New Recipes and Cocktails!!

Check 'em out for some yummy goodness. 

And don't blame me for any expanding waist bands...

Father's Day Cupcakes

Ever wonder what peanut butter, chocolate chips, and ganache would taste like? Mix that with the smell of bacon from my house that day and I would have called it Heaven. 

Props to FoodSnots because these. are. fabulous.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
     1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
     1 tsp baking powder
     1/4 tsp salt
     6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
     3/4 cup smooth all natural peanut butter, at room temperature
     1/2 cup packed brown sugar
     1/2 cup sugar
     2 large eggs
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     1/2 cup whole milk
     2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350.

Milk the milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in another small bowl, and set aside.

Next,  beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy..

Add eggs and blend until smooth.

 

Slowly mix in the peanut butter, then add half the flour, the other half, and when fully mixed, the milk.

FOLD in the chocolate chips. Do not use a mixer for this part, makes a mess.

Toss in the oven for about 22 minutes. Don't overdo it because you want your cakes to be light and fluffy, not hard and heavy.

Don't they look tasty?

Once they've cooled, make your frosting/ganache.

 Peanut Butter Frosting
     6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
     1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
     1/2 tsp salt
     1 cup creamy peanut butter, natural (or if you want a smoother look, go not-natural)
     1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
     1/2 cup whole milk

Place the sugar and salt in one bowl, and your milk and vanilla in another.

Beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth.

Alternately add milk and flour and beat until smooth.

I can't remember what size I used to do this, but, helpful tip, if you don't have a pastry bag, a ziplock works fine. Put your bag in a tall, wide glass, and fold the edges of the back over the sides of the cup so you can fill it. Make sure that your fittings are already attached to the bottom of the bag. 

I used a size 1 for the chocolate. About 2 tablespoons and a dash of mocha coffee creamer. ;) Microwave until just hot enough to mix. Put it in a bag, and pipe it. Pipe it real good. 

Aren't they purty?

Melt in your mouth yuminess...

Oh my... these are my absolute FAVORITE cookie. To make, to eat, to savor... bet ya can't eat just one.

Soft Brown Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sour cream 

(Frosting recipe below)

This is what soft butter looks like. If you press down moderately you should leave a fingerprint mark, but your hand shouldn't go through the stick of butter. 

Blend together butter and brown sugar. 

Add eggs, one at a time; blend well.  Add vanilla; beat until light.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well. 

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack; cool.  

Browned Butter Frosting

1/4 c. butter

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden.  Watch carefully as this will happen quickly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.

Ole Ole! It's Taco Pie!

By popular request, here you go!

Ingredients

1 Box Jiffy Brand Corn Bread

1 pound ground beef

Taco Seasoning

1 16 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes

1 cup (or 2) of cheddar cheese

Lettuce

Sour Cream

Taco Sauce

Prepare the cornbread according to the directions. Place in a baking dish and cook for 3/4 of the total time it recommends.

While your cornbread is cooking, brown your meat, drain the fat and add taco seasoning. I usually use old faithful Ol' El Paso, but you could mix it up. 

When your cornbread is about 3/4 of the way done, take it out of the oven. Put a layer of tomatoes and a layer of ground beef on top of the it. Bake for the remainder of the time instructed (or more if you want your cornbread well done).

When it comes out there should be a little liquid leftover from the tomatoes that will have kept your cornbread and taco meat moist. Top your pie with some cheese and let it melt for about 5 minutes.

Dish it up just you would a regular taco! Lettuce, sour cream, taco sauce. Toss on some jalapenos if you want! It's alllllllllllll good.

Thai Red Curry

Shocking, I know, but I went for an ethnic type recipe because I discovered I love curry. It's sweet and can be spicy, and there's nothing but good stuff in it. Check it out. 

Ingredients

12 oz. Chicken Breast fillets, uncooked & skinless, cut into bite size pieces 

4 large fresh Basil Leaves, sliced finely 

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 

1 Zucchini, sliced into thin circles 

1 Onion, finely chopped 

1 Red Pepper, julienned 

1 cup Chicken Stock 

1 cup Coconut Milk

1 cup Jasmine Rice 

2 tablespoons Peanut or Canola Oil 

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice 

2 tablespoons Cornstarch 

2 tablespoons Water 

1 tablespoon Brown Sugar 

2 teaspoons Thai Red Curry Paste 

½ teaspoon Salt

Prepare the cornstarch ahead by mixing it with the 2 tablespoons water. Mix so it becomes a paste. 

In a wok or large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add garlic and curry paste to the pan. Cook and stir for a minute. Stir in the stock, coconut milk, sugar, and salt.

Let mixture boil before adding zucchini and red pepper.

Cover with lid. Reduce heat to medium and let mixture simmer for 12 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook Jasmine rice while curry is simmering. Add chicken to curry mixture and let simmer, covered, for an additional 8 minutes.

Stir in the cornstarch-water paste. Stir continuously until curry becomes thick.

Add in basil and lemon juice. Serve Thai Red Curry over a bed of the cooked Jasmine rice.