Oreo Cupcakes

My boyfriend is not a big dessert fan. (How we ever ended up together with such widely differing views on dessert, I'll never know, but somehow we make it work.) He rarely eats sweets, and never after 9PM. There is only one exception to this...if there are Oreos anywhere in sight, all rules are out the window. So when determining what to bake him for his birthday, I knew it had to have Oreos in it. And since I like cupcakes, it was an easy decision. The hard part was coming up with right combination of cake and frosting that best represented the cookies and cream flavor I was looking for. I wanted a dark, dense, semi-sweet chocolate cake, and a light, airy frosting. Here's what I came up with:

Oreo Cupcakes

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
2¾ cups flour
2 tsps. baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
4 eggs
1½ tsps. vanilla extract
24 Oreo cookies, plus more for garnish if desired

Cake Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Carefully separate cookies so that one side has the cream intact and only the cookie remains on the other side. Set aside the cookies without the cream, to be used later in the frosting. Place the cookie halves with the cream, cream side up, at the bottom of each paper liner. In a medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. 
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until mixed. Fill paper liners ¾ full. Bake for 21-24 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5-10 minutes or until safe to touch before removing. Place in refrigerator until completely cooled and ready to frost.

Frosting Ingredients:
4 cups (2 pints) heavy whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
24 Oreo cookie halves

Frosting Directions:
In a food processor or blender, process cookie halves until blended into fine crumbs. In a large bowl, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until the whipped cream holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in the cookie crumbs with a spatula. Scoop mixture into pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes. Garnish with Oreo cookies if desired.

The final results were better than I had even dared to hope. The cake was everything I wanted: dark, dense, rich. The frosting is the literal interpretation of the cookies and cream taste I wanted, without the heaviness of a standard buttercream frosting. And it's delicious. I could eat it straight out of the bowl. The only thing I had qualms about was the cookie at the bottom of the cupcake. It didn't soften up during the baking process like I hoped it would, so the crisp texture of the cookie with the softness of the cake was quite the juxtaposition. But it's growing on me. I'll probably do it the same way when I bake them again. And I will bake them again, for sure.

Sources: Ingredients and proportions have been changed, but the main inspiration came from these two recipes- http://allrecipes.com/recipe/dark-chocolate-cake-i/detail.aspx, http://buddingbaketress.blogspot.com/2011/03/oreo-cupcakes.html

Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

This is my friend Meredith's twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie, and it's phenomenal. I like to think of it as a chocolate chip cookie for adults. Since she's introduced me to this recipe, I've made it almost as many times as she has. In fact, I haven't used any chocolate chip cookie recipe except hers since then. Every time I bring them to work, parties or otherwise share them, they get rave reviews.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Ingredients:
2½ cups flour
1½ tsps. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips*
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, if desired. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the flour mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. Roll into large balls and place onto baking sheets. Press down on the tops slightly, bake until edges of cookies are light brown, 12-15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

*Meredith always uses Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate chips. Their larger chip size and especially their higher cacao concentration and less-sugar qualities compared to other leading dark chocolate chips make them perfect for this recipe. I wouldn't think of using anything else. 

Source: The recipe originated from the Food Network, but Meredith has made some changes to enhance the texture and overall outcome.

Blueberry Oat Bars

I just have to squeeze this summer recipe in before summer ends. I've had it for ages, made it half a dozen times, and shared it with friends and family at least that many times as well. These bars are quite versatile; you can eat them for/with breakfast, as a fresh dessert, or a midday snack. I like to make a batch and then cut them into individual bars and freeze them, then take them out whenever I need them.

Blueberry Oat Bars

Ingredients:

1¾ cups oats, uncooked

1½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed 

½ cup chopped walnuts 

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup butter, melted

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

½ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 11x7 inch baking dish. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add butter, mixing until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture, press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared baking dish. Bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine blueberries, sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, simmer 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Combine remaining 1 Tbsp. water, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Gradually stir into blueberry mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Spread over partially baked base to within ¼ inch of edge. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture and press topping down into blueberry filling slightly. 

Bake 18-20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool on wire rack and cut into bars.

Nothing to it! These bars are super simple to make, especially since the topping and the crust are the same. On a side note, I've made these with frozen blueberries a bunch of times, when blueberries just weren't in season and/or too expensive and I've actually had better luck with the frozen ones. They always seem to have just the right balance of sweet and tart. Sometimes with the fresh ones you don't know what you're getting.

Source: Unknown.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

I love breakfast for dinner, and this recipe is a great way to do that. In fact, you could have it for lunch, too. A slice of this quiche can be paired with a plate of fruit, or is complemented well by a side of salad greens with a light vinaigrette dressing. I've made it twice in the last month, can't get enough of it. Hope you like it as much as I do.

Spinach Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:
6 slices of bacon
5 eggs 
1 cup whipping cream
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups chopped mushrooms
½ cup chopped onions
¾ cup shredded Swiss cheese
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 9-inch deep dish, uncooked pie crust

Directions: Preheat oven to 400° F. Cook bacon in skillet, pat dry to remove excess grease, crumble and set aside. In a large bowl, whip together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in bacon, spinach, mushrooms, onions, Swiss cheese and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Pour into pie crust and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Ok, so here's my two cents. First, I used vegan bacon both times I've made this, and it worked great, so if you're going the vegetarian route, you won't get left out (it rhymes). Second, I make the pie crust from scratch, it definitely adds a great texture and flavor that way, but is obviously a little more time consuming, especially if you're not that practiced at making your own yet. (I use the Betty Crocker Pie Crust recipe). Third, the cooking time on this can very a bit depending on your oven, mine took a little longer the first time than the second time (different oven).

Source: The main inspiration for this recipe is http://allrecipes.com/recipe/belle-and-chrons-spinach-and-mushroom-quiche/detail.aspx, but I've changed it up a bit to firm up the texture, among other things.

Kale Chips

As you probably already know, kale is REALLY good for you. It's like THE superfood of all superfoods. Full of vitamins and nutrients and....yeah, you know all about this. But who wants to sit there and munch on a bunch of kale? Sure, you can put it in a salad, and I do, but it's a little bit bitter (there's a tongue twister for your keyboard), so it's tough to eat a lot of it at once. Well, what if I told you that you CAN eat a bunch of it, and enjoy each bite? Ok, so now you're listening. Here's the answer.

KALE CHIPS! They're great! And so, so easy to make. It literally takes less than 10 minutes of actual prep time. Here's how:

Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, toss the kale pieces with the olive oil and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until crisp and the edges start to brown (but not burn), about 20 minutes. Let cool before eating. Store leftovers in an airtight container. 

See how easy that was? Told ya!

A couple tips to ensure success with this recipe. Make sure you use the curly kale. A lot of grocery stores will have a few different kinds (including baby kale, dino kale) but curly kale is sweeter and milder, thus making it a good choice for this recipe. You'll know it when you see it, because it will be...you guessed it, curly! Also, the cooking time is approximate; you should check the kale often because it can brown very quickly. I checked mine every couple minutes towards the end of the cooking time and did a taste test as well.

Finally, get creative with this recipe. I love the simplicity of the salt and oil seasoning, but there are so many ways you can add some extra flavor, too. Try tossing it with a little parmesan cheese before putting it in the oven, or adding a pinch of cayenne pepper. The possibilities are endless!

Sources: Food Network Magazine September 2012, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips

Cheddar Biscuits

Everybody loves those scrumptious biscuits that are served at Red Lobster tables, including me. However, I haven't indulged in quite some time because, as much as I desire those cheddar mounds of delight, I'm not fond of the rest of their menu. So I've had to go without...until now. I've finally found a recipe that replicates the Cheddar Bay biscuits very well. I decided to try the recipe because it's the first one that I've found that doesn't use Bisquik; it's a "from scratch" recipe. I got it from this food blog, Food & Whine. And it's great. The only alteration I made from the original recipe is to substitute buttermilk for the regular milk for a better texture.

Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached or regular)
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup butter, cold, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1 heaping cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - 2/3 cups buttermilk

3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes or 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Whisk together to combine thoroughly. Add chunks of butter. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour until it is coarse, pea-sized (doesn't need to be fine). Add oil, grated cheddar cheese and butter milk. Stir together. Keep adding milk a bit at a time, just until the dough is moistened and no longer dry and powdery. (Shouldn't be sticky, just moist enough to hold together).
Drop approximately 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
Bake for 15-17 minutes. While biscuits are baking, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the parsley.
When biscuits come out of the oven, use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Serve warm.

Makes one dozen biscuits.

Pecan Squares

Okay, so I've been a very neglectful Sugar Plum Fairy Godmother; I haven't shared any recipes lately. Not since Thanksgiving, actually. So I'm sorry that you didn't get any Christmas recipes or winter dishes. Here's a very belated seasonal recipe that I actually discovered while Christmas shopping last year. At one of the stores I visited, there was a table of baked goods on sale for charity that had been homemade by the retailer's employees. Everyone knows that Christmas shopping can make you very hungry, so I chose a hefty looking pecan square and made my donation. It was so good that I bought two more! And hunted down the staff member who had made them to get the recipe! She told me that she had gotten the recipe from Ina Garten on the Food Network website, but with one change regarding the honey and brown sugar, which I agree with and have already altered for you in the recipe I've published below. She also told me she couldn't tell me how much butter was in the recipe because then I'd never make it. She was almost right.

When I saw the recipe, I was SHOCKED at the amount of butter AND sugar! You will be too, I'm sure. I don't claim to cook or bake low calorie or healthy food (just natural), but even I initially couldn't reconcile the idea of cooking something that could actually bring me a little closer to cardiac arrest. But those sneaky little pecan squares just wouldn't get out of my head...they were so good!! So I decided it was Christmas and I could be a little naughty just this once. To my delight, after baking them I did discover that they were not nearly as heart attack-inducing as I had originally thought. Here's the catch...the recipe that I've published below was taken straight from the Food Network website, with the exception of the one small adjustment I mentioned earlier. That recipe, as is, makes over 50 squares! I couldn't give them away fast enough, there were so many. Once I realized how many squares the recipe made, the amount of butter and sugar didn't seem nearly as awful. In hindsight, you could easily halve the recipe and make it in a 13"x9" pan and it would still make about 30 squares.

Pecan Squares

Ingredients

Crust:
• 1 ¼ pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:
• 1 pound unsalted butter
• ½ cup good honey
• 3 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.

One more tip that I'll pass along to you...I used orange clover honey when I made the squares, but I wouldn't do it again. Between the honey and the orange and lemon zest, the citrus flavor was stronger than I would have liked. Stick to a high quality, preferably local honey for better results.