In the Kitchen: Vegetable Tofu Curry, Sweet or Savory

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Yep, I said tofu again. But this time we’re frying it up into crisp little cubes of yumminess then mixing it with a heaping helping of curry and a plethora of robust vegetables. This colorful concoction can be made sweet or savory by using apple juice or broth and makes a hearty main entree when served over brown rice, cous-cous or quinoa. Any leftovers make a perfect portable lunch as this dish tastes just as good at room temperature or reheated in the microwave.

Base Ingredients
14 oz firm tofu, 1″ cubes pan fried
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 red onion, 1/2 dice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cauliflower florets, 1″ pieces
1 carrot, 1/2″ slices
2 cups eggplant, 1″ cubes
1 red bell pepper, 1″ dice
1 sweet potato, 1/2″ slices then quartered
1 small zucchini, 1/2″ slices
1/2 cup raisins
Sweet Version
2 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups unfiltered apple juice
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
Savory Version
3 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
The first step is to press, cube and pan fry the tofu. To press the tofu, halve the cake horizontally and set the two slabs on several layers of paper towels on a plate or cutting board. Top with additional paper towels and another plate or cutting board then weigh down with a heavy skillet or stock of books and let sit for about 20 minutes.
Once pressed, cut the tofu into 1″ cubes.
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and fry the tofu on medium high heat until crisp and browned on all sides, about 2 – 5 minutes per side. Set aside.

While the tofu is pressing and cooking you can prep the other ingredients. You’ll start by cooking the onions and garlic, then add the cauliflower and carrots, so keep them separate. You can place the rest of the vegetables in a large bowl as you cut them, they will be added all at once.

Heat about one Tbsp of canola oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the garlic and red onion and saute until slightly softened.
Add the curry and cinnamon (and turmeric if making it savory) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the liquid (apple juice or broth), the cauliflower and the carrots. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Next add the tofu, remaining vegetables, raisins, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 20 – 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. Add additional seasonings to taste. You may find you like more salt than I call for, as I try to keep the salt fairly low in most of my dishes.

This dish is delicious served alone or atop a healthy grain like brown rice, cous cous or quinoa. Don’t like tofu? Just leave it out or add some chicken. You can also adjust the vegetables to suit your tastes but I find this combination hearty and delicious any time of year. Enjoy!
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

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When asked what my favorite dessert is, I’ve never really had a definite answer – until I made these. See, me and peanut butter have this ‘special’ relationship that I just can’t describe. I’m sure some of you understand. And my guess is you’re either licking your computer screen right now or gagging at the thought of it, because peanut butter kinda seems like one of those things you either love or hate.
Understanding that everyone’s tastes are different, I’ll simply say it’s my opinion that you won’t find a more perfect chocolate cake or peanut butter frosting than this. Don’t love peanut butter? Don’t worry — these cupcakes are the perfect base for topping with anything your heart desires. Insanely moist, dark and rich, no one will ever know they are made with whole wheat flour and are low in sugar compared to many. Don’t worry, I won’t tell your other recipes you have a new favorite.
Ingredients
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1/3 cup sugar*
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon buttermilk, room temp
1/4 cup sour cream, room temp
1/2 cup plus 6 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

*If you find you like a sweeter cupcake, increase the sugar to 1/2 cup. Sweeter still? Also increase the brown sugar to 1/2 cup.

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12 tin muffin pan with paper liners or grease and lightly flour cups.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powders, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream, set aside.
With an electric mixer (hand or stand) in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and slightly fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and mix until well blended.

Next add the buttermilk and the flour mixtures, alternating one third of each at a time starting with the buttermilk and ending with the flour, beating on low speed. Mix just until blended.
Divide the batter evenly among 12 prepared cups and bake at 325° for 17 – 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool for about 15 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat first on low speed, then on medium high until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Do note that I use natural peanut butter for this recipe, meaning nothing in the jar but peanuts. No sugar, no salt, no additives of any kind. You certainly can use a brand like Jif but it will make a much sweeter and intense frosting, and I don’t recommend it.

I use a pastry bag to pipe on the frosting, and if you do so, you can chill the frosting in the fridge a bit to make it easier to work with. Alternatively, you can simply spread it on with a butter or frosting knife right after making it. Just be sure your cupcakes are completely cooled or the frosting will melt right off.
If you use a pastry bag, I do recommend using a disposable one. After all, it is peanut butter, so you can imagine how fun the cleanup is 🙂
If you wanna go all out, top these babies with some mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings after frosting. If you aren’t serving these right away or if you have any leftovers (fat chance), store them in an airtight container the fridge but allow them to warm back to room temperature before serving.
So now that I’ve hyped these up so much, I hope you aren’t let down, and I’d love to hear what you think. Enjoy!
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Tofu Spinach Lasagna

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I know, I said tofu, but don’t be scared. If you’re one of those people whose gag reflex is induced at the sheer sound of the word, give me a chance to change that. In this recipe, the tofu is a healthier alternative to what would normally be ricotta cheese, which I’ve never been too fond of (except in pancakes, but that’s another post…) and trust me, no one will ever know the difference.
And while you can certainly call this lasagna homemade, the use of a few convenience products make this dish a breeze to whip up any night of the week. Want to beef it up for the carnivores in your life? Add some cooked chicken or sliced sausage before baking. Read on for the recipe and find a printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients:

12 oz. Soft Silken Tofu
1 1/4 cup (5 oz) shredded mozzarella (divided use)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz can diced tomatoes (I use salt free)
14 oz can cream of tomato soup
8 oz can tomato paste
6 sheets lasagna noodles*
6 oz fresh spinach
8 oz fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
*You can use regular or no cook (oven ready) lasagna noodles. I use whole wheat noodles that need to be boiled before using because I can’t find oven ready wheat ones. If you use no cook noodles, just take them right from the box to the pan and skip the boiling.
Preheat the oven to 350° and a coat a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray.
If using noodles that need to be boiled, get those started while you prepare the filling and sauce. They usually need to boil for about ten minutes.
To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan and saute the minced garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes or so. Add the can of diced tomatoes with their juice and cook until they are about half broken down. Add the cans of tomato soup and tomato paste, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
In the meantime you can prepare the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to combine the tofu, 1 cup of the mozzarella, lemon juice, salt and pepper until it is broken up and well blended.
To assemble the lasagna, spread about 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay three sheets of pasta in the dish, leaving a bit of space around each one. Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the noodles then top with a layer of spinach and a layer of mushrooms.
Place the three remaining sheets of pasta on top of the vegetables, followed by the remaining sauce, 1/4 cup mozzarella and the 1/2 cup parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes until heated through and bubbly. Remove the foil and bake another 5 – 10 minutes until the cheese starts to brown and bubble. Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
I made this dish fairly light on the cheese, which I prefer. It leaves you feeling full and satisfied without that weighed down feeling. You can, however, add a layer of cheese inside on top of the veggies or add more to the top if that’s how you like it!
It’s also a thin lasagna, but makes a good amount to serve about 5 – 6 (depending on your appetite :). If you’d like a bigger batch, simply double the filling, add an extra can of diced tomatoes to the sauce, cook an additional three sheets of pasta and add an extra layer. Also as I mentioned in the beginning of the post, try adding some cooked chicken or sliced sausage before baking for the meat eaters in your household. Hope you enjoy! I’d love to hear what you think of the tofu.
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Maple Pecan Muffins

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I have a goal. That goal is to share recipes at a time when it makes sense to share them. For example, strawberry recipes when strawberries are ready for picking, and so on. This, however, doesn’t always work out due to my lack of planning, or in this case, my lack of patience.
I first made these muffins back in March when the maple syrup was flowing in Pancake Town, USA, and while I missed the boat on sharing them then, I knew I couldn’t wait an entire year and figured they’d be perfect for the Fall. This is where my impatience comes in, as you can see it’s August and here they are. Close enough, right?
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup superfine sugar
2 Tbsp ground almonds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup pecans, coarse chopped
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
1 cup unbleached flour*
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
9 Tbsp pure maple syrup
12 pecan halves
*You can also sub 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour in place of the flours specified.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease and flour.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the ground almonds then slowly beat in the eggs. Next stir in the chopped pecans.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the butter mixture.
In a small bowl, blend the buttermilk with 6 tablespoons of the maple syrup. Pour it into the butter and flour mixture and blend gently until just combined, be sure to not overmix or your muffins will be tough.
Divide the batter into prepared cups, filling about 2/3 full. These muffins will rise quite a bit, so be sure not to overfill. Top each muffin with a pecan half and bake for 20 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch.
Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Brush the remaining 3 tablespoons of maple syrup on top of the hot muffins until it is all gone.
These muffins are delicious served warm or cold — morning, noon or night. I also find them especially delicious with my Sweet Potato Chili, which I will be waiting ’til the Fall to share, maybe…
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

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Why yes, that is a mini cookies and cream cheesecake with an Oreo for a crust. Need I say more? I think not.
Ingredients

21 oreos (15 whole plus 6 coarsely chopped)
1 pound (16 oz) cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375° and line 15 muffin cups with paper liners. Put one whole oreo in the bottom of each lined cup and crush the remaining 6 oreos into small pieces, but not crumbs.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until well mixed.
Beat in the vanilla and eggs, scraping the bowl as needed, until well blended. Lastly beat in the sour cream and salt and then stir in the chopped oreos by hand.

Fill the cups with the batter almost right to the top of the liner. The cheesecakes will not rise, and if anything, they will sink a bit after cooking, so you can fill them all the way up.

Bake for 11 minutes, rotate the tins and bake for another 11 minutes or until the center is set.

Cool completely in the tins on a wire rack then transfer to the fridge and cool in tins for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from tins before serving and store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

These sweet little temptations require minimal ingredients and are super fast and easy to make. You can also substitute a different cookie such as Golden Oreos, Nilla Wafers or Gingersnaps – or how about those Oreo’s with the peanut butter or mint cream centers? Now we’re talkin…
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Blackberry Corn Muffins

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There are so many good things about these muffins, I’m not sure where to start. I guess I’ll start by telling you how delicious they are, because that is most important when baking, right? So aside from that (and being really easy to make) you can also substitute any berry you like in place of the blackberries — blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, even cherries or yummy tart currants. These muffins are sweet enough for a light dessert but not too indulgent to accompany a fresh salad, a bowl of chili or a hotdog cook-out for lunch or dinner. You’ll find a printable recipe card at the end of the post.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup fine-ground cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp
2 large eggs, room temp
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted & cooled
8 ounces fresh blackberries (or other berry)
2 Tbsp raw sugar
Preheat oven to 375° and line 14 standard size muffin tins with paper liners.

If your blackberries are monster sized like mine usually are, cut them in smaller pieces.
In a medium large bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients, set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Batter will be thick.
Fill each cup with two slight mounded tablespoons of batter. I use a tablespoon sized cookie scooper (like a mini ice cream scooper), two scoops, it works great. The cups will only be about half full, but you need room to add the berries and they will rise when baking, too.
Next add the berries on top of the batter, pushing in slightly, but not too much. Sprinkle the tops with the raw sugar, you can also use regular granulated sugar if you like but I love the rich flavor of the natural raw sugar (I also use it in the batter).
Bake for 10 minutes, rotate tins and bake another 10 – 12 minutes until light golden brown. Cool completely in tins on a wire rack before removing.

The tops will brown lightly giving them a sweet crunch with the slightly carmelized raw sugar, while the insides stay super moist and delicious. They are best enjoyed soon after baking but will store in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple days, though chances are they won’t last that long.
I recently made a batch with some fresh picked sour cherries and they were amazing! So get creative, this batter is the perfect base for almost anything and you can also adjust the amount of sugar you add to it to suit your taste or health requirements. Enjoy!
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Chicken Florentine Meatballs

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Today’s recipe comes upon special request from the lovely, and very pregnant, Jill of jillry. She recently contacted me in search of freezer-friendly recipes that she can whip up ahead of time and her husband can easily pop in the oven after the little one arrives. These chicken florentine meatballs have been on my ‘upcoming recipes’ list and seeing as how I had just taken a bag out of my freezer, they immediately came to mind. Easy to make, easy to freeze, delicious and healthy, these meatballs are an all around winner. You’ll find a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb ground chicken, raw
In a large bowl mix the spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, spices and eggs. Break up the chicken and blend it with the spinach mixture until thoroughly combined. Roll the mixture into balls about 1 1/2″ in diameter. Bake the meatballs on a wire rack atop a shallow baking dish at 400° for 20 – 25 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
If you wish to freeze the meatballs, place the rolled, uncooked meatballs in an airtight container or ziploc bag and place them in the freezer. When you are ready to bake, allow them to thaw completely and bake as directed above. When I make a batch of these, I bake half and freeze half for another meal. Each half serves about four.
These meatballs are delicious served plain (which are perfect for appetizers!) or with your favorite type of pasta and sauce. I love them with a simple mushroom marinara and whole wheat pasta but when I have the time, I serve them over spaghetti squash for something a little different.

If you’ve never had spaghetti squash, it’s really quite fascinating and you can prepare it in so many ways – from eating it as a pasta to baking it into a cheesy casserole side dish.
To cook the squash, first cut off the stem and then cut the squash in half. Scrape out the seeds and pulp, but be careful not to go too deep into the flesh or you will start to break up the strands.
Place the two halves cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 375° for about 30 – 40 minutes until tender.

Now this is the fun part – once slightly cooled, separate the strands by scraping the flesh with a fork and voila, spaghetti! Well, spaghetti squash. Neat, huh?
Overall, it’s fairly flavorless by itself, with just a slight squash/zucchini type taste, so it takes well to anything you top it with – butter, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese or mushrooms, marinara and chicken florentine meatballs!

However you serve these freezer-friendly meatballs, they are a delicious alternative to beef, make a unique appetizer and are a great way to get your kids to eat spinach!
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Pasta Croquettes and Tiramisu Cupcakes

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I’m sure there is a proper way to pound meat, and a proper tool for doing such. But, as with all things in life, if you don’t have what you need, improvise. In this house that means a big rubber mallet. Did it get the job done? You bet. Was it perfect? Not even close. But in addition to an impressive meal, I also got a workout.

Now this meal requires some serious patience in the kitchen, and if you have anything less than an over abundance, don’t even attempt a single part of it. But if you’re feeling frisky, then go or it — and revel in the beautiful bounty you have created. Read on for all the yummy details and find printable recipe cards at the end of the post.

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MOZZARELLA STUFFED CHICKEN

Ingredients
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz frozen spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup seasoned fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil

To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium high heat and cook until they start to brown and become fragrant.


If you’ve never used a shallot, it’s kind of like an onion that looks like a big purple bulb of garlic. You can find them in the produce section of your market near the onions or garlic. Peel off the skin, just like you would garlic, and chop em up.
To make the filling, saute the shallot and garlic in a skillet with some olive oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach, mozzarella and pine nuts. Set aside.

And now we pound the meat. As I mentioned, I’m sure there are better tools to do this that a rubber mallet, but it gets the job done. I placed the breast, one at a time, in a gallon zip loc bag and pounded, pushing out a bit, until the breast was about 1/8 thick.
Once all the breasts are flattened, season with salt and pepper if desired. Working one at a time, spoon about 2-3 Tbsp of filling in the center.

Fold in one of the short sides, then the two long sides (as shown in the upper left photo above). Starting at the folded short end, roll the chicken, keeping the sides tucked in, towards the unfolded end and secure with toothpicks.
Brush each rolled breast with olive oil.

Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl and roll each breast until coated. Place seam side down in a shallow baking dish and bake at 400° for about 25 minutes until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
Remove the toothpicks before serving. They may be a little hard to pull out, so feel free to utilize more tools (like a pair of pliers) if needed 🙂
If you’d like a crispier breading, saute the crumb coated breasts in a skillet with a little oil until browned before baking. These are delicious served as is or you can top with a little marinara or white sauce.
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PASTA CROQUETTES


Ingredients
8 oz egg noodles
6 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp green onions, chopped
6 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh is best!)
2 cups milk
3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten

For breading
Flour
2 eggs beaten with 2 Tbsp water
Panko bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Prepare the noodles according to package directions and drain well. Even though my package of noodles said ‘wide’, I wouldn’t consider them wide. They are about the size of fettucini and flat – these will work best.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the green onions and saute until tender. It may look like a lot of onion, especially if you’re not a huge onion fan, but it is important to the flavor, which is not a strong onion flavor, so use them all!
Stir in the flour, salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until it begins to bubble. Stir in the milk and cook until thickened and bubbly, stirring almost constantly.
Stir in the parmesan cheese and once melted, add a little of the mixture to the beaten egg in a small bowl then add the egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook until it just begins to boil.

Mix the sauce with the noodles and press into a greased 8″ or 9″ pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, pressing down on the noodles, and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or preferably, overnight.

To finish the croquettes, cut the chilled pasta into squares and working a few at a time, first thoroughly coat the squares with flour. Next dip them in the beaten egg/water mixture and finally coat them completely with the breadcrumbs.

Fry them in oil until crispy and brown on all sides, turning as you go. I used canola oil, you can also use vegetable or any oil of your choice. Set them on a paper towel to drain until all squares are done.
Place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and heat in the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes (you can put them in with the chicken), until thoroughly heated throughout. Depending on how you fry them and the type of pan and oil you use, they may be heated through after frying, but putting them in the oven won’t hurt them and it keeps them all warm until ready to serve.
I prefer these with a little marinara on top, it really pulls all the flavors together, but you can also serve them plain or top them with a slice of provolone cheese when you put them in the oven and let it melt on top. Mmmmm! I just can’t get enough of this dish.
You can store any leftovers covered in the fridge, but reheat in the oven, rather than the microwave, and they will come out tasting like you just made them.
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TIRAMISU CUPCAKES


Ingredients
1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped
4 Tbsp butter, room temp and cut into pieces
3 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temp
1 cup sugar
Coffee-Marsala Syrup
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp strong brewed coffee or espresso
1 ounce sweet Marsala wine
1/4 cup sugar
Mascarpone Frosting
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz mascarpone cream, room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 325° and line 16 standard muffin tins with paper liners or grease and flour the cups.

If you’ve never used a vanilla bean, it will be a fun adventure. They are expensive and a little bit of work, but well worth the flavor in a dish like this.

Cut one vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, placing them, along with the empty pod, into a medium saucepan with the milk. Heat over medium until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted.
Let stand about 15 minutes and strain through a fine sieve or strainer into a bowl. Discard the bean pod and set the butter mixture aside.

Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a heat safe bowl until combined. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk by hand until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.
Remove the bowl from heat and beat again with the electric mixer on high until pale and fluffy and thick enough to hold a ribbon on the surface for several seconds.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture in three batches. Stir 1/2 cup batter into the strained butter mixture then fold it back into the batter stirring gently until just combined.
Divide the batter among the cups, filling about 3/4 cup full and bake for about 20 minutes, rotating tins halfway through, until center is set and edges are light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

To prepare the syrup, stir together the coffee, marsala wine and sugar until dissolved. Brush the syrup on top of the cupcakes, repeating until all syrup has been used. The tops will get soggy, but they will be covered with frosting so it’s ok!

To prepare the frosting, beat the cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Gently fold the two together until thoroughly mixed.
Dollop the frosting onto the cupcakes and dust with cocoa powder before serving. I guarantee everyone will be impressed by the amazingly light, spongy texture of the cupcakes and the rich creaminess of the frosting.
If you don’t plan on gobbling them all up at once, I recommend keeping the frosting and cakes separate and topping each before enjoying. They get a little soggy and the frosting starts to thin out after a day or two.
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I told you it was a lot of work, but this is definitely a meal to impress. I made it for my Dad on Father’s Day and plan to try it out on some chef friends of ours – it’s that good. At least I think so, and I hope you do to.
I’d love to hear what you think and how it goes if you try out any of these recipes! Have fun 🙂

In the Kitchen: Orange Chiffon Pie

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Today I had planned on sharing one of the fanciest (and most time consuming) dinner + dessert combos I’ve made in quite some time. However, yesterdays purging bin got the best of me and I fell way behind on all the ‘real work’ I was supposed to do, and since a three-part recipe post usually takes me a few hours to whip out, it’s gonna have to wait ’til next week.

Ultimately though, it all works out, but I realized that the Chocolate Crusted Orange Chiffon Pie I’ve been waiting to share would be another perfect Fourth of July picnic addition, so here it is. Light yet rich, creamy and delicious, the flavor of this pie comes from real fruit, no jell-o mixes here, and you can taste the freshness in every bite.
Now if you’ve never made a true chiffon pie before, I’ll tell you, it’s not all that difficult, but it does require that you have your wits about you and that you be around to keep an eye on things for awhile. It’s also not an exact science, but one that you’ll come to perfect by instinct the more you do it.
Crust:
2 cups chocolate crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 Tbsp (1 1/4 envelopes) unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (~ 2 large oranges)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (~ 1 lemon)
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks (save the whites for an omelette!)
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
You can use just about any type of un-iced and un-filled cookie to make crumbs for your crust. Any flavor of graham crackers work well, as well as gingersnaps, vanilla wafers or even biscotti. You can use a food processor to crush the cookies into fine crumbs or alternatively you can place the cookies in a heavy duty large ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
To make the crust, mix the crumbs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until well blended and all crumbs are moist. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie pan, building up just slightly above the rim.
Bake the crust at 325° for 8 minutes and set aside to cool.
I used a larger zester on the oranges for this pie, as I wanted to see some of the zest throughout, but you can also use a microplane zester for a finer grate. Just be sure to zest your oranges before squeezing them.
To prepare the filling, in a medium saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the orange and lemon juice. Stir with a fork and let stand for a few minutes to soften the gelatin.

Add the sugar, egg yolks, orange zest and salt and whisk until blended. Then whisk in the milk.
Cook over medium heat, whisking almost constantly, for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture starts to become foamy around the edges. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until it has thickened slightly and you start to see wisps of steam rising, but be sure to not let the mixture boil.
Pour into a large bowl and place in the fridge.

Whisk the mixture every 10 minutes until it feels cool and thickens up significantly. When a lifted spoonful dropped onto the surface makes a small mound and does not sink back in, it’s ready. Depending on your fridge and the size of your bowl, this will take 1 – 2 hours, which is longer than most chiffon mixtures.
About 10 minutes before you anticipate the mixture to be thickened, whip the cream with an electric or stand mixer in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form.
Spoon the cream over the orange mixture and gently fold the two together using a flexible spatula until well blended. Spoon the mixture into the prepared crust, mounding in the center, and chill in the fridge for several hours before serving.
If desired, garnish with additional orange zest, mini chocolate chips, shaved chocolate curls or additional whip creamed, serve and enjoy!
At my Memorial Day picnic, I thought the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes would be the temptress but this pie lasted about 3.5 minutes and there wasn’t a crumb left. Im sure you can guess what everyone’s asked me to make for the Fourth of July…
And find more easy and delicious recipes here.

In the Kitchen: Two Fruity Muffins

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Am I the only one in total shock that the Fourth of July is less than two weeks away? If I had a dime for every time I’ve said ‘time flies’, I could buy the $1500 desk I fell in love with yesterday…

Now I know July 4th is just another Sunday to you international friends, but for us here in the states it’s quite a meaningful day. Though really, it’s mostly just become a great excuse to have a picnic and play with firecrackers, sparklers and boom sticks — all of which I’m totally on board with, by the way. It happens to be my favorite holiday, because in addition to peanut butter, rocking chairs and kaleidoscopes, fireworks are one of my favorite things.
Oh, and muffins. Did I mention that I love muffins? And cupcakes. I know they are kinda trendy these days but they have always been my favorite. They are just so cute, portable and perfectly proportioned. Nine years ago, everyone I knew ditched me on my birthday so I baked myself some cupcakes. But don’t feel sorry for me, it just meant I got to eat them all myself.
You may be starting to wonder why I’m so talkative today, I know I am, and I have no idea, so I’ll get back on track! Today I have two delicious muffins for you that are fruity and festive in red, white and blue and are a lighter addition to any holiday picnic (or just great for breakfast or a snack!), whole wheat strawberry banana and blueberry orange buttermilk. Read on for the recipes and printable recipe cards.

Whole Wheat Strawberry Banana

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large very ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
The key to baking anything with bananas is making sure they are very ripe, and I mean very. When you think they couldn’t possibly get any mushier, leave them for another 4 days. The skins should be nearly black and if you see fruit flies starting to buzz around your kitchen, they’re ready.
Also, when it comes to the flour in this recipe, if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour or don’t like it, you can use 2 1/4 cups unbleached or all purpose flour.
Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease and flour cups.

In a large bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gently stir in the strawberries being careful not to smash them but making sure they are coated. Depending on their size, about 6-8 strawberries equals one cup chopped.

In a medium bowl thoroughly mash the bananas. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla and then add the melted butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, careful not to over mix. Batter will be thick. Divide the batter evenly among the tins and bake for 20 minutes at 350° or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.

These muffins rise quite a bit during baking, but always go straight up rather than ballooning over the edges. They also work quite nicely when baked without liners, which I prefer when I’m just baking for myself.
Aside from the pretty, patriotic liners (which I’ll get to later in this post), I decorated half my muffins with red, white and blue nonpareils which I sprinkled on top of the batter before baking. I found they looked better on the blueberry muffins because that cake was whiter without any wheat flour, but they were still fun and festive!
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Blueberry Orange Buttermilk
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Grated zest of 1/2 large orange
Preheat the oven to 400° and line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease and flour cups.
Put the blueberries in a large bowl and add the powdered sugar, tossing gently to coat. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix gently until combined. You can also use frozen blueberries in this recipe, just make sure they are thoroughly thawed, drained and patter dry before tossing with the powdered sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk, milk, melted butter and orange zest. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and fold together just until combined. As a general rule, you never want to overmix muffins or they will become tough.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden and risen. (By the way, and ice cream scoop like this is the *perfect* tool for scooping muffin or cupcake batter. Seriously, it’s totally worth the investment and drawer space it will take up.)

Cool in tins on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.

The hint of orange in this recipe really brings the flavors to life and adds the slightest orange hue to the batter which is just so pretty. The buttermilk also makes them rich and moist. This recipe really is a delicious twist on a classic favorite.
I also decorated half of these with the nonpareils, which looked awesome. So, speaking of decorations – let’s talk liners!
When I bake muffins for my own personal munching, I generally skip the liners. Not only do you have less waste, but I personally feel the muffins are easier to eat (and a little bigger!). But when it comes to a party or sharing muffins with others, I always go with liners, and the more festive the better.
There is an amazing selection on Etsy of all different colors and patterns, I tend to go a little crazy. I order most of mine from Sweet Estelle because her shop is just so darn cute and she is super sweet to boot! I used a combination of stripes and retro swirls at my recent Memorial Day picnic and they looked awesome.
Little Monster Hugs also has a great selection of stars and stripes themed liners that would be perfect for for the Fourth of July!
Now if you don’t have time to order liners (or don’t want to spend the money), you can also make wrappers out of scrapbook paper or you can customize them for any occasion by printing words or image before cutting them out. It’s also fun to make toppers for your muffins or cupcakes and tomorrow I’ll have an easy how-to and some templates for you, so I hope you stop back!