Butterbeer Cupcakes

Butterbeer Cupcakes
Makes 18
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For the cupcakes:
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2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda
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For the ganache:
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1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream
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For the buttercream frosting:
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)
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For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.
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Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.
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For butterscotch filling: In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.
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For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache.

Feta Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

2 diced Roma tomatoes

1 diced sweet red, yellow or orange bell pepper

1 can sliced black olives

1 minced clove of garlic

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 T. olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8" baking dish or coat with cooking spray. Arrange in a single layer and sprinkle with black pepper.

In a small bowl, toss diced tomatoes, diced peppers, olives, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Evenly spoon over chicken. Sprinkle feta cheese over all. Roast, uncovered, until feta is golden and chicken feels springy, 25-30 minutes. Serve.

Recipe from Gwen Fagnou



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 spice cake mix
1 can of pumpkin (just the regular size)
Mix the two together - nothing else goes in
Add chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Spicy Honey Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
2 t vegetable oil

Rub

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

Instructions:

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now.

Caprese Skewers

Caprese Skewers

• Mozzarella balls
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Place a tomato on a skewer, next add a basil leaf folded, and finally add a mozzarella ball. Arrange on a platter.

Drizzle with olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy.

Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

1. Bake 3 or 4 chicken breasts in the oven until done.  Cool and cut into bite size pieces.

2. Heat water to boiling and cook one 1lb. pkg. of bow tie pasta according to pkg. directions.

          Drain in colander and rinse with cold water.

3.While chicken and pasta cook, assemble the dressing.

          Blend in blender or food processor:

          2 cups (4oz.) of basil (stems removed)

          1/2 C. white vinegar

          1 C. olive oil

          2 cloves garlic

          2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

          1/2 tsp. sea salt

          1/2 tsp. pepper

    There is no need to chop the basil or garlic before blending.  Just remove the stems from the basil and husks from the garlic.

4.      In a large mixing bowl, mix together chicken, pasta and dressing.  Put mixture in a Ziploc bag and allow to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. 

 Assembling the Salad

1. Wash 1 lb. spinach and remove the stems. 

2. Chop 4-5 green onions.

3. Cut 3oz. or about 20 salami rounds into strips.

4. Chop 2 C. (approx. 1-2) Fuji apples, with skin on, into bite size pieces.

5. Measure 1 C. Craisins, 1/2 C. Pine nuts (or sliced almonds), 4oz. Feta Cheese.

6. Wash 1 pint small grape tomatoes.

In a large bowl mix together the spinach, pasta/chicken mix, green onions, salami strips, apples, Craisins, pine nuts, cheese and tomatoes.  Stir well.

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream

1 sliced baguette

4 T. butter, melted

2 T. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup sour cream 3 T. honey

1 tsp. orange zest

1 1/2 cups diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)

1 cup finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)

1 cup finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwis)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/" slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine sugar & cinnamon & sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.

2. While bread is toasting, combine sour cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine & place in the fridge.

3. Gently combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi. When the bread is cooled, place about 1 T. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice & drizzle with sweetened sour cream mixture. If needed, thin the sour cream sauce with 1/2- 1 tsp. orange juice. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

via: Our Best Bites

Peach Berry Cobbler

2 (15oz) cans juice packed sliced peaches, drained

1/2 cup sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. almond extract

1 (6oz) container fresh raspberries

1 (6oz) container fresh blackberries

Topping:

1 cup flour

3 1/2 T. sugar, divided

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup fat free half & half or milk

Preheat over to 400 degrees & lightly butter a 9" baking dish. Stir together peaches, sugar, cornstarch & extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil & simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat until thickened. Lightly stir in berries & spread in prepared pan. 

To prepare topping, stir together flour, 3 T. sugar, baking powder & salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until it's in small pieces; stir in half & half. Drop spoonfuls over fruit & sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned & cooked through. 

** May substitute 3 cups peeled fresh peach slices when fresh peaches are in season.

Resurrection Rolls

1 can crescent rolls (8 count)

1 T. butter, melted

8 large marshmallows

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a small bowl & mix cinnamon & sugar together in a separate bowl.

Give each child a triangle of crescent roll dough (represents the cloth that Jesus' body was wrapped in).

Give each child a large marshmallow (represents Jesus' body).

Have each child dip the marshmallow in melted butter (representing the oils of embalming) then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture (representing the sweet spices used to anoint the body).

Then have them wrap the coated marshmallow tightly in the dough, bringing the sides around the completely seal the marshmallow inside (represents Jesus' body being wrapped in cloth after death).

Place each roll, seams down, into paper liner in a muffin tin.

Bake for 11-12 minutes. (The oven represents the tomb).

When the rolls have cooled slightly, the children can open their rolls & discover that they are empty inside-just like Jesus' tomb after He was risen.

Lemon Bundt Cake

Luscious Lemon Bundt Cake
1 pkg (18-1/4 ounces) lemon cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
3/4 c vegetable oil
3/4 c warm tap water
4 eggs
1 pkg (3 ounces) lemon gelatin
2 tsp lemon extract
On low speed, mix all ingredients together until combined and then for 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan (I use Baker's Joy). Bake at 350 degrees for 37-42 minutes, depending on your oven.

Lemon Glaze: 3 c. powdered sugar 6 Tblp. lemon juice While cake is still warm and using a skewer, poke holes about 1/2 way down the depth of the cake at even intervals. Spread with half of glaze. Once the glaze hardens, remove the cake from bundt pan, flip over and do the same for the top using remaining glaze.

via: sacto-news.blogspot.com

Curry Chicken

3 T.butter

1/2 cup onions, chopped

2 tsp. curry

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 c. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

3 T. flour

1 & 1/2 cups chicken broth

Saute onions in butter. Add curry, ginger, sugar, salt & milk. Dissolve flour in broth. Add broth to mixture. Stir well while it thickens. Add chicken. Serve over rice.

White Chicken Chili

1 T. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 (15oz) cans Great Northern beans

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (3.5oz) can green chilies

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 (32oz) box chicken broth

1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Toppings: sour cream, chopped cilantro, shredded pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, lime wedges

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion & cook for about 2 minutes, just until it starts to become translucent.

While the onions are cooking, drain the beans & rinse with cold water; set aside. Sprinkle the chopped chicken with a little salt & pepper & add to pot. Add the garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until there's no more visible pink on the chicken.

Add green chilies along with all of the juices in the can. Add the beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt a few turns of black pepper. Stir to combine & then add the chicken broth.

Bring to a boil & reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat & add the juice from one lime & 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls & top as desired with sour cream, chopped cilantro, cheese, avocado, chips or lime wedges.

via: Our Best Bites cookbook

Stuffed Blue Cheese Potatoes

4 medium russet potatoes

1-2 T. shortening or vegetable oil, for rubbing on the potatoes

1/4 c real butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c sour cream

1 oz (1/4cup) crumbled blue cheese

1/4 c milk or buttermilk

3/4 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled

shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash & dry potatoes. Rub them lightly with a bit of shortening or vegetable oil & place directly on oven rack. Bake for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove potatoes & allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut each potato in half to make 8 servings. You may want to hold them with a potholder as they will still be hot!

Scoop out the insides & place in a bowl. Mash, and add butter, sour cream, blue cheese, milk, salt, pepper, & garlic powder. Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shells. Place in a baking dish.

Return the potatoes to the oven & bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove, sprinkle bacon & cheddar cheese over each potato, and bake an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted & bubbly.

recipe via: Our Best Bites Cookbook