Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Definitely worth the effort...

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield: about 32 cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¾ cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1¼ tsp. coarse salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

For the frosting:
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
9 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sour cream

For the chocolate curls:
Large block of high-quality semi- or bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and the sugar over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally to combine, until the butter is melted. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed, 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is cooled. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture and beat until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about ¾ of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand about 1 minute. With a whisk, gently stir the chocolate and cream together in small circles. When the ganache has become smooth, whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time until incorporated. Transfer the bowl to the freezer or refrigerator to chill and thicken the ganache a bit. Whisk every 5-10 minutes to help it cool evenly. Once the mixture is slightly thickened and no longer runny, you are ready to fill the cupcakes.

To assemble the cupcakes, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake with a small paring knife. Cut off the pointed end of the cone and discard (or eat) so you are left with a cap of cake to cover the filling. Drop a spoonful of ganache into the center of each cupcake and recover the hole with the cap.

To make the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Frost cupcakes immediately.

To make the chocolate curls, warm the block of chocolate just slightly (heat in 5-second intervals in the microwave - be careful not to melt). Use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate curls. Top cupcakes with curls immediately. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it workable.

from Annie's Eats

Apple Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (about 4 apples)
  
• 1 cup broken walnuts

Directions

1. In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

BELT

I’ve been on this diet and lost 16 pounds already and I don’t feel hungry and don’t crave anything, but I DREAM about food! How weird is that?!?! I’ve been dreaming of food my Mom used to cook and one of my favorites follows. Now, this is not low cal, not low fat, and probably not politically correct unless you use free range hen eggs, but it melts in your mouth if you like farm cookin’. And it is the stuff that dreams are made of!

BELT (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, & Tomato sandwich)
Ingredients:
1 farm fresh egg (really! this does make a difference)
2 strips bacon
1 slice home grown tomato (if they are as big as my Dad's, otherwise you may need 2)
2 leafs lettuce
1 Tbs Best Foods Mayo
2 slices of homemade whole wheat bread

Fry bacon till crispy. Fry egg (break yolk and cook “over hard”). Spread mayo on bread and assemble in this order: Bread, egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, bread. This order is important… why? Because that’s how Mom did it, that’s why!

Now, if you want a mouth watering farmer lunch that will melt in your mouth and flat out fill you up, here is a variation: Make sure you use home made whole wheat bread and cut THREE slices ½ inch thick. Toast bread and (instead of mayo) butter, WHILE HOT, with REAL butter (middle slice gets butter on both sides). Assemble in this order: Bread, egg, bacon, bread, tomato, lettuce, bread. Oh, heck, I’m getting hungry.

Final variation if you are feeling really adventurous (this is how I do it when I’m camping). Butter both sides of the bread and toast on a hot griddle, then assemble. You will need to eat with a knife and fork.

So, probably no one will try this because it would likely kill them… but I’m going off to bed to dream of this and homemade boysenberry pie for dessert because that’s how we ate back on the ranch!

Besides, I’m not hungry. I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!

Jer

Crockpot Lasagna

Have you guys ever made lasagna in the crock pot? You don't have to cook the noodles beforehand and it says to cook on low for 6-8 hours but cooked done in 4, so it was perfect to do before Church. You can use normal noodles too, you don't need the special oven ones. This recipe has ingredients for essentially your own homemade sauce, but you can use dumped a jar of Prego (1 lb 30 oz?) in there instead.

Crockpot Lasagna

1 lb ground beef (very lean 4-7% fat) 1 onion chopped
1/8 tsp garlic powder 2-15 oz cans tomato sauce
1-6 oz can tomato paste 1 tsp oregano
1-12 oz carton cottage cheese 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
12 oz lasagna noodles, uncooked 12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown beef and onion. Add garlic powder, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. Cook long enough to get warm. Spoon layer of meat sauce into the bottom of Crockpot. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all used up. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. (Check at 4 hours-it might be done!)

I know, you don't believe it...but it turns out perfectly every time!! Enjoy!

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

My 5 year old asked if we could have this for dinner EVERY night...

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt
1 Tbsp. pepper
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice


Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded Parmesan cheese on top.

Parmesan chicken drumsticks

Ingredients:

12 chicken drumsticks 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup Italian bread crumbs 1 egg

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.	In a shallow bowl, mix together salt, pepper, bread crumbs and cheese. In a separate bowl, beat egg until lemon colored. Dip chicken in egg, coating well. Roll in cheese.
2.	Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) on a greased broiler pan or 9x13 pan for 45 minutes, or until brown.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

Always nice to find a recipe my kids like.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. mustard
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Preparation:

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and carrots and cook for 8-10 minutes until chicken is browned on bottom. Turn chicken and add remaining ingredients. Cover pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-13 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over hot cooked rice or couscous.