What's Baking: Birthday Cupcakes


Last Monday was D's birthday, and he requested cupcakes (well, a single-serving of cake, anyway) as a birthday treat. We discussed a few potential flavor combinations and came upon the idea of a doing a dark chocolate cupcake with a "Cow Pie" icing. Cow Pie - whuh?

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Yeah, not that kind of cow pie. Instead, the Cow Pie I'm referring to is a (relatively) locally-produced liqueur featuring chocolate, caramel, and vanilla flavors. I have to admit, picking up a bottle was a total impulse buy on a recent stroll through the grocery store liquor section. Of course, the name is what first grabbed me, but then I was further intrigued by the presence of the Missouri Tavern on the label, a place that D and his friends would stop in for a drink on occasion back when he lived in Madison. So clearly, I had to buy a bottle and give it a try.

Served over ice, it makes for quite a good after-dinner drink. (It's very Bailey's-esque.)  I'm sure it would work well mixed into a cocktail as well. (There are a few drink ideas on their website.) Or you know, do as I do and skip all the fancy drinks and just mix it into an icing served atop a dark chocolate cupcake.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 cupcakes

1 cup raw sugar
1/2 + 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (do not use Dutch-process cocoa)
3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup organic skim milk
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add in the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for two minutes.
4. Add in the boiling water and mix until incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter (it will be quite thin!) into the prepared cupcake tin. (Fill each cup about 3/4 full.)
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes just spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Remove the tin from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for five minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Cow Pie Buttercream Icing (printer-friendly version)
makes enough to ice 12 cupcakes (make a double batch if you like a lot of icing)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons Cow Pie liqueur (alternately, you could use Bailey's)

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter at high speed for about five minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar at low speed, then add in the vanilla extract and vanilla beans and switch to high speed.
3. Add in the liqueur and continue mixing until incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy.
4. Use immediately. Any leftover icing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Re-whip before using.
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What's For Dinner: Slow-Cooker Pork Chops


Work officially got in the way of blogging last week -- hence my radio silence following last Monday's post. After working over weekend, I also worked for several hours on Monday (a company holiday), and then proceeded to work 12- and 13-hour days on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was not fun, but our project schedule demanded it. Sleep took precedence over blogging -- but hopefully last week was the worst of it, and I should be back to my regular Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posting schedule this week. We shall see.

Meanwhile, last Monday was D's birthday, and later this week I'll share some fun cupcakes I baked up for our little celebration. I stopped by Golden Harvest last Monday afternoon to find some inspiration for his birthday dinner -- I ended up picking up a 10-oz grass-fed steak and a package of pasture-raised pork chops. D chose to grill the steak, so I made pork chops for dinner later in the week. Given my crazy-busy work schedule, I knew that a slow cooker recipe would be my best option. A quick Google search resulted in finding a well-reviewed recipe on Allrecipes.com, and after determining I had most of the ingredients on hand, I decided to go for it. I made a few changes to the original recipe, including subbing in a variety of herbs and spices for the called-for poultry spice mix. The pork chops cook in a herby broth which makes a delicious sauce. You might want to consider stirring in a tablespoon or two of cornstarch into the broth at the end to make a gravy to ladle over the cooked pork chops.

Though pork chops might conjure up thoughts of a super-tough cut of meat, this preparation results in  meat that is fall-apart tender and full of flavor.

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground marjoram
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients but the pork chops in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour into a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
2. Use a sharp knife to get 3-4 small slits in each side of the pork chops. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the pork chops in the slow cooker, making sure that they are covered by the liquid.
3. Cook on high for four hours. Baste occasionally with the cooking liquid.
4. Serve over rice.

(adapted from this recipe)


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What's For Dinner: Spaghetti and (Baked Turkey) Meatballs


When I order pasta in a restaurant, I typically go for a pasta with marinara sauce, "no meatballs, please." However, lately I've been on a ground turkey meatball kick, though I have no idea where it came from. The first few times I made this recipe, I fried the meatballs in olive oil, but I figured the healthier (and let's face it, less messy) way to cook these meatballs would be to bake them. I tried the baking method last night, and the meatballs came out perfectly. Sometimes I have trouble with the meatballs keeping their round shape; I combated this problem by baking them in a mini cupcake tin.

Baked Turkey Meatballs (printer-friendly version)
makes about 14 meatballs

1 small onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup steel-cut oats (alternately, you can use dried bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg white
1 pound ground organic turkey meat

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini cupcake tin (or rimmed baking sheet) with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Add the chopped onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor with the blade attached. Pulse several times until the onions and garlic are finely chopped.
3. Add the onion-garlic mixture to a large shallow bowl. Stir in the steel-cut oats, tomato paste, parsley, cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and egg white.
4. Stir in the ground turkey meat and continue stirring until all the ingredients are combined.
5. Chill the meatball mixture in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
6. Use your hands to shape the meat into 1"-diameter meatballs. Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet or into each mini cupcake cup.
7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and are no longer pink in the middle.
8. Serve the meatballs over spaghetti and tomato sauce. Alternately, you could serve these meatballs as appetizers with marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

(adapted from this Giada De Laurentiis recipe)
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What's Baking: Vanilla Bean Mini Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing


I think my most memorable Valentine's Day was in the first grade, when I received a Superwoman valentine's card from one of my classmates with the message "You stink!" scribbled on the back. I totally don't remember that classmate's name, but I do remember the card he gave me. Ah well ... fast forward (cough, many, cough) years, and luckily the valentine's cards I receive these days have much nicer messages.

For Valentine's Day this year, I opted to make some sweet treats for D to share with his officemates. I borrowed the Joy the Baker Cookbook from the library again (I really ought to purchase my own copy; there are so many good things in there!), and adapted her simple vanilla cupcakes recipe to make a large batch of mini cupcakes. Oh, are these delicious! I have to admit I saved a couple to enjoy with a cup of tea later today as a little Valentine's treat for myself.

Vanilla Bean Mini Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
 makes 30 mini cupcakes

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup organic skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a mini cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, use a whisk to sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in the egg and egg white one at a time, beating between additions to incorporate.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds.
6. Add about half the flour mixture and stir on low speed until incorporated. Stir in the milk. Then add in the rest of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.
7. Give the batter a quick stir with a spatula, then divide evenly among the cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the tin. Then remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

(adapted from a recipe in the Joy the Baker Cookbook)



Vanilla Bean Buttercream Icing (printer-friendly version)
makes enough to ice 30 mini cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon organic skim milk

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter at high speed for about five minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Gradually add in the powdered sugar at low speed, then add in the vanilla extract and vanilla beans and switch to high speed.
3. Add in the skim milk and continue mixing until incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy.
4. Use immediately. Any leftover icing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Re-whip before using.
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What's For Lunch: Curried Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup


If you happen to follow me on Pinterest, you may have noticed that I went on a bit of a soup-pinning frenzy last week. I'm always on the lookout for new soup recipes to try; I love that within 30-45 minutes, you can cook up a (in my case, typically large) batch of soup. I've been on a curry kick lately (perhaps because curry flavors aren't typically on Northern Wisconsin restaurant menus?!), and a few recipes I found for soups that featured the flavor of curry inspired the creation of this Curried Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup. I'm typing these recipe headnotes as the soup is cooking on the stovetop in the kitchen; it smells unbelievable in here right now and I cannot wait to serve myself up a bowlful and dig in!


Curried Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped finely
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
4 minced cloves garlic
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups filtered water
1 cup rinsed red lentils

1. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until softened, about 4 minutes.
2. Add in the minced garlic and grated ginger. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Carefully add in the diced sweet potatoes. Cook for an additional minute.
4. Stir in the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, and cumin. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Stir in the lentils. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked, 25-30 minutes.
5. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

(inspired by these two recipes)
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Friday Five: Let's Go Skiing!, and Other Things

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1. Last weekend D and I went cross-country skiing on some local trails with our friends from across the lake. The last time I went cross-country skiing was over 10 years ago at Badger Pass in Yosemite -- let's just say I didn't remember much (aside from the proper way to fall down). Since I didn't own my own skiing equipment, our friends were kind enough to let me borrow a set of boots, skis, and poles. During my lunch break today, D and I headed to Mel's Trading Post, our local outdoor recreation store, where Shane set me up with new skis, bindings, boots, and poles. Looks like I'll be ready to hit the trail tomorrow -- so glad we've finally received enough snow to give this sport a whirl.

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2. My original intention was to close this week out with a post about these Intensely Chocolate Sables recently posted on Smitten Kitchen. Unfortunately, I didn't heed Deb's warning to only use Dutched cocoa powder, and my dough totally did not come together. Just goes to show you that I have plenty of kitchen failures around here! Looks like I'll have to give the recipe another chance next week. 

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3. We are heading to Madison this weekend and I am excited about a big Costco run. I finally have a good reason to purchase ginormous amounts of produce at insanely-low prices -- juicing! I'm hoping to stock up on a lot of (fingers crossed) organic produce so that I can try a three-day juicing reboot sometime in the very near future. 

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4. D and I recently picked up the first season of Homeland from our local video store. It didn't take long for us to get hooked on the series. I am dying for season two to come out on DVD! We also recently checked out the much-hyped first season of Girls. Though I had seen the first episode, which was released for free, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the series. Both D and I ended up really liking it. Now we're just waiting for Season 2 to make its appearance on DVD ... which will be quite awhile as the second season just debuted on HBO.

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5. And, staying on the topic of TV and film, my latest documentary find via Netflix was First Position, which follows six dancers as they prepare for the chance to enter the world of professional ballet via the Youth America Grand Prix competition. I of course took the requisite ballet and tap lessons as a child, though I didn't stick with it very long. However, I much admire the dedication it takes to reach the highest levels of ballet. This documentary was enthralling and definitely has you cheering for the individual dancers featured. Two thumbs up, for sure.

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What's For Breakfast: Juice!


It's official. I've become one of those people that juice. I blame all the blog posts I read in early January as everyone jumped onto the healthy New Year resolutions bandwagon. I admit I was swayed by all the bright green juices and endless options that come with juicing a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables. 

I tried to get D to jump on the bandwagon with me, but he decried our lack of kitchen storage space. Then we watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, a documentary about an Australian named Joe Cross who (spoiler alert!) turned around his health with a (medically-supervised) 60-day juice diet. Though Joe's story was interesting, the truly inspiring story was that of Phil Staples, an overweight truck driver who ("coincidentally") shared the same immune system disorder that Joe had. Long story short, Phil decides to give juicing a try, and over the course of 60 days, he loses a significant amount of weight, and more importantly, is able to become more active and achieve a positive outlook on life. In the end, Phil gives up his sedentary truck driver job for a position at the local Y and teaches community classes about the benefits of juicing.

The documentary totally sucked us into the world of juicing. About five seconds after it was over, we were on Amazon checking out our juicer options. In the end, we decided to pool together some gift cards from Crate & Barrel (thanks, Chrashley!) and go for the Breville Compact Juice Extractor (which is the highest-rated juicer on Amazon). Thanks to super-fast shipping from Chicago, our new juicer arrived on our doorstep just two days later. (Hooray!) That afternoon I headed to Golden Harvest to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables to juice, and we were off.

While neither D nor I have significant amounts of weight to lose, we are always looking for more ways to introduce nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables into our diet. And, with my New Year resolution to find ways to waste less food, I figured juicing might be a good answer to that problem, as instead of letting those leaves of kale wilt in the refrigerator, I could instead use them to make a healthy juice. 

I have to admit though, I am kind of intrigued by Joe's idea of "rebooting." I think it would be interesting -- if not challenging -- to give a short-term all-juice diet a whirl. (We're talking three days, nothing crazy.) Thus far D and I have just been replacing a meal with a juice or supplementing our daily meals with a juice. And I have to say, of all the juices we've experimented with thus far, none have been bad. I like that there is an endless variety in juicing -- there's no reason to drink the same juice twice, unless you really want to. 


Purple Juice (aka Spinach, Carrot, Beet, Cucumber, Lemon, Apple and Ginger Juice)
(printer-friendly version)
makes about 1 1/2 servings

large handful of spinach leaves
3 carrots
1 beet
half large cucumber (or 1 small cucumber)
1/2 lemon (with peel on)
1/2 apple
1" ginger

Juice the spinach, carrots, cucumber, lemon, beet, apple, and ginger. Serve in large glass (over ice, if you prefer). 
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What's For Dinner: Citrus Salmon with Mushroom Sauce


I made this salmon dish last week and it was so good, I made it again for dinner tonight. I randomly found this Food & Wine recipe when searching for something to make with the wild-caught Alaskan salmon fillets I had in the fridge. Funny story, I just decided to go with the recipe -- I didn't notice until today that the recipe reviews are rather "meh." However, D and I both devoured our dinners -- perhaps due to the fact that I took a lot of liberties with the original recipe? I really like the way the mushroom sauce turned out -- I think it could work quite well over venison, chicken, or even over rice or quinoa for a vegetarian dish.

Citrus Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon with Mushroom Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings

For the salmon:
2 6-ounce wild-caught Alaskan salmon fillets
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
fine sea salt
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

For the mushroom sauce:
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (about half a medium onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sweet vermouth
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1/8 cup half-and-half cream
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish. Season with salt. Pour the fresh orange juice over the fish. Let stand for five minutes, then flip the fish over and let stand for another five minutes. Place the fish on   the prepped baking sheet. Top each fillet with a couple pieces of unsalted butter.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the flesh is flaky. Remove from the oven and tent with the aluminum foil until ready to serve.
4. While the fish is cooking, make the mushroom sauce: Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the olive oil. Add in the chopped onion and saute until golden brown in color. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the mushrooms and cover the pot with a lid. Continue cooking until the mushrooms release their liquid, about five minutes.
6. Pour in the sweet vermouth and allow to boil for one minute. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sea salt and half-and-half. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until just slightly thickened.
7. Spoon the sauce over the cooked salmon fillets. Serve immediately.

(adapted from this Food & Wine recipe
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What's For Dinner: Turkey Meatloaf Cupcakes


D is on a high-protein, low-carb healthy-diet kick right now, so I've been trying some new things in the kitchen. A recent addition to our dinner menu are turkey meatloaf cupcakes. These mini-meatloafs are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. The addition of veggies into the mix also amps up the vitamin and mineral content. To stay with the whimsical cupcake theme, rather than serve mashed sweet potatoes on the side, each turkey meatloaf cupcake gets a generous piping of sweet potato "icing" before it is served. It's not exactly dessert for dinner, but it is a fun way to eat a nutritious meal.

Turkey Meatloaf Cupcakes (printer-friendly version)
makes 6 cupcakes

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 pound organic, pasture-raised ground turkey
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/4 cup steel-cut oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons tomato paste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line six cavities with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Place the onion, parsley, carrot, and garlic in a food processor with the metal blade attached. Pulse until the ingredients are finely minced.
3. In a large bowl, combine together the minced vegetable mixture, ground turkey, egg whites, steel-cut oatmeal, dried thyme, ground mustard, black pepper, and salt.
4. Spoon the turkey mixture into six of the muffin tin cavities, filling each to the top. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten the top of each cupcake.
5. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes has passed, place a teaspoon of tomato paste on top of each meatloaf cupcake and spread with a pastry brush. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

(adapted from this recipe)
Sweet Potato "Icing"
makes enough to ice 6 meatloaf cupcakes

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 tablespoon organic skim milk
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon nonfat plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. Add in the sweet potatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and place the potatoes back into the pot.
2. Add the skim milk, butter, and Greek yogurt to the pot with the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mash until smooth.
3. Place the potatoes into an icing bag with a star tip.
4. Pipe the icing onto each baked turkey meatloaf cupcake, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

(adapted from this recipe)
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