Welcome Home, Little Guy

Posted on August 17, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

There is a brand spanking new precious cuddly cub in our family and I am unable to articulate a sentence that would accurately express my excitement and joy!  I wanted to make a special treat in honor of his coming home from the hospital.  Teddy Bear cupcakes seemed appropriate! 

I did some digging to find a trustworthy chocolate cupcake recipe and that is when I discovered that Joanne Chang, owner of the locally well-known and acclaimed Flour Bakery in Boston, had posted the recipe for her bakery’s chocolate cupcakes.  I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did!  These cupcakes are so chocolatey and delicious and I am so thankful to Joanne for sharing! Not only are they wonderful, but the recipe is suspiciously easy.  

Flour Bakery Chocolate Cupcakes:

  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop chocolate and place it in a bowl with the cocoa powder. Mix butter, water and sugar in a pan over medium high heat. Whisk until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour hot buttervmixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until chocolate melted and ingredients are combined.  Whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla extract together then whisk into the chocolate mixture until combined.  Sift the dry ingredients together.  Pour the dry ingredients onto the wet ingredients. Whisk  until the dry ingredients are totally mixed into the chocolate mixture.  Let stand about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line muffin tin with liners and then pour the batter (or use an ice cream scoop) into the muffin cups, dividing batter evenly among the 12 cups.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 26-29 minutes. Cool in tin on rack for 15 minutes. 

 

Remove cupcakes from pan and place on rack until completely cool.  Frost with chocolate frosting (as I did) or frosting of your choice.

(Teddy Bears, pre-ears!)

I used white frosting and colored sprinkles for the eyes, black frosting for the nose and mouth, and chocolate melt candies for the ears. 

(I apologize for the fact that several of the bear’s pupils are so constricted that the bears appear to be under the influence of opiates!  These cupcakes were supposed to be kid-friendly!) 

The design of the Teddy Bear cupcakes was inspired by the cupcakes found here on Wilton’s cupcakefun.com.

Cupcake recipe courtesy of Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery.  Original recipe can be found here.

Filed under: chocolate, cupcakes, Dessert | 9 Comments »

Vegetarian Tortilla Pie

Posted on August 12, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

I wanted to make something light yet satisfying for dinner.  When I came across this recipe, it beckoned.  My photo (above) does not do it justice.  Here it looks like a sad pancake, however in reality, it was very crisp and tasty!  It is so quick and easy–a perfect weeknight dish.  You could even use different types of beans or fillings to your liking.  Get creative! Give it a try!   

Some notes on the recipe: 

(1) I modified this recipe by using the below ingredients (plus four additional tortillas) to create two pies.  It worked out well and there was plenty of filling, however, if you’d prefer a single hardier pie, stick with the recipe as it is below.

(2) I added avocado, which was not listed in the original recipe, as I always like to include as many fresh items in a meal as possible.  I think doing so really boosts the flavor and satisfaction you get while eating the meal.  This worked out well.

(3) I don’t always enjoy the taste of cilantro.  I often find it to be too strong and prominant a flavor.   To me, it overpowers and sometimes masks the other flavors in a given dish.*  I recently learned that I am not alone in my dislike for the herb.  Did you know there is an entire website/club devoted to cilantro-haters!?  This is zealous group!  But I digress… The point is I wanted to include a fresh herb other than cilantro, so I used chives.  I love chives!  They are so neat and easy to rinse and chop.  And they provide a subtle fresh flavor.

(4) Using low fat cheese would make this a low fat meal.  It’s as simple as that.

(5) I used low carb wheat wraps in place of flour tortillas.  I actually enjoy the chewiness of them.  However, if I were to make this for guests I would likely use traditional flour or corn tortillas.

Vegetarian Tortilla Pie:

  • 1 jar of salsa
  • 1  8 oz. jar/can tomato sauce
  • 1  15 oz. can black beans
  • 1  15 oz. can corn
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup fresh chives, chopped
  • 4  ten inch tortillas
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick olive oil spray.  In a small bowl mix salsa and tomato sauce.  In another bowl, mix corn, black beans, avocado, and chopped chives.  Place one tortilla on the cookie sheet and spread 1/3 of the salsa mixture on it.  Then top with  1/3 of bean mixture and then 1/3 of the shredded cheese.  Layer like this twice more ending with a tortilla.  Bake the pie for 12 minutes, or when heated through and cheese has melted.  Let sit five minutes before cutting and serving.

*One exception, however, is my cousin’s famous guacamole.  When she told me she uses cilantro I was shocked.  Her guacamole is fresh and delicious and the cilantro flavor is by no means overpowering! 
 
 

Filed under: black beans, corn | 1 Comment »

Easy Vegetarian Chili

Posted on August 11, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

Our diets have been lacking fiber lately and I wanted to do something about it. (If only ice cream and chocolate were high in fiber I’d be all set!)  What better way to quench a fiber drought than with a nice hardy bowl of chili!  This recipe is filling and delicious and contains very little fat.  I doubled the below recipe in order to fill a huge pot, so I will likely eat a bowl of it for lunch every day this week.  I love how it can be easily reheated in single servings and it gets even tastier as it sits in the fridge!

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Note: I received a reader request for some gluten-free recipes.  I have some research to do on this subject, but in the meantime, I am almost sure this recipe is gluten-free.  I will update this post when I have additional information.

***Update:  This recipe is gluten free.***

——————-

Vegetarian Chili:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic. minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1  28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1  15 oz. can kidney beans
  • 1  15 oz. can chickpeas
  • 1  15 oz. can black beans
  • 1  15 oz. can cannellini beans
  • 1  15 oz. can corn
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • a pinch of shredded Monteray Jack cheese for garnish

Rinse and drain beans in a colander.  Spray pot with cooking spray.  Saute onion, garlic, and pepper until soft.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring mixture to a boil then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour.  Garnish individual servings with cheese.

Recipe adapted from Ellie Deaner’s wonderful cookbook “So Easy So Delicious” available for purchase here.

Filed under: cannellini beans, chickpeas, chili, corn, gluten free, Main Dish, tomato | 1 Comment »

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Posted on August 7, 2008 by kitchenbelle

I knew immediately when I saw this here at a Taste of Home Cooking that it would be something my husband and I would really enjoy!  And I was right!  This was delicious!  I may even make another one tonight!  That’s how good it was.  To take the words directly from my husband’s mouth, “This is amazing.”  (There may even have been an expletive in there!)  It is nice and spicy, but the ranch offers a sweet cool balance.  And served with a hearty salad this meal is just heavenly! 

I took The Home Cook’s advice and rather than use dough from the local supermarket, I purchased it from a well-known local Italian bakery.  What a great idea!  I can’t wait to make (and eat!) this again!  Thanks Home Cook! 

My dough rolling skills, do, however, leave something to be desired.  This pizza was neither a circle nor a square, and not by choice.  Does anyone have any suggestions on that front?  Nonetheless, the shape was irrelevant, as this was scrumptious!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza: 

  • one ball of fresh pizza dough
  • chicken, cooked and cut into small pieces*
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s Buffalo Chicken sauce
  • 3 fresh scallions, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups ranch dressing
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.  In a pan over low heat toss and coat the chicken pieces (already cooked) with the Frank’s Buffalo chicken sauce.  Set aside.  I don’t have a pizza stone so I rolled out the dough on parchment paper over a cookie sheet.  Spread the ranch dressing over the dough.  Top with half of the mozzarella and then half of the scallions.  Now scatter the sauce covered chicken pieces over the pizza.  Cover with remaining mozzarella cheese.  Drizzle additional Frank’s over the pizza if you desire, but don’t drench it.  Top with remaining scallions.  Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until dough is crisped to your liking. 

*You can use pre-cooked chicken found in the butcher/deli, a rotisserie deli chicken, or cook your own chicken breasts.  Any of those types of chicken work fine for this recipe.

Filed under: chicken, Main Dish, pizza | 8 Comments »

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Posted on August 6, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 What a simple and delicious dessert! The texture of the topping is very nice and the pineapple is refreshing.  I really enjoyed this cake served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  I think even those who typically don’t love sweets would enjoy it.  There is something nostalgic and old-fashioned about it that makes you happy to indulge.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake:

Topping

  • 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 cups chunked pineapple, fresh or canned

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup milk

Make the Topping: In a small bowl mix the melted butter with the brown sugar and press the mixture into a buttered 9 inch round cake pan. Pat the pineapple chunks dry with paper towels and arrange them evenly over the sugar/butter mixture.

Make the Cake:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon into a bowl. In another bowl use an electric mixer to cream the butter with the sugar until it is light and fluffy.  Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the pan over the pineapple and sugar.  Spread it evenly. 

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes.  Run a  knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine found here on foodnetwork.com

Filed under: cake, Dessert, pineapple | 1 Comment »

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