Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans

Once again horrible, quick photos. You will have to overlook them please, because these two things are very tasty.

First up, Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits. My son chose dinner the other night and he wanted fried eggs, sauteed swiss chard & spinach, and biscuits. I know for a fact that these were not the kind of biscuits he wanted, but I was ready to try them, so I made half of them without the cranberries. This recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour and it makes a very tender, delicious biscuit. My daughters and I thought the ones with cranberries were very good and my son enjoyed those that were cranberry free.

Second, this Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad. I'm happy to say that I have completely overcome my dislike of sweet potatoes. The key for me is to combine them with savory and/or spicy ingredients. I made this salad for a Christmas party and it was really delicious. Pretty simple too. I didn't follow the directions exactly because I wanted to add the lime juice and olive oil bit by bit, so I could adjust the taste and I also wanted the little bites of jalapeno to be in there, not pureed. I loved this salad. Many people requested the recipe. It is a fun, healthy alternative/salad that can be shared at this time of year.


Here is the recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans
* I didn't puree the dressing, I just added the jalapenos, lime juice and other ingredients
the the roasted veggies & beans
* I used less olive oil than called for, both when roasted the sweet potatoes and when dressing the salad


Here is the recipe for Cranberry Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
* I used low-fat buttermilk
* I only added frozen cranberries to half of my biscuits

Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno

I wasn't planning on posting about any of the things I made for Thanksgiving, but everytime I eat some of this Cranberry Salsa that was leftover, I think about how good it is and how I should really share it. The picture is from a few days after I made it, so you can't see the intense green of the cilantro and jalapeno, but the flavor is still there. This salsa was so delicious on turkey and I have been eating it on almost anything since then. It is good with pita chips, on crackers with cheese, with fresh cut-up veggies, on salad greens, sandwiches, etc. It is so good. It has a nice spicy bite, thanks to the jalapenos, but it isn't too strong. Just the way I like it. Plus, right now there are still lots of fresh cranberries available and this would be a great dish to share at any holiday dinner, get-together, or for an ordinary day.

Here is the recipe for Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno
* I used about 2 Tbls less sugar than the recipe called for, but used white granulated sugar and not a sugar substitute

Thai Summer Slaw

This Thai Summer Slaw from Cooking Light is summer perfection. It combines napa cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, radishes, jalapeno, and green onions in a light, slightly spicy dressing. It is crunchy, flavorful and completely delicious.

I was planning on making this for a potluck dinner that we were going to attend, but I forgot to buy a lime. I debated going ahead and making it with lemon juice instead, but I decided to wait, buy the lime and follow the recipe. I'm glad I waited! I don't think lemon would have given the dressing the right flavor.

The day I was planning on making this for dinner, I prepped all the veggies (the photo above) and the dressing and kept them in the fridge until I was ready to serve it. Cutting all the veggies took a little bit of time, but getting that out of the way earlier in the day really made this a fast and easy dish to serve. I grilled some tuna steaks to serve along with it and it was a really great dinner.

Here is the recipe for Thai Summer Slaw
* I only added a 3/4 tsp of sugar to the dressing

Spicy Cucumber and Blueberry Salad

I know it really isn't "technically" summer yet, but guess what- at my house, it is. When you are dealing with mid 90's, no school, swimming, sun and fun- that is summer.

I' m all about the fresh and quick salads right now. I saw this in a magazine and decided it would be a fun twist on 2 of our favorite ingredients- blueberries and cucumbers. Plus, I love spicy, so this was a fun one to try.

Colorful, light and easy. I really couldn't ask for anything more on a hot summer day.

Spicy Cucumber and Blueberry Salad from Everyday with Rachael Ray
2 lbs. english cucumbers, halved lengthwise
salt
1 large jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs discarded, finely chopped
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbls olive oil
1 pint blueberries
1 cup cilantro leaves

1. Thinly slice the cucumbers into half-moons, about 1/8-inch thick; season with salt.
2. In a large bowl, combine the jalapeno, lime juice, garlic and cumin; whisk in the olive oil. Add the cucumbers, blueberries, and cilantro and toss to coat.

Cooking Ligh Virtual Supper Club- Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Roz chose our theme this month- Spring is Berry-licious Season, for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. Each of us chose a recipe that highlighted some kind of berry and we came up with a delicious menu. Check it out below-

Roz - Pork Medallions with Spicy Pomegranate-Blueberry Reduction

Sandi - Raspberry Asparagus Medley

Mary Ann - Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Jamie - Balsamic Strawberry Topping

Jerry -Raspberry Daiquiris

Val - Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds

I don't know why I am drawn to wierd salsa combinations, but this strawberry and avocado salsa just seemed so interesting to me that I had to try it. I made it when my parents were here visiting, after my dad bought a large bag of avocados. I made it on a night when we were having tacos for dinner. We tried it with some tortilla chips and it was really good. Even though I forgot to add the sugar! My mother and I added some to top off our tacos and it was a really great addition. I was actually glad that I accidentally left out the sugar because it made the salsa seem savory, with just the right amount of sweetness from the strawberries.

I noticed that a very similar recipe was in the May issue of Cooking Light, but was paired with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips. I am going to have to make it and compare the two.

Make sure you go and see how the rest of the menu turned out!

Here is the recipe for Strawberry-Avocado Salsa from Cooking Light
* I forgot to add the sugar, but I thought it tasted great that way

Pickled Grapes

No, this is not some sort of April Fool's Day joke- These things are real.

A couple of weeks ago, my 22 year old brother excitedly told me about a salad he tried at The Wild Grape Bistro in Salt Lake City, that contained Pickled Grapes. He said that they were A-mazing! and found a recipe that he wanted us to try when he came to visit me. He was here last week and one of the first things we did was make Pickled Grapes.
Making the pickled grapes was really easy. You combine vinegar, brown and white sugar, ground cinnamon, ground coriander, and whole cloves (I used ground since I didn't have any whole) and bring that mixture to a boil. Then you add chopped crystallized ginger and diced jalapenos. Next, the grapes are added to the spicy, vinegar-y bath to take an overnight soak.

That was the hardest part for my brother- leaving these grapes alone overnight so they could soak in all the spices and flavor.
He said that at The Wild Grape, there was a small hole in each grape, made with a toothpick or something, that helped the grapes suck up some of the spices and flavor from the vinegar mix. We didn't do that to the grapes, but next time I think I will, to help them pack even more of a punch.

The day that the grapes were ready we made a nice big salad for lunch. It was one of those hodge-podge, anything goes salads, where we just chopped things up and added them to the mix.
We used a base of baby spinach, spring greens and baby arugula. Then we added chopped bell peppers, chopped cucumbers and the pickled grapes. Next some poached chicken and roasted pepitas. We topped it off with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Goodness gracious! What a tasty salad. These things are spicy sweet, tart and vinegar-y, earthy from the spices. What a mix.

We had them on another salad the next day and the day my brother flew back home, he took a large plastic bag of these little guys to snack on, while on his travels through the airport and on his flights. I was wishing that I had more than a few leftover because I really wanted to experiment a little bit more with them- maybe turning them into some sort of salsa or in a different type of salad or something.

I guess that is a good excuse to make more!

Just a little note- my brother and I both thought that the red pickled grapes were more delicious than the green ones, but I am still glad we tried some of both.

Recipe for Pickled Grapes
* I used mostly red grapes, but green too
* I didn't have whole cloves, so I added about 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves to the vinegar/spice mixture
* I removed some of the seeds from jalapeno, but left the ribs when I diced them

2 Thanksgiving Salads- Pear & Arugula Salad and Priscilla's Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Here are 2 more recipes that would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving Day Menu. Both of these salad recipes were featured in the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

I decided to make the Pear and Arugula Salad because I love arugula and thought the flavors would be great together. Arugula has a nice peppery bite to it, which I absolutely love. The red pear, sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese and delicious, light lemon dressing really made this a refreshing salad. Sometimes the traditional Thanksgiving dishes are so heavy, that I think a nice, light salad would really brighten up the table and add some much needed green to the menu.

The Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad was just too interesting to pass up. I have noticed persimmons the past couple times I have gone to the grocery store, but until I saw this recipe, I really had no idea what to do with one. My kids love pomegranates, so we have been munching on the arils quite a bit already this fall, and the ones at the grocery store right now are beautiful-so large and bright red.
I forgot to pick up pine nuts, so I just subbed in roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). This salad has a nice kick from the jalapeno and the lime juice really brings all the flavors together.
Persimmons are really tasty and so beautiful when you slice them. Be brave and try this salad, you might really love it!


Recipe for Pear and Arugula Salad

Recipe for Priscilla's Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Mexican Street Salad

This is my new favorite food.

Nancy, shared the link for Mexican Street Salad from Jamie Oliver, when I sent out a tweet asking for ideas for side dishes to take to a dinner at my MIL's.

She said she was going to make it that night and I have to admit, after looking at the beautiful picture of all the colors and veggies, I was intrigued.
I decided I was going to make it and take it as a side dish for this dinner.

Nancy told me that she and her husband enjoyed it but that it had a little bit too much heat for some of the other people that tried it.
When I made it, I decided to cut back on the jalapenos a little bit, so that it would be crowd/kid friendly.
It is made with white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, radishes, cilantro (fresh coriander), jalapeno, red onion, and then dressed with lots of fresh lime juice, a little olive oil and sea salt.

Jamie also notes that whatever veggies are in season would be a great addition to this salad.
So, I added 1/2 of a finely diced green pepper, chopped fresh green beans, and the celery hearts with their leafy tops that I was saving for soup.
I also shredded my carrots, so they would be the same thickness as the cabbage. I used angel hair coleslaw mix, which comes in a bag by the lettuce, because it is very finely shredded and easy to use.
I left out the red onion to reduce the heat a little bit and added a sprinkle of garlic powder and cumin.

The fact that this takes literally minutes to throw together is wonderful, but it is also one of the most delicious things I have tasted. The simplicity of the lime juice/olive oil/ coarse salt dressing (kind of) just really brings out the great flavors of the cabbage and other veggies. The radishes add a nice touch of heat.
When I was mixing this up, I took a bite and was blown away. It was soo good.
I took it to the dinner, to share, and the kids, as well as adults, loved it.

I actually made a very large bowl of it saturday night and ate it for dinner while everyone else was eating pizza. I had some last night and will have some today too.
I know Nancy has made it again as well.
The great thing about it is that you can make it super spicy and hot if that is what you like, or you can hold back a little bit on the spice depending on how much jalapeno and red onion you use and totally make it great for whatever taste you prefer. And it is so fresh.
Did I mention I love it?

Recipe for Mexican Street Salad

One Year Ago-Edamame Soup with Feta Croutons and Shrimp or Chicken Summer Rolls with Honey-Lime Dipping Sauce

CEiMB-Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza

The recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly this week was Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza. This recipe was chosen by Joanne and you can find the recipe over at her blog- Apple Crumbles or by clicking on the link at the bottom of this post. Joanne amazes me every week because she cooks so many variations of each recipe to satisfy the people in her family. Make sure you check out her blog.
I was excited to try this recipe because the black bean dip that you use as the spread for this pizza sounded really tasty. I made these for dinner last night and luckily, Kayte made them for lunch, so she tweeted about how good they were, just the way the recipe was written. Since she raved about them as is, I didn't change anything about these when I made my first batch.

I even got out my little cookie cut and made tiny little tortilla circles and I think this would make a great appetizer or party dish. Very delicious.
I could not keep my fingers out of this black bean dip. It was good. Plus the whole thing took maybe 20 minutes to make- blending up the dip, throw the pizzas together, cook and clean-up. I can handle that.

For my hubby and kids, I added some shredded chicken before I put the cabbage (I used angel hair coleslaw from the bag, which is just cabbage, but already thinly sliced) on top and then melted a little cheese on top. No complaints from any of my family members. They actually really liked this dinner too.
I will be making the dip again and hope that maybe there will be some left to make another pizza. I am not making any promises about that. Go to the CEiMB Blogroll to see what everyone else thought about these Mexican Pizzas!

Recipe for Black Bean Mexican Style Pizza


One Year Ago-Lunchbox #3

Sesame-Chile Chicken with Gingered Watermelon Salsa

Today life changes as we know it at our house.
College Football started on Thursday and that is when the craziness slowly started to appear, but today is when it will take over full force.
The Georgia Bulldawgs play their first game today and I can pretty much guarantee that I won't see much of my husband until January. At least he is passionate about something, right? I am looking on the bright side here.
Ok, I might be exaggerating a little bit- but I learned the first couple years that we were married that GA football reigns supreme in the fall and I have just accepted it. There is nothing that is more important. But that also gives me lots of opportunities to make tasty food, so it is a good thing.
Here is to a great season! It is good to be back in the South!

Now, I have this thing for watermelon. I love it. A lot.
A couple of weeks ago I tried a fantastic tilapia dish with watermelon salsa- that was soo delicious!
I saw this recipe- Sesame Chile Chicken with Gingered Watermelon Salsa, on the cover of some sort of Cooking Light special magazine. The salsa ingredients for this one were slightly different, so I wanted to try it and compare the 2 watermelon salsas. This recipe also has great reviews on myrecipes.com, almost everyone who has reviewed it gave it 5 stars.

This chicken was really good and so was the salsa, but I liked the tilapia dish better. The watermelon salsas were fairly similar but had a few different ingredients- the one with the tilapia was spicier and I just like fruit salsas with fish better.
Don't get me wrong, if I had tried the chicken first and never had the tilapia, I would be raving about it even more. It was good.

I am soo excited for a 3 day weekend-football, hiking and time with family. Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!

Recipe for Sesame-Chile Chicken with Gingered Watermelon Salsa

One Year Ago-Smoky Black-eyed Pea and Rice Cakes with Spinach Garnish on Cornbread

Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

I have this thing for watermelon. I really love it. I think that if I had to, I could probably survive off watermelon alone.

I also really like fruit salsas. Especially when they are paired with fish or other kinds of seafood.

I was thumbing through one of my cookbooks and found this recipe. I thought it sounded really good and I knew that my kids would love the fish, so I decided to try it.

The salsa was spicy! I don't know if I just got a really hot jalapeno or it was the combination of the jalapeno and the red onion, which was a hot one, but it had a real spicy kick- which I loved.
It was a little too much for my kids- they all tried it, but couldn't handle the heat, so they ended up eating the fish on its own, with some plain watermelon and sliced green peppers.

I can't even tell you what a wonderful combination this was. The tilapia was flavored just right and the watermelon salsa was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. Putting the 2 together was amazing. One of the best dinners I have had in awhile. I was sorta glad that the salsa was too spicy for my kids, because that left more for me!

Recipe for Cornflake Crusted Tilapia with Sweet and Spicy Watermelon Salsa

One Year Ago-2 Bean Wonton Taco Cups and Fajitas

Spicy Black Bean Cakes with Lime Cream

Recently, Kristina Drociak, from Stonyfield Farm, contacted me and asked me if I had heard of OIKOS Organic Greek Yogurt. She mentioned that it was a great substitute for sour cream and mayonnaise, and a wonderful way to make lower-fat dishes. I told her that I had heard of it and actually kept it in my fridge and used it as a substitute in almost every dish I prepared that called for sour cream and even in baking. I was so excited when she sent me some coupons in the mail!
I like to get the large containers of plain Oikos that I use for cooking/baking and the smaller containers that are flavored with blueberries or honey, to eat for snacks. The great thing about it, is how natural it is and also, that it isn't too sugary sweet. That is my main problem with most yogurts out there. They are so sweet and sugary, it just doesn't seem that they can really be healthy. I also like how Oikos is thick and creamy and natural.
My friends mother found this recipe for Spicy Black Bean Cakes on allrecipes.com and sent me the link because she thought it looked like something I would like. Guess what? She was sooo right.
I really love black beans and this was a really great recipe. You cook up some onion, garlic, spices and then add the black beans and mash up the mixture a little bit. Add some shredded sweet potato, an egg and bread crumbs, and you have great little patties. To keep it healthy, they are baked in the oven and they get nice and crisp.
They are paired with a spicy lime cream (This is where the Oikos came in) and I also served sliced tomatoes on the side. We had these for dinner and I will definitely make them again. Yum!

Spicy Black Bean Cakes with Lime Cream from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
Lime Sour Cream:
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream (I used Plain Oikos Greek Yogurt)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, minced
salt to taste
Bean Cakes:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 green onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, pressed
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups grated raw sweet potato
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs

Directions:
1. To prepare lime sour cream, mix the sour cream, lime juice, 1 small minced jalapeno, and salt together in a small bowl. Cover, and refrigerate.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook green onions until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic, 2 diced jalapenos, and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl. Stir in black beans, and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in sweet potatoes, egg, and bread crumbs. Divide into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.
4. In the oven, set cooking rack about 4 inches from heat source. Set oven to broil. Lightly grease baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil.
5. Place bean patties on baking sheet, and broil 8 to 10 minutes. Turn cakes over, and broil until crispy, about 3 minutes more. Serve with lime cream.

Up Next- TWD- Amaretti Torte

Aggie's Food and Football Days- His and Hers' Nachos and Red Velvet UGA Cupcakes 2 ways, with Fluffy Meringue or Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my entry to Aggie's Food and Football Days event. I made one of my husbands favorite things to eat while he watches the game, featuring our Georgia Bulldogs!

I try to serve my family healthy dinners, but my husband would be happier eating the way that he wants too. That is why I decided to make him the Nachos of his dreams and decided I was going to have to make 2 kinds, because our nacho dreams are very different.

So, here I go with my stereotype. I made 2 kinds of nachos, his and hers. You might disagree with me and maybe it is different in your family, but this is how it works in ours. Above, are HIS (a little less healthy) nachos-ground sirloin, seasoned with spices, jalapenos, black olives, and a melty cheese sauce (I usually use a nice white, Mexican melting cheese, but after searching every grocery store in town and even making a special trip to a bunch of authentic stores, with no luck,) I settled for Velveeta mixed with salsa. HER nachos are below- multigrain tortilla chips with flaxseeds and seasoned with sea salt, spicy blue corn chips, refried beans, pinto and black beans, red and green pepper, tomato, and shredded cheese- popped under the broiler.

Now on to our team. My husband was born and raised right outside of Athens, Georgia. I grew up in Utah. I was lucky enough to finish up my degree at UGA. College Football is a different experience down in Athens. I had never seen anything like it. The tailgating, the clothes, the millions of people that are everywhere. You can't understand it until you experience it. It blew me away. We are diehard University of Georgia Bulldog fans. (GO DAWGS!)

So, in honor of the red and black, I decided to make red velvet cupcakes. I did a taste test, using 2 different cupcake and frosting recipes and made the colors a little more fun with alot of food coloring. The black cupcakes with meringue frosting were more popular with the kids and tasted very chocolaty. The red cupcakes with black lemon cream cheese frosting were more popular with the adults, so everyone was happy!

His Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 2 hungry guys or more if servings are smaller :)

White Corn tortilla chips

1 pd. ground sirloin

dehydrated onion

cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano

jalapeno slices

sliced black olives

6 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

3/4 cup salsa

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbls canola oil. Brown ground sirloin, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with onion, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and oregano. Cook completely and set aside.

In a microwavable bowl, combine velveeta and salsa. Melt in microwave, 30-50 seconds at a time, stirring, until completely combined and melted.

Place desired amount of chips on a plate or serving platter. Place seasoned meat on top of chips. Add jalapeno slices and sliced olives.

Drizzle warm cheese sauce over the top and Eat!

Hers' Nachos by Mary Ann-serves 5-6 adults

Multigrain Tortilla Chips with Flaxseed and Sea Salt

Spicy Blue Tortilla Chips

fat free refried beans

1 can black and pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 each, red and green pepper, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

shredded cheese

Preheat broiler. On a large cookie or baking sheet, layer desired amount of chips. Drop spoonfuls of refried beans over chips. Spoon beans over chips. Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top

Broil until cheese melts and nachos are warm.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Fluffy Meringue Icing
Recipe courtesy Wes Martin (found on Food Network site)

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons red gel paste food coloring ( I used black) (See Cook's Note*)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature (I used half nonfat Greek Yogurt)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Red, pink and white miniature nonpareils, for sprinkling

Meringue Icing:

5 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Pinch fine salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 drops pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with pink or white cupcake liners
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Occasionally turn off mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until incorporated after each addition. Add the food coloring and vanilla and mix well.
With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour, waiting until each addition is well incorporated before adding the next. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and soda, and once fizzing has stopped, add to the batter and mix well.
Divide the batter evenly in the tin, filling each liner about 3/4 full. Bake until cupcakes are set and spring back when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
For meringue icing: Bring a few inches of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan large enough to hold a standing mixer bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt together in the bowl until combined. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds a soft peak, 4 to 5 minutes. With the speed on low, add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase speed to medium and continue whisking until mixture is glossy and holds a stiff peak, 1 to 2 minutes more.
To decorate: Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread about 1/2 cup meringue over each cupcake and sprinkle with nonpareils. Cupcakes are best served the day they are made.
*Cook's Note: If you're unable to find gel food coloring, add drops of liquid food coloring until the desired shade of red is achieved.

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Better Homes and Gardens
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
2¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce bottle of red food coloring (2 Tbsp.)
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp vinegar

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3 In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. One at a time, add eggs; beat on medium speed after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
4 Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture; beat on low-medium after each just until combined. Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter; beat just until combined.
5 Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently remove cupcakes from pans; cool.
6 Frost with lemon cream cheese icing* or dust with powdered sugar

*Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting by Mary Ann
1 stick butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 pd powdered sugar, sifted
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest. Frost cupcakes when cool

Cupcake Hero -Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream, Raz-Pepper Preserves, and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I have to admit- when I saw the theme for this month's Cupcake Hero, I was a little shocked. I mean, I have heard of mixing chocolate and chilies, but JALAPENO for a cupcake? My mind was completely blank. Completely. This month is being co-hosted by 2 guests, Rachel- Confessions of a Tangerine Tart and Teri-the 90/10 rule. And they are the ones responsible for this interesting challenge. I was racking my brain, seriously, and then, when I was at the Farmers Market with my mom and sister, I saw the answer to all my problems-Pepper Jelly. PepperLane Products happened to have a booth at the Farmers Market and they were selling ALL sorts of Pepper jelly. We tasted-Blackberry Buzz,Pepp'ricot, Cherry Bomb, etc. You get they idea. There was every type of Pepper jelly and I decided that Raz-Pepper would pair perfectly with these Lemon Cupcakes which have a cream cheese center and lemon cream cheese frosting. I added a 1/2 tsp to the filling before the cupcakes baked and then swirled some into the frosting and, SURPRISE- They were amazingly delicious! Try them out for yourself and see.


Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream from Gourmet Magazine, makes 5 large cupcakes 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cream cheese (about 2 ounces), softened

2 1/2 tsps Raz-Pepper Preserves

Preheat oven to 350° F. and line four 1/2-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk in 2 teaspoons zest. In another bowl with a fork blend butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon juice until smooth. With a wooden spoon beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until smooth. Stir butter mixture into flour mixture until batter is combined well.
In a small bowl with a fork stir together cream cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon juice until lemon cream is smooth.
Spoon 3 level tablespoons batter and about 1 tablespoon lemon cream into each paper liner. Drop 1/2 tsp Raz-Pepper Preserves over the lemon cream. Spoon remaining batter over preserves, and smooth the tops. Bake cupcakes in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until golden brown, and transfer to a rack to cool.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting with Raz-Pepper Swirl

1 stick butter, softened

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 pd powdered sugar, sifted

juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Raz-Pepper Preserves

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and lemon zest. When ready to pipe, spread desired amount of Raz-Pepper jelly into your decorating bag and fill with frosting. Pipe onto cupcake. or, stir desired amount of preserves into frosting and spread onto cupcakes. There will be leftover frosting.

BB-Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Once again it is time for Barefoot Bloggers. This recipe was chosen by Sabrina and Alexander of Cooking with The Kids. I used skim milk and also, omitted 1 stick of butter because Anne said she had made it before that way and it didn't affect the taste or texture. Hey, if I can cut the butter in a recipe and still have it taste great, I will do it. I am glad I did. The texture was great. It was light and airy. It kinda reminded me a muffin or cake, not really cornbread. I guess the cornbread I am used to is really grainy. I still had the desire to eat it with honey (that is how we do it at our house), but refrained. It was a great choice and we ate it along side some great veggie soup (see below). Go check out the BB blogroll and see what everyone else thought about this choice!
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread 2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups milk

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan

8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided

1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions

3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature