Double Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I came across this recipe years ago and I am still amazed at how simple, moist, and decadent this cake is. Even though it's not "from scratch" (hey, it's still homemade!) I think it's by far my favorite chocolate cake recipe.

The cake is incredibly moist and chocolatey while the extra chocolate chips add richness and even more fun! This time, I made cupcakes with the recipe, but you can also use this to make 2 9" cake rounds. It's amazing and so simple that you'd be crazy not to give it a try!




Double Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small pkg Jello instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips, plus more for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cupcake tins with linters. For cooking time, I use the cooking times on the back of the devil’s food cake box as a guide and usually add 5-10 mins to whatever it says. Then I do the toothpick check, and if it’s not done, I check on it every 5 mins after that.

Allow to cool and then frost with Vanilla Buttercream frosting and sprinkle with extra mini chocolate chips.

Spicy Fish Tacos with Southwest Slaw

Are your knives sharpened and your avocados ready and waiting?! I think Cinco De Mayo may be one of my favorite food holidays. It's amazing how much it makes me feel like summer has started (or at least it's right around the corner).

Admittedly, the sound of "fish tacos" has never really appealed to me. However, I did come across this recipe which pairs mild, white fish with a crunchy/spicy slaw. I thought I would give it a go....and I am sure glad I did! I am now a fish-taco convert. These were truly inspiring. They were lean, spicy, and had a really satisfying crunch. Plus the avocado cream added a coolness that was delicious.

If you're looking for something a little lighter (hey, I did say summer was around the corner!) or just different for your Cinco De Mayo celebration, then this recipe is for you!




Spicy Fish Tacos with Southwest Slaw
yield: 6 - 8 servings

6 whole Talapia Fillets (or Other Mild Flaky White Fish)
2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (I Use Frank's Red Hot)
Canola Oil (I had olive oil and used that)
Lime Juice, To Drizzle On Grilled Fish
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 cup Southwest Slaw
1/4 cup Cilantro, Chopped Medium-fine

FOR THE MARINADE:
1/3 cup Canola Oil
2 whole Limes, Juiced
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (from A Can Of Chipotles In Adobo)

FOR THE AVOCADO CREAM:
1 whole Large Hass Avocado, Peeled, Seeded And Diced
1 cup Sour Cream
1 whole Lime, Juiced
2 teaspoons Your Favorite Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt


Important: Make sure the fish is fresh! It should be firm, with good color, and a clean briny (not fishy) smell.

If you can’t find talapia, any mild white flaky fish would work. Mahi mahi, cod, red snapper, or halibut would be fine.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Put the fish in a gallon zip-top bag and add the marinade.

Slosh the fish and the marinade gently in the bag to ensure that all of the fish is coated.

Seal the bag (removing the excess air) and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.


Combine all of the avocado cream ingredients in an medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine, then cover and refrigerate.

Tip: The marinade and/or avocado cream can be made up to a day in advance.

Start your grill and prepare for direct cooking over a hot fire (450-500º).

Remove the fish from the marinade and drain well.

Pat each fillet dry with a paper towel.

Smear each side of each fillet with a teaspoon of hot sauce, applying it as evenly as you can.

Oil the grill grate and both sides of the fish lightly with the canola oil. The oil on the grate will smoke, so wait for it to dissipate.

Put the fish on the grill and cook for three minutes.

Flip the fish over and cook for another minute.

Move the fish to a warm platter, drizzle the fish with lime juice, and cover the platter with plastic wrap.

Quickly warm each tortilla on the grill.

To serve, offset two tortillas by half, smear the inside with avocado cream, add some fish chunks (separated with forks), then top with about two tablespoons of slaw and some cilantro.

Southwest Slaw

1/4 head Green Cabbage
1/8 heads Red Cabbage
1/4 whole Medium Red Onion, Sliced Very Thin (about 1/2 Cup)
1/8 cup Cilantro, Chopped Medium-fine

FOR THE DRESSING:
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (I actually used Mayo here - surprised?!)
2 whole Limes, Juiced
1 whole Chipotle Chile, In Adobo Sauce (canned)
1 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce (from the canned chipotle in adobo)
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Preparation Instructions

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl with tall sides, or a large tumbler cup/glass.

Blend the ingredients well with a stick blender, then set aside.

Slice the green cabbage thin (just under 1/4″) and put it in a large mixing bowl. You need about three cups.

Slice the red cabbage just like the green and add it to the mixing bowl. You need about 1 1/2 cups.

Add the sliced onion, cilantro, and the dressing to the bowl.

Stir all of the ingredients well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

(Makes about 4 cups)

Pizza Bites

This is yet another recipe from my summer party - we had quite the spread! These pizza bites are fun and super easy. They are great make-ahead snacks too. I assembled them and then put them in the freezer until I was ready to bake and serve! There aren't any real measurements in this recipe because the pizza bites are really filled with whatever you want - so go crazy!!

The pizza bites are also really kid friendly. What kid doesn't like pizza?! But, if you are looking for something a little more "adult" and elegant, play with the toppings/fillings that you put inside. The biggest hit at the party was the italian sausage and tomato - this combo is definitely a winner. But, whatever toppings you like, go for it, I promise it will be good!



Pizza Bites
1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
pizza sauce for dipping
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, italian sausage, tomato, etc.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to divide the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (*Remember NOT to add any pizza sauce here...it's for dipping afterward and will ooze out everywhere if you add it here! Trust me, I tried it.) You can add as much filling as your want, I added about a teaspoon each of cheese and pepperoni and then cheese, italian sausage, and tomatoes for the others.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan. They will be tightly packed.

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

*If freezing, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze until needed. These are great because they can be cooked from frozen whenever you want a pizza snack!

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top (this time will be longer if frozen). Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ham and Cheese Sliders

When figuring out recipes for our latest summer party, I wanted something that would be delicious, fun, but simple for me to throw together. I don't know about you, but I think food is so much more fun and cute when it's smaller! These Ham and Cheese Sliders were perfect because they are so easy to put together and everyone loved them. I had to hide a few in the fridge to make sure I got one at the end of the night. And on that note, these are amazing as late-night snack food!

You might not think that Ham and Cheese sandwiches are very special, but the sauce that you drizzle over these babies is amazing. It really takes this recipe from plain ham and cheese sammie to irresistible party food. Plus, the sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls cute the tang of the mustard to strike a really nice balance. If you don't have poppyseeds or don't want to spring the extra cash for them, don't worry. They are just to make the sandwiches a little more pretty and fun...besides, if you leave them off you won't have to worry about poppyseeds in your teeth!

Needless to say, everyone kept coming back for more and I hope you give these Ham and Cheese Sliders a try!



Ham and Cheese Sliders

For the sandwiches:
24 mini Hawaiian rolls
24 slices honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
Miracle Whip (or mayo if you're one of THOSE people - hehe)

For the topping:
2 tbsp. yellow mustard
8 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. finely minced onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Split the rolls and spread both sides lightly with Miracle Whip. Fold a slice of ham to fit on each slider bun, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Replace the top bun to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet, very close together (See picture below).



To make the sauce, combine all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake 2 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Almond Joy Truffles

When I saw these truffles, I just knew I had to make them. Almond Joy candy bars are irresistible to me and I have to have one or two...or twelve. I have even been known to raid Halloween bags for them. So although these truffles were my first attempt at making any kind of truffle, the recipe seemed easy enough. Thankfully, they turned out great and taste really close to the candy bar!

With 5 simple ingredients, a little messy rolling, and BAM! Heaven in a ball. These went really fast at my last get-together and my husband even found the ones I was hiding in the back of the fridge. (I have to find a new hiding place!!) Try these out as a special treat or a gift - they stand up really well to packing and storing.



Almond Joy Truffles

1/3 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
20 salted almonds, whole
1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted*

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, heat cream and butter until hot. Turn heat off, and stir in chocolate until melted. Chill chocolate in the freezer or refrigerator until firm (about 2 hours). Roll chocolate into 20 balls and place almonds in the centers of them. Roll truffles into coconut.

*To toast the coconut, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally but keep your eye on it. As the moisture is drawn out of the coconut, it will turn a beautiful golden brown.

Makes 20 truffles

Adapted slightly from Sugar Plum

S'more Cheesecake Bars

When an impromptu game night with friends came up, and the weather report called for rain, I was a little bummed. But, when I got to thinking about how I could bring the campfirey goodness indoors, I thought of these S'more Cheesecake Bars I had seen on Annie's Eats. They are rich and creamy (hello, cheesecake!) and really do taste like homemade s'mores. Plus, I get to use my kitchen torch and any recipe that allows me to use it immediately gets bonus points from me! But don't worry, if you don't have a kitchen torch, the marshmallows can be browned using your broiler.

These were a big hit and I had to hide away a bar for myself for leftovers :)



S'more Cheesecake Bars

For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the topping:
2 cups mini marshmallows
Milk chocolate, melted (optional)

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line an 8×8″ baking pan with foil; spray generously with cooking spray (make sure you go all the way up the sides - I had a little issue with the marshmallows wanting to stick!). Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork until well combined. Press the mixture in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.

To make the filling, place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and marshmallow fluff. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes. Blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and eggs until incorporated. Stir in the melted chocolate until well blended. Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust. Bake about 30 minutes, or until the center does not jiggle when shaken slightly. Remove from the oven.

Evenly top the cheesecake layer with the mini marshmallows. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just long enough so the marshmallows begin to melt into each other. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the tops of the marshmallows. Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle with melted milk chocolate if desired. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill 2-3 hours before slicing and serving.

Couscous with Apples, Cranberries, and Herbs

My sister-in-law brought this amazing dish to our summer party last weekend. It was a huge hit! Couscous is something that I don't often cook with, but this is so easy and full of flavor. It's great for summer. The apples and cranberries blend with the herbs and light vinaigrette so well - you should definitely give this a try!

Couscous with Apples, Cranberries, and Herbs
(by Giada De Laurentiis)

Couscous:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Israeli couscous (or barley or orzo)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 medium green apple, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, see Cook's Note

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, and almonds.
For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before using.

BBQ Shrimp Skewers

I was looking for something quick and light to round out the appetizers for my party. This were very last minute, but so simple. The recipe calls for any BBQ dry rub that you like. I highly recommend visiting www.galenagarlic.com to look for rubs, marinates, and spices. I visited their store when seeing my niece in Galena this spring. They have a ton of unique blends. Here I used the Coffee BBQ Blend. It's slightly spicey and the coffee adds a really different flavor that people don't expect. These were the first appetizer gone!

BBQ Shrimp Skewers
50 Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
10 kabob skewers
4-6 Tbs. BBQ dry rub of your choice (I used Coffee BBQ Blend from Galena Garlic Co.)
2 Tbs. Lime juice, plus some for garnish
2 Tbs. cilantro, chopped, plus some for garnish
1 tsp. olive oil

Soak the wooden kabob skewers in water for about 20 minutes to make sure they do not burn on the grill. Skewer 5 shrimp on each kabob. (To make the appitizer go a little further, you can always cut each kabob in half and skewer 3 shrimp) Place all skewered shrimp in a 13X9 pan. In a small bowl whisk together the rub, lime juice, cilantro, and olive oil. Pour over the shrimp and let marinate 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Heat grill to medium high. Cook shrimp on one side until there are grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip and finish cooking, about 4 minutes more. Remove from grill, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Brie and Almond Tartlets with Fruit Preserves

I have always loved the combination of brie and fruit preserves in puff pastry. For our party, I wanted something easy to grab and take outside so I made a small, bite-sized version. These are really simple, but make a very classy impression. You can use any kind of preserves/jam that you like and it's sure to be a hit!



Brie and Almond Tartlets with Fruit Preserves

1 puff pastry sheet
3/4 lb. Brie cheese
1/3 C. sliced almonds
Fruit preserves/jam: I used blackberry, apricot, and raspberry

Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the sheet into a 14-inch square (doesn't have to be exact). Cut into 36 (2 1/4-inch) squares. Gently place each square into mini muffin tins.

Cut the Brie cheese into 36 pieces. Spoon about 1/4 tsp. of preserves into the bottom of each pastry square. Sprinkle with almonds, saving some for the tops of the appetizer. Top the preserves and almonds with one piece of cheese. Top with any remaining almonds.

Bake the tartlets for 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool on a wire rack, but serve warm.

Bacon Pastries

This recipe came from my uncle who served them over Memorial Day. They are really easy and remind me of BLT dip. Using the flaky biscuits as a little cup is a great idea and I am really excited to try this trick out with my Spiced Chicken Wonton filling - I'll let you know how that one turns out! In the meantime, I hope you try and enjoy this recipe!

Bacon Pastries
(adapted from Uncle Tom)

4.3 oz. package of REAL crumbled bacon (I suggest Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium tomato, chopped
3/4 C. grated Gruyere cheese (you can substitute regular swiss, but the gruyere really makes it tasty!)
1/2 C. Miracle Whip (or mayo if you're not a Miracle Whip person like me!)
1 Tb. fresh basil, chopped
1 large can of refrigerated biscuits, flaky style

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine bacon, onion, tomato, cheese, mayo, and basil. Separate each biscuit into 2-3 layers. Flatten slightly with your hands and press each layer into one well of a mini muffin pan. Spoon the filling mixture into each muffin.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot and biscuits are lightly browned.

These are great hot but are also just as good at room temperature. :)

Green Olive Dip

For the party, I wanted to have a different spin on olive antipasto. I really like the salty bite of green olives and thought this dip would be great. It's so easy, everything goes into your food processor and it's done! This dip was great on chips but would also work nicely with crackers or melba toast.

Green Olive Dip
1 1/2 cups green olives (I used Spanish Manzinilla with pimento)
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In your food processor, combine the olives, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and pepper. Pulse to combine roughly. Add the olive oil and pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dip will be chunky, not smooth.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Last school year I was working just outside of St. Louis. As a wedding present from the other teachers, they put together a book of their favorite recipes. In it, there was this recipe that I’d had at many luncheons and absolutely loved. I really does taste like buffalo chicken and has just the right amount of spice for people who like their food spicy (like me!). This recipe is so easy and is always a crowd pleaser!


Buffalo Chicken Dip
(from Amy Haar and Abby Litteken)

3 chicken breasts (you can also use canned chicken here)
8 oz. cream cheese
2 C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ small bottle of Frank’s Hot Sauce
¾ small bottle Ranch dressing

*You can adjust the hot sauce and ranch to taste.

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. You can also put all ingredients into a small Crockpot and heat until warm.

Spring Menu Options

With my first dinner party/ summer bbq coming up in about 10 days, I am throwing around some ideas for food. There's going to be about 15 people in and out, so I want to have a variety, but I'm also feeling a little ambitious. Here are some items that I am considering:

Salads
- Baby Arugula Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing
- Taffy Apple Salad (Dad doesn't think this should be called a "salad" but it's SOO good!!)

Appetizers
- Mini baked brie in puff pastry with apricot or raspberry preserves and slivered almonds
- Bacon pastries or Spiced Chicken pastries
- green olive tapenade for bread
- Garlic Beer bread
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (you'd think this had CRACK in it...it's so good!)
- Chips and corn salsa
- Mushroom asparagus tarts
- Carmelized onion and blue cheese tart

Main Dishes
- Baked Mostaccioli
- Honey Balsamic Chicken skewers

Dessert
- Symphony Brownies
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Cupcakes (too many to choose from!)
- Summer berry pie (blackberry again?)
- Lemon Berry Tartlets
- Lemon or Raspberry squares

So I have a long way to go before I can narrow this down...and it's still feeling pretty random to me. I want food that will be somewhat easy to make but also keep for people to munch on throughout the night.