Orange Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

I really do love making cookies, they are probably the thing I like to make the most, just because you can add sooooo many different things and flavors.  Most of the time I will take the base dough that I make divide it half, three’s or in four’s, it really depends on the different combinations I want to try and see if they are any good.  Sometimes they work, sometimes your like yeah…NO 😛

But that is what’s fun about getting in the kitchen and creating a recipe.  When coming up with a recipe for you all here on my blog, I usually try to start with an ingredient that I like (ex. chicken, seafood, etc.), then a direction I want to go in, check my pantry, walk the aisle’s at the store, coming home and laying it all out on the counter and just start.  

Taste as I go, sometimes it’s not right and then I go back to the pantry and see what I have to make it better.  Everyone has different tastes, what I like, you may not like, so if you don’t like something in a recipe then change it, don’t be afraid to make your own.

So here we go with my newest cookie recipe; as I was thinking of what kind of cookie to make, I checked my pantry and left over from my Homemade Granola Recipe http://whatscookingwithchefamy.com/2013/03/25/homemade-granola/ was coconut and pecans.  So okay there is a start, then I saw  the oatmeal so okay an oatmeal cookie…but what else could I add… as I turned my head and started to think…there is was right on my table…Mandarin Oranges…yes!! 🙂

Ingredients

First I got my coconut on a baking sheet to toast

                         

Whisk together flour, salt & baking soda set aside
                                                                          In a small cup add eggs & vanilla

                           

In mixer bowl add sugars & butter           Beat together

                            

Then add eggs with vanilla                         Then on low at flour mixture

                             

At this point I want to try two different cookies, so I halved the dough

First Cookie – Orange Coconut Oatmeal
dough, coconut, orange zest, oatmeal              mix to combine

                            

Second Cookie – Orange Pecan Oatmeal
chop pecans, add pecans, zest, oatmeal, mix to combine

Scoop on to baking sheet and bake

done

So as I had my family test these cookies, they liked both for sure, the one’s that didn’t like coconut liked the pecan ones better, but most said they’d like them both together.  So there I mixed the coconut and the pecans together, but if you don’t like coconut or can’t have nuts, you can leave one or the other out.

Recipe – Orange Coconut Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
zest of 4 mandarin oranges
2 cup old-fashioned oats

Preheat oven 350 degrees
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking soda, set aside
In a small cup add eggs and vanilla, set aside
To toast coconut, add to baking sheet, bake at 350 degrees until light brown, keep an eye on this, in a second it will burn, stir every minute or so until light brown.   Chop pecans, set aside.

In your mixing bowl add butter and both sugars, beat on medium high for about 3 – 4 minutes.  Turn to mixer to medium add eggs with vanilla, beat until combined, on low add your flour mixture, once flour is kind of mixed, you can turn the mixer back to medium and beat until just combined.

Fold in or use your hands to mix in coconut, pecans, oats and orange zest.

Use a medium scoop, scoop dough on to lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart, bake for 12 – 15 minutes, golden brown.

I hope you will try them and enjoy!!!

And if you haven’t seen my Dark Chocolate Coffee Nut Cookies, check them out here

http://whatscookingwithchefamy.com/2013/02/

What to do with leftover…Easter Peeps!!!

EASTER!!!

PEEPS!!!!!!

Okay this post today is just a fun and silly…so please bare with me 🙂

They have peeps now for every holiday, hearts, pumpkins, snowmen, Christmas trees, reindeer’s, I’m sure I’m missing others…LOL

But I only remember peeps in my Easter Basket, that was my most favorite item in my basket when I was little, I still like peeps now…I just like them on the stale side…ha ha ha…I know I’m going to have haters and lovers of this, but I like the chewiness of that sugary covered bunny!!  Yes I said Bunny I do prefer the Bunny over the Chick, I like that the Bunny is thinner, this way I get more chewiness…okay this is way too much information, I’m sorry LOL!! 🙂

Anyway the the idea for this post came from my friend Joe, I had asked my friends to give me some ideas for my blog, recipes they would like to see.  And Joe said ‘Cooking with Peeps”  I thought awesome idea!!

So I’ve come up with 4 recipes ideas buy adding peeps to it or in place of where you may have used marshmallows, and of course there are many more, but these are fun and easy!!
*** Note – you can click on the pictures to make the image bigger

1. Easter Fudge, 2. Sweet Potatoes, 3. Fudge Brownies, 4. Heavenly Hash/Ambrosia Salad

 

1.  Easter Fudge    

 

So this recipe is one that use at Christmas time to make for family and friends, its very close to the foolproof Eagle Brand fudge recipe.  For Christmas I added marshmallows and walnuts, and call it my Rocky Road Fudge.  

For Easter Fudge, I will add Bunny peeps and Reese’s Mini peanut butter eggs too….this one will be good!!!

Ingredients

Chop peeps in half then in to 4’s

     

in a large pot add chips, vanilla and sweet condensed milk – once melted, off the heat fold in peeps

                                                    

line dish with plastic wrap                   add half of mixture, spread out

                               

add peanut butter eggs

   

then add rest of fudge mixture,         spread over eggs, chill over night

then slice fudge into slices   –  then pieces

      

 

Recipe

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag 18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
2 tsp. vanilla
peeps 3 bunnies of each color 12 total
1 bag Reese’s mini peanut butter eggs (used 15)

Cut peeps in half then into 4’s, set aside.
In a large pot add, milk, chips and vanilla, over med high heat, stirring constantly until almost melted, remove from heat and keep stirring until all the chips have melted.
Fold in chopped peeps, pour half into line dish, then top with mini peanut butter eggs, then top with the remaining fudge mixture, spreading to cover eggs.
Fold plastic wrap over top and refrigerate over night.
Let side out for an hour before slicing fudge then cutting into pieces.
This can be store in an airtight container in a cool place or refrigerator for up to two weeks…that’s if it lasts that long.

This was a HUGE hit with my family, it really didn’t hit the table before they were eating it.

2. Sweet Potatoes topped with peeps 

 

Who hasn’t had sweet potatoes or sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows, this one was a no brainier, add a little sprinkling of brown sugar, some pecans and top with a rainbow of bunny peeps.  How fun!!!

Ingredients – Simple

toast pecans                           give a rough chop

  

Drain potatoes     –                           then with a potato masher, mash potatoes

                     

add pecans and brown sugar, mix to combine

    

pour into a baking dish and bake 20 mins

then top with peeps and bake another 20 mins

done

serve it up        

Recipe

2 large cans sweet potatoes, drained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 good cup of pecans
1/2 tsp salt
peeps

In a large bowl add potatoes, mash, add brown sugar, pecans and salt, mix to combine.  Pour into baking dish, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then add peeps to the top and bake another 20 minutes.

Serve it up!!  This was good, the peeps give a little bit of a vanilla flavoring to the potatoes which adds nicely, and I like the sugary shell of the peep…Two Thumbs Up!!!

3. Fudge Brownies   

Okay I know its close to the fudge, but indulge me on this one…I’ll made these with some coffee and made them Mocha Fudge Brownies…yes you know I love coffee and this will be quick with a brownie mix…oh and if you love coffee and chocolate go back and check out my Dark Chocolate Coffee Nut Cookies…these were heavenly!!!

Ingredients – just used a box mix

added the coffee & whisk                                           then  add oil & eggs

                                              

mix, then put in baking dish and bake

about 3/4 of the way done, top with your peeps and bake the rest of the way

                               

let cool

slice and serve   

 I trimmed the edges to square them off

Recipe

Box brownie mix, following directions on the box
1 instant coffee stick (next time I would use 2)
peeps
Pour mix into baking dish, bake as directed, but when about 3/4 of the way done, add peeps, just push done a little to nestle the peeps in the mix.

Bake the rest of the way, let cool then slice and serve.
These were a BIG hit for sure…Gooey and Sinful but Heavenly!!

Oh and speaking of Heavenly!!

4. Heavenly Hash or some call it Ambrosia Salad

I can’t believe I thought of this last, I love “Heavenly Hash” which is what we called it, my Grandmas (my Dad’s Mom) would make this for every holiday.
Growing up it really wasn’t a holiday dinner without it, whether it was Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, there is was on the table in a big bowl, this white fluffy goodness with fruit, marshmallows and cherries!!!
Oh the memories for sure!!!
My Grandma has pasted since then, but boy I sure do miss those times that we would go to her house, me and my cousins would love to play all the way up on the 3rd floor.
Of course they were older and would tease us young ones about house being haunted (which is was not)…but it was always great times and wonderful memories that I will never forget!!!

Ingredients

Drain pineapple & oranges                                          cut grapes in half

                                                     

drain cherries                                                           cut cherries in half

                                             

Cut peeps                                                 set aside

                  

in a large bowl add whipped topping & 2 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding, combine well

add oranges, pineapple and peeps to whipped topping, fold to combine

fold in grapes                                                     then fold in cherries

                                           

pour into a serving dish

         

Now add a little fun touch, take coconut & green food coloring 

      

mix to make green and now you have green grass

add a few extra bunnies sitting on grass

Recipe

2 8 oz. whipped topping
1 8 oz. can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (12 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained
1 16 oz.  jar maraschino cherries, drained, halved
2 cups halved red grapes
2 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
6 bunny peeps of each color, total 24 peeps, plus 3 extra for decor
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
green food coloring gel

Drain all the fruit and set a side, cut cherries in half.
Cut peeps in half then cut again into 4’s, set aside

In a large mixing bowl add whipped topping and vanilla pudding powder and mix to combine

Fold into whipped topping the pineapple, oranges and peeps, then fold in grapes, then cherries making sure everything is well mixed.
Pour into serving dish, and smooth out.
 

For Decorations –  add coconut to bowl or ziploc bag, squeeze a little food coloring gel onto coconut and mix with your fingers to color coconut. (if you use a bowl like I did, put a sandwich size baggie over your hand and mixed the coconut up, so your fingers don’t turn green)
Add your extra peeps on top of the hash add the grass around them….Chill and serve!!!

This also was a big hit,  I love how  you can see the colored peeps mixed in, but both my parents say my Dad’s sister (Mae) always made it the best…she would whip heavy cream instead of pre made whipped topping to make hers…now that’s the good stuff.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my fun whimsical post today, it was fun to do, so thank you to my friend Joe 🙂 for giving the idea in using Peeps!!!