Bora Bora Fireballs

As I mentioned last week, I haven't had a lot of time for crafting or renovations. So how about another fun recipe? There's always time for food, right?

This recipe is again from Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan.  Do you think that eventually I'll have reproduced every recipe in her book?  I hope so. There hasn't been a bad one yet. She's my hero.

Today's recipe is called Bora Bora Fireballs. They are basically coconut-coated meatballs, but that name will get your kids interested, won't it?

You'll need:

2 cups toasted shredded coconut
2 pounds ground meat of your choice
1 can of crushed pineapple
2 eggs
1 finely-chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. soya sauce or coconut aminos
1.5 tsp. ginger
1 tbsp. garlic
spices of your choice

Spread the shredded coconut in a frying pan with the heat on medium high and stir occcasionally until all of the coconut is toasted a warm brown. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with a little salt and cayenne pepper, then set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice for later. Make sure the pineapple is very well drained - pressing into it with a spoon to get all of the liquid out. In a bowl, add the pineapple, eggs, ginger, salt, garlic, soya sauce, and chopped onion. Mix well. Now is the time to spice it up as much or as little as you want. Add chopped jalapenos, sriracha, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder - pretty much whatever you have in the cupboard that strikes your fancy. Mix again. Add the ground meat and mix until everything is well combined.

Arrange your bowls of coconut, pineapple juice, and meat mixture so that you have easy access.

Scoop out about a tablespoon of meat, roll it into a ball between your palms, dip it in the pineapple juice, and then roll it lightly in the coconut.

Don't get too heavy-handed with the coconut, just a thin coating. Roll the ball between your palms again to press the coconut in, and then place it on a cookie sheet. 

Once you have the sheet filled, place it in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the meatballs are brown and sizzling.

These are great with any side dish - vegetables or pasta.  They even work as a snack - just as easy to reach for as a cookie or candy.

Do you think this is something you'd try? 

Less crazy than the "chocolate" cauliflower?

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I'm linking up here this week!

Happy Feet

Have you ever watched the Penguin Cam at SeaWorld San Diego, sponsored by the Discovery Channel?

I have it saved as one of my favourites and I'll usually stop by at least once a day. When I was in high school and college I had a major penguin obsession - posters, key chain, earrings, stuffed animals, you name it. I still think they're sweet as can be. There's something so innocent in the way they waddle around and the way they tilt their heads as though they're trying to figure a problem out.

I love how sometimes they'll walk right up to the camera and stare into the lens, as if they know there's someone on the other end watching.

Here are a few screen grabs from today.

Little guys getting a snack from a SeaWorld employee:

Waiting for the show to start:

Impromptu tap routine on the left:

Showing off his new tuxedo:

Check it out if you have time - you can't help but be cheered up!

Hurry Up Weekend!

I can't believe how quickly this week has flown by, and I've only posted once. Shame on me. Can I blame it on work? We now have to complete month end in 3 days (it used to be 6) and I am the only one in the accounting department full-time. Add to it that our office is moving to another town 45 minutes away - this weekend. I have been packing and sorting and labelling for the last two weeks. I get home at night and just collapse.

I haven't been running in over two weeks. I don't remember the last time we grocery shopped. My PVR is filling up with season finales that I may get around to sometime next month.

We are working on a cool carpentry project (at least we think it's cool), but I'm doing the staining and poly-ing very slowly because I want this one to look amazing. So it may be next week before I'm ready to show it to you.

If I can just make it through to tomorrow night. Because this is where I'll be spending my weekend:

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Tom's employer is holding their (postponed) Christmas party at Blue Mountain Resort on Saturday night and they are paying for us to stay there as well. We are going up on Friday night so that Tom can bike the trails with his friends on Saturday morning.  

Have you ever been to Collingwood (the nearest town) or Blue Mountain?  They are both so beautiful. Blue Mountain is mainly a ski resort but I like it more in the summer. The mountain stays open with cross-country and downhill biking and hiking trails. They also have an outdoor rock-climbing area as well as a beach.

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I'm looking forward to time in the pool and the hot tub,

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And hopefully, if it doesn't rain too much, some time in the square listening to a concert.

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I'll have my own pictures to share on Monday!