Vanilla Cupcakes

from Laura Buchanan (These are also VERY similar to Magnolia's cupcakes.)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups milk

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to medium. Mix in 3 batches of flour mixture, alternating with 2 batches of milk. Raise speed to medium-high; mix until thoroughly blended, 10-20 seconds.

2. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 17 minutes.

(I don’t mix the flour mixture separately, just alternate putting the flour and other dry stuff in with the milk. I think these are even yummier as mini cupcakes!)

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups sifted confectioners sugar

dash of salt (or no salt, if using salted butter)

Beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy.

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Capers

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn just a little. Delicious.

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Capers

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

1 bunch of scallions
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup capers
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 8-ounce package Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

Slowly cook the garlic, scallions and lemon zest in the butter and oil, in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to keep the garlic from browning. When the garlic is soft, add the broth and turn the heat to high. Simmer until reduced by at least one half, and add the cream and capers. Turn the heat back to medium and simmer until thick and syrupy. Taste and season.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions (2 quarts of salted water, 8-10 minutes). Drain and toss with a dribble of olive oil. Pour the cream sauce over and toss. Serve immediately.

Baked French Toast

This is a great breakfast treat. It's great to make when friends come over. It's from Paula Dean on Food Network. Mmmm .. Thanks.

Baked French Toast

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
Butter, for pan
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half1 cup milk
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows
Raspberry Syrup, recipe follows

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch thick each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with Raspberry Syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

Raspberry Syrup:

1 cup raspberry preserves
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (recommended: Framboise)

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until warm and thinned out like syrup.

Chocolate Crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles:

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter
8 ounces (225 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulate sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping:

1 cup (110 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

In a stainless steel bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla and then stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls (3-4 hours or overnight).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place the confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl. With lightly greased hands, roll a small amount of chilled dough to form a 1 inch (2.54 cm) diameter ball. Place the ball of dough into the confectioners sugar and roll the ball in the sugar until it is completely coated and no chocolate shows through. Gently lift the sugar-covered ball, tapping off excess sugar, and place on prepared baking sheet. Continue forming cookies, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on baking sheets. (If you find the dough getting too soft for rolling into balls, return to the refrigerator and let chill until firm.)

Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are slightly firm but the centers are still soft. (For moist chewy cookies do not over bake. Over baking these cookies will cause them to be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

French Dip Panini

I think I have a new favorite Panini Site ... Panini Happy. I just had a DECLICIOUS French Dip tonight. Served it with some apples and some bubbly. MMmmm MMM.

French Dip Panini

INGREDIENTS:

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced into 1/4″ rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
French bread, thick slices
Mayonnaise or roasted garlic aioli (here’s an easy recipe on Art & Aioli - thanks, Nicole!)
Roast beef, thinly sliced
Gruyère cheese, grated

Au jus (see recipe on For the Love of Cooking)

• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small shallot, sliced thinly
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 -4 cups of beef broth
• 3 tsp bouillon crystals
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Season onions with salt and pepper and sauté in the olive oil for 15-20 minutes until caramelized.

Preheat panini grill to medium-high heat (375 degrees).

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise or roasted garlic aioli on a slice of bread. Top with roast beef, onions and cheese. Close the sandwich with another slice of bread. Grill 7-8 minutes until cheese is melted and grill marks appear. Serve immediately with au jus and enjoy!

Carne Asada

LOVE this recipe. When we moved to Rochester, NY there were no Mexican restaurants to be found. We were heartbroken. So I learned how to make Carne Asada. Tasty. Thank you Tyler Florence.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
• Olive oil, for coating the grill
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 (7-inch) corn tortillas
• Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving
• Chopped white onion, for serving
• Shredded Jack cheese, for serving
• 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
• 2 limes, cut in wedges for serving

Directions

Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo salsa and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Mojo:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 orange, juiced
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.

Yield: approximately 1 1/4 cups

John Wayne Casserole

John Wayne Casserole

Combine and spread in 9X13 buttered dish …

2 4 oz cans diced chilis
1 lb jack cheese
1 lb cheddar

Mix and pour over cheese mix …

4 egg whites (beat until stiff and fold into 4 egg yolks)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/8 tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tsp flour

cook at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and add sliced tomatoes on top and cook for another 30 minutes longer.