Strawberry Nutella Muffins

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1/3 cup Nutella
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top of muffins

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease well. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

3. In a small bowl, combine canola oil, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla together. Use a fork or whisk and mix until well combined.

5. Incorporate the wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add slowly and gently stir, you don’t want to over mix. The batter will be thick. Carefully fold in the strawberries.

6. Fill each muffin cup half way with batter. Next, add a small spoonful of Nutella to each muffin cup. Cover the Nutella filling with the remaining batter. Sprinkle each muffin with turbinado sugar.

7. Bake muffins for 17-20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes


24 cake-mix yellow cupcakes, cooled and unwrapped

1 (3.4 oz) box French Vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream

Make cupcakes.


Mix together pudding, cream, powdered sugar, milk, and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until stuff peaks form. Cut each cupcake in half and add a dollop of filling. Put top back on cupcake and frost with ganache.


Ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat cream in sauce pan until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, pour over chocolate in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix together. Let cool slightly.


Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Corn Salad

3 cans whole kernel corn (drained)

1 small red onion (chopped)

1 medium red pepper (chopped)

1 medium green pepper (chopped)

1/2 cup mayo

4 Tb ranch dressing

1 bag of chili cheese fritos (crushed)

 

mix all ingredients EXCEPT FRITOS...add fritos right before you serve.

Rick Bayless Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas

Tortillas de Harina

Makes 12 tortillas

Recipe from the Authentic Mexican Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for rolling the tortillas
5 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening, or a mixture of the two
3/4 teaspoon salt
about 3/4 cup very warm tap water

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the dough. Combine the flour and fat in a large mixing bowl, working in the fat with your fingers, until completely incorporated. Dissolve the salt in the water, pour about 2/3 cup of it over the dry ingredients and immediately work it in with a fork; the dough will be in large clumps rather than a homogeneous mass. If all the dry ingredients haven't been dampened, add the rest of the liquid (plus a little more, if necessary). Scoop the dough onto your work surface and knead until smooth. It should be medium-stiff consistency -- definitely not firm, but not quite as soft as most bread dough either.

2. Rest the dough. Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll each into a ball. Set them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes (to make the dough less springy, easier to roll).

3. Roll and griddle-bake the tortillas. Heat an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough into an even 7-inch circle: Flatten a ball of dough, flour it, then roll forward and back across it; rotate a sixth of a turn and roll forward and back again; continue rotating and rolling until you reach a 7-inch circle, lightly flouring the tortilla and work surface from time to time.

Lay the tortilla on the hot griddle (you should hear a faint sizzle and see an almost immediate bubbling across the surface). After 30 to 45 seconds, when there are browned splotches underneath, flip it over. Bake 30 to 45 seconds more, until the other side is browned; don't overbake the tortilla or it will become crisp. Remove and wrap in a cloth napkin placed in a tortilla warmer. Roll and griddle-bake the remaining tortillas in the same manner and stacking them one on top of the other.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup beer

-------------

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced capers
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ----------
• 1 quart oil for frying
• 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
• 1 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas
• 1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded

Directions

1. To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps).
2. To make white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, capers, oregano, cumin, dill, and cayenne.
3. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, and top with shredded cabbage, and white sauce.

Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes & Frosting

Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes

For the Bailey's cupcakes:
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
12 tbsp butter, at room temperature
2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

For the Bailey's buttercream:
1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating on low between each addition. Add vanilla.
- Add flour slowly in 3 additions, alternating with Bailey's, starting and ending with flour.
- Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake 15-17 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, until completely mixed. Add the Bailey's and beat until well combined.
- Poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes and brush some Bailey's on each before frosting.
- Load frosting into a piping bag fit with a large tip and decorate as desired.

Fruit Swirl Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake

4

eggs

3/4

cup milk

1/2

cup butter, melted

2

teaspoons vanilla

1

box Bisquick® Gluten Free mix (3 cups)

2/3

cup granulated sugar

1

can (21 oz) fruit pie filling (any flavor)

Glaze

1

cup powdered sugar

2

tablespoons milk

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 1 (15x10x1-inch) pan or 2 (9-inch) square pans with shortening or cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, stir all coffee cake ingredients except pie filling until blended; beat vigorously 30 seconds. Spread 2/3 of the batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in 15x10-inch pan or 1/3 of the batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in each square pan.
3. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto pie filling.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm coffee cake. Serve warm or cool.

Makes 18 servings

Sugar & Spice Pork Loin

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2 medium gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2 medium red onions, cut into quarters

1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1.5 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

one 4 lb pork loin, rolled and tied

1/2 c. chicken broth

Arrange the veggies in the bottom of your slow cooker. Drizzle 1/4 c. olive oil over the veggies and toss.

Make rub in a bowl with cumin, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar & black pepper. Sprinkle 1 Tblsp. over vegetables and stir together.

Pat the rest of the rub all over the loin, place the meat on top of the vegetables, and cover with remaining olive oil and chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Transfer pork to a cutting board, covering with foil for 20 minutes. Cut the meat into 1 inch slices and serve on a platter with vegetables.

Nutella Cupcakes

Self-frosting Nutella Cupcakes

adapted from these ones.

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup canola or mild vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 cup Nutella, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. The batter will be thick. It needs to be in order to swirl in the Nutella!

Divide the batter between 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Drop a spoonful of Nutella on top of each, and swirl through the batter with the tip of a bamboo skewer, knife or other pointy object. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Tilt them in the pan to help them cool. Makes a dozen cupcakes.

Pretzel Bread

*makes 4 large buns

*makes 6 roll-size buns

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ tsp yeast
• 1 cup water (110-120 degrees)
• 2 Tbsp room temperature milk
• 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 ½ – 3 cups bread flour
• 4 quarts water
• ½ cup baking soda
• Kosher salt to taste
• 2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions

1. Add yeast, water, milk, brown sugar and butter into a large bowl, whisking until all ingredients are combined. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes for yeast to activate. Mix in kosher salt. Start by adding two cups of the flour to the bowl, combining it with other ingredients. Add more flour as it’s needed, reserving just a bit for coating the dough mat later.
2. The dough should form a slightly tacky, but firm ball. Oil the bowl, place the dough ball in the bowl, and cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, knead the dough by hand or machine for at least 5-10 minutes until the dough is elastic and satiny. Place dough back in the bowl and recover for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bring the 4 quarts of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl and gently degas it. Form two separate balls of dough, forming them into the shape you want. Drop one of the smaller balls into the baking soda bath for no longer than 30 seconds, turning it once to guarantee both sides covered. Drain the excess water from the dough and place it on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with second ball of dough.
5. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the bread to your specific tastes, and make sure to use a knife to cut a small incision on the top of the bread so the dough has somewhere to expand.
6. Cook the bread for 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once.
7. Once removed from the oven, immediately brush the melted butter over the loaves to guarantee a soft crust.

Jessica F's Hashbrown Casserole

2 lb bag of hashbrowns

1 stick of melted butter

1 pt. sour cream

1 chopped onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups of chedder cheese

salt

pepper

garlic powder

cook on 350 for 1 1/4 hour

Baked Grapefruit

Cut it in half, run a knife between the fruit and the rind to loosen it a bit, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon, bake for 15 min at 375. I'm not big on grapefruit, but I really loved it.

Janae's Stuffed French Toast - DELICIOUS

Stuffed French Toast:

stuffing:

1 pkg cream cheese

1 c powdered sugar

Mix and spread between two pieces of bread. Dip in egg batter and grill.


French Toast recipe:
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbls. sugar
4 Tbls. butter
4 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

(Covers about 8 slices of bread, or 4 stuffed french toasts.  I double for 6-8 guests).

Homemade Berry Syrup:

1 c sugar

2 T cornstarch

3/4 c water

4 c berries

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in the water until smooth. Add berries. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 min or until thick.

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

"

I cover mine in water and turn on the heat. I don't cover the pot while they come to a boil. When the water comes to a full boil, I let it boil 1.5 minutes, then shut the burner off, put the lid on the pot and let them sit there for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes I put them in ice water if I have enough ice on hand otherwise I just put them in cold water for however long it takes for them to be cool enough to handle. The shells peel right off.

If all else fails, you can dump a lot of salt in the water they boil in and they peel off easy that way too."

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon mustard

Directions

1. Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.
2. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Alternatively, wrap bacon in paper towels and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute per slice. Crumble and set aside.
3. Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir in mustard. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until serving

Balsamic Chicken

Balsamic Chicken:

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion thinly sliced (Not chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 tsp each: dried oregano, basil, and rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
ground black pepper and salt to taste

Pour the olive oil on bottom of crock pot
place in chicken breasts, salt and pepper each breast
put sliced onion on top of chicken
then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves
pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes

Cook on high 4 hours, serve over angel hair pasta