Month: July 2012

Cupcakes, Desserts, One Tablespoon Testosterone, Recipes

Man Cupcakes

Sarah

Hello! Ben is back with his guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

———

The dog days of summer are the worst.  It’s not the heat or the constant reminder that I’m getting old because I don’t get a summer break; it’s the fact that football season is tantalizingly close, yet still outside my grasp.  So in order to build anticipation for the slew of meaty and manly foods I’ll be making for those thrilling fall weekends, I decided to make a manly dessert.

Now it’s fair to say that cupcakes are hardly manly.  They’re delicious and I would never turn one down, but they’re often decorated with icing flowers and other colorful and aesthetically pleasing designs.  So I set out to make cupcakes that were none of those things.  There’s nothing froofy about these cupcakes.  They’re not aesthetically pleasing, unless you consider a strip of bacon to be beautiful (and I do).  But they are delicious and can be appreciated by anyone (except maybe small children).  They make a great dessert for a Super Bowl party, or any old time.

Man Cupcakes [cupcake recipe from Betty Crocker, idea inspired by a newspaper clipping from my mother-in-law]
click to print

Ingredients:

for cupcakes

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 12 ounce dark beer, like Guinness
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs

for frosting

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 ounces whiskey

toppings

  • chocolate chips
  • crispy bacon
  • salted peanuts

Directions:

We need to start by making the cupcakes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all those delicious cake ingredients together in a bowl, starting on low and then increasing to high until smooth.  When choosing your beer, I recommend Guinness Extra Stout as it blends wonderfully with the cocoa.  I can imagine that any chocolate stout variety would also be fantastic.  Pour the very devilish food cake batter into your cupcake papers (it should make two dozen-ish) and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  While these are baking, lick the beaters and bowl.

Once the cupcakes are baked, remove from oven and allow to cool.  Now let’s make the frosting.  Combine the ingredients in another bowl and mix together until smooth.  Add more powdered sugar if it’s too thin (or more whiskey if it’s too thick!).  1-2 ounces of whiskey is enough to flavor it, but feel free to add more if you want your cupcakes to burn a bit going down (yum!).

When the cupcakes have cooled frost them and add toppings.  Peanuts and chocolate chips are good options; but sticking with the manly theme, we should add some bacon.  Cook a few strips, cut/tear them into pieces, and add it to the top of your cupcakes.  Now stand back, admire your work, and hold back the tears of joy that will inevitably want to come; there’s no room for crying in manly cooking.

Time: 1 hour active [plus cooling].

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Menu Plans

Menu Plan

Sarah

Week of July 30

Monday: teryaki meatballs [didn’t make last week]
Tuesday: coconut curry
Wednesday: frittata & potato salad
Thursday: baked rigatoni with bechamel sauce
Friday: leftovers
Saturday: breakfast for dinner
Sunday: appetizers & desserts at church

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Mango Coconut Granola

Sarah

Quiz time… what do I love but never buy?

GRANOLA!

Okay, that might have been a wee bit obvious judging from the title of this post, but alas… no permanent harm done.

Seriously though, I just don’t understand how companies that sell 10-12 ounce bags of granola for SIX to EIGHT dollars apiece each stay in business. [Please excuse my internet shouting. I get worked up about overpriced items. I’m cheap frugal.] I get why they have to charge those prices… many of the granola brands I’m thinking of are organic, have a variety of nuts or special sweeteners or dried fruit, etc. And the company has to pay its employees and stay in business too, of course. That’s all well and good, and these pricy granolas are mighty tasty. But for the time being, I can’t justify paying that much moolah for one portion of my breakfast that will be finished in a week, tops. Yup, grad student speaking here. So what do I do? Make my own!

I’ve actually been making quite a few different versions of granola that I haven’t blogged about over the past threeish months… mainly because I have so many recipes in the queue that are frankly more exciting. This time though, nothing is holding me back! This Mango Coconut Granola is a tropical treat. It is officially my favorite granola of all time, a prestigious title to be sure.

So what makes this granola so great? Well, let’s see. Quiz time again.

Is it:

a) the triple punch of coconut [oil, flakes, extract]?
b) the use of almonds, the greatest nut ever?
c) the use of very expensive dried mango that my grandpa bought me at Costco?
d) all of the above.

If you picked d, you are very, very smart.

Coconut times three plus almonds plus dried mangoes just cannot be beat, even though I realize that if I added up the cost of the ingredients for this granola they might rival the expensive brands. No bother though–making things at home is part of the fun, and if you can have homemade, crunchy, flavorful granola… why wouldn’t you?

So far, my favorite way to eat this awesome granola has been with Mango Chobani and blueberries, but it’s also great with any other fruit/yogurt combo.

By the way, in case you’re interested, I’ve recently started playing with instagram a lot. 🙂 I’ve had it since I got my iPhone but never really used it til this summer. If you want to follow me, I’m @thepajamachef. Be sure to leave your username in the comments too so I can follow you back! Thanks and happy Friday!

Mango Coconut Granola [from Megan’s Cookin’]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
  • 1 1/3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided [could use unsweetened]
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar [if using unsweetened coconut, could increase to 1/2 cup brown sugar]
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/3 cup dried mango, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, 1 cup coconut, and brown sugar. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon, then add vanilla and coconut extracts. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well.

Press mixture evenly into baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir, press again, and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool completely, then add dried mango and remaining 1/3 cup coconut flakes. Store in an airtight container.

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active]

Yield: about 9 cups.

Recipes, Sides, Vegetables

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Sarah

Like many other parts of the country, this summer has been hot. From Facebook status updates to blog posts, I’ve been reminded almost daily how people simply don’t like to cook when it’s hot. It makes sense since an oven can heat up a house pretty quickly, especially if a/c isn’t your thing, and because some people lose their appetite in the heat. Well, neither of those things are really me.

I definitely like to eat at all times [and so does Ben], and I’m just not a “windows open” kinda girl [Ben is… a “windows open” kinda guy–not girl]. Maybe that will change one day when we move from an apartment to a house [started typing “hotel” there… uhh, that’s not in the plans, though my family did once live in a hotel for two weeks in between selling our old house and buying the new one… I was 8 and had fun]… since apartments have apartment size electricity bills and houses have house sized bills. But for now, I will luxuriate in our air conditioned apartment and use the oven whenever I please.

That does NOT mean though that I can’t enjoy cold dishes like this Corn and Black Bean Salad for a light meal or hearty side dish. No siree. I know that there are many version of such dishes, and this is one that my mom recently introduced me to that I have fallen in love with. The simple dressing of oil and vinegar spiked with lime and paprika really makes the dish, since the tang is the perfect pairing for the sweetness of the corn, black beans, and peppers, as well as the spiciness of the [optional] jalapeno.

I could literally eat this salad all day long… and Ben could too since there’s no onions for him to pick out! Perfection in a bowl, I say. 🙂

Corn and Black Bean Salad [from Coastal Living, July 2005]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups frozen whole corn, thawed
  • 1 large red or orange bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 small jalapeno peppers, minced and deseeded [optional]
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, and paprika in a large bowl. Add beans, corn, and peppers; toss well to coat. Finally, add cilantro and pepper and gently mix to incorporate.

Time: 10 minutes.

Yield: 6 cups.

Breads, Breakfast, Recipes

Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Sarah

So if you have a garden or know someone who does… or heck, ever go to the farmer’s market, chances are, you are practically swimming in zucchini by now. Am I right? Classic zucchini bread is good once or twice… but then, that starts to get a bit boring. What to do, what to do, what to do… I know, I know! Add some Indian spices to that classic quick bread. Since that’s the logical solution, obviously. 😉

Don’t run away now. Just think about it. Classic zucchini bread usually has sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc., right? Well, what does garam masala have in it… ummm…. oh thanks Wikipedia… pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and sometimes other things like chiles, ginger, star anise, etc. See! Garam masala–a spice mixture–is just a fancied up mix of those familiar spices. And savory spices aren’t completely unfamiliar to baked goods. Have you forgotten about pfeffernusses?

If you like Indian flavors, I can guarantee that you’ll love this twist on classic zucchini bread. This version is just as quick and satisfying, and since it’s made with [some] whole wheat flour and applesauce instead of just white flour and oil, it’s a wee bit healthier too. Though truthfully, those health benefits are probably negated thanks to the chocolate portion of this bread. Oh well, the combination of those aromatic spices with the sweet chocolate just makes this bread even more utterly delicious than it could be otherwise. It’s the perfect summer treat and I hope you’ll give it a shot… even though it may sound a bit weird. Just don’t tell those who might freak out a bit about savory spices in quick bread… at least not before they give it a try! 🙂


Garam Masala Chocolate Zucchini Bread [adapted from allrecipes.com]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour [250 grams]
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour [120 grams]
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini, pressed with paper towels to squeeze out extra water
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, garam masala, baking soda, and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy. Then add zucchini, applesauce, and vanilla to eggs and whisk to combine wet ingredients.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips, then pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check on bread at 50 and 60 minutes, and cover with foil if bread is getting too dark.

Time: 75 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 16 servings.