Coconut Caramel Pecan Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1½ cups pecans, chopped and toasted

1 pkg. caramel chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat shortening and sugars until blended. Add vanilla and beat in eggs one at a time.  Add flour mixture gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in oats, coconut, caramel chips and pecans.

Scoop into Tbsps. 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Recipe adapted from here

Butterscotch Walnut Cookies

1 cup butter

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 large egg

2½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 pkg. butterscotch chips

1 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350° Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven

Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the butterscotch chips and walnuts.

Scoop slightly mounded tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies until they are set and golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Salted Caramel Crunch Cookies

2 1/3 cups flour

¾ cup light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

¾ cup butter, melted + slightly cooled

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup toffee bits

1 cup caramel bits

1 cup chopped pecans

Flaked sea salt, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon.

Add butter, combine with a spatula or with a handheld mixer until crumbly. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat till well combined. Fold in toffee chips, caramel bits and pecans. 

Roll two heaping tablespoons of cookie dough into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet leaving 2 inches per cookie for spreading.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges of cookies are set. Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaked sea salt, to taste.

Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Enjoy warm or allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

You can find the recipe here.

Coconut Curry Shriimp

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1½ lbs. raw shrimp

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1 (13½ oz.) can coconut milk (A Taste of Thai)

2 Tbsp. honey

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Juice of 1 lime

12 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Hot sauce, as needed, 

Cooked basmati rice

Heat the butter in a large non-skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, turning them over halfway through, until fully cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and stir to cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the curry powder over the onions and continue cooking, stirring, for another couple of minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Add the honey, salt and lime juice, and allow the sauce to heat up until bubbling gently. Add the shrimp to the sauce, tossing to coat, and allow it to simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt, lime juice or honey, depending on your taste. Stir in the basil. (Add hot sauce if you want a little kick.)

Serve the shrimp and sauce over a bed of cooked basmati rice, garnishing with more basil. 

You can find the recipe here.