Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies - Kim Spera Bamburak

Cherry Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups of flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 
• 1 cup creamy or super chunk peanut butter 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup packed brown sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 6 1/2 ounces of flaked coconut 
• red or green candied cherries, halved 

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in sugars until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilaa. Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.
If necessary, refrigerate dough for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Spread coconut on waxed paper; roll balls in coconut.
Place red or green cherry half in center of each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks.
Store in tightly covered container.

COQUITO RECIPE - Lee Chico

• 1 c water;
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks; 
• 1/4 -1/2 tsp ground cloves; 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 4 egg yolks; 
• 14oz can sweetened condensed milk; 
• 12 oz can evaporated milk; 
• 15 oz can creme of coconut; (optional 15 oz can coconut milk) 

Boil the spices in water a few minutes till water nice and brown, strain and let cool. In meantime combinel all the canned fluids and egg yolks, then add cooled spiced water and stir well. Bottle and refrigerate. That is the recipe for all family members. 

For ADULTS add about 1 cup or to taste of Puerto Rican rum, making sure its a good quality white clear rum. This should be made several days prior to drinking as the flavors marinate best over a few days.

There are several different recipes out there some more simple than others, will shortly post another one without eggs for those leery of raw eggs in their drink.

Noreen's Baked Chicken with Mango Coconut Glaze - Noreen Stephenson

Baked Chicken with Mango Mango Coconut Glaze, Panko Crumbs  

Ingredients: 

• I used chicken thighs but any chicken would work;
• Salt,
• Pepper, 
• Oil for the pan,
• mango coconut grilling & glaze sauce,
• Panko Crumbs  

NOTE:  I used a premade excellent bottle type of glaze and added a cup or so of fine chopped fresh pineapple I put in the food processor. 

Note: 1/2 cup cup of the glaze in the bottle mixed with the 1 cup of my fresh pineapple was plenty. If you eliminate the pineapple use more of the glaze in the bottle.  

Oil the bottom of a pan that will be roomy enough to hold the pieces (I used a corning pan) but any pan is fine. Place chicken in the pan and season w/salt pepper, kosher salt or any salt. You will add some of the glaze to each piece of chicken reserving the balance to add at the end. 

Bake for around 1 hour (I used convection bake at 375) 

NOTE: adjust the temp to your oven. 

NOTE: Drain off the liquid in the pan reserving a few tablespoons.  At the end I brushed on  the remainder of my glaze on each piece of chicken and added some panko crumbs and added some of the liquid to each piece on top  the panko crumbs.  I then put them on a careful slow broil so the sauce would set and the crumbs would slightly brown. Be carful not to burn them.

It is an inexpensive dish and a very tasty one. I had corn as a side dish and Baked Beans. 

Enjoy!