Black Bean Burgers

We're trying something new around here.  I've been reading a lot about meats and the products you injest when you eat conventional meats (the growth hormones, antibiotics, affects of genetically modified organisms that are in the feed of most meat animals, all that stuff), and needless to say, it's grossing me out.

Now I'm not about to turn vegetarian - but I figure that since organic meat is crazy expensive and local farmers are extremely uncommon around here, it wouldn't hurt us to consume less meat products and obtain protein from other sources for a few meals a week.  

I've even convinced my carnivore husband of it, and he's agreed to have at least one or two dinners a week that don't include meat. 

However, since he is doing P90X and needs lots of protein for all that muscle building he's doing, just veggie-based meals won't cut it.  We're trying to incorporate more beans and brown rice into our diet, so black bean burgers seemed a natural choice.

This was a first for everyone in my family.  Not only had I never made black bean burgers, I had never eaten one either.  I don't think Grant had either.  So I have no point of reference with which to compare this recipe, I can only comment on whether we liked it or not. 

The general consensus - we did.

Corban (7) wasn't a huge fan, he liked the taste of the burger but just didn't enjoy it on a bun.  I have to admit, it was a bit strange to be looking at something like a burger but experiencing a texture completely different.  I did really like the flavor of the burgers, although I think I might enjoy it more wrapped up in a tortilla or maybe a pita bread. Just so I'm not expecting a real burger sort of meal. 

Grant loved the leftovers - he just ate them plain without buns for his lunch the next day.

Note:  The original recipe called for 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, which I omitted because of certain people I love who despise it.  It also called for a minced shallot - I just used some onion powder, because I don't normally ever keep shallots on hand. 

Recipe: (adapted from Annie's Eats)

3/4 cup panko

3 T. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided

2 large eggs

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1/2 t. onion powder

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Combine the panko with 2 tsp. of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown.   Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place 2-1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 T. of the oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne.  Whisk to blend.  Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, remaining 1/2 c. beans, bell pepper, cilantro (if using), and onion powder to the bowl with the mashed beans.  Stir together until evenly combined.  

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (I made about 8), about 1/2 c. each.  Lightly pack into 1-inch patties.  (At this point, the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.)  Heat 1 T. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm.  I melted some cheddar cheese on half, and pepper jack on the other half.  

We're trying something new around here.  I've been reading a lot about meats and the products you injest when you eat conventional meats (the growth hormones, antibiotics, affects of genetically modified organisms that are in the feed of most meat animals, all that stuff), and needless to say, it's grossing me out.

Now I'm not about to turn vegetarian - but I figure that since organic meat is crazy expensive and local farmers are extremely uncommon around here, it wouldn't hurt us to consume less meat products and obtain protein from other sources for a few meals a week.  

I've even convinced my carnivore husband of it, and he's agreed to have at least one or two dinners a week that don't include meat. 

However, since he is doing P90X and needs lots of protein for all that muscle building he's doing, just veggie-based meals won't cut it.  We're trying to incorporate more beans and brown rice into our diet, so black bean burgers seemed a natural choice.

This was a first for everyone in my family.  Not only had I never made black bean burgers, I had never eaten one either.  I don't think Grant had either.  So I have no point of reference with which to compare this recipe, I can only comment on whether we liked it or not. 

The general consensus - we did.

Corban (7) wasn't a huge fan, he liked the taste of the burger but just didn't enjoy it on a bun.  I have to admit, it was a bit strange to be looking at something like a burger but experiencing a texture completely different.  I did really like the flavor of the burgers, although I think I might enjoy it more wrapped up in a tortilla or maybe a pita bread. Just so I'm not expecting a real burger sort of meal. 

Grant loved the leftovers - he just ate them plain without buns for his lunch the next day.

Note:  The original recipe called for 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, which I omitted because of certain people I love who despise it.  It also called for a minced shallot - I just used some onion powder, because I don't normally ever keep shallots on hand. 

Recipe: (adapted from Annie's Eats)

3/4 cup panko

3 T. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided

2 large eggs

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1/2 t. onion powder

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Combine the panko with 2 tsp. of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown.   Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place 2-1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 T. of the oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne.  Whisk to blend.  Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, remaining 1/2 c. beans, bell pepper, cilantro (if using), and onion powder to the bowl with the mashed beans.  Stir together until evenly combined.  

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (I made about 8), about 1/2 c. each.  Lightly pack into 1-inch patties.  (At this point, the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.)  Heat 1 T. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm.  I melted some cheddar cheese on half, and pepper jack on the other half.  

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Stewed Zucchini & Summer Squash

It's summer vegetable time!  Need an easy, tasty, and healthy dish for all that zucchini and summer squash from your garden? (or your friend's garden? or your mom's garden? or your neighbor's garden? ...)  Here's your answer! 

Sure, I love squash casseroles, and zucchini bread, and zucchini cookies, as much as the next gal.  But I just can't eat all that butter, cheese, sour cream, and sugar for all the squash that comes my way.  So I turn to stewing my squash.  It's yummy.  And it's healthy.  And it's easy.

My mom used to make this all time, and as a kid I didn't like it at all.  Now I love it!  Isn't it funny how much our tastes change over time?

To make this simple dish, cut some zucchini and summer squash into big hunks.  Cut some onion the same way ... I didn't take a picture of that.

Big chunks

Toss the squash and onions into a big pot with canned tomatoes (though I bet you could use peeled fresh tomatoes!) and a bunch of salt and pepper.  Make sure to use a big pot!  And if your pot is really full, like this: ...

A very full pot!

... no worries, because everything's really going to cook down together like this:

But a full pot is no problem ... it all cooks down

I kind of half-cover my pot while the squash is simmering, like this:

My 1/2-cover method

Not sure if half-covering is necessary, but it makes me feel like the squash on the top is cooking sort of evenly as the squash on the bottom.  I also stir the mixture about every 15 minutes while it's simmering to help ensure even cooking.

When everything's tender, scoop out a big bowl and enjoy!  So easy.  I love that.

Stewed Zucchini & Summer Squash
Source:  My Mom

Ingredients
About 8 c. zucchini & summer squash chunks
1 large onion, cut in chunks (or more to taste)
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper


Directions
1.  Cut zucchini and summer squash into about 1" chunks to yield approximately 8 cups (it's okay if it's not exact ... a little more, a little less is just fine).

2.  Put all ingredients into a large pot.  Simmer until squash and onions are tender, about an hour, stirring approximately every 15 minutes.

Notes:
- My Mom's original recipe just says "salt and lots of pepper."  I love it!  I use 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of black pepper, as noted above.  Adjust to your taste.
- There is absolutely no need to be precise about the measurements for this recipe.  If you like more onion, go for it!  Less tomatoes?  No problem!
- This can be made with all zucchini or all summer squash, too.
- This can be frozen.  It is better fresh-made, but if you've got a lot of squash you need to take care of, freezing it stewed is an option.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper!, Savory Sunday hosted by The Sweet Details, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, and This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

It's summer vegetable time!  Need an easy, tasty, and healthy dish for all that zucchini and summer squash from your garden? (or your friend's garden? or your mom's garden? or your neighbor's garden? ...)  Here's your answer! 

Sure, I love squash casseroles, and zucchini bread, and zucchini cookies, as much as the next gal.  But I just can't eat all that butter, cheese, sour cream, and sugar for all the squash that comes my way.  So I turn to stewing my squash.  It's yummy.  And it's healthy.  And it's easy.

My mom used to make this all time, and as a kid I didn't like it at all.  Now I love it!  Isn't it funny how much our tastes change over time?

To make this simple dish, cut some zucchini and summer squash into big hunks.  Cut some onion the same way ... I didn't take a picture of that.

Big chunks

Toss the squash and onions into a big pot with canned tomatoes (though I bet you could use peeled fresh tomatoes!) and a bunch of salt and pepper.  Make sure to use a big pot!  And if your pot is really full, like this: ...

A very full pot!

... no worries, because everything's really going to cook down together like this:

But a full pot is no problem ... it all cooks down

I kind of half-cover my pot while the squash is simmering, like this:

My 1/2-cover method

Not sure if half-covering is necessary, but it makes me feel like the squash on the top is cooking sort of evenly as the squash on the bottom.  I also stir the mixture about every 15 minutes while it's simmering to help ensure even cooking.

When everything's tender, scoop out a big bowl and enjoy!  So easy.  I love that.

Stewed Zucchini & Summer Squash
Source:  My Mom

Ingredients
About 8 c. zucchini & summer squash chunks
1 large onion, cut in chunks (or more to taste)
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper


Directions
1.  Cut zucchini and summer squash into about 1" chunks to yield approximately 8 cups (it's okay if it's not exact ... a little more, a little less is just fine).

2.  Put all ingredients into a large pot.  Simmer until squash and onions are tender, about an hour, stirring approximately every 15 minutes.

Notes:
- My Mom's original recipe just says "salt and lots of pepper."  I love it!  I use 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of black pepper, as noted above.  Adjust to your taste.
- There is absolutely no need to be precise about the measurements for this recipe.  If you like more onion, go for it!  Less tomatoes?  No problem!
- This can be made with all zucchini or all summer squash, too.
- This can be frozen.  It is better fresh-made, but if you've got a lot of squash you need to take care of, freezing it stewed is an option.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper!, Savory Sunday hosted by The Sweet Details, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, and This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The BEST Vanilla Cupcake + the BEST Coffee Buttercream

Happy birthday to my wonderful Mom!!  Yes, today is her birthday, and I just got back from visiting her for her special day.  When I asked her what kind of birthday cake she wanted she replied, "It has to be something small."  See, our hips and thighs are still recovering from all the goodies she made for her wine tasting party last month.  So she didn't want a big cake that left her with leftovers to eat!

The perfect treat??  Her favorite cupcakes! ... Soft, fluffy-textured vanilla cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting.  Yum.

Okay, I have a confession.  These are her almost favorite cupcakes.  She actually likes it better when I do these as chocolate cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting ... she loves that mocha combination.  But I was at the very end of my quest for the BEST vanilla cupcake recipe, with just one tiny little tweak to make to the front-runner recipe.  And I've been working on this quest for a looonnng time ... longer than I'd like to admit.  (How can it be so difficult to find a simple vanilla cupcake that I'm happy with?)    So Mom made a concession and went with vanilla cupcakes to allow me the opportunity to test this final version.  She's sweet like that.

My quest for the best vanilla cupcake has been quite an involved and fun process of testing and tweaking.  I like a vanilla cupcake that has a fairly fluffy texture, light-&-airy crumb, and a good flavor of vanilla.  Dense, gummy, and tasting of slightly-sweet flour is not for me.  I believe I've tested ten different recipes, along with testing several rounds of tweaks to the front-runner recipes of those ten.  I've tried cake flour, all-purpose flour, and self-rising flour recipes.  I've tried buttermilk, whole milk, skim milk, and 2% milk as the moistener.  I've tried a cold-oven pound cake cupcake.  I've tried a box mix.  I've tried, I've tried, I've tried ...  And now I'm pleased to say that I finally have a result I am happy with! 

Before we look at that winning recipe, I'll share a little glimpse into my process.  I start by choosing three or four recipes of whatever I'm questing for - in this case, vanilla cupcakes.  I bake up a small batch of each one, typically 1/2 the recipe of each so I don't end up with cupcakes (or cookies, or whatevers) flowing out of every window in my house.  In the case of cupcakes, I use a different color paper liner for each one so I can easily tell them apart and don't get them mixed up in the tasting step.  Here are the four from my last testing round, all lined up and ready for tasting:  

Testing, testing, testing ...

Next, I put them through a blind tasting with my husband and me (well, it's not blind for me, since I know which recipe went into which paper liner ... but it's close enough!).  Then I involve a friend or two, or my parents, or in some cases - both.  I take all that feedback and decide which recipes need to be scrapped all-together, which are worthy of another try with a tweak or two, or if there's one that's spot-on just as it is.  And my friends involved in this process know that I don't just want them to say, "Oh, that's good."  They have to tell me what exactly they like - the flavor?  The texture?  How it looks?  Then they have to compare, saying things like, "I like the flavor of this one, but I like how light and fluffy this one is."  Then it's back to baking more batches and re-tasting until there's a clear winner! 

So, here it is ... the clear winner of the quest for the BEST vanilla cupcake ... ever-so-slightly-modified Vanilla Cupcakes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

I was actually very skeptical of The Hummingbird Bakery's recipe, and considered not even testing it.  Why?  Well, it uses much less sugar and much less butter than most of the cupcake recipes out there.  And doesn't sugar and butter make everything good??  And their mixing method wasn't the traditional creaming method.  Instead, you first combine all the dry ingredients with the butter and mix it until you get a crumb mixture ... then add the wet ingredients.  The ever-so-slight modification I made was to increase the vanilla, as the original recipe called for only 1/4 teaspoon, resulting in a too-faint vanilla flavor for me.  With this one small change, these cupcakes were vanilla cupcake perfection!

Now ... on to the coffee buttercream frosting.

This buttercream is so light-and-fluffy, with a fantastic coffee flavor.  It's from my all-time absolute favorite cookbook, The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine.  Beating it the full time called for in each step of the recipe is the key.  It makes it soooo smooth and light ... which is exactly how I love my frosting.  Add the coffee mixture into a butter & confectioners' sugar mixture, and then keep on beating it until it's a beautiful light tan color.

Adding the coffee mixture ...

... and beating until it's a gorgeous light-and-fluffy frosting

Pipe the coffee buttercream onto the cupcakes, top with a chocolate-covered espresso bean, and there you have it!  The BEST vanilla cupcake with the BEST coffee buttercream ever.  Happy birthday, Mom!!

Yummy for my tummy

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Source:  Cupcakes adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, frosting adapted from The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine

Ingredients
Cupcakes:
1 c. all-purpose flour
A scant 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 T. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. whole milk (I also tried it with 2% milk, and it worked fine)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
1 1/2 T. instant coffee granules
1 1/2 T. water
1 1/2 T. vanilla extract
3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 c. confectioners' sugar
3 T. milk


Directions
Prepare the Cupcakes:
1.  Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in mixing bowl.  Beat on slow speed until everything is combined and you have a crumb mixture with a sandy consistency.  Gradually pour in half of the milk; beat until the milk is just incorporated.

2.  Whisk together the remaining milk (1/4 cup), egg, and vanilla.  Pour into the flour mixture and beat until all ingredients are just incorporated.  Beat for about another 30 seconds to one minute until the batter is smooth.  Do not over mix.

3.  Spoon batter into muffin pan cups lined with paper cupcake liners, filling cups 1/2 full.  Bake at 325 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until light golden and the cake springs back when lightly touched.  Cool slightly in the pan before removing cupcakes to a wire rack.  Cool completely before frosting.

NOTE:  This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.  And it really does make 12!  Fill your cups only 1/2 full, as this batter rises quite a bit.  When I divided the batter between only 10 muffin cups, I had several that rose over the sides of the cups way too much.  If you're like me, you'll feel like there's not enough batter to stretch to 12 cupcakes ... but there really is.


Prepare the Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
4.  Combine water, coffee granules, and vanilla extract in a small bowl; stir to dissolve coffee.  Set aside.

5.  Beat butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for a few seconds between each addition.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.

6.  Add the coffee mixture and milk; beat on low speed to combine.  Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Frosts 18 cupcakes.

This post is linked with Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Muffin Monday hosted by Talking Dollars and Cents, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Treats Thursday hosted by Something Swanky, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, The Month Long Cupcake Party hosted by Screaming Sardine, Friday Favorites hosted by Simply Sweet Home, Savvy HomeMade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, and Tuesday Tutorials hosted by The Kurtz Corner, 12 Days of Christmas Goodies hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things.

Happy birthday to my wonderful Mom!!  Yes, today is her birthday, and I just got back from visiting her for her special day.  When I asked her what kind of birthday cake she wanted she replied, "It has to be something small."  See, our hips and thighs are still recovering from all the goodies she made for her wine tasting party last month.  So she didn't want a big cake that left her with leftovers to eat!

The perfect treat??  Her favorite cupcakes! ... Soft, fluffy-textured vanilla cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting.  Yum.

Okay, I have a confession.  These are her almost favorite cupcakes.  She actually likes it better when I do these as chocolate cupcakes with coffee buttercream frosting ... she loves that mocha combination.  But I was at the very end of my quest for the BEST vanilla cupcake recipe, with just one tiny little tweak to make to the front-runner recipe.  And I've been working on this quest for a looonnng time ... longer than I'd like to admit.  (How can it be so difficult to find a simple vanilla cupcake that I'm happy with?)    So Mom made a concession and went with vanilla cupcakes to allow me the opportunity to test this final version.  She's sweet like that.

My quest for the best vanilla cupcake has been quite an involved and fun process of testing and tweaking.  I like a vanilla cupcake that has a fairly fluffy texture, light-&-airy crumb, and a good flavor of vanilla.  Dense, gummy, and tasting of slightly-sweet flour is not for me.  I believe I've tested ten different recipes, along with testing several rounds of tweaks to the front-runner recipes of those ten.  I've tried cake flour, all-purpose flour, and self-rising flour recipes.  I've tried buttermilk, whole milk, skim milk, and 2% milk as the moistener.  I've tried a cold-oven pound cake cupcake.  I've tried a box mix.  I've tried, I've tried, I've tried ...  And now I'm pleased to say that I finally have a result I am happy with! 

Before we look at that winning recipe, I'll share a little glimpse into my process.  I start by choosing three or four recipes of whatever I'm questing for - in this case, vanilla cupcakes.  I bake up a small batch of each one, typically 1/2 the recipe of each so I don't end up with cupcakes (or cookies, or whatevers) flowing out of every window in my house.  In the case of cupcakes, I use a different color paper liner for each one so I can easily tell them apart and don't get them mixed up in the tasting step.  Here are the four from my last testing round, all lined up and ready for tasting:  

Testing, testing, testing ...

Next, I put them through a blind tasting with my husband and me (well, it's not blind for me, since I know which recipe went into which paper liner ... but it's close enough!).  Then I involve a friend or two, or my parents, or in some cases - both.  I take all that feedback and decide which recipes need to be scrapped all-together, which are worthy of another try with a tweak or two, or if there's one that's spot-on just as it is.  And my friends involved in this process know that I don't just want them to say, "Oh, that's good."  They have to tell me what exactly they like - the flavor?  The texture?  How it looks?  Then they have to compare, saying things like, "I like the flavor of this one, but I like how light and fluffy this one is."  Then it's back to baking more batches and re-tasting until there's a clear winner! 

So, here it is ... the clear winner of the quest for the BEST vanilla cupcake ... ever-so-slightly-modified Vanilla Cupcakes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.

I was actually very skeptical of The Hummingbird Bakery's recipe, and considered not even testing it.  Why?  Well, it uses much less sugar and much less butter than most of the cupcake recipes out there.  And doesn't sugar and butter make everything good??  And their mixing method wasn't the traditional creaming method.  Instead, you first combine all the dry ingredients with the butter and mix it until you get a crumb mixture ... then add the wet ingredients.  The ever-so-slight modification I made was to increase the vanilla, as the original recipe called for only 1/4 teaspoon, resulting in a too-faint vanilla flavor for me.  With this one small change, these cupcakes were vanilla cupcake perfection!

Now ... on to the coffee buttercream frosting.

This buttercream is so light-and-fluffy, with a fantastic coffee flavor.  It's from my all-time absolute favorite cookbook, The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine.  Beating it the full time called for in each step of the recipe is the key.  It makes it soooo smooth and light ... which is exactly how I love my frosting.  Add the coffee mixture into a butter & confectioners' sugar mixture, and then keep on beating it until it's a beautiful light tan color.

Adding the coffee mixture ...

... and beating until it's a gorgeous light-and-fluffy frosting

Pipe the coffee buttercream onto the cupcakes, top with a chocolate-covered espresso bean, and there you have it!  The BEST vanilla cupcake with the BEST coffee buttercream ever.  Happy birthday, Mom!!

Yummy for my tummy

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Source:  Cupcakes adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, frosting adapted from The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine

Ingredients
Cupcakes:
1 c. all-purpose flour
A scant 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 T. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. whole milk (I also tried it with 2% milk, and it worked fine)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
1 1/2 T. instant coffee granules
1 1/2 T. water
1 1/2 T. vanilla extract
3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 c. confectioners' sugar
3 T. milk


Directions
Prepare the Cupcakes:
1.  Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in mixing bowl.  Beat on slow speed until everything is combined and you have a crumb mixture with a sandy consistency.  Gradually pour in half of the milk; beat until the milk is just incorporated.

2.  Whisk together the remaining milk (1/4 cup), egg, and vanilla.  Pour into the flour mixture and beat until all ingredients are just incorporated.  Beat for about another 30 seconds to one minute until the batter is smooth.  Do not over mix.

3.  Spoon batter into muffin pan cups lined with paper cupcake liners, filling cups 1/2 full.  Bake at 325 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until light golden and the cake springs back when lightly touched.  Cool slightly in the pan before removing cupcakes to a wire rack.  Cool completely before frosting.

NOTE:  This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.  And it really does make 12!  Fill your cups only 1/2 full, as this batter rises quite a bit.  When I divided the batter between only 10 muffin cups, I had several that rose over the sides of the cups way too much.  If you're like me, you'll feel like there's not enough batter to stretch to 12 cupcakes ... but there really is.


Prepare the Coffee Buttercream Frosting:
4.  Combine water, coffee granules, and vanilla extract in a small bowl; stir to dissolve coffee.  Set aside.

5.  Beat butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.  Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating for a few seconds between each addition.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.

6.  Add the coffee mixture and milk; beat on low speed to combine.  Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Frosts 18 cupcakes.

This post is linked with Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Muffin Monday hosted by Talking Dollars and Cents, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Treats Thursday hosted by Something Swanky, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, The Month Long Cupcake Party hosted by Screaming Sardine, Friday Favorites hosted by Simply Sweet Home, Savvy HomeMade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Recipe Sharing Monday hosted by Jam Hands, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, and Tuesday Tutorials hosted by The Kurtz Corner, 12 Days of Christmas Goodies hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things.

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Visit from the Grandparents - Summer 2011 Part 2

A few more photos of our fun time with Grant's parents are in order......somehow we failed to get downloaded the fishing photos that Grandpa took, so hopefully he can email those to us and I can add those....some pretty cool shots of the guys catching small sharks!  

Beach time!  Ellia was obviously having a good time.

Marissa - loves the pool!

Annika - our little fish.

Slightly chilly Ellia with Grandpa

Getting a lesson from Grandpa on different aircraft at a local park.

Annika was just unhappy about mosquitoes.

Swinging time!

Visit to our Yankee Candle Factory Flagship store - the kids' first time there.

The kids all dipped candles - lots of fun.

Corban got to make a wax mold of his hand....he loved it!

Grandma and Ellia.

Annika and Grandpa

Grant's brother Eric came down for one of the fishing trips and the guys came back with a few crabs - he cooked them and taught us all how to properly eat a crab.  

A little surprisingly, Annika was the hugest fan of crab meat - she's our little seafood fanatic!

Last day of the visit- all the kids with grandparents.  

A few more photos of our fun time with Grant's parents are in order......somehow we failed to get downloaded the fishing photos that Grandpa took, so hopefully he can email those to us and I can add those....some pretty cool shots of the guys catching small sharks!  

Beach time!  Ellia was obviously having a good time.

Marissa - loves the pool!

Annika - our little fish.

Slightly chilly Ellia with Grandpa

Getting a lesson from Grandpa on different aircraft at a local park.

Annika was just unhappy about mosquitoes.

Swinging time!

Visit to our Yankee Candle Factory Flagship store - the kids' first time there.

The kids all dipped candles - lots of fun.

Corban got to make a wax mold of his hand....he loved it!

Grandma and Ellia.

Annika and Grandpa

Grant's brother Eric came down for one of the fishing trips and the guys came back with a few crabs - he cooked them and taught us all how to properly eat a crab.  

A little surprisingly, Annika was the hugest fan of crab meat - she's our little seafood fanatic!

Last day of the visit- all the kids with grandparents.  

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Gooey Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake Bars

Can you EVEN.
I mean, really.
These take ridiculous to a whole new level.
Nothing nutritious about them, not one single crumb.
Chocolate to the hilt.  A chocoholic's dream come true, if you want to know the truth.
Can you see the gooeyness?  (spell check says that isn't a word.  I don't care.)

Thankfully, I made these for Grant's work potluck, not for us at home, because otherwise I could be guilty of consuming a day's worth of calories in about 5 minutes.

The recipe comes from Jenny at Picky Palate, who has some of the craziest ideas for new recipes.  I would never have thought of something like this.  I guess that's the reason she's been to the Pillsbury Bake-Off and other national cooking contests and I haven't.

Recipe: 
1 devils food cake mix
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1 egg
14 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a 13 x 9" pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, butter, and egg.  Use your hands and just mash it all together until it's well mixed.  Press evenly into prepared pan.
Break cookies into pieces and sprinkle evenly over cake.
Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the cookies.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of it all.
Bake for 23-25 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen from foil.  Allow to cool completely.  Use foil to remove from pan and cut into pieces.

Can you EVEN.
I mean, really.
These take ridiculous to a whole new level.
Nothing nutritious about them, not one single crumb.
Chocolate to the hilt.  A chocoholic's dream come true, if you want to know the truth.
Can you see the gooeyness?  (spell check says that isn't a word.  I don't care.)

Thankfully, I made these for Grant's work potluck, not for us at home, because otherwise I could be guilty of consuming a day's worth of calories in about 5 minutes.

The recipe comes from Jenny at Picky Palate, who has some of the craziest ideas for new recipes.  I would never have thought of something like this.  I guess that's the reason she's been to the Pillsbury Bake-Off and other national cooking contests and I haven't.

Recipe: 
1 devils food cake mix
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1 egg
14 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a 13 x 9" pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, butter, and egg.  Use your hands and just mash it all together until it's well mixed.  Press evenly into prepared pan.
Break cookies into pieces and sprinkle evenly over cake.
Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the cookies.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of it all.
Bake for 23-25 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen from foil.  Allow to cool completely.  Use foil to remove from pan and cut into pieces.

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Fruit Pizza

It was my turn to make food for our small group from church last week, and I decided to do a pizza night.  I made 2 large pizzas in cookie sheets, one half cheese, half veggie (with zucchini, tomatoes, and green peppers) and the other barbecue chicken bacon.  For dessert - pizza again.  Yum!

I realize there are lots of variations on fruit pizza out there, so I won't make any claims that this is the best one, but it sure was delicious and popular with kids and adults alike.  I made two, so I doubled this recipe.  I think the ratio of topping, fruit, and cookie were balanced very nicely - nothing was overpowering or dominating and it was just plain good.  The cookie was nice and soft, but never got soggy.  Fresh fruit can get iffy in quality if left in the fridge for too long, so I recommend eating the leftovers by the next day.  That wasn't a problem for my family.

My kids are already begging me to make it again.

Recipe (adapted from Allrecipes, decorating idea from Finding Joy in my Kitchen)

1/2 c. butter, room temperature
2/3 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1-1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt


4 oz  cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed


Fresh fruit - I used strawberries and kiwi (peaches, blueberries, mandarin oranges, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple, mango, or most other fruits are possibilities as well!)


Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a pizza pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Add to butter mixture and stir well.

Gently press into the prepared pizza pan.  Don't worry about getting all the way to the edges - as the cookie bakes, it will expand.  I left at least 1 to 1-1/2 inches space around the edge.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cookie is lightly browned around the edges and set in the middle.  Cool completely.

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Fold in the whipped topping until well combined.  Spread over the cooled crust.  Arrange sliced fruit on top as desired.  Chill until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

It was my turn to make food for our small group from church last week, and I decided to do a pizza night.  I made 2 large pizzas in cookie sheets, one half cheese, half veggie (with zucchini, tomatoes, and green peppers) and the other barbecue chicken bacon.  For dessert - pizza again.  Yum!

I realize there are lots of variations on fruit pizza out there, so I won't make any claims that this is the best one, but it sure was delicious and popular with kids and adults alike.  I made two, so I doubled this recipe.  I think the ratio of topping, fruit, and cookie were balanced very nicely - nothing was overpowering or dominating and it was just plain good.  The cookie was nice and soft, but never got soggy.  Fresh fruit can get iffy in quality if left in the fridge for too long, so I recommend eating the leftovers by the next day.  That wasn't a problem for my family.

My kids are already begging me to make it again.

Recipe (adapted from Allrecipes, decorating idea from Finding Joy in my Kitchen)

1/2 c. butter, room temperature
2/3 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1-1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt


4 oz  cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed


Fresh fruit - I used strawberries and kiwi (peaches, blueberries, mandarin oranges, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple, mango, or most other fruits are possibilities as well!)


Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a pizza pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Add to butter mixture and stir well.

Gently press into the prepared pizza pan.  Don't worry about getting all the way to the edges - as the cookie bakes, it will expand.  I left at least 1 to 1-1/2 inches space around the edge.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cookie is lightly browned around the edges and set in the middle.  Cool completely.

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.  Fold in the whipped topping until well combined.  Spread over the cooled crust.  Arrange sliced fruit on top as desired.  Chill until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

I don't know if I can even call this a "brownie"

The main ingredients are butter, chocolate, eggs, cheese and sugar. There's so little flour, this seemed almost like a flourless chocolate cake. It was merely an afterthought to cradle all these other, amazing ingredients

The flavor is dark and rich. The brownies are heavy, and you will intake far too many calories by eating just one square. But these brownies are the best, most decadent brownies you will ever have.

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies
Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder, not dutch process
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt

Ingredients for ganache

• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 oz semi sweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Melt butter in saucepan and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is dissolved.
3. Add sugar and cocoa powder
4. Beat in cheese, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined
5. Fold in flour and salt.
6. Pour batter into prepared 8x8 or 9 inch round pan, making sure to spread evenly
7. Bake 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean
8. While brownies are cooling, Melt butter and heavy cream in saucepan until mixture is just below a boil.
9. Pour cream and butter over chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds and stir until chocolate is fully dissolved
10. Spread ganache over brownies and let cool/harden completely before slicing and serving

I don't know if I can even call this a "brownie"

The main ingredients are butter, chocolate, eggs, cheese and sugar. There's so little flour, this seemed almost like a flourless chocolate cake. It was merely an afterthought to cradle all these other, amazing ingredients

The flavor is dark and rich. The brownies are heavy, and you will intake far too many calories by eating just one square. But these brownies are the best, most decadent brownies you will ever have.

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies
Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder, not dutch process
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt

Ingredients for ganache

• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 oz semi sweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Melt butter in saucepan and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is dissolved.
3. Add sugar and cocoa powder
4. Beat in cheese, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined
5. Fold in flour and salt.
6. Pour batter into prepared 8x8 or 9 inch round pan, making sure to spread evenly
7. Bake 45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean
8. While brownies are cooling, Melt butter and heavy cream in saucepan until mixture is just below a boil.
9. Pour cream and butter over chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds and stir until chocolate is fully dissolved
10. Spread ganache over brownies and let cool/harden completely before slicing and serving

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