Banana Cupcakes with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cupcakes with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients:

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites

 photo credit: http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites

original recipe: http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/family-recipes/bacon-wrapped-jalapeno-chicken-bites

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken tenders, flattened and cut in two
• 3-ounce package softened cream cheese
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 8 slices bacon, cut in half

Instructions:

1. Dab 1/2 teaspoon (more or less) of cream cheese on top of each chicken tender. Sprinkle a scant 1/4 teaspoon of peppers over cream cheese. Fold or roll chicken to enclose cream cheese mixture. Wrap each roll with one piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
2. Grill until bacon is brown and crispy on both sides.

Notes :
Be sure to wear plastic gloves when handling fresh jalapenos. The oil will attach itself to your hands and is not easily washed away. An inadvertent swipe of the hand close to your eyes could be an unforgettable experience.

For reference, if you are substituting for the chicken tenders (i.e. dark meat, large pieces of chicken breast, game meat), the size of the tenders I used were 5-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide before flattening and cutting in half.

Try flattening meat inside a zip-lock bag as pictured above. No flying pieces, no contamination on your cutting board from the chicken, and cleanup is super easy.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

 photo credit: theurbanspork.com

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a standard-sized loaf pan with parchment paper – grease and flour the pan.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes – until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear – set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool the cake.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.


original recipe: http://theurbanspork.com/2010/07/lemon-yogurt-cake/

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Creamy Cream Cheese Filling

 photo credit: http://dreamydesserts.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Creamy Cream Cheese Filling

original recipe: http://dreamydesserts.blogspot.com/2008/10/pumpkin-whoopie-pies-with-creamy-cream.html

Ingredients:

• 3 cups AP Flour
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup Splenda (use could white sugar if you like)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together brown sugar, Splenda, oil and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla. In a separate bowl, shift together the dry ingredients. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

Using a pastry bag with a round tip, or a big zip top plastic bag with one corner snipped, squeeze out concentric circles of batter, starting from the middle and working outward until the circles are about 2 inches in diameter. Bake for 11 minutes and cool on a rack.

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 - 16 oz. package of powdered sugar
• about a capful of vanilla extract
• a pinch of cinnamon (to taste)

Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Frost flat side of half the pies and top with another piece.

Enjoy right away or chill overnight.

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Butter Filling and Caramel Frosting

 photo credit: http://blog.lehighvalleylive.com

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Butter Filling and Caramel Frosting

original recipe: http://blog.lehighvalleylive.com/local-food-recipes/2011/05/apple_cider_cupcakeswapple_but.html

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• apple butter

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 10 tablespoon butter, divided
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 cupcake wells (I used a silicon baking pan, with a mist of pancoat). In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, then 1/2 of the cider, and repeat, ending with the last of the flour and mixing only until incorporated. Pour into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup 3/4 way full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool thoroughly, inject with apple butter in the center of the cupcake, then frost.

Frosting Directions:

1. Melt brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat. Whisk in cream; blend well. Transfer to a heat-resistant bowl. Cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally.

2. Place remaining 6 tablespoons butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill slightly for a firmer texture, stirring occasionally.

Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

photo credit: http://www.bakedperfection.com

Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

original recipe: http://www.bakedperfection.com/2011/10/apple-cupcakes-with-caramel-buttercream.html


Apple Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated apples**
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugars until creamy. Beat in the the orange juice, vanilla, and vegetable oil. Slowly add the flour mixture, mix until just combined. Stir in the grated apples. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Cool completely before frosting.

**Bakers Note - I prefer to use a mix of sweet and sour apples. For my latest batch I used a mix of Granny Smith and Macintosh.

Caramel Buttercream

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until caramel is dark amber. Immediately remove from heat, and slowly add cream, salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.

Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Place whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add beaten butter, cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add caramel, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

**Bakers Note - When I made the caramel I doubled the recipe and used the leftover to drizzle caramel over the cupcakes. You will still have some leftover which is great on ice cream!

Peach and Cinnamon Cobbler

 photo:thedeenbros.com

Peach and Cinnamon Cobbler

Ingredients:

• Butter for coating dish

FILLING:

• 6 cups peaches, halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Pinch salt

TOPPING:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
• 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 2/3 cup heavy cream, plus additional for brushing

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the filling ingredients. Pour filling into the prepared dish; set aside.

For the topping, in a food processor or large bowl, pulse or whisk together the 1 2/3 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse or cut in the butter until the

mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the 2/3 cup cream, mixing until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat together. Form the dough into 2-inch balls. Flatten balls gently with the palm of your hand.

Evenly arrange the dough rounds on top of the filling. Brush a little cream over the rounds. Bake about 1 hour or until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling.

Servings: 6 to 8

original recipe: http://thedeenbros.com/index.php/recipes/recipe_detail/peach_and_cinnamon_cobbler/