Thai Sweet Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango

Recipe Status: I am in LOVE with this, and look forward to it at every Thai restaurant I go to. Unfortunately it doesn't always taste good. But THIS does! Happy sigh.

1 1/2 cups Boton rice

2 cups water

2 cups coconut milk, divided

1 cup large dried coconut shavings (NOT sweetened shredded coconut.)

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt, divided

3 mangoes

• Combine rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

• While the rice is cooking, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup (or a large handful) dried coconut, and 1/2 tsp salt in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then set aside. Stir cooked rice into the coconut sauce and cool for an hour or two.

• Slice the mangoes in half along the pit, scoop out with a spoon and cut into cubes.

• Make a sauce by mixing 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt and a small handful of dried coconut if desired. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

• Place the mango on top of the sticky rice, then pour sauce over the mango and rice. Top with a pinch of cardamom or sesame seeds if desired. This will keep in fridge for a few days.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe Status: It's nice to have a peanut butter cookie that isn't hard and crumbly. And the wheat is a tasty compliment to the peanut butter. Yes, this recipe is a keeper.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter (we recommend extra chunky)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups white flour

Cream peanut butter, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add dry ingredients until completely mixed. Roll (or use a cookie scoop) into walnut sized balls and place on a sprayed baking sheet.

Bake at 350 until the edges are slightly browned, about 7-10 minutes. A little bit longer if baking on a stone, mine took about 12 minutes. Store in an airtight container and they'll stay soft!

Candied Orange Peels

Recipe Status: Long standing tradition at Christmas time. My favorite is dipping each piece in high quality dark chocolate. Mmmm.

Peels of 3 oranges

2 cups water

2 cups sugar, divided

Cut the tops and bottoms off the oranges. Cut the peel in four vertical lines, like you're quartering the orange, and remove the 4 pieces from the orange. Cut each piece into thin strips.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and boil the orange peels for 15 minutes. Boiling it in water reduces the bitterness of the rind. If desired, drain and boil in fresh water a second time. Drain and rinse.

Bring 2 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil over medium heat. Add the peel, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer until the peels are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, and toss or roll peels in remaining cup of sugar.

Place peels on a cooling rack and let them sit until sugar coating is dry. Usually it takes about a day, sometimes 2.

If desired, dip each piece in dark chocolate, or lay a bunch of pieces on wax paper and drizzle chocolate on the bunch. Or eat as is. Delicious.

This is also exceptionally tasty with grapefruit rinds.

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Recipe Status: The BEST pancakes EVER! ;) Excellent flavor and texture.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups white flour

3 tbsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

3 eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over med/high heat. (Or if you have an electric griddle, heat to 350.)

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, melt the butter, then beat together wet ingredients.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, and stir with a spoon until it's just blended. Don't over stir. Scoop batter onto the griddle (1/3 cup is prefect size). Cook about 4-5 minutes (or until one side is golden brown) and flip and finish browning the other side. This recipe makes roughly 2 dozen pancakes.