Birthday time at work tomorrow again for a kindred spirit cookbook and cooking magazine coworker. I decided to make her one of her favorite combinations ~ chocolate and mint.
Mint Brownies & Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup dark cocoa
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup mint chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup mint chips, melted
1/3 cup dark cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix together butter and sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add in dry ingredients. Spread evening in an 8 x 8 greased pan.
Cool brownies.
Frosting - melt mint chips and mix into butter. Add in whipping cream and vanilla and mix with hand mixer. Add in cocoa and powdered sugar and beat for 3 minutes.
Servings: 16
Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F
This is a super easy way to make chicken with lots of flavors. This is a beginning picture at 10 a.m. this morning.
Crock Pot Chicken (you can double or triple recipe)
2 chicken breasts
4 apple smoked bacon slices
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup blackberries
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each chicken breast. Mix the diced apple, blackberries, lemon juice and bbq sauce and then spread over top of breasts.
Bake on medium low setting for 5 hours.
Final outcome ~ I served on white rice
The aroma of fresh baked goods is a wonderful experience, especially when cinnamon is involved. These muffins have a cinnamon streusel topping and cinnamon chips inside. Double the flavor. A treat for your eyes when just out of the oven and the little pockets of molten cinnamon chips are visible on top of the muffin.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffins
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg slightly beaten
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup cinnamon chips
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp butter, softened
Mix together pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil and egg. Add in white sugar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Hand mix in 1/2 cup cinnamon chips. Fill each muffin cup 1/2 full.
Mix together brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and butter to make the streusel. Sprinkle on top of muffin batter.
Servings: 12
I think I should spend some time decorating my home in a fall theme since it has taken over the kitchen. Tonight I made pumpkin waffles to try something new and different. They were so good that I'm looking forward to making this recipe over and over. I'm glad now I bought the new liquid freezer containers for the extra syrup that I made. The waffles and syrup were the perfect compliment for each other.
Pumpkin Waffles
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1 dash nutmeg
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a larger bowl, combine pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter and buttermilk. Add in egg whites. Gradually add in dry ingredients. Bake as per waffle manufacturers instructions.
Servings: 8
Cinnamon Syrup
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 cup evaporated milk
In a large saucepan, mix together corn syrup, sugar, water and spices. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk. Serve warm.
I'm getting ready for the cooler temperatures forecasted for next week and what better way to do that than with chili.
Crock Pot Chili
1 - 15 oz can Light Red Kidney Beans, drained
1 - 15 oz can Cannellini White Kidney Beans, drained
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce, no salt added
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, cooked
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
chili powder to taste
1 tsp oregano
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover and cook on low 4 hours.
Fall is in the air and it's my favorite season for weather and the harvest of fruits and vegetables. Here's a snack that I like to make and I give the caramel apple butter as gifts.
Caramel Apple Butter
3 lbs apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
25 caramel candies (about 1 ounce)
Put chopped apples into a crockpot with water and lemon juice. Cook until apples are tender. Puree apples in a food mill or food processor.
Add sugar and bring to a low boil. Add spices. Add in caramels and stir well.
Put into clean, dry jars leaving 1/2" head space. Put into boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Great with caramel apple butter.
8 small Flour tortillas
3 tbsp butter melted
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Cut flour tortillas like a pizza into 8 wedges. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake for 5 minutes at 325°F
The cute bowls are from the Food Network Store. I can't say I recommend them. They look nice but they do not stack very well at all so they take up way too much cupboard space.
I've wanted to make an orange muffin/cupcake to expand upon a family orange cookie recipe that is one of my favorites.
Iced Orange Muffins
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp grated orange peel
Beat egg whites until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in orange juice and vanilla. Add in egg yolks. Gently fold in beaten egg whites. Gradually add in dry ingredients. Bake for 15 minutes at 325°F or until tops are a light golden brown. Let cool and then ice. Makes 12 jumbo muffins
Orange Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp orange rind
2 tsp melted butter
1 tbsp Patron Citronge (optional but fun)
orange juice to spread
