Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes

I went searching for a recipe for a chocolate cupcake with a peanut butter filling after having a taste of on my mom's friend brought her while I was visiting in UT over a year ago. I don't know if this is the best one out there, but I was willing to try it at least once! My boys loved them. I personally thought the cake was very dry. So maybe next time I will opt for a moist box cake or a better homemade cake recipe I already have. They were very rich to say the least. At 300 calories and 17 grams of fat per cupcake I would have thought that they would have melted in my mouth! I think I will count my blessings that they didn't and that they weren't a huge temptation for me. Adding 20 lbs instead of losing it is not the way to bring in the New Year now is it?! If you try these I hope they bring you joy! Most chocolate goodies do that for me ;-).

For the Chocolate Cupcake:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

Peanut Butter Filling:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons milk

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line cups of two standard-size 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.

Chocolate Cupcakes:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy, 1 minute. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beggining and ending with flour mixture. Fill each prepared muffin cup two-thirds full, about 3 Tablespoons (I use my medium size ice cream scoop.)

Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack; let cool.

Filling:

In a medium-size bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat peanut butter and butter until smooth. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar and 3 Tablespoons milk. On high speed, beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute. If too thick, beat in 1 Tablespoon milk. When cupcakes are cooled, spoon filling into large pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain round tip. Insert tip into top of each cupcake; squeeze as much filling into center of each as possible (the top will bulge).

Chocolate Frosting:

In large glass bowl, microwave milk chocolate pieces on high power 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to melt. With mixer on medium speed, beat in sour cream until fluffy and good spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle edge with peanuts if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

This recipe called to me from the front of a little 5 x 7 Taste of Home magazine during my wait in the check out line. I was dying to try it for Thanksgiving, but never got my chance! So I didn't let it miss out on showing up on our Christmas dinner menu. It did not disappoint anyone! We will keep this in our favorite cheesecake file. (I need to post some of our other favorites like pina colada, brownie bottom and white chocolate raspberry cheesecakes).

If you enjoy a nice rich dessert occasionally and love cheesecake then this is probably a recipe you will want to try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Seeing the layers

Ready to tickle and delight the palette!

Layered Turtle Cheesecake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

6 Tablespoon cold butter, chopped

Filling:

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, divided

2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1/4 cup carmel ice cream topping

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ganache:

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tablespoons chopped pecans

Optional garnish: chopped pecan halves and additional caramel ice cream topping

Place a greased 9-inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil )about 18-inch square.) Securely wrap foil around pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and pecans; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup flour, cram and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Remove 1 cup batter to small bowl; stir in melted chocolate until blended. Spread over crust.

Combine caramel topping and remaining flour; stir in pecans. Drop by Tablespoon over chocolate batter. Top with the remaining batter. Place springform pan in large baking pan; add 1-inch water of hot water to large pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until the center is just and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. (I would remove the foil at this point too. It never tells you when to do it, but it holds in moister from the water bath.) Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.

Place chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to boil. Pour over chips; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Spread over cheesecake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. REfrigerate until set. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with pecan halves and additional caramel topping if desired.

Yield: 12 Servings

Eggplant Parmesan

I got two huge eggplants in my bountiful basket order last week, the last time I got a small one it went to waste so I was determined to make something with it this time. This recipe turned out good "The New Best" cookbook has hardly ever disappointed us, but you have to just plan ahead and know it is going to take some time with all the steps each recipe has in this cookbook.

we interrupt this posting to change a diaper....get toddler a snack....and who knows what else! If you are interested in this recipe check back in a few days.

Turnover Chicken Crescent Rolls

This is a quick and simple dinner that my kids just love. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law a few years back. I don't make it very often, but my kids and husband probably wish I did. Chalk up a point for one that everyone loves, but it's not the healthiest dish there is--probably why it taste good.

Turnover Chicken Crescent Rolls

1 (3 oz) softened Cream Cheese

2 Tablespoon melted margarine

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon chopped green onion

2 Tablespoons pimento (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (can be made ahead of time and chilled)

1 (8 oz pkg.) crescent rolls

Roll crescent rolls flat with rolling pin. Put 1/4 cup chicken mixture on roll--fold up sides and seal. Brush top with melted margarine. Dip into bread crumbs. (I skip the butter and bread crumb part and it makes it all the more simple! My family doesn't seem to mind either.)

Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top with chicken gravy and serve.

Chicken Gravy--

1 Can Chicken Gravy

1 can cream of Chicken Soup

Mix together and heat until hot.

Or if you want to keep it super simply I just use a can of Cream of Chicken Soup diluted. I keep it stocked in the pantry, but I don't stock gravy. My family likes it all the same.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

Pictures of my cute little elves helping with the Christmas goodies.

They are thrilled whenever I let them help in the kitchen.

Notice the little elf! He must have snitched a treat. He is looking pretty suspicious don't you thing? He L-O-V-E loves treats! He takes after his momma. (This picture makes me LOL!)

I got this recipe from www.ourbestbites.com. I was looking for a simply, fun, and taste Christmas goodie my children could help me make. These were PERFECT! Jack loved them and asked, "You are not planning on giving these away are you?" while a huge grin and a mouthful. He thought they were yummy and could have eaten them all. The kids had a ball helping and I personally loved doing something with them that was a low stress activity--sugar cookie frosting and decorating is a high stress activity for me with my kids, but we always have to give it a whirl to. I keep hoping that maybe just maybe it will be easier the next time around. So if cookie decorating is a little more than you are feeling up for try these. You won't be disappointed. We will be making these again I am certain and I don't think we will be waiting until next Christmas to do it.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

small pretzels

Rolo candies - one bag has about 55 candies

Pecan halves - or optionally peanuts, cashews, and m&m's

Optional: almond bark or white chocolate for drizzling

Get Ready for some simple holiday fun!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet. I like to use parchment paper or my silpat for easy handling, but you can also put them on foil or directly onto the cookie sheet.

Unwrap your Rolo candies and place one on top of each pretzel (a great step to keep the kids busy).

Place pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Any longer is probably too long. You just want the chocolate on the outside to look glossy and melty, but they should still hold their shape.

Remove pan from oven and take a pecan and gently press it right into the center of the chocolate candy.

If you want to get fancy you can give them a little drizzle of almond bark or white chocolate. Just melt some in a plastic baggie and nip the corner off to drizzle. A little goes a long way; used a half a square of almond bark or 1/4 cup white chocolate chips melted.

Spoil yourself and eat a few of these babies warm off the pan. Mmmm-YUM! Wait for the rest to cool and harden before you pack or plate them up.

Mix it Up: For parties, simply for color, or for the non-nut lover in your family do them with all M&M's on top. Kids love how colorful and fun they turn out to be. Try them with cashews and peanuts or those mini Hershey's kissables are cute too.

Peppermint Bark

My friend from Connecticut--Lynnette has always been a huge inspiration for me when it comes to many things in life. But I would have to say that she was one of the big reasons I have learned to enjoy cooking and trying new recipes in the kitchen. She is an amazing cook and I know if she recommends a recipe that there is no doubt in my mind that it is going to be G-O-O-D! Last year at Christmas time she posted this peppermint bark and I really wanted to try it. So this year was my year! I tried it and it was great! It was the perfect touch for my goodie boxes for my friends and neighbors this year. As always thanks Lynnette (like she even looks at this, but it makes me feel good just to say thank you :-D)

Lynnette's Peppermint Bark see her picture and read about the inspiration behind how and why she made 25 batches of this peppermint bark to become the candy bark expert!

Peppermint Bark adapted from Bon Appetit

17 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

6 ounces coarsely crushed candy canes

7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

6 tablespoons whipping cream

¾ teaspoon peppermint extract

Take your very best non-warped cookie sheet, turn it upside down and cover securely with foil. Using a ruler, mark a 12x9-inch rectangle directly on the foil. (I use the tip of a sharp knife.)

Very, very gently melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Start low, go slow, and stir frequently. Pour 2/3 cup melted white chocolate onto the prepared rectangle on the foil. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate evenly to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle with ¼ cup crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

In a clean bowl microwave the bittersweet chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract until just melted. Stir until smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm. Pour this chocolate mixture in long lines over the white chocolate rectangle. Using a clean offset spatula, spread the bittersweet chocolate in an even layer. Refrigerate until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

Gently rewarm the remaining white chocolate and pour over the firm bittersweet chocolate layer. Spread to cover. Working quickly, sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes over the top and gently press to make sure they are embedded into the white chocolate. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.

Lift foil and bark off of cookie sheet. Peel away foil and discard. Place bark on a cutting board. Using a long sharp knife cut bark crosswise into 2-inch wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections, then each section diagonally into 2 triangles. Or make up your own geometry and cut into desired size and shape. If the bark seems resistant to cutting just let it sit until it comes to room temperature, then proceed.

Chill in an airtight container. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature before serving. Keeps about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Notes on the recipe: How many batches of this do you have to make to call yourself an expert? Does 25 count? I took 15 batches to a cookie exchange one year. I won’t be doing that again anytime soon, but I did learn some valuable tricks:

-You can use white chocolate chips instead of baking chocolate, but you won’t be able to cut the bark into shapes because the chips contain more stabilizers than baking chocolate. Instead of cutting the bark just break it into random shapes.

-I have a very strong preference for Ghiradelli chocolate in this recipe, both white and semisweet. Other brands of white chocolate don’t melt very well.

-When melting the chocolate make sure the bowls and spoons are completely dry. Moisture can cause the chocolate to seize. I avoid wooden spoons for stirring because they can hold water, especially if they were put through the dishwasher recently.

-Pay attention to the chilling times – this helps the layers adhere to each other.

Snowman Soup (simple gift)

Last week we had quiet the snowstorm on our area. I was feeling a little cooped up. The baby had gone down for a nap and my 3 year old wanted to help me shovel snow. So we bundled up and headed outside. We shoveled a little and played a lot. We created a snowman family to resemble our family. It was wonderful to take a break from the mundane day to day house work and do something with my little guy. So I thought I would post the snowman soup we have all seen surface at Christmas time as a fun and simple gift.

SNOWMAN SOUP

1 package hot chocolate mix

3 Hershey Kisses

10 mini-marshmallows

1 candy cane

Place in a small ziplock bag or in a new mug.
Attach this poem:

"Was told you've been real good this year
Always glad to hear it
With freezing weather drawing near
You'll need to warm the spirit
So here's a little Snowman Soup
Complete with stirring stick
Just add hot water, sip it slow
It's sure to do the trick!"