Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes

I'm thinking about making these for Tia, who I've heard likes chocolate, just a little bit. Also, I won't be including the coffee, because that's how I roll.

Ganache Filling

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes 

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
• 3/4 cup hot, strong-brewed coffee
• 3/4 cup (4 1/8 ounces) bread flour
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creamy Chocolate Frosting 

• 1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• pinch table salt
• 12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into Tablespoon pieces
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to 85-100 degrees
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache filling, place chocolate, cream, and confectioners' sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Cook on high power until mixture is warm to the touch, 20-30 seconds.  Whisk until smooth, and transfer to the refrigerator.  Let stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.


For the cupcakes, Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Place chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl, and pour hot coffee over the mixture.  Whisk until smooth, and transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, 20-30 minutes.

Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.  Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is smooth.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups, filling each 3/4 full.  Place one slightly rounded teaspoon of the ganache filling on top of each cupcake.

Bake until cupcakes are set and firm to the touch, 17-19 minutes.  Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.


For the frosting, combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Set over a small saucepan of simmering water, and whisking constantly, cook until the mixture is slightly thickened, foamy, and registers 150 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 2-4 minutes.

Fit bowl to stand mixer, and with the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed, until mixture is the consistency of shaving cream and slightly cooled, 1-3 minutes.  Add butter 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy.  The frosting may look curdled halfway through, but it will smooth out eventually.

Once all the butter as been added, pour in the cooled chocolate and vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  Increase speed to medium-high and until light and fluffy, another 30 seconds to a minute.

Frost cupcakes as desired. Makes 12-15 cupcakes.


Recipe From: Cooks Illustrated

Spanish Rice

I got this recipe from simplyrecipes.com. I now serve it whenever we have enchilada's.

INGREDIENTS
2 T olive oil (can use up to 1/4 C)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 C medium or long-grain white rice
3 C* chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
1 heaping T tomato paste or 1 C of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained (Our favorite so far has been to add 1 can of diced tomatoes)
Pinch of oregano
1 tsp salt

*Check the instructions on the rice pkg for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 C of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe use 4 C of stock for 2 C of rice.

METHOD
(The first time we did this I browned the rice and put it all in the rice cooker, but we liked it better the second time when I skipped browning the rice and just put it all in the rice cooker right off.)
1. In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.

2. In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instruction on the rice pkg. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Tuna Cakes

I got this recipe from my sister. The kids and I really liked it and Caleb had seconds so he didn't think it was too bad.

2 (6oz) cans tuna, drained, flaked
1 (6oz) pkg stove top stuffing (Caleb think it will be better with just breadcrumbs, and adding salt and pepper. We will be trying that next time.)
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C shredded carrots
1/3 C Miracle Whip
2 T relish
3/4 C water

Mix in bowl. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Can add more water and/or an egg if it looks dry. (I added both.) Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Use 1/3 C of mixture to form ball, place in skillet and flatten with spatula. Cook 3 minutes per side.

Famous Dave's Corn Muffins

I'm going to try this recipe too.

Ingredients
:1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 (9 ounces) package yellow cake mix
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

 Jalapeño Honey Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely diced
3 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions:	Combine cornmeals, cake mix, baking powder, salt and cayenne in a bowl, set aside. Combine milk, buttermilk, oil, eggs, brown sugar and honey in a bowl and mix well. Add to the Cornmeal mixture and mix gently - there should be no lumps, but do not over mix. Fold in the mayonnaise. Let rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spoon the cold batter into a greased muffin tin or a cast iron skillet. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown. In the meantime, make the glaze by heating butter in a saucepan until melted. Stir in jalapeno and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer. Stir in honey and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Drizzle over Famous Dave's Corn Bread. Note: You can make the glaze ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Re-heat before serving. Famous Dave Anderson, of Famous Dave's Ribs N' Blues shared this recipe with Fabulous Foods. The recipe is part of a collection of "Down Home" cooking in Dave's fabulous book Famous Dave's Backroads and Sidestreets (proceeds from the book benefit charity). You'll never look at corn bread the same way again!

Sweet Potato Fries

I'm going to try these this week, so I'm posting it so I don't forget where I found the recipe!

2 pounds of sweet potatoes
Cooking oil spray, as needed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sour Cream Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the potatoes into ½-inch strips. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and generously spray with cooking oil. Toss the sweet potato fries in the extra virgin olive oil and divide among the two baking sheets. Place in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, tossing once during cooking. Bake until they are caramelized and nicely browned.
Yield: 4 servings
Sour Cream Dipping Sauce:
¾ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon lime zest
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to mix through.
Yield: ¾ cup
Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce:
¾ cup sour cream
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cilantro or parsley
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon lime zest
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to mix through.
Yield: ¾ cup

Recipe from Emeril Lagasse

Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, submitted by chowsito. We all liked it, but I over cooked it a little.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (2lb) pork tenderloin (I used pork tenderloin we already had sliced, just cook for less time)
1 (1oz) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 C water
3/4 C red wine ( I used red grape juice)
3 T minced garlic
3 T soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. Sprinkle with pepper, cover, and cook on low setting for 4 hours. Serve with cooking liquid on the side as au jus.

Ebleskiver Syrup

I also call this heart attack syrup.

1 stick butter
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring

Melt butter and dissolve sugar in a small saucepan. Add cream and maple flavoring. Heat almost to a boil. Transfer to blender and blend to combine and frothify.

Dump Cake

Anyone else have any other dump cake recipes to share? This is the only one I know, but I'm sure there are other variations out there.

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1/2 c. butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350. Spread pie filling and pineapple in ungreased 9X13 pan. Stir dry cake mix and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake 35-40 minutes until light brown.

Banana Bread Bars

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas, about 3 large
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts, but I never include them
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 375. Grease and flour jelly roll pan. Mix sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs in large bowl at low speed. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Beat in flour, salt, and baking soda on medium speed. Stir in nuts. Or leave the nuts out if you're awesome. Spread in pan and bake until light brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool.

Frosting
1/4 c. margarine
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbl. milk
Heat margarine until delicate brown. Remove from stove and mix in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread on cooled bars.

No Bake Cookies

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
3 c. quick oats
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, cocoa, margarine, and milk. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, and oats. Mix well and drop in teaspoons on wax paper. Let stand until hard.

Spinach Salad

Salad:
Baby spinach leaves
Mandarin oranges or strawberries
Pecans
Mozzarella cheese
Pretty much anything your little heart desires

Dressing:
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 tbl. minced onion
2 tbl. sesame or poppy seeds or a mix of both
1/4 tsp. paprika

Combine dressing ingredients. Combine salad ingredients. Combine dressing and salad right before serving.

Strawberry Delight Cake

1st layer
1 white cake mix

Prepare cake mix according to package directions and spread into large cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

2nd layer
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1 large pkg vanilla pudding
2 1/2 c. milk

Mix  together and spread over cooled cake. Put in fridge.

3rd layer
1 pkg Danish Dessert (raspberry or strawberry)
1 1/2 c. water
frozen raspberries or strawberries

Cook Danish Dessert according to package directions. Mix in berries and spread on top of vanilla layer.

Keep stored in fridge.

Recipe from: Someone at Cherry Creek Elementary

Mom's Sloppy Joes

My mom is awesome, especially at cooking. But trying to get a recipe out of her is like pulling teeth. There are so many great things that she makes that she just "puts stuff in until it tastes right." Grrr. Here's my best attempt at her sloppy joes.

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. veggies—carrots, celery, onion—chopped super small so they are about the same size as the ground beef
(These amounts can be doubled or whatever depending on how much you want to make. I just try to use equal parts meat and veggies. Or even more veggies than meat just because I can.)
ketchup
brown sugar
lemon juice
mustard

Brown the ground beef, drain. While meat is cooking sauté the vegetables until soft. Add some ketchup to the veggies to keep them from burning if you like. Or some olive oil. Combine meat and veggies in large pot or crock pot. Add ketchup until desired consistency is reached (well, a little more soupy than desired since they will cook down). Add brown sugar until desired sweetness is reached. Add a bit of lemon juice and mustard to brighten up the flavor. The longer you let everything simmer together on the stove or in the crock pot the better the flavors will combine and the softer the veggies will be. Serve on hamburger buns.

This freezes really well and is a great meal to have in the freezer for days when life just isn't going your way.

Honey Butter

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Nate really likes this honey butter, but I'm not so sure on it because you can really taste the marshmallow.

Recipe from: Kitchen Cafe

Corncake (Awesome Cornbread)

½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Recipe from: Kitchen Cafe

Rumbi Island Easy Mango Chicken and Rice

4-5 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups mango salsa
Cumin to taste
Lemon Pepper to taste

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl.

Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.

Serve over coconut jasmine rice (rice cooked with coconut milk for all or part of the liquid) for that Rumbi Island Grill taste. Garnish with cilantro or parsely, if desired.

You could use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or tortilla chips.

Recipe from: Sisters' Cafe

Parmesan Breadsticks

This recipe is in the cookbook I gave you guys (and if you didn't get one yet, I have one for you), but it's a favorite here so I thought I'd type it up. Also, it's super easy.

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 tbl. sugar
1 tbl. yeast
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 (I generally use 1/2) cube butter, melted
parmesan cheese, garlic salt (or powder) for sprinkling

Combine water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Mix in flour and salt with wooden spoon until well combined. Don't knead. Let the dough rise for a while. (The dough is sticky at this point, but it's okay as long as you use plenty of flour when you roll it out.) Roll out dough to the size and shape of cookie sheet. Cut dough into strips vertically (I use a pizza cutter). Fold in half and twist. Pour melted butter onto cookie sheet. Roll twists in the butter and place close together on baking sheet. Generously sprinkle with garlic and cheese. Let rise again for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes or until browned.

Recipe from: A Taste of Mapleton, Wendy Reese

IHOP Buttermilk Pancakes

1 1/4 c. flour
1 egg
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. sugar
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. oil
pinch salt

Blend in blender and pour on hot griddle.

These aren't my favorite pancakes because they are just a vehicle for syrup and butter and have no nutritionally-redeeming qualities. These are some of Nate's favorite pancakes because they are just a vehicle for syrup and butter and have no nutritionally-redeeming qualities

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Dough
1 tbl. yeast
1 c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tbl. oil
2 1/2 c. flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let rise for 5-10 minutes. Roll out on pizza pan and cook for 10 minutes at 375. This is a fast, no-fail, very serviceable crust.

Topping
2-3 chicken breasts, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 3/4 c. bottled barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Rays)
3-4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced

Cook chicken in frying pan with garlic and onion. Set aside. Saute peppers until crisp-tender. Add chicken and barbecue sauce to peppers and heat through. Spread on crust and top with cheese. Cook 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

I usually don't put in the peppers because I usually don't have them on hand. And I just eyeball the sauce and cheese. And I think putting the chicken on top of the sauce and cheese might be nice.

This topping would probably be great on DeAnna's pizza crust. I put this crust on because it is a quick and easy recipe for when you don't have a lot of time or for when you didn't think ahead to make something else.

Pizza crust

I was always terrified to make pizza until I came across this recipe. We got a pizza stone at our wedding reception, but I hadn't tried it until now. We make this at least twice a month. It's messy, but delicious and much cheaper than ordering pizza...and you can make up any topping combination you want. Brad likes BBQ chicken.

*Makes 2 12-inch pizzas or 1 large 16 to 18-inch pizza

1 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Make the dough the night before or early the morning on the day you want to make the pizza. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), mix the water, yeast, sugar, honey and oil. (If using active dry yeast, increase the amount of yeast to 2 3/4 teaspoons and proof the yeast in the water until foamy before mixing in the sugar, honey and oil.) Then mix in 1 cup flour and the salt. Continue mixing in all the remaining flour until you get a nice, soft dough. Knead until dough is soft and smooth, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap). Place the dough in the refrigerator to slowly rise until three hours before baking. Three hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, keeping it lightly covered.

45-60 minutes before baking, move the rack to the lowest position in the oven, place the pizza stone on it and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Don’t be nervous about a hot oven! I used to be scared to death to cook anything above 400 degrees but I promise 500 degrees is the only way to go when cooking pizza. If your oven is a bit sketchy at that temperature, bake at 475 degrees. Also, I think a pizza stone makes all the difference in good versus great pizza. I have this pizza stone and I love the rectangular shape. I have baked many a pizza on this stone and it is awesome.

Here’s a few different methods for making great pizza:

Pizza Paddle/Peel: I have a wooden pizza paddle, like this, which I sprinkle with cornmeal and place the pizza dough on. I layer my toppings on the dough and slide the dough quickly onto the hot pizza stone. After about 8 or 9 minutes, the pizza is baked to perfection and I slide it onto a cutting board to slice and eat.

Alternative Pizza Paddle/Peel: If you don’t have a pizza paddle, you can use the underside of a baking sheet (I use an 11X17 size) or a large cutting board as a makeshift pizza paddle. Cover it lightly with cornmeal, flour or parchment paper, make your pizza on the floured baking sheet or cutting board and gently slide the pizza off of the makeshift paddle onto the baking stone when ready to bake (if using parchment paper, you can let the parchment paper slide onto the baking stone with the pizza). Bake for 8-9 minutes until the crust is nicely browned. Retrieve the pizza with a pair of tongs or a spatula and slide the baked pizza quickly onto a waiting cooling rack.

Rimmed Baking Sheet: If you currently bake pizzas using cornmeal on a pizza paddle, you’ll know how messy it can be – cornmeal everywhere. In fact, right now, my oven is in serious need of a good vacuuming. So, ofttimes, I’ll still preheat my baking stone like normal and instead of using my wooden pizza paddle, I stretch the dough into an irregular shape on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet (I don’t worry about pressing it into the corners to give it a rustic look), add the toppings, and slide the entire baking sheet on the pizza stone to bake. Bake the pizza for 9-10 minutes until the crust is nicely browned. This method still browns the crust nicely – and while you don’t get the extremely authentic pizza crust, it is still mighty delicious and I can make more pizza at once rather than sliding them one at a time onto the baking stone.

The Best Pizza Sauce

*Makes enough for 2 16-18 inch pizzas

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until desired consistency. All the seasonings can be modified depending on taste – add what you like!

Pizza Dough Recipe Source:

adapted slightly from Emily at Savory Seasonings

Bosch Foolproof Whole Wheat Bread

*Makes 6 loaves

6 cups warm water
2 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
12-15 cups whole wheat flour

Mix 8-9 cups fresh wheat flour and 2 ½ tablespoons yeast together in the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl by hand). Add 6 cups warm water and mix to paste consistency. Cover and let sponge 10-15 minutes. Add salt, honey, oil, and gluten. Mix by hand or if using an electric mixer, turn to speed 1 or 2 as motor bears down and add additional flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl (be careful not to add too much flour). Let the mixer knead the dough for five minutes. (If using hands, knead for 10 minutes.) Use oil or cooking spray on your hands to form six equal loaves. Take dough immediately from bowl and fill lightly greased (or nonstick) loaf pans ½ to 2/3 full. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap to keep moist. Let the bread rise until doubled, approximately 1 ½ inches above the top of the pan. Place the bread carefully in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 38 minutes. Let cool completely before placing in bags to put in the freezer.

Recipe Source: Bosch Universal via the Kitchen Cafe

LuAnn's Whole Wheat Bread (with Kitchen Cafe adaptations)

*Makes 4 loaves

5 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 tablespoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
2 cups white flour
8-10 cups whole wheat flour

Lightly spray bread pans with cooking spray and set aside. Mix the water, sugar, oil, yeast, salt, gluten and dry milk together in the bowl of an electric mixer or by hand. Add the white flour and mix well. Continue adding the whole wheat flour until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and the dough is soft but not overly sticky. Knead for 10 minutes until a soft, smooth dough has formed. Using oil or cooking spray to grease your hands and countertops, form the dough into 4 loaves. Place the loaves into the bread pans and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let them rise until the dough has risen about 1 1/2 inches above the top of the bread pan. Place the bread pans carefully in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees and bake for 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn out the bread onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before placing in bags to put in the freezer.

Recipe from: Mel B.'s mom via Kitchen Cafe