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Monthly Archives: March 2012

German Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee and Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Chocolate, Dessert, Holidays, Nuts, Recipe

≈ 9 Comments

Last time there was a birthday in the family, I baked a dozen Vanilla Raspberry “Surprise” Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.  They were gorgeous, festive, and pink, and held a delicious raspberry surprise that sunk to the bottom of the cupcake.  To get the full story, be sure to read the entire post.  

Fast forward a week: there was another birthday to celebrate.  Anja was turning…well, it was her birthday.  My brother, being the best boyfriend that he is, informed me that Anja is a fan of German Chocolate Cake and suggested that I bake a dozen of German Chocolate cupcakes.  He then proceeded to invite the family over to my place to celebrate Anja’s birthday with the cupcakes.  Meanwhile, I went to bake the cupcakes.

Once again, I turned to the “150 Best Cupcake Recipes” cookbook by Julie Hasson.  I used Julie’s recipes for Best Chocolate Cupcakes and Coconut Pecan Frosting as guides for my own dessert creation. (Excerpted from 150 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.)

To make the cupcakes even more flavorful, I added coffee to both the cake and the frosting.  For extra depth, I toasted coconut, and used toasted walnuts instead of pecans.  For the extra-special birthday factor, I used some of the Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting in the middle of the cupcake – you should do the same, you’ll thank me!
German Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee and Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting

Ingredients

For the Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 cup evaporated milk
2-4 tablespoons prepared coffee, cold
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, and chopped

For the Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened, high-quality cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2-4 tablespoons prepared coffee, cold
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
Garnish

sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
Directions.

1.  Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
2.  Whisk in evaporated milk and coffee, continue whisking until sugar dissolves.
3.  Add butter and continue to cook the frosting, whisking constantly, until it is smooth and thick.  
4.  Remove from heat and stir in  coconut and vanilla.  Cool.  Stir in toasted walnuts, and set aside.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

6.  Whisk together sugar, oil, coffee, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

7.  Combine flour mixture with  the oil and sugar mixture, and buttermilk, alternating between dry and wet ingredients.  Do not overmix.

8.  Scoop the cupcake batter halfway up each paper liner.

9.  Scoop 1-2 teaspoons of frosting and cover up with the remaining cupcake batter.

10.  Bake cupcakes in the oven for 22-25 minutes.  Remove and cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes.  Remove cupcakes and finish cooling completely on a cooling rack.

11.  Cover each cupcake with a dollop of frosting and spread evenly over the top.

12.  Sprinkle the cupcakes with toasted coconut.

The cupcakes were a sweet delight!  I really believe that adding coffee enriched the overall flavor and highlighted the chocolate.  My father, who is not a fan of coconut, said he loved the cupcakes and wasn’t bothered by the coconut.  I bet toasting coconut was a key to getting rid of the raw flavor.

Anja was one happy birthday girl and my brother took all the credit!  Why am I not surprised? 🙂

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Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight~ Meatless Monday Recipe

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in Curry, Dinner, Lunch, Meatless Monday, Recipe, Vegetables, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

It’s another Meatless Monday rendition at Snacking in the Kitchen.  This throw-in-the-pot recipe for Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight is a perfect way to clean up your refrigerator and use up a variety of vegetables you may have on hand.  By the wrinkles in some of my vegetables, you are sure to know that this is exactly what I did.  Waste not, want not.

The way I prepared the recipe was somewhat experimental.  Usually when making curry I cook the vegetables first, in batches if necessary, and then add the coconut milk.  This time around I switched the order, simmering the coconut milk with Thai red curry paste, garlic, and ginger and then adding the vegetables.  I can not decide which method I prefer – they both work pretty well.  Try it both ways and let me know which one you prefer.
The curry tastes delicious on its own, sprinkled with lime juice, a dash of hot sauce, and chopped cilantro.  To make a more substantial meal, serve the curry with a side of brown rice or rice noodles.

Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 large sweet potato, cubed
4 medium carrots, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 poblano pepper, sliced
2 Japanese eggplants, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste 
Garnish: lime wedges, chopped cilantro

 Directions


1.  Heat coconut oil in a large heavy-bottom pan.  Add Thai red curry paste, garlic, and ginger.

2.  Saute 3-5 minutes, or until aromatic and the garlic is softened.

3.  Stir in coconut milk, water, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes.

4.  Prepare vegetables while the coconut broth simmers.

5.  Add sweet potatoes and carrots to the broth and cook for 5 minutes.  Add bell and poblano peppers and eggplant, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6.  Sprinkle peas on top of the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the peas are heated through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Eat!

The recipe makes quite a bit of Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight.  This is your chance to feed a large family, share with a group of friends, or have a lot of leftovers!  If you are stuck in the leftover camp, do not worry!  The curry reheats very well and can be dressed up for its second and third appearance on your table with the addition of shrimp, chicken, or as mentioned earlier, brown rice and noodles.

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Vanilla Raspberry "Surprise" Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Dessert, Recipe

≈ 3 Comments

The stars have aligned.  Instead of pulling out yet another bill or a credit card application from the mailbox, I pulled out a “150 Best Cupcake Recipes” cookbook by Julie Hasson.  It happened to be my grandfather’s birthday this week, so to celebrate, I decided to bake him a batch of cupcakes (and save a few for myself and friends).

Picking out a flavor was challenging: the book has an impressive array of 150 recipes ranging from simple to gourmet.  The book is organized by section (chocolate, fruit, nuts, adults only, kids’ corner, spice it up, new twists, vegan, and frostings, glazes and fillings) and also has decorating tips and techniques.

Paging through the book, I stopped on a color photo of a Raspberry Vanilla Cupcake.  Scanning through the recipe, I decided to make a few adjustments and use a variation of the book’s Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.  A quick trip to the store and I was ready to bake Vanilla Raspberry “Surprise” Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

You can use your favorite jam to substitute for raspberry.  If you do choose to follow the recipe, I suggest using a seedless raspberry jam.  Feel free to garnish the cupcakes with fresh raspberries, especially if you are baking these in the summer.


Vanilla Raspberry “Surprise” Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam


For the Frosting


4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

zest of 1 lemon

Directions


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with cupcake paper liners.


2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3.  Whisk together sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth.

4.  Combine flour mixture, milk, and sugar and oil mixture in intervals, mixing until smooth.

5.  Scoop cupcake batter into the bottom of each paper liner, about two tablespoons.

6.  Drop a spoonful of raspberry jam and cover with the remaining cupcake batter.

7.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are golden brown.

8.  Cool cupcakes on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan and cool completely.

9.  Beat together cream cheese, butter, and salt until creamy.

10.  Beat in confectioner’s sugar to the cream cheese mixture on low speed, adding a little bit of sugar at a time.

11.  Increase speed and beat in raspberry jam and lemon zest until fluffy.

12.  Pipe frosting on top of cooled cupcakes.

13.  Eat immediately or refrigerate until ready.  Remove from refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.  Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Final thoughts:
The cupcakes were a success with the grandparents and the rest of the family.

My “surprise” element of raspberry jam inside the cupcake needs some work.  I envisioned the jam staying suspended in the center of the cupcake, but, unfortunately, it sunk to the bottom.  Apparently, my brother was not disappointed, and instead, loved this happy accident.  His response to the cupcake was: “Whoa! There was like a surprise on the bottom!“

Next time, in addition to figuring out how to keep raspberry jam in the center of the cupcake, I would also add lemon zest and perhaps even lemon oil to the cupcake batter, and use more lemon in the frosting.



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Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas

19 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cheese, Cooking, Mexican, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

Last week I shared with you a recipe for No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup. It’s true, you could make the soup and enjoy a bowl or a cup of it on its own.  But like many other things in life, the soup is better with an accompaniment, a friend you might say.  What I prepared to go along with the soup, with my friend Alla, was these Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas.  (If you have been reading the blog for a while, I bet you can guess that Alla’s quesadilla came sans banana peppers and cilantro.  It was still delicious!)

This was a vegetarian recipe, if you feel like adding a little bit of non-dairy protein, roasted chicken or shrimp would taste great in the quesadilla.



Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadilla

Ingredients 
(for 1 quesadilla)



1 flour tortilla

1/4 cup shredded cheese

4-6 green olives, stuffed with pimento, chopped

1 banana pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon oil

Directions

1.  Lay the tortilla on top of a flat surface.
2.  Cover half of the tortilla with cheese, olives, banana pepper, and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Fold the tortilla in half, slightly pressing so that ingredients stick together.

4.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Cook the quesadila 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

5.  Remove the quesadilla and cut into wedges.

6.  Serve with a bowl of No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup.


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No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Dairy, Gluten Free, Recipe, Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian

≈ 2 Comments

Me: “Hey, do you want to come over?”
Alla: “Yes! Will you feed me?”
Me:  “I suppose so. How about some butternut squash soup?”
Alla:  “Yes! And Anna’s famous grilled cheese?”
Me:  “Sure, but I don’t have bread or cheese, so can you pick some up on your way?”
Alla:  “Oh, I have some tortillas and cheese, I’ll bring those and we can have quesadillas.”
Me: “Perfect! And you’re in luck – I don’t have any onions on hand either, so they won’t go into the soup.”
Alla:  “Cool! And don’t put any other icky stuff into the soup either, please.”
Me:  (rolling my eyes) “Ok, fine! See you soon.”

And that’s how I made this No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup.  Had I been making the soup for myself, I would have thrown in some extra ingredients: cayenne pepper, coriander, perhaps some onions.  But this “no-thrills” version was delicious on its own!  Serve the soup with Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas. 

Extra! Extra! Please notice the beautiful additions to this post: towels from my sister MangoTomato and a plate from my friend Priya – thank you girls!

No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
4 cups water (or liquid of your choice)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions

1.  Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pot.
2.  Add butternut squash, garlic, and spices.
3.  Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.
4.  Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender.
5.  Remove soup from heat.  Puree soup until smooth using a stick blender.
6.  Whisk in milk and reheat the soup to temperature.
7.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with cilantro.  Serve with Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas.

The next day, when reheating some of the soup for lunch, I threw in a handful of shrimp and let them cook gently while the soup was simmering away.  The shrimp were perfectly tender and flavorful!



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Philadelphia Roll Meets Russian Blini

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

I’ve been cooking up a lot of crepes, or Russian blinis, in my kitchen lately.  Thanks to a very hungry and appreciative artist and a set of new nonstick skillets, these blinis have become a weekend breakfast tradition.  Most often, the blinis get a smear of sour cream and a dollop of jam and are quickly rolled up, and even more quickly gobbled up.

The blinis also make an appearance at night.  A few weeks ago when I was having the girls for a Bachelor viewing party, I discovered a fantastic sweet filling combination: sour cream, sauteed apples, and walnuts inside the blini, and apricot jam on the outside.

But as far as sweets go, I have a limit, and so the other day I craved a savory Russian blini.  At home, I’ve often had blinis with chili, cheese, and sour cream.  I’m also a fan of a spoonful of taramasalata with diced tomatoes and dill.  This time around, my inspiration came from a Philadelphia sushi roll.

Philadelphia Roll Blinis



Ingredients

Russian blinis
cream cheese
smoked salmon
julienned cucumber
sliced avocados

***I promise to share my recipe for blinis on a later occasion.  It’s been a labor of love trying to figure out the right proportions.  I grew up watching my mom make these thin rounds by mixing everything up by hand without using a measuring cup or a measuring spoon.  There is still some approximation involved in my recipe, but for the most part, it’s a great, full-proof guide.

Directions

1.  Spread cream cheese over 1/3 of the blini.
2.  Stack the rest of the filling ingredients over the cream cheese in a linear direction.
3.  Roll up the blini, cut in half and eat.

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"Baaa!" says the lamb. "Yum!" I say ~ Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Dinner, Lamb, Potatoes, Recipe, Tomatoes

≈ 4 Comments

I am my sister’s sister.  And when I saw her post for Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes, I wanted to catch the next flight across the county, knock on her door, and sit down at her table for a bowl of tender lamb meat, starchy beans and tomatoes.  Instead, I walked to my freezer and pulled out two frozen lamb shanks.

Rather than follow her recipe exactly, I chose my own combination of flavors, virtually heading to Morocco.  In went cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and brown sugar.  The spices blended together with the red wine and bathed the lamb shanks gently and slowly while they braised in the oven for three solid hours.

Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, and Potatoes


Ingredients


1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 lamb shanks

salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 potatoes, cubed

2 cups red wine

2 cups vegetable broth

Directions


1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.

2.  Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper and sear in hot oil on all sides until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove lamb from the pot.

 3.  Add onion, garlic, and spices to the pot.  Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes.  Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and potatoes; cook for another 5-7 minutes.

4.  Return lamb shanks to the pot and nestle inside the vegetables.  Cover with wine and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

5.  Cover the pot tightly and transfer to the oven.  Bake for three hours.

6.  Skim off excess fat.  Serve the shanks with the vegetables.  I threw in a handful of peas at the end for a touch of color and freshness.  

Speaking from experience, the shanks keep in the refrigerator for solid 3 days without losing any flavor.  Reheat slowly on top of the stove or in the oven.  If you desire a thicker sauce, feel free to puree some of the vegetables or thicken with a cornstarch slurry.  You may also simmer the sauce, uncovered, to thicken it naturally.

This is definitely a recipe I will make again and again!  Don’t fret if you don’t like lamb or don’t have it on hand.  The recipe will turn out just as fantastic with chicken or beef.

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Champagne Brunch with a side of Roasted Sweet Potato Hash and Sunny Side Up Eggs

07 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Brunch, Cooking, Eggs, Recipe, Sweet Potatoes

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Apparently I cook and write about breakfast/brunch quite often! So often, in fact, that one of my friends, Diana, suggested I dedicate the whole blog to breakfast only…Boring!  But in all seriousness, I love breakfast.  I especially love breakfast on the weekend, when breakfast doesn’t start until at least 10 am, and can be enjoyed leisurely in the company of someone special, with mood music coming from Pandora.
Last weekend, I decided that breakfast must include Champagne!  And so with a chilled bottle of Champagne in the refrigerator (alright, let’s be honest – it was a bottle of sparkling wine, but let a girl dream a little, ok?) I began chopping sweet potatoes, bell pepper, and onion and heating up a cast iron skillet in the oven.  Cracked eggs and toasted bread followed.  
Sadly, I was once again reminded that I turn into a useless ball of tired after a single mimosa, and spent the rest of the day in dire desire of a nap.  I did manage to pull myself together after a 90-minute nap to visit my parents and wash and fold 2 loads of laundry. Yay me!  I am Super Woman, hear me roar.
Roasted Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper and Red Onion Breakfast Hash

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and diced (1/3-1/2 inch)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1 inch)
1 medium red onion, chopped (1 inch)
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place a large cast iron skillet inside the oven.
2.  Mix sweet potato, bell pepper, and red onion in a bowl.
3.  Add sugar, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Drizzle olive oil and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.

5.  Transfer vegetables to a hot cast iron skillet.
6.  Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
7.  Serve Roasted Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper and Red Onion Breakfast Hash with a sunny side up egg, toasted bread, and a glass of mimosa.
When it comes to mixing up your mimosa, you are your own bartender!  I prefer orange juice without pulp.  Freshly squeezed is truly the best.  I compose my mimosa of 50% juice and 50% champagne.  Feel free to discover your own ideal proportion.  As you can tell, my breakfast partner chose 0% juice and 100% champagne.
Salute!