Pineapple Upside Down Cake!!!

Who doesn't love the classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake?!

This is one of my easy go to cakes, especially when providing meals for others. It's so vibrant and delicious! I use Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme cake mix....

Super easy!

https://www.duncanhines.com/recipe/pineapple-upside-down-cake/

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices
• Maraschino cherries
• Cake:
• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil

Baking Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter. Remove from heat and pour in baking pan.*Aluminum cake pan works best.
• Sprinkle with brown sugar over butter and evenly spread throughout the pan.
• Arrange pineapple slices on top of mixture and place cherries in center of each pineapple; set aside.
• Combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and instant pudding in large bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour batter evenly over fruit in skillet.
• Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool cake completely on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate.
• 
• Yum Yum!!!

Navajo Tacos

I grew up eating Navajo Tacos and they are my favorite! 

 I'm trying to master my dough which is proving to be hard, but I'm getting better. I want it to be just like my mom's and Shimassani's (maternal grandmother) bread!!!! Growing up I never helped make the dough, but I helped flap and fry it. Those are some of the best childhood memories I have!!

Navajo grandmas are pros and don't use any measuring tools and just ust their hands and eyes to measure. But, here is a general recipe with measurements! Also, for starters start by cutting the recipe in half. I learned better that way and if I messed up I didn't have as much that I messed up, lol! Also, I find that the warmer/hot, more on the hot side the water is, the better my dough comes out. Good luck!

Navajo Frybread

4 cups flour

2 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp. crisco or vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups warm/hot water

2-3 cups vegetable oil or Crisco for frying

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add oil and mix. Make a well in the middle.

2. Pour 1 cup of the water into the well and stir together with hands or spoon. Slowly add water little by little, as needed, to make dough come together until you can knead it until it's no longer too sticky, but soft. A little sticky is ok. 

*Warmer water a little on the hot side makes the dough softer.

*I don't always add all the water. It just depends on the dough. Add it slowly as needed.

3. Put it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it sit for up to 30mins in a warmer area. The longer it sits the softer the dough will get and makes it much easier to flap and stretch.

4. While the dough is resting put the oil (which I always add by eye) into the pan and start heating it up. It just depends on the size of your pot. You need just enough oil to slightly cover the stretched out dough. Once it reaches its smoke point, you'll start to see smoke rising, it's ready and you may want to turn it down a little bit. To check if it's ready tear off a tiny peice of dough and put it into the hot oil and see how fast it cooks. This helps better determine if the oil is ready. You want the dough to cook pretty fast, until a nice golden brown. Use a fork to take out the cooked dough.

5. When the dough is ready tear off a tennis ball size or smaller piece of dough and form into a ball. 

6. You can use a rolling pin to flatten it out or use your hands to stretch it and flap it out like a true Navajo! Aye ;)

7. Carefully put it in the hot oil pan or cast iron skillet with a hole somewhere in the dough, I like to lay it down going away from me slowly in the oil. This keeps the oil from splashing on you. The oil is extremely hot and will severely burn you if you're not careful. I always wear an apron and try to wear long sleeves. Small amounts of oil will pop out of the pan, so be careful. This is why you don't want it too hot and to use something long like a fork or hook or good pair of tongs to flip it. Flip it when the edges start getting brown. It should cook pretty fast and will be a nice golden brown color.

8. Put the fry bread in big enough pan or bowl standing up with a paper towel at the bottom to soak the grease.

Now all you need are the toppings....

Chili beans (check out my Picante Chili recipe), chopped iceberg lettuce, cheese, onions, salsa, and sour cream are great toppings!

*It's easier if you tear the bread up before putting the toppings on.

Enjoy!!

Picante Chili

These chili beans are super easy to make in the Instant Pot!

I named it Picante Chili because you add a big jar of Picante salsa. I've tired other salsa brands and the Fish Fam loved the Picante kind.

Ingredients: 

• 6 cups soaked overnight pinto beans
• 3-5 slices of bacon or 1/2-1cup pre chopped bacon (in bag)
• 1lb. hamburger meat
• 1 chopped onion or died chopped onion
• 1 tbsp of diced garlic (3 cloves)
• 2 Tbsp Chili powder
• 1 Tbsp of smoked paprika 
• Salt and pepper as desired
• Few dashes of Cayenne powder, if you want it spicier
• 24 oz. jar Pace Medium Picante Sauce
• 24-30oz of water (enough to just cover the beans)

Directions: 

• Soak the beans overnight (will cook better & be softer)
• Cook the bacon slices. Don't have to cook fully. 
• Clean the pan out a bit and fry some of the onions and garlic.
• Add the hamburger meat and cook. Don't have to cook all the way.
• I like draining the fat. 
• Chop and add bacon pieces. 
• Add all the spices....

•  Add everything to the pot....

• I fill the empty picante jar with water, about a jar and a half or so, just enough to cover the beans. 
• Set at manuel for 110 mins.
• Let it naturally release for about 25-30 mins. or longer. For safety reasons do not do a quick erase and let the IP do a natural release.  If you instantly release the pressure the high pressure in the pot will shoot steaming hot liquids out of the vent (depending on how full the pot is). Letting it naturally release will cook the beans longer, which is fine.

• Serve over Navajo Tacos, rice, baked potatoes, we like to serve them over lots of cauliflower, or anything you'd like!

ENJOY!

Navajo Breakfast Burritos

If you are ever on the Navajo Reservation and see a sign that says "Breakfast Burrito" pull over and get one!! You won't be disappointed. Homemade Navajo "Naaniskadi" bread filled with spam, eggs, and potatoes is so GOOD!! 

Navajo grandmas are pros and don't use any measuring tools and just ust their hands and eyes to measure. But, here is a general recipe with measurements! Also, for starters start by cutting the recipe in half. I learned better that way and if I messed up I didn't have as much that I messed up, lol! And 4 cups makes alot. I also find that the warmer/hot, more on the hot side the water is, the better my dough comes out. Good luck!

Naaniskadi (Navajo Tortillas)

4 cups flour

2 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups warm/hot water

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the middle.

2. Pour 1 cup of the water into the well and stir together with hands for spoon. Slowly adding the water little by little as needed to make dough come together until you can knead it until it's not longer sticky, but soft. You don't need to over knead.

3. Put it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it sit for up to 30mins in a warmer araa. The longer it sits the softer the dough will get and makes it much easier to flap and stretch.

4. When the dough is ready tear off a tennis ball size or smaller piece of dough and form into a ball. 

5. You can use a rolling pin to flatten it out or use your hands to stretch it and flap it out like a true Navajo! Aye ;)

6. Heat the pan, I like cast iron pans, to med.-high heat. Grease it as needed and cook them on both sides.

Spam, Eggs, and Potatoes.....

I peel, chop, and cube my potatoes and put them in water to reduce the starch. Start to heat up the cast iron skillet on low while you prepare other things. Chop onions and spam. Then I turn the heat up on the pan and pour some oil in, throw the potatoes in with a little bit of water, and cover. Watch and stir them so they don't burn. After a few minutes take the lid off to finish them adding anymore oil if needed. You want to them brown on the sides and be soft in the middle. Once they finish I put them in a bowl and cover and start cooking the onions and let them soften a bit and then throw the spam in and cook for a few minutes. Then toss them in the bowl with the potatoes. Then cook the eggs. You can cook them with the onions and spam if wanted. When your scrambled eggs are done toss them in the bowl and its ready to serve!

Naaniskadi is also good with beef stew....

 And Turkey Soup....

All of this makes me miss my Shimasani! My grandma....

Instant Pot Kalua Pig

Nom Nom Paleo's Instant Pot Kalua Pig is pretty awesome!! 

It's super quick and easy and comes out very tender and delicous, check it out...

https://nomnompaleo.com/post/111934821818/pressure-cooker-kalua-pig 

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

My husband and kids said these were the best sugar cookies ever!

I found at "The Recipe Rebel" https://www.thereciperebel.com/grandmas-sour-cream-sugar-cookies/

The boys had too much fun decorating them with yummy frosting and sprinkles. We made a lot of these cookies to take out to our friends for easter. 

They were easy to make and don't require any rolling, chilling, or a lot of effort in frosting or decorating. My mom made her sugar cookies with sour cream and they always got eaten right up all the time. She said one time she brought a lot to a church function and she felt a bad because the other cookie trays hardly got eaten and all of her's were gone! But they were so so so good!!!!!

So, I'm glad that I found an easy no rolling, no chilling sugar cookie recipe and although I can't eat these they seem nice and soft and fluffy. 

Try out your own and enjoy!

蛋餅 Dan Bing Taiwanese Egg Crepe!

We just came back from Taiwan and one of the boys favorite breakfast foods was Dan Bing! So, I found this recipe and gave a it a try. It turned out pretty good!

For the Crepe

1/2 cup flour

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water

For the Egg

3 Eggs

1/4-1/2 tsp. salt, to taste

1/4 tsp. white pepper

Dash of Sesame oil

Chopped Green Onions

For the Sauce

2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. Rice Vinegar

Chili Oil & Sesame Oil, to taste

Crushed garlic

Chopped green onions

Directions

1. Mix the flour and cornstarch together. Then add the water. Let it rest for 10mins.

2.  In the mean time chop green onions and garlic and put in separate small bowls. Begin to heat your non-stick or cast iron pan to medium low heat. Make the sauce. 

3. For each crepe, in a bowl beat one egg with 1Tbsp of green onions, a dash of sesame oil, and a pinch of salt and white pepper. 

4. When your pan is heated oil it add about 1/2 cup of batter to the pan swirling as you do to coat the bottom (lifting and tilting the pan works best if you don't have a crepe spreader). Cook for 3-5 min until the top has set. 

6. Flip the crepe over and add the egg mix to the top spreading it over the crepe keeping most of it on the crepe. Cook until the egg is just about set and then flip to the other side.

6. Cook for 10 seconds or so.

7. Flip the Dan Bing onto a plate or cutting board, egg side up. Roll it and cut into sections. Grab your dipping sauce and enjoy!!

Delicious Vegan & Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie!

This is the most delicious vegan pumpkin pie I've ever had! The filling is from Elana's Pantry! You don't have to bake the filling, which makes it the easiest pumpkin pie to make! 

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin           *I use this Organic Pumpkin Pie

1 cup coconut milk fat, from 2 cans  *I use this Coconut Milk

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 Tbsp. maple syrup    *I did 3T and 1/2T Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla stevia   *I didn’t do stevia, just plain vanilla

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice   *Made my own

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1 Nut-Free Egg Free Pie Crust, baked & cooled  *I made a Paleo crust

Instructions

1. Place pumpkin on a plate and set aside
2. Get two cans of coconut milk and turn heavy side on the bottom, you want all the coconut fat at the bottom. Open the top and pour/save the coconut water into another cup. Then scrape the coconut fat out of the can. 
3. In a medium pot, melt coconut milk fat and coconut oil until liquefied
4. Stir in pumpkin and maple syrup until mixture is very warm
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree on high speed until very smooth. *I don't think you have to use a blender if you are using canned pumpkin, it's already smooth. 
6. Blend in vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice, and salt
7. Transfer mixture into nut-free egg-free pie crust
8. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set

This pie crust was NOT a nut-free, egg-free crust. It was Against all Grains' paleo "Honey Graham Cracker Crust." So, this pie crust isn't vegan because of the egg. 

But it's really good!

With a few changes to the recipe, I replaced the honey with maple syrup and the almond meal with hazelnut meal because that's what I had. 

It's so so good!

If you have food allergies or sensitivities, this is the perfect pumpkin pie for you. Or if you just want to make an extra healthy pumpkin pie that is gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and is Paleo, Keto and Low-Carb friendly!

Last but not least serve with some coconut whip cream on top...soooo good!

Coconut Whip Cream

1. The most important thing to do is put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. To let all the fat solidify at the top of the can.

3. To open the can turn it upside down, so the cream is on the bottom end and then open it up with a can opener.

4. Pour out coconut water into another container and save if you want.

5. Scrape out the cream into a mixing bowl.

6. Add some kind of sweetener...white sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.

7. Beat/whip it together with a mixer.

8. Taste test and sweeten to your liking.

Enjoy!

Coconut Banana Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups organic flour (white and/or wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 salt

1/2 cup coconut oil (softened)

1/2-3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1/4 water

*Add ins: 1/4-1/3 cup Chocolate Chips (I like Enjoy Life dairy, nut, & soy free), 1/2-1 cup Chopped walnuts or pecans.

*Sometimes I add in a little bit of brown sugar with the coconut sugar.

*When using coconut oil it needs to be softened. It's melting point is 76 deg. If it's solid I spoon it out the into a bowl and mash it to soften it and then measure desired amount. 

*The water makes them more moist.

Directions

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. and if using a loaf pan, lightly oil and dust with flour. If using a muffin pan I love these "If You Care" baking cups. 

2- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl cream together coconut oil and coconut sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture. Add in your chocolate chips and/or nuts if wanted. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan or scoop into muffin cups. If baking with wheat let it rest for 10mins. 

3- Bake for 60-65mins for 9x5 loaf pan or 18-20mins for muffin pans.

*A good tip when baking with wheat is to let the batter sit and hydrate for 10 mins. The wheat is more course and this give it some time to absorb the liquid and soften the bran and germ of the wheat. Also, it may need more cooking time. 

For muffins I highly suggest getting this Vollrath Disher!! I love these scoopers. They make it so much easier to dish out the right and consistant amount of batter for muffins, cookies, meat balls, etc. For the pictured muffin I used a yellow size 20 disher (1 5/8oz or 3.25Tbs). If you want them a little bigger I'd suggest going with the blue size 16 disher (2oz or 4Tbs). If I want a higher rounded muffin I will do a heaping scoop of batter with my yellow #20 disher. 

Enjoy!

Instant Pot: Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding

This is so so good! Incredibly good and easy to make.

I use This Old Gal's recipe here.

I don't always have coconut creme and just omit it. 

Here is another great Instant Pot rice pudding.

Enjoy!