Valentine Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
1 1/3 Cups Unbleached Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¾ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 ½ Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
¾ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Butter Milk (or Sour Milk)
Frosting:
½ Cup Softened Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
3 Tablespoons Milk
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease the muffin pan and line with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside. In a large size bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk and beat well. Pour into the muffin cups ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Take a knife and loosen the edges. Let cool completely before removing. Ice and decorate. Makes 1 dozen cupcakes.
For the icing: In a large size bowl beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth and blended. Beat on high for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Makes 2 1/3 cups.
Chocolate Ganache
This frosting is so easy to make and quite versatile. You can even dip strawberries into it.
INGREDIENTS
9 Ounces Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablespoon Dark Rum (Optional)
In a medium size bowl place the chopped chocolate. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the cream just to a boil. Make sure to watch very carefully. When the cream has come to a boil pour it over the chopped chocolate. Whisk until nice and smooth. Stir in the rum if you like. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over your cake. Always start at the center of the cake and work outward. If you want a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling just allow it to cool until thick and then whip with a whisk or electric mixer until light and fluffy. Makes 2 Cups.
Valentine Cake
Valentine’s Day begs for chocolate! Surprise your Valentine with this easy, but romantic chocolate cake. Honestly, who can resist?
INGREDIENTS
6 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
4 Ounces Butter
3 Tablespoons Instant Espresso (Dissolved In 4 Tablespoons Hot Water)
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice
4 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
1 1/3 Cups Sugar
¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Cocoa Nibs
½ Cup Unbleached Flour
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8 inch spring form pan. Melt the chocolates in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir in the coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and cool to room temperature. To make the cake mix together the eggs, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until creamy. Stir in the cocoa nibs, flour and melted chocolate mixture until nice and smooth. Make sure not to beat. Just stir until everything is nicely blended. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Release the sides of the spring form pan and set the cake on a cake plate. Frost with chocolate ganache and serve with chocolate dipped strawberries.
Serves 6
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
5 Medium Potatoes (Peeled & Cut Into Eighths)
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Warm Milk
8 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 Teaspoon Roasted Garlic
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
To roast the garlic preheat your oven to 350° F. Cut ¼ to ½ inch from the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves. Remove most of the outer skin from the bulb, leaving the bulb intact and the cloves unpeeled. Place the bulb, cut-side up, on an 8 inch piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper. Wrap in the foil and bake for 50 minutes until softened. Cool slightly. Separate the cloves and press the cloves slightly to squeeze out the softened garlic.
Place the potatoes in a 4 quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over a high heat and cook for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, butter and garlic. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6
Green Chile Quesadillas
Quick and delicious! My Green Chile Quesadillas can be made for lunch, dinner or party food. Serve with homemade guacamole if you like.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups (8 Ounces) Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
4 Ounce Can Diced Green Chiles
2 Small Chopped Green Onions
1 Small Diced Tomato
Six 6 inch Fajita Size Flour Tortillas
1 Bunch Chopped Fresh Cilantro (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Combine the cheese, chilies, tomatoes and green onions in a medium size bowl. Spread ¾ cup of the cheese mixture on one tortilla. Place the second tortilla evenly over the mixture. Place the quesadilla in a medium size skillet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and the cheese is melted. Slice into quarters and garnish with cilantro and salsa if you like. Serves 6
Old Time Soft Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Shortening
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg
¾ Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
Topping: ¼ Cup Sugar & 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Mix in the egg, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Drop the dough by round teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on either a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Combine the topping ingredients in a small size bowl and sprinkle on top of the cookie dough. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 8 minutes until set. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Creamy Coleslaw
Coleslaw goes with so many dishes. It sure seems that sitting in the fridge for a couple of days really brings out the flavor. I serve my Creamy Coleslaw with fish & chips, burgers, pork chops, steaks and just about anything that strikes me.
INGREDIENTS
1 Head Shredded Green Cabbage
4 Shredded Carrots
¼ Cup Chopped Red Onion
1 Cup Mayonnaise
½ Teaspoon Celery Seed
½ Teaspoon Salt
4 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Cup Rice Vinegar
¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
¼ Cup Malt Vinegar
Combine the shredded cabbage, onion and carrots in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, celery seed, salt, sugar, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar and malt vinegar. Add to the cabbage mixture. Mix well to combine and taste for seasoning. Add more salt or sugar if desired. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Serves 8
Ultimate Ginger Snaps
If you like Ginger Snaps, like I do, then you will love these. They are nice and chewy with just the right amount of ginger. You just might want to double the batch because they are sure to be a big hit.
INGREDIENTS
2 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoons Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Cup (1 ½ Sticks) Softened Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Dark Molasses
1 Large Egg
3 ½ Ounces Crystallized Ginger Chips
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Stir in the molasses and the egg. Add the dry ingredients to the ginger chips. For the best result, chill the dough for 1 hour. Form 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Make sure that they are about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven while the cookies are still soft. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a serving plate. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Toffee Ginger Shortbreads
I used my simple shortbread recipe and added toffee and crystallized ginger chips. These shortbread cookies came out amazingly delicious.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Pound Softened Butter
½ Cup Crystallized Ginger Chips
8 Ounces English Toffee Bits
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and butter. Mix thoroughly. Add the ginger chips and English toffee bits and mix. The dough should be in the shape of a ball. Press the dough into a medium size baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper don’t worry. You don’t need to grease the pan. Prick the surface with a fork making evenly distribute perforations. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 40 minutes until the shortbread is delicately brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and place onto a serving plate. Makes 32 shortbreads.
Note: I like to use Heath English Toffee bits.
Fortune Cookies
These fortune cookies are very good and taste just like the ones you get in a Chinese restaurant. Have fun adding your own “fortune” inside.
INGREDIENTS
3 Egg Whites
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Melted Butter
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
¼ Teaspoon Almond Extract
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Water
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Make sure to have your “fortunes” ready to go using small strips of paper. In a large metal or glass bowl whip the egg whites and sugar with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes. You want the egg whites and sugar to be frothy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract water and flour one at a time. Make sure to mix well after each addition. The consistency should look like pancake batter. Spoon the batter into 2 inch circles on the parchment paper. Make sure to leave room for spreading. Bake for 6 minutes until the edges begin to brown slightly. You don’t want to overcook because you will need to be able to mold the cookie. Quickly remove one at a time and put the “fortune” in the center and fold in half. Fold the ends of the cookie together into a horse shoe shape. If they come apart pinch them back together and let them cool. Repeat until you are finished. Makes 36 cookies.
