CHOCOLATE MUD CAKES

calling all chocolate lovers...

CHOCOLATE MUD CUPCAKES !!!

with an easy peezy chocolate glaze.

and a few spicy pecans thrown in for good measure. you know, i wonder where that saying originated from..."a little more for good measure"...measure of what exactly?...

MY SANITY?...if a few more of anything could keep me sane, then i'm all for it.

these cupcakes are great. as a matter of fact, this type of cake is my new favorite. i think it's because of the melted chocolate and butter added to the batter. it definitely adds to the moist factor. i have made a white chocolate mud cake (whole cake) a few times and LOVED it. it's so dense just a small piece will do and it makes such a good base for decorating. i even thought of making petite fours and making each one all cute and pretty, but lost the erge as soon as i had it. soon. BUT this time i though i'd try cupcakes. the texture is unlike a regular cupcake. a little less flakey-a little more crumbly. i think if i had pulled them out just a few minutes before, they would have been more like the dense white cake version i was thinking of. don't get me wrong...these are killer good.

i really recommend the glaze as well. it's so easy and it holds up so well. i was able to individually wrap each cupcake in a baggie. the glaze is so nice and smooth that it didn't stick all over the place like a normal frosting would. yet, the glaze is still soft to the bite, it doesn't harden like a shell.

CHOCOLATE MUD CUPCAKES

300g dark chocolate

300g unsalted butter

5 eggs

125 caster sugar

115g self-rising flour

preheat oven to 160 celsius

place 14-16 paper muffin cups in tin

in a med. bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, melt the choc. and butter together, stirring well so as not to seize up on the sides. when melted remove and let cool a little as you prep.

beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl untill pale and thick. fold in the flour and then stir in the melted chocolate mixture untill well blended. (i used a mixer for the whole process)

spoon the mixture into the cups and bake for 15 minutes. the cupcakes should be soft and gooey in texture and appearance. i left mine in just a bit longer, being my 1st time and all, and they came out great...just a bit more puffed. maybe less gooey. remove from the oven and let cool befor glazing or frosting.

EASY PEEZY CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1 c. chocolate chips

1 can condensed milk (14oz.)

1 tsp vanilla

melt the choc. and con. milk together. i like the double boiler method

add the vanilla and stir well....DONE!

pour or spoon over what ever you are glazing...works magnificently with BUNDTS. i used it here on this quintuple choc. cake

you can even use a few coatings if you like it thick. i did on the cupcakes...and as i said, i doesn't harden to the bite, but it does dry and make easy to handle or cover it need be.

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LEMON ALMOND BUNDT CAKE

WHEN IN DOUBT.... ....BUNDT !

bundts are a beautiful thing. you really can't go wrong with a bundt. everyone loves a good bundt. i think slicing them is the most fun, actually watching someone else slice it is even more fun...no one can decide if they should cut the premarked divisions or go outside the lines and divy up the cake evenly. bundt lovers out there know what i'm talkin' about. right?
even a bad bundt can be impressive with a tasty ganache poured all over dripping down the sides. or just go for the classic, and toss a little powdered sugar on and around and let the flavor of the cake speak for itself.
i liken the good ol' bundt to a favorite pair of jeans...you can dress 'em up or dress 'em down, but you're always gauranteed a good time and a sure fit.
i found this beauty at CAFENILSON.com while flipping through the pages at foodgawker. this one caught my eye because of the texture, and i LOVE anything that has almond flour in it. although mine turned out looking quite a bit different texture wise...i was very pleased with the finished product. a lite cakey texture(i thought it would be more dense from the almond flour) with just a hint of lemon. actually it turned out just like a good ol' bundt should...classic, understated delicious and moist.

LEMON ALMOND BUNDT CAKE
with many thanks to CAFENILSON.com

Ingredients:
zest of 3 lemons
3 tbs lemon juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds or almond flour...(i used ground blanched almonds i purchase ready-ground)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by spraying with nonstick baking spray and then sprinkling with flour.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and set aside. In another bowl, combine zest, lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping and mixing after each addition.
Reduce to low speed then add about one-third of flour mixture, followed by half of sour cream mixture, mixing until just incorporated after each addition. Repeat with the remaining mixtures and continue mixing until well combined. Pour into prepared bundt pan.
Bake until top is golden brown and wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into center comes out with no crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in pan for 10 minutes then invert onto wire rack and cool.

Note: You can add a lemon glaze to the pan while it is cooling by mixing 1/3 cup lemon juice with 3 tbs confectioner’s sugar and pouring it over the cake.
MY NOTE...i did not do this particular glaze, i opted for powdered sugar. i think this glaze sounds a bit too juicy/runny. it would probabaly be delicious if eaten right away, but in my experience this runny of a glaze doesn't sit well. i have made glazes like this much thicker(more powdered sugar) and it holds up well for days..almost seals it.

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EASIEST TRUFFLES EVER...

when i say easy...i mean EASY!!!

i've introduced this little fudge recipe secret before and will probably be bringing it up quite a few more times during these next few candy making months. so bear with while i try to come up with some more tasty, interesting and sometime odd flavors, shapes and sizes. BUT, for now, here's a shortcut to impresive truffles.

BIG secret?!...1 can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

3 c. chocolate chips

1 t. vanilla

pinch salt

i prefer the double boiler mehtod. melt the chips and condensed milk together 'till smooth. stir alot so that the chocolate won't seize. when everything is melted

stir in the vanilla and salt. this is the time you can add anything you want. spice? heat? nut? craisins? etc...

transfer into a clean bowl/dish at refrigerate for a few hours. this is the same recipe for the easy peasy fudge i love to make, but instead of cutting into squares you just get your hands in there and roll little balls. then immediatly roll in what ever outer coating you chose. nuts are always a good choice (i like toasted almonds) or sprinkles or good ol' cocoa powder. DONE...

i'm not saying these are going to turn out like fancy delicate ganache truffles, but they are pretty darn good and definitely pass as a yummy treat.

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CHOC. CAYENNE, BACON, PEANUT BUTTER, CARAMEL BAR

TRICK ?...OR TREAT ?!...

the trick is....not to tell anyone what in the treat before the first bite...

seems like the second they hear bacon or cayenne the nose turns up. well, mine would have to untill i started experimenting with candy...meet my first candy bar concoction..

THE CRAZY NUTTY BACON BAR?

yeah, yeah, yeah...you might all be sick of the bacon and chocolate invasion. i know something has run it's course when they have it all over the Food Network. it seems like it's no longer an exotic strange phenomenon when everybody has seen it or heard of it.

well, sorry to say, i haven't lost the obsession for it yet. i guess i'm still on that "BACON MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER" train.

this is just one of many different little gems i came up with. how can ya go wrong with these main ingredients

bacon, bacon, more bacon...thick is always prefered

chocolate...i just used dipping chocolate (haven't really explored good chocolate yet)

caramel...homemade is prefered

peanut butter...chunky (choosy moms choose JIFF)

cayenne or arbol ground chili

how it works...

first i nuked the bacon. watch it closely if you do it this way. i like this method because the paper towels suck up all the fat and they come out in nice flat strips with less grease. sometimes i have to go the extra mile and pop them in the toaster oven to get them even crispier. crispy-crunchy is key.

next is the caramel...dipp the bacon. i cut the slices in half. let those cool and harden on a silpat or lightly buttered wax paper. 1st time i made the mistake of using plain wax paper...woops is all i can say about that.

then...dip the caramel strips in chcolate. i used th double boiler method. i think it makes it easier to keep the chocolate dippable for a longer period of time.

now...you might want to stop here. these are already quite tasty, but the second time around i wanted more and i wanted peanut buttter in the mix so i slathered one side with peanut butter and i even sprinkled extra chopped salted peanuts on top.

finally...dip, or carefully with a knife, get this whole thing covered in chocolate. it gets a bit messy and it's best not to get the peanut butter mixed into the chocolate while your working, so keep your knife clean. i must say, the addition of the salted peanuts is great.

oh..and don't forget the cayenne. i think i sprinkled that on after the caramel dipping.

the end result is a pretty ugly, but incredible candy bar. i know i will soon learn about tempering and all that goes along with candy making, but for now i'm having fun just learning as i go.

so, anyway you try this will come out delicious. you really can't go wrong with the main ingredients. as a matter of fact, i justbought another slab of bacon that i'm going to work with tomorrow. some of it might have to go into peanut brittle and the rest?...we'll see.

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Slow Cooker CORNED BEEF

just three words to describe my newest obsession...

SLOW COOKER HEAVEN

9:00 am..throw a bunch of good stuff in the pot

5:00 pm...open and enjoy

i'm sure most of you have one and if you don't, i implore you to get one. i forgot how genius they are. they are the original "SET IT AND FORGET IT", as Ron Popeal used to say about his clunky countertop rotisserie.

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this recipe is so simple and, i have to say,

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THE BEST CORNED BEEF I HAVE EVER HAD!
i never thought i would take on the challenge of corned beef. well, now i have, and i'll definitely do it again and again. my thought was, why make it when you can get it done properly somewhere else. so i thought...i used to live in L.A. and there were Jewish delis all over the place. they, of course, always have mouth watering corned beef on hand. now i find myself in Newport Beach and corned beef is only sold sliced at the deli counter or it's more of a seasonal thing and just not available when your taste buds are craving it. i'm sure you could find some prepared frozen, but i tend to stay away from the frozen section like the plague. so. i am very pleased i found this simple recipe and ever soooo pleased with my little slow cooker. can't wait to fill it up again. i think the next thing will be lamb shanks...YUMMM!!!

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CROCKPOT CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

from about.com

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Prep Time: :25
Cook Time: 10:
Ingredients:
6 carrots. cut into chunks
2 onions, chopped
2-3 lb. corned beef brisket with seasoning packet
12 oz. can beer (non alcoholic is fine)
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
8 wedges cabbage
Preparation:
In 4-6 quart crockpot, combine carrots and onions. Rinse corned beef under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in crockpot and sprinkle with contents of seasoning mix. Pour beer over brisket and spread mustard on brisket. In small bowl mix brown sugar with water and pour over brisket. Cover crockpot and cook on low setting for 11-12 hours.
Remove corned beef from crockpot and cover with foil to keep warm. Add cabbage wedges to vegetables and liquid in crockpot. Cover crockpot and cook on high for additional 30-40 minutes or until cabbage is crisp tender.
To serve, cut corned beef across grain into thin slices. Remove vegetables from slow cooker with slotted spoon and serve with corned beef. Serve cooking juices over the food, if desired. Offer additional mustard on the side. 8 servings

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KREEPY KRISPIE TREATS

WHAT !!??..like you've never made these in your life...?!

if you haven't shame on you...sometimes you just have to turn off your computer, shelve the fancy cook books...

and READ THE BACK OF THE CEREAL BOX!!!

well Halloween is right around the corner and i'm all about candy and sweets lately. hey, maybe i'll go out trick or treating this year...who'll know how really old i am if i wear the right mask...think of all the free candy oooh, pretty candy lots of different candy..sweet candy...oh sorry. i was in a candy coma......i remember when i was a kid, there was nothin' like coming home with that pillow case of goodies and dumping it out on the kitchen table for all it cavity creating glory. mom would immediately have to put the brakes on the candy flyn' frenzy or we probably would have made a few trips to the hospital, simply exploded or lost our minds from the inevitable sugar buzz.

for these Creepy Crispies?

...I READ THE BACK OF THE BOX

and i threw in a few brightly colored (Halloween special) M&M's with a few Gummy Worms shoved half way in.

my only suggestion is that if you are using M&M's work quickly and be aware that they will start to melt and split. the less you work with them the better.

i realized as i was writing this post that i have no actual picture of the squares...i just got so mesmerized by the face on the gummy worm. i just wanted to get his best side...

i shipped them off to the niece and nephews so fast i couldn't get another photo.

then again, i'm sure you know what they look like...seen one seen 'em all.

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ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, GARLIC, SAGE PUREE

i know we'll probably see a zillion recipes for butternut squash soup in the next few months, but this one isn't really a soup, although you can just add a little more stock and a splash of cream to make it a warm, fall-ish bowl of gold. actually i found it in a health magazine and it was presented as a healthy alternative pasta sauce teamed up with some whole wheat pasta. yum!

i opted for a thick rich puree used under large pan seared scallops. not only was in tasty, but the color was so vivid and visually appealing.

so easy..it's just the darn prep work that takes a bit of time. of course, after the fact, i realize i could have bought already peeled garlic and ready skinned and diced butternut, but where's the fun in that?...sometimes the dish tastes just a bit better with a hint of sweat in the mix...right?
one of my least fav savory chores is peeling garlic AND skinning and cutting up those butternuts is not pleasant either. i know you can roast the butternut in halves, but i think the diced lends itself to the flavor more. more roasting area equals more roasty flavors.



this thick puree also is great for plate decor. i made these three quick swipes with a spoon and they stayed nicely for maybe 20mins or so. i say this because if you were serving quite a few people the plate would hold up well for service. didn't run or get watery like some do. maybe it's due to the trace oil and controlled chicken stock addition.

RECIPE...
well, as i often find...some of the best things have the fewest ingredients.

peel and cube a med. size butternut squash
peel a whole head of garlic (i love garlic, really LOVE roasted garlic)
lightly toss with some good olive oil, salt and pepper to your liking.
now, if i were making it for myself alone, i would have put some heat in there. a little sprinkle of cayenne or chili arbor would do the trick.
put this in a large baking pan or cookie sheet. best if they are all out flat and not piled up.
400 degrees. get in there and toss it all around about every 10 mins 'till it all looks nice and roasty and the squash is fork tender. remove it from the oven and while it's still warm toss it with approx 1/4 finely chopped FRESH sage. i say approx because butternuts come in a wide variety of sizes, so just use a little more than you might think, i did, and was pleased with the flavor of the sage singing throughout.
now put this all in a nice tall sauce pan (you'll want to use a wand blender so chose your pan accordingly) add a little chicken stock. just a minimum at first untill you get the desired consistancy. season to taste and
VOILA...done...could that be any easier?
IMPORTANT...i think a hand/wand blender is manditory for this type of stuff. in fact, i think they should be manditory for every kitchen. i use mine all the time. so much easier than a stand up blender (which would not work for this thick of a puree) and a heck of alot cleaner and easier than the big ol' cuisinart.

the rest of the family had it as soup the next night and i enjoyed as a side a few times after that...so it holds up really well, again, it didn't get watery.
the following week i did the same thing with a sweet pumpkin...you want to talk difficult peeling and cutting?...but well worth it. so well worth it i bought another and need to go down staires and get started right now.
maybe i should stop by the garage and get the chain saw...?

PS...update...the sweet pumpkin i just had was unbelievably good. i did the same as above, BUT sprinkled just a hint of pumpkin spice on before roasting. still couldn't add the cayenne (wimpy palettes in this house), but the pumkin spice is a must try. by the way, i like to make my own pumpkin spice by mixing

1/2 t. ginger, 1/2 t. ground clove, 1/2 t. allspice, 1/2 t. nutmeg and 1 t. cinnamon...much better than that already made store bought stuff.

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