Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

by penji1

Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yummers!  I love muffins and these are really, really good.  The recipe comes from The Food Network which I also love.

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cocoa

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus more for topping

1 cup milk

1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1  Preheat oven to 400, 375 for dark colored pans.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar and 3/4 cup chocolate chips in a large bowl.  Whisk together all liquid ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until combined.  Scoop batter into paper lined cups and top with additional chocolate chips.

3  Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup

by penji1

Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup

My parents arrived last night for a visit so I had this soup waiting for them once they were settled in.  It was yummy and hearty and perfect for an on again off again rainy day.  It comes from “Cooking Classy”.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

4 cups beef broth

2 (8 oz each) cans tomato sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5.6 oz (1 1/4 cups) uncooked small pasta

1  Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Add carrots and onions and saute for 3 minutes then add garlic and saute 1 more minute.  Pour mixture onto a plate.

2  Cook ground beef until browned.  Drain fat from beef.

3  Return veggies to pot with beef and add broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, Worcestershire, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta has cooked through, approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

4  Remove bay leaves and serve.

Chocolate Mint Sugar Cookie Bars

by penji1

Chocolate Mint Sugar Cookie Bars

A sweet treat for a sweet friend, the recipe comes from “Inside Bru Crew Life”.  I had a little sample when I cut them up this morning and they are awesome, the cookie layer was just the tiniest bit dry so maybe a little more liquid added to the dough would help that, otherwise delic!

cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

(1 – 2 tablespoons milk if needed)

mint frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

6 tablespoons whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

green gel food coloring

1 cup Andes mint pieces

1  For cookies, beat butter and sugars together until smooth then add egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth.

2  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt then slowly add to butter mixture until mixed in well.  (Add milk a tablespoon at a time if dough is too crumbly to stick together.)  Press mixture into greased 9 x 13″ pan.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Let cool completely.

3  For frosting, beat butter, mint extract and whipping cream until creamy.  Slowly add in salt and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

4  Add green food coloring until desired shade is achieved.  Beat until color is even.  Spread over cooled bars and top with mint pieces.

One Pot Pasta

by penji1

One Pot Pasta

Easiest and fastest dinner ever last night from Martha Stewart and oh yes, pretty tasty too!

1 (16 – 17.6 oz) package pasta of your choice (I used tri-colored bow ties)

2 – 4 cups broccoli, chopped into bite sized pieces (not sure how much I used as I just finished the bag)

1 – 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

2 – 4 tablespoons olive oil (not sure how much, I just drizzled until it looked good)

zest and juice of 2 lemons

salt and pepper

1 1/2 – 2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded

1  Cook pasta according to package directions, during last 3 – 4 minutes of cooking time, add broccoli to pot.

2  Drain pasta and broccoli and return to pot.  Add in garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and Parmesan; stir until combined.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mason Jar Cakes

by penji1

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mason Jar Cakes

Here is the chocolate version of the mason jar cakes, chocolate peanut butter to be exact and they are delicious!  The chocolate peanut butter frosting recipe comes from Taste of Home (see link below).

18 (8 oz each) jelly jars

1 chocolate cake mix plus ingredients to make cake

1 extra egg

1 small box chocolate instant pudding mix

1 bag mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 – 5 tablespoons milk

1  Preheat oven to 325.  Spray clean jelly jars with cooking spray.

2  Prepare cake mix as directed, adding one extra egg and the box of pudding mix.  Using medium scoop or ice cream scoop, place one generous scoop in each jelly jar.  Place 1 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cup into each jar, pressing down to make sure they are covered with batter.

3  Bake at 325 for 15 – 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

4  Prepare frosting (you might want to double it like I did so that you can be generous with it and not skimpy) by beating together butter and peanut butter until smooth then adding in vanilla and beating until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar, cocoa and salt until incorporated then add milk in 1 tablespoon increments until desired texture is achieved.

5  Fill pastry bag fitted with 1A or 2A tip with frosting and pipe in circular pattern over top of cake in jar then top with 1 mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.

6  If desired, finish by tying a plastic spoon to rim of jar with Baker’s Twine (I got mine from Pick Your Plum) for easier and cuter serving.

Vanilla Oreo Mason Jar Cakes

by penji1

Vanilla Oreo Mason Jar Cakes

It was Laurel Tribute last night (a recognition night for the graduating seniors) and even though I’m not in Young Women anymore, my friend Diana, the new YW president, asked if I would make the treats, yippee!!  It was held in the Bishop’s backyard so I thought these little mason jar cakes would go just perfectly with the backyard party theme and also I’ve been wanting to try making them.  I looked around on Pinterest at a few different ideas and came up with these.  I made these vanilla cakes and a chocolate version too which I’ll post tomorrow, I only tried the chocolate version but I’m told these were delicious as well.

cakes

18 (8 oz each) Jelly Jars

1 white cake mix plus ingredients to make cake

1 extra egg

1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 (8 oz) bag of Mini Oreos

Basic Buttercream Icing

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 pounds powdered sugar

1  Preheat oven to 325.

2  If jelly jars are new, wash before using.  Spray clean jelly jars with cooking spray and place on cookie sheets.

3  Prepare cake mix as directed on package, adding extra egg, box of pudding mix and tablespoon of vanilla.  Using medium scoop or ice cream scoop, place one generous scoop carefully into each jar.  Reserving 18 Oreos for decoration, place remaining Oreos, approx 2 per cake, into each jar, pushing them down so they are covered with batter.

4  Bake at 325 for approx 15 – 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool completely.

5  Prepare frosting by beating together butter, milk, vanilla and salt then adding powdered sugar a bit at a time until frosting is smooth and creamy.

6  Fill a large pastry bag with frosting fitted with the “1M” tip and pipe frosting on top of cakes in a swirling pattern then top with 1 mini Oreo.

7  If desired, finish by tying a plastic spoon to rim of jar with Baker’s Twine (which came from “Pick Your Plum” as well as that adorable blue tray) for easier serving.

Vanilla Oreo Mason Jar Cakes

Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

by penji1

Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

Inspiration for last night’s delicious dinner compliments of Betty Crocker, once again easy, yummy and fast, my three favorite things!

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, pressed

16 oz your choice of pasta

2 (14 oz each) cans chicken broth

1/2 cup water

juice of 3 lemons

4 cups chopped broccoli

2 (12 oz each) cans chicken

grated rind of 1 lemon

Parmesan cheese

1  Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

2  Stir in pasta, broth, water and lemon juice.  Heat to boiling, stirring as needed, then reduce to medium low.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir well.

3  Spread broccoli and chicken over pasta.  Cover and cook 10 more minutes or until pasta is done and most of liquid is gone.

4  Stir in lemon rind.  Top with cheese.

M&M Pudding Cookies

by penji1

M&M Pudding Cookies

These were delicious!  The pudding in the mix gives them the perfect little crisp on the outside with a soft and gooey inside.  They come from “Six Sisters’ Stuff” and I will be making them again for sure.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips, regular or mini

1 1/4 cups M&Ms, regular or mini

1  Preheat oven to 350.

2  Beat butter and sugars together until creamy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt and add gradually to butter mixture.  Beat until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms.

3  Roll into 1 1/2″ balls or use a medium cookie scoop.  Bake 10 – 12 minutes until cooked through.  Let cool on cookie sheet 10 minutes before removing.

I doubled the recipe and got about 60 cookies.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

by penji1

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Bridal Shower for my sweet friend Brianne yesterday so I contributed these beauties which looked and tasted divine!  Not hard to make, a little time consuming but not too bad.  The recipe comes from “Cooking Classy”.  The next time I make these I will probably double the amount of lemon extract in both the cookies and frosting, they were lemony but it was really subtle.

cookies

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup unflavored shortening, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 large lemon, about 1 tablespoon

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

frosting

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons lemon juice

yellow food coloring, yellow sanding sugar

For cookies:

1  Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and set aside.

2  In mixer bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and lemon zest on medium until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

3  Add egg and mix until combined then add egg white, lemon extract and vanilla and mix until combined.

4  Slowly add in dry ingredients with mixer running just until combined.

5  Transfer dough to airtight container and refrigerate 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 375 during last 10 minutes of refrigeration.

6  Scoop dough out in 1/4 cup measures one at a time and roll into a ball.  Place ball on lightly floured surface, sprinkle top lightly with flour, then using a flat, smooth surface (I used a large metal spatula), press and evenly flatten dough to 1/2″ so you should have a 2 2/3″ – 2 3/4″ cookie.  Transfer cookie to Silpat lined cookie sheet (or a baking stone works great too) and repeat process with remaining dough.

7  Bake 9 – 11 minutes.  Allow to cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes before removing.  Cool completely then frost.

For frosting:

Beat all ingredients until smooth and fluffy.  Mix in food coloring if desired and sprinkle with sugar if desired.

I doubled the recipe and it made about 36 cookies.

Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

by penji1

Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

Book Group here last night, forgot to take a picture of the cake before cutting so here is half the cake after serving!  Delicious!  and perfect for summer!  It’s a Betty Crocker recipe, easy to make and easy to eat too.

cake

1 box lemon cake mix

1 cup milk

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel (from about 2 large lemons)

1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)

3 eggs

glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

2 – 4 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 – 2 large lemons)

1  Heat oven to 325.  Spray 10 – 12 cup fluted tube or bundt cake pan generously with cooking spray for baking (the one with flour in it).

2  Beat cake ingredients on low for 1 minute then on medium for 2 minutes.  Pour into pan.

3  Bake 40 – 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes before turning onto serving plate.  Cool completely, about 1 hour, before glazing.

4  Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice with whisk until smooth and desired consistency.  Pour over cake.  (I topped mine with Pampered Chef Lemon Sprinkles.)