Strawberry Cupcakes

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of this neat little site called Pinterest. It’s a great resource for everything; recipes, DIY ideas, housekeeping, sewing, gardening…pretty much anything under the sun. When I came across this pin for strawberry cupcakes, it was love at first site. I think it was the color of the cake and frosting that lured me, a gorgeous punchy pink color. I knew I had to make them.

Because of the addition of lots of fresh strawberry puree, the strawberry flavor really shines through. The cake was super moist, and a tad denser than most cupcake recipes I’ve tried. I changed a couple of things from the original recipe. First, I reduced the eggs to 3-since that’s what I had on hand (these boys have been putting away some eggs lately!). And second, because I’m lazy, I just added the eggs all at one time, and skipped beating the egg whites and folding in at the end. I suspect that they wouldn’t have been as dense if I had taken that extra step. But, hey, they were still delicious. And, one less dish, right? Make these to add a pop of color to a dreary winters day!

Strawberry Cupcakes

For the cake:
1 cup butter
2  1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 & 1/4 cups pureed strawberries
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch Salt
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 lb. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, food coloring and strawberries, beat for another 3 minutes.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter/egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

Fill cupcake tins 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add liquids and blend. Slowly add powdered sugar while mixing on low. At this point you may need to add more powdered sugar. You are trying to achieve a medium stiff consistency. Whip for several minutes. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Source: adapted from Apron of Grace

Yakitori

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I believe that there are probably close to a million ways to marinade and skewer chicken. That being said, I’d say that yakitori (or, Japanese skewered chicken) would have to be near the top of the  list for me. I’ve mentioned before that I took an International cooking class at my local community college a couple of years ago, and this delicious chicken was one of the dishes I familiarized myself with during the course.

I couldn’t find the original recipe that I jotted down from class, but this version was very close to what I remembered. I used boneless chicken breasts this time, but I think they’re even better with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. With a bit of steamed rice and broccoli, it’s a wonderful (and healthy!) weeknight meal to add to your menu soon.

Yakitori

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into 1″ pieces)
1 bunch scallions (cut into 1 inch long pieces)

Mix the soy, mirin, sake and sugar and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.  Skewer the chicken and green onions in alternating order.

Grill the skewered chicken, over medium-high heat,  basting it with the marinade until the chicken is cooked – about 15 minutes.

Source: adapted slightly from Closet Cooking

Chocolate Cherry Coconut Granola

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I’ve never been a huge breakfast person. I usually just stick to coffee and stave off my hunger until lunch. I know that for your metabolism’s sake, that’s one of the worst things you can do. In an effort to try to be a bit healthier this year, I’ve been trying to do the breakfast thing more often. When there is something like this delicious granola to look forward to, it’s certainly made the transition a lot easier.

Chocolate. Dried tart cherries. Sweet toasted coconut. I think the ground flaxseed really adds a depth of flavor and texture as well. It was great on yogurt, with milk as a cereal, and just by the handful for snacking. It made a HUGE batch, but none went to waste. If you have a smaller crowd, I’d suggest halving the recipe. This was my first time making granola, and it’s something I’m looking forward to making again already.

Chocolate Cherry Coconut Granola

2 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
6 cups old fashioned rolled oats
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup honey
¼ cup ground flaxseed (optional)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups dried cherries
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Place a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the coconut to the pan in an even layer and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and toasted.  Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the pan.  Return the pan to the heat and add the chopped walnuts and almonds.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the oats and canola oil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the oat mixture to a large bowl and stir in the honey, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt.  Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the toasted coconut and dried cherries.  Move the granola to one side of the baking sheet and press gently into a thick slab.  Let cool to room temperature.  Break the dried and cooled granola into small clusters, mix in the chopped chocolate, and store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, via Annie’s Eats

Raspberry Cheesecake

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I’d made a couple of cheesecakes before, but none had turned out exceptionally. Either I got a giant crack in the top, or my “water-tight” aluminum foil seal malfunctioned, and the water bath leaked into the spring-form pan when baking. They were mostly edible, but nothing to write home about. I got some new spring-form pans for Christmas, so I knew I wanted to make a cheesecake first thing. A cheesecake can be expensive to make, as many recipes call for close to a metric ton of cream cheese.  I came across Ty Flo’s recipe, which only used 2 blocks. It also incorporated sour cream, which I had a giant tub of. It was rated 5  stars with a ton of reviews, so figured it was a good place to start.

It turned out perfect! The texture was thick and creamy, just what a cheesecake should be. For the topping I used Ina’s raspberry topping. In a previous baking venture I’d tried her recipe, which resulted in aforementioned crack. But, the topping – the topping was to die for. It’s such a simple concept; melting down strawberry jelly, then mixing in fresh raspberries. The sugar in the jelly just slightly macerates the berries. Turning them into sweet, juicy, little glistening gems. Perched on top of a decadent cheesecake. Sheer perfection. If you are leery of baking a cheesecake at home, please try this recipe. It won’t disappoint!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream (about 2 cups)
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup strawberry jelly (NOT jam or preserves)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not overbeaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Un-mold and transfer to a cake plate.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

Source: Cheesecake adapted from Tyler Florence, raspberry topping from Ina Garten’s Family Style.