Cocoa Cupcakes

This recipe was found in an issue of All You magazine! According to the magazine, these are easy and cheap~about 30 cents a serving!

They were good, but I think I overcooked them a little. Next time I will check them sooner so not to over bake! My kids loved them and I added some Valentine sprinkles and baked them with them on and didn't frost them! Next time I am going to put a few mini chocolate chips on top of the cupcakes!

Makes 12 cupcakes, which is great at our house when you want a little cake but not a lot!

Cocoa Cupcakes

(All You Magazine)

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 4 tbsp butter, at room temp.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar, optional for dusting on top of cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Put stiff whites in another bowl and clean mixer. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each egg yolk. Beat in vanilla.

Add about 1/3 flour mixture and mix. Then add about 1/2 buttermilk. Repeat, ending with flour.

Fold in 1/3 of egg whites. Then fold in the rest of egg whites and chocolate chips.

Divide batter among muffin cups (you can add sprinkles if desired); bake until toothpick inserted is clean, about 18-20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove to rack to cool completely.

Sift powdered sugar on top when cool! Enjoy!

Gourmet Mom's High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been always searching for a GREAT Chocolate Chip cookie recipe! It seems some turn out too flat or too flat or way too flat! I seem to have that problem and have been trying them and I think I found success! I like a cookie to not sink and have some structure to it and then to also be soft! Yes I was searching for a soft cookie too!

I really thought these cookies have turned out the best in my search!

Gourmet Mom's High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks butter (I did 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup margarine)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whip butter until creamy, then add sugars and beat. Add salt, vanilla, and eggs.

Sift flour and soda, then add to mixture (I did sift the flour and soda, I don't know if this makes a difference or not!). Add chocolate chips.

Bake 8-11 minutes until edges are barely brown!

Warm Chocolate Puddings

I found this recipe in a Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine!

The recipe made 4 individual servings and they turned out really good!

I may have cooked them a little too long, make sure to not overcook and then the insides will be more pudding like! Might just be a nice Valentine Treat!

Warm Chocolate Puddings

(Martha Stewart Everyday Foods)

• 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used semisweet chocolate chips)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Ice Cream or Whip Cream for on Top!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place four 6-8 ounce ramekins or oven proof bowls on a baking sheet.

Place chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water -a double boiler. Stir occasionally just until melted, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in 2 tbsp sugar, then eggs yolks and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Still beating, gradually add remaining 2 tbsp sugar; beat until mixture is stiff and glossy.

Using a rubber spatula, mix about 1/3 egg white mixture into chocolate; gently fold in remaining egg-white mixture just until combined. Divide among bowls.

(Pudding can be prepared in advance up to this point; cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 1 day!)

Bake until tops are puffed and cracked but insides are still quite soft (a toothpick inserted in center will come out gooey), 20-25 minutes or 25-30 minutes if refrigerated.

Serve warm or at room temp. (puddings will sink as they cool), topped with ice cream or whipped cream!

Spinach Dip

This little packet makes the best Spinach Dip I have had! It is really easy and super good!

I have had it a few times, and finally asked how to make it and found this packet!

So if you are looking for a good dip to make, eat this one and then think you are eating a little healthier with the spinach!!

Recipe on the Back!

Yummy with French Bread!!

Huevos Hyancinth

On Breakfast Wednesday last week we had the yummiest egg ever! I usually pass on the eggs, I like them but they are not my favorite! I would have to say yes to this egg!

YUM YUM YUM!

I didn't make them for my kids, wasn't sure how they would react. They like eggs, but they also like things to look the way they should. Todd and I had these and they were super good and super fast and easy! Definitely something you could throw together in about 10 minutes, which would just about include your cooking time too!

Huevos Hyancinth

(The Pionees Woman Cookbook)

• Butter for ramekins
• Thinly slice ham, turkey, or any deli meat (I used Ham)
• Tomato slices or salsa
• Large Eggs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Crumbled or grated Monterey Jack or any cheese you like

Butter individual ramekins, and in each one place a piece of ham. Top the ham with the tomato slices or with salsa or picante sauce (a couple tbsp will do). Gently crack an egg ove the top of each ramekin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Top each ramekin with 1/4 cup grated cheese or crumbled cheese.

Broil for 2-4 minutes, removing when the yellow of the egg is still soft but not overly runny. It took me about 7-10 minutes to cook mine. I wanted to make sure the whites were done!

Ranch Dressing

We are not big Ranch dressing eaters! I know sounds weird, but for some reason we like it but it is not a necessity of life in our house. Well I decided to try a homemade version and see what we all thought!

I think it turned out good, it was easy and it had ingredients that I normally have on hand!

Ranch Dressing

(from Annie's Eats)

• 3/4 cup mayonaise (she used light)
• 3/4 cup sour cream (she also used light)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4-1 cup buttermilk (she used 1 cup I used about 3/4 cup)
• 1 small bunch of chives (didn't have this, added some onion powder, just a dash or so)
• 1 clove garlic chopped (I minced mine)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• black pepper

Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender or food processor starting with 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and blend for 10 seconds. Check the consistency and taste and blend in additional buttermilk as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator!

Toffee Blondies

Brownies were requested for the treat for FHE. Brownies seem to be the favorite request and I was ready to try something new! My little guy was up for the experiment and it ended up being a good one! These brownies are definitley NOT overly sweet, in fact adding a little caramel sauce to this treat would be oh soooo good!

They were simple and were made in an 8 x 8 pan, which meant not alot of left overs for those of us trying to eat healthier! Or maybe we are just trying to exercise more so we can eat brownies!! Whatever it may be, these turned out to be a yummy and easy treat!

Toffee Blondies

(http://www.bakeat350.blogspot.com/)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar (or you could use a combo of both light and dark)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla (one of the notes said she used almond extract and loves it this way now)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch square pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides.

Cream butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Add the flour on low speed until combined. Stir in the toffee bits.

Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.

Lift the blondies out by the foil handles. Cut and enjoy!!