I’ve become quite infatuated with sandwich cookies in many forms, and whoopie pies are one of my favorite varieties.  The cookies are puffy and cake-like, and just adorable when sandwiched with a yummy filling.  Recently my friend Sarah asked for help making chocolate marshmallow whoopie pies and I jumped at the chance.  Even though I have tried pumpkin whoopie pies and red velvet whoopie pies, I had yet to try the chocolate-marshmallow combo, which to my understanding is the “classic” whoopie pie flavor.

So we made them, and we loved them.  The cookie was rich and chocolatey and the marshmallow filling was just right – good marshmallow flavor but not too sticky.  As is often the case, I actually thought these tasted even better the second day after the flavors had time to meld.  If you’ve ever had a classic whoopie pie or even if you’ve never tried one, I bet you’ll like these.

Chocolate Marshmallow Whoopie Pies
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Yield: about 24 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
7½ oz. marshmallow fluff
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Combine the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl; whisk together to blend.  Set aside.  Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.  Blend in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until incorporated.  Mix in the dry ingredients, blending just until combined.

Using a 1-oz dough scoop, drop the batter onto the prepared baking pans, 12 cookies per pan.  Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Allow to cool on the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining batter.

To make the filling, place the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Blend in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.  Beat in the marshmallow fluff and vanilla until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, match them up in pairs by size.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain with the marshmallow filling.  Pipe a dollop of marshmallow filling onto the flat side of one cookie of each pair, and sandwich the cookies together, pushing the filling to the edges.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: cookies and filling from Martha Stewart

You know how I mentioned I’ve been on a sandwich kick lately?  And also how I love Caesar salad and eat it all the time?  Yeah, I loved this meal.  I’ve had chicken Caesar wraps and sandwiches at various restaurants (and several hospital cafeterias – blech).  None of them were ever worth ordering again, but this version will be making many reappearances in our house.  Ciabatta bread is always my favorite for sandwiches and it is brilliant here.  The original recipe calls for proscuitto but with the anchovy paste in the dressing, the proscuitto pushed the saltiness over the edge for me.  Next time I’ll just use regular or turkey bacon instead.  Also, Ina suggests arugula as the greens on the sandwich.  It seems that arugula and my tummy just do not agree, and every time I eat it I feel queasy almost immediately.  Needless to say, I won’t use that again.  Romaine lettuce makes more sense to me in this context – it is a Caesar sandwich after all.  Whatever personal adaptations you use to help this suit your tastes, give it a try.  If you like chicken Caesar salad, I think you’ll love this.

Chicken Caesar Club Sandwiches
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Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (whole or boneless, skinless)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1-1½ tsp. anchovy paste
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1½ tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup mayonnaise
1 long loaf ciabatta bread, or 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls
Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried (or baby spinach or arugula)
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Sliced bacon, cooked until partly crisp

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Lightly rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.  Let rest 10 minutes, then slice thickly.  Set aside.

To make the Caesar dressing, combine the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides as needed.  Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice and mayonnaise.  Process until smooth and well blended.  Adjust seasonings to taste if necessary.  Refrigerate the dressing if not using right away.

Slice the bread in half horizontally.   Toast if desired.  Spread both cut sides of the bread lightly with the Caesar dressing.  Layer the bottom half of the bread with the romaine leaves, then top with shaved Parmesan, cooked bacon slices, and sliced chicken.  Top with additional romaine if desired.  Place the top half of the bread on top, enclosing the sandwich fillings.  If using a loaf of ciabatta, slice the assembled sandwich into individual servings.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

It seems I’ve been making scones like they are going out of style, but I assure you they are not.  They’re just so delicious and convenient when you bake straight from the freezer and have a warm, fresh scone for breakfast.  Strawberries can be a finicky fruit in baking because with their high water content, they can produce very soggy baked goods.  These scones are one way to get around that problem.  When you flash freeze them and then bake from the freezer, you know you’ll be eating a light and fluffy scone with juicy berries that don’t have time to get soggy because they go from freezer to oven to belly.  Of course you are welcome to bake them immediately after the dough is made and shaped, but if they aren’t eaten within a couple of hours, they will get soggy.

Strawberry Scones
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Ingredients:
1 large egg
¼ cup plain or vanilla yogurt
½ cup milk
1 tsp. orange or lemon zest
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 heaping cup diced fresh strawberries

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk and citrus zest until blended; set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Pulse briefly to blend.  Add the butter pieces to the bowl with the dry ingredients and pulse several times to cut the butter into the flour, until the largest butter pieces are the size of small peas.  (If you don’t have a food processor, you can just as easily mix up the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives or forks.)  Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Add the strawberries to the flour mixture and toss to coat.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a fork or spatula until a sticky dough has formed.  Knead just a few times to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is cohesive.  (Only if absolutely necessary, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to hydrate the remaining dry ingredients.)

Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and pat into a disc about 7-8 inches in diameter.  Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.  Slice the disc into 8 wedges.

To bake the scones, preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.  Place the shaped scones on the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes before serving.

To freeze, transfer the baking sheet with the shaped scones to the freezer and let them chill until they are firm, 30-60 minutes.  Wrap the scones individually and store in a freezer-safe bag until ready to bake.  Bake as originally indicated, adding a few minutes to the baking time (usually about 18-20 minutes for me.)

Source: adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Good Things Catered

I receive what seems like more than my fair share of emails with products for review, but most of them go ignored.  This is first and foremost a food blog and I’m not a sell-out hawking different items every week.  I do occasionally accept these offers though, when the product is something I’m genuinely interested in and I think would be of interest to my readers.  When someone from Chocomize contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing their chocolate bars, I went straight to their website to see what it was all about.  Immediately I knew, this would be one of my exceptions.

So what is Chocomize?  It’s a website that lets you customize your own chocolate bar.  You start by choosing dark, milk or white chocolate as the base.  Then you can choose from a huge variety of mix-ins to personalize your candy bar.  They range from ordinary things like nuts and candy to more adventurous choices (wasabi peas, beef jerky, mini chipotles, etc.).  I think these bars could be great in so many contexts – birthday gifts, party favors, etc.  They also have a list of popular flavor combinations in case you’re not in the mood to create.

I was totally overwhelmed when choosing my chocolate bars because there are just so many choices!  Eventually I decided on these two.  One is a milk chocolate bar with dried strawberries, blueberries and raspberries because I absolutely love dried fruit.  The other is a dark chocolate bar with M&Ms, Nerds, Oreos, Sour Patch Kids and strawberry Gushers (remember Gushers?!)  I totally let my inner child come out while designing this bar and tried to combine all my favorite childhood treats in one candy bar.  I loved both of my creations, and had so much fun designing them.

So, do you want to try Chocomize for yourself?  Great, because we have a giveaway!  One reader will receive a $25 gift card to Chocomize.  Not only that, but even if you don’t win, all readers can receive 10% off their orders by using the coupon code annieseats.  I know I’ll be going back to try some more combinations for myself.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me what kind of chocolate bar you would like to design.

The Rules: One entry per person, U.S. residents only.  Commenting will close on Friday, May 28 at 10:00 am, EST.  Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered.  One winner will be chosen at random and announced next week.  Good luck!

Clearly, I have a thing for mac and cheese.  Really though, who doesn’t?  I’ve been having so much delicious fun trying all sorts of flavor variations and they have all been great, but Ben and I both agreed this one is the best we’ve tried yet and that’s saying a lot.  (I’m starting to wonder if this is a “love the one you’re with” mentality – it’s tough not to think that way while you’re eating mac and cheese.)  But really, this was outstanding.  It actually really surprised me because this recipe is far simpler than most mac and cheese recipes I have tried.  With very few ingredients and no roux or bechamel sauce required, this is most definitely the most low maintenance mac and cheese I’ve made.  Normally I like to use multiple cheeses and I wondered if this would be too one-dimensional, but not at all.  The Fontina was perfect and the sauce was so creamy.  I’m drooling just thinking about it now.  Must.make.more.

Other mac and cheese variations I’ve tried recently:
Shrimp and Feta Mac and Cheese
Mushroom Herb Mac and Cheese
Spicy Mac and Cheese

Fontina Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients:
1 lb. small or medium pasta shells
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded
Salt
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions just until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente.

Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large mixing bowl.  Warm the cream in a small saucepan or the microwave.  Cover to keep warm.

Once the pasta is cooked, add to the bowl with the butter and toss to coat well.  Stir in the warm cream and the Fontina until the cheese starts to melt.  Mix in salt to taste, and add the nutmeg.

Pour the mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish.  In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.  Mix in the panko breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan.  Toss with a fork to coat evenly with the butter.  Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Ezra Pound Cake, originally from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop

Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts.  It is so delicious and indulgent, it’s pretty irresistible.  The problem for me is that I find a regular cheesecake far too large to have around the house because I, in fact, cannot resist it.  These cheesecake bars are the perfect solution because you can still have all the deliciousness of cheesecake, but in a much more manageable serving.  Also, they are easier to unload on friends and family since they are so portable :)  I made these in a 8 x 8″ pan but the recipe can be easily doubled in a 9 x 13″ dish.

Oreo Cheesecake Bars
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Ingredients:
For the crust:
23 Oreo cookies
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. sour cream, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
12 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with foil.  To make the crust, place the Oreos in the bowl of a food processor.  Process, pulsing, until the cookies are finely ground.  Add in the melted butter and pulse until the cookie crumbs are moistened.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan.  Press the crumbs into an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside and prepare the filling while maintaining the oven temperature.

To make the filling, add the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the sugar until well combined.  Blend in the sour cream, vanilla and salt.  Beat in the egg and egg yolk on medium-high speed until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Stir in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula.

Pour the cheesecake batter over the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.  Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cheesecake is set around the edges but slightly wobbly in the center.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool about 1 hour to room temperature.  Cover the pan and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

To cut the bars, pull the cake from the pan by lifting the foil up out of the pan.  Place on a cutting board, peel away the foil, and slice into bars.  Clean the knife blade between each slice to keep the edges neat.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Source: adapted from Recipe Girl, originally from You Made That Dessert? by Beth Lipton

I’ve been on a serious sandwich kick lately.  It seems as soon as the weather warmed up, I’ve just been all about them.  In fact, when planning my menu recently I almost decided to do a week’s worth of sandwiches just because I have so many I love and so many I would like to try.  I nixed that idea for the sake of diversity, but rest assured you’ll be seeing a lot of great sandwich ideas in the near future.  Now, let’s talk about how fabulous this sandwich is.  I’ve made spicy pork po’ boys before, which are a favorite and frequent repeater in our house.  This is the first time I’ve tried the shrimp version and oh, we devoured them.

The shrimp are spicy thanks to the Cajun seasoning and the spicy remoulade sauce is so good, I kind of want to slather it on everything.  I did think the mustard to mayo ratio was a little to strong for my preferences, so I added a few extra spoonfuls of mayo to balance it out.  I enjoyed these so thoroughly that I ate a leftover sandwich for lunch the following day at work, even though our department had provided free pizza for all employees.  (It probably also had something to do with the fact that the pizza was Donato’s – gag me.)  But really, I’d take this over free pizza just about any day.

Spicy Shrimp Po’ Boys
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Yield: 4 sandwiches
Ingredients:
For the remoulade sauce:
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise
2 tbsp. stone ground mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tbsp. pickle juice
½ tsp. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. hot paprika
Dash of hot sauce

For the sandwiches:
1 lb. medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning blend
1 baguette (or 4 sandwich rolls)
Shredded lettuce
Sliced tomato

Directions:
To make the remoulade sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  (If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can just mix it in a small bowl with a spoon.)  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Chill until ready to use.

To prepare the sandwiches, combine the shrimp with the olive oil and cajun seasoning in a medium bowl.  Toss well to coat the shrimp.  Heat a grill pan to medium-high and grill the shrimp just until opaque, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Slice the baguette into 4 servings, and cut horizontally to open the bread.  Spread some of the remoulade sauce onto both pieces of the bread.   Layer the bottom slice of bread with shrimp, then top with lettuce and tomato as desired.  Top with the remaining piece of bread and serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Yep, it’s another recipe with oatmeal :)  It took me no time at all to know I was going to make these cookie bars after seeing them made recently by the members of Tuesdays With Dorie.  Dorie’s cookbook is one of my favorites because her recipes never disappoint.  Another thing I love about her is all the wonderful ways she uses honey roasted peanuts.  They are one of our favorite ingredients in desserts, and Dorie does them proud.  They were phenomenal in the chocolate peanut butter torte and brilliant in the caramel peanut-topped brownie cake.  And now, here they are again in a wonderful oatmeal bar cookie.

The name is fitting because these definitely reminded me of a candy bar.  Because the chunks of the top cookie layer are spread out, I felt like some bites were more chocolate-oatmeal cookie, and some tasted just like Snickers.  I cut them into 24 bars this time around, but because they are so thick I will cut them smaller next time.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars
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Ingredients:
For the oatmeal layer:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the chocolate layer:
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup salted honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.   Grease the sides of the pan with butter.

To make the oatmeal cookie layer, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Whisk to blend.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until it is soft and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Mix in the oats and peanuts with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.

Reserve 1½ cups of the mixture.  Place the remaining dough in the prepared pan and press over the bottom of the pan in an even layer.

To make the chocolate layer, combine the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir occasionally until the mixture is warm and the chocolate chips and butter are melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and peanuts.

Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oatmeal cookie layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula.  Crumble the remaining oatmeal cookie mixture and scatter evenly over the top of the chocolate.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.  Cut into bars as desired and serve.

Source: adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Lots of people rave about lettuce wraps.  I know they are a favorite appetizer at a popular chain restaurant, but surprisingly I had never tried them till now.  I have been wanting to try them for quite a while but there are hundreds of versions out there and they are all so different!  Some seem not in the least authentic, some call for only ingredients I have no hope of finding here in my town – I was hoping for something in between.  Finally I turned to Jaden at Steamy Kitchen because I knew she would have a great recipe that didn’t require tons of hard to find items.

These were a really nice light and healthy dinner.  I loved the contrast of the warm filling with the cool, crisp lettuce.  I also really liked the play between the spicy-sweet flavors.  They weren’t super spicy, but just enough to give the mild, slow burn I love.  Part of the sweetness comes from the diced apple – it may seem like a weird addition but don’t skip it.  Ben and I both agreed that it made the dish.  Butter lettuce is recommended for lettuce wraps but I had no luck finding it in the grocery.  Maybe next time at the farmers’ market!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
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Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1½ tsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

For the filling:
2 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 green onions, chopped
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
2 cups mixed vegetables (I used frozen peas and carrots, diced red pepper and onion)
½ green apple, finely chopped

To assemble:
Butter lettuce leaves, washed and separated
Shredded carrots for topping (optional)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and mix to blend.

To make the filling, heat a skillet on high heat with cooking oil.  Once the pan is hot, add the garlic, ginger and green onions to the pan, and stir fry for a few seconds, just until fragrant.  Add the ground turkey or chicken, breaking into small pieces, and cook until almost cooked through.  Add the vegetables to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Mix in the sauce and cook for about 1 minute until thickened slightly.  Add the apples to the pan and toss to coat.  Immediately remove the pan from the heat.

Serve the filling in lettuce “cups” and top with shredded carrots, if desired.

Source: slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen

Remember when I mentioned operation: use up the excessive amount of oatmeal I have bought?  Yeah, I’m still working on that.  But you know what – now I’ve created the opposite problem!  I’ve found so many great oatmeal recipes that I’m going to end up buying more after it’s all gone so I can try them all.  That’s okay with me!  These muffins taste just as the name would imply, like peanut butter and banana.  The two flavors are well balanced, and the oatmeal provides texture and a bit of chewiness, which I loved.  These are delicious even with no topping at all but I found I preferred them as seen here, with a small spread of peanut butter and a banana slice on top.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins
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Yield: about 18 muffins
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. applesauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
6 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with a fork to blend.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until smooth.  Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated and fully blended.  Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: adapted from Baking Bites

Making treats for others is one of my very favorite things to do.  (That’s probably pretty obvious from reading my blog.)  It’s mutually beneficial – the recipients get to eat something delicious and I get to play around in the kitchen trying new things.  My friend Sarah celebrated a birthday recently and when I asked her what she would like, it didn’t take long for her to decide on cake batter ice cream.  This is an extremely popular flavor at several chain ice cream joints, but I never thought the commercial version lived up to all the hype.  Disappointing, because cake batter is pretty darn delicious and the idea of cake batter ice cream is genius.  I was excited because a homemade version had the potential to be much better than the original.  No surprise – it was!  I definitely enjoyed the homemade variety far more than the original – so much in fact that I found myself offering Ben various other cookies and things for dessert so I could keep the rest of this batch to myself.  It also seemed to meet the birthday girl’s approval.

I normally avoid using boxed cake mixes but pretty much every recipe I found for cake batter ice cream called for a box mix, so I just gave in.  Plus, boxed yellow cake batter is probably what most people are used to eating so the flavor is what one would expect.  And in case someone is planning to ask me what to do with the left over yellow cake mix, I have no real suggestions other than make more of this ice cream!

Cake Batter Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, divided
½ cup yellow cake mix
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups whole milk

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the heavy cream with the yellow cake mix, sugar, and salt.  Heat over medium heat until warmed through.  Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.  Combine the remaining cream, vanilla, and whole milk in a large mixing bowl with a fine mesh sieve set over the top.

When the mixture in the saucepan is warm, slowly pour a small amount into the bowl with the egg yolks to temper them, whisking constantly.  Continue pouring the cream mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously until completely combined.  Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat.  Continue heating, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and reads 170-175˚F on an instant-read thermometer.

Immediately pour the custard mixture through the mesh sieve into the bowl with the remaining cream and milk and mix to blend.  Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.  Once the mixture is chilled through, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Source: adapted from The Kitchy Kitchen

Fresh homemade bread is a wonderful accompaniment to just about any meal.  It tastes amazing, and guests always seem really impressed by it (even though it’s darn easy to make!)  Usually I like to serve more of a plain bread or roll with crack compound herb butter, but this time I decided to try a recipe with the herbs mixed right into the dough.  This recipe was really interesting to me because the method was slightly non-conventional.  You mix up the yeast dough as you normally would, but you don’t knead it.  You don’t transfer it to an oiled bowl to rise – just leave it in the mixing bowl.  Then scoop it into muffin tins, let rise a little longer and bake.  Pretty low maintenance as dinner rolls go.  I also loved the added detail of the fresh herb pressed into the top of each roll.  It provided a nice elegant touch, and made for some lovely rolls.

Herbed Dinner Rolls
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Yield: about 18 rolls
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 tsp. salt
4½ tsp. instant (rapid rise) yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup warm milk (105-110˚ F)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
4 cups bread flour
½ cup mixed chopped fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, chives, thyme, sage, basil, dill, etc.)
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp. milk
Whole fresh herb leaves (for topping)

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and salt on medium-high speed until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the yeast, sugar, milk, melted butter and flour.  Stir until a dough forms.  Beat in the chopped fresh herbs until incorporated.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Generously butter 18 muffin cups.  Punch the dough down.  Scoop the batter, dividing it evenly between the prepared muffin cups.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise about 45 minutes more, until slightly puffed.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Uncover the rolls and brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg mixture.  Gently press a fresh herb leaf into the top of each roll so that it adheres completely.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes.  Let cool in the pan a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. (Note: I had to run a small paring knife around the edge of each roll to get them to release from the pan.) Let cool before serving.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

I’ve really been on a roll with the booze-flavored cupcakes, huh?  Guinness & Bailey’s cupcakes, chocolate whiskey cupcakes, margarita cupcakes – what can I say, they are everyone’s favorites!  My list of cupcake flavors to try had gotten a bit out of control, with recipes in cookbooks, magazines, on tons of food blogs, and in my own imagination.  I finally took the time to consolidate them all and come up with a cupcake menu for the coworkers to use when making their birthday selections.  These chocolate Kahlua cupcakes were the first flavor chosen from the list.

I opted to use a one-bowl chocolate cupcake recipe for the cupcake base with some espresso powder mixed in to punch up the coffee flavor.  Brushing the cupcakes with Kahlua after baking helps keep them moist and infuses the flavor of the liqueur.  For the frosting I whipped up this Kahlua buttercream, basically a classic boozey buttercream with a bit of whipping cream mixed in to help lighten the texture.  I loved these, as did the coworkers because really, you just can’t go wrong with the combo of coffee, chocolate and alcohol.  Any coffee-flavored liqueur can be substituted for the Kahlua, but that just happens to be what we have on hand.  And because I know someone will ask, the tip I used to frost the cupcakes is a small (unlabeled) star tip.

Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes
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Yield: approx. 20-24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup warm water
¾ cup buttermilk
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For brushing the cupcakes:
Kahlua liqueur

For the frosting:
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
7-8 tbsp. Kahlua liqueur
2 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.   Line standard cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a large mixing bowl combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk well to blend.  Add the eggs, warm water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake until the tops spring back when pressed lightly, about 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.  Poke a few holes in the top of each cupcake with the tines of a fork and brush with Kahlua while still warm.  Allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated.  Add in the Kahlua and beat on medium speed until well blended.  Add in the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes, frosting from Annie’s Eats

This recipe may look familiar, because I posted it before in the very early months of my blog.  I decided to give it a little revamp because it’s still a favorite meal in our house.  Also, I recently discovered that the combination of these kabobs plus tzatziki sauce is aaah-mazing.  The chicken is quite delicious on its own, but I think tzatziki sauce makes almost everything better.  So in case you have a fantastic meal of chicken gyros and you have leftover tzatziki sauce, don’t let it go to waste.  This quick, simple marinade makes for moist and flavorful chicken and a meal that comes together in no time.

Sometimes I grill veggie kabobs to go alongside the chicken, but this time around I opted for cherry tomato salad.  If you do decide to make veggie kabobs, it is easiest to put the veggies on separate skewers from the chicken pieces so that each can cook separately and the correct grilling time doesn’t have to be a balancing act.  Now that grilling season is getting into gear, this is a staple you’ll be glad to have in your repertoire.

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs
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Ingredients:
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch pieces

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.  Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix to coat with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Prepare a medium fire in a grill.  If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before use.

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and discard the excess marinade.  Lightly oil the grill grates.  Place the kabobs on the grill, cover, and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking.  Transfer to a warmed platter and serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Williams Sonoma

I always love it when I expect a recipe to be great, but it still manages to exceed my already high expectations.  This dish was sure to be a winner.  Ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes with crisp cucumbers and crumbled feta cheese – all things I love, and commonly known as ingredients that “go” together.  I mainly made this just as an alternative side dish to the usual green salad that we have so often.  I actually loved it so much, it outshone the main dish that I served it with.  It was equally delicious as leftovers the next day.  The original recipe calls for kalamata olives, but I omitted them.  I like olives in some contexts, but in this case I was happy to let the fresh produce shine through and not be overpowered by the strong, briny flavor of olives.  Simple, healthy and bursting with flavor, this salad is welcome at my table any day and will surely be making many reappearances on our menu.

Cherry Tomato Salad
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Ingredients:
2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 4 cups)*
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 medium shallot, minced
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into ½-inch chunks
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1-2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

*Halved grape tomatoes would also work

Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, salt and sugar in a medium bowl; toss to combine.  Let stand for 30 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a salad spinner and spin until the seeds and excess liquid have been removed, about 1 minute.  Stir to redistribute the tomatoes during spinning as needed.  Return the tomatoes to the bowl and set aside. (If you don’t have a salad spinner, put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and gently shake the bowl to remove the excess seeds and liquid.) Strain the tomato liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.

Combine ½ cup of the tomato liquid with the garlic, oregano, shallot and vinegar in a small saucepan set over medium heat.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced, about 6-8 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.  Whisk in the oil, and season with pepper to taste.

Add the cucumber, feta, dressing and parsley to the bowl with the tomatoes.  Toss gently and serve.

Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated

I think the first time I saw this recipe in Cook’s Illustrated, my jaw dropped – literally.  I had seen several pictures of similar desserts around the interwebs and it sounded amazing, but none of the recipes seemed totally reliable to me.  Well, reliability has never been an issue when it comes to Cook’s Illustrated so I knew right away that I had found “the one”.  I also knew that this is exactly the sort of thing can render my will power useless, so I would have to have an occasion to serve it with lots of people around to enjoy it with me.  Our “yay for one mortgage” party seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally try it.  It was everything I was hoping it would be.

The bottom layer is a sort of flourless chocolate cake, the middle layer is a silky chocolate mousse and the top layer is a light yet rich white chocolate mousse.  Yum, yum, and yum!  My only (very tiny) complaint about this dessert was that after baking and cooling, the bottom layer retracted away from the sides of the pan so much that when the second layer of mousse was spread over the top, it filled in the gaps.  From the outside before cutting, it appeared to be only a double layer cake.  I know this is a trivial issue, but it really bothered me.  Of course, once I took a bite I couldn’t have cared less about that.  Once it is sliced, all three perfect layers show beautifully and topping with chocolate curls completes the look.

In case you have the same penchant as I do for anything triple chocolate, here are a few more favorites:
Chewy, Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies
Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
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Ingredients:
For the bottom layer:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (plus extra for greasing the pan)
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¾ tsp. instant espresso powder
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

For the middle layer:
2 tbsp. cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
5 tbsp. hot water
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the top layer:
¾ tsp. powdered gelatin
1 tbsp. water
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream

For garnish:
Chocolate curls or cocoa powder

Directions:
To make the bottom layer, butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  (I lined the bottom of the pan with a parchment round for easy removal later.)  Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325˚ F.  Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds.  Crumble half of the brown sugar into the mixing bowl with your fingers to remove any lumps.  Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.  Add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining egg whites gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges and the center has just set but is still soft (should spring back after pressing gently with a finger), about 14-18 minutes.  Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.  Do not remove the cake from the pan.  (If not making the second layer right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.)

To make the second layer, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.  Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 2-5 minutes.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds.  Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds.  Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture until smooth.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Pour the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and tap gently on the counter 3 times to remove air bubbles.  Gently smooth the top with a spatula.  Wipe the inside edge of the pan to remove any drips.  Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.

To make the top layer, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes to soften.  Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl.  Bring ½ cup of the cream to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.  Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and let stand about 1 minute.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth.  Cool to room temperature, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken.  Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer.  Smooth the top with an offset spatula.  Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.  (Note: Do NOT cover your pan with plastic wrap unless you are completely sure you can do so without it touching the top of your cake during placement or removal.  If it does touch the cake, it will smudge the perfectly pristine top, forcing you to make an excessive amount of chocolate curls.  I speak from experience.)

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, November/December 2009

I have a major thing for lobster.  I would say my feelings for lobster are on par with my feelings for chocolate.  Whenever we’re at a nice restaurant that is fit to serve great lobster and it is mentioned while the specials are being read, my brain shuts down.  My choice is made – lobster it is.  This year for Valentine’s Day I learned how easy it is to make lobster at home (easy!) so I was ready to do more with it.  This dish combines lobster, shrimp and cod pieces in a rich, flavorful cream sauce baked with a seasoned bread crumb topping.

Certainly more expensive and decadent than our average meal, I have had this earmarked in my mind for the occasion of selling our house.  I’ve been waiting for months to try this dish but it did not disappoint.  It received rave reviews from everyone who tried it and I think it really is the perfect entrée for special occasions.   This was ideal for entertaining because I did all of the prep and assembly (minus the breadcrumb topping) early the day of our party and just refrigerated them until I was ready to bake them.  It was very convenient.  A reader mentioned this would be a nice dish for Mother’s Day and I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.  Think Andrew can learn his way around the kitchen in time?

Seafood Gratin
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Yield: about 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup clam juice
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup plus 3 tbsp. white wine, such as Chablis, divided
3 tbsp. tomato puree
1 lb. raw shrimp (26-30 per lb.), peeled and deveined
8-10 oz. raw cod, cut into 1-inch chunks
10-16 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and green parts
1 cup peeled, shredded carrots
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Combine the clam juice, cream, white wine and tomato puree in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and add the shrimp.  Let cook 1-2 minutes, the flip over and cook the other side until pink and opaque.  Remove to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon.  Add the pieces of cod to the stock mixture until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove to the same plate with the shrimp using a slotted spoon.   (Once the shrimp have cooled enough to handle, cut in half if desired and return to the bowl.)  Add the cooked lobster to the bowl.

Continue to cook the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes.  Combine 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small bowl with the flour and mash together with a fork.  Whisk the butter-flour mixture with the salt and pepper into the sauce and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

In a medium sauté pan melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.  Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes more.

Add the cream sauce and cooked vegetables to the bowl with the seafood and toss to blend well.  Divide the mixture between individual gratin dishes.  If not baking right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

When you are ready to bake the gratins, preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Place the filled gratin dishes on a baking sheet.  Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl.  Add the Panko, parmesan, parsley and garlic to the bowl and toss with a fork to combine.  Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the prepared gratins.  Bake 20 minutes, until the top is browned and bubbling.  Serve hot.

Source: adapted from Smells Like Home, originally from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

It took me a long time to genuinely like salad.  This is in large part due to the fact that growing up, “salad” in our house consisted of iceberg lettuce (yuck) topped with sliced carrots (double yuck).  That’s it.  No wonder I never wanted anything to do with it.  Thanks to the brilliance that is Caesar salad, I eventually came around to the concept in general, but even still my taste for salad is typically more traditional.  Usually green lettuce topped with various other vegetables, maybe croutons and even cheese if I get really crazy.  The idea of fruit on a green salad  is one that did not sound appetizing at first, but after having a strawberry-balsamic type salad at a friend’s house several times, I realized that it can actually be a pretty tasty combination.

Last summer I saw this salad on the menu at Panera, but never got around to trying it.  When I was planning the menu for our recent 24, 24, 24 party, I was trying to think of a salad that was a little more exciting than the usual tossed green salad, and this immediately came to mind.  The poppy seed vinaigrette was quick to mix up with ingredients I already had on hand, and I really enjoyed the flavor.  It’s slightly creamy but has a nice citrusy bite from the orange juice and apple cider vinegar.  And it turns out that fruit topping a green salad can actually be pretty delicious.  Such a mix of gorgeous colorful fruit is pretty hard to resist.  (By the way, thanks to my friend Shanon for the beautiful plating job!)

Summer Strawberry Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
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Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup sugar
2 tbsp. minced shallot
¼ tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. light mayonnaise
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1½ tsp. poppy seeds

For the salad:
Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
Strawberries, hulled and sliced
Blueberries
Mandarin orange segments
Fresh pineapple, cubed

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the vinegar, sugar, shallot, dry mustard, salt, mayonnaise and orange juice.  Process to blend well.  With the feed tube open and the processor on, add the vegetable oil in a steady stream and continue processing until incorporated.  Add the poppy seeds and pulse briefly just until blended.  Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the salad, chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces.  Plate individual servings of the lettuce in salad plates.  Top each serving with strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pineapple cubes as desired.  Drizzle lightly with the poppy seed dressing and serve immediately.

Source: salad inspired by Panera, dressing from Jamie Cooks It Up

I first shared a margarita cupcake recipe back in the early months of this blog.  They were cute and tasty, but they were basically just a doctored up cake mix.  I’ve since come to avoid box mixes now that I realize just how easy and better tasting it is to make cakes and such from scratch.  So, I had been planning to come up with an updated margarita cupcake, not involving a box mix, but before I ever got around to it Shawnda did it for me.  A basic lime cupcake topped with tequila-lime Swiss meringue buttercream – fantastic idea!

Overall I really liked these and was happy with the way they turned out.  However, I didn’t feel like the tequila flavor came through, which seems the important distinction between margarita cupcakes and regular lime cupcakes.  I even brushed my cupcakes with a tequila simple syrup to help play up that flavor, but I don’t think it made a big difference.  I have a simple fix though – next time, I will brush the cakes with straight tequila.  I have a feeling that will have the effect I am hoping for.  And if you are one who enjoys salt on the rim of your margarita glass, you might consider a sprinkle of coarse salt over the top of the cupcake to incorporate that flavor.  These certainly are a fun and festive ending to any Mexican-inspired meal.

Note: The most frequently asked question on this blog is what tip I used to frost my cupcakes.  This particular tip is not labeled in any way, but is essentially just a large star tip.

Margarita Cupcakes
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Yield: about 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 limes, zested and juiced
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites
Pinch fleur de sel (coarse salt)
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4 tbsp. tequila

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a fork to blend.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  If desired, brush the cooled cakes with tequila to emphasize the true margarita flavor.

To make the frosting, combine the sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don’t worry, it will come together, though it may take a long time!)  Stir in the lime juice and tequila and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.

Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream.  Garnish with lime zest and lime slices as desired.

Source: adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, who adapted it from Martha Stewart

It’s a bit strange that I’ve never posted a chicken fajita recipe before considering just how much I love them.  They are almost always my choice when dining at a Mexican restaurant.  We also make them at home quite frequently, but the kind we used to make was sort of a cheater version that wasn’t even remotely authentic or very similar to the restaurant variety.  The moment I saw this recipe, I knew it was going to blow our old method away.

The chicken is marinated briefly with a mixture including lime juice and Worcestershire sauce, and then cooked on the grill with the onions and peppers.  The combination of marinating and grilling made the chicken amazingly delicious.  In fact, I think Ben’s exact words were, “This chicken is a miracle,” but that might have been the margaritas talking ;).  Even the tortillas themselves are warmed on the grill, giving them nice grill marks and a little extra flavor.  The whole meal was also excellent as leftovers.  I’m already thinking about pulling out the grill in winter to make these because I don’t think I can go for months at a time without them.  In case you’re looking for a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, look no further!  I can’t wait to have them again.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas
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Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1½ tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. pepper
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (6 halves total), about 1½ lbs.
1 large red onion (about 14 oz.), sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers (about 10 oz. each), stemmed, quartered and seeded
8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade; set aside.  Place the chicken breast halves in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Brush both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, using a large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts of charcoal briquettes and burn until the coals are fully ignited, about 20 minutes.  Empty the coals into the grill, spreading them in a single layer.  Place an additional 20 unlit coals over the lit coals on one side of the grill to create a tw0-level fire.  Place the grill grate over the coals and allow to heat for 5 minutes.  Scrape the grate clean with a grill brush.  (For a gas grill, light all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.  Leave one burner on high and turn the rest down to medium.)

Remove the chicken breast halves from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade.  Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill.  Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes.  Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.)  Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed.  When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side.  Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side.  When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil.

Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl.  Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions.  Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine.  Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl.  Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.

Source: adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated