Coconut Almond Chocolates

I am a HUGE fan of Almond Joy's. I can't get enough of them. The smooth coconut with the crunchy almond in the middle, all covered in chocolate. I mean, what's not to love? So I set out to make my own version of coconut chocolates and at the last minute thought to myself, why not add an almond in the middle? If you are like me and find Almond Joy's to be absolutely delicious, try out this recipe! The only regret I have is that I made such a small batch! I highly suggest tripling or quadrupling this recipe!

Recipe yields roughly 9 chocolates (Depends on how big each coconut ball is)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sweetened flake coconut
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
Handful of whole almonds
3.5 oz dark chocolate (I used 70% cocoa)

Line a baking dish or other flat tray with wax paper. In a bowl, combine coconut and milk.

Using a small ice cream scoop (or your fingers!), create little balls with the coconut mixture.

Set tray in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. When you remove, the coconut balls should still be soft. Push an almond into the center of each ball.

Place tray back in the refrigerator for an additional 10-15 minutes. This allows the coconut mixture to harden and become easier to handle when dealing with the chocolate.

Break chocolate into small pieces and add to a bowl. Using a double broiler or the microwave, melt the chocolate until smooth. Place one coconut ball in the chocolate at a time and completely coat with chocolate.

Remove from bowl and place back on wax paper. Repeat this process until all coconut balls are coated with chocolate.

Place the tray back in the refrigerator for 10-15 more minutes. This allows the chocolate to harden. Remove from refrigerator and enjoy! (If you make a large batch, you can store them by placing in a sealed plastic container.)

Sauteed Thresher Shark

So most of you will probably look at this title and immediately think "Whattt?!" Well, this weekend, on one of our fishing trips, we caught a thresher shark. This was my dad and I's first thresher shark and we knew they were good to eat, so I figured, why not try it out. If you have access to fresh thresher shark at your local fish market, give it a try! It has a delicious flavor and is just as tender, if not more, as a fresh piece of swordfish. I served this shark with the Ginger-Lime Butter I told you about yesterday and the ginger flavor really highlighted the fish's natural flavor.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
6 fresh thresher shark steaks
4 tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper to season

Lay steaks on a flat surface. Lightly season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a skillet to high heat. Once heated, add 2 tbsp canola oil. (If your skillet is large enough to cook all 6 steaks at once, you can add all 4 tbsp of oil.)

Add steaks to the skillet and cook 3 minutes on one side, flip and cook 3 minutes on the other side or until fish is cooked through. (Note: Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of each steak.)

Remove from heat and serve right away. Top with a compound butter or serve with your choice of sauce. Enjoy!

Oven Baked French Fries

The final recipe today is for baked french fries. These fries have just the right amount of seasoning to make them delicious with any meal.

Recipe yields 3-4 servings

Ingredients
3 medium baking potatoes
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp chile powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel and slice potatoes into wedges. In a small bowl, combine all spices.

Toss potato wedges in olive oil and sprinkle with spice mixture. Gently rub mixture into potatoes.

Place potatoes on baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes. Cooking times may vary based on the thickness of the wedges and how crispy you like your fries. Serve & enjoy!

Ginger-Lime Butter

The second recipe in today's triple dose is for ginger-lime butter. Making compound butters is a great way to add flavor to your meals by adding it to bread, potatoes, meat, fish, etc. The uses are endless and it is simple to make and store for long periods of time. Today's combination of ginger and lime goes great on top of seafood!

Recipe yields 4 tbsp of butter

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Allow butter to soften to room temperature so it is easy to work with. Smooth butter in a small bowl. Add lime juice and mix to combine.

Photo: Peeled ginger

Peel and mince ginger. Add to the butter and combine. Helpful hint: To peel ginger, use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin. Cut ginger into strips and then proceed to dice and mince.

Roll butter in wax pepper and refrigerate to harden. Slice and place atop a freshly cooked piece of fish for an easy but complex flavor combination. Enjoy!

Macerated Oranges with Grand Marnier

It has been a long and busy week that has left me without any extra time to blog. As a result, I am going to share THREE new recipes today. I hope you enjoy each of them.

The first recipe is for a fruit based dessert. This is great for a party because you can easily make a lot of it and let it sit in the refrigerator all day and it will be ready when you are. In fact, the longer it sits, the better it tastes!

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients
4 naval oranges
4-6 tbsp Grand Marnier liquor (Depends on how strong you want the liquor taste to be - Remember the flavor of the liquor will subside the longer it sits in the refrigerator)
2-3 tsp sugar (Depends on how sweet the oranges are)

Peel oranges and cut into slices. Place slices and all extra juice in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and Grand Marnier and stir well. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

Serve with whipped cream and shaved chocolate for a delicious and elegant-looking dessert. Enjoy!