Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes w/ Buttercream Frosting

I saw this recipe on a facebook page and had to try it.  Who doesn't like to eat the cookie dough when making cookies?  Don't worry this doesn't have any raw eggs in it so it is safe to eat as much as you want... ok it isn't safe for your butt or thighs.  It was a two step process since you have to make the dough and freeze it over night but I made extra and than it is ready for another time (or just to eat)!  The cupcake recipe below makes more than 24 cupcakes.  I would probably half the recipe next time I make it.  Overall very good recipe!  I will make them again sometime.  The link to the blog that I got the recipe from is included at the bottom if you are a visual person and want to see pictures to make you drool!

For the cookie dough:2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the cupcakes:3 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:3 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cookie dough directions:

Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

Cupcake directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.

Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.

Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

Frosting directions:

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cupcakes.html#ixzz1RzpXnboP

Orange and Ginger Chicken

The rice was amazing and really easy to dress up.  The chicken was good too but I cut myself doing the dishes and got side tracked with the bleeding and forgot about the chicken.  It got a little too done and the orange zest lost its flavor.  I will for sure make the rice again and probably the chicken again when I'm not bleeding. I would also put more ginger in the breading that the recipes says.  All in all... it was a good dinner.

Ingredients:

1          cup uncooked basmati or regular long-grain white rice

2          cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1          egg

2          tablespoons milk

1          cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2       teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2    teaspoons grated orange peel

4          boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb), each cut in half

1/3       cup canola or vegetable oil

3          tablespoons orange marmalade

1/4       cup sliced almonds

1          tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1          medium orange, cut into 8 slices

Directions:

1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat rice and broth to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 20 minutes.

2 .Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat egg and milk with fork or wire whisk. In shallow dish, mix Bisquick mix, ginger and orange peel. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with Bisquick mixture.

3. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until browned on outside and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

4. When rice is cooked, fluff with fork and stir in orange marmalade. Place rice on serving platter; arrange chicken on rice. Sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Garnish with orange slices.

Recipe courtsey of Betty Crocker

Orange Rhubarb Spread

Who doesn't have a bunch of extra rhubarb laying around?  Ok, well I don't but I know people or I can go to the farmer's market and get some for cheap.  I'm not a fan of rhubarb cakes or anything that has chucks of rhubarb in it so when my sister came across this recipe in my freezer meal cookbook I had to try it.  I think it has great flavor.  The orange juice offsets some of the sweetness from the 4 cups of sugar in the spread.  Dont let the color turn you off... my rhubarb was more green than red so it looks like pea soup.  I added a little red food coloring to make the color a little more presentable.

Ingredients

4 cups diced fresh or frozen rhubarb

2 cups water

1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

4 cups sugar

Directions

• In a large saucepan, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 7-8 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Drain and reserve cooking liquid. Cool rhubarb and liquid to room temperature.

• Place the rhubarb in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Transfer to a 4-cup measuring cup; add enough reserved cooking liquid to measure 2-1/3 cups. Return to the saucepan.

• Add orange juice concentrate and pectin; bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to a full rolling boil; boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; skim off foam.

• Pour into jars or freezer containers; cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate or freeze. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks and freeze for up to 12 months. 

Thai Chicken Noodles

I was trying to use ingredients I had at home.  I found this Thai Tango Mild Peanut Sauce in my fridge and so I made dinner around this sauce.  The sauce is originally from Tastefully Simple but I don't think it is available any more.  I'm sure you could find a peanut sauce at the grocery store.  I found the recipe on the Tastefully Simple website.  Both my boyfriend and I really liked this recipe.  Highly recommended.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic
1 green pepper, chopped
4 oz. can mushrooms, drained
1 small onion, chopped
12 - 16 oz. prepared fettuccine pasta
1/3 - 1/2 cup Thai Tango Mild Peanut Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add chicken and sauté until no longer pink. Add Garlic Garlic, green pepper, mushrooms and onion; sauté until vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes). Add prepared hot pasta to chicken mixture; stir in Thai Tango Mild Peanut Sauce. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Wild Rice-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe is a little time consuming but very yummy!  The stuffing could be made ahead of time.  I made it for a birthday dinner and it went well with the Brandied Carrots recipe on my blog. 

This recipe is for 6 chicken breast halves, which will make good planned-overs, but you can scale it back for 2-4 breasts.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Stuffing:
1 large onion, minced
2 ribs celery, minced
2 medium carrots, minced
3 c. cooked wild rice
10 mushrooms, chopped (optional)
1/4 c. roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. sage
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
additional salt and pepper

Gravy:
1 can Cream of Something soup
1 can milk or water
1/4 c. dry sherry or vermouth

Pat the breasts dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350.

In a skillet, cook the onions, celery, and carrots in 2 Tbsp. butter until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. If you are using mushrooms, add them and cook them until tender. Add the seasonings and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wild rice and sunflower seeds (if using) until it is well combined with the other ingredients. Check the seasonings and then allow the stuffing to cool enough to handle.

Use a thin, sharp knife to cut a pocket inside the chicken breast, with the entry hole at the top of the breast. Take care not to cut a pocket in your hand. Alternatively, you can butterfly the breast and wrap it around the stuffing.

Stuff the breasts. If you wind up making some extra holes, it's OK--just stuff them as best you can. Sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper.

In a frying pan or a stove-top safe roasting pan, heat the remaining butter to medium-high. Fry each breast briefly, doing your best to keep the guts inside (it will still taste good). Place the breasts in the roasting pan and surround them with any remaining stuffing.

Mix the cream soup with the milk and sherry (this is easiest if you heat it in the microwave). Pour it over the breasts and wiggle them around a bit so that the soup mixture coats the bottom of the pan. Place in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the breasts reach 155 in the center. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest 5 minutes. Serve with gravy spooned over, green veggies and cranberry sauce.

Egg Casserole

Want a very unhealthy egg bake that tastes yummy?  I have a recipe for you.  This was pretty tasty but as you can see it isn't very good for you.  It is a little on the salty side.  You probably could half the recipe and make in a 8x8 pan.  Best part of this recipe is you can assemble the night before and just bake it in the morning.

1 dozen hard boiled eggs (sliced)
1 lbs. bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups crushed potato chips
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
2 cups Velveeta cheese, diced

Sauce:
Cook together butter and onion until onions are clear.
Mix flour and milk.  Heat until this thickens.  Add cheese.
Put butter and onion in sauce

Put 1/2 of the 1st three ingredients in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Then pour over 1/2 of the sauce.  Repeat layers (make 2 layers).

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour.

New Recipes

I promise I have new recipes.  I just keep forgetting them at home and when I get home the last thing I want to do is look at a computer.  I have put it on my list to remember to grab the recipes tonight and put them in my work bag.  Most are new freezer meals that I made for my sister for her birthday present.  Stay tuned....