Butterfly Cupcakes

Posted in cupcakes, Dessert, Entertaining by

Last weekend we celebrated my nieces 1st birthday. I still can’t believe it’s been a year! Don’t you just want to pinch her cheeks?

Her parents decided to do a butterfly themed party. I got so excited because I’ve been dying to make butterfly cupcakes since I saw them on Annie’s blog. I am going to refer you to her blog on how to make the butterflies. She created a wonderful tutorial. But I will give you a couple of additional tips. I was having a hard time trying to draw out the wing. I finally got one that I really liked and decided to cut it out and trace it on a piece of paper. This worked out great, I was able to have the same looking and same sized wings. Just remember to flip the wing over so you have a right and left wing. The other thing I came up with was after I melted the candy melts in the piping bags. I decided to lay the piping bags on a heating pad. I removed the the fabric cover (glad I did cause it got messy) and set it to a medium temperature. I never had to go back and re-heat the candy melts. It was a huge time saver!

After everything got put together, I was very happy with how it turned out. When trying things for the first time there is a lot of trial and error. I was almost ready to give up but I am glad I didn’t. I did try a new recipe for the vanilla cupcakes. I loved them and will be making those again. I got it from Sweetapolita she makes some of the best looking cakes I have ever seen. This was my first time trying one of her recipes and I can’t wait to try more!

For Tori’s smash cake, I decided to do cake mix from a box. I figured hands and face will be messing it up so need to go crazy on something homemade. Of course the frosting is homemade, it’s my favorite go-to icing. It always gets great reviews!

She liked the frosting! But she ended up being one of the cleanest 1 year old I have ever seen. I’m so glad everything turned out great and Tori had a wonderful time for her first birthday.

Bakery Style Vanilla Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 batch of favorite icing (sometimes I like to double it so I have a ton of frosting on top of cupcakes)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners of your choice, 24 total.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, ending with the dry ingredients. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
  5. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and fill about 2/3 full, and bake in middle of oven until tops turn golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out just clean (a few crumbs is okay), about 18 minutes.
  6. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Source: adapted from Sweetoplita

Baby Boy Onesie Cookies

Posted in Cookies, Dessert by

I love making onesie cookies. I previously made girls ones for my niece and now it’s time to make boy ones for my nephew. I was unable to make my sister-in-laws shower down in Orlando, so I made these and sent them down.

I used the same sugar cookie dough that I have in the past. I tried doing a new technique with the royal icing but got a little frustrated when it wasn’t turning out how I wanted it. So I went back to the squeeze bottle way of filling in the cookies. Bake at 350 has tutorials on each of her decorated sugar cookies.

I am still having a hard time writing on the cookies. As with anything, practice makes perfect. I just have to keep doing it and not be so scared.

I know they had a great time at the shower and they enjoyed the cookies.

Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Posted in Healthy, Main Dish, Pork by

We have been doing really good about eating better and I’m constantly on the lookout for fresh ideas. I have my go-to recipe when it comes to pork tenderloin but there are times I want something different. When I got the new America’s Test Kitchen Light and Healthy 2012 magazine, I saw on the front cover was a fabulous looking pork tenderloin. This is the first recipe I’ve tried out the magazine, and there will be a lot more to follow.

I loved the combination of fennel and artichokes. I left out the olives because my husband despises them, but left them in the recipe so you can choose to put them in or not. I find it’s very important to get the silverskin off the tenderloin. If you don’t, the pork can be chewy and will get into a weird shape while cooking.

The picture above shows what the silverskin looks like. Take your knife and angle it slightly upward and use a gentle sawing motion to cut the silverskin away from the meat. That’s it! Very simple and makes for a better tenderloin.

Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

  • 2 (1lb) Pork Tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat and silverskin
  • 2 tsp dried herbes de Provence
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 large fennel bulbs, stalks discarded, bulbs halved, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch thick slives
  • 12 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry
  • 1/3 cup pitted nicoise or kalamata olives, chopped coarse
  • 8 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbs grated lemon zest plus 2 tbs juice
  • 2 tbs minced fresh parsley
  1. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat pork dry with paper towels, then season with herbes de Provence, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. 
  2. Combine the fennel and 2 tbs water in bowl, cover and microwave until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain fennel well and toss with artichokes, olives, 2 tbs oil, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. 
  3. Spread the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Lay pork on top of vegetables. Roast pork and vegetables for 15 minutes. Turn pork over and add tomatoes to roasting pan. Continue to roast pork and vegetables until meat registers 140-145 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes longer. 
  4. Transfer the pork to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Stir broth and lemon zest into vegetables and continue to roast until fennel is tender and tomatoes have softened, about 10 minutes.
  5. Stir remaining 2 tsp oil, lemon juice, and parsley into roasted vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice pork 1/2 inch thick and serve with vegetables. 

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Posted in Cakes, Dessert by

When I see the photos of the blueberry cake, I am very sad. Not because they are some of the last photos I took with my point and shoot camera (I just got a new DSLR camera). But because the cake is all gone and I can’t have another piece. This cake is one of the best I’ve ever had and what makes it even better is that it’s a lightened up recipe.

I must stress to you that when it comes time to check the cake, there must be crumbs on your toothpick. It will continue to bake a bit once it’s removed from the oven. Doing this will ensure that you will have a very moist and delicious cake.

Now, go make your shopping list and be sure to get everything you need to make this cake. That is my plan for the weekend. I must have another piece of the cake, STAT.

Healthier Blueberry Crumb Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (2 1/4oz) whole-wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup packed (5 1/4oz) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2oz) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup lowfat sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with baking spray. 
  2. Pulse the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a food processor to combine. (You should be able to do all this with an electric mixer or stand mixer also but I have not tried it.) With the food processor running, add 5 tbs of the melted butter and process until the flour mixture looks sandy. 
  3. Transfer 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to a medium bowl and set aside for the topping. Add the sour cream, egg, and vanilla to the flour mixture in the food processor and pulse until the mixture just comes together, about 8 pulses. (Do not overmix) If using a stand mixer, stir on low till just combined.
  4. Transfer the batter to a large bowl (or keep in the stand mixer bowl) and gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 
  5. Stir the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon into the reserved flour mixture. Add the remaining 1 tbs melted butter and toss gently with a fork until incorporated and some larger pea-sized crumbs have developed. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the batter. 
  6. Bake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs attached. 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. 
Serves 12.
Per Serving – Calories: 240 Fat: 7g Sat Fat: 4g Chol: 35mg Carb: 38g Protein: 3g Fiber: 1g Sodium: 170mg
Source: Slightly adapted from Americas Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

Posted in Chicken, Main Dish by

There are times when I see something on my Google Reader and I have to make it right away. This is one of those times. Pioneer Woman posted this recipe and it looked so good, that I knew I had to make it ASAP. What makes it even better is that I already had all the ingredients. It was totally meant to be. I am going to admit something… I am not a huge chicken fan. If given the choice, I won’t ever pick chicken. I will make it and eat it, but I won’t ever get seconds. I loved this dish so much, that I got a second piece of chicken! Even my daughter, who doesn’t like a lot of saucy things, loved it. This says a lot. The only thing I changed from the original recipe was adding shallots. Personally, I love shallots, but my husband said I could leave them out next time. It’ll be up to you and whether you want to add them or not.

You must go make this dish now! It’s fast and easy and you won’t regret it.

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce:

*Serves 4-8

  • 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or 8 chicken cutlets
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 3 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
  • 2 medium shallots sliced thin (optional)
  • 1 cup Brandy (or White Wine If Preferred) *I loved the Brandy*
  • 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Grainy Mustard
  • 1/4 cup (to 1/2) Heavy Cream
  • 1/4 cup (to 1/2) Chicken Broth
  • Salt And Pepper, to taste
  1. If using chicken breasts and not cutlets, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have eight smaller, thinner chicken cutlets. Salt and pepper both sides.
  2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cutlets on both sides until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and keep on a plate.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Next add the garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute, stirring to make sure it won’t burn. Next pour in the brandy (or wine if using) being careful if cooking over an open flame. Then just let the brandy bubble up and cook until it’s reduced by half.
  4. Throw in the mustards and stir to combine, then pour in the cream. Stir in chicken broth, adding more if the sauce seems too thick. Taste sauce and adjust whatever you think it needs. Add chicken breasts back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Allow sauce to cook for another few minutes, shaking the pan if needed to move things around.
  5. Serve chicken with the sauce spooned over the top.

Source: slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Muffins by

Muffins are an amazing thing, they are usually served during breakfast and most of the time have some sort of fruit inside. But when they turn decadent, like chocolate chip muffins, why do we feel guilty eating them for breakfast? They are muffins, right? At least, this is what I tell myself when I grab one for breakfast and so should you. I can’t even begin to explain how wonderful these are. I shared the muffins with some of my daughters friends and I now get requests to make them again.

When I scooped the batter into the cups, I realized they looked sad and needed a  little freshening up. I remembered that I had leftover mini chocolate chips from the chocolate chip cookie dough dip and knew I had to sprinkle them on top. It was a great decision. You can never go wrong when adding in more chocolate!

Chocolate Chip Muffins:

  •  7oz semisweet chocolate
  • 1/3 cup butter, cut into cubes (makes melting easier)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips and extra for sprinkling
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Using a double boiler or glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat. (You could use the microwave. Place chocolate and butter in microwave safe dish and cook on 50% power for 30 seconds, stir and continue this till the chocolate and butter are melted)  Let the chocolate/butter mixture cool (10 to 15 minutes).
  3. In a medium sized bowl, lightly beat two eggs. Add the milk, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla to the egg bowl.
  4. Stir in the cooled chocolate/butter mixture until blended well.
  5. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the chocolate mixture, and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
  6. Place liners in 12 muffin cups and divide the batter evenly into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Slightly adapted by Flax and Twine

Whole-Grain Pancake Mix

Posted in Breakfast by

I am a pancake girl and I will always pick pancakes over waffles. One thing I can promise you right now, I will only give you pancake recipes that I truly love. The past couple months I have tried making pumpkin pancakes and cake batter pancakes. But they have not lived up to my standards. I am still on the lookout for that perfect pumpkin pancake and I hope to find it by fall.

Since we have been eating a bit healthier, I wanted to get a pancake mix I could use on the weekends and not feel guilty about eating. I’m so happy I was able to find it on the first try. This recipe makes a mix that you can keep in your refrigerator for a long time and use it as you need it. It couldn’t be any simpler. I usually always have buttermilk in my refrigerator, but if you don’t, you can easily make a substitute at home. I’ll include that in the recipe. I hope you enjoy these pancakes as much as we did.

Whole-Grain Pancake Mix:

For the mix:

  • 4 cups white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur)
  • 1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I use King Arthur)
  • 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned or rolled oats
  • 3 tbs sugar
  • 3 tbs baking powder
  • 1 tbs salt
  • 1 tbs baking soda
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  1. Grind the oats in a food processor until they’re chopped fine, but not a powder.
  2. Put the flour, oats, and all other dry ingredients into a mixer with a paddle. (A hand mixer could also be used) Mix on slow speed, and drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl slowly while the mixer is running.
  3. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature, or indefinitely in the refrigerator or freezer.

For the pancakes: serves 4

  • 2 cups pancake mix
  • 2 cups buttermilk*
  • 2 large eggs
  1. Whisk together the pancake mix, buttermilk, and eggs till just combined. (The batter will be thin but will thicken up as it sits.) Let sit for 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and set a baking sheet in the oven.
  3. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. If using an electric griddle, set temperature to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the pan with some butter.
  4. Drop 1/4 cup of the batter onto heated pan. Cook pancakes till the edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface without breaking , about 2 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes, till done. Transfer the pancakes to the warmed oven and continue the process till the batter is gone. Enjoy!

*Buttermilk Substitute… Stir together 2 cups milk with 2 tbs of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes until thickened.

Source: King Arthur Flour