Zucchini Spice Cupcakes

All I can say is YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!

I really liked this recipe and it turned out great! I found it on real mom kitchen's blog and she adapted the recipe a little from a Martha Stewart cupcake book!

I have had difficulties with zucchini bread lately, so I decided to give cupcakes a try and I am really glad I did!

Just look at that monster bite! They are super moist and the cream cheese frosting is really good! I will say they were also excellent without the frosting too!!

Thanks real mom kitchen for another great recipe!
Zucchini Spice Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcake Book
(www.realmomkitchen.blogspot.com)
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3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg (Martha used 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg)

1/4 tsp cloves

1 cup oil

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest (I didn't have this, and they were good still!)

2 cups light brown sugar

3 cups packed grated zucchini

1 cup walnuts (about 3 ounces), toasted and coarsely chopped (I omited this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners, (this says it makes 24 cupcakes, I got 29). Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, vanilla and zest until well blended; whish in brown sugar until smooth. Stir in zucchini, then add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in walnuts (pecans).

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake until cake tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temp before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese at room temp.

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) at room temp.

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time until desired consistency!

Green Beans

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home email I received! I have found a lot of recipes from Taste of Home lately, and they all have turned out really good! I tried this recipe for my family (since I don't like green beans), and even I tried one and liked it!

I was told this was one of the best ways for beans!

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Jean's Favorite Beans

1 big bag flash-frozen string beans (I like the skinny ones)

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ( I minced the garlic)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Put string beans in a frying pan with a little water; cover and simmer on the stove, about 5 min., until hot. (I actually steamed them in the microwave first and then followed the rest of the directions) Push to one side of pan. Add olive oil; when hot, add garlic. When garlic is light brown, mix string beans in with oil and garlic. Turn heat to high and let brown a bit. Add salt, pepper and cheese to taste. Serve.

Brownies for a Crowd

These brownies were super Yummy!! They just might be my favorite brownies!

Brownies for a Crowd (cookie sheet size)submitted by Melanie, from Sisters Cafe

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp cocoa (I prefer Dutch-it is darker)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups melted butter
5 eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
Mix together and spread on a buttered cookie sheet (standard stainless steel). Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes. Be sure to not overcook. Frost
Frosting:1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 tsp cocoa
6 TBsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered Sugar--I have never measured. I just add until I get the consistency I want. If it becomes too thick I just add a little more milk.
Boil together, remove from heat and add powdered sugar. You can add nuts into the frosting or sprinkle on top if you would like.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

One Back-to-School tradition I have is making the GIANT cookie for the kids for when they come home from school! I started this with Rachel's kids and now do it with my own! My sister asked me to post the recipe, so I found this picture from last year! The cookie is super good and super easy, since you only make 1 cookie!

Giant Cookie

from Hershey's Best loved Recipes

6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

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Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a round pizza pan (or I used a heart shaped cake pan for the above one) with foil. Pat dough evenly around the pan to within 3/4 inch of edge.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely; cut into wedges and enjoy!

Chocolate and Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister had these cupcakes at her house while we were there! My aunt made some of them and they were sooooo good! I wanted to do her recipe, but I didn't have all the ingredients, so I tried one from Taste of Home. They were really good too! The frosting is a marshmallow frosting!

Chocolate Cupcakes

from Shelly Kaldunski Cupcake cookbook

2/3 cup flour

2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

3 large eggs, at room temp.

1 tsp vanilla

**Preheat oven to 350. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

**In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl and set over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan; stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; let the mixture cool to room temp., 10-15 minutes.

**Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, and then beat in vanilla. Gently fold in the flour mixture just until no traces of flour remain; do not overmix.

**Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. Bake about 22-24 minutes, when a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean, with only a few crumbs on it.

Transfer to wire rack and let them completely cool, about 1 hour and frost!

Marshmallow Frosting

from Shelly Kaldunski

2 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

6 tbsp water

1 tbsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

In a large heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and salt. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture until it is very warm and soft (but not dry) peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixer to low and add the marshmallows and vanilla. Continue beating until the marshmallows are melted and the frosting is completely smooth, about 2 minutes more. Use right away!

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Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes

from Taste of Home

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup water

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 tbsp evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

optional: sprinkles on top

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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For Frosting (I haven't made this yet, but it was with the recipe), in a small bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate, milk, vanilla and salt. Frost cupcakes!

Andersons Flank Steak

My sister gave me this recipe a few years back, and we have loved it ever since! We look to buy Flank steak just to be able to have this, especially with the blue cheese!

Try it out, it is even good on any steak!

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1 1/2 lbs Flank Steak

Marinade:

1/2 cup grade juice

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tsp ginger

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp oil

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

Score steak against the grain about 1/4 inch deep on both sides. Marinate 3-6 hours.

Grill 7-10 minutes per side. Remove from grill and spread blue cheese sauce over top. (or you can set blue cheese spread on the side and put on what you like!)

Blue Cheese Sauce

1/4 lb blue cheese

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 clove garlic minced

Mix together and serve!

My kids Favorite Cookies

I found this recipe in the August/September 2009 issue of Taste of Home. I couldn't resist their name and had to try them! I also seem to have an abundance of chocolate from a recent sale!

They turned out really yummy!!

Try them out!

My kids favorite Cookies

Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups oats

1 cup flaked coconut

5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz bars)

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In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy and light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture and mix well.

Beat in oats and coconut.

Roll into 1-inch balls (I used my cookie scoop). Place 2-in. apart on ungreased baking sheet; flatten slightly.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Break each candy bar into 12 pieces; press a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie.

Remove to wire racks and enjoy!