Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients
Makes 1 dozen
2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Sprinkles' Strawberry Frosting

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Cover with Strawberry Frosting.

Caramel Corn

Ingredients:

Melt 1 cube butter, then add:
2 cups brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup corn syrup

Cook over low heat until soft-ball stage (Around 120 degrees), should take about 10 minutes. Pour over 3 bags popped corn, stir to cover evenly.

Try making into popcorn balls, wrap and gift, or just eat it.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Prep: 25 minutes Total: 50 minutes

Iced cupcakes are delicious snacks or desserts. Unfrosted, these carrot-filled cupcakes are perfect for breakfast on the run or a lunch-box treat.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cups. In a bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice, vanilla extract, and eggs.

Stir in baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. Add flour; mix. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and coconut.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
Frost cupcakes, and garnish with shredded coconut. Makes 12.

Martha Stewart - 2007

Granola

Cooking oil spray
1/2 cup oil (canola)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, see note
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
6 cups quick cooking or old-fashioned oats (not instant)
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup wheat germ, see note
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries, such as Craisins, or dried cherries

Place the oven racks in the two center positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 11x17 inch jelly roll pans with cooking oil spray. Set aside. In a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine oil, maple syrup and brown sugar. Microwave, uncovered at high for 3 minutes or until sugar starts to melt. Remove from the microwave and whisk until any lumps disappear.

In a 3-quart or larger bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, wheat germ and coconut. Toss to mix well. Pour the syrup mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Spread evenly in jelly roll pans.

Place a pan on each oven rack and bake for 10 minutes. Taking not of which pan was on the top rack in the oven, rotating to the opposite rack. (See note) Bake for 8-10 minutes more, then remove from the oven taking care not to over brown. Cool the granola in the pans for 1 hour. Sprinkle half of the rasisins and half of the dried cherries over each pan. Stir to mix well. Store in airtight containers. Preferably glass jars or tins until ready to serve up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition information for 1 tablespoon serving:
34 calories
2 g. fat

NOTE: For best results, use only real maple syrup. Look for wheat germ in the supermarket cereal aisle. If your oven will accommodate two 11x17 inch pans side by side on the same rack, it is not necessary to rotate the pans. If not, be sure to rotate the lower pan to the top rack (and vice versa) during the second 10-minute baking time.

Pork Hock Stew (Traditional French Canadian)

3 lbs pork hocks
2 cloves garlic (cut in spears)
1 T salt
¼ t each of ground cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg
¼ cup of drippings, fat or cooking oil
2 medium onions, chopped
Water
¾ cup browned flower. (brown in hot over 350 – 400 in shallow cake pan, stirring frequently to desired darkness. The darker the flower, the stronger the gravy)

Day before serving:
If desired poke garlic sliver in each pork hock.
Mix salt, pepper, and spices and sprinkle hocks with mixture coating each thoroughly.
In a large pot, brown the hocks in fat.
Add chopped onion and water to cover.
Simmer covered for 2 – 3 hours until the meat is very tender.
Remove hocks and onions from stock,
Remove only the meat from the hocks, discarding, skin, bones and fat.
Return only the meat to the stock.
Refrigerate overnight.
Next day, remove all the fat from the top of stock and discard. You will be left with a very rich gelatinous stock.
Before serving, reheat the stock to simmer and thicken with burnt/browned flower.

Peach Pan Pie

½ cup milk
3 tbsp. Butter, softened
1 egg
1 small pkg. Vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
1 tsp. Baking powder
¾ cup flour
1 large can sliced peaches, well drained (reserve 3 tbsp. Juice)
3 tbsp. Reserved juice, amaretto or triple sec
½ cup sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon

In blender, combine mild, butter, egg, pudding mix, baking powder and flour. Blend on high 1 minute or mix by hand for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a 10-inch ungreased pie plate or quiche pan. Place peaches over this mixture, leaving ½ - inch space around edge.

In blender, combine reserved juice, ½ cup sugar and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Spoon over top of peaches, also leaving ½ inch at the edge. Sprinkle with mixture of the 2 tbsp. Sugar and the cinnamon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with whipped topping, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(I have had the above recipe for over 15 years clipped from the Mpls Star Tribune) It is delicious!!

Baked Spinach Meat Balls

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 egg
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
1 can (10 oz.) beef broth
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
¼ cup dry red wine
1 tbsp. Cornstarch

Combine beef, onion, egg and Parmesan cheese. Drain thawed spinach well; mix through the beef. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix well. Form into 1 inch balls. Place into a heavy casserole with tight lid.

Combine broth, tomato sauce, red wine and cornstarch; mix well. Pour over meatballs. Cover casserole and bake in oven at 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes. (I then add 2 tbsp. Flour mixed with water and let it thicken in the oven for another 5 minutes).

Can be served over mashed potatoes or rice. It is an easy and delicious way to add spinach to children’s diet.