chocolate peanut butter cupcakes...

24 chocolate cupcakes (made from scratch or a mix)

peanut butter frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 Tbsp butter; room temp

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream or milk

Place first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and mix on medium low speed until creamy. Add the cream or milk and beat on high speed until light and smooth.

I wish I could say that I made the cupcakes from scratch. I can say that I attempted to make a fabulous "from scratch" recipe, but they bombed. That's another story for another day...

This recipe is of course, another Barefoot Contessa winner (if you don't have any of her cookbooks, go buy one...or ALL of them!) It is amazing. Top the cupcakes with chopped peanuts or crushed up peanut butter cups and oh my!

cake & ice cream {updated}...

chocolate cake

vanilla bean ice cream; melted

fresh raspberries

Let ice cream soften to liquid state. Pour a small (or large!) amount of ice cream on the bottom of dish. Top with a slice of cake and sprinkle with fresh red raspberries.

Cake & ice cream...like you've never had it before. This is a dessert idea from the amazing Barefoot Contessa. Ina, I love you.

I will admit I was a little skeptical of this dessert at first. Shame on me. The cake just soaks up the ice cream and that combined with the tartness of the berries is just delicious. Take away the paper plates and this would make quite an elegant after dinner offering.

omelet for two..or four..or six...

1/4 lb good thick-cut bacon (I used 8 slices precooked)

1 Tbsp butter

1 cup medium diced potatoes (I used red potatoes)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp minced jalapeno pepper (I left this out)

5 extra-large eggs (I used 3 whole and 2 egg whites)

2 Tbsp milk or cream (I used milk)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onions

4 oz extra sharp cheddar , diced (I used 1 cup grated)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the bacon in 1-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in an 8-inch ovenproof saute pan over medium low heat for 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until browned. Drain the bacon on paper towels and discard the fat from the pan. (If using the precooked bacon omit this step. Warm it in the microwave, cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.) Add the butter to the pan, then add the potato and onion. Cook over medium low heat for about 10 min, tossing occasionally, until the onion starts to brown and the potato is tender but firm. Add the jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together with a fork. Stir in the green onions and cheddar. When the potato is cooked, add the bacon to the pan, spreading evenly and pour over the egg mixture. Place the pan in the oven for 15-20 min, until omelet puffs and the eggs are almost cooked in the center. Sprinkle with a little grated cheddar and bake for another minute. Serve hot directly from the pan.

Thank you, thank you Ina. This made a delicious dinner...for all six of us! If you are reeaallly hungry then possible this could be shared by two people, but 1/4 of it really is filling. I LOVED it. Mine only took 15 min (maybe even a little less) so check it after about the 12 min mark. I served it with french toast cups, and it was a great meal for the entire family. One of my most favorite things about this recipe is that all of the ingredients are things I usually have on hand. I loved that I was able to make something this wonderful as a last minute dinner.

sour cream coffee cake muffins...

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream (I used reduced fat)
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

For the streusel:
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
Spoon half the batter into the cups and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the cups, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes.

This is another favorite Barefoot Contessa recipe. Her original recipe calls for making a cake in a tube pan. I don't have a tube pan, so I made muffins instead (I got 24). Next time I will swirl the streusel throughout...you know, get a little in every single yummy bite! I will be purchasing a tube pan, though for the next time just so I can try it that way, too. The original recipe also called for a glaze made with pure maple syrup drizzled on the top...yum! I omitted this step, but I'm sure it would just have added to the deliciousness of the finished product. Very moist, very, very good. I also LOVE any recipe that can be considered a breakfast food OR a dessert!!!

(24 muffins-5pt each)

popovers...

1 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted, plus softened butter for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees .
Generously grease popover pans with softened butter. You’ll need enough pans to make 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for exactly 2 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes. DO NOT PEEK.

I have always wanted to try to make these. I was a little put-off at first that I needed to buy a special pan...especially after a lengthy search and no time to head to the baking supply store...I got lucky and happened upon a popover pan at Target (of all places) for $11. Score! Popovers can seem a little daunting, but this is just one where the recipe needs to be followed EXACTLY, and I promise it will turn out. This is another fabulous Ina Garten specialty. They were a nice change from bread or rolls, and perfect for a special occasion.

ham & cheese in puff pastry...

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere or cheddar, cheese sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper or a silpat on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

I love Ina. She, yet again, came through. The episode where she makes this just aired today...I didn't even watch the whole thing, but I knew I needed to make this. She recommends this for a cocktail party...One man's appetizer is another man's dinner.

My family loved it.

(I used a little more ham than the recipe calles for in as much as it was dinner)

*cut into 12...1 serving 7 pts*

plum tart...

2 cups flour

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

12 tablespoons cold butter (1 1/2 sticks), diced

1 egg yolk

2 pounds firm, ripe plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.
Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oh my, oh my.

That really is all I have to say about this.

Not really.

The other thing I have to say is that this is DIVINE. It is so good that I will NOT be making this again for a long time. Yea, it's that good. Seriously.

I have been wanting to make this for a couple of years, but I always seem to think about it when plums aren't in season. Well, this time I remembered. I got some beautiful plums and got to work. I was so happy {after the long wait} that it did not disappoint. This is another fabulous Barefoot Contessa recipe. Once again, Ina comes through.

*Just a little tip...sometimes cutting stone fruit can be a little bit of a pain. The first side is a piece of cake, but the side with the stone is a PAIN. So, I used my measuring spoon (pictured above) to remove the pits. They popped right out. This works for peaches and nectarines, as well (as long as they are not too soft)

Also, when pressing the crust into your pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup helps get the crust nicely pressed in to the bottom & edges.

peach raspberry shortcake...

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp cold butter (1 1/2 sticks), diced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

sweetened, whipped cream

ripe peaches; diced

raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, the baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. Blend in the butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add to the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will be sticky.
Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flour your hands and pat the dough out 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough.
Cut biscuits with any size or shape cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly greased.
Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on size of biscuits), until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked. Let cool on a wire rack.

Split each shortcake in half crosswise and place the bottom half on a plate. Spoon whipped cream on top, then place the sliced peaches and raspberries on the whipped cream, then place the other half of the shortcake on top and serve.

This is a very elegant take on shortcake. They are very biscuit-like, and very rich. The sugar sprinkled on the top created an extra sweetness that was really tasty. You could add a little more sugar to the dough for extra sweetness, but try it, as is, first. Also, milk could very easily be substituted for the heavy cream in the dough. The cream made it extremely rich.

When patting out, stick to the 3/4 in to 1 in thickness. Any thinner than that and you will end up with hockey pucks. Try not to handle the dough too much before cutting out. You want the butter to stay cold so they will be light and fluffy.

It would be very cute to cut out with a star, heart, etc. Just remember to keep the dough on the thick side. I used a 2 inch in diameter biscuit cutter that made about 20 servings.

recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa...LOVE her!!

cranberry orange scones...

No "Tuesdays with Dorie" for me this week. I admire the rest of the TWD gang for tackling the "Brioche Raisin Snails"!! Way to go guys! Click here to check out the TWD blogroll for some pretty fabulous takes on this recipe.

My offering this week, instead is another amazing Barefoot Contessa recipe...cranberry orange scones...

4 cups plus 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling

2 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp grated orange zest

2 sticks cold butter, diced

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup cold ½ & ½

1 cup dried cranberries

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash

icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and 1/2 & 1/2 , with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles. Brush with egg wash & sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10-15 min, until golden brown. Drizzle with icing when cool.

chicken pot pie...

*filling*

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and diced

6 Tbsp butter

1 small onion, diced

2 med potatoes, peeled & cubed

3 carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 -3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup green peas; frozen

2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steam carrots & potatoes until almost fork tender. In a med saucepan cook butter & onions until onions are translucent. Add flour and cook about 1 min. Add milk and chicken broth. Cook over med heat, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and add chicken,vegetables, parsley, salt & pepper.

*pastry*

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 pound cold butter, diced

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

salt and pepper

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter. Pulse 10 times, or until the butter and shortening is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Place filling in desired baking dishes. Paint egg wash around edges of dish(es), so pastry will stick. Roll out pastry on a floured surface and cut pieces that are a little larger than baking dish (allowing it to drape over the sides). Carefully transfer dough to cover filling. Try not to pull or stretch dough, just pick up, or wrap around rolling pin and place down. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with salt & pepper (if desired). Cut a few slits in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 min until golden brown and bubbly.

I usually don't cook such a time consuming meal, but this is one I have wanted to try for a while. I had a little extra time this weekend, so I did what I love to do... cook! THIS WAS FABULOUS!! The filling recipe is adapted from the pot pie recipe that was served in the Marshall Fields restaurant for years. I changed it up a little to fit my tastes. The pastry is a recipe from Barefoot Contessa. I know, it is a lot of work...but if you have the time/desire...give it a try. It seriously is the best I've tasted. And...the family loved it!

roast chicken...

*herb roasted chicken*

1 5lb (approx) whole chicken fryer

1 onion

fresh herbs (whatever you like)

2 Tbsp butter or olive oil

salt & pepper

Rinse chicken thoroughly with water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season inside with salt & pepper. Stuff with onion and herbs. Rub chicken with butter or olive oil (all over...for even browning) and season with salt & pepper. Tuck wings under chicken body. Place in lightly greased roasting pan and roast at 425 degrees for 60-90 min. (depending on size of chicken) Chicken should be cooked to 180 degrees on thermometer (test around wing & thigh), you can also tell it's done if the juices run clear with no pink color, and the leg moves back and forth easily. Remove from pan and let rest about 15-20 min (all of the juice runs out if you don't do this...aka...dry chicken).

This is such a hit at my house. My boys eat this like ravenous carnivores! I got the idea for this a few years ago from Barefoot Contessa (my idol), but I've tweaked it according to our tastes. This is sooooo very good when stuffed with lemon and thyme or garlic & onions & herbs, etc. I used rosemary this time, but seriously I add different combinations each time I cook it. I always thought roasting a whole chicken would be quite the undertaking, but it really is fast & easy. I know, I know, you can buy great rotisserie chickens, but give this a try...you'll be so proud of yourself!

coconut macaroons...

If you love someone who loves coconut...make them macaroons for Valentines Day!

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a samll ice cream scoop, or 2 teaspoons. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (watch closely), until golden brown. Cool.

*These cookies are very easy to make, but anything with egg whites can be a little tempermental. Avoid baking these if there is a lot of humidity in the air. I highly recommend baking them on parchment lined baking sheet, or a silicon liner. If you are not using either of those, grease your baking sheet well and gently remove the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven to a cooling rack. If you are so inclined, a little drizzle of chocolate on top would not offend the recipient!

They really are worth the effort!!