Cuppy Cakes

Just a few cupcakes I want to try someday...

 
 
 
 

Jam Butter

 

Came across this beautiful blog called Sunday Suppers. The second I saw the picture of the jam butters, I thought, "I have to make that this very instant".

To make your own, all you need is:

one stick very soft unsalted butter
5 Tablespoons jam/preserves

Combine by hand or in electric mixer. Spread into small bowl or ramekins and serve with these heavenly biscuits. My mind is running away with all the occasions I am going to be making these for. Yikes!

May 24 Menu

Here goes nothin-

Sun: Chicken Cobb Salad, garlic bread, and frozen key lime pie

Mon: Burgers, dogs, salad, watermelon, beans, popsicles, the usuals

T: Taco salad

W: BBQ chicken and veggies

Th: Chicken salad croissants

F: out

Sat: steaks, potatoes, salad, cowboy bars

Happy Memorial Day, one and all!

Pancake Portraits

 

I think these are pretty fun... they also did likenesses of Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, and the guy from Ace of Cakes.

See here for the how-to.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon-sugar Chips

Last week I gave a bridal shower for a cute girl in my ward, Kelli. On the menu: rolled tacos, fresh chips and two salsas (all from Tia Rosa's Taqueria), Amanda's guacamole, corn on the cob with lime butter (just zest a couple limes into the softened butter and roll the cobs in it- SO good), homemade chocolates from friend Jen, and fruit salsa with cinnamon-sugar chips. The only thing missing was sweetened whipped cream. MUST have this to serve with the fruit salsa. Also make sure whatever else you're making can be prepped ahead of time, because the salsa has to be prepared just an hour or two before eating. The chips can be made the night before. D-lish!

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon-sugar Chips

4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Gala apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and diced
2 lbs strawberries
4 T. white sugar
4 T. strawberry jam

juice of one lime

24 flour tortillas
1 stick butter
1 C. sugar and 2 T. cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix kiwis, apples, pineapple, strawberries, lime juice, sugar and jam. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
Preheat oven to 350. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with fruit salsa and sweetened whipped cream.

May 17 Menu

Last week, Dad made us all breakfast for dinner on Mother's Day. It was wonderful! He asked us repeatedly if he and his meal were going to make it on "the blog". Your wish is our command, Dad!


It seems I am always renewing my efforts in healthy cooking because- it's been a CRAZY busy week, or somebody was sick, or we were out of town, etc. I guess that's life, so this week is another one of those get-back-to-business veggie-loaded menus:

Sun- Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, corn on the cob, fruit salad, Maren's chocolate cake (Clay's b-day!)

M- Caprese sandwiches

Tues- lasagna primavera

W- chicken and veggie kabobs with pineapple ginger rice

Th- steak and potatoes

F- broccoli chicken calzones

Sat- who knows?

Cowboy Bars

These 7-layer bars reminded Chris of a yummy dessert we had at a fun place in Northern Cali called Comforts (a favorite of Sean Penn's). They are also highly addictive. Recipe from America's Test Kitchen.

Cowboy Bars

Makes 18

1 C. sweetened flaked coconut
1 stick unsalted butter
9 graham crackers, crushed in a large ziploc bag
1 C. finely chopped walnuts
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1/2 C. swirled chocolate chips
(or butterscotch chips, but i don't like those)
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350. Spray a 9 by 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fold two pieces of foil or parchment paper so that one measures 13 inches wide and the other 9 inches wide. Lay sheets in pan, perpendicular to each other, pressing into the corners, then spray again.

Spread coconut onto baking sheet and bake til just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Set aside. Melt butter and mix with crushed graham crackers. Spread crushed crackers in pan. In order, sprinkle the walnuts, semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, swirled chocolate ships, and coconut over the graham cracker crumbs. Pour the condensed milk over the entire dish.

Return pan to oven and bake til top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temp, about two hours. Remove bars from pan using the foil handles and transfer to cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 2x3 inch bars.

Chicken Cobb Salad

This salad is too good to be true. A MUST-try. And in the words of Lavar Burton, "But don't take my word for it!" Recipe from Everyday Food.

Chicken Cobb Salad

6 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
romaine lettuce
seasoned grilled chicken, thinly sliced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 avocado, thinly sliced
coarse salt and ground pepper
vinaigrette

In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, til crisp, 8 minutes. Drain on paper-towel-lined plate. In a large bowl, toss lettuce with vinaigrette. Place lettuce on platter. Arrange bacon, chicken, goat cheese, tomatoes, and avocado on top. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Vinaigrette:

In small bowl, whisk together

2 T. white-wine vinegar
2 T. honey
salt and pepper

Add 1/4 C. olive oil, whisking as you pour. Store in airtight container or jar and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Wow.

I can't wait to make these for dinner next week just to see Chris and the kids' reactions. This discovery made my day.

Found on Plum Pudding.

Fried Ice Cream

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone!



Fried Ice Cream

3 C. crushed "Honey Bunches of Oats"
3 C. sweetened coconut
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 half gallon of your fave vanilla ice cream
honey

Toast the coconut on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes, stirring once 1/2 way through. Coconut should be just BARELY starting to get some color. Combine coconut, crushed cereal and cinnamon. While coconut cools, soften ice cream on counter. You can scoop ice cream balls and roll them in the cereal mixture and re-freeze, or if you are making it for a Bradshaw Sunday dinner, table of twenty, then you can just spread the ice cream in a casserole dish or two, and top with the cereal topping. Drizzle a few Tablespoons of honey over the whole thing, and re-freeze a few hours, til firm again. FIESTA!

Vegetable & Hummus Wrap

Does anyone else think of Joey Tribiani whenever they hear the word hummus? It has only been in the last couple years that I have opened my mind to the idea of it. And, of course, now I love the stuff, just like Joey. I found this recipe in Everyday Food, and it is my new favorite lunch.

Vegetable & Hummus Wrap

flour tortillas
cucumber
avocado
tomato
hummus
bell pepper

Chop all veggies into strips. Spread a couple tablespoons hummus down the center of tortilla. Top with chopped veggies, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roll it on up. Tasty, tasty!

May 3 Menu

Here's my Mostly Mexican Menu for the week:

Sun- spicy chicken enchiladas, spinach salad, corn and tomato salad, and "fried" ice cream

M- Green pizza

T- Shredded beef tostadas and homemade guacamole

W- 7-layer bean dip and corn on the cob with cheese and lime

Th- spinach and ricotta ravioli

F- Fast chicken fajitas

Sat- Missionary open house (Elder Jeff Drew returns from Columbia!) - I'm making lemon blossoms, 7-layer bars, and mini strawberry cheesecakes

Cafe Atlantico

The wedding of a friend necessitated a trip for Chris and I- to Washington D.C.

Months in advance, I let Chris know that I wanted to try one really outstanding restaurant during our time there. I happened to be watching Martha one day, and she was showcasing a chef named Jose Andres, who has 7 highly acclaimed restaurants in the D.C. area. I looked him up and learned of Cafe Atlantico, and also the restaurant inside a restaurant, Minibar. Minibar is an exclusive dining experience, located within Cafe Atlantico, seating only 6 people a night. Reservations are taken one month in advance and the experience runs you about $120, for 20+ tasting courses.

A few things you might expect to try during the meal: cotton candied foie gras (duck liver), tumbleweed of beet, and dragon's breath popcorn (fused with liquid nitrogen causing smoke to come out your nose and mouth as you eat- so awesome!!). Chris and I (being the penny pinchers we are) opted for the Cafe Atlantico pre-theater fixed price menu ($30) and enjoyed salad, lobster bisque, braised shortribs, warm chocolate cake and passion fruit sorbet. Everything we had was delectable and we enjoyed the experience thoroughly. For me, the highlight was being seated in perfect view of Minibar and watching the food-art being served and enjoyed before our eyes... at one fourth the cost. :)

Balsamic- roasted Potatoes & Carrots

I'm so mad I forgot to take a picture when I made this, but this is similar to what it looked like, minus the carrots. The flavor is amazing- #1 way to cook vegetables for sure!

Balsamic- roasted Potatoes and Carrots

3 lbs potatoes (whatever kind you like), cut into chunks
1 lb peeled baby cut carrots ( or 4 large carrots cut into chunks)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 onion, thinly sliced (if you must)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes, shaking the pan a few times. Remove foil and roast, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until veggies are tender and golden.

Banana Crunch Muffins

I used some of my homemade granola to make these and they are awesome. There are lots of healthy ingredients, but the taste isn't compromised. Maybe the amount of sugar and butter has something to do with it. :) I got the recipe from Barefoot Contessa and just changed it a bit. (The recipe is supposed to make 18 muffins, but I always get more like 22.)

Banana Crunch Muffins

nocoupons

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
  
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
• 1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
• 1 cup small-diced walnuts
• 1 cup granola
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Almond Granola

I'm not sure why I never thought of making my own granola until now, but this quick and easy recipe was in the latest issue of Everyday Food and it's so yummy! It also smells heavenly while baking in the oven.

Almond Granola

Makes 4 cups

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons honey
(I also added 1 Tablespoon flax seed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss oats, coconut, and almonds. In a small bowl, stir together oil and honey. Pour over oat mixture and toss. Bake, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, 16 to 20 minutes. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 1 month.)

April 26th Menu

Many-a-meal over the last couple weeks has been from a drive-thru window for us. We have had such fun travels, but are more than ready to get back to a routine which includes whole foods and homemade meals.

Sun- airplane peanuts and crackers

M- enchiladas and corn on the cob

T- chicken and veggie kabobs

W- linguine with spring veggies

Th- grilled chicken cobb salad

F- wedding reception

Sat- baked potato bar


No Mickey D's for us this week!!

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

Found this recipe at For the Love of Cooking. It called for nectarines, but they aren't in season yet so I used apples. I know I've said this about other salads, but this is really is my favorite to date.

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

Fresh Lettuce (whatever kind you like)- I used romaine
1 apples, cored and diced
1-2 goat cheese, crumbled (Fresh and Easy has containers of already crumbled goat cheese)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cucumber, sliced
4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. sunflower seeds
1/2 cup croutons

Combine all ingredients, toss and serve with Balsamic vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. mustard powder or dijon mustard
1 small shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend. Taste and re-season if needed. Store in a sealed container and use throughout the week on salads and veggies.

Marsala Cheese Tart with Oranges

I can't even begin to tell you how delicious this is. I left out the Marsala and added an extra Tablespoon of vanilla. I made this for alot of people so I decided to make individidual servings and used muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray- they turned out perfectly! I liked the oranges, but you could also replace the oranges with just about any fruit. I LOVE the gingersnap crust as opposed to the traditional graham cracker crust. Recipe from Martha Stewart.

Marsala Cheese Tart with Oranges

5 ounces gingersnaps
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons Marsala
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 navel oranges

1. Place gingersnaps in the bowl of a food processor, and process until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl, add melted butter, and stir until well combined. Press into bottom of 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom (or muffin tins). Place in freezer.

2. Place cream cheese and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into cream cheese mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared crust; return to freezer at least 1 hour or until firm. Serve cheesecake garnished with orange sections.

Biscuit Chicken Potpie

I've never been a big fan of potpies; maybe because I've really only had Marie Calendar's from frozen (the crust always burned and the vegetables were still crunchy). This changed my mind completely. The biscuit recipe alone is worth trying. So so good.

Biscuit Chicken Potpie

1 rotisserie chicken, cooked and shredded
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
2 T. milk
12 herb biscuits (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat and add carrots and celery. Saute, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, while stirring, until flour is light brown, 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to a low boil. Add peas. Season with salt and pepper, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, 10-15 minutes. Add chicken, remove from heat, and transfer to a 9x13 baking dish. Top with biscuits. Beat egg and milk together and brush over biscuits. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is bubbling around edges, 25-30 minutes.

Herb Biscuits

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in parsley. Make a well in center of flour mixture, pour in buttermilk, and stir using a fork until dough comes together- do not overmix. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat dough into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits using a floured 2 1/2 inch round cutter.