Just in case you are in need of a quick last minute treat to make to celebrate Halloween, here you go.  Chocolate frosted cupcake tops, otherwise known as frosted cake-like cookies, decorated with Halloween sprinkles.  If you’re anything like me, you probably have one of those monster containers of Halloween sprinkles at home…okay, actually two now.  Yep, I happened to notice that this year the sprinkle container had a couple of new varieties and I just couldn’t resist.  Anyway, back to these lovely cookies.  They are meant to mimic the top part of a cupcake (the best part, duh) and come pretty darn close.  They are quick and easy to make, made festive in a snap when topped with some pretty sprinkles, and definitely satisfy a chocolate craving.

Shanon and I decided to bake these together as our virtual baking project for this month.  It turned out we both had this recipe bookmarked for quite some time.  We were doubly excited about this selection because these cookies come from Paula’s blog.  We had the privilege of meeting Paula when we attended Food and Light in Boulder, CO last year.  She is incredibly sweet and I feel so lucky to have met her.  Our family enjoyed these cookies as a wonderful Halloween treat while we carved pumpkins this weekend.  Whether you make them today or some other day, definitely do make them.  Break the monotony of sneaking pieces of Halloween candy and make use of your sprinkle surplus.  And, have a very happy Halloween!

Frosted Chocolate Cupcake Tops
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Yield: about 30 cookies
Ingredients:
For the cupcake tops:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. espresso powder
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt)

For the frosting:
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. sour cream (reduced fat is fine)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.  Whisk to blend, and set aside.  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water (or in short intervals in the microwave) until smooth.  Set aside and let cool until just barely warm to the touch.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the egg.  Blend in the vanilla.  Beat in the melted chocolate until smooth.  With the mixer on low speed, add in half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.  Add in the buttermilk and mix just until smooth.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients.

Drop the dough in spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1½ tablespoons per cookie, spacing each about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, just until set.  Let cool on the baking sheet about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.  Melt over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring until smooth.  Stir in the sour cream.  Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is smooth and glossy.  If necessary adjust the consistency with additional confectioners’ sugar to thicken or sour cream to thin it out.  Frost cookies as desired and decorate with sprinkles (optional).

Source: barely adapted from Salad in a Jar

This is Halloween,
This is Halloween,
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night… 

This song and the movie it comes from are a Halloween tradition for many people, including myself.  I haven’t always appreciated the greatness of The Nightmare Before Christmas.  The first time I ever saw it was in eighth grade English class.  Back then I was a newly branded teenager and way too cool to watch some silly cartoon movie.  As soon as the lights were out and the movie started, I fell asleep on the floor and that was that.  I didn’t think much about the movie again until med school, when a group of my friends and I began the tradition of what would become our annual pumpkin carving party.  We watched the movie, carved pumpkins, ate snacks and had a blast.  Ever since then I knew what Ben had been trying to tell me for years – this movie is awesome.  (We also watched Labryinth, another classic if you ask me :))

So in honor of this Halloween favorite, I thought some cookies would be in order.  I had a lot of fun sketching out the designs for the different characters.  I used this chocolate sugar cookie base and decorated with royal icing (see this tutorial to get started).  The iconic hill with Jack Skellington’s silhouette turned out to be my personal favorite.  Ben likes evil Jack and Andrew was partial to Sally.  If you’re a fan of the movie, consider trying your hand at some Nightmare Before Christmas cookies for Halloween.   Which design is your favorite?  And if these cookies are too involved for your taste, stay tuned for one more super quick Halloween treat on Monday :)

Past Halloween sugar cookies:
2010
2009

My mac and cheese obsession continues to grow every day.  Well okay, not every day, but at least every day that I make it, and some days when I just think about it a whole lot.  This recipe took the obsession to a whole new level.  Why?  Because it has all the amazing flavor of a really superb homemade mac and cheese but it’s made on the stovetop, eliminating the actually short but seemingly agonizing wait while other mac and cheese recipes bake in the oven.  Score.

See that?  It’s creamy, it’s ooey gooey, and it is ready in no time.  You can of course use whatever variety of cheese you prefer or what you might happen to have on hand.  That’s the beauty of a recipe like this – it’s so adaptable.  It took quite a bit of restraint not to sit over the pot and finish it off for dessert, but I was very glad to have the leftovers for lunches.  Some types of mac and cheese don’t reheat all that well but I thought this was actually very good in that regard.  Really I think the only bad thing about this meal is that it is so easy, I kind of want to make it all the time.  And that would be bad…but also so good.  Sigh.

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients:
12 oz. dried pasta (your preferred shape)
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup shallot, finely minced
8 oz. gouda, shredded
2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan
¼ cup milk, half and half, or heavy cream
4 oz. low-fat Greek yogurt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions just until al dente.  Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Immediately return the pasta to the pot.  Add the garlic, shallot, and cheeses and stir briefly to combine.  Mix in the milk, Greek yogurt, and butter and stir until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the mixture is creamy.  If necessary add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from The Curvy Carrot, originally from Macaroni and Cheese by Marlena Spieler

I’m kind of a stubborn person.  (Yeah, Ben’s totally rolling his eyes at the “kind of” right now.)  Once I get an idea in my head, it takes a lot to get me to give up on it.  Sometime over the past couple of months I had the idea for making candy corn macarons, and true to form, I just couldn’t let that idea go.  Even after three failed sets of macaron shells and three separate attempts at the filling, I kept working at these until I finally ended up with something that gave me the end result I was looking for.  A minor pet peeve of mine is seeing all manner of “candy corn” treats around Halloween that aren’t candy corn flavored at all and merely mimic the yellow-orange-white color pattern.  I thought the idea of candy corn macarons was a fun one but getting the flavor into them was more than a little challenging.  In fact what I ended up with are plain mac shells, vanilla buttercream, and candy corn sandwiched in the middle and on top for decoration.  It wasn’t the first idea I had but you know what?  It works.

Oh, and those failed shells I mentioned?  Yeah, just when I thought I was really getting the hang of macarons and maybe they weren’t so bad, my last three or four pans had been downright flops.  I tried changing all sorts of variables – silpat vs. parchment, higher temperatures, different oven racks, etc.  Nothing really helped.  The way I got these to work was actually a complete mistake.  After my third attempt flopped on the first pan, I shut off the oven in frustration while the second pan was still inside.  They had only baked at full temp about 6 minutes, and then stayed inside for about two hours until I went to remove the pan and was shocked by perfectly formed shells.  So in case you are having issues with too much moisture sabotaging your macarons, this is another strategy to try.  I have written the version below assuming all goes as planned for normal macarons should go but just know this is a possibility.  As much as I don’t love kitchen failures, I certainly learned a lot from this series, and ended up with some pretty tasty cookies as a result.

Candy Corn Macarons
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Yield: about 2 dozen sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
For the macaron shells:
110 grams almonds (slivered, blanched, etc.)
200 grams confectioners’ sugar
90 grams egg whites, aged at room temp for 24 hours or in the fridge 3-5 days
25 grams granulated sugar
Yellow powdered food coloring

For the filling:
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. heavy cream
Orange gel icing color
Candy corn, about 48 pieces

For garnish (optional):
Small amount of royal icing
Candy corn

Directions:
To make the macarons, pulse the almonds and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor until finely ground and well blended.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.  Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until a smooth, shiny meringue with stiff peaks forms.  Add the ground almond mixture to the bowl with the meringue and quickly but gently fold together using a wide rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  You want to achieve a thick batter that ribbons or flows from the spatula when lifted.  Transfer half of the batter to a medium bowl and very gently tint with yellow powdered coloring.

Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Transfer the plain white batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain wide round tip.  Pipe into small rounds on the prepared baking sheets (each round should be about 1-1½ inches in diameter), spaced about 1 inch apart.  Repeat the process with the yellow batter.  Let sit at room temperature for about an hour to develop a hard shell.

Preheat the oven to 280˚F.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size.  Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before moving the cookies.

To make the filling, add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Add in the confectioners’ sugar and salt and beat to combine, first on low speed and then increasing to medium-high, until light and fluffy, about 60 seconds.  Mix in the vanilla and heavy cream on low speed until incorporated.  Whip on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Tint with orange icing color.

To assemble, match up a yellow shell with a white shell by size.  Pipe a small dollop of buttercream on the flat side of one cookie of each pair.  Top with two pieces of candy corn and another very small dab of buttercream.  Sandwich together with the remaining cookie, pushing the frosting to the edges.  Use a dab of royal icing to glue an additional piece of candy corn to the top of each cookie.  Store in an airtight container.

Source: macaron shells from Tartlette, buttercream from Cook’s Illustrated

These are not your mama’s lady fingers.  No, not the delicate sponge cookies used to make fancy desserts like charlottes and tiramisu.  These are cookies that look like severed fingers.  Gross, right?  If you’ve never seen cookies like this before and are feeling completely repulsed right now, I’d say that’s about right.  I first saw cookies like these about two or three years ago and was disgusted.  But each year around Halloween I see them again, and I guess I’ve become desensitized or maybe a bit morbidly fascinated by the idea.  In any case, this year was the year that I couldn’t resist finally attempting them.  Plus, it only seems fitting after making eyeball cupcakes and brain cupcakes in the past.

As far as the flavor of these goes, it’s just a basic sugar cookie – nothing spectacular.  This is one of those times where I’m more focused on the effect and less on the taste.  For a fun (creepy?) presentation, I threw some Oreos in a bag and coarsely crushed them up with my rolling pin.  Then I spread the crumbs over the serving platter to look like dirt and positioned the fingers as though they were protruding from it.  In a similar vein, you could serve a finger or two sticking out of the traditional dirt pudding set up instead of the usual gummy worms.  Disgustingly delicious.

Witches’ Finger Cookies
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Yield: about 32 cookies
Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring
32 blanched or roasted whole almonds
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
½ tsp. almond extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Food coloring (optional)

For the egg wash:
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Directions:
Place the food coloring in a small bowl.  Use a clean paintbrush to paint the food coloring onto one half of each almond.  Set aside and let dry.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the egg, egg yolk, almond extract, and salt and mix until incorporated.  Mix in the flour on low speed just until combined.  If desired, tint the dough with food coloring.  Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Working with one half of the dough and keeping the other half chilled, divide into 16 equal pieces (a kitchen scale helps with this).  On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece into a finger shape about 4-4½ inches long.  Pinch each piece of dough in two places to create knuckle shapes.  Use the back of a small paring knife to lightly score the surface of the knuckles.  Transfer the shaped fingers to the prepared baking sheets.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.

When all of the cookies are formed, lightly brush with egg white and place an almond nail at the end of each finger, pressing lightly to attach.  Bake until set, about 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  If the cookies have spread or lost shape at all, reform them gently while they are still warm but cool enough to handle.

Source: slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

As you know, I make a lot of layer cakes.  They are so much fun for me, and I spend plenty of time dreaming up new combinations of cakes, fillings, frostings, and garnish.  Sometimes though, I just want plain ol’ cake.  Cake to eat when the kids are finally in bed for the night.  Cake to enjoy with a big glass of milk.  Cake with no frills, no fuss, just good texture and even better taste.  This cake would never win in a beauty contest against some fancier varieties, but make no mistake about it – this is still very good cake.

If the word “oatmeal” in the title is a bit off-putting, don’t be fooled.  This bears no resemblance to the stuff we eat for breakfast.  It simply gives the cake a nice sturdy texture and a tiny bit of chew.  The broiled icing takes just minutes to mix up and is akin to a quick version of the filling or topping for a German chocolate cake.   As far as time and effort go, this is a very quick and easy dessert.  I was able to mix up the cake batter and have it in the oven in the few minutes it takes my little piglet to inhale her squash puree before she is handed off to me for her nightcap of milk.  She goes to sleep, the icing is browned, and poof!  Cake for dessert.

Oatmeak Snack Cake
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Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 cup quick-cooking oats (not old fashioned or instant oats)
¾ cup water, at room temperature
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the icing:
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tbsp. milk
¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the oats and water.  Stir together, then let sit until absorbed, about 5 minutes.  In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine the butter and sugars and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-4 minutes.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions and mix just until incorporated.  Add in the soaked oats and mix until combined, about 15 seconds.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and tap lightly against the counter to remove any air bubbles.  Smooth with a spatula.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.  Let the cake cool slightly in the pan, at least 10 minutes.

While the cake cools, place an oven rack about 9 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler.  In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter and milk.  Stir in the coconut and pecans.  Spread the mixture evenly over the warm cake.  Return the pan to the oven and broil until the topping is bubbling and golden, about 3-5 minutes.  Let cool in the pan at least 1 hour.  Use the foil to lift the cake from the pan, then discard.  Slice and serve.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2008

As much as I enjoy a well composed salad in a restaurant, it’s not often I take the time to make them at home.  Sure, we eat salad a lot, but it’s usually just a simple tossed salad with mixed veggies over romaine.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s generally something I prefer more as a side than a main dish.  This harvest apple salad has the perfect balance of components that make it completely respectable as a light lunch or great starting salad course.  I still had some stray apples hanging around after making applesauce, so this salad was a nice way to use them up.  A bed of baby spinach is topped with crisp apple slices, buttered almonds (yum), a simple vinaigrette with sweet onion and sesame seeds, and a bit of crumbled feta.  As a bonus, once all the components are made, it’s a very easy healthy meal to pack up and take to work for lunch.  Gotta love that!  To make it into more of a hearty main dish salad, I think this would be spectacular topped with some herbed grilled chicken pieces.  In fact, I think that just made my dinner menu for next week.

Harvest Apple and Spinach Salad
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Ingredients:
For the dressing:
¼ cup finely minced sweet onion
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. white wine or champagne vinegar
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
Pinch of paprika
2 tbsp. sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the almonds:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 tbsp. sugar

For the salad:
10 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
To make the vinaigrette, combine the onion, vinegars, sesame seeds, paprika, and sugar in a small bowl or jar.  Whisk to combine.  Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until well emulsified.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  (If the dressing has separated, whisk or shake to blend again.)

To make the buttered almonds, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally until toasted and lightly browned.  Stir in the sugar and cook just until melted and well incorporated.  Set aside to cool.

Plate portions of the baby spinach leaves.  Top with apple slices, crumbled feta, and the buttered almonds.  Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.

Source: slightly adapted from Bon Appétit via The Curvy Carrot

I know I’ve been going on and on about fall, I love fall, can’t get enough of fall, for weeks.  Well, I’m not done yet.  I’m savoring every moment because this gorgeous weather won’t be around much longer.  Soon the leaves will be on the ground, the air will have an unpleasant bite and we won’t linger outdoors to enjoy the rapidly disappearing sunshine.  Since Andrew was born, visits to our local apple orchard have been a yearly tradition, and they are one of my favorite things about this season.  I’ll confess I look forward to the apple cider slushies almost as much as the apples themselves :)  More than that though, we love the time together, walking (or in Andrew’s case, running wildly) through the rows of trees, picking apples to bring home.  As always, my eyes are overly optimistic as we take the largest bag the orchard offers and fill it to the brim.  Then we get home and I wonder, what on Earth am I going to do with all these apples?

Normally when we go apple picking I have all sorts of fancy things planned for our bounty like turnovers (drool) or danish.  This year though, I had nothing planned.  We went more for the sake of fun and tradition than because we really needed apples.  I also had zero time to do anything remotely involved.  A few days after picking, there was still a massive bag of apples sitting in our house staring at me, despite Andrew repeatedly grabbing one, taking four teeny tiny bites and then demanding a new apple.  Ahh, toddlers.  Anyway, I needed something quick and simple that would also use a lot of apples.  Hello, applesauce.  Such a simple, basic food that we all know and love.  It smells so wonderful while it simmers on the stove, and eating it makes me feel like a kid again.  I was tempted to add in some frozen cranberries, but in the end I opted for simplicity to let the apples really shine.  The cinnamon sticks add just a hint of warmth and spice.  Andrew asked for bowl after bowl of applesauce throughout the week until it was gone.  I’m hoping all these orchard trips and yummy fall food infuse him with tons of great memories so that he might share my love for this beautiful season.

Applesauce
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Ingredients:
6 lbs. apples (Jonagold, Jonathan, Pink Lady recommended)
1½ cups water
6 tbsp. sugar
Pinch of salt
3 cinnamon sticks

Directions: 
Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples into large chunks (about 1½-inch pieces).  Add the apple pieces to a Dutch oven with the water, sugar, salt, and cinnamon sticks.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-heat.  Cover the pot and continue to cook at a simmer until the apples begin to break down, about 25 minutes.  Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, mashing the apples.  Remove the cinnamon sticks.  If desired, transfer to a food processor and puree until a smooth consistency is reached, adding water if necessary to thin it out.  Alternatively, simply mash with the wooden spoon for a coarser texture, adding water as needed.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

In Indy there is a restaurant called The Tamale Place.  While I’ve never actually eaten inside it, I have been lucky enough to enjoy their cooking on several occasions.  We residents take turn bringing in breakfast on Friday mornings, and my friend Adam was the first person to introduce me to this little gem of our city by bringing it one Friday.   His Thursday afternoon email had me feeling a tad skeptical…”Breakfast tacos?  What are those?  Do I really want to eat a taco for breakfast?”  When I tried it the next day, it honestly blew me away.  The concept is fairly simple – a fresh tortilla, melted cheese and scrambled eggs topped with some salsa.  They also have varieties including steak or chorizo mixed in.  As good as all of that sounds on its own, the whole is way greater than the sum of its parts.  At first I thought it may have simply been the uniqueness of it, the sheer joy of something breaking the routine of bagels, muffins, etc.  The change of routine is certainly welcome but in the end, it is the dish itself that deserves the praise.

Despite my extreme excitement each time the tacos are brought into work, I never considered the idea that I could replicate this favorite restaurant dish at home.  When I saw my friend Jenny post this version, I jumped for joy.  I could tell it would be very similar, and it hit the nail on the head.  Unfortunately my grocery store was all out of any type of cheese that was even remotely close to what the recipe called for, so I just bought something vaguely similar.  Good news – most cheeses will work.  Normally my favorite type of taco from The Tamale Place is the kind with chorizo but at home I opted for a meat-free version.  These were so good, I know for sure what I’ll be doing with the chorizo sitting in my freezer right now.  I can’t wait to make these again and if you’ve never had a breakfast taco before, I recommend you change that at your earliest convenience.

And by the way, stay tuned for a post about making your own tortillas.  I can’t wait to share them with you!

Breakfast Tacos
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Ingredients:
½ tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped onion
3-4 large eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper
2 8-inch tortillas
6 tbsp. crumbled Mexican cheese such as cotija
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Salsa, for serving
Sliced avocado, for serving

Directions:
In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.  In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork and stir in a splash of milk.  Add the eggs to the pan with the onion and scramble, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the tortillas for about 20 seconds in the microwave.  Top each tortilla with half of the cheese.  Divide the eggs between the tortillas and layer over the cheese.  Top with the cilantro, salsa, and avocado as desired.  Fold up the tortillas and serve immediately.

Source: inspired by Spoon With Me

One thing I have learned so far from my time blogging is that people love their cupcakes.  Each time I post a cupcake recipe, readers send comments and emails expressing their excitement to try the newest variety, and send happy follow up comments after they do.  Desserts are always popular but there is just something about these little individual cakes with pretty frosting that people go nuts for.  A few months ago, I mentioned in passing on my Facebook page that I was considering a series of posts all about cupcakes and the idea was very well received.  My plan is to cover all of the basics: staple recipes for both cakes, frostings, and fillings, techniques, supplies, and the much requested “how to frost a cupcake”.  Many of the recipes in this series will be things I have posted before in other contexts, but I am hoping that this will make them much easier to find.  You won’t have to sift through a recipe with filling and frosting disguised as something fancy when all you’re looking for is a basic chocolate cupcake.

I thought it only proper to begin this series with one of the cupcakes I make most often and love dearly, chocolate cupcakes.  I have made many different chocolate cupcake recipes and after all my testing I’ve concluded that this is my go-to version.  It is moist, soft but sturdy enough to hold up to filling, deeply chocolatey, and bakes up with a beautiful domed shape.  As with so many baking recipes I love, sour cream is part of what makes these cupcakes wonderful.  However, I have also successfully used low-fat Greek yogurt and part skim ricotta cheese as substitutes and they have turned out just fine.  Dutch-process cocoa is sold in some grocery stores but is not always easy to find.  I think it’s worth buying online and keeping on hand.  I consider it a baking staple and you can do all sorts of delicious things with it.  The quantities in the recipe may seem a bit odd but I have altered the original recipe to yield 24 cupcakes because it is usually the quantity I want in a cupcake recipe.

I hope you are excited about the Cupcake Basics series.  Please let me know if you have suggestions of topics you would like me to cover.

Chocolate Cupcakes
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Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup sour cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water and whisk until smooth.  In another medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to blend.

Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and the butter is completely melted.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cool, about 4-5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture until smooth.  With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.  Let cool in the pan about 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

With as much baking as I do, I go through vanilla extract like nobody’s business.  I don’t give a second thought to buying most of my baking staples but I would always flinch a bit when I picked up an $8 bottle (Really?!  For that much?!) of vanilla extract from the store.  It seemed like I was doing so more and more frequently, and something had to give.  Thankfully making your own vanilla couldn’t be easier and it is far more economical than buying the store bought variety at an alarming rate.  Do you have five minutes?  Then you have time to make vanilla.  And now is the perfect time to make your own.  The holidays are fast approaching and bottles of homemade vanilla extract could make wonderful gifts for the bakers in your life.   How cute would these look tied with a little bit of holiday ribbon and a personalized tag?  Be still, my heart.

All you need are vanilla beans, cheap vodka (save the good stuff for drinking), and bottles or jars.  Really just about any container that closes will do.  Fill your containers with vodka, split vanilla beans, and add three beans per eight ounces of vodka.  Close your containers tightly and place them in a cool, dark location for about two months.  Shake occasionally.  That’s it!  Whenever I finish a bottle, I refresh with a new bean or two and refill with vodka.  I have three bottles in rotation in my kitchen and so far it has been just the right amount to keep me stocked.  Try it and your wallet will thank you.

Source: Use Real Butter

*The containers pictured here are from Sur La Table.  I buy vanilla beans on Amazon.

Just as a kitchen failure can transform my mood from great to very stinky, so can a kitchen success turn my frown upside down.  The day I made this, I was feeling quite cranky.  It was Sunday after a very long, hard week at work and a big party at our house on Saturday evening.  I was kicking myself for planning what seemed like such an involved meal for Sunday dinner when I felt as though I only really had the energy to pick up my phone and order a pizza.  But, because of all the ingredients already in our fridge that I did not want to go to waste, I powered through.  With much grumbling I prepped the components and started cooking.  After the roux was made I was even slightly more perturbed because I had never made roux with oil before and well, it just didn’t smell magical like a roux made with butter.  Then I added the vegetables to the pan and everything changed.  The kitchen smelled fantastic.  The dish was clearly going to turn out, but more than that, it was going to be amazing.

Sometimes you just know that about a meal and in this case, I knew.  It does take a bit of work initially but then simmers for a few hours, making your house smell incredible and possibly making you drool in anticipation.  I was not expecting to love this as much as I did, but in fact I loved it so much that I it now ranks above chili on my list of favorite foods.  Yeah, I said it.  I’m happy to report that this freezes very well.  One full batch makes a ton of food, but if you’re already investing the time to make it, go ahead and make the full batch.  I froze half and it made for a blessedly quick and satisfying meal after an extremely long work day.  We’re looking forward to enjoying this many more times as the weather gets colder and we make the most of our time inside, at home, together.  Fall, we are glad you’re here.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
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Ingredients:
6 oz. bacon, diced
2 lbs. chicken legs or thighs, bone-in and skin-on
Salt
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced (or spicy Italian sausage, crumbled)
½ cup peanut or other vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
½-1 lb. okra, sliced into discs
3 green onions, chopped
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

For the Cajun spice mix:
1 tsp. black pepper
½-1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. celery seed
2 tbsp. sweet paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried oregano

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Set the chicken pieces skin side down in the bacon grease to brown.  Season the side facing up with salt.  Cook 4-5 minutes without moving.  Flip the chicken pieces over and brown on the opposite side.  Remove the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.  Add the sausage to the pan and cook until well browned.  Remove to the plate with the chicken.

The amount of fat remaining in the pot should be about ½ cup.  Add the additional peanut or vegetable oil to the pot.  After the oil has heated for a minute or two, stir in the flour.  Stir this mixture together almost constantly for the first few minutes, then every couple of minutes or so thereafter.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the roux until it becomes fairly dark, about the color of coffee with a bit of cream mixed in.

While the roux is cooking, combine the chicken stock and water in a separate pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and maintain at a simmer.

When the roux has reached the appropriate color, stir in the diced green pepper, celery and onion.  Mix well.  Let cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Mix in the tomato paste.

Using a large ladle, gradually add the hot chicken stock mixture to the pot.  It will sizzle and seize as the roux absorbs the liquid.  Continue adding the stock, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot.  You may not need the full amount of liquid but add enough so that it is slightly more watery than you want the final product to be since the mixture will cook down over several hours.  Stir in half of the Cajun spice mix and add more to taste.  (I already had a Cajun spice blend on hand so instead I added 3 tablespoons of that and went from there.)

Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken pieces to the pot.  Let simmer gently until the chicken meat falls easily away from the bones, about 90 minutes.  Remove the chicken pieces and let cool slightly.  Return the sausage to the pot with the gumbo, and stir in the sliced okra.  Shred the cooked chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones (or saving for a later use).  Add the shredded chicken pieces back to the gumbo.  Cook the gumbo for an additional hour or more, until the gumbo has reached your desired final consistency.  Before serving, stir in the green onions and reserved bacon and sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve over rice or with crusty bread.

Source: barely adapted from Hank Shaw via Simply Recipes

This is our family’s newest breakfast kick.  I posted not long ago about another baked oatmeal that we have made many, many times.  Now that fall has arrived, a pumpkin version seemed a necessity.  This recipe uses a combination of old-fashioned and steel cut oats, giving it a nice hearty texture.  Caramelized bananas are layered underneath the oatmeal before baking.  They may seem like an odd combination with the pumpkin but they are actually very good.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m certain some caramelized apples would be a wonderful and possibly even better addition.

Andrew especially loves this for breakfast, and requests it almost every weekend.  This does make a lot of oatmeal but it just happens to be the perfect amount to feed our family for one weekend breakfast as well as my own breakfast for several days afterward.  I mix in a little extra milk when I reheat the leftovers and they taste great.  This comes together quickly and easily and the hardest part is waiting for it to finish baking.  We try to make the most of the wait by enjoying some Sunday morning finger painting, playing with toys, reading or cuddling.  Today may be Monday, but we’re already looking forward to the weekend :)

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
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Ingredients:
1 cup steel cut oats
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
4 cups very hot water
2 medium bananas, sliced
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. brown sugar, lightly packed, divided
2¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
3 cups old-fashioned oats
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash ground cloves
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Place the steel cut oats in a large bowl with 4 tablespoons of the butter.  Pour the hot water over the oats and cover the bowl.  Let stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the caramelized bananas.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the bananas, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon to the pan.  Toss gently and cook briefly, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

After the steel cut oats have finished soaking, stir in the old fashioned oats, remaining ½ cup of brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, remaining 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the pumpkin, milk and vanilla.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture.

Spread the bananas over the bottom of a lightly greased 2 quart-ish baking dish.  Pour the oatmeal mixture on top of the bananas.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Source: adapted from Becky Bakes, originally from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

I wish I had some rave review or anecdote to make you want to eat these cupcakes, but I don’t.  The truth is that mint chocolate is simply not a flavor combination I enjoy.  Well, the chocolate isn’t the problem – it’s the mint that is the problem.  If you’ve been reading for a while then you’ve probably caught on to the fact that I don’t like mint.  However, I know that I’m in the minority here and that many people think the mint-chocolate combo is a wonderful thing.  This cupcake is for all of you.

Of course it was only a matter of time before this was the birthday cupcake du jour, and I’m actually a bit surprised that it wasn’t chosen sooner.  Even though I knew I wouldn’t be partaking in this particular treat, I did my best to create a combination that others would enjoy.  I used my favorite chocolate cupcake base, filled them with a mint-infused dark chocolate ganache, and topped them with a mint Swiss meringue buttercream.  If you aren’t able to find fresh mint or would just rather take a slightly quicker route for the ganache, you could skip the steeping and simply mix in a tablespoon of creme de menthe to the finished ganache.  Though I can’t personally attest to the final result, I did receive plenty of positive feedback from friends and coworkers.  If you are a mint chocolate lover, try them and let me know what you think!

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
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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 filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
½ cup fresh mint leaves
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

For the frosting:
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
Pinch of salt
1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-3 tsp. mint extract

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 with a fine mesh strainer set over the top.  Add the mint to a small saucepan with the cream and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid from the pan, return to the heat and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour through the strainer 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, combine the egg whites, sugar 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!)  Stir in the mint extract and mix just until incorporated.  Tint with gel icing color as desired.

Add the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip (I used a large, unlabeled closed star tip).  Frost the cupcakes.  Garnish with chocolate shavings or fresh mint leaves as desired.

Source: cake, ganache and frosting adapted from Martha Stewart

When I was a kid, I mostly thought of cauliflower as a vegetable I liked only if it was drenched in some kind of cheese sauce.  If you had told me when I was a child that someday, there would be not one but two cauliflower soups that I ate on a regular basis and actually craved, I probably would have laughed.  But well, that’s where we are.  The first is this chunkier version, which is also creamy because of actual sour cream.  In this smooth version, a potato contributes a creamy consistency without actually using cream.  Comfort food on the healthy side?  I like it.  With recipes like this I’m often tempted to skip the croutons, garnish, whatever, but as usual, I’m glad I didn’t.  The crisp croutons flavored with a hint of mustard provide just the contrast needed to the soup.  This is a nice answer to chilly, dreary days.  Not that I mind them, of course, but with food like this to keep us cozy, this weather can stick around for a while.

Creamy Cauliflower Cheddar Soup
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Ingredients:
For the croutons:
About 6 oz. whole grain bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher or sea salt

For the soup:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
Kosher or sea salt
1 medium potato, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3½ cups vegetable broth
½ head cauliflower, chopped into small florets
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions: 
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Add the bread cubes to a medium bowl and toss with the melted butter, olive oil, and mustard until evenly coated.  Spread the bread cubes out in an even layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crunchy.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt, then mix in the potato, garlic and vegetable broth.  Cover the pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, keep covered, and let cook for about 8 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the cauliflower and cook about 5-6 minutes more, until the cauliflower is tender.  Stir in the cheese and mustard.

Puree with an immersion blender (or a food processor, vented to allow the steam to escape).  Mix in additional water or broth if the soup is too thick.  Season with additional salt to taste.  Serve warm topped with additional shredded cheese and the croutons.

Source: Cate’s World Kitchen, originally from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

Have we talked about oven dried tomatoes yet?   I don’t think so, but it’s time we did, because they are amazing.  I know tomatoes are on their way out but in case you still have some dangling on your plants or see a straggling container at the farmer’s market, this is what you’ll want to do with them.  Trust me.  Making oven dried tomatoes requires very little effort at all.  Simply halve the tomatoes, toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for a few hours at a low temperature.  As much as I love fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, I like them even better after they have been roasted.  It brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, reminding me of a savory candy.

The first time I made this meal was on vacation for my family.  I threw this meal together on the fly from the random ingredients I had thrown into my shopping cart.  I didn’t have time to snap a photo then or jot down what I had done, but not too long after we returned I made it again so I could take notes, get a photo, and share it with all of you.  Prepping the tomatoes obviously takes a bit of forethought, but if you make them in advance, the rest of this becomes a quick meal for any night of the week.  The biggest challenge is not popping all those sweet little jewels right into your mouth instead of using them in the dish.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Shrimp Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes
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Ingredients:
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Olive oil
Small pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and pepper
1 lb. bowtie pasta
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
6 oz. mascarpone cheese*
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

*Mascarpone cheese is similar to cream cheese and can be found in the specialty cheese section of most grocery stores. 

Directions:
To make the oven dried tomatoes, preheat the oven to 225˚ F.  Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish in a single layer, cut side facing up.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper.  Bake for about 3 hours, or until the tomatoes are mostly shriveled up.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Once boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain well.

While the pasta is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp to the pan and cook in a single layer, flipping once during cooking, just until opaque, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove to a plate, tent loosely with foil and set aside.  Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan.  Sauté the onion until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the wine or broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Return the shrimp to the pan and add in the drained pasta along with the oven-dried tomatoes.  Add the mascarpone to the pan and stir until completely melted.  Stir in the basil and Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with additional Parmesan as desired.

Source:  Annie original

Just when I was beginning to fancy myself an amateur barista because of my daily iced coffee concoction using all kinds of flavored syrups, the weather turned chilly.  I wanted my daily pick-me-up to reflect the seasonal change, so I whipped up a batch of pumpkin spice syrup for flavoring my drinks.  I didn’t read any sort of guide for amounts but just mixed up some coffee, milk, and said syrup to create what I was hoping would be a homemade pumpkin spice latte.  It didn’t go well….the first time or the fifth time (or any time in between).  All because I wasn’t quite sure exactly how much espresso was in a shot of espresso, was too lazy to look it up, and anyway I just wanted to keep using my coffee base from the iced coffee recipe so I can continue living without a coffee maker and pretend I’m not addicted.

Then Shawnda shared a version for coffee dummies like me, including volumes I could understand.  I was worried given all my prior failures but no need…this was perfect.  The first time, the fifth time, and every time in between and since.  You can adjust the ratios to get the exact flavor balance you prefer but this is a great starting point.  As written, this makes a small cup of coffee so I usually double it to get a serving more like what I would get at a coffee shop.  And of course just like with the iced coffees, this homemade version is great because it is much cheaper, saves disposable cups, and is probably at least a little bit healthier.  Now as soon as I figure out how to make those salted caramel mochas, I’ll be all set.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup
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Ingredients:
1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

Directions:
Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Toss in the cinnamon sticks and whisk in the remaining spices and the pumpkin puree.  Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, without letting the mixture come to a boil.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.  Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth and store in your container of choice.   Store in the refrigerator.

To make a pumpkin spice latte, combine 2 ounces of hot coffee or 1 shot of hot espresso (about 1-1½ ounces) with 5-6 ounces of steamed low-fat milk.  Stir in 1½-2 tablespoons of the pumpkin spice syrup.  Taste and adjust amounts accordingly.  Top as desired with freshly whipped cream, ground cinnamon and drizzle with caramel sauce (optional – sort of).

Source: syrup from Cook Like a Champion and originally from Sugar Crafter, latte formula from Confections of a Foodie Bride