Brown Butter Toasted Coconut & Toffee Cookies

"Kayle make a dessert for Hawaii-an themed Sunday at Grandma's."
"Kayle make cookies."
"Kayle I don't like coconut, can't you make something using pineapple--"

NO! NO PINEAPPLE! I WILL USE COCONUT AND YOU WILL ALL LOVE IT!

And they did. So there..

OH HAIIIII!

Sorry about my little re-enactment of the convos that led to these cookies. I felt like you should've been there with me. Anyway, as you can see I was tasked to make a tropical cookie and I chose to use coconut because...well...I love coconut and have a bunch of it right now. So I decided to use this base recipe but really punch it up by adding browned butter (of course) and just-more toasted coconut and toffee. Because...yum. And there's still oats in there 'cuz they add awesome chewiness to the texture.

For the record, many of my family members who insisted they didn't like coconut loved these. (They also said they weren't very coconut-y and I was like "uhhh yes they are. You're a crazy person.") They are very chewy yet crunchy and the toffee and coconut....mmm! A couple people said the flavors reminded them of a Samoa....and....yeah....that's awesome. I wish I still had some left over because I know my friend Carla (of the Chocolate Moosey) would totally love them and today she and I are having a HANG OUT DAY! We're spending the day out and about in Cleveland (since I visited her in Pittsburgh last) and pretty much eating all the food. If you want to follow our adventures I'm sure we'll be posting to our instagrams so check out @kayleblogna and @chocolatemoosey.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Coconut-Zainab of Blahnik Baker's Baby Shower!

In my years of blogging I have never had a close friendship develop so quickly as my friendship with Zainab of Blahnik Baker has. She is literally one of the sweetest people I've ever known. She is endlessly supportive, giving, funny, smart, and kind. I am so lucky to have "met" her (someday it will be in real life and no longer needing quotation marks for "met"!) And I am SO excited for her because SHE'S HAVING A BABY!!! And Zainab is going to be such an incredible mom, and just some of the reasons why are the ones I just listed (her hubby is going to be a great dad too, btw). Zainab supported me with guest posts when I moved and when I was busy wedding planning so of COURSE I had to be a part of her SURPRISE VIRTUAL BABY SHOWER!

I'm so excited that my first official recipe that I'm sharing post wedding is for Zainab and the celebration of her becoming the sweetest momma ever! And-since Zainab loves all things coconut-we decided to only share coconutty treats for this "party"! Up until semi-recently I wasn't a huge fan of coconut (with the exception of Samoas). But I have learned that, especially when toasted, I loooooove coconut. And it pairs so deliciously with chocolate. And...I love cookies. And cookies are my go-to when I'm bringing a treat to a party, like..oh say a baby shower! Which is why I threw together these lovelies!

These cookies are sturdy (so they're perfect to ship to loved ones or to bring to a paaaarty) and super chocolatey (and-when warm-deliciously gooey). They're made a smidge healthier thanks to the fact that we're using coconut oil instead of butter (mo' coconut=mo'betta!) and the toasted coconut flakes REALLY make them special! There's all kinds of delicious textures and they were a big hit with Michael's friends...Michael...and me!

I know Zainab would like them too and so will you!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Smoothie

And finally, it is week 4 (the FINAL WEEK) of the Knockout Peanut Butter Smoothie Sweepstakes!

(Read my posts from week 1, week 2, and week 3)

The final rundown: Peanut Butter & Co and Rocky on Broadway have teamed up with four food bloggers (including myself) to bring you 4 different smoothie recipes a week. From April 14th-May 9th (TODAY-THE LAST DAY!), with 4 week-long entry periods, everyone has been invited to vote for their favorite smoothie recipe at Facebook.com/peanutbutterco and www.KnockoutPeanutButterSmoothie.com for a chance to win two tickets to see Rocky on Broadway and a year’s supply of Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter (50 jars). Winners will be randomly selected, totaling four winners by the end of the promotion period. There is no purchase necessary to enter the sweepstakes. Certain restrictions apply.

Rocky on Broadway (which opened March 13, 2014 at the Winter Garden Theatre) brings the story of Rocky Balboa (from the Rocky films) to the Broadway stage. I was able to see a preview and I totally fell for it. You should really go see it if you have the opportunity (or win!) Visit www.ROCKYBROADWAY.com for more information on the show and you can also refer to my post from week 1.

Some quick facts about Peanut Butter & Co: what began in 1998 as a little sandwich shop here in NYC (which I've been to!) is now one of the fastest growing natural/specialty food companies in the US! Their ten varieties of all natural, flavored peanut butters (made exclusively from USA-grown peanuts) are available in over 15,000 supermarkets and specialty retailers. So really you should make them your new favorite.

“Whether you’re training for a boxing match or fueling up for a busy day, peanut butter smoothies can make everyone feel like a champ!” said Lee Zalben, Founder & President of Peanut Butter & Co. “We’re so excited to be partnering with Rocky on Broadway, which is sure to be a knockout hit!”

Today I'm sharing my 4th and final smoothie (featuring one of Peanut Butter & Co.'s peanut butters):

I'm pretty proud of this one. I'll pat myself on the back. This smoothie is so tropical and thick-almost like a coconut milkshake but so much healthier! And it incorporates one of Peanut Butter & Co.'s most popular flavors-White Chocolate Wonderful. You really just need to head over and check out the recipe guys. You'll see!

For the smoothie recipe click here.

Smoothies shared from the last 3 weeks:
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Green Monster Smoothie
Honey and Pretzel Peanut Butter Smoothie
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Apple Banana Smoothie

Disclaimer: I was provided with product, tickets to a preview of Rocky on Broadway, and monetary compensation for my participation in this program. However, I was under no obligation to write a review and all opinions, as always, are my own.

Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My brother and I are 2 and a half years apart (but he's tall and I'm short so we tend to look the same age) and don't really look alike. Now, this isn't really a big deal, who cares if my brother and I don't look like each other, right? Well, here's the problem: sometimes Josh and I hang out, and oftentimes (note: almost all the time) when we're out together, people think we're together. Like a couple. This is very traumatic, as I'm sure you can imagine. When it first happened we were horrified. Now it's this thing we expect and fear. To the point where we will literally go out of our way to mention that we are siblings. The worst/best was when I went to look at one of the reception locations with my mom and Josh (this was not the place we ended up choosing) the woman came over to talk to us and, according to Josh, kept glancing at him, as well as me, when she asked questions. When she stepped away, Josh turned to me and hissed, "MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS I'M NOT YOUR FIANCE' I'M YOUR BROTHER!" Ugh. It is unfair that this is a necessary thing. 

Anyway, what's all of that have to do with cookies?

Nothing.

I just wanted to share.

SHARING however, does have to do with these cookies!

I would looove to share some of these with you!

These cookies are little bites of coconut-y goodness. Chewy and full of amazing texture, and, duh, chocolate. All wins. PLUS they're actually not too bad for you. They don't contain any butter-just coconut oil. AND I used all white whole wheat flour in these. So I occasionally found it acceptable to have one of these for breakfast. That's totally ok with you guys, yeah?

Loaded Oatmeal Coconut Cookies for #CookieWeek

It's #cookieweek my cookie monster friends! Susan of The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen and Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic have joined together this week with 23 of their blog friends to present to you a week of cookie treats! We have every type of cookie you can think of listed this week, including something for our furry friends! Now is the time to bookmark these recipes for the upcoming holidays and cookie swaps or simply visit our Pinterest board! Make sure you enter the giveaway with some fabulous prizes from KitchenAid, King Arthur Flour, OXO, Silpat and Zulka Pure Cane Sugar to help with your cookie making needs!

Being Queen Cookie Monster...I think I have like insanely high standards for cookies.

Like...to kind of an insane degree.

Take these cookies: they're good cookies. Michael liked em just fine, there's nothing wrong with these cookies. BUT-I was so mad at them. Like "THESE COOKIES ARE SO MEDIOCRE. Like...anyone could have made them...ugh!" *and then she threw herself exasperatedly on the bed* (not really. but kinda)

Now that I've disclosed my not 100% happy feelings, let's discuss why that's probably not fair:

They are good cookies. They're easy. They're super customizable (go ahead and throw just about whatever you want in these babies). And they're just fun, crunchy, grab and go kinds of cookies. They also make enough to feed an army. Not a small one either, nope, a full on, full sized, army.* Plus I may have mixed some of that delectable caramel sauce up in 'em. Because life's short. Eat cookies.

*well...no. But it does make a lot.

Coconut Ice Cream-EASY, 4 ingredients (Edward & Sons Organic Coconut Products Review)

I had a vision in my head of these photos. I knew I wanted a light blue bowl to pair with the creamy white coconut ice cream.

Only problem?

I had no blue bowls.

Luckily for me, I had a babysitting gig where we (yes...2 babysitters...for 2 kids...which trust me, is the only reason I still babysit those children) took the kids to one of those crafty places where you can do things like paint ceramic or whatever. So me and the other babysitter decided to take part as well. So I found a bowl I liked, and painted it in pretty pretty blues. And thusly my vision was able to be realized.

I am a lucky lady and, after meeting them at the SFFS, Edward & Sons sent me some of their amazing organic coconut products. Then I had to decide what to play with first. I knew exactly what to do with their unsweetened shredded coconut (I love using shredded coconut in cookies but I hate how sweetened most shredded coconut-desserts have enough sweet as it is- is and full of goodness knows what. So this stuff is a Godsend!) But I wanted to use more products. And then I saw the coconut cream. And I remember reading you can make whipped cream with it. And my brain jumped to my favorite easy no ice cream maker recipe. And I thought "let's give this a try!" Aaaand (after a moment of panic when I couldn't seem to whip the coconut cream thick enough but crossed my fingers and hoped for the best) it worked! Plus I threw in some of the shredded coconut and topped with toasted coconut flakes, to really punch up the flavor.

Soooo gooood!

I love how summery this ice cream tastes. Like you're laying on a beach in the Bahamas. Just the perfect coconut flavor to evoke all the feelings of beachiness and tropical, summery fun. Also super refreshing on a hot day...which let's face it...it's August. And the toasted coconut adds some really nice crunchy texture. You should seriously give it a try. Or make something else with Edward & Sons organic coconut. You could even win some!! Scroll past the recipe for the giveaway :D

Peanut Butter Coconut Flour Pancakes (Edward & Sons Review)

Names. 

What is in a name? 

They're funny little things. Take my name for instance: Kayle. It's a weird name. For one thing, you may not be aware, but it is pronounced Kay-lee (rhymes with Hayley). My mom heard it when she was pregnant with me, and liked it. But at the time it wasn't a common name. The main spelling she knew of was the traditional Irish spelling, Kayleigh. But my mom thought that would be too difficult for a kindergartner to attempt to spell. She'd also heard of it being spelled Kaylee. But my mom's middle name is Lee, and her sister's middle name is Kay, so she didn't want people to think it was 2 names (like Bobby Jo or Mary Ann)-she wanted to be clear it was one, fluid name. So she took off the extra "e". She didn't anticipate how many people would call me "Kale". Or "Kyle". Or Kayla, Kylie, Callie, etc. etc. Don't even get me started on how many ways my name gets misspelled...there are like a bjillion ways to spell Kayle. (And let's not even get into my last name...oh boy. For the record, it's pronounced Bolone-ya...like the city in Italy, Bologna.) Now, let's think about Michael. My boyfriend. His name is Michael. NOT Mike. When people call him Mike I get very confused and weirded out. Some people are Mike's. Some people can be Mike's AND Michael's, but my Michael is just...Michael. For some reason shortening it to one syllable entirely changes my perception of him and his name. And then there comes naming a post, naming a recipe. You want the name to be descriptive, and really tell you what it is...but you don't want it to be too long. It's a tricky line to walk. Names have so much meaning on so many different levels, that can completely alter how we perceive something...if my name had that extra "e"...I wouldn't feel like the same me. Mike is not my boyfriend. And these pancakes are delicious...whatever you call em.

Now...do they taste like a peanut butter cup? Um absolutely not. They taste like pancakes with a faint hint of peanut butter...and if you use chocolate chips then chocolate. Anyway, I've never used coconut flour, but when I found myself with some amazing Edward & Sons Organic Coconut Flour at my disposal, I knew I needed to play with it! I'm looking forward to using it more, so if you have any recipes using coconut flour, share away! I'd love some ideas!

Coconut flour is awesome for a few reasons: one of which is it's a great gluten free replacement for wheat flour. It's also low in fat, high in fiber, and generally tasty and healthy!

The texture of these pancakes, due to the coconut flour, is definitely different and something to get used to. They're a little thicker and more...grainy isn't quite the word but something like that. It also is delightfully hearty and imparts a nice, subtle, coconut flavor. Which lends itself really well to the subtle sweetness of these pancakes. Because generally, these pancakes are pretty darn good for you: low in fat and calories, the amount of sweetness or sugar is entirely up to you (they can even be sugar free if you don't have much of a sweet tooth), and ya know. All that good stuff. Of course then I need chocolate chips and to smother them in peanut butter but...I mean...would I be me otherwise?

Brown Butter Cinnamon Coconut Cookies

Wanna know what I'm doing right now? Entertaining.
Michael's best friend/our high school junior English teacher (yes...his best friend is his former teacher), Scholl (or David...but I still can't call him by his first name :P) is visiting for a long weekend, and Michael is SO happy and excited! I'm pretty pleased too, Scholl is a really fun, super cool guy (and omg he has the cutest/smartest twin almost-4-year-old daughters)--apparently he is going to be cooking some Indian food for him and Michael while he's here, Michael is so spoiled!

Anyway, I made these cookies about a week ago, but we used our self control to make sure to keep some of these leftover long enough for Scholl to have some (he likes cinnamon and coconut in cookies so...you know...obviously).

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Kayle...there's no chocolate in these cookies"
I know.

But these cookies totally are amazing, even without chocolate! I was incredibly intrigued when I saw the recipe on Carla's, Chocolate Moosey, blog. She promised "These coconut cookies are crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle. The coconut flavor is subtle with a burst of cinnamon goodness. I couldn’t stop eating them...They are sturdy enough to handle the trip plus they stay moist even after a few days. I know a couple of chocolate haters that would flip over a box of these. Even chocoholics like myself can’t say no."

So I said to myself, "Alright...I believe you. Let's do this."

But you know...I had to mess with them just a little.

You've noticed I have an obsession with browned butter, and I recently realized (by reading Sally's Baking Addiction) that you can still use browned butter even if the recipe doesn't call for the butter to be melted. It seems to obvious, once you realize it: you can totally just chill the browned butter until it's solid or softened. Ha!

And then I was like...might as well toast up that coconut too, ya know? (Although I'm unsure if that really added anything to the flavor, you may just skip that step if you want).

The end result were thick, chewy yet crisp cookies that have all the complexity of browned butter and the warm comforting flavors of brown sugar and a healthy dose of cinnamon. And the ever so subtle, ever so lovely coconut. These cookies have it all: amazing texture AND amazing flavor! Michael took a bite and said "Ew. These are bad. You should give me all the cookies so you don't have to be subjected to their grossness"

I'm on to you boy.

Make em. For serious.