Kickin' Mexican Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Each year I make some standby Christmas Cookie recipes but I also go perusing the cookbooks and internet for recipes that look like they should be added to the plates I give to family and friends. While digging around this year I stumbled across a contest on the Cupcake Adventure Contest put on by Scharffenberger Chocolate, as much as I enjoy cupcakes I haven't really been part of the cupcake craze that has swept the blog and culinary community the last few years, I enjoy making them occasionally but not the creative, crazy varieties and decorations that some make, so I was a bit surprised by my interest in competing in the contest. Needless to say, the point of the contest is to use some really nice, high quality chocolate in an adventurous cupcake using some pretty interesting ingredients, you are required to use at least one of the following: stout beer (oatmeal, chocolate, imperial or any other stout); ricotta; buttermilk; coconut butter, coconut milk or coconut cream; saffron; molasses (light, dark or blackstrap); adzuki bean; fresh beet; sweetened condensed milk; fresh or whole dried chili pepper; bee pollen; meyer lemon; almond flour; and Sumatra coffee bean.

The possibilities are endless but I felt a certain affinity towards the spicier varieties and made a Mexican Hot Chocolate inspired cupcake.

Cupcakes:
1/2 Cup Butter, at room temperature
1 Cup White Sugar
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Cream of Coconut
1 Tsp Vanilla
4 Lg Egg Whites
3oz Scharffenberger Extra Dark Chocolate Bar, melted
3oz Scharffenberger Dark Chocolate Bar, melted
1/2 Tsp Chipotle Powder
1/2 Tsp Ancho Chile Powder
2 Tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/2 Tsp Ginger, powdered
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper, powdered

Frosting:
14oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsp Cream of Coconut
1 Pinch (appx 1/2 Tsp) Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Water
1 Tsp Cinnamon Powder
3oz Scharffenberger Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
3oz Scharffenberger Semisweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Optional:
Sugared Chile Peppers
Crystallized Ginger


Cupcakes:
1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, chile powders, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon powder.
3. Add flour mixutre to butter/sugar mixture alternately adding in small increments of flour and cream of coconut until all has been incorporated.
4. Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate.
5. Fold in egg whites.
**Batter will be very thick**
6. Scoop into 12 regular sized cupcake papers in a muffin tin.
7. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Frosting:
1. Melt sweetened condensed milk, salt, water, vanilla, cinnamon, cream of coconut in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat until all is well incorporated and chocolate is smooth.
2. Let cool to just shy of room temperature and using a stand or hand mixer incorporate the 2 cups powdered sugar in 1/4 cup increments.
3. Spread generously on cupcakes.

Add sugared chiles or crystallized ginger to top of cupcake for pretty and tasty presentation.



It looks a little light in the photo but I assure you it's a dark chocolate lovers dream : )

Santa Stop Here!

As kids we left Santa cookies but maybe all he wanted was some crispy bacon and a terrific twist on french toast....at least that is what I'm hoping because maybe this will be the secret key to getting my list answered : ) While I feel french toast in all it's forms should definitely not be left to a certain time of year (or day really) the Portugese and Brazilians will typically be feasting on it around Yule time while the Brazilians enjoy it on Easter.

No matter when you like your french toast it's best made with day old french bread so it can soak up all the eggy-goodness.

Chocolate French Toast

For every 3 pieces of toast you will need:
1 Egg, Slightly Beaten
2 Tsp Dutch Processed Cocoa
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
Caramel Sauce, for topping, my favorite is Martha's

1. Mix all ingredients together. Let bread soak in mixture on both sides.
2. Heat a griddle with a small amount of butter on it, once heated toast bread on both sides until egg mixture is no longer runny and a crispy crust has formed.
3. Before serving drizzle with caramel sauce.



Happy Holidays!

Not so shameless self promotion....

I say not so shameless because it's not really self promotion (ok maybe a little), just wanted to point you all in the direction of a really cool blog that just did a feature on Mom and I making cheese :)

Check us out on Cheesemaking Help, News and Information. Earlier this fall I got interested in making mozzarella cheese and found a fantastic kit, from there the rest is history (or read-able on the blog!)

Short post but wanted to share!

Baby it's COLD outside!

Sorry, been inspired by some of my favorite Christmas tunes lately : ) In all seriousness the cold weather makes me want two things: warmth and comfort. So why not encapsulate those into one dish, and one that's not soup because as much as I love soup I'm just not one of those folks who can eat soup 24/7.

Southern Seafood Mac 'n Cheese
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Bell Pepper (green and red), chopped
1/4 cup Parsley
1 clove minced Garlic
1/4 cup Onion
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
6 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 lb Crab Meat
1/2 lb shredded Fontina Cheese
1/2 lb shredded Swiss Cheese
1 cup Panko
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1lb pasta shells

Roux
3 cups milk
1 1/2 sticks of Butter
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp Nutmeg, freshly ground
2 tsp White Pepper

1. Saute onion, celery and bell pepper and garlic in a tsp of olive oil in a small skillet until onion is tender, remove from skillet then set aside.
2. Heat milk over medium high in a sauce pan. While milk is heating, heat butter in a large skillet. When butter begins to bubble, add flour, whisk until well incorporated.
3. Pour milk into butter, whisk until thick.
4. Remove from heat and season with black pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, tabasco and salt. Add 1.2 of cheese and set aside.
5. While mixing up sauce, cook pasta to al dente. Strain pasta and toss the seafood, parsley and sauteed veggies with the pasta.
6. Prepare a 13x9 pan by spraying/greasing it then pour pasta/seafood mixture into pan. Slowly pour the cheese sauce over the pasta so it is even then layer the top with bacon, bread crumbs and remaining cheese.
7. Bake in an oven at 350F until the top is bubbling and browned.



While many folks have pushed this summers Gulf Oil spill out of their minds those of us on the Gulf have not. As the commercials say, oil hasn't been spotted in a while but unfortunately people aren't flocking to the tourist locations and even less are buying Gulf seafood, so I will make my plea to those of you who can, go buy some, it's delicious (and safe)! As a good Gulf coast girl I have to make my plea here.

Need a glimmer of summer as the really cold weather sets in?

I know I do, as much as I truly adore the changing of the seasons (all seasons) and as much as I try to cook seasonally sometimes I can't help it and I just crave things...these Eggplant Napoleons are a perfect example of something I just outright craved no matter what the season.


These were super easy to put together, they are basically layered in whatever order you prefer (as noted in the photo above).


To make these lovely (and healthy) treats:

Eggplant Napoleons
1 Large Eggplant
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
2 Yellow Tomatoes, diced
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mozzarella
8-12oz Fresh Pesto
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable Oil
1 Cup Panko or other bread crumbs
1 Egg, beaten

1. Slice the eggplant into rounds, you don't want them too thick but don't cut them paper thin either, these will be the base so you want them to have enough size to hold up all the other ingredients. Once they are all sliced, salt them and lay them on paper towels to drain, leave 10 minutes.

2. Pat eggplant dry then dip in egg and bread crumbs then fry until golden brown in vegetable oil. Allow eggplant to cool on papertowels.

3. After they are sufficiently cooled, stack with alternating layers of tomato, mozzarella, pesto and basil. Salt and pepper to taste.