Friday, July 23, 2010

Carrot and Coconut Cupcakes with Marmalade Buttercream Icing



Why, you must think I've gone nuts making batches of mac and cheese and the like, for who? Just me? Seriously, I am NOT eating all of this stuff.  Like today, for instance, I wanted to bring something to my therapist who is helping me with my..... oh, you thought I was going to say my head, didn't you? She's an occupational therapist, a hand specialist, and she's helping me get the use back in my hand that had surgery in three different places.  I like to bring her things that show my appreciation. I'm bringing her cupcakes today!  Using ingredients I have on hand, I put together a basic cupcake recipe and added some of my favorite things to it, especially in the icing, orange marmalade....  Now, I got a little overly zealous dividing the mixture.  This recipe should really make a dozen cupcakes. But I had two things going against me.  Firstly, I had jumbo cupcake liners and secondly, I didn't want them to look skimpy so I added a little too much batter to each one.  I have more like 8 jumbo cupcakes instead of 10 to 12 regular cupcakes.  When you make them, buy regular sized cupcake liners and divide the batter accordingly.  Enjoy! And let me know if you try them, or if you'd like me to make them for you..... Ask me, I might!




CARROT AND COCONUT CUPCAKES 
WITH MARMALADE BUTTERCREAM ICING
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup coconut
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup oil (not olive oil)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup flour


  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • I chop the carrots first in my food processor. If you have one, do the chopping in it. It produces a very small chop, perfect for the cupcake. If you don't own a processor, then chop away. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the first seven ingredients, the sugar through the raisins.
  • Using a hand mixer, beat in the oil and butter.
  • Continuing to use the mixer, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Lastly, add the flour and beat with the mixer for another minute or two. (like you would a cake mix).
  • Divide the mixture among at least 10 to twelve regular cupcake liners set in a muffin tin. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and dry. Remove from the muffin tin and cool on a rack completely before frosting.


MARMALADE BUTTERCREAM ICING
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 to 2 tsp. milk
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts, optional

Very simply, cream the butter, marmalade and vanilla together. Sift the powdered sugar over the top and stir until starting to become incorporated. Add the milk a teaspoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency.  Wait until the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting. If you like, sprinkle the tops of the frosted cupcakes with the chopped nuts.  Wow, enjoy!



Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hot Habanero Mac and Cheese

Never one to leave well enough alone, I even had to take dear old Fannie Farmer's classic baked macaroni and cheese and do something different with it. You see, I had this block of Cabot Hot Habanero Cheese around and part of a box of corkscrew pasta and got a brainstorm.  This was really, really good. Definitely not for you if a little heat turns you away from a dish. And definitely not for you if you're counting calories this week. Thankfully, I do not make these kinds of calorie-laden dishes very often. But there comes a time in everyone's life when nothing else will do to accompany that main course except a helping of crunchy-topped, creamy on the inside, and spicy through and through, mac and cheese.  Of course, you can make this recipe without the habanero cheese and enjoy it just as well.  

HOT HABANERO MAC AND CHEESE
3 cups of corkscrew shaped pasta
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
1 whole clove of garlic, peeled
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Cabot hot habanero cheese
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbs. butter, melted


  • Preheat the oven to  400 degrees.
  • Shred the cheese and pack into a 2-cup measuring cup. Set aside.
  • Toss the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Set aside.
  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and pour back into the pot. Set aside.
  • In a large saucepan melt the butter, and add the whole clove of garlic to flavor the sauce.
  • Add the flour, salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.
  • Pour the milk and half & half in gradually, whisking constantly.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until very thick. Discard clove of garlic.
  • Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until completely melted.
  • Pour this sauce over the pasta and stir to coat well.
  • Transfer the mac and cheese to a buttered baking dish (or just use a cooking spray)
  • Sprinkle with the Panko breadcrumbs.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.



Sunday, July 18, 2010

Deviled Salmon Cakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

My sister Joanna contributed this recipe to my cookbook "Singingirl Cooks!"  You certainly can find pretty much this same recipe in most internet searches. But I put a little twist on the original to kick it up just another notch. These are absolutely delicious, and the amazing thing is that it uses canned salmon.  Oh, I know. The groans and grossness of pulling apart that salmon in the can to remove bones, etc. It's really not that big a deal. But if you prefer you can buy a piece of salmon, poach or bake it, let it cool and then flake it yourself to make about two cups. So, here is the recipe. The slightly long list of ingredients and the little bit of prep time is well worth the effort. I found that when I did an inventory to see what I needed to buy, I already had everything except a tiny can of corn, a container of yogurt and the parsley.

DEVILED SALMON CAKES WITH LEMON YOGURT SAUCE
1 large can of salmon, drained and bones removed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup corn, canned or frozen
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. pickle relish
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 big dashes of hot sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. canola oil

Flake the salmon into a bowl. Add the onion, celery, jalapeno, corn, salt and pepper. Mix together and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, relish, lemon juice, Worcestershire, paprika and hot sauce. Fold these ingredients into the salmon mixture along with 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs. Place the Panko on a plate.

Form the salmon into cakes. You can make six larger ones or eight smaller. Carefully coat them with the Panko. I found that holding the salmon cake and patting the Panko on one side, then flipping it over in my hand and patting the crumbs on the other side worked better than laying the salmon cake in the dish, the reason being the salmon is soft and might tend not to keep its shape. Do whatever way works for you.

Refrigerate the cakes on a plate loosely covered with saran and chill for about an hour.

Melt the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. With your spatula, lift each salmon cake off the plate and add to the pan. Cook half of them about four minutes or so on each side, pressing down gently on them once or twice with your spatula. Turn carefully and fry the other side four minutes or so or until nicely browned.

To serve, place a big spoonful of the lemon yogurt sauce on each plate and spread it out a bit with the back of your spoon. Top with a salmon cake and garnish with parsley and lemon slice.  Enjoy!!

LIGHT LEMON YOGURT SAUCE
1 cup of plain fat free yogurt
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
OR 1/2 tsp. tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and keep chilled until ready to serve.  You can easily double this recipe, and I suggest you do!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Delicious Onion Soup With Miniature Toasts and Parmesan Crisps


Why would I want to be making soup in south Florida in 90 degree weather? Better yet, why would I think any of my friends and family would want to make soup in such a torrential downpour of heat and sun? The answer is, I don't know why. I've just been thinking lately about making a good tasting onion soup after having had some so-so, rather salty onion soup in a restaurant last week with my mom. And, well, there is air conditioning keeping me cool inside for the venture. So, here it is.  Make this soup.  It's vegetarian (for all my non-meat eating friends and family.) It's delicious. It's topped with a wonderful miniature bread toast and a Parmesan crisp instead of that big blob of melted cheese. I know, I know. That's what's good about it, right? Try it this way, and let me know how you like it.





DELICIOUS ONION SOUP WITH MINIATURE TOASTS AND PARMESAN CRISPS
4 heaping cups of onions, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sherry (you can use bottled cooking sherry if you must, but don't tell anyone)
4 cups of vegetable broth (see below for my tip)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Packaged Miniature Toasts

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and cook and stir often over low to medium heat until the onions are fully softened and starting to brown. This process will take at least 45 minutes to one hour. There is no rushing this step.  Increase the heat to high, add the Worcestershire and sherry and cook for a minute or two, or until the sherry reduces. Stir in the 4 cups of broth, lower the heat and simmer another 20 minutes or so.  

Here's my tip for the broth.... You can use cans of broth if you like. In this recipe I used a seasoned roasted vegetable cooking base. Find them in the canned soup aisle, Better Than Bouillon is the one I used.  They really are much better than bouillon, less salty, and much more flavorful.  The jar costs a few dollars, but you'll find  that you'll be seasoning the water with it when you make rice, pasta, other soups, sauces. Use 1 tsp. per cup of water (you'll need 4 tsp. for this recipe.)

While the soup is simmering, make the crisps.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the oven rack in the middle. Finely grate the Parmesan and use 1 Tbs. per crisp. Dump it onto a well oiled baking sheet (I used cooking spray) and then with the back of your spoon flatten the mound out a little. Grind some pepper on each one. Don't crowd, maybe only 6 to a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes approximately. 
Remove from oven and carefully slide your spatula around the edges and remove each one to a rack.  My pictures above show the process, and you CAN do this! It was actually very easy, and I surprised myself.  This is Alton Brown's recipe from Food Network.  They are soooo delicious! And no carbs! Ladle the soup into your bowl and set the bowl on a serving dish.  


Surround the bowl with one or two toasts and two or three crisps and let the lucky recipients assemble their own garnish.  Enjoy!!! And please say hello in the comment section below.