TWD: Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Clara got to choose this weeks choice from TWD cookbook. I was excited about making Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes (those are three very awesome words rolled into one recipe) Of course I had a bible study tonight so I actually get to make these and pass them on, BUT we missed our boss's birthday and conveniently made them his birthday cupcakes.

I didn't have time to make the chocolate icing, but will next time I make these awesome cupcakes. I have been involved with a Vampire you see...so HE distracted my cooking time. I've been reading an awesome book, I'm sure you've heard of it...yes it's Twilight. I am on the 3rd book right now. So I did half and half with this recipe.

The cake was very moist, and of course I always let Jason lick/eat the leftovers in the bowl. While eating he said the batter tasted like icing. I thought so too! I will definitely make these again, and loved this choice for this week. I did three out of 4 recipes this month, I am pretty proud of myself! =)

If you are interested in doing Tuesdays with Dorie, you better do it now, b/c October 31st is the cutoff to join on. It's an amazing opportunity to make stuff you've never made! Next month there are so many different choices to make that I've never ever heard of, but I am excited about trying them out. (my hips don't like me baking though) hope you all enjoy

TWD: Pumpkin Muffins

Kelly chose this weeks recipe of Pumpkin Muffins in the TWD cookbook on page 13. This is one recipe I so looked forward to doing!! I omitted the raisins and sunflower seeds because I don't really like either in baked goods. They were so delicious without them. This is a recipe I will soon make again!! It was the best time of the year to make these muffins. I do not think Jason even had a chance to get one, and I am actually not sure if he would even like them. I enjoy doing this Tuesdays with Dorie challenge every week, some weeks I am just not able to do it, but it has challenged me to make more things. I can't wait for next month, there are two things I have NEVER heard of, but I think I might tackle them. Hope you enjoy the pictures, and check out Kelly's site in the link, it very scrumptious! Enjoy!

TWD: Caramel-Peanut-Topped Brownie Cake

Hmmm...the only thing that is right in my recipe is the Brownie Cake...let me explain. Let me first tell you that this recipe was chosen by Tammy her Blog is called Wee Treats , what a cute name! I had a really hard time with this recipe. Well not the brownie cake itself but the topping. I had already decided to omit the peanuts from the start and just make the caramel brownie cake. Not the biggest fan of peanuts. So I went on to make the cake, very successful in that, as you can see. It was my first time making a cake with a spring form pan, and I'm so glad I bought them!! But what Tuesdays with Dorie is doing, is making me more experimental in the baking field. This being an experiment, if I can make my own caramel. It started out great! Smelled so sweet and was so proud I was making my own caramel! But then....as I was putting in the Heavy Cream (which I put in Heavy Whipping Cream? does that make a difference) and the butter it turned brown very fast. I'm thinking I had a little burn to it? I went to taste the caramel as I transferred it over and had to spit it out! I had also just cleaned the pan, so maybe I even left the slightest bit of soap. My caramel looks the same color as all the other pictures but it sure didn't taste like caramel. So I just chucked it, I left a funny taste on the spot I put it on my mouth, I didn't know if it was supposed to taste like that or what?? Not my kind of caramel, I need to try again though. Never give up! I proceeded to eat mine with ice cream! Which the cake was very yummy and moist. It was a great pick but I just flopped in doing it. Which is alright, not everything you make in the kitchen is going to come out perfect. Trial and Error. Which this must have been an error. I really enjoying doing the Tuesdays with Dorie, but my hips don't! I don't know what I am going to do when I go on a diet, just make it try it and send it to work with Jason. This book is full of soooo many recipes and I would suggest everyone to get it!

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours with Dorie Greenspan

Yummy Goodness of Chicken

This recipe is sourced from those good looking boys of Paula Deens. This is from their latest cookbook. Which I have to say is very good, I checked it out from the library and copied many many recipes. My little story to tell about this one is...I first started with the chicken on our favorite Pampered Chef stoneware. Little did I know was I going to have flames popping out from the heating coil in the oven! The grease was running off the stoneware and hitting the heating coil, making flames shoot out a little. I freaked out and holler for Jason to HURRY, QUICK!!! I transferred it to the ugly thing you see here to finish cooking our very enjoyable meal.

Ingredients
8 Slices of Bacon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (Cut in half lengthwise to make 8)

For Cheese Sauce
1 - 10.75 oz can condensed cheddar soup
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon of canned chipoltle peppers or hot pepper sauce
dash of Worcestershire sauce

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet (guess I didn't follow instructions!!) w/ aluminum foil; set aside.
Wrap a slice of bacon around each piece of chicken and place on baking sheet. Bake about 20, or until chicken is cook through. Remove from oven and preheat broiler.
In saucepan bring soup, milk, chipotle peppers and Worcestershire to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off heat & cover to keep warm.
Broil chicken 4 to 5 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until bacon is really sizzling.

Serve chicken topped with cheese sauce. (we used ours as dipping sauce.)

Pumpkin Time!!

I have been in the mood for pumpkin lately and found this recipe on Amber's blog. I had all the ingredients except the pumpkin, so I made a special trip to the store to get me some pumpkin!! Jason loves to lick the bowl of any batter I make so I wanted to catch him in action!

Pumpkin Sheet Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

4 eggs

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2 cups of pumpkin

2 cups AP flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, apple sauce and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13x10" baking pan (I did use the 13x9 baking dish, just left it in the over for 10 minutes longer) Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing: Using an electric mixer in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smoother. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled cake.

(this picture is taken at work...got the heavy equipment in the backgroud...haha)

Get Your Vitamin C!!

Mmm...this is my ALL TIME favorite breakfast in the whole wide world =) my amazing cook of a mother used to make this when I was growing up and I got so excited when she would make it. My mom is in a group called "Bunko", it's a dice game. Me and some others grew up as the "Bunko Kids", that gave us all 12 mothers. We couldn't ever get away with too much because our Bunko Moms tended to pop up in the right places at the wrong time. My mom and all the Bunko moms put together a cook book with all their family recipes, this one being my moms. It's a must try!! I hope you guys enjoy!

Orange Bread

From the Kitchen of Peggy Gigax

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 Tablespoon grated orange rind

2 (11 oz) cans buttermilk biscuits

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 20 squares

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Glaze: 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons orange juice

Combine 1st three ingredients together in bowl, set aside. Separate biscuits as you remove the from can. Ten gently spilt each biscuit in half. Place a square of cream cheese between each half and put halves back together and pinch edges to seal. Dip in melted butter, then dredge in sugar mixture. Stand biscuits on edge in lightly greased bundt pan, spacing evenly. Do this for both cans of biscuits. Drizzle with remaining butter & sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and turn pan over on plate. Glaze while hot.

Best Served hot...mmmmm

E for Excellent Award!

I have received my first award and I'm SO excited about it! I've never gotten one, so this is my first! As you guys know, I am on the What's Cooking board on The Nest, which totally inspired me to start a food blog in the first place. I received the award from Kayla and here is her blog. She has so amazing recipes that I have stared in my Google Reader. So here is my award!

Tada!!!

I believe the rules of the game are as follows, I award the same thing to 10 people. A lot of girls have received this award, so I will go through and pick out some that I frequent.

Erin at Dinner and Dessert - I think I have a couple of her recipes in my blog. What a great baker/cook =)

Cate at Cates Kitchen - She actually follows my blog =) Thanks Cate...she is also a VERY talented cook/baker.

Melissa at Mrs. Sac's Purple Kitchen - My very first post is one that she did, so almost an inspiration to start a food blog, as well as the many others off the nest.

Amber at Amber's Kitchen - Ohhh boy...she has so many good treats. I have one sitting on my desk right now. Very Very good =)

Carrie at Carrie's Sweet Life - That it is...very very good recipes, I think I've printed off many of hers, but have yet to make them.

Stephanie at Macaroni and Cheesecake - I LOVE this blog name! This is a Jesus lovin', good cooking, Titans fanning girl. I just love getting on her blog.

Katie at KT in the Kitchen - Used to be a fellow Nashvillian, actually had a chance of working a couple times together and found her on the nest. We miss you down here at Destination =)

All fellow nesties, all great blogs, there are so many more...but I only have so much time to award.