Carrot Cake Mini Cupcakes from Bird Bakery in San Antonio, Texas

I recently saw this recipe being made on a Food Channel on television. I didn't get the entire story behind the Bakery in Texas, but I researched the recipe and here it is.
The recipe is billed as award-winning.
I have my favorite recipe for Carrot Cake and it's the only one I make. It also comes from a Texas establishment that has since gone out of business. It's  Rebecca Rather's, who is one of my favorite Pastry Chefs. I thought I'd try these Mini Cupcakes.

They sell them in these Egg Cartons. Very clever !

Bird Bakery Award-Winning Carrot Cake Mini Cupcakes:

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mini Cupcake Pans with Cupcake Liners.

2 C Flour
1/2 TBS Baking Soda
1/2 TBS Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Organic Brown Eggs
3/4 C Vegetable Oil
3/4 C Buttermilk, room temperature
1 3/4 C Fine Sugar
1/2 TBS High Quality Vanilla Extract
1 C Chopped Pineapple, drained well.
1 1/4 C Shredded Carrots.
1/2 C Shredded Sweet Coconut
3/4 C Golden Raisins
1/2 C Chopped Walnuts, + extra chopped Walnuts for Garnish.
1 recipe of Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

16 TBS Butter, softened
1 1/2 C Cream Cheese, softened
5 3/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
1/4 C Whole Milk
3/4 TBS High Quality Vanilla Extract
Zest and Juice from 1 Small Orange

Cupcake Batter:

In a small bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Salt
Sift together.
Set aside.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Oil
Buttermilk
Sugar
Vanilla
Eggs, one at a time.
Mix well until incorporated.

Add:
Flour mixture, slowly.
Mix to combine well.

Add:
Pineapple
Carrots
Coconut
Raisins
Walnuts
Mix well.

Use a cookie scoop and pour batter into the pans, filling about 3/4 full.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes, rotating the pans after 6 - 7 minutes.
Remove pans to racks to cool completely.
Frost the cooled muffins and garnish with additional chopped Walnuts.


Cream Cheese Frosting directions.

In a Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment:

Butter
Cream Cheese
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat well to combine.
Slowly Add:
Milk
Vanilla
Orange Zest
Orange Juice
Continue mixing slowly until well combined.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Hazelnut Balls

I entered this recipe in an annual Holiday Cookie Contest in Dallas. This is my 7th year as a finalist because I just received the call that 2 of my recipes were accepted this year (2015). This is the recipe entered in the Easy category. I held back on posting this until I found out if it made it into the contest.

Update: It won Second Place in the Easy Category. They doubled the Prize Money this year so it was a great year to win!
The first week of December the recipes from the top 3 winners in each category are published in the Dallas Morning News.
Here's mine:

Hazelnut Balls
Yield: 24 - 26 Balls.

3/4 C Hazelnuts (finely chopped, leaving some small pieces)
1 C Rice Krispies
1/2 C Nutella
A bowl of Confectioner's Sugar for rolling the Balls.

Put the Hazelnuts, Rice Krispies and Nutella in a large mixing bowl and gently fold until everything is combined. At the end I use my hands to form a dough like mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the mix for 30 minutes. (I tried making them without refrigerating the mix and I think they're easier to create the ball) You can still refrigerate it if you plan to make them at a later time!

Scoop the mixture with a 1 1/4" cookie scoop to keep them the same size. Roll them in the palm of your hand to create a smooth ball.

 (Another tip I've learned as I continue to make these): I've made so many batches of them this season. I scoop quite a bit of the mixture into the cookie scoop and then I press it firmly against the palm of my hand until there's enough to form a dense ball. I release it into a bowl of  Confectioner's Sugar and sprinkle it and roll it around until it's completely coated.

These were my favorite cookie this year.
I will definitely make these every year!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Praline Bread | Manila Spoon

I like this recipe for Pumpkin Bread so I decided to copy the link onto my Blog. It's Fall, it's the season for Pumpkins and this looks and sounds delicious.


Pumpkin Praline Bread | Manila Spoon


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Banana Bread

I think Banana Bread could be considered a very iconic Hippy recipe. We made it often when I lived in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Here's my Best of the Best Banana Bread served with a Cream Cheese Topping on the side, or with Butter.

Over ripened Bananas are critical to the best banana bread. Here's a great tip for ripening them:
Start with 4 totally yellow bananas, no green visible. Some black spots are fine.
Bake them unpeeled in a 250 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes. They'll turn completely black. This brings out the ultimate sweetness of the banana.
Remove them from the pan, set aside to cool completely before peeling and mashing.

Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Topping

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 5" Loaf Pan brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs. It's a foolproof release mix.

8 TBS Butter
1 C granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
2 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 C Mashed (very ripe) Banana
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C Chopped Pecans or Walnuts. I prefer Pecans.......... I live in Texas!

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Beat until cream smooth.
Set Aside.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Whisk well.
Add to Wet Ingredients and beat just until combined.

Fold in by hand:
Banana
Sour Cream
Vanilla

Add:
Pecans and fold in by hand.
Pour batter into the pan.
Bake for 60 minutes.

Remove pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Invert the Bread twice, (right side up) onto a rack to cool completely.

Transfer to a serving platter.
Serve individual slices with either Cream Cheese Topping or Softened Butter.

Cream Cheese Topping:

4 TBS Butter, room temperature
8 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 C Confectioner's Sugar
2 tsp Pure Vanilla

In a Medium Bowl with an electric hand mixer:
Butter
Cream Cheese
Beat until creamy smooth.
Add:
Confectioner's Sugar
Vanilla
Beat until well combined and creamy smooth.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I have 1 recipe for Bread Pudding, and it's the only one I make. I look forward to making this Pumpkin Bread Pudding during the Holidays!
One of my favorite Pumpkin recipes is my Homemade Pumpkin Pie from scratch. Once I discovered how much better fresh Sugar Pumpkins taste in a pie, I've never made another Pumpkin Pie recipe. You can find it on my Blog.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 13" casserole brushed well with Pan Release Mix (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

8 C of Day old Baguette Bread Cubes
1 C Toasted Pecans
1/2 C Cinnamon Chips
4 Eggs
1 C of canned Pure Pumpkin
1 1/2 C Heavy Cream
1/2 C Brown Sugar
8 TBS Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp Cloves

In a large mixing bowl:
Bread Cubes
Cinnamon Chips
Toss to combine well.
Spread evenly into the Casserole.

In a large mixing bowl:
Eggs
Pumpkin
Heavy Cream
Sugar
Butter
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Clove
Whisk well.

Pour over the Bread Cubes.
Sprinkle evenly with Pecans
Bake for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Almond Bark from Carol M.

Carol M., I stole this recipe from a post on your Face Book page. I like the fact that it's easy and it sounds yummy.

Almond Bark

Here's what you'll need:
1 Sheet Pan lined with foil , brushed with butter.

1 small bag of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 small bag of Butterscotch Chips
1 can of Blue Diamond Roasted Salted Almonds

In a Double Boiler:
Melt the Chocolate Chips and the Butterscotch Chips until melted and creamy smooth.
Stir in the Almonds.
Quickly pour onto the Sheet Pan.
Shake to spread evenly and thin.
Refrigerate until completely set.
Remove, break apart and store in a covered container.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fruit Cake

I think the best fruit cake is homemade. Here's another one of my favorite recipes. I have a recipe on the Blog for a refrigerated Fruit Cake and a recipe for Fruit Cake Dessert. I may be the only one that makes homemade fruit cake but I would hope that others would try. You never know, you might like it. I think it's time to stop hating fruit cake. Give fruitcake a chance.

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1 - 12 C Bundt Pan (choose one with a simple design. You can also use 2 - 6" pans.
Brush well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

2 C Dried Cranberries
2 C Mixed Dried Fruit or Diced Dried Apricots
1/2 C Brandy
Mix well in a glass bowl.
Cover and heat in the Microwave for 2 minutes.
Stir again and set aside to cool completely.

In a Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment:
16 TBS Butter, room temperature
2 C Granulated Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Fiori di Sicilia (homemade recipe to follow, see NOTE below)
Beat 3 - 5 minutes.
Add:
4 large Eggs, 1 at a time just until combined.

Gradually Add:
3 3/4 C Flour, alternating with 1 C Orange Juice with Pulp.
Beat just until combined.

Add:
1 3/4 C Candied Cherries

Add:
Reserved Fruit Mixture with the liquid.
2 C chopped Pecans
Mix just until combined.

Spoon batter into the Pan, fill it to the top.
Bake 80 minutes.
A toothpick in the center should come out clean.

Remove the pan to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Invert twice (top side up) onto a rack placed over a Sheet Pan.
Brush with Glaze.

Glaze
In a small bowl:
1/3 C Orange Juice with Pulp
1/3 C Granulated Sugar
Whisk well.
Set aside at room temperature until the Sugar has dissolved completely.
Whisking occasionally.

Transfer to a serving platter.
Garnish each serving with Whipped Cream.

NOTE:

Fiori di Sicilia:
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Orange Extract
1/2 tsp Lemon Extract
Mix well in a small bowl and refrigerate in a jar.
If you plan on using it in several recipes, adjust the recipe and make enough to have on hand.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!