Chocolate Banana Coconut Kiss Cupcakes

Have you ever watched Cupcake Wars?  If you haven't, you should.  It's a fun show, where four bakers compete against each other for $10,000 dollars.  During the first round, they each have to bake a cupcake that showcases several unusual flavors.  Each flavor has to be distinguishable from the others, and they still must all work well together and be tasty. 

I decided that it was high time to use up the almost over-ripe bananas that were sitting on top of my microwave and bake some cupcakes.  And what goes better with banana than chocolate?

Not much.

So here's what you'll need:

1 very ripe banana (1/2 C.)
1/3 C. canola oil
1/2 C. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. rum extract
1 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. cocoa powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cinnamon
12 coconut creme Hershey's kisses

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put liners in muffin pan.

Mash the banana in a bowl with a fork, then whisk in milk, vanilla and rum extracts, and oil until smooth.

Sift together the dry ingredients, then make a well in the center.  Pour the banana mixture into the well and stir to combine, just until smooth. Be careful not to over-mix!

Take about 3 tablespoons of batter and put in each muffin cup.  This only makes 12 cupcakes, so be careful not to put too much batter in each cup.  Once filled, take the coconut kisses and push lightly into each cupcake.  If you don't want to use them, or if you want to use another flavor, go ahead.  I just love banana, chocolate and coconut together.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean.  Be sure to test away from the kiss! The melted chocolate will stick to the toothpick and make it look like they aren't done.  Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
(I forgot to take any pictures of this!)
4 oz softened cream cheese
4 oz softened butter
2 C. sifted powdered sugar
1/4 C. cocoa powder

Mix together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Add the powdered sugar 1/2 C. at a time, beating well after each addition to combine well.  Add the cocoa powder and mix until combined.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. 

Remember what I said earlier about being able to taste the different flavors? Yeah? Good.  Because you can taste the chocolate and the banana in these.  They are so yummy and moist!  Give them a try soon!

Love,
Liz

Rainbow Cookie Inspired Cupcakes

Ever since I began experimenting with cupcakes, I’ve been wanting to make these. Now, some of you already know about my love of Rainbow Cookies. Seriously, I could eat an entire package of them in one sitting. It’s kind of disgusting.

For those of you who don’t know, Rainbow Cookies originated in Italian communities in the continental U.S. during the 1900’s in homage to their heritage. Their colors represent the Flag of Italy in a very neon, funky kind of way. -- Who knew you’d get a little history lesson here? Are there anymore questions? There are? Well tough, google it; I want to get on with this recipe.

Now, I’ll admit, I was a little nervous to try them in cupcake form, mainly because baking frightens me though. But luckily, I’ve been working through my issues with a little help from Liz and a lot of caffeine. Don’t let these cupcakes intimidate you. If I can make them, you can. I promise. Alright, enough of this talky talky….on with the noms.

The music: I had my iTunes library on shuffle so I was listening to all sorts of faboosh music.
The drink: OMG…ready for this shocker? I was drinking…COFFEE! I should really broaden my choice of beverages here.

Your building blocks for the sweetness:

½ c. softened butter

¾ c. sugar

2 eggs

3 t. almond extract

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour

½ t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

2/3 c. milk

½ can of apricot filling

½ c. raspberry spread or jam

Neon food coloring: pink, green, and yellow

(Please forgive the multiple pictures, I kept forgetting to put things in lol)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set up your muffin/cupcake tin with liners.

Mix together the dry ingredients using a whisk or fork to sift them all together. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, making sure they’re mixed in before adding the other. Add the almond flavoring and stir.

Alternating between the dry mixture and the milk, add to the butter mixture until all pretty and creamy and smooth. Basically until you want to stick your face in it and kiss it into submission.

Now divide the batter into three bowls and add the food coloring. These need to be BRIGHT. Like, shut the curtains and put on some sunglasses bright.

Ok, here we go with the time consuming part. Spoon some of the pink batter into the bottom of the cupcake wrappers. You could do the green first, I could never really find a clear answer on which one should go first, so I did a little of both…just as long as the yellow is in the middle.

Spoon a little apricot filling onto the first layer, spreading it out a little. (Ignore the crappy lighting here)

Now add the yellow layer and spoon the raspberry spread on top of that. Finish with the green/pink batter.

Bake for 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before adding the topping.

Usually Rainbow Cookies are covered on all sides with chocolate and then topped with chocolate sprinkles. While as tempting as it was to roll the cupcakes around in chocolate, I held back and decided that a frigging delicious chocolate ganache would be perfect.

Ingredients for a naughty naughty chocolate ganache, I borrowed from Ina Garten. But I promise not to say “good” before every ingredient like she does. You can use the crappy stuff…I won’t tell.

½ c. heavy cream

8 oz. dark chocolate chips (you could use semisweet if you prefer)

1t. instant espresso grounds

Why espresso grounds do you ask? No, it’s not for the caffeine, even though that’s an added bonus to a caffeine addict such as myself. It’s because the coffee helps bring out the full flavor of the chocolate. Look at that! History and random chocolate knowledge in one blog post! I better pace myself, don’t wanna peak too early.

Cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

Dip the top of each cupcake into the ganache and top with chocolate sprinkles.

Now “ooo” and “ahhh” over these because that are freaking fantastic! A little messy but it’s so worth it. I hope you love these as much as I do!

Love, Sarah

Easter Jello Blocks

I meant to post this several days ago.  Then, I got sick.  And, for some reason, while you have an ear infection, sinus infection, upper respiratory infection, and pink eye, ya just don't want to sit at the computer.  Who knew? :)

But I'm feeling better now, and wanted to share this with you.  You can customize the colors to suit anything: 4th of July would be neat, to do red and blue jello, kids birthday parties, anything. 

This is one of those things that I think everyone ate as a child.  It was at family parties, holiday parties, picnics.  I just never knew how to make it until I stumbled across the recipe about a year ago here, at Our Best Bites. 

I decided to go Easter with it, and do fun, spring colors.  It was actually kind of hard for me to get a final picture of these for some reason, but I'll put up the best I have!  These are so easy and fun, I hope you try them soon!

Cast of Characters:

4 (3 oz) packages of jello, in coordinating colors.
2 packages of Knox gelatin
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Clean off one shelf in your fridge.  (a hassle, I know.  Sorry!)

Take 4 different sizes of Tupperware containers and spray them with cooking spray; set aside.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Once its boiling, measure out 1 cup of water, and mix in one color of jello, whisking until jello is dissolved.  Pour into one of the prepared containers.  Repeat with the remaining jello and water.  Set the containers in the fridge, uncovered, until set, about 4 hours or so.

Once jello has set, take it out and cut it into blocks.  They don't have to be even.  If they are a little off, I think it makes it more fun.  Dump the jello into a large pan.  I think I used 11x15, but 9x13 would work too.

Take 1/2 cup of cold water, and sprinkle the two envelopes of gelatin over the top, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.  While that's sitting, bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil.  Add the water to the gelatin, and stir to dissolve.  Add the can of sweetened condensed milk and stir.  Let it cool to almost room temperature, then pour over the jello blocks.  This is very important.  If the milk/gelatin mixture is too hot, the colors in the jello will run, and the white won't be white, and you'll be disappointed. 

At least that's what happened to me, when I made it the first time.

Put the pan in the fridge uncovered, for at least 8 hours, or overnight.  I'm going to insert here: Good luck keeping your kids fingers out of this.  It's so fun looking they won't be able to resist.

Once it's set, go ahead and cut it into blocks and serve! 

Love Liz

Don't knock them til You've tried them: Grits.

Don't say 'ew!'.  Please.  Because if you've had grits, and didn't like them, more than likely, they weren't cooked right.  There is an art.  And salt must be involved.

I grew up eating grits.  At least once a week for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Piping hot grits, smothered in butter, and filled with chopped up bacon.  Still makes my mouth water just thinking about them.  They are a sort of comfort food to me.  So when I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman, I knew I had to make it.  And when I started getting sick...and sicker...and sicker...I started needing these grits.

Like I said: comfort food.

So make these, please.  Serve them for brunch.  PW served hers with juicy steaks.  I just ate them out of a bowl. 

Cast of Characters:

1 C. grits (either quick grits, or old fashioned.  Doesn't matter.)
4 1/2 C. water
1 t. salt
1/2 can Rotel tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can green chiles, chopped
10 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (pepper jack would be amazing as well)
4 oz cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 large egg, beaten

Start off by preheating the oven to 375 degrees, and buttering a 9x9 baking dish.

Bring water to a rapid boil, then slowly add the grits, stirring constantly.  Stirring it constantly while adding the grits prevents lumps.  Very important.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook according to package directions.  (Quick grits take 5-7 minutes, Old fashioned takes a while longer, about 20-30 minutes)

Once grits are ready, remove from heat, and add the cheese, cream cheese, Rotel, and chiles.  Season with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.  Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.  Salt is key.  It's very easy to not have enough salt in grits, so make sure you taste as you go.  But don't add too much.  Cuz then they are grossly salty.  Moving on.

Take about a tablespoon of the hot grits and temper the egg, beating constantly while adding the hot grits.  No need to have scrambled egg in the pot.  Dump egg back into the grits and stir.

Pour the grits into baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.  When you take them out, let them sit for 10 minutes or so, to firm up and cool.  They hold heat pretty well.

These are oh-so creamy and yummy and good.  I hope you'll give them a chance!

Enjoy!

Love, Liz

Peanut Butter Puppy Treats

Don’t get too excited over this recipe, it’s totally for the dogs. No. Seriously. It’s for the dogs. But making these little treats for your puppy will make them love you for ever and ever and ever. I mean, really, Marley is following me around like crazy lately.

I’m not sure what possessed me to try and make treats for my dog, because really, it’s easy to just go to the store and grab a box of dog treats. I think it came about because my husband and I are trying to make some changes in our household, trying to eat better, go green-er, and you know…anything else that goes along with all that jazz. And I got to thinking…if we’re doing this for our family…well, our dog is a part of our family, so why shouldn’t she have some healthy treats and all?

These are super easy and don’t take a lot of time at all!

The music: I wasn’t listening to music while making these, I was listening to the audiobook for the novel Remembrance on my iPod. Go ahead and make fun that I’m so in love with this romance novel. I don’t care. It’s epic.

The drink: Coffee because my insomnia has been running rampant!

Here is what you’ll need:

1 ¼c. peanut butter (I used creamy but you can use chunky if that’s what you have)
1c. milk
2c. whole wheat flour
1T. baking powder

Forgive me, I forgot to take pictures of this process here. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl, combine the milk and peanut butter. Once the milk and peanut butter is thoroughly mixed, gradually stir in the dry mixture until it turns into dough consistency.

Dust your counter with a little bit of flour and roll the dough out. Personally, I think I made mine too thick, but whateves. And then…well…cut out. Now, I know mine look a little funny…but this poor poor wannabe chef here has no cookie cutters. None. Zip. Zero. I’d love a little doggy bone shaped one…just sayin’.

Once they’re cut out, place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet and stick ‘em in the oven at 375 for about 18 minutes. 

-cooking cooking cooking-

Hope you have a happy puppy after this one! Marley thinks they're om noms....

Love,
Sarah