Chocolate Cappuccino Cupcakes

Chocolate Cappuccino Cupcakes

10 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, almond extract and vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter, alternating with the milk, just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Top with frosting (recipe below).

Cappuccino Frosting

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (cold)

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4-1/3 c. cocao powder (optional)

1 1/2 t. vanilla

Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, place the margarine and coffee, and cream them together. Add half of the sugar, and beat well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat the mixture until light and fluffy.

Both recipes are easy to veganize!

Oh how I love college food...

Mexican Rice & Shrimp Dinner

1 box mexican rice (and ingredients on back)

1 can diced tomatoes

handful shrimp

1-2 green onions

handful fresh cilantro

Begin by making the rice according to box directions. While the mixture is coming to a boil, chop the cilantro and the green onions. Drain half the juice from the tomatoes. Toss in the shrimp, tomatoes, and chopped ingredients. Finish cooking according to box directions. This meal is pretty cheap and very tasty.

Feeds 4

Simple Meringue

2 egg whites

1/2 c. plus 1/2 Tbsp. granulated white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Whip the egg whites with an electric beater until completely white (make sure there's no liquid left before you move on). Add in the vanilla and eggs and continue to beat until very firm. You can adjust the amount of sugar to your sweetness preference. :) Enjoy whatever way you'd like.

Tangy Potato Salad

Tangy Potato Salad

new potatoes

bacon

scallions (green onions)

garlic

pickled jalepenos

1-2 tbsp flour

1/4 c sugar

Hungarian paprika

bout 1/2 cup vinegar

Boil new potatoes until fork soft. Meanwhile, cut bacon into small pieces and fry crispy. Remove bacon from pan. Mince the scallions, garlic, and jalepenos. Add to the bacon grease and sautee until soft. Add flour, sugar and paprika to pan, stirring the ingredients in well. Then add about 1/2 cup of vinegar to the pan and let simmer into a nice sauce.

Add sauce to drained potatoes and mix well. Can be served warm, cool or cold.

Recipe from Cooking for Real on Food Network.

Seven-Layer Dip

Seven-Layer Dip

large can refried beans

1-pound taco-seasoned ground meat

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 can black olives, sliced

3 green onions, sliced

1 bad=g cheese, shredded (fiesta blend or cheddar is best)

sour cream

guacamole (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350*. In a medium skillet, brown the ground meat and add the taco seasoning according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the refried beans in a microwave-safe bowl.

In a 9x13in casserole dish, spread the refried beans in the bottom. Then add the meat in an even layer over the bottom. Add the cheddar cheese in an even layer. Place in the oven until the cheese melts. Then add the tomatoes, black olives and onion to the top in an even layer.

Set sour cream to the side so everyone can get the amount they want. Salsa and guacamole are also good toppings. Dip with Doritos or other tortilla chips or eat with a fork. Enjoy! :)

Dark chocolate Brownies

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 
  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, cold
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of simmering water (I set my bowl on top of a pot, base not touching the water, like a double boiler). Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point but don't fret - it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon (I used a rubber spatula). Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Flash freeze or fridge it before cutting to get cleaner lines.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner and transfer the brownie to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 (- 3/4) c. chopped nuts

3 large ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 375*. Cream sugar butter and eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Sift in dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed. Mash bananas with a fork into a small bowl or measuring cup. Add banana and nuts to mixture. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake in oven for 1 hr.

Puerto Rican Chicken and Potatoes

Puerto Rican Chicken and Potatoes

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 skin-on, bine-in chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 onion

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1/2 lb. small red potatoes, halved

1 (8oz) can Spanish-style tomato sauce, such as Goya

Chopped cilantro

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until golden, about 5 mins; transfer to a plate. Reserve 2 Tbsp oil in the pan.

Using a food processor, puree the onion. Add to the reserved skillet along with the garlic, scraping up any browned bits. Puree the red pepper and add to the skillet along with the cumin and bay leaf. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the potatoes, tomato sauce and 1 cup water. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken, skin side up; cover and simmer, stirring until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Top with cilantro.

*Taken from Rachel Ray Magazine.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

3/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 c whole milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 c.)

4 oz. pepperoni, cut into small cubes

1/2 c. store-bought or home-made pizza sauce

2 Tbl finely chopped fresh basil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

Preheat the ovven to 375*. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking poweder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for ten minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 Tbsp basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining Tbsp basil. Serve the puffs and red peppers slices with the pizza sauce for dipping.

*Taken from Rachel Ray Magazine.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Baked Macaroni & Cheese
16 oz Macaroni
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 c. shredded cheedar cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 Tblsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350*.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse in cold water.
Meanwhile, in a bowl mix milk eggs, sour cream, salt, & pepper. In a 13x9in casserole dish, layer macaroni, cheddar cheese, and milk mixture until pan is full. Sprinkle parmesan and pour melted butter on top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until milk mixture is done.

Reeses Porridge

Reeses Porridge

3/4 c. cheerios

2 handfuls instant oats

1 Tblsp. cocoa powder

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/3 c. milk

handful chopped walnuts

honey

In a mixing bowl, add the cheerios and walnuts. Add a thin layer of honey to the top, stir. Then stir in the peanut butter until it covers all the cheerios evenly. In a measuring cup, measure out 1/3 cup of milk and add the cocoa powder, stirring in the cocoa powder as well as you can (all of it will not dissolve). Pour the milk mixture into the cheerios and stir until well covered and no clumps of cocoa remain. Then, add a handful of instant oats and stir until well mixed, then add a second handful and stir until well mixed. (If there is still a lot of liquid, add one more handful of oats and stir.) Place in microwave for 1 minute. Then stir, cook from 1/2-2 more minutes, stirring every 20-30 seconds until all liquid is absorbed by the oats and cheerios.

If this porridge is too bitter for you, you can add more honey or a tablespoon of sugar. Enjoy. :)

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I decided to make something tasty the other day and this is what I came up with. I named it Reeses Porridge because it is very much like a porridge but chocolate and peanut butter flavored. This bowl will serve 2-3 people. It's very filling and a pretty healthy dessert altogether. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Vegetable Paella

Vegetable Paella

8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup diced onion
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 lb uncooked Valencia or Arborio rice
1 tsp saffron, crushed
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 cups vegetable broth
9 ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup frozen petite peas
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/3 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
3 medium lemons, cut into wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Sauté mushrooms in 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until soft and light brown; set aside.

3. Heat remaining oil in a paella pan or 12-inch ovenproof skillet, and sauté garlic, onion, and peppers 8 minutes or until soft. Add rice, saffron and salt, and stir until rice is coated with oil. Add broth, and bring mixture to a boil.

4. Cover pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 8 minutes. Stir in reserved mushrooms, artichoke hearts, carrot, peas and tomato; cover and bake 8 minutes more. Remove foil, and bake 8 to 12 minutes more or until heated through. Remove from oven, and top with olives, green onions, roasted pepper and lemon wedges.

Servings: 8

Note: This is a very filling meal, full of flavor and fairly healthy [if you can resist eating the entire pan yourself ;) ].

Ground Turkey Skillet

Ground Turkey Skillet

1- 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey

1 1/2 bell peppers

1 small onion

handful carrots

1 c. long grain brown rice

2 c. water

cilantro & parsley, fresh, chopped

salt, pepper, garlic powder, worchester sauce to taste

olive oil

In a medium saucepan, add rice, water and about 1 tsp. salt. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 35 mins.

In a large skillet, add about a tablespoon of olive oil, covering entire bottom of pan by spreading. Chop onion and bell pepper and saute in olive oil with a few dashes of salt and pepper. When almost finished sauteing, add ground turkey and about a tablespoon of worcester sauce. Thinly slice the carrots and add them to the skillet. Cook until turkey is done.

When rice has cooked for 35 mins, add to the skillet. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and more worcester sauce to taste.

Cover skillet and reduce heat, cooking about 10 more mins. until all liquid is gone.