My PB + J

Black Cherry Cuppy-Cakes

I made these cupcakes a few weeks back but I am finally getting around to posting it. The recipe behind this cuppy-cake is the same as my luciously light lemon cuppycakes. I saw a recipe on jello’s website and I tried it out. I think I like the lemon recipe better and I am moving on. . .

For the cake:

  • I used store-bought white cake mix. Make the batter according to recipe

  • Portion 24 muffin cups 2/3 with batter

  • Bake according to package, (I baked mine for 18 minutes)

For the Frosting and Cuppy-Cakes:

  • Large package of Black Cherry Jell-O

  • Large container of Cool Whip

  • Large package of Jello-O Dark Chocolate Pudding (made with 1 c. milk vs. 3 c.)

While the cuppy-cakes are baking:

  1. In medium bowl dissolve lemon jell-o with 1 c. hot water, add 1 c. cold water once dissolved. (the box will say 2 cups of hot and cold water, I decreased the amount).

  2. Once the cuppy-cakes have been removed from the oven, immediately poke them with a toothpick over, and over to create holes for the jell-o to soak.
    Soak all the warm cuppy-cakes with the mixture. Be generous with this step, give the cuppy-cakes a minute to soak and then add more. You do not want them to be dry in some areas.

  3. Place the cuppy-cakes in the refrigerator to cool.

  4. Meanwhile, mix chocolate pudding and cool whip in a large bowl. Once thoroughly mixed, place back into cool whip container and place back in refrigerator.

  5. Once the cuppy-cakes are thoroughly cooled, place the frosting mixture into a large zip-lock bag or pastry bag.

  6. Frost the cuppy-cakes as desired.
    Enjoy!

Mother’s Day

I have had a “baking bug” for the past couple weeks. I haven’t really baked a cake since I was in high school, so this was my first attempt. I guess this “bug” has come back since I am getting ready to take Wilton Cake decorating classes. Anyway, for my Mom, Grandma and Sister I decided to bake a butter sponge cake with fresh raspberry puree and custard in celebration of Mother’s Day. I think next time I will bake a yellow cake and use raspberry jam.

Sponge Cake:
(I doubled the recipe for a 4-layered cake)

  • Softened unsalted butter for the pans
  • 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

MAKE THE CAKE

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-or-9-inch cake pans and cover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Off heat, add the vanilla; cover and keep warm.

3. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer or whisk) and reserving the yolks in another mixing bowl. Beat the whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites to soft, moist peaks. If using a standing mixer transfer the beaten egg whites to a large bowl and add the egg yolks to the standing mixer bowl (don’t clean the bowl).

4. Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and a pale lemon color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg whites and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer, make a well in one side of the batter and pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl. Fold gently with a large rubber spatula until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and yolks are evenly mixed, about 8 strokes.

6. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, about 16 to 18 minutes for 9-inch cake pans and 20 to 22 minutes for 8-inch cake pans.

7. Cool completely on racks. Run a thin knife around the inside of the cake pans and then invert them onto the racks (or onto cardboard rounds or tart pan bottoms) to release the cakes from the pans. Remove the parchment paper.

Raspberry Puree:

  • 1 pint raspberries

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 3 ounces water

  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

  1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, combine the raspberries, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and lemon juice. Stir the sauce to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook the sauce until it comes to a slight boil.
  2. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and add the contents to a blender.
  3. Blend the sauce until smooth. Pass the sauce through a strainer or cheesecloth to remove any seeds.

Creamy Custard Filling:

  • 2 cups milk

  • 1/4 c. Sugar

  • 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 Egg Yolks

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  1. In 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, stir all ingredients except vanilla extract.

  2. Over medium-low heat, cook until mixture thickens and boils, about 20 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Cool in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Buttercream Frosting:

(I doubled this recipe)

  • 1/2 stick butter

  • 1 stick shortening

  • 4 c. powdered sugar

  • 1 t. vanilla extract

  1. Beat butter and shortening. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Once all the sugar is combined add in vanilla.

Fiber-Packed Black Beans and Rice

I “stole” this recipe from two fellow knotties. I haven’t tried it yet. . .not like me to even sneak a taste but I was in a hurry to make Jim dinner before I left for work. So needless to say, Jim’s is in the fridge and mine is in tupperware! I am sure it will be great!! The only difference that I made in my version was slicing the sausage instead of dicing. I also think it would be great with a dollop of light sour cream. I will post my opinion later. Until then to all my fellow foodies. . .enjoy this fiber-packed recipe! It was super quick, easy and I had most of the items already in my pantry.

Update: I just tried my meal, I added a dollop of sour cream and it made it much better for me. It seemed really dry for my taste so I made it a little more moist with the sour cream. This dish reminds me of Chiptole’s rice and beans. Yummy! I will be making this again!

Black Beans & Rice

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion (I used a red onion)
  • 1/8 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1/2 can (15 ounce) black beans, undrained
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/8 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp. sherry, cooking wine, or cider vinegar (I used Cider vinegar)
  • 3 sun dried tomato chicken sausage links (Trader Joes)
  • 1 cup hot cooked rice (white, brown, or wild)
  1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Slice sausage on a diagonal and add to the pan when the peppers and onions are cooked halfway through.
  3. Add in the remaining ingredients (except the rice) and stir until boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until the sauce is reduced.
  4. Serve over rice.

Serves 2

Recipe Courtesy of: Gillian’s Goodies and Dinner with Danielle (thanks ladies!)

Pesto Filled Gnocchi

Jim and I fell in love with gnocchi when we first started dating. There was a cute Italian restaurant in Scripps Ranch called Fat Tomatoes, we would go there and both order gnocchi with two different sauces and share. We always say we want to make them, but for now I have found a packaged variety that suites our craving. I bought this gnocchi sometime back at Trader Joes, I am not sure if they even still sell it. but they stock a great variety. For a quick thirty minute meal, give Trader Joes pesto and cheese filled gnocchi a try!

Gnocchi My-Way:

  • One Package Pesto-Filled Gnocchi (or any variety)

  • 1/4 c. Prepared Pesto Sauce

  • 1/4 c. Alfredo Sauce (I made my own, recipe below)

  • 1 c. Cooked Shredded Chicken

  • Parmesan Cheese

  • Salt and Pepper

  1. Cook Gnocchi according to package directions

  2. In a large skillet combine Alfredo and pesto until warmed through

  3. Add chicken and simmer

  4. Toss in cooked gnocchi

  5. Plate pasta and garnish with parm, salt and pepper to taste

  6. Serve along side dinner salad

Quick Alfredo Sauce

  • 2 Tb. Butter

  • 3 ts. Flour

  • 1/2 c. Milk

  • 1/8 c. Parmesan

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

  1. Melt butter and then add flour and cook until lightly blonde

  2. Whisk in milk and then add in parm until melted

  3. Add salt and pepper

  4. Enjoy!

Jerk Chicken Two-Ways

As we all know the last few days have been pretty hot, and living in house without a/c can be unbearable! So, Jim and I decided to grill some chicken and finally crack open the bottle of jerk seasoning we purchased ten months ago on our honeymoon in Jamaica. Last night we made grilled chicken with mango salsa and pineapple fried rice and tonight I used a leftover breast and created Jamaican jerk chicken wraps. I rarely finish my own meal when I cook and I can tell you I ate every last bite! Tasty, tasty!!

Night One: Jamaican Jerk Chicken w/ Pineapple Fried Rice

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 tsp. olive oil

  • Jerk Seasoning

  • Mango Salsa (I cheated! We had bought a container at Costco)

  • 2 c. White Rice

  • 1 can Pineapple Chunks

  • Bunch of Chives, chopped

  • 3 Tbl. Butter

  1. Preheat Barbeque

  2. In a shallow dish place chicken and coat with olive oil. Next, place jerk seasoning on chicken until well coated. Let stand for 15-20 minutes.

  3. In a saucepan combine rice with four cups of water and season water with salt. Bring to a simmer and then cover for twenty minutes.

  4. Once rice is cooked, place chicken on BBQ and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side.

  5. In a large skillet, melt butter. Add rice and combine with butter. Combine pineapple and chives. Stir occasionally until warmed through.

  6. Remove chicken from grill. Plate chicken with mango salsa and serve along side pineapple rice.

Night Two: Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wraps

  • 1 Thinly sliced Jamaican Jerk Chicken Breast

  • 1/2 Tomato, thinly sliced

  • 4 leaves of Romaine Lettuce

  • 1/4 Red Onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 c. Mango Salsa

  • 2 tsp. Light Cream Cheese

  • 2 Tortilla Wraps

  1. Warm tortillas slightly. Spread 1 tsp. cream cheese on each tortilla.

  2. Layer lettuce on cream cheese, and then tomato, onion, chicken and mango salsa.

  3. Wrap each like a burrito and cut.

  4. Enjoy!

Recipe Courtesy of: My Noggin!