German Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee and Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting

Last time there was a birthday in the family, I baked a dozen Vanilla Raspberry "Surprise" Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.  They were gorgeous, festive, and pink, and held a delicious raspberry surprise that sunk to the bottom of the cupcake.  To get the full story, be sure to read the entire post.  

Fast forward a week: there was another birthday to celebrate.  Anja was turning...well, it was her birthday.  My brother, being the best boyfriend that he is, informed me that Anja is a fan of German Chocolate Cake and suggested that I bake a dozen of German Chocolate cupcakes.  He then proceeded to invite the family over to my place to celebrate Anja's birthday with the cupcakes.  Meanwhile, I went to bake the cupcakes.

Once again, I turned to the "150 Best Cupcake Recipes" cookbook by Julie Hasson.  I used Julie's recipes for Best Chocolate Cupcakes and Coconut Pecan Frosting as guides for my own dessert creation. (Excerpted from 150 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.)

To make the cupcakes even more flavorful, I added coffee to both the cake and the frosting.  For extra depth, I toasted coconut, and used toasted walnuts instead of pecans.  For the extra-special birthday factor, I used some of the Toasted Coconut Walnut Frosting in the middle of the cupcake - you should do the same, you'll thank me!

Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight~ Meatless Monday Recipe

It's another Meatless Monday rendition at Snacking in the Kitchen.  This throw-in-the-pot recipe for Vegetarian Coconut Curry Delight is a perfect way to clean up your refrigerator and use up a variety of vegetables you may have on hand.  By the wrinkles in some of my vegetables, you are sure to know that this is exactly what I did.  Waste not, want not.

The way I prepared the recipe was somewhat experimental.  Usually when making curry I cook the vegetables first, in batches if necessary, and then add the coconut milk.  This time around I switched the order, simmering the coconut milk with Thai red curry paste, garlic, and ginger and then adding the vegetables.  I can not decide which method I prefer - they both work pretty well.  Try it both ways and let me know which one you prefer.

The curry tastes delicious on its own, sprinkled with lime juice, a dash of hot sauce, and chopped cilantro.  To make a more substantial meal, serve the curry with a side of brown rice or rice noodles.

Vanilla Raspberry "Surprise" Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

The stars have aligned.  Instead of pulling out yet another bill or a credit card application from the mailbox, I pulled out a "150 Best Cupcake Recipes" cookbook by Julie Hasson.  It happened to be my grandfather's birthday this week, so to celebrate, I decided to bake him a batch of cupcakes (and save a few for myself and friends).

Picking out a flavor was challenging: the book has an impressive array of 150 recipes ranging from simple to gourmet.  The book is organized by section (chocolate, fruit, nuts, adults only, kids' corner, spice it up, new twists, vegan, and frostings, glazes and fillings) and also has decorating tips and techniques.

Paging through the book, I stopped on a color photo of a Raspberry Vanilla Cupcake.  Scanning through the recipe, I decided to make a few adjustments and use a variation of the book's Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.  A quick trip to the store and I was ready to bake Vanilla Raspberry "Surprise" Cupcakes with Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

You can use your favorite jam to substitute for raspberry.  If you do choose to follow the recipe, I suggest using a seedless raspberry jam.  Feel free to garnish the cupcakes with fresh raspberries, especially if you are baking these in the summer.

Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas

Last week I shared with you a recipe for No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup. It's true, you could make the soup and enjoy a bowl or a cup of it on its own.  But like many other things in life, the soup is better with an accompaniment, a friend you might say.  What I prepared to go along with the soup, with my friend Alla, was these Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas.  (If you have been reading the blog for a while, I bet you can guess that Alla's quesadilla came sans banana peppers and cilantro.  It was still delicious!)

This was a vegetarian recipe, if you feel like adding a little bit of non-dairy protein, roasted chicken or shrimp would taste great in the quesadilla.

No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Me: "Hey, do you want to come over?"
Alla: "Yes! Will you feed me?"
Me:  "I suppose so. How about some butternut squash soup?"
Alla:  "Yes! And Anna's famous grilled cheese?"
Me:  "Sure, but I don't have bread or cheese, so can you pick some up on your way?"
Alla:  "Oh, I have some tortillas and cheese, I'll bring those and we can have quesadillas."
Me: "Perfect! And you're in luck - I don't have any onions on hand either, so they won't go into the soup."
Alla:  "Cool! And don't put any other icky stuff into the soup either, please."
Me:  (rolling my eyes) "Ok, fine! See you soon."

And that's how I made this No-Thrills Butternut Squash Soup.  Had I been making the soup for myself, I would have thrown in some extra ingredients: cayenne pepper, coriander, perhaps some onions.  But this "no-thrills" version was delicious on its own!  Serve the soup with Green Olive, Banana Pepper, and Cilantro Quesadillas. 

Extra! Extra! Please notice the beautiful additions to this post: towels from my sister MangoTomato and a plate from my friend Priya - thank you girls!

Philadelphia Roll Meets Russian Blini

I've been cooking up a lot of crepes, or Russian blinis, in my kitchen lately.  Thanks to a very hungry and appreciative artist and a set of new nonstick skillets, these blinis have become a weekend breakfast tradition.  Most often, the blinis get a smear of sour cream and a dollop of jam and are quickly rolled up, and even more quickly gobbled up.

The blinis also make an appearance at night.  A few weeks ago when I was having the girls for a Bachelor viewing party, I discovered a fantastic sweet filling combination: sour cream, sauteed apples, and walnuts inside the blini, and apricot jam on the outside.

But as far as sweets go, I have a limit, and so the other day I craved a savory Russian blini.  At home, I've often had blinis with chili, cheese, and sour cream.  I'm also a fan of a spoonful of taramasalata with diced tomatoes and dill.  This time around, my inspiration came from a Philadelphia sushi roll.

"Baaa!" says the lamb. "Yum!" I say ~ Braised Moroccan Lamb Shanks

I am my sister's sister.  And when I saw her post for Braised Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Tomatoes, I wanted to catch the next flight across the county, knock on her door, and sit down at her table for a bowl of tender lamb meat, starchy beans and tomatoes.  Instead, I walked to my freezer and pulled out two frozen lamb shanks.

Rather than follow her recipe exactly, I chose my own combination of flavors, virtually heading to Morocco.  In went cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and brown sugar.  The spices blended together with the red wine and bathed the lamb shanks gently and slowly while they braised in the oven for three solid hours.

Champagne Brunch with a side of Roasted Sweet Potato Hash and Sunny Side Up Eggs

Apparently I cook and write about breakfast/brunch quite often! So often, in fact, that one of my friends, Diana, suggested I dedicate the whole blog to breakfast only...Boring!  But in all seriousness, I love breakfast.  I especially love breakfast on the weekend, when breakfast doesn't start until at least 10 am, and can be enjoyed leisurely in the company of someone special, with mood music coming from Pandora.

Last weekend, I decided that breakfast must include Champagne!  And so with a chilled bottle of Champagne in the refrigerator (alright, let's be honest - it was a bottle of sparkling wine, but let a girl dream a little, ok?) I began chopping sweet potatoes, bell pepper, and onion and heating up a cast iron skillet in the oven.  Cracked eggs and toasted bread followed.  

Sadly, I was once again reminded that I turn into a useless ball of tired after a single mimosa, and spent the rest of the day in dire desire of a nap.  I did manage to pull myself together after a 90-minute nap to visit my parents and wash and fold 2 loads of laundry. Yay me!  I am Super Woman, hear me roar.