Chocolate Coconut Candies (Almond Joy/Mounds style)

We have all seen those dang food videos all over social media you know the ones that makes us want to eat. When I saw this video being repeated passed around my news feed, I just had to try them. I was not disappointed! In fact, I was quite impressed. I love a good chocolate candy, especially when there is coconut involved. These candies are sure to please! They really taste like an Almond Joy or Mounds, depending on how you make them. I choose dark chocolate like a Mounds but added almonds like an Almond Joy but with a twist. Instead of placing one whole almond in the middle, I toasted some raw almonds in coconut oil, tossed them in my food processor, and then added them to the filling. I also forgot to add sea salt on top but you certainly can if you’d like. You could go for nuts, coconut flakes, or sprinkles on top instead, either way it is sure to delight.

Recipe and video by:Tastemade
Adapted recipe by: Julie Hodges
Photos by: Julie Hodges

Tastemade Recipe Video

https://www.tastemade.com/videos/coconut-and-dark-chocolate-bites-with-sea-salt

Chocolate Coconut Candies (Almond Joy/Mounds Style)

Recipe by: Taste made Tastemade Recipe Video

Adapted by: Julie Hodges

Coating Ingredients:

• 1-2 bags of chocolate (good quality chocolate chunks or 2-3 bars)
• 1 TBSP. Coconut oil

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 bags of sweetened coconut
• toasted almonds (chopped or whole)

(sea salt is optional as well)

Directions:

Mix one and a half bags of sweetened coconut with a can of sweetened condensed milk, then add a teaspoon of vanilla extra. Either add ground almonds to the filling or wait and place an almond inside after scooping into small piece with a cookie scoop.

Place a piece of parchment onto a baking sheet or spray a cooling rack. Then scoop out individual balls. Place in the refrigerator for one hour.

After refrigerating for one hour, melt and temper the chocolate. I prefer double broiler method of melting. If microwaving, heat only for 30 second intervals and stir between each interval. Stop just before it is completely melted no matter the melting method and add some cold chocolate to temper. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and stir until smooth.

Dip each coconut filling ball into the chocolate, tapping off excess. Place on parchment or wax paper or a greased cooling rack and allow to dry. (Preferable over night.) If quick dry method is desired, refrigerate until hardened. If sea salt is desired, sprinkle on while wet.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Veggies

I asked my kids what they wanted me to buy for dinner. One answer I received was pot roast. So I went with it and devised my own slow cooker pot roast and veggie recipe. It is a simple, easy, and delicious one pot meal. My kind of cooking. Pictures are of my pot roast and veggies. My recipe can be found below.

before cooking

Recipe by: Julie Hodges

Ingredients:

• Roast
• 1 Packet of ranch seasoning
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 1/2 cup of water
• Salt and pepper the taste
• Veggies such as:

4 large potatoes or 8 small potatoes cut in halves or quarters with skins
1 onion chopped
4 carrots peeled and chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic peeled and halved
1 stalk of Celery chopped (optional)

Directions:

Prep and chop the veggies and place them in a slow cooker. Place the roast on top of the veggies. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the ranch seasoning on top. Add the 1/2 cup of water (to the side not over the meat.) Slow cook for up to 8 hours on low or until the meat is tender and the veggies are cooked.

recipe and photos by Julie Hodges

Poppy Seed Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Don’t know what to do with all the leftover chicken you cooked the night before? How about a delicious chicken casserole. This is a great way to use up all the left over chicken especially the dark meat which in my family no one wants to eat. I cook whole chickens because they are more budget friendly but no one in my family wants to eat the leftover dark meat including me so I have to get creative to use it up which how this recipe came about. The amount of chicken, cheese, poppy seeds, and veggies are up to you. You can use a little or a lot. I used leftover lemon rosemary garlic chicken and leftover broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot stir fry veggies from the night before. The casserole has a yummy flaky crescent roll crust but you could substitute biscuits instead. It is a lot like a chicken pot pie so you could also switch the broccoli and cauliflower out for green beans, corn, and or sweet peas. This casserole is delicious way to use up leftover chicken and veggies. The photos are of my finished casserole. (Recipe is below.)

recipe by Julie Hodges 

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of crescent rolls

• chopped or shredded cooked chicken

• broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower

• 1 can of cream of chicken soup

• salt 

• pepper

• Parmesan cheese

• shredded white cheddar cheese

• 1 can of chicken broth (use the empty soup can to measure)

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 2 tsp. poppy seeds

1. In a skillet, combine the cooked chicken, vegetables, salt, pepper, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Cook until combined and veggies are done. (If using frozen vegetables it may take longer.) Stir in the butter and poppy seeds just before removing from the heat. Remove after butter melts.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and while the filling is cooking open the two cans of crescent rolls but leave them together as a sheet of dough. Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with non–stick baking spray and place one sheet of crescent roll dough in the pan stretching it out the full length of the dish. Pinch the steams together to seal the dough into one continuous sheet. Add the filling from the step above to the crescent roll sheet in the casserole dish. Spread it out evenly and then place the second sheet of crescent roll dough on top of the filling. Press the side down and tuck the top crescent roll sheet into the bottom and pinch the two together to create a crust like a pot pie. Sprinkle the top with shredded white cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. 

3. Bake in a 400 degree oven until golden and the crescent roll dough is done. Allow to cool for a minute or two before cutting and serving.

* Green beans, corn, or sweet peas could also be used in place of the broccoli and   cauliflower.

* Biscuits could be used in place of the crescent rolls.

pictures and recipe by Julie Hodges (me)