Cupboards, Forgotten Items, Instant Hits, Coconut Creations!!
Many months ago I ran across an interesting recipe that used coconut milk..I have never cooked with coconut milk for some reason, but am obsessed with coconut anything.....So I purchased a can of coconut milk, stuck it in my cupboard and forgot about it...the other day as I was checking for lunch ideas, lo and behold there was the can of coconut milk....I immediately thought "oh great I will make that recipe that sounded so good". Not so fast. I could not for the life of me remember what it was, where the recipe was located, or why I thought I would like it..another senior moment on the horizon...so decided I would make up my own something to do with the can of milk.
My first thought was coconut crusted chicken tenders, and proceeded to open the can to marinate the tenders in for a bit...another surprise, I was expecting a clear liquid like comes out of a fresh coconut when you smash it, but this was really thick and dark white, what next? still proceeded to marinate the chicken and had almost 2/3 of the can still left over..now what to do? so decided to make a crock pot coconut bread pudding using my usual recipe, but substituting the coconut milk for part of the milk needed in the recipe...both were "instant hits" with the family, so am posting both recipes below.
Tenders: Oven 400, around 40 minutes
1 pound of chicken tenders, marinated in some of the coconut milk, at least an hour, I did 2 hours
Breading: shredded coconut, chili powder, black pepper combined, amounts to your liking
Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess, bread by pushing well in breading mix
Layer on a foil lined sprayed pan, spray with a little pan spray on top
Bake 400 degrees about 40 minutes or till nice and golden brown on top...
Crock pot coconut bread pudding: 3 1/2 quart pot, if yours is larger cook a little less time...
IMPORTANT: spray crock pot well
8 cups bread cubes of choice, place in crock pot
Sprinkle with 1 1/2 to 2 tsps. cinnamon, depends on how much you like cinnamon
2/3 cup shredded coconut, sprinkled next
Mixture:
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk, here you use what is left of can of coconut milk, then finish off with regular milk of choice to equal the 2 cups.
1/3 cup maple syrup, mix all together and pour over bread and let set 10 minutes
Cook on low for 3 hours, until top is crunchy and filling is set....
If you like coconut, these recipes should be a hit.
P.S. my husband said he is loving my senior moments, lol!!
