Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Today I made these amazing cupcakes to take down to Allison in Portland.  I figured the new mommy of twins could use a little chocolately goodness!

I thought the end result was pretty good. I may use a different cupcake recipe in the future as my cupcakes turned out more dry than I had hoped, but my friend did not have this issue when she made them (upon reading the reviews online the cupcakes results were split).  But the frosting is hands-down the best peanut butter frosting recipe I have ever tried.  Another great recipe from Ms.Garten.  Love her!

Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing, courtesy of Barefoot Contessa
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Baby Shower Treats

Today I cohosted a baby shower for my good friend Piper.  Dierdre, Kim and I had a wonderful time hosting the brunch and helping shower Piper and baby with love!

I made my favorite onesie sugar cookies for treats.  Decorated in bright pink and bright blue icing with matching jelly beans to snack on.

We made a Piperlini cocktail/mocktail for the guests.  It is a popular drink at Donald Trump's private Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Piperlini Cocktail/Mocktail:

Fill champagne glass about half way full with orange juice.

Tilt glass to side and SLOWLY pour grenadine down the side of glass so it sinks below orange juice.

Slowly pour in champagne or sparkling water. (We used Piper Sonoma champagne in honor of Piper!)

Beer and Chicken

Now that is one good look'n beer can chicken!  We smoked this bad boy for dinner with the Howards tonight.  We haven't made this chicken for quite a while and I think it tasted especially good because we used a purple and gold Bud Light can! :)

Danish Coffee Cake

I made my favorite coffee cake of all time for Piper's baby shower tomorrow morning.  I have no idea why it is called Danish Coffee Cake.  A more appropriate name would be 'Three Cups of Butter Cake' or 'Butter & Almond Cake'. 

As you can see from my grandma's recipe card, this is a recipe that was made often.  It may seem like a long recipe looking at her card, but it is actually pretty fast and doesn't use many ingredients... butter and flour being the key ingredients.

I highly recommend trying this delicious pastry.  You can make it a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.  Let warm to room temperature before serving. 

I doubled the recipe for the baby shower (24 guests) and made two longer pastries instead of one big one (one with almond slices and one without).

Danish Coffee Cake, courtesy of Charlotte Smith
1 c. flour
1/2 c. butter
2 tsp cold water

Cut butter in to flour and add water. Pat down these ingredients on cookie sheet, 1/4" thick. Set aside.

Boil 1 c. water, 1/2 c. butter. Take of stove and add 1 Tbsp almond extract and 1 c. flour. Gradually beat in 3 eggs and mix well.

Spread over dough base on cookie sheet.

Bake one hour at 350 degrees (or until browned), let cool.

Frost with:
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp milk
1 egg yolk (this is optional, as frosting is not cooked)

Sprinkle with almond slices or slivers. Toast almond lightly as another option.

Pizza

Tony is away at a guys dinner tonight leaving me with the two kids.  Usually I'd think about eating out for a break in the kitchen, but tonight I was in the mood for homemade pizza.  I purchased all the ingredients at Whole Foods.  Fresh dough, sauce, cheese, fresh turkey sausages (mild since Blake would be eating it), goat cheese, red onions and tomatoes.

I put the pizza stone in the oven and turned oven to 400 degrees.  While Blakely spread the sauce on the dough I quickly pan seared the sausages and sliced red onion.

Once the sausages and onions were browned and tomatoes were sliced we were then ready to assemble our masterpizza!

Blake was loving his job and pizza maker.  (Disregard the piles of clean dishes in the background.  I had just finished making cookie dough for a baby shower...)

One fantastic looking pizza, with two pizzas worth of toppings going in the oven!

Nothing beats a great meal made together with my favorite sous chef. 

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, I made a meatless meal that was very good.  Tony was a little skeptical when he realized there was no meat on his plate.  But the sweet potato with bean salad, half an avocado and green salad on the side were plenty.  Blake loved his sweet potato too!

Basically, this is a healthy take on a baked potato topped with chili.  Both are good, but this sweet potato version is extremely quick to make (aside from baking the potatoes for an hour in oven).  The recipe is courtesy of EatingWell Magazine on Yahoo.

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places.  Place in a baking dish (or directly on oven rack with foil beneath) and bake at 425ºF until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt until heated through.

3. When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of cilantro.

Makes 4 servings

Starting the Garden

Today I planted seeds for a variety of vegetables: zucchini, snap peas, carrots, sweet onions, green onions, pumpkin, broccoli and sunflowers.  We've also got some rosemary, parsley, chives and basil already growing and happy (as well as some watermelon starts from a kit Blake planted - no idea if those will make it in this climate though). I love eating homegrown food, and I think it is even more important when you want to know where your food comes from and what it may or may not be treated with.

I've got 144 dirt pods now filled with seeds, so hopefully I'll get a good crop to plant in the yard.  Where to plant in the yard is another issue... It is me vs. the husband vs. the rabbits vs. the sprinklers.  I think I'll be building a raised bed to solve most of the problems...

Good Morning!

Because I work from home, I don't really have a good excuse to leave he house until later in the day. This means I don't have the chance to swing by a coffee shop and get a caffiene kick.  Or just for the chance for someone else to make me a beverage.

I became hooked on Starbucks' tea lattes they began serving over a year ago, and I've finally found a good way to make them at home!  (Sorry to Melissa and Amy if you read this)  For a decaf version I use a red rooibus tea (full of good antioxidents!), and for caffiene I just use whatever sounds good in my cupboard.  Stronger flavored teas work best.

First, fill mug half way with hot water and steep tea bag for a few minutes (I use our hot tap faucet to save time).  Then fill mug the rest of the way with light vanilla soy milk.  Heat in microwave and let steep a bit longer.  For a little sweetness I add some honey or granulated sugar.  The longer you let it steep, the better it tastes - thats why I suggest to use a stronger tea.  Or even two tea bags!

Its not quite as good as the Starbucks version but less expensive and simple to make.

Good Morning!

Springtime Pasta

When the sun starts to shine and the birds are singing my cravings change from heavy comfort foods to lighter fare.  (Don't misunderstand though... I can always eat macaroni & cheese)  Today I received an email with recipe ideas from Martha Stewart and as soon as I saw the below recipe I knew what we were having for dinner.  This pasta is a fairly simple dish to make, under 30 minutes total.  Only one pot is required and all the ingredients are cooked with the pasta.

I served with a loaf of French bread and a salad of greens.

Pasta with Shrimp, Feta and Spring Veggies
Coarse salt and ground pepper
12 oz penne rigate  (I used Campanelle pasta)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
8 oz snow peas, trimmed and halved on the diagonal
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. crumbled feta (I used 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 c. thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 5 minutes less than al dente. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes. Add shrimp and snow peas; cook 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture, and return to pot.

To pasta mixture, add oil, lemon juice, garlic, and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Gently mix in feta and mint; adjust to desired consistency with some pasta water as needed. Serve immediately.

Sugar Cookies to Die For!

I offered to bring a dessert to Tonya's engagement party this afternoon and I knew exactly the recipe to choose.  Paula Deen's sugar cookie recipe!  Sooo good.  Okay, okay. It is actually a Christmas cookie recipe, but there is no reason it can't be used year-round.  This is the same recipe I used for Allison's baby shower cookies - seen below.

The end result is a slightly soft and chewy, yet sturdy sugar cookie with hints of both almond and vanilla. I also like this recipe as it seems very quick to make.  But, be warned.  There is a lot of downtime required for this recipe... chilling the dough at two separate times in the making/baking process. 

The thick cookie batter all mixed and ready for the next step.

The recipe says to wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then chill.  I recommend dividing the dough in half or thirds, wrapping in plastic wrap, then chilling.  This way you can roll out smaller batches and the dough will also chill slightly faster.

The dough rolls out very nicely and the cookies won't lose their shape and swell while baking.  Typically I used a buttercream style frosting for my cookies. But today I went with more of an icing style that dries smooth and is also less work to make and decorate with.

Hands with little engagement rings:

A wedding cake cookie. I added a few sugar flowers just for fun:

Blake thought the hand cookies were pretty cool.  He even gave his cookie a 'high five' before taking a bite!

Every time I make them people rave about the flavor and request the recipe. Now that is a good sign. Thank you Paula!

Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

3 1/4 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract until combined.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until smooth. Wrap dough in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with assorted snowflake cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Chill dough 15 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

*This recipe doubles well

Cookie Icing

2 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1-3 drops extract (vanilla, almond, lemon, etc)
food coloring (optional)

Mix together in a shallow bowl with whisk. 
*These are rough measurements.  Add more powdered sugar to thicken (for piping, etc), and add more milk for easier spreading/flooding.

I make a more 'runny' base if I want to coat the entire cookie in one color, as I did for the skin color of hand cookies.  Just dip top side of cookie in to icing and smooth with a spatula, or even your finger.  You will need to sacrifice one cookie for testing your icing to see if it is too thin or thick (darn, you'll have to eat that one). You don't want it so runny that the icing runs and drips off the edge of the cookie.

If you want to pipe with this icing, thicken with more powdered sugar.  Scoop in to a small plastic bag and snip a very small corner off to squeeze icing through (or use pastry bag).  As a test, squeeze out a small amount of icing and see if it holds it's shape.  If it starts to spread you'll need to thicken.

The iced cookies will need anywhere from 30-120 minutes to dry and set, depending on thickness of icing.

Gadgets

I couldn't resist posting a few gadgets that I think are pretty cool. 

The first is this box grater that has measurements on the side so you can measure how much you have grated.  Love it!  This style grater is now available at most kitchen shops.  Some even have a little receptacle on the bottom to catch all you grate and measure it that way.

Below is my new favorite cutting board for smaller projects.  Its an over the sink board and has a basket with drain holes to dump scraps.  We compost all our food waste so catching it all in the basked is pretty handy!  Even more handy is the fact the basket collapses so it is easy to store.

Chicken Noodle Soup

No one can beat the flavor of Grandma's home made chicken soup.  Hers always tasted so rich and flavorful.  But, I think I have found a pretty good alternative.

Tony had a coworker that brought us this soup when Blake was first born.  I've made a few minor adjustments to Amy's recipe suit our taste, and our time schedule.  Recipe is below!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

5-6 large carrots, sliced in thick pieces

5-6 large celery stocks, sliced in thick pieces
1 large sweet onion, cut in cubes
5-6 red potatoes, cut in big cubes
2-4 garlic cloves (I typically use 4-6 as I love garlic), diced
1 pre-cooked whole chicken, skin removed and meat cut in to chunks.
2-3 boxes of chicken stock (chicken broth is fine if you can't find the stock)
1 bag of frozen egg noodles (can be hard to find - but much better than usual dried egg noodles)
Pepper and salt to taste

Remove skin and cut chicken meat in to chunks. In a good sized stock pot, heat two tablespoons oil on med-high and add carrots, celery, sweet onions, red potatoes and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring ocassionally, for 4-5 minutes. Add chicken stock and let simmer for 10-15min. Turn heat up to boil and add frozen egg noodles. Stir. Add chicken once noodles have finished cooking (about 20 minutes).  Stir gently.  Turn heat down on stove.  Once chicken is warm and veggies are tender, your soup is ready!  Season to taste.

If your soup doesn't have enough liquid, feel free to add stock/broth/water to your desired consistency.  I've found that this soup soaks up a lot of broth due to the noodles and potato.  But, its a nice thicker soup with not a ton of broth.

Serve hot with a nice hearty bread and small green salad.  Enjoy!

Kitchen Tip

To make nice chocolate shavings, use white or milk chocolate.  They are softer in texture and curl better than other types of chocolate.

When Hog's Fly

Today we received a shipment of slow cooked ribs and extra goodies from a famous Memphis restaurant.  The food was really good, although its still odd to think we ate ribs that were cooked in Memphis yesterday and arrived today (frozen).  Just 30 minutes in the oven once the ribs were thawed out and we had a feast.

Get your own shipment of ribs by contacting Charles Vergos' Rendezvous restaurant, aka Hog's Fly.  Pretty good!

Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Tonight is our family's Easter dinner and I was in charge of dessert.  I chose a spiced carrot cake.  Bunnies eat carrots, so I figured that was good enough for Easter! :)

The recipe is from The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.  I think most people I know own this cookbook, at least if you were married 3-7 years ago!  This carrot cake recipe is so moist and received rave reviews tonight.  I think the secret ingredient of baby food does the trick.  Yes, you read that right.  8oz of pureed carrot baby food!

The fluffy cream cheese frosting was just begging to be eaten...

A few sugar flowers and leaves, and an Easter message, and we're good to go!

Tutu Onesie

For Charlotte's Easter gift I made her a little tutu onesie.  I've seen bloomers with ruffles on the buns and I wondered why you couldn't do the same thing with a onesie.  So I set out on a mission to make Charlotte's first girly-girl outfit. And it worked!

The back side of the onesie features ruffles, and the front is plain so its comfortable to lay on her tummy.  Of course this style onesie won't be at it's full cuteness until Charlotte can sit up or crawl - so you can see the full ruffle effect! :)

And watch out friends with girls - you might be receiving one of these cutey patooty onesies!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Tomorrow we are having family over to dye eggs.  We're doing an easy pasta dinner and I wanted an equally easy dessert.  Something we can eat with our hands while dying eggs.  My dessert choice?  Peanut Butter Cup Brownies!

I used a boxed brownie mix (I prefer Ghirardelli's mixes, and usually buy them in bulk at Costco), and made batter as directed on box. 

I then cut up 8 larger sized Reese's Peanut Butter cups.  (I cut each cup in to nine pieces)

Gently fold the cut up peanut butter cups in to the batter and pour in to well greased pan.  Bake as directed on box.

The finished product?  Oh so chocolatey with a good hint of peanut butter!  I will definitely make these bad boys again!

Say What?

I said, What's This Here Sauce!  I bought this fantastic worcestershire style sauce at the Bellevue Farmer's Market last fall and have been savoring (aka hoarding) every drop.  I have been wanting to buy more but the company's website and phone number is no longer active.  I'm hoping they haven't gone out of business because Mama Bear's What's This Here Sauce is SO good.  I've used it as a marinade and a sauce for chicken and steak.  Two thumbs up!

So if you see it around town you better let me know!