Orange Spice Cupcakes with Orange Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

Celebrating My Birthday Together
12/16/2010

I can tell you where the months went since the last recipe post. They were swallowed up by time. Time spent preparing for a working cruise in Hawaii. Time spent being with my mother as much as I possibly could, and then time spent flying my mother to her final resting place in Pennsylvania on July 15, 2011. Time spent with the most profound grieving I never could have imagined. Time spent in Hawaii working. I'm back now. My thoughts and sadness still gravitate to my mother daily and how I am missing my best friend. And I realize that life does go on, and each day there is perhaps a little less sadness and a little more peace of mind. So, here I am with the newest offering on the blog since this past April, something spicy, perky, sweet and perfect for the fall season.  My mother would have thought these cupcakes were gorgeous.

ORANGE SPICE CUPCAKES

2 1/2 cups of flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. salt

Stir these dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Now, as many of you know, I have a jar of cardamom that I've been trying to utilize and justify the cost ;-)  Yes, it was expensive, but amazingly I am nearly finished with the jar!!! (I've used the better part of it sprinkled into my coffee grounds before brewing, excellent.)  If you do not have cardamom and don't want to invest, then don't add it.  Replace it with cloves, or nothing at all.

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. orange extract (buy it where you buy vanilla)

1 1/4 cups of milk

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla and orange extracts.  Stir in the flour mixture and the milk alternately into the butter/sugar mixture, stirring only well enough to combine, ending with the milk.  You don't have to use a mixer for this.  Divide the batter between approximately 16-18 paper-lined muffin tins, filling about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes or less in a preheated 350 degree oven or until a cake tester comes out clean, or when the cakes spring back when you touch them.  Makes around 1 1/2 dozen.

ORANGE COCONUT CREAM CHEESE ICING

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened (you can use light)

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted to get the lumps out

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. orange extract

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 Tbs. milk

Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter.  Stir in the salt and the extract.  Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, adding a drop or two of milk each time.  It's amazing how little milk you actually need to make an icing consistency.  Don't overdo it, or you'll be adding more powdered sugar to compensate for your soupy icing.  Stir the coconut in last.

If you like toasted coconut as a garnish, spread a nice handful on a piece of tin foil and stick it in your toaster oven on, what else... toast.  Watch it so it doesn't burn, and stir it every couple of minutes until it is a nice toasty color!

I brought these to my hair salon today and gave them to my awesome son, Evan, for beautiful hair color, and to Melrose, for the greatest cut.  They shared!  

Make these and let me know in the comment section how you loved them.

Chocolate Crusted Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Whew... that's a big name for this little pie.  But I couldn't just call it a pumpkin pie.  One member of my household called it a Hybrid Special. I thought that was pretty funny. But who would find my pie searching for Hybrid Special?  If you own my cookbook, you know that I feature this pie in the dessert section, except that in that recipe I use a regular pie crust and glaze the top of the cooled pie with a maple syrup concoction.  Sounds pretty good, right?  It is.  But not being able to leave well enough alone, I decided that these four things, chocolate, pumpkin, orange and cream cheese would taste pretty good together.  And they do.  Try this one of these days before the holidays and decide for yourself if offering a variation on a theme would be a good idea.  I offered a choice last Thanksgiving, and everyone loved both the traditional pie and the Hybrid!  Here's the recipe.

CHOCOLATE CRUSTED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE
1 chocolate pie crust (such as Oreo brand)
1 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, softened (I used the Neufchatel 1/3 less fat)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange peel
1 egg

1 1/4 cups of canned pumpkin (don't stress over the little bit that's left in the can)
1 cup evaporated milk (use the rest for your coffee or cooking)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
Dash of salt
Whipped cream for garnish

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the pie crust on a cookie sheet and set aside.
• Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange peel and egg. Beat on low speed with a mixer until smooth. Spread onto the bottom only of the pie crust and even it out with the bottom of your spoon.
• Combine remaining pie ingredients and mix very well until nice and smooth. 
• Carefully pour this mixture over the cream cheese mixture. You might have a little bit left that just won't fit.
• Place pie in the oven on the cookie sheet to prevent a spill and bake for around 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
• Remove pie from oven and cool on a rack completely.
• Chill and garnish with whipped cream. A few chocolate sprinkles on top of the whipped cream, or a couple of candy corn arranged nicely would look great!  Enjoy!!!

Note ~ you can substitute 1 3/4 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices above.

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips...Yum!

Yesterday was Taco Salad night.  We love that around here. And even though everyone has their take on a taco salad, I'm offering up my method here, along with the recipe for awesome, crunchy, better than store bought, thick, restaurant style tortilla chips. I posted my recipe for Chicken Taco Salad back in July. You can click on this link, and it'll take you to the recipe. I make Salsa Lime Dressing to go with my salads, and it's delicious, recipe for that is included on the same page.   And of course I don't forget my new fav cheese of choice in the salad, Cabot Hot Habanero and Seriously Sharp Cheddar. Seriously hot and seriously good.

I like a crunchy texture and always add crushed up, store-bought tortilla chips but decided to try a recipe I had seen on line for homemade chips. Fun to make, your kids will enjoy making the tortillas into shapes and seasoning them.  I made some of mine with just kosher salt and garlic powder and some with Emeril's Seasoning. Here's the simple recipe....

HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLA CHIPS
1 1 lb. pkg. 6" diameter corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
Your imagination with seasonings

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. With a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the tortillas into wedges. One 6" tortilla with make 4 tortillas. Place on a cookie sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.  Place a small amount of oil (I wouldn't use olive oil for this) into a dish, and brush each tortilla lightly with a little oil.  Sprinkle each with your choice of seasoning. I know someone who used Ranch Seasoning Mix with some powdered garlic, and the chips came out tasting better than a Dorito!  After seasoning, bake the chips for 10 to 11 minutes. No need to turn!  Remove from the oven and transfer to some paper towels.  While they are warm, give them an extra little hit of seasoning.  Delicious! and Baked not Fried!!!

Enjoy, and tell me who didn't like these!!!

Seasoning Tip~ Another great idea for seasoning ~ Cinnamon and sugar!

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!

Orange and Raisin French Toast

Yesterday was a busy day. We had a birthday in the house. So starting with a great breakfast and ending with a fun evening in downtown Delray Beach, with probably the most perfect weather day we've had in months, it was an all around great day.  Here's the recipe that I whipped up using Pepperidge Farms Raisin Swirl Bread.  It was buy one get one at the store a couple of weeks ago, so there was a surplus of raisin bread around.  It came in handy this morning. I usually recommend a thicker sliced bread, like a challah (or egg bread) for making french toast, but the thinner sliced raisin bread was delicious. You gotta try it!

ORANGE AND RAISIN FRENCH TOAST

Whisk Together:

4 eggs

2/3 cup of milk

3 Tbs. orange juice

Grated peel of half an orange

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

Place your slices of bread in a baking dish (13x9). Eight slices fit pretty okay but will overlap slightly. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, turn once, and allow them to soak up the mixture for a good few minutes, turning occasionally.

My tip for turning and getting them out of your baking dish in one piece is to use a spatula. If you use your hands, they're going to tear and fall apart. Use a spatula and save yourself the aggravation!

In a skillet, heat equal amounts of butter and vegetable oil, a spoonful or so of each. Fry four at a time if it's a large pan on medium to medium high heat until golden brown, a few minutes each side. Remove to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Add extra butter and oil for the next batch. This makes eight slices. 

Now I know I've made jokes about using a good old jar of Spice Islands orange peel or lemon peel in some of my recipes, but I gotta say that when you've got the real thing around it's so much better, and pretty easy to do.  That's what I did here. Tammi and Marvin were right, "Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing Baby...." 

Enjoy, and let me know how it turned out.

P.S.  This recipe and more than a hundred pages of other great recipes, stories and pictures can be found in my book Singingirl Cooks! If you don't own a copy and would like to, let me know.  Thanks!

Apple Cranberry Streusel Pie

I am never going to become famous posting to this blog once a month. Of course, I wasn't thinking about becoming famous at blogging at all. There are hundreds, no thousands, of really good food and recipe blogs out there. Nonetheless, here is another entry being humbly offered for your reading and eating enjoyment. It's a delicious twist on the great old standby - apple pie. I think I mentioned once or twice how I am trying to use that expensive jar of cardamom that I bought.  Okay, I threw some in this recipe for good measure, plus a few other ingredients to make this pie one that tastes as awesome as it looks. Try it, and please leave a comment for me to let me know you stopped by.

STREUSEL TOPPING

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4 Tbs. cold butter

PIE FILLING

1/3 cup white sugar

2 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cardamom

2 tsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup dried cranberries

8 or 9 apples (2 1/2" small size)

1 frozen deep dish pie crust shell

1 Tbs. butter

Prepare the streusel topping by combining the brown sugar, flour, walnuts and butter. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to mix the streusel into a crumbly mixture. Set aside.

Peel and thinly slice the apples. Place in a large bowl and add the white sugar, flour, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice and cranberries. Stir to coat evenly. Pour this mixture into the deep dish pie crust, packing it down a bit as you go.  Listen, if you want to make your own crust, knock your socks off. I just love those frozen crusts! Mound the mixture higher in the middle. Top evenly with the streusel, packing it down well. Dot with the Tbs. of butter. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 50 to 55 minutes. Remove to a rack and let it cool before slicing.

This recipe is not part of the not so famous "Singingirl Cooks!" cookbook.  If you are interested in knowing more about owning the book, please let me know and I'll tell you how easy it is to make that happen!