Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla exrtact
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Icing
1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Place oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Place paper liners in muffin tin for about 20 cupcakes.

Cupcakes
Place sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl. Add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Beat the eggs into the chocolate with a mixer, then stir in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (~1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. The cupcakes will sink in the middle slightly. Cool in the pans for 25 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Filling
While cupcakes are cooling, make the filling. Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream and beat until smooth. Alternating between batches, beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Beat in the marshmallow creme. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Ganache
Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

To Assemble
Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium star tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache. (I thought this part would be complicated and I was worried, but it was fine. I had Mike test one of the cupcakes to make sure I had the right amount of filling in it.)

Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip. Pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store cupcakes in the refrigerator.

Oven-Baked Caramel French Toast

Caramel Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

French Toast
8 to 12 slices french bread
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, combine caramel ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling. Pour sauce into a 13″x9″ baking dish. Place slices of bread on top of the sauce, crowding if necessary. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a blender. Pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes until puffy and light golden brown. To serve, invert slices of toast on serving plates.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2nWHo0/www.everydayhomecook.com/2011/05/oven-baked-caramel-french-toast/

Polka Dot Cheesecake

Polka dot cheesecake

I saw someone wearing the greatest polka dot rain coat today and it inspired me to make this cheesecake. It needs to be refrigerated overnight so make sure you make it the day before you want to serve it. I find that popping it into the freezer for about 1/2 hour makes it a lot easier to cut. Using a knife dipped in hot water between cuts also helps to make clean edges. If you want to make this into a traditional cheesecake you will need an 8 inch spring form pan.

Crust

1 cup Graham crumbs

¼ cup cocoa

2 tbsp sugar

¼ cup melted butter

Filling

16 oz softened cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 oz dark chocolate, melted

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Grease a 7 X 7 inch square pan and line it with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix together the graham crumbs, sugar, cocoa, and melted butter and press into the pan.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed. Add vanilla and sour cream. Scrape the sides of the bowl one more time and beat until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheesecake filling and set aside.

Melt the 2 oz of dark chocolate in a bain marie (a bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water), or in a microwave on low temperature. Stir the melted chocolate into the reserved 1/2 cup of cream cheese filling.

Pour the plain batter into the pan, smoothing out to the edges. To make the dots you will need a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Fill the pastry bag with the chocolate cheesecake mixture. Gently press the tip of the bag into the smoothed out plain cheesecake and squeeze the bag forming a dot. Place dots all over the cheesecake until the chocolate mixture is used up.

Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 1 hr. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Freeze if you wish for about 1/2 hour before cutting. Use a knife dipped in hot water to help when cutting.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2kSgis/bakersdaughter.typepad.com/the_bakers_daughter/2010/04/polka-dot-cheesecake.html

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce, recipe below.

Cheddar cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

For the cheese sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don’t measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/29rrcX/twopeasandtheirpod.com/homemade-soft-pretzel-bites/

Alfredo Chicken n' Biscuits

• 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
• 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 carton (10 ounces) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup biscuit/baking mix
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed

In a large skillet, saute the broccoli, carrots and onion in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in chicken and Alfredo sauce; heat through. Transfer to a lightly greased 8-in. square baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the baking mix, milk and dill just until moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto chicken mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until bubbly and biscuits are golden brown.

Enchilada Chicken Soup

Ingredients

• 1 can (11 ounces) condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2-2/3 cups whole milk
• 1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained
• 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• Sour cream

In a large saucepan, combine the soups, milk, chicken, enchilada sauce and chilies. Cook until heated through. Serve with sour cream.

Tortellini and Ham Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package (19 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 cup frozen pepper strips, thawed
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/4 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

• Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pepper strips in butter until crisp-tender. Add ham and garlic; saute 1 minute longer.
• Combine the cornstarch, broth, basil, parsley and
• pepper; stir into pepper mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Add 2 tablespoons cheese. Drain tortellini; toss with ham mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Yield: 4 servings.
• Photo from Taste of Home