"Caramel Macchiato" cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes, but lots more icing!

The cupcakes-- loosely adapted from this recipe, which also looks delicious, but is less likely to happen in Hungary! :)

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla (or almond) extract
  
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee
  
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 3/4 cup chopped chocolate (as small as possible-- roughly the size of mini choc chips)

Preheat oven to 350.

Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter, eggs, and extract and beat on medium speed for one minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the instant coffee and the hot coffee. Mix for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.

For the icing, which is loosely adapted from this recipe:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups softened butter, cubed (the butter should be cool, definitely not room-temperature)

1 tsp pure vanilla

1/3 cup caramel sauce

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, mix sugar and flour, then add milk and cream.

Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Mine was about the consistency of sweetened condensed milk.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat with the paddle attachment until cool (about 10 minutes). Reduce speed to low, and add butter and vanilla.

Mix until thoroughly incorporated, the increase speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add caramel (I used dulce de leche, but I'm sure you can homemake caramel sauce and it would be delicious! The dulce de leche was thick, so I'd say you need to have a thicker caramel sauce...).

Continue mixing until combined. Taste the frosting at this point. Because I used dulce de leche, mine was really sweet, so I added a little instant coffee powder and a pinch of salt to balance a little of the sweetness.

If the frosting is too soft, chill in the refrigerator until it can be beat to proper consistency.

Jaime's Enchiladas

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts (boiled and pulled apart OR use one Rotisorie chicken)
1 enchilada packet made or can (I don't use the paste for this, I use the German Happy-Frucht box of Tomaten Paradicsompure)
3 oz of cream cheese
1 cup of cheese (your choice, I use trappista, others use mozerella)
16 corn tortillas (you can also use flour if you want; if the small ones from Cullenarius then you can make more)

Directions:
1. Shred the chicken
2. butter up pan and put chicken in
3 pour half of the enchilada sauce in with the chicken, mix on low
4 chop up cream cheese and melt with the chicken and enchilada sauce on medium low
5 add half the cheese to the mixture again on medium heat
6 mix and set aside
7 heat corn tortillas one at a tim in oiled pan (once oil is hot make it like you would a pancake - only for 10 seconds or so on each side)
8 put chicken mixture in tortillas, put into glass pan that is buttered or use Pam
9 put rest of sauce & cheese on top all over
10 cook for 20 mins at 200 c. (or until the tortillas are lightly browned)
Enjoy :)

***IF you want low fat use the lite cream cheese and lite trappista and corn tortillas not flour***

Taco Twist Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 15 oz (425 g) tomato sauce
¼ cup green pepper, chopped
3 cups corkscrew macaroni, cooked and drained
1 cup cheese, shredded
½ cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Brown beef and drain. Stir in seasoning mix, tomato sauce, and green pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
2. Combine cooked noodles (undercook these a bit), 1/2 cup cheese and sour cream. Place on bottom of 6x10 baking dish.
3. Top with meat mixture and remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

I'll admit that we all were a bit skeptical at first, but this was super quick and easy to make. And it was surprisingly good...with lots of leftovers for lunches, which is what makes my hubby happy!

Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:
3 Eggs
¼ cup Bisquick
1½ cups milk
Dash of salt and pepper
1 cup chopped ham
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
1. Mix eggs, Bisquick, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl with whisk until mixed well.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
3. Pour into 9 inch greased fluted pie pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Remove.
4. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

I know it calls for Bisquick, but I know many have that. I also didn't have a fluted pie pan, but it worked just fine with a regular glass one. It was so easy and yummy I couldn't resist posting it!

The Easiest Chocolate Cake!!!!!

Ridiculously easy and super moist!

1 1/2 C flour
1 C sugar
3 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 C water

Mix it all together and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. I've made cupcakes with this recipe too! And you put whatever icing you want on it or just some powdered sugar.

Frosted Pineapple Cookies

Here is a recipe for frosted pineapple cookies that I made a couple days ago. They are SO good! (It's from The Taste of Home Baking Book.)

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1/2 c shortening (I used butter)
1 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c confectioner's sugar (I skipped this b/c I thought the icing would make it too sweet, but I'm not a fan of icing anyway.)

1) Drain pineapple, reserving 3 T juice. Set both aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Add pineapple and vanilla, mix well. In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

2) Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325 F for 17-20 minutes (Mine were done after 15 minutes) or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3) For frosting, combine confectioner's sugar with enough of the reserved pineapple juice to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. (Again, I skipped the icing.)

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup (condensed) or cream of chicken soup (I used 3 soup packets with 300 ml water)
½ cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions:
1. Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Mix salsa and soup; pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Shred chicken with a fork. Stir in sour cream until heated, then serve over rice or tortillas.

Recipe Source - Sing for Your Supper

Chicken Dijon

Ingredients:
3 Tbl butter
3 Tbl flour
3 Tbl Dijon mustard
1½ lb boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
14 oz. chicken broth
1 medium yellow onion, diced

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a large skillet on med-high and cook chicken breasts until golden brown.
2. Whisk together flour and mustard and combine with remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover, reduce and simmer 20 min.

Quick and easy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
½ lb. bacon
½ onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
¼ cup butter
3 Tbl flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp paprika
1½ cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
1 10 oz. can chicken broth
1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbl cooking sherry or white wine
1 cup milk
1½ cups half-and-half
1½ cups cooked wild rice

Directions:
1. Fry, drain, and crumble bacon; set aside.
2. Sauté onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, thyme, and paprika. Heat until bubbly.
3. Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, sherry, milk, and half-and-half, stirring until thickened. Cool a bit. Fold in rice and bacon.

Yield: 6 large bowls of soup

Taken from Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer

Cookie base

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1¼ teaspoons baking soda

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter, brown and granulated sugars, corn syrup, and vanilla for 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add ingredients from the variation of your choice.
4. Unless the directions for the variation state otherwise, form the dough into tablespoon-size mounds. Place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks. Cool completely.

To Make Now and Bake Later: When you mix a batch of cookies, double the recipe. Bake half the dough according to the recipe and divide the rest into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic, then place in a resealable plastic bag. To save yourself time and hassle, label the bag with the flavor, the oven temperature, and the baking time, adding 3 to 6 minutes to the regular oven time. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months. To bake, slice the frozen dough into rounds about 1/2 inch thick, making as few or as many as you would like. Bake on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet.

Yield: Makes 40 cookies

Nutrition per Serving: Calories 105(43% from fat); Fat 5g (sat 3g); Cholesterol 17mg; Carbohydrate 15g; Sodium 67mg; Protein 1g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 8g

Sweet and Sour Chicken

A little time consuming, but well worth it!

Chicken Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch (I used flour, since I didn't have cornstarch)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil (I used sunflower)

Directions
Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar, because I didn't have anything else. It was still yummy)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. (I only baked mine for 45 minutes, but I had small pieces of chicken.)

If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes. (I made the extra batch of sauce, but found that I didn't need it.)

Southwest Egg Rolls & Cool Avocado dip

Southwest Egg Rolls & Cool Avocado dip
adapted from Taste of Home Dec/Jan 2009 edition with my personal adaptations.

Prep: 35 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Yield 20 Egg rolls

2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I already had grilled mesquite chicken left over, so I used that, yummy)
1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend ( I had to use some cheddar I had, but I also used some local Trappista cheese found here, because cheddar is imported and expensive!!)
2/3 cup corn
2/3 cup black beans rinsed and drained
5 green onions (I only used one and it was plenty... I thought, depends on how much onion you like)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp grated lime peel
I also added half a squeezed lime, next time I will add a whole lime
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package of egg roll wrappers
Oil for frying
Dip
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 medium ripe avocado peeled and mashed
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp grated lime peel
I added the other half of my lime... yum

I a large bowl, I mixed together all the ingredients

Then I scooped about 1/4 of the mixture into the egg wrappers and folded/rolled them up. I used egg white to close the wrapper and make sure it is shut. I then fried them in a pan with oil.

This is what they looked like inside. So yummy.

Enjoy!!!

Pork Loin Marinade

3/4 c. soy sauce
2/3 c. veg. oil
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. worchestershire sauce
1/4 c. mustard
2 cloves
Gotten from Melissa White who got it from Jennifer Welsh I think...

(Becky we are always loosing this, so thought it would be safe if put on the blog!!!)

Brownie Truffles

Brownie Truffles

Bake the brownies I listed above and over cook them a bit, so they are more crunchy.
Allow to cool
Roll into balls and leave in fridge until it is cold and hard

Melt dark chocolate and some butter.
Dip the balls into the chocolate to cover them
Then set aside to cool in fridge until hardened.
Enjoy!
( I stick a toothpick in them to help pick up and use a wire rack to cook them on.)

Cream Cheese Truffles

Cream Cheese Truffles

Crush pilota’s in a food processor and then mix with cream cheese until it forms a ball.
Make tiny bite size balls and place on cookie sheet
Put into the fridge to cool and harden.

Melt dark chocolate and some butter.
Dip the balls into the chocolate to cover them
Then set aside to cool in fridge until hardened.
Enjoy!
( I stick a toothpick in them to help pick up and use a wire rack to cook them on.)

Fudgy Chocolate Cake with Ganache Icing

Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 packets vanilla sugar
1 ½ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 175C and grease then flour two round cake pans.
Mix flour cocoa, baking soda, salt.
In another bowl beat butter and sugars (both) until fluffy then add eggs one at time, mixing well in-between. Finally add vanilla packets.
At low speed, alternately beat flour mix and buttermilk into butter mixture just until blended.
Divide and pour into pans.
Bake and use a toothpick or fork to test to see if cake is done after 25-30 minutes in oven.
Cool cakes completely.

Icing… Chocolate Ganache
250 grams dark chocolate (or milk)
1 cup heavy cream

Place broken pieces of chocolate into medium bowl.
Heat cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to boil.
When cream has come to a boil, pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
(stir in rum, or other flavorings if you want.. about a tablespoon, I like it plain)

Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over cake.
Start at the center of the cake and work outward.
For fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Assemble cake with frosting and then put in fridge to allow the ganache to set. And keep in fridge until you eat it. Enjoy!!!

Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Cake

Cake mix:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 packet vanillin cukor
4 egg whites
1 1/3 buttermilk

Grease and lightly flour 2 round baking pans.
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside
In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium high/high for 30 seconds.
Add sugar and vanilla, beat until well combined
Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each.
Add dry mixture and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined.
Pour batter into the pans
Bake at 175 for 30-35 minutes or till a fork comes out clean when inserted.
Cool cakes.

Strawberry glaze (goes in the middle of the two layers of cake)
Mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup. Mix 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons corn starch in 2 qt saucepan. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup water and mashed strawberries. Cover over medium heat, stirring, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute, cool completely.

Whipped topping:
Make whipped cream, any way you like. I used a box of whipping cream, add a bit of sugar and vanilla to taste, and whip. I add the “Hab fixalo” packets to make it thicker.

To assemble the cake…

Take the cooled cakes and put one on a plate.
Add the strawberry glaze mixture to the top, if you want a thick layer in-between, you scoop out some of the bottom layer of the cake, making a whole to put the mixture in.
Put the other cake on top.
Spread whip cream mixture over the whole cake or just on top
Arrange fresh strawberries on top of the cake.

Apple Dumplings

2 to 2 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
4 to 6 Granny Smith or other cooking apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
sugar, approximately 1/2 cup, for sprinkling apples
cinnamon
nutmeg
butter, cut in small pieces
Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup margarine melted
heavy cream or ice cream, optional
Preparation:
Combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add milk, stirring to make a soft dough. Roll dough into a 1/8" thick rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut into 5-inch squares.
Place 3 or 4 pieces of apple on each square. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon sugar and a sprinkling cinnamon and nutmeg to taste; dot with butter. Moisten edges of each dumpling with water; bring corners to center, pinching edges to seal. Place dumplings 1 inch apart in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. Combine 2 cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 cups hot water and 1/4 cup butter or margarine; stir to dissolve sugar. Pour syrup over dumplings. Bake at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot with cream or ice cream.
Makes about 1 dozen apple dumplings.

Scalloped Pineapple

Ingredients:
24 oz. (680 g) crushed pineapple, undrained
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbl cornstarch (substitute: 3-4 Tbl all-purpose flour)
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Bowl 1: Mix water and cornstarch together.
2. Bowl 2: Mix all other ingredients together.
3. Add bowl 1 into bowl 2. Mix well.
4. Pour into greased 9"x13" pan. (Slightly smaller pan is much better!)
5. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes.
6. During the last 15 minutes, sprinkle the top with cinnamon and put a few butter pats on top. Finish baking for the last 15 minutes.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
5 large baking potatoes, baked
¼ cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cream (or sour cream)
5 cups milk
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 cups shredded cheese (trappista or other favorite)
8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Directions:
1. Peel potatoes, coarsely mash with fork.
2. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add flour, stirring until smooth.
3. Stir in potatoes, milk, cream, and next 3 ingredients. Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated.
4. Top each serving with cheese, bacon, and chives!

Yield: 12 cups