.

Chicken, Avocado, and Cilantro Open Faced Sandwich

This opened faced sandwich is so incredibly good and original. It is a good way to use up grilled chicken from the night before. I like to use a good quality sourdough bread or an artisan type of bread. You need something substantial. White bread or wheat bread would be nasty! Ciabatta, or any of the Artisan breads you can get at Costco work really well. Remember to toast bread slightly before assembling. The flavored mayo is what makes this sandwich special, so don't leave it out. I have never made this for lunch, it is a balanced meal in itself. You could serve some fresh fruit on the side as well. I love that it has all the textures and flavors : crunchy, creamy, spicy, salty, and fresh. This recipe is based on making 4 sandwiches on large slices of sourdough bread. So, when making the sandwiches, make them until you run out of ingredients!

Chicken, Avocado and Cilantro Open Faced Sandwich

3-4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced thinly
2 avocado, sliced thinly
1 large tomato, sliced thinly
3/4-1 c shredded cheese (any kind)
1/4 c cilantro, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsp chili powder
1/3 c mayo
salt and pepper to taste
garlic salt

To make the flavored mayo, combine cilantro, mayo, chili powder, and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Before assembling sandwiches, toast bread slightly to take some of the moisture out. Lay bread on a jelly roll or cookie sheet. Spread a generous amount of mayo on each slice of bread. Then put the sliced grilled chicken on top. Top chicken with the avocado, and then with the tomato. Sprinkle tomato with garlic salt. Then place grated cheese on top. Turn the broiler on in your oven and cook sandwiches until brown and bubbly on top.

Southwest Potato Soup

I made this soup tonight and I was thrilled with the outcome. I tried to tell my husband how making a new recipe feels when it has that "to die for" factor. He is a biologist and so I decided to break it down for him. I said "The way I feel about this soup is the way you feel after seeing a rare animal in the wild". He got it! I love cooking because I get to make new discoveries every time I'm in the kitchen.
This soup is so flavorful, and different. I was inspired by my friend Jenny. She makes this Loaded Potato Soup that I love, and so I decided to change it around for a new experience for my palate. The result was amazing! I cut out some of the fat and calories of a typical cream based soup, but did not lose any flavor. If you are afraid of jalapenos, just add half of one for the first time you make this and see if it has enough spice. Again....you must make this!

Southwest Potato Soup

5-6 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
3-4 large russet potatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (remove seeds and veins)
2 tbs butter
1/3 c flour
3 c chicken broth
1 can fat free evaporated milk
1/2 c milk (about)
1/2 c shredded cheese
1/4 c light sour cream
1/4 c cilantro, minced
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot, boil potatoes until fork tender, drain and set aside. In a large pot, brown bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, and reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot, and add butter. In the same pot over medium heat cook onion, jalapeno, bell pepper and garlic in the pot until soft. Add flour, and stir, cooking for a minute. Using a whisk, add chicken broth slowly, making sure to whisk so that there aren't any lumps. Using a measuring cup pour evaporated milk and enough milk to equal 2 cups. Add milks to the pot and stir. Take half of cooked potatoes and mash with a spoon. Add both smashed potatoes and cubed potatoes to the soup. Cook and stir the soup until a creamy, thick consistency. Turn off heat, add cheese, sour cream, and cilantro, stirring until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.