Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

 

 

 

 

The calendar tells me it's just about fall.  In the Pacific Northwest however, we are being blessed with a beautiful, warm late summer that just about speaks perfection to me.  Sunshine, warm breezes....SUNSHINE!  I'm so enjoying it while it's here because, alas, fall and winter will truly descend upon us soon and the grey rains will crowd out my sunshine.  But it's okay, because fall for me means lots of good food:  soups, breads, pumpkin, and apples.

 

Apples are the star ingredient in these delectable cupcakes; well, apple cider that is.  Although, I do believe that adding a little shredded apple to these babies might just put them over the top.  The original recipe found here calls for using some apple butter to fill these guys, but honestly, it was more effort than I was willing to put forth...besides, I have yet to make my homemade apple butter and I'm too cheap to buy it in the stores.  True story.

 

I've doubled the recipe because you really will be sad if you only make a dozen of these.  See, the smell will waft out your windows and you'll have neighbors, mailmen, and cousins twice removed popping up on your doorstep to beg cupcakes from you.  And you know, when you give a cat a cupcake....oh, nevermind.  Just try these sometime soon.  Your taste buds (and extended relatives) will thank you!

 

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

 

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs

3 1/3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups apple cider

 

Frosting: ***

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/4 cups butter (2 1/2 sticks)

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 (8 ounce) bricks cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease or line 24 cupcake wells.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then 1/2 of the cider, and repeat, ending with the last of the flour and mixing only until incorporated.  Pour into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup 3/4 of the way full.  (I did have some leftover batter that I put in a small round pyrex cup to bake.)  Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.  Cool thoroughly. 

 

For the frosting melt brown sugar and 1 stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat.  Whisk in cream and blend well.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  Place remaining 1 1/2 stick butter in large bowl with cream cheese.  Beat with a mixer until smooth.  Beat in vanilla and salt.  With mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture.  Beat until smooth.  Add sifted powdered sugar gradually, beating well until completely smooth.  I chilled mine in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to make it firmer and easier to pipe.  Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.  Enjoy!!

 

***This recipe makes LOTS of icing.  If you like an average amount of frosting, half of the recipe listed here will probably be just right for you.  I think I have enough frosting left after making these for at least another half-dozen to dozen cupcakes...and I frosted very generously.

 

 



Roasted Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Bell Peppers

We love the sweet, tangy goodness of balsamic vinegar around here.  So when I saw a recipe that included chicken, peppers, and balsamic vinegar, I knew we had to give it a shot.  I adapted this from a Cooking Light recipe, which means it rates fairly high on the healthy scale as well.  I'm thrilled to report that it was a hit with all members of my family and will become a regular on our menus.  Not only was it tasty, but it has a low difficulty level as well.  It is a two step process, but it produces some really moist and flavorful results.

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Peppers

For the rub:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano

4 chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons of oil
2 cups sliced red bell pepper
1 cup sliced yellow or green bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 cup chicken broth
11/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450. 

Brush both sides of chicken breasts with 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with rub.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoon oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Place chicken breasts in skillet and cook 3 minutes.  Flip chicken over and cook 1-2 more minutes.

Remove chicken from skillet and place in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 170.  (I had some very voluptuous chicken, so I ended up cooking mine for about 15-20 minutes.)

While chicken is baking, put 1 Tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium high heat and add sliced bell peppers and onion.  Saute for about 3 minutes.  Carefully pour in 1 cup chicken broth and stir to deglaze pan.  Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, return heat to medium high and stir in balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Cook 3-5 minutes more, stirring frequently.  Serve over chicken.  Enjoy!

We served this with Parmesan risotto and peas.  It was a hit all around our house.  Hope you enjoy it too! :)

Flatbread Snackers

As I posted yesterday, I was so excited to find a recipe that was similar to our favorite Olga's snackers!  We tried to make them two ways...baked and fried.  Baked, while healthier, didn't have the same familiar texture as I remember.  Which is really too bad; I was so hoping to make them more heart healthy!  The key ingredient, though is this magic blend:

Based on comments I've read online, this is the actual seasoning used in the restaurant.  I'm not sure if that's 100% true or not, but it definitely tasted like a Snacker to me!  I found this at Safeway in the spice aisle.

To make the snackers, all you need to do is heat some canola or olive oil over medium to medium high heat in a skillet; toss in your cut up flatbread; stir and cook for a few minutes until the bread is warm and just a tad toasty on the outside; and finally remove from the oil, drain, and sprinkle liberally with the seasoning.  Voila!  Snackers!!  In the restaurant this is served with a Swiss almond cheese spread.  We never cared for it, so I haven't tried to replicate that.  But I hear that Kaukauna cheese makes a very, very similar blend.  Look for it in a cup with the cheese spreads at your grocery store.

I love things that are so simple, tasty, and remind me of home.  Hope you all get a chance to try this.  Let me know what you think...is it like the snackers that you remember?

Olga's Kitchen Flatbread!!!

Of the many things I miss about living in the midwest, certain foods definitely make my top ten list.  This is one of them.  Olga's is a restaurant that started in Michigan and has found its way throughout the midwest.  They are famous for their flatbread filled sandwiches.  We are huge fans of Olga's and always try and have lunch there when we're back home.

So imagine my absolute giddiness when I found a recipe for our beloved flatbreads online!  THIS is where I found my new ambrosia.  They even make an appetizer called Olga Snackers with this yummy bread, and I've figured that one out as well!  I'll post that recipe tomorrow...the troops ate all the goodness before I could take pictures!

Here's the recipe...it's not very difficult and while you do need to give it about an hour to rise, each flatbread only takes about 30 seconds to cook.  Once you've got them made, they are great filled with your favorite sandwich stuffing.  My personal favorite is grilled chicken with lettuce, tomato, and honey mustard.  My eldest says they make a mean pbj; and my husband will eat them filled, unfilled, or anywhere in between.  Try these out and let me know what your favorite ways to eat them are.  And be on the lookout tomorrow for that Snacker recipe!

1 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups flour
1 egg

Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast.  Set aside for 10 minutes to allow yeast to proof.  In a small saucepan, bring milk to just below boiling.  Remove from heat and mix in honey, butter, and salt.  Allow to cool 5-10 minutes until somewhat lukewarm.  Once it's cooled a bit, add the milk mixture and 1 1/2 cups flour to a mixing bowl and beat well.  Add egg and yeast mixture and combine well.  Add remaining 2 1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) and beat until dough forms.  Knead 2 minutes.  (I use the dough hook on my KitchenAid because I am a lazy baker!)  Take out the dough, spray the bowl with Pam and put the dough back.  Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and allow to rise for about an hour.  It should double in size.

When your hour is up, punch the dough down.  Cut into 16 pieces and roll each piece in a circle about 1/8 inch thick. (This is where I discovered I'm apparently incapable of rolling things out in rounds.)  Heat a skillet (I use my cast iron) on medium to medium high heat.  Place rounds one at a time in dry skillet.  Allow to cook about 15 seconds, then flip and allow it to cook 10-15 seconds longer.  You should get a nice toasty look to each side of your bread.  Then fill (or not) and enjoy!

Hope your families enjoy this as much as ours!

Chocolate Almond Monster Cookies

I'm baaaackkk!  It's been a crazy, fun, adventure filled year; but I miss being able to share great recipes that I've come across.  So, I'm back....and hopefully for good. I've been wanting to return to blogland for some time now, but I have to admit that the thought holding me back was finding time to cook and take all of those pictures.  I've decided to streamline a bit and go back to one or two pictures per recipe.  I'm hoping it will take my self-imposed pressure off and give me more opportunity to share all the recipes I've been wanting to blog.

Because we're in full holiday swing, I thought I'd start back with some of my old and new favorite cookie recipes.  Monster cookies have always been a favorite in our house.  Our cookies are a tad off standard though; we don't add M&M's!  I know that sounds almost sacrilegious and I have to agree.  It seems my dear husband doesn't like M&M's in his cookies.  He did keep this to himself until after I said "I do" though, and it's probably a good thing.  The no M&M clause could have been a deal breaker. 

Instead, we add extra nuts and chocolate chips to ours.  I'd like to add in dried cherries or apricots as well.  I think it would add a nice tartness to counter the sweet.  You could also add chopped pretzels, coconut, or butterscotch chips.  Really, if you think about it, monster cookies are kind of like stir fry:  You can toss in whatever tidbits of goodness you have left and come out with something really tasty.  So go crazy and find your family's favorite combo.  Enjoy!!

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon corn syrup
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cup peanut butter
4 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and corn syrup.  Add melted butter and peanut butter and mix well to combine.  Stir in oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Finally add in chocolate chips and sliced almonds and stir well.  Give your dough about 15 minutes to rest.  For each cookie use about 1/4 cup dough and flatten a bit with your fingers on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. 

Coconut Crab Cakes

This delectable appetizer is a variation of an old Pampered Chef recipe.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I have to tell you...I'm not a big crab fan, but these are tasty little guys!  They've come to be one of the most requested appetizers in my house and for good reason.  They have a little kick to them thanks to the addition of the cayenne pepper, but it's balanced out by the sweetness of the coconut.  I cannot recommend these enough!  Even if you've never been good friends with crab, please try this out.  I think you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised!

Here's what you'll need to gather for these savory sensations: 

Crab, coconut, green onions, carrot, red pepper, ginger, garlic, a lemon (or lemon juice), mayonnaise, rice vinegar, an egg, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper.

First, you'll want to toast your coconut.  You can do this in a pan on the stove, but I prefer to do mine in the microwave.

Place the coconut into a microwave proof container with a large bottom.  I find a pie plate works quite well.  Heat the coconut in the microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir.  Continue at 30 second intervals until your coconut looks like this:

Beautiful, isn't it?  It may take 3-4 minutes, but keep on it for 30 second intervals.  Once it starts toasting, it can go from a beautiful light brown to a burnt mess quickly.

Next finely dice the red pepper, thinly slice the green peppers and shred the carrot.

I love nice, neat little piles of things I've cut.  I think I'm become compulsive in my old age.

Also give your crabmeat a chop.

I know what you're thinking.  No, this is not technically crab meat (gasp).  However, it is much cheaper than real crab meat, and in this recipe it's a perfectly acceptable substitute.  If you are dead set against ever allowing surimi (the technical name for the crab flavored pollock) to pass through your threshold, you can absolutely use whatever form of crab you most prefer and chop it into smithereens.  My family requests this quite often, so to avoid being put in the poor house via crab debts, I stick with the surimi.  Really, you'll be surprised at how you can't tell the difference.

When you've finished all of the slicing, dicing, and hacking, dig out your favorite mixing bowl.

Add in the crab, bell pepper, green onion, carrots, ginger, egg, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, mayonnaise, and lemon juice.  Give it a good mix.

In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and cayenne.

Add that to your crab mixture and combine well.

Now you're ready to scoop it out for baking.  I use a medium size scoop when I'm making this for my family for our "appetizer meals".  If I'm making this as an actually appetizer for a function, I tend to use my small scoop.  It will give you a nice two-bite crab cake, perfect for a holiday party.

Scoop the mixture out and onto the toasted coconut. 

Sprinkle the top of your crab scoop with a little more of the toasted coconut, then gently smoosh a bit with the back of a small spatula.

Using your spatula, carefully move the flattened ball from the coconut and onto the baking sheet. 

Continue with the rest of the crab mixture.  You can place these fairly close together on the baking sheet because they will not spread any more than they are now.

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes until they are firm and a tad more golden.  You can eat this alone or dip them in a plum, mustard, or curry sauce for a more asian flavor.  Enjoy!

Coconut Crab Cakes

1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted

8 ounces crab meat (really, artificial works quite well!)

1 Tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

2-3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup mayonnaise,

1 egg

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toast coconut in microwave.  In a bowl combine crab, ginger, garlic, onion, red pepper, carrot, lemon juice, mayonnaise, egg and rice vinegar.  Mix well.  Combine bread crumbs and cayenne, then add to crab mixture.  Scoop mounds of crab mixture onto coconut.  Sprinkle with extra coconut.  Flatten cakes slightly with small spatula and carefully transfer to baking sheet.  Bake at 375 18-20 minutes until coconut is slightly browner than before.  Enjoy!

Flying Biscut Cafe Cookbook

Congratulations to #4, Diana Akiko!  You've won the Flying Cafe Cookbook.  Thanks for all of the comments, and stay tuned for some yummy appetizer recipes just in time for holiday parties. 

**Random drawing conducted at random.org.