Pink Velvet Cupcakes
Thought I would share this fun recipe for cupcakes, using beets. I already make a chocolate beet cake- which has red tones from the beets. I wanted a lighter texture for cupcakes, with more chocolate flavor, so I made some changes to the beet cake recipe and ended up with these cupcakes.
Rich, but light, with a very subtle blush of red. I decided to call them Pink Velvet. I topped them with cream cheese frosting, but a dusting of powdered sugar would work well, too, or a favorite buttercream.
Here is the recipe. I hope you will give them a try.
Pink Velvet Cupcakes (Chocolate Beet)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¾ c. cocoa powder
1 c. butter, softened
1½ c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ cups grated, cooked beets
Powdered sugar, optional
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24-28 muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until well mixed; stir in beets. Spoon batter into prepared tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly or when toothpick, inserted into cupcakes , comes out clean. Cool before frosting. You can dust with powdered sugar in place of frosting, if you prefer. Makes 24-28.
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick, (½ cup butter) softened
2-3 c. confectioners’ sugar
1T. vanilla
Beat all ingredients together until smooth and fluffy. Store in the fridge.
Cream Scones
I must admit that for me, the difference between a scone and a biscuit is sometimes hard to see. Both use the same ingredients, for the most part. They can be rolled and cut out the same way, too. I often say that scones are like biscuits, but with more stuff in them. Scones are often sweeter, too.
This recipe is a tough call for me. I was given the recipe by a friend a long time ago. She called them Cream Scones. I could easily see calling them Cream Biscuits, instead. Whatever you call them, these little gems are tender, flaky and super easy to make. We made them in class a few days ago. They were a big hit.
You can make variations with all sorts add-ins. I recently made some with mini chocolate chips and orange zest. They also are great for shortcakes!!
Cream Scones
2 c. flour
1 T. sugar
½ t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1 c. heavy cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add cream to form soft dough. Knead lightly on a floured board until dough sticks together. Roll to ½ – ¾ –inch thickness and cut with 2-inch biscuit cutter. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting, handling dough as little as possible.* Place on baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Makes 8-10.
* Instead of rolling them out and cutting into rounds, I pressed the dough into an 8-inch square. I cut the square into 4 smaller squares. I then cut and “x” across each of the four squares, making 4 triangles (16 in all). Bake as directed above.
Here is the cut out version made in class last week
Mom’s Breaded Chicken
With picnic season here, I thought I would share this recipe again. It always brings back great memories of childhood picnics/cookouts with my family. I love this recipe and I hope you do, too.
I looked forward to the big family picnics we had when I was a kid. My Dad and I would go early in the morning to pick out our favorite location, and get tables arranged. Then he would start a fire in the grill and make us bacon and eggs in the cast iron skillet.
Everyone started arriving soon after that. Well, not everyone. My Mom, and one of my aunts, would always come a little later. That is because they were finishing up the breaded chicken that was always a part of these picnics. She wanted it to be served nice and warm.
It would have been breaded the day before. My mom felt that when you breaded the chicken ahead of time, it seemed to help the breading to stick better. I do it the same way today.
This isn’t fried chicken. The breaded chicken is lightly browned in a skillet, then finished off in the oven. It is crispy on the outside and nice and juicy inside. It is also a lovely memory for me of time spent with family. Here are the directions for how she made it.
Mom’s Breaded Chicken
Chicken pieces, I often use a whole bird, cut into pieces, or just thighs and drumsticks.
salt and pepper to taste
flour
Parsley
Paprika
Garlic powder
eggs
Milk
Bread crumbs
oil
Pat chicken pieces dry. Season with salt and pepper. In a bag, combine flour- about ½ c. per 8 pieces of chicken should be about right. Season flour with a little salt and pepper. In bowl combine milk and eggs with the rest of the seasonings, including more salt and pepper. I use 1 egg with enough milk to make a thin batter for every 4-5 pieces of chicken. Keep in mind that the size of the pieces matters. Wings will need less batter than legs or breasts. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish or in a plastic bag. Place a few pieces of chicken in bag with the flour and shake to coat, dipping off the excess. Then dip chicken pieces (1-2 at a time) in egg mixture, turning to moisten completely. Then place chicken in crumbs and turn or shake to coat evenly. Repeat with remaining chicken until all of it is breaded.
At this time you can cover and refrigerate the chicken for several hours or overnight if desired. You can also go ahead and cook it right away. Mom suggested you bread the chicken the night before so it will stick better, but hey, you’re an adult, do what you want.
To cook the chicken, heat ½- inch of oil in a heavy skillet and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Foil a roasting pan and then place a rack inside. Once the oil is hot, brown the chicken pieces several at a time, turning to brown evenly. Place the browned chicken on the rack in the baking dish and continue to brown remaining chicken. Place chicken in oven and bake until chicken is cooked and juices run clear when chicken is poked. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pieces, how much you browned them and how many you are cramming in one pan. Baking time will be about 45 minutes. Check a large piece of chicken, near the middle of the pan to be sure.
This is a real summer favorite and the baking on the rack helps fat to drip off, giving you fried chicken flavor with fewer calories. This chicken can be served hot, warm or cold.
Barbecue Pinto Beans
I made this recipe for friends at a barbecue last fall. Everyone liked it. With the Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, it would make a great side dish for your holiday meal. It really is simple. Once the pinto beans are cooked and tender, you add the rest of the ingredients and let them simmer together until the flavors blend. You could use a slow cooker, if you like.
This recipe doesn’t call for any meat. You could certainly add some bacon. So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Barbecue Pinto Beans
1 lb. dried pinto beans
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
3/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. spicy mustard
2 T. chili powder
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. paprika
2 t. hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 t. dried thyme
Rinse beans and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes and remove from heat. Allow to stand 1 hour. Drain and return beans to pot. Cover with fresh cold salted water and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain and return to pot with remaining ingredients adding a cup of water. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook over low heat, covered 30 minutes or longer or until mixture is thickened and flavors have blended. Add more water if needed. Season with salt to taste. Serves 6-8.
Note: After the beans are tender you can throw the whole dish into a slow cooker and let it simmer for 1- 2 hours or you can bake them in the oven.
“Cheeseburger” Cookies
These adorable cookies are fun to take to your next cookout or picnic. I know, I normally cook everything from scratch, but these are so fun. Also a nice thing to make when it is too hot to be baking. They are just assembled, not baked, and even younger kids can make them.
Cheeseburger Cookies
1 package vanilla wafer cookies
1 package Keebler Fudge N Caramel or Grasshopper cookies, or other small chocolate cookies< I have even used Thin Mints
2 c. powdered sugar
1- 2 T. milk
few drops of yellow and red food coloring
1 c. coconut, optional
several drops of green food coloring, optional
1/4 c. powder sugar
1 T. milk
sesame seeds
Combine 2 cups of powder sugar with the milk and red and yellow food coloring. This should be the color of cheese. Place the coconut in a small bag and add a few drops of green food coloring. Close the bag and shake well to evenly color. This will be the ‘lettuce’.
To assemble cookies use 2 vanilla wafers (the bun) and one Keebler cookie (the burger). The orange frosting works as the cheese and glue. The coconut is the lettuce. Place a vanilla wafer flat side up on work surface. Place a little dab of “cheese” on the cookie and then a Keebler cookie. Sprinkle a little coconut on the burger, then some more cheese and the top bun, flat side down. Combine the remaining powder sugar and milk. You should have a thin glaze. Brush this lightly on the top of the finished “burgers” and sprinkle with a few sesame seeds. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Rhubarb Glazed Chicken
It is rhubarb season around here. Rhubarb is turning up at local farm markets and even in some grocery stores.
Like a lot of people, when I think of rhubarb, I first think of dessert, like pie or cobbler. But rhubarb’s tangy, tart flavor, lends itself to lots of savory uses.
I had some rhubarb and could not decide what to do with it. I chopped it up, and cooked it in a little water until tender. I ended up with 2 cups of cooked rhubarb.
I used this as the base for the sauce. I added the other ingredients, cooked it down until it was thick, and ended up with about 2 cups of sauce. It had a nice balance of sweet, tart and heat.
I used some of it as a glaze for chicken I was cooking. I froze the rest. The sauce would be good on other meats or even on grilled veggies.
Rhubarb Glazed Chicken
8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken, cut up
1 cup rhubarb sauce (recipe follows)
salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken pieces in roasting pan, season to taste and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain any fat out of the pan. Pour over the rhubarb sauce and return chicken to oven for an additional 35 minutes. Baste the chicken with some of the sauce in the pan and return to oven for 15 minutes more. Serves 4.
Rhubarb Sauce
2 c. cooked rhubarb*
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. honey
2 T. dried minced onion
1 T. hot sauce
1 T. paprika
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir more often as mixture thickens. Cook until sauce has reduced to about 2 cups. Use as a glaze on meats and vegetables. It was great on chicken but would also go well on pork or duck. I could also imagine it on portobello mushrooms. It would make a nice dipping sauce, too. Note: I liked the tang of it but you could make it a little sweeter to suit your own taste. Makes 2 cups. Will keep a few weeks in the fridge or can be frozen.
*To cook the rhubarb, cut the stems into 2-3 inch pieces and simmer in a little water until tender. You can also steam until tender
Red Cabbage Overnight Slaw
This would be a beautiful salad to serve for Memorial Day. Its extra advantage is that it can be made days in advance. It is meant to be made a day ahead- even a few days ahead. You can make the salad with red or green cabbage or a combination. After a few days in the fridge, if you make the combination of red and green the green cabbage will pick up the color from the red cabbage and the whole thing will look red. Because of the acidity of the cider vinegar in the dressing, the red cabbage not only maintains its color, I think it gets a little brighter. With the vinegar dressing the slaw will keep for at least a week in the fridge- it just gets more “pickled” over time.
When I was growing up I had a neighbor, Ruth Stevens, who was like a grandmother to me. I adored her. She loved gardening and animals, and had a gentle quality about her, that I will never forget. I spent many happy days in her garden and learned so much from her. She gave me a version of this recipe. I was about 12 at the time. I still have her recipe, written in her slightly shaky handwriting. When I look through old recipes and come across it, I always think of her, and think of her, even to this day.
Red Cabbage Overnight Slaw
inspired by Ruth Stevens
8 cups shredded red cabbage- about 1 medium head
1 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste
1 T. celery seed
2 t. dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
Place cabbage in large bowl. In jar with a tight fitting lid place the rest of the ingredients and shake well until sugar is dissolved. Pour over the cabbage and stir to coat. Cover bowl and place in fridge overnight to let the flavors blend and the cabbage soften. Salad will wilt down quite a bit. Keeps in fridge for at least a week. Serves 6-8.
Spinach and Artichoke Quiche
I love quiche. It is a perfect dish for any time of the day. It is also so versatile. You can really get creative with the ingredients you put in your quiche. As an added bonus- quiche freezes well. I can make a couple, and freeze one for a day when I am too busy to cook. Leftover quiche is a favorite breakfast of mine. too.
I had planned to make a quiche with artichoke hearts. Seemed like a nice, Spring kind of dish. When I was starting to put the quiche together, it occurred to me that I also had a bag of spinach.
Made sense to put the two together. Sort of like spinach and artichoke dip. Why didn’t I think about this sooner? The combo made for a wonderful quiche.
I used about a pound of fresh spinach, cooked, drained and chopped, but a box of frozen spinach would work, too.
Here is the recipe.
Spinach and Artichoke Quiche
1 unbaked pie crust – enough for a deep dish pie
4 oz. diced cheddar cheese – I like a sharp cheddar, but I could see using Swiss in this recipe, too.
2 T. flour
1 lb. fresh spinach or 1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, cooked, chopped and squeezed dry
3-4 artichoke hearts, drained and chopped coarsely (about 1/2 of a 14 oz. can)
1 c. milk or half and half
3 eggs, beaten
2 T. fresh chopped parsley
Hot pepper sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
In 9-inch (deep dish) pie pan place the crust. Toss cheese with the flour and place in crust. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts. Combine milk with the eggs and add seasonings to taste. Pour over the spinach mixture. Place pan on a baking sheet to collect any drips and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes then turn down oven to 325 and continue baking until quiche is firm near the middle, about 25-30 minutes more. To test for “doneness” insert a butter knife about an inch from the center of the quiche. If it comes out clean, the quiche is done. Serves 4-6.
Orange and Cream Scones
These are wonderful scones. They are just what a good scone should be, tender and crumbly, without being dry. The orange flavor comes from the orange zest used in the recipe. It is subtle, but there.
I love scones because you can have them for breakfast or with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also use them as the base for a shortcake dessert by splitting them, adding sweetened fruit and whipped cream.
I was in the mood for scones, but wanted to try something new. I had come across this recipe in an old file of mine. I had ripped it out of a magazine a long time ago. They looked promising, so I decided to make them. I made few changes from the original recipe. I was very happy with how they came out. I think you will be, too. I enjoyed one this morning with some homemade clementine marmalade.
Orange and Cream Scones
2 c. flour
¼ c. sugar
1-2 T. orange zest, I used 1 tablespoon, but could have used more
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
10 T. unsalted cold butter, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 egg
½ c. cold half and half
1 t. vanilla
Extra flour
2 T. half and half or orange juice to brush the scones
Extra sugar for sprinkling on top- 3-4 tablespoons
Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone liner. Set aside. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. You can also use a pastry blender, but what fun is that? In a small bowl, beat together the egg, half and half and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture and stir until mixture starts to hold together. I am going to save you from messing up your counter with this next part. Get an 8-inch round cake pan and sprinkle flour in the bottom of it. Don’t be stingy, be sure there is a layer over the whole pan. One or two tablespoons should do it. Go back to your dough and sort of knead it in the bowl. That is why I said to use a large bowl. You don’t really need to knead it on your counter. Use a wooden spoon, rubber spatula or your hands to get the dough to form into a ball. Make sure you get all the dry bits from the bottom of the bowl. This isn’t a yeast dough. The idea is to get it to stick together with as little actual kneading as possible. Trust me, this is how you end up with super tender scones. As soon as the dough will hold together, and form into a ball, use a rubber scraper to get it into the floured cake pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan. Now a fun trick. You want to turn to the pan over so the dough ends up on the prepared baking sheet. You don’t want to do this slowly or the dough might plop out too soon. You also want to dough to come out. In one motion turn the cake pan over quickly onto the baking sheet. You want to actually slam it firmly on the baking sheet. Then lift up the cake pan. If all has gone according to plan, you’ll have a perfect 8-inch circle of dough on the baking sheet. I could have told you to just place the dough on the baking sheet and form it into an 8-inch circle, but I prefer the cake pan method. You get nice, even edges. There will be some flour on the dough. Leave it there for now. Using a bench scraper, or a long knife, cut the dough in half, then in half again, like cutting a pie. The dough is pretty moist, so the extra flour on top should make them easier to cut. Repeat two more times so you end up with 8 wedges. Pull them apart a little, so they can expand when they bake. I used a metal spatula to do this. If there is still extra flour on top and it is bothering you, you can brush it off. Using a pastry brush, brush a little half and half or orange juice over the scones. Then sprinkle the tops with the extra sugar. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 8. Great plain or served with jam.
Black Forest Mini Cheesecakes
I love when things just fall into place. I had some cherry pie filling left over from making Danish. I wanted to use it up. I also needed a dessert for dinner with a friend. These little cheesecakes worked out as the perfect dessert for us.
To start with, it’s cheesecake, which is always a good thing. It is also a really quick recipe, and simple to make. Finally, the recipe just makes 6 little cheesecakes. Perfect for when you don’t need a whole cheesecake. Nothing stopping you from doubling, or tripling the recipe, if you need a few more. I used cherry pie filling (homemade), but you could top these with almost any pie filling or fresh fruit you liked, or even eat them plain.
Black Forest Mini Cheesecakes
6 vanilla wafers
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
chocolate syrup or sauce
cherry pie filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in 6 muffin tins and place a vanilla wafer in each one. Set aside. In medium mixing bowl beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg until just mixed. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15- 20 minutes. Cheesecakes will puff up and then deflates a little when cooled. Once cooled top each cheesecake with a little chocolate syrup and a spoonful of cherry pie filling. Chill. Makes 6. Serves 2-3.
