Year of the Dragon

Usually we use Chinese New Year as an excuse to order in our favorite Chinese items, but this year after receiving our first issue of Sunset Magazine (thanks Mom and Dad,) I was determined to make some of the enticing recipes they featured this month. I'm so glad I did because they were just as appetizing as they looked in the pictures!

Out of the many recipes to choose from I chose: Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Lo Mein and Chili Shrimp.

Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Lo Mein

(Slightly varied from Sunset Magazine)

Neither one of us had ever tried brussels sprouts, so I was a little nervous about how this dish would turn out. We were both pleasantly surprised! They basically just took the place of cabbage which is in many lo mein dishes. The hubby gave it a thumbs up and asked to have it again sometime soon.

1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms

4 oz.  Udon noodles (used already cook, just needed to be heated)

1/4 c. olive oil

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1/2 small yellow onion, sliced

1 TB minced garlic

1/2 t. each white pepper (milder than black pepper,) sugar, and kosher salt

1/2 c. vegetable broth

2 c. mung bean sprouts, rinsed

2 green onions, sliced diagonally

soy sauce

1. Put mushrooms in a heat proof bowl. Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil. Ladle 2 cups water over mushrooms and let sit until very soft, 15-20 minutes.

2. Heat 2 tsp. oil in wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add brussels sprouts and onion and cook 3 minutes. Drain mushrooms and squeeze out any excess liquid, then add to wok. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften and brussels sprouts are bright green, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in seasonings and broth and cook until most liquid is gone, about 3 minutes.

3. Add remaining 2 TB. oil and the noodles, tossing to coat, and cook until hot, about 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and cook until war,. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with soy sauce.

Chili Shrimp

(slightly varied from Sunset Magazine)

We love anything spicy and WARNING.....this is very spicy!!!!

I put ours in the middle of brown rice.

 

1/4 c. vegannaise (of course you could use regular mayo)

1 TB. Asian Garlic Chili Sauce with Chili Flakes

1 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

1 lb. peeled, deveined large shrimp (26-30 per lb.)

1 TB vegetable oil

3 TB mild honey

1/2 t. kosher salt

2 serrano chiles, sliced

1/4 c. puffed rice cereal

1/2 t. red chili flakes

1. Mix vegannaise, chili sauce, and soy sauce in a bowl; set aside.

2. Preheat broiler with rack about 5 in. from heat. Coat shrimp and lay evenly on a broiler pan. Broil until pink and firm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. 

3. Drizzle shrimp with honey and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Arrange shrimp evenly on a serving plate. Sprinkle with chile slices, puffed rice, and chile flakes. Serve immediately with sauce on the side.

Think we will be replacing our tradition of ordering from our local favorite with making new recipes at home instead. What are your traditions for celebrating Chinese New Year?

OH MY SPICE!

I guess it is a good thing I didn't resolve to post more often for New Years because I would already have failed! I'm trying to take the time to bake, but life keeps getting in the way. Don't you hate when that happens?

One of my favorite traditions is to go to Barnes and Noble the day after Christmas and get all my calendars for 50% off! As my husband states, "I plan to make plans." So it really shouldn't surprise anyone that I have two calenders in our house, one on my computer, one on my phone, and one at school (on top of my plan book,) that are all synced. This year I chose a Martha Stewart Cupcakes calendar for the kitchen, in hopes that I will at least make the cupcake of the month each month. 

January's recipe was Spiced Cupcakes with Citrus Glaze! The original recipe says it will make 48 minis, but I decided to make regular ones instead since I was putting them in "birthday boxes." Two of my awesome teammates celebrated birthdays this week! I am so blessed to be able to work with them and they definitely deserved to have a special treat!

Spiced Cupcakes with Citrus Glaze

(slightly varied from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. all-purpse flour

1 1/2 t. coarse salt

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. ground cardamom

1 c. packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 c. whole milk

For the glaze

3 ish TB. orange juice

1 3/4 c. confectioners' sugar

food coloring (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tin. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour in three additions, alternating with two additions of milk.

3. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full. Bake until golden brown at edges and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 20 mins. Let cakes cool in pan about 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Make glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar and orange juice until smooth. I added 1 TB at a time until desired thickness. Add 1 to 2 drops of food coloring if coloring glaze.

 I loved the idea of coloring glaze; however, I didn't realize how it effected the consistency until it was too late. It was pretty watery and either soaked into the cake or puddled on the plate:

Be sure to add a tad more sugar if you add food coloring!

Happy Birthday Jennie and Lisa!

 

Today's Playlist:

 

Blackout- Breathe Carolina

Lights (Bassnectar Remix)- Ellie Goulding

Good Feeling- Flo Rida
We Found Love- Rihanna

Joy to the World of Cookies!

As soon as I heard we were to be hit with snow I ran out to the store and stocked up on all my baking supplies so I could spend all day inside baking. Doesn't get much better than listening to Christmas music, lighting yummy holiday scents, and watching the snow fall while baking delicious goodies that in just a couple days my friends and family will be enjoying. :)

First up are Andes Mint Cookies. I got this recipe awhile back from one of my teammates (thanks Jennie!) and have heard nothing but rave reviews every time I make them. What I love about these cookies is that the Andes mints become the frosting! 

To dress them up for the holiday gift giving I thought it would be fun to use Peppermint Crunch Andes Mints instead of traditional ones. 

I must say, while they are nice and festive...I do like the traditional mint better, as it blends in so nicely with the chocolate cookie.

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 c. butter or margarine

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 T. water

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

36-48 Andes mints

Melt butter, brown sugar and water in a saucepan over med. heat until melted. Then add chocolate chips, stirring until completely melted. Cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and beat in eggs. Add flour, soda, and salt. Mix together and chill for about 45 min. Roll into balls (1-1 1/2 in.) flatten slightly, and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 min. Don't over bake. When cookies come out of the oven, place an Andes mint on top of each coolie and allow to melt for a few minutes. Swirl the melted chocolate with the back of a spoon like icing. Allow to cool.

Next mouth-watering treat is another new favorite....Cranberry Crunch Cookie Bars!

We are quite often surrounded by tempting snacks at school and have tried to use our best self-control technique of asking someone else who has already given in, "Is it worth it?" Well my friends, there is no need to even ask with these babies...THEY ARE SO WORTH IT....ever calorie! They remind me of a healthier blondie brownie.

Cranberry Crunch Cookie Bars

1 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1 t. baking soda

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 bag of white chocolate chips

1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. craisins

3/4 c. chopped pecans (I made a batch with and without these)

4 c. Cascadian Farm Maple Brown Sugar Granola

1) Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with an electric mixer on low until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt until well mixed.

2) Stir in granola, craisins, pecans (if using), and white chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into a well greased 9x13 pan and spread out (about 1/2 in thick.)

3) Bake for 8-13 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Middle with still be gooey.

4) Let cool, cut into squares, and eat up!

Christmas Playlist-

Tennessee Christmas- Amy Grant

Carol of the Bells- Destiny's Child
Jingle Bells (Robbie Hardkiss Remix)- Duke Ellington
Mistletoe- Colbie Caillat
Hark the Herald Angels Sing- Hot Toddy
Man with the Bag- Kay Starr

Lights! Camera! Action! Here Come....Junior Mint Cupcakes!

WOAH! I don't know how long it has been since I have made a post. Life has been very busy these past couple months. Lots of weddings, holiday gatherings, and family events have taken over any spare time. All of which have been a blast, but wow...I'm starting to become quite exhausted. 

I have been promising my husband I would make these suckers for awhile as Junior Mints are his favorite movie time candy. I have already done a bunch of holiday baking (many of which I promise to post once I am on Winter Break) but these just could not wait! They were pretty much "smellicious," the lovely new phrase coined by one of my 1st graders. Oh, how I love them. :) 

I wanted to make my teammates a special treat to say "Merry Christmas!" and thought Junior Mint Cupcakes would be perfect. Classic holiday mint flavor without the repetitive red and white stripes.

Junior Mint Cupcakes

Chocolate cake:

2 2/3 cup flour

1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cup of brewed coffee, cooled (I used Starbucks Christmas blend)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 sticks of unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups of sugar

1 tsp vanila extract

2 eggs

Mint Buttercream:

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp natural mint extract

Chocolate Sauce:

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

2/3 cup heavy cream

Garnish with Junior Mints if desired.

Preheat the oven to 350. in a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift to combined. in another bowl, add the buttermilk, coffee and oil. In a stand mixer, add the butter and cream until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and while the mixer is on high, slowly add the sugar and cream until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on medium speed, alternating between the wet and dry ingredients, add each a bit at a time until all three are well combined in the stand mixer. If you are using the cute brown floret baking cups, just place them on a baking sheet, they don’t need to go in a muffin tin. If you are using standard cupcake papers, just line them in the muffin tin as normal. Fill standard cupcake papers 2/3 of the way full and cute floret papers only 1/2 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20-25 minutes.

Mint Buttercream

In a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Your butter needs to be softened, cold butter won’t work. With the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar until all combined (you can add less if you prefer a less sweet frosting). Then add the milk and the extract and beat until well combined.

Chocolate sauce

Place the chocolate in a heat safe bowl. Heat the cream until hot and steam, but not boiling (microwave is fine but you can also heat on the stove) and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir for about 3 minutes or until well combined.

To present them I used white cupcake boxes with cute Christmas Bakery stickers that I purchased from Cupcake Social and my sister had gotten me some really cute boxes from The Cupboard in Fort Collins to gift single cupcakes with.

Today's Christmas Playlist:

All I Want For Christmas Is You- Mariah Carey 

O Come Emanuel- Haste the Day

Someday At Christmas- Jack Johnson

Baby It's cold Outside- Willie Nelson ans Norah Jones

Oi To The World- No Doubt 

 

Spooktastic Cupcakes

We are not doing too much for Halloween this year....just planning on handing out candy to all the cute little trick or treaters. But of course I had to use the adorable cupcake wrappers and boxes I had purchased earlier this month. :)

Last year I made Red Velvet "Brain" cupcakes for Michael to take into work and I couldn't pass up the chance to make them again. I also wanted to attempt these "Bleeding Vampire Bite" cupcakes I have been seeing around. Both were a great success!!! And gone already...

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes I used a recipe from My Baking Addiction. 

The fabulous part about this recipe is that it only makes 12 cupcakes!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes

1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with 

    spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar 

    until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed add vanilla then slowly add in the food 

    coloring. Note:If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of 

    coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the 

    shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of 

    the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine 

    running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter among between the 12 

    wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a   

    toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (to maintain bright white color, I used pure vanilla extract since I was tinting them anyways)

Red and Blue food coloring

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together, 

    cream cheese, shortening, and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer of low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly 

    incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

3. Use about 3 drops red food coloring and 1 drop blue food coloring to create grayish 

    brain matter color.

Next, I wanted to use a pale white cake for the vampire bite cupcakes and when I found this recipe for white chocolate cupcakes I knew it would be perfect. They received so many compliments I will definitely be making them again!

White Chocolate Cupcakes 

from Shauna Sever

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped bar or chips
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
5 large egg whites

1 can Cherry Pie Filling

For the frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 1/2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped bar or chips
Up to 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, to taste

1. Position an oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. 

    Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners, 12 in one and 6 in the other.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until very 

    light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. When it’s just warm to the touch, stir it 

    into the butter mixture on low speed, just until combined–it may separate a bit, but it 

    will come back together. 

5. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the coconut milk in 

    three batches until well-blended. Transfer the batter to a medium bowl.

6. Clean and dry the bowl of the mixer. Whip the egg whites on medium high speed until  

    they reach soft peaks, about 4 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in 

    three additions.

7. Fill the muffin cups no more than 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Bake one tin at a 

    time until a toothpick just comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly 

    touched, about 20 minutes. 

8. Remove cupcakes from tin and place onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt together until light and smooth. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and cool until it is just warm to the touch. Scrape the white chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Taste the icing and check the texture–if you like your icing sweeter and with a bit more body, add in some confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

To make Vampire Bites:

1. Puree cherry pie filling in a blender. 
2. Use a knife to cut a small cone shape out of the center of the cupcake. 
3. Fill center with pureed filling.
4. Frost cupcake and spear two holes (I used a chopstick) into the top of the cake to 
    create bite marks.

 I hope you all have a very Happy Halloween!

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Peanut Butter Butter-Cream Frosting

I love following Sunshine and Carousels blog and I have been waiting for Oct. 12th to roll around so that I could test out these babies. Today was my friend Sandy's birthday, and I thought they would be the perfect mid-week birthday treat to help her celebrate her special day. They were to die for! The frosting didn't turn out exactly how I would have liked it to. There was a lot of air pockets as I was piping it out, so it was not as pretty as I hoped for. Oh well, darn....looks like I will have to make them again! ;)

 Banana Cupcakes with Honey Peanut Butter Butter-Cream Frosting

from Sunshine and Carousels

 Ingredients:

2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup plus two tablespoons of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 a teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 a teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 a cup of milk
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 teaspoon of honey

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. Cream your butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one a time. Add your milk and flour mixture to your mixture alternating each addition. Add your mashed bananas and mix well. Lastly fold in your honey. Bake at 350 degrees for 19-21 minutes. Makes around 24 cupcakes.

 Frosting:

2 sticks of room temperature butter
4-5 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup plus two tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

Cream you butter, slowly add in powdered sugar (about 3 cups worth) until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix. Slowly add in honey and peanut butter and mix until creamy and smooth. Lastly add in a little more powdered sugar (maybe a cup or a cup and a half) until you find the consistency you desire. Should be thick and creamy. (Mine was a little too thick....)


You can drizzle honey over top right before serving if you wish.

I also tried out my cute bakery boxes to deliver the cupcakes in. They were fun! I hope I can find some for the holidays.

Today's Playlist:

(Loving Pandora Shuffle....some oldies but goodies made it on.)

The Way You Make Me Feel- Michael Jackson

Happy Nation- Ace of Base

Satellite- Dave Matthews Band

Only The Wine- David Gray

Merry Happy- Kate Nash

Victim of the Crime- Phoenix 

Finally Feeling Like Fall, Time For Some Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

I have been so ready to start cooking some fall favorites but with all the summer like temperatures I have not felt like turning on the oven too much. However, when I received my October Better Homes and Gardens and I found a recipe for Pumpkin Mac and Cheese I knew I had to give in and heat up the kitchen. Let me tell you, it was worth it! Not only was it hit for dinner, but I think I have also found my Thanksgiving side dish.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
2 C. dried elbow macaroni
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. all-purpose flour
1 C. whipping cream
1 C. whole milk (I used nonfat milk)
4 oz. Fontina Cheese, shredded
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 Tb. snipped fresh sage 
1/2 C. soft bread crumbs (I used Whole Wheat Panko)
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 C. chopped walnuts
1 Tb. olive oil

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cook pasta in a large pot following package directions; drain. Return to pot.

2. In medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/2 t. ground black pepper. Add cream and milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in Fontina cheese, pumpkin, and sage until cheese is melted. Stir sauce into pasta. Transfer to ungreased 2 quart rectangluar baking dish.

3. In bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, nuts, and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage.


So yummy, I am making it again this week :)