Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes

FOR THE FILLING
8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

FOR THE CUPCAKES (makes 12)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup water
1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling: 

- Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. 

- Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350
- In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. 

- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. 

- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. 

- Divide the batter among the muffin cups, leaving just a couple spoonfuls behind in the bowl (if you’d like to marble the tops, as shown). 

- Spoon a couple tablespoons of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. - Spoon any remaining chocolate batter back over the cream cheese center, if you plan to marble the tops. 

- Use a butter knife inserted only about 1/2-inch into the cupcake to swirl the batters together decoratively. 

- The cupcakes will be almost completely full (90%), which is fine. If you still have batter leftover, make one or two additional cupcakes.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. 

Cookies and Cream Birthday Cake

Cookies and Cream Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed oreos

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9x13 inch glass pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy. 
3. Add in the egg whites, mixing with a spatula. 
4. Add in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly with the electric mixer. 
5. In a separate mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. 
7. Add in the crushed oreos. 
8. Mix until just incorporated. 
9. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly.
10. Bake for 40-44 minutes or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. 

Macaroni and Cheese Updated

1 stick butter
4-5 tbsp flour

(***for gluten free: substitute GF flour and a little cornstarch slurry)
2 cups milk
2 blocks of sharp cheddar, shredded
1 block of monterey jack, shredded
2 packages of elbow macaroni

Melt butter over medium heat in pot
Slowly whisk in flour
Slowly add milk, whisking
Turn up heat a little to thicken
Add in shredded cheese in batches, turn down heat

Makes enough to go with 4-5 lbs of macaroni!

Easy Waffles

Quick, easy waffles. Makes about 4 large belgian waffles.

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder


Instructions:

1. In stand mixer beat eggs
2. Add milk, oil, vanilla
3. Add in salt, flour, sugar, baking powder
4. Mix until just blended
5. Spray waffle iron with oil, cook waffles for about 3-4 minutes
6. Good additions: banana, bacon, mini chocolate chips

Salted Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 tsp salt

Yield: 1 jar of caramel sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In medium saucepan, combine sugar and water
2. Cook over medium-low about 5 minutes until sugar is dissolved
3. Add butter, let it melt
4. Turn heat to medium, bring mixture to boil, stop whisking
5. Boil about 15 minutes or until deep golden color, watch carefully as it darkens
6. Once darkened, remove from heat immediately and whisk quickly as you add cream
7. Add vanilla and salt
8. Allow to cool, store in fridge

Salted Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces or 255 grams) salted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 6 ounces (170 grams) semi- or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped (you want chunks, not thin shards of chocolate)
• 1 large egg
• Demerara, turbinado, raw, or sanding sugar, for rolling
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Beat the butter, granulated and brown sugars, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed. 

Add flour, and mix just until combined. 

Add chocolate chunks, mix just until incorporated. Mixture will look crumbly.

Divide between two sheets of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap and use your hands to form the dough halves into log shapes about 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat your oven to 350°F. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Lightly beat the egg and open up your chilled cookies logs to brush it over the sides. 

Sprinkle the coarse sugar on the open paper or plastic wrap and roll the logs into it, coating them.

Using a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds.

Arrange cookie slices on prepared sheets one inch apart (they don’t spread much) and sprinkle each with a few flakes of salt. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to get golden brown. 

Let cool slightly before transferring to the cookies you don’t eat immediately to wire racks to cool. 

Do ahead: The dough can made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, up to 1 week in the fridge, or 1 month in the freezer. Baked cookies keep in an airtight container for 5 days, or so I’ve heard.

Potatoes Gratin

Recipe by Gabi!

2 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for greasing ramekins or pan $1 for a stick
1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and chopped $0.50
1 large or 2 medium shallots, chopped $0.50
1 cup heavy cream $1.50 for a pint
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg $1.50 for 1 oz.
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese $3.50 for 8 oz.
2 lbs Russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced paper-thin (use a mandolin or the thin, flat edge of a grater) $2
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper Pantry
Total Cost of Ingredients $10.50


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 4 ramekins or 1 8“x8” baking dish.

Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and shallots and cook 7-8 minutes, or until softened and very fragrant.

Pour cream over the leeks and shallots. Sprinkle in nutmeg and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan and stirring as it cooks, then remove from heat.

Toss the sliced potatoes with the salt and pepper and arrange half of them on the bottom of each ramekin (or on the bottom of the baking dish, if using). Pour about 1/8 cup of the leek-shallot-cream mixture over the potatoes in each ramekin (or 1/2 cup in the baking pan). Divide 1/2 of the cheese evenly between the ramekins (or sprinkle over the potatoes in the baking dish). Repeat layering once more, finishing with the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbly. Serve hot.

Makes 4 individual gratins or 1 large gratin (serving 4-6).