Mac & Cheese Muffins

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

Mac & Cheese Muffins

original recipe: http://www.emilybites.com/2011/04/mac-cheese-muffins.html

Ingredients:

• 4 c cooked whole wheat or high fiber macaroni
• 1 T butter
• 1 T flour
• 1 c skim milk
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained and patted dry (or you could use 1 cup cooked fresh spinach)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400. Lightly mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a small sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mixing it into the butter until thick. Stir in the milk and garlic and raise the temp to bring the mixture to just under a boil. Add the cheese and whisk mixture together until thoroughly combined into a cheese sauce.

3. Remove the cheese sauce from heat and then mix in the egg and egg white (binding agents) until combined.

4. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, spinach, cheese sauce, salt and pepper and mix together. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cups of your prepared muffin tin.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops slightly brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie

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

Rolo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie

original recipe: http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/8727061/rolo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookie/

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups unsalted butter; softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup chopped pecans, optional
• 50 Rolos; frozen at least 2 hours

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in chocolate chips and pecans.

2. Measure dough using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons). Roll into a ball and then flatten in the palm of your hands.

3. Place a frozen Rolo in the centers of the flattened dough balls and form dough back into a ball around the Rolo.

4. Place Rolo stuffed dough balls into the freezer for 15-20 minutes before baking.

5. On cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, place dough balls 2 inches apart.

6. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Nutella Cupcakes

 photo credit: http://blogs.babble.com

Nutella Cupcakes

original recipe: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/04/02/new-and-improved-self-frosting-nutella-cupcakes/?pid=12182#slideshow

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup canola or mild vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk or half & half
• 1/2 cup(ish) Nutella

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; add half to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined.

Divide the batter between 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Spoon the Nutella into a small microwave-safe dish and microwave it for 10-20 seconds, until softened but not liquefied. Drop a spoonful of Nutella on top of each, and swirl through the batter with the tip of a bamboo skewer, knife or other pointy object. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Tilt them in the pan to help them cool.

Makes a dozen cupcakes.

Cajun Crab Cakes

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

Cajun Crab Cakes

original recipe: http://www.projectfoodie.com/spotlights/cookbooks/real-cajun.html

Ingredients:

• 1 pound best-quality lump crab meat (not pasteurized)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• ½ poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pure chile powder (like ancho, New Mexico, or chipotle)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Creole (or whole-grain) mustard
• Several dashes of Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 scallion (white and green parts), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• Jalapeño Remoulade (recipe follows)

Instructions:

Place the crab meat in a large mixing bowl and carefully pick through for shells, then set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano, garlic, salt, chile powder, black pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.

Add the crab, the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, scallion, parsley, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the bread crumbs to the vegetable mixture. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients.

Using a 1-cup measuring cup, form the mixture into cakes, packing gently; they should look like hockey pucks, about 2 inches thick with straight sides. Cover the cakes and chill for 20 to 30 minutes, or overnight.

When you are ready to cook the crab cakes, place the remaining ½ cup bread crumbs in a pie tin. Dredge both sides of each cake in the crumbs, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry the crab cakes for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan-fry in batches if necessary, adding more oil if needed. Serve immediately, with Jalapeño Remoulade.

Jalapeño Remoulade

From Real Cajun by Donald Link and Paula Disbrowe (Clarkson Potter, 2009)

Makes about 1 ¼ cups

For the best results, make this spicy condiment a few hours in advance and then cover and refrigerate, so the flavors have time to develop.

• 1 small jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 bunch scallions (white parts only), thinly sliced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime

Whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl; cover and refrigerate until needed.

Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

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

Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

original recipe: http://www.mountainmamacooks.com/2011/02/bacon-and-cream-cheese-stuffed-mushrooms/

Ingredients:

• 8 oz bacon
• 1/2 cup finely minced sweet onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 16 oz white button mushrooms
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut raw bacon into small pieces. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook bacon until nice and crispy. While bacon is cooking, remove mushroom stems from caps and chop stems into small pieces. When bacon is done, remove from pan and set aside; reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease and pour the rest from pan. Saute onion until soft about 5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Add chopped mushrooms stems and garlic and cook a few minutes longer. Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and parmesan cheese and stir until cheeses are melted. Add reserved chopped bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Mixture can be made, cooled, and stored, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.) Remove mixture from heat and stuff each mushroom cap generously with mixture. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and filling is nice and hot.

Devil's Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing

photo credit: Stephen Lewis @ http://www.bonappetit.com

Devil's Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing

original recipe: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/09/devils-food-cake-with-black-pepper-boiled-icing

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60%–64% cacao), chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche

Cake:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs
• 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso beans

Black Pepper Icing :

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Filling:

Combine chocolate and salt in a large bowl; place a fine-mesh strainer over bowl and set aside. Pour 1 tablespoon cream into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring remaining cream and 1 tablespoon sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Whisk yolks and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture; return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly and your finger leaves a path on the back of a spoon when drawn across, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add gelatin mixture to cream mixture; stir to dissolve. Pour through prepared strainer into chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute; whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Whisk in crème fraîche. Using an electric mixer, beat filling until well blended, about 2 minutes. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of filling; chill overnight.

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat the bottom and sides of three 9" cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment-paper rounds.

Sift cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg and egg white. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water; whisk until smooth. In a separate medium bowl, whisk both flours and next 2 ingredients.

Using an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat cocoa mixture into butter mixture. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in cocoa nibs and ground espresso. Divide batter among pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, about 17 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans set on wire racks for 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; remove pans and let cakes cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes individually in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Stir filling to loosen. Spread half of filling (about 1 cup) over cake in an even layer. Place second cake layer on top of filling. Spread remaining filling over in an even layer. Place remaining cake layer on top. Chill cake for 1 hour.

Black Pepper Icing:

Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Attach a candy thermometer to side of a small saucepan; add remaining sugar and 1/2 cup water to pan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down side with a wet pastry brush, until thermometer registers 240°, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed until frothy. With machine running, gradually add reserved sugar and salt from small bowl.

Gradually add hot syrup from saucepan to egg whites, beating at medium-high speed and allowing syrup to drizzle down sides of bowl. Continue beating whites until stiff and cool, about 20 minutes. Add pepper; beat until well blended.

Immediately spoon topping onto cake. Smooth over top and sides. Working quickly, swirl icing decoratively. DO AHEAD: Cake can be iced 1 day ahead. Cover with a cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. To brûlée the icing, use a kitchen torch to toast icing in spots.

Note: Let frosting layers set fully before adding the next layer of cake. You may use an 8" cake pan for thicker layers.

Iced Tea Cupcakes

 photo credit: http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com

Iced Tea Cupcakes

original recipe: http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/sugar-daddy/

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Soymilk
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/3 Cup Canola Oil
• 1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Instant Unsweetened Iced Tea Mix
• 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Lemon-Iced Tea Frosting:

• 1/2 Cup Margarine, at Room Temperature
• 3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Instant Unsweetened Iced Tea Mix
• 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
• 2 – 4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Whisk together the soymilk, lemon juice, and oil in a large bowl, and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, iced tea mix, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt so that all of the dry ingredients are well distributed. Add the dry goods into the wet, and stir just enough to incorporate everything and get out most of the lumps. Distribute the batter equally between your prepared tins, and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, simply place the margarine, confectioner’s sugar, tea mix, and lemon zest in the bowl of your stand mixer, and start it on low speed. Slowly add in the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time, increasing the speed once the sugar is mostly incorporated. Whip on high for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Apply to cooled cupcakes, and top with coarse sugar or pearl sugar if desired.