Chocolate Glazed Donut Muffins

makes about 9 muffins

2 cup flour
scant 1 cup sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Cake Spice + 1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Mix in the eggs, oil, butter, milk and vanilla.
Grease the muffin pans. Divide the batter between the muffin cups–an ice cream scoop works great!
Bake for about 18 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool in pan on rack for about 5 minutes, then turn on out on rack to cool.
Cool completely before glazing.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup (I use Golden Syrup)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the ingredients together over low heat or in the microwave, stirring often. Add extra corn syrup if needed to make a smooth, shiny glaze. Yield: about ½ cup glaze.

If you’re using sprinkles, get them on there right after glazing the muffins so they’ll stick.  And then let the muffins sit for a bit so the glaze can set up.  The easiest way (for me) to glaze them was to put the glaze in a bowl that’s kind of narrow at the bottom, so the glaze isn’t too shallow.  If it is, you’ll be bumping the muffins on the bottom of the bowl and won’t get a pretty glaze.    

Bucatini with Tuna and Baby Peas

This comes together very quickly—so have everything ready to go and right on hand.  Because you don’t want to burn the garlic while running around looking for the broth and peas.  That would completely ruin this, or any dish!    

    * 16 oz. bucatini, spaghetti, or your favorite pasta
    * 3 tbsp. olive oil
    * 6 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
    * 1 1/2 -2 cups frozen baby peas
    * 2 cans tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
    * 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
    * 1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
    * 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    * olive oil to drizzle over

Directions

   1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions is a large pot of salted boiling water.
   2. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.
   3. Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds–don’t let it burn!
   4. Add the chicken broth, peas, tuna, salt, and pepper; stir gently until heated through, about 1 minute.
   5. Remove from the heat.
   6. When the spaghetti is done, drain well and put it in a large bowl, then add the tuna mixture; toss gently to coat the noodles.
   7. Add the Parmesan, and toss it all together.
   8. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
   9. Garnish with more parmesan, and add a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh black pepper.

My Spice Sage

I also want to take the time to announce my new partnership with MySpiceSage.com.   They’re a great company selling quality spices—which I’ve been using for the last few weeks, and you’ll see popping up in more of my posts.  I’ve loved every one of them so far!  And also?  The people are nice!  That counts for a lot in my book.  So say hello to Jon and tell him I sent you.  Be sure to check out their About Us page on the site to read more about their company.

Not only do they have all of the major everyday spices that we all use, but they also have some amazing blends.  The Greek, Pork, and Pizza seasonings come to mind immediately.  We’ve tried all three and they’re fantastic!   Check them out—you can click to see them in the two ads in my sidebar.  Those will take you to their Bestsellers page, but to see all of their spices, click on the links in their right-hand side bar.

Beet greens from 3-4 large beets, rinsed well and drained, then roughly chopped
2 shallots, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

Sauté shallots with garlic in a little olive oil over medium heat–don’t burn!
Add the beet greens and toss them in the oil mixture, after about a  minute, add the broth.
Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the lid, and squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Bean Mash inspired by Pithy and Cleaver

1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can white beans (don’t drain!)
about 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

In a pan, heat the oil over medium low heat.  when it’s heated, add the garlic and cook slowly, to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor.
Add the beans and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Begin to mash them with a fork, or a potato masher–even the back of a spoon.
Add the basil, lemon and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the greens and the bean mash on toasted whole grain baguette slices.

1 1/2 cups Erewhon Raisin Bran
3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Cake Spice
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup agave or honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup diced dried figs
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350.
Pour the boiling water over the figs and set aside.
Grease a loaf pan.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, blend the egg, oil, agave, vanilla and applesauce together.
Add to the dry ingredients and stir; fold in the figs (and any leftover water from the figs) and nuts.
Pour into loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

3 1/2 cups Uncle Sam Cereal (Original)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 smallish bananas (1 cup total mashed banana)
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add the wet stuff to the dry stuff, fold in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake for about 18 minutes, until tester comes out clean.
Cool in pans for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.

6 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon sizes
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Place a large bowl, filled halfway with ice, in the sink (a bowl that is large enough to hold the pot that you will cook the frosting in).
In a medium size pot over med low heat; melt chocolate, cream, and butter.
Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until all of the butter and chocolate melts and thickens, about 5-6 minutes. Do not boil.
Remove pot from heat.
Whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar until mixture becomes smooth (approximately 1 minute). Put the pot on top of the bowl of ice. (Be careful to not allow any ice from the larger bowl to get into pot with the chocolate mixture.)
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 4-5 minutes until frosting becomes smooth, thick, and fudgy. Remove from ice.
Spread onto cooled cake layers.
The frosting will thicken as it sets up.
If the frosting gets too hard to spread, put back on low heat and stir constantly until you get the spreading consistency desired.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to almost a boil.
Add the chopped chocolate and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir until completely smooth.
Stir in the Chambord, or your choice of liqueur. This is optional, but so, so good in the finished truffles!
Pour into a square pan (her recipe says 6", but I only had and 8" pan, and it was fine) that you’ve greased and lined with parchment paper. Don’t grease the paper. I cut two sheets of parchment to fit, one sheet going one way, the other going the opposite way, so there were "handles" for lifting on each side.
Refrigerate for two hours or until firm.
To serve, lift the truffles out with the paper, cut into squares, and dust with cocoa powder.

Let them come to room temp for about 20 minutes before you serve.
Will keep in fridge for 10 days.

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 (28 piece) boxes Andes Mints, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 375.
Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixing bowl until fluffy.
Combine the flour, cocoa, soda and salt, then add alternately with the milk–blend well.
Stir in the mints.
Drop by teaspoons on parchment covered baking sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes–don’t over bake!
Cool for a minute on the sheets and remove to cooling racks.

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 recipe for Bananas Foster, bananas mashed, sauce set aside
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in bananas, then eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt and add alternately with buttermilk to mixture.
6. Beat just until blended.
7. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bananas Foster
recipe adapted from Alton Brown

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tbsp water
4 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup light rum

Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat.
Add brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg and stir
until sugar dissolves.
Add water and bring sauce to simmer.
Add bananas and cook for 1 minute on each side, carefully spooning sauce over bananas as they are cooking.
Remove bananas from pan to a serving dish.
Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add the rum.
If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own.
If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency.
Immediately spoon the sauce over bananas and serve. Or smash up to make cupcakes!

Bananas Foster Buttercream
adapted from Gale Gand

The added salt in this really adds a nice touch and cuts the sweetness.

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
sauce from Bananas Foster

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter.
Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and sauce and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.
Make your Bananas Foster, bake your cupcakes, make the frosting, toast some coconut, and you’re all set! These are really delicious. If you don’t want to use the rice flour, go ahead and use whatever you prefer. The cupcakes themselves aren’t sweet at all, so the big old heaping pile of icing is very nice, not to mention the toasted coconut!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a pan, melt the butter along with the salt, pepper and flour and stir until smooth.
Remove from heat add milk and wine, then return to heat and bring to a boil.
Boil 1 minute while whisking.
Remove from the heat and add both cheeses, and stir until melted.
Pour over elbows, mix well, and pour into very lightly greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with panko and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.