Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I can’t believe that I’ve made it all the way to the end of September without cracking open a can of pumpkin. Well, I’m happy to tell you that I did just that yesterday – fall baking has been commenced! I had a large can I had been hoarding from last year, so I ended up baking two treats. Look for the other on Friday! But for now, let’s talk about these cupcakes…

Last year I made some pumpkin spice latte cupcakes. But this, this cupcake is another animal all-together. Dense and moist, like a good carrot cake – but with all the rich, delicious flavor of pumpkin that you could possibly long for. The spices aren’t overwhelming either, which always urks me. I like my pumpkin items to taste like pumpkin – not a bunch of spices. The spices in the batter only compliment the pumpkin and make it shine.

I topped them with a maple and cinnamon studded twist to my usual cream cheese frosting recipe. I’ve been wanting to incorporate maple syrup into a frosting for quite some time now, and the flavor really played well off the pumpkin. I know this will be one I come back to year after year!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp good maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preaheat oven to 350. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar until incorporated. Then add the cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix for 10 seconds, until evenly combined. Frost cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Taste of Home

Black Bean & Cheese Nachos

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Easy Black Bean & Cheese Nacos

Well, things are well under way in the back to school front here at our house. Andrew started kindergarten this year, and is gone all day long – not returning home until 3 in the afternoon. Which, is a long day for a kindergartner if you ask me…it was just a half day when I went to school!

At any rate, my little man gets home and is hungry for a snack. And to buy myself some time to get dinner started, I’m always happy to oblige. I usually always have the ingredients for these quick and easy nachos on hand, and the boys always love them. Cheese is something our family can never get enough of – so I use two varieties in these nachos. A cheddar for that cheesy flavor, paired with a Monterey Jack for a nice cheesy gooeyness.  And with the addition of black beans and a good veggie-hearty salsa, it’s a choice you can feel good about. Calcium, protein – two things my little ones need plenty of!

Supporting local dairy farmers is something I’m passionate about. Whether it’s the little independent dairy in my small town, or by looking for the Real Seal logo on dairy products when I’m shopping at the supermarket – I know that I’m supporting American cows, and that makes me smile. I can’t help but love those California cow commercials, can you? Get, get on the floor…

Black Bean & Cheese Nachos

4 cups tortilla chips
2/3 cup salsa
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup).

Place tortilla chips onto baking pan in a single even layer. Using a spoon, evenly distribute salsa over tortilla chips. Sprinkle evenly with black beans and cheese.

Bake for about 3 minutes, until cheese melts and is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Source: inspired by my friend Lynn

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good folks at Real Seal, and as always all thoughts are my own.

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

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Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

Another take-out favorite for you! I’ve been using shrimp as often as I can, as they’re less than $5 a pound for large heads-on. And without a doubt, stir-frying is one of my favorite things to do with them. I remembering my mom ordering shrimp with snow peas for “something different” at the local Chinese restaurant when I was a little girl. And, I guess it stuck with me – because it’s still one of my favorites.

There’s just something about the combination of sweet, succulent shrimp and crisp yet tender snow peas. I went ahead and added some broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts to the mix as well just for a little more variety. I’ve found that if you can buy snow peas in bulk versus pre-packaged, they’re almost always way cheaper and better quality. Everything is tossed with plenty of garlic and scallions, and then you make a quick clear stir-fry sauce with simple ingredients found probably already lurking in your pantry. Another easy weeknight favorite!

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces snow peas
1 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine sauce ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of ice and 2 cups of water. Toss broccoli florets into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove, and place in the ice bath to set the color and stop the cooking process. Drain, and place florets on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add shrimp to the pan, stirring to cook evenly, until cooked on all sides. About 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add remaining teaspoon of oil, as well as the scallions and the garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds before adding the snow peas, broccoli, and carrots. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until veggies are crisp-tender. Add water chestnuts and stir-fry for an additional minute. Return shrimp to the wok.

Reduce heat to medium, and slowly pour the sauce into the wok. Cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve immediately over rice.

Shrimp Saltimbocca

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Shrimp Saltimbocca

A couple of weeks ago we took Jon’s brother, who was in town visiting, to the airport up in Baltimore. I never miss an opportunity to visit a fancy grocery store, so we all went along for the ride. Had a nice dinner, hit up the sale racks at Antrho, and dragged Uncle Trevor through every aisle at Whole Foods before dropping him off at the airport. Then we stopped by the new Wegmans location in Crofton on the way home. I always love visiting their delicatessen, and I couldn’t resist having a few slices of the most gorgeous proscuitto I’ve ever seen sliced off to take home with me. And come home with me they did…along with some awesome peppered salami and sliced chorizo. I had to fend off Jon from eating all the “gabagool” in the fridge.

What he didn’t eat, I decided to use to do a fresh spin on one of my very favorite classic Italian dishes. Traditionally, this is made with a chicken breast. Which is awesome. But our local seafood joint happened to have some gorgeous, large shrimp in this weekend and the wheels in my head started turning.

It was a little bit more time consuming than chicken breasts, just because of wrapping shrimp individually in the prosciutto. But, your efforts are well rewarded. The salty richness of the proscuitto permeates the shrimp, rendering some of it’s fat and getting nice and crispy. Then a pan sauce is made from the browned bits, garlic, white wine, lemon juice, and butter. I served it over pasta, but I think it would be a wonderful appetizer or first course on it’s own. I’m so glad I remixed this one, because I think I like it better than the original!

Shrimp Saltimbocca

1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled with tails left on
6 whole fresh sage leaves
6 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into 1×3 inch strips (4 strips per piece)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup dry vermouth or white wine
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp. cold butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Wrap each shrimp with a piece of proscuitto and secure using a toothpick, or by placing 3 or 4 shrimp on a skewer at a time.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add sage leaves and the smashed clove of garlic. Cook until sage leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about30 seconds. Remove the sage with a slotted spoon.

Add the shrimp to the pan, and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove the garlic clove and discard. Remove the shrimp and keep warm. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

If there is any excess fat in the skillet, pour it off. Add the chopped garlic, stir in the vermouth, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until it’s reduced to about 3-4 Tbsp. Stir in lemon juice.

Turn heat down to low, and whisk in the butter. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over shrimp, and crumble (or serve whole) the fried sage leaves on top before serving.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, May 2008 via Elly Says Opa