Chocolate Cake w/ Peanut Butter Frosting

This recipe was originally featured on Dinner then Dessert.

Chocolate cake w/ peanut butter frosting

Ingredients:

  • Chocolate Cake:
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 3/4 cups flour
    • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup hot coffee or boiling water
  • Peanut Butter Frosting
    • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
    • 6 cups powdered sugar
    • 1/2 cup whole milk

Instructions:

  • For the cake:
    • Preheat over to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9″ cake pans by lining pans with parchment paper and dusting sides with cocoa powder.
    • In a stand mixer on low speed, add together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    • In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and add to the stand mixer and mix until just combined (you don’t want to over-mix and end up with a dense cake). Add in the boiling water or coffee and carefully stir it in with a spatula or large spoon until just combined. (Avoid using mixer as it could splash and is very hot.)
    • Pour batter evenly into the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes (toothpick should come out clean) then remove letting them cool completely before frosting.
  • For the frosting:
    • Add butter and peanut butter to stand mixer bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until fully combined then lower speed to low and add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with 2 Tbsp milk until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Tips & Tricks:

  • Avoid using natural peanut butter in frosting as it has a tendency to separate.
  • I added 1/2 cup of sour cream to my cake better to help them retain moisture.
  • I made the cake a day in advance of the frosting due to timing. To keep the cake tiers moist, wrap each tier tightly in saran wrap and store in fridge. Be careful when wrapping them so they do not crack.
  • When frosting, more can be more. I like to start with chilled cake so the crumbs don’t fall off or mix with the frosting. Use generous amounts of frosting, especially on the sides as that will help prevent the frosting from pulling away from the cake.
  • As the original recipe suggested, I would keep this cake in the fridge and pull it out about 30-45 minutes before serving.

Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagels

This recipe was originally featured on Cooking with Karli.

Parmesan Bagels

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar, divided
  • 1 cup water, divided
  • 3 1/4 cup flour
  • 5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan and Asiago cheese mix, shredded

Instructions:

  • Add the yeast, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2 cup of warm water to the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer. Let is proof and get bubbly for 5 minutes.
  • After the yeast has proofed, add the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Start mixing on low and gradually add in the water. The dough will be thick and shouldn’t stick to the bowl at all.
  • If you have an Instant Pot with yogurt setting: spray the pot of your Instant Pot with non-stick spray. Turn on the Instant Pot (IP) to the Normal yogurt setting. Place the dough inside and cover with a glass lid. Let is rise for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, punch down the dough and remove it from the IP, then let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
    • If you do not have an Instant Pot: take the bowl from the stand mixer and cover with a towel. Turn on your oven to warm for 5 minutes then turn off the oven and place the bowl inside and let rise until almost doubled in size (will take longer than IP. You could also let the dough rise naturally on the counter which will take the longest (hours) however, slower-proofed doughs allow the yeast-flavor to develop. Follow instructions for proofed dough above.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add about 5 inches of water to your IP (or just a stock pot on the stove) and bring to a boil.
  • Once the dough has rested for 10 minutes, divide the dough into the number of bagels you want (6 regular/large, 8 mini). After you’ve divided the dough, roll each portion into a tight ball. (This is where you will decide how “pretty” you want your bagels to be, a smoother ball = a smooth surface appearance.)
  • Once all of the dough has been rolled into a ball, use your thumb and stab it through the center of the ball. Work the dough around your thumb until the hole in the middle is about 1 1/2 inches wide.
  • Drop the shaped dough into the boiling water in batches and boil for 2-3 minutes on each side. The longer you boil the bagels, the chewier the texture will be. Use the end of a wooden spoon to flip them.
  • After the bagels have been boiled, place them onto a greased or silicone-lined cookie sheet. Brush the egg white onto the bagel then sprinkle with the cheese mix.
  • Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Tips & Tricks:

  • I boiled my bagels for about 5 minutes total. They were very chewy (think almost soft pretzel) but that’s my personal preference.
  • Don’t worry when you roll out your dough into each bagel. The bagels puff up during the boiling process. My bagels went from about 4 inches in diameter and fairly flat before boiling to almost 6 inches and very tall.
  • Brushing the bagels with egg white before baking will both help keep the cheese in place and give the bagel a nice brown color.
  • Haven’t perfected your shaping technique yet? Don’t worry, they taste just as delicious whether they are perfectly smooth on top or have some texture.
Bagels post-boiling, before baking

Tips & Tricks – An Ongoing Compilation

Cooking Techniques

  • To get a close-to-vacuum seal on food in a zip lock bag for marinating or freezing, place the bag with the seal open in a bowl of water. The pressure from the water will push the air out of the bag and you can seal it.

Shortcuts

  • If you don’t typically go through a whole loaf of bread before it gets stale, try keeping the loaf in the freezer. Sandwiches made with frozen bread stand up better to spreading on toppings and will thaw by lunch. – Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Number 157

Uncategorized

  • Apple Sauce – To enhance the flavor of homemade apple sauce, boil the reserved apple peels and cores in 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce to medium heat, cover, and cook, until mixture is deep in color and cores have broken down, about 15 minutes. – Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Number 154

Pork Carnitas

This recipe was originally featured on Recipe Tin Eats.

Ingredients:

Pork Carnitas
  • Slower Cooker Mexican Pork:
    • 4 lb boneless pork shoulder (pork butt)
    • 2 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1-2 jalapenos (deseeded if you want to reduce heat) roughly chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • Rub
    • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
    • 2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • Toppings
    • Tortillas
    • Queso Fresco
    • White onion, diced
    • Guacamole
    • Pico de Gallo
    • Sour Cream

Instructions:

  • Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper
  • Combine the rub ingredients then rub all over the pork
  • Place the pork in a slow cooker, top with the onion, jalapeno, minced garlic, and orange juice
  • Slow cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
  • Pork should be tender enough to shred. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Shred using two forks.
  • Optional: skim off fat from the juices remaining in the slower cooker and discard.
  • To Crisp:
    • Heat 1 Tbsp oil in cast iron skillet on high heat. Spread shredded pork on pan, and drizzle with some of juice from crock pot. Sear both sides for some crisp.
  • Build carnitas with toppings and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks:

  • Additional cooking methods on original post.

Confetti Chicken

This recipe was originally featured on BakeCakery.

Ingredients:

Chicken, veggies, and pasta before tossing with spicy cream sauce
  • 16 oz whole wheat penne, cooked al dente
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, dived
  • 1 package chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • salt/pepper
  • 1 small onion, diced (yellow or white)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow)
  • 1 bag frozen broccoli florets, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 carton cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • Additional veggies (choose 2): 1 bag frozen sweet corn (cooked), 1/2 bag shredded carrots, 1 cup asparagus (chopped in 1″ pieces), 1 cup other veggie
  • Spicy Cream Sauce:
    • 2 Tbsp butter
    • 2 Tbsp flour
    • 2 cups half & half (smallest carton at store)
    • 1 cup Feta or Parmesan
    • Red Pepper Flakes (start at 1/2 tsp)

Instructions:

  • Cook pasta according to box directions for al dente
  • Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and cook chicken. Remove and let rest in a large bowl.
  • Add remaining olive oil and saute onion for 2 min. Add in the garlic and bell pepper. Toss in any other woody veggies (uncooked broccoli – if using fresh, asparagus), cooking until soft. add in tomatoes at the end.
  • When everything is cooked, combine the veggies with the chicken in the large bowl.
  • In the same pan as you cooked the chicken and veggies, melt the butter over medium heat. Toss in flour and stir, cooking 1-2 minutes until you have a smooth roux.
  • Slowly add in half and half while stirring to prevent lumps. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes and allow to simmer until it bubbles and thickens. Stir periodically.
  • When sauce thickens and bubbles, turn off the heat and add in cheese. Stir until melted and combined.
  • I like to dish up the pasta, chicken/veggie mixture, and sauce separately but you can also add everything into the large bowl and toss to coat.

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb hamburger
  • 1 can chicken gumbo soup
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • Ketchup
  • salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • Buns for sandwiches
  • Optional: top with potato chips

Instructions:

  • Brown hamburger, drain
  • Mix in soup, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, brown sugar.
  • Squirt ketchup in about 4-6 lines over the top of the mixture; stir in
  • Finish seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic power to taste

Tips & Tricks:

  • Too sharp -> adjust with brown sugar (1 Tbsp at a time)
  • Too sweet -> try adding a couple more drops of Worcestershire

Beer Cheese Soup

This recipe was originally featured on Craft Beering.

Beer Cheese Soup with Potatoes & Broccoli

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
  • 1 cup cream
  • 12 oz beer (I use Spotted Cow)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 stalks green onion (optional for garnish)
  • Optional add-ins: broccoli, baby potatoes, other vegetables (all diced into bite-sized pieces then boiled until cooked)

Instructions:

  1. Prep your additional add-ins if you would like to include them in the soup.
  2. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pot/stock pot over medium heat.
  3. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, pepper, and garlic and saute until softened, stirring occasionally (about 5-6 minutes)
  4. Sprinkle the flour and mix well. Cook for about a minute, stirring frequently.
  5. While stirring, add the broth, cream, and beer. Mix well and add the seasonings – salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, and cayenne/red pepper flakes.
  6. Optional: use an immersion blender to puree the soup or transfer to a food processer and blend in small batches.
  7. Add the cheese to the soup base in batches and stir. Place the pot back on the stove. Mix in other add-ins. Heat up over low heat until cheese is melted and blended (about 3-5 minutes).
  8. Serve right away garnished with green onion, croutons, more cheese…. however you prefer.

Tips & Tricks:

  • I didn’t puree my soup because I was adding in potatoes and broccoli so it wasn’t going to be a smooth soup in the end anyway. I ended up with a cheesy stew/chili consistency and it was delicious.
  • I used New Glarus’ Spotted Cow as the beer of choice. The original recipe link has lots of recommendations for other beers to choose from.
  • If not topping with croutons, try making some crescent rolls for a side. Or make them in addition to croutons. Carbs are friends in my book.

Ravioli with Tomatoes, Asparagus, Walnuts, & Garlic Herb Sauce

This recipe was originally featured on Cooking Classy.

Ravioli with asparagus, tomatoes, and other delicious ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (18 oz) package refrigerated ravioli
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 lb thin asparagus, trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 (10.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup walnuts, chopped (toasting optional)
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • Salt & Pepper (to taste)
  • Parmesan Cheese, shredded – to your heart’s desire (or like 1/3 cup)

Instructions:

  • Cook ravioli in boiling water according to package directions
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil and melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat
  • Add asparagus to skillet and saute until tender (about 4 minutes)
  • Add tomatoes and garlic. Saute about 1 minute until tomatoes soften. Toss in balsamic vinegar
  • Drain ravioli once cooked and pour into large serving dish
  • Add asparagus mixture to serving bowl along with walnuts, basil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve warm.

Tips & Tricks

  • I didn’t end up toasting the walnuts (mostly because I forgot) and the texture and flavor was still a great addition to this dish.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies aren’t chewy, but they are delicious and addicting.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 cup flour
  • 4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 12-oz package chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Cream sugar, butter, and oil until smooth (it takes a couple minutes). Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well and add remaining ingredients.
  3. Drop on cookie sheet and bake until slightly browned, 10-12 minutes.
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