Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

Cupcake are the new rage.  Cupcake shops are popping up on every corner.  Wedding receptions and 1st birthday parties everywhere have cupcake towers, filled with not just the average white cake and butter cream frosting varieties.  No, these cupcakes have names like Bumpalicious and flavors like Egg Nog and Peanut Butter and Jelly.  And, the biggest indicator of the fad's popularity.... a reality show called Cupcake Wars (yeah, I don't predict it to last).


I have a group of friends who meet every Monday morning for a play date with our toddler boys.  We call it the Smelly Boy group; 6 toddler boys, plus 2 infant boys and 2 infant girls, all pile into a play room to play, throw tantrums, smack a kid or two (that wouldn't be my son :::cough::::) and have a pretty good time, while the moms enjoy lattes and a homemade dessert.  My friend Nancy is usually the host and also usually the pastry chef.  But this week I wanted to pitch in.  And when I saw this recipe, I couldn't type "I'm making the treat this week!" fast enough.

And wow.  They were good.  Really, really good. And surprisingly easy.  Baking isn't my forte, but this came out pretty good.

I got the cupcake recipe from Rachael Ray magazine.  I originally was going to swap out their frosting recipe, which seemed to get poor ratings, for a cinnamon cream cheese frosting I've done before.  But a cooking misstep (me forgetting to add the dry ingredients to the wet) made me have to pitch a batch of cupcakes and therefore, have to use the cream cheese needed for the frosting.  So, I switched it to a cinnamon buttercream frosting.  I'm sure they'd taste good with the cream cheese frosting, too.   

Enjoy!

Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2teaspoons salt
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. 

2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture.  

Layer each muffin cup with some of the pumpkin batter, then the cream cheese mixture, then more of the batter. Bake until springy to the touch, 25 minutes. Let cool.  Frost and enjoy.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting


1 stick butter, at room temp.
3-3/4 C confectioners' sugar
3 Tbsp. milk (or more)
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place butter in large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low until fluffy, 30 seconds. Add conf. sugar, 3 Tbsp.. milk and vanilla. Blend on low until sugar is incorporated, 1 min. Add cinnamon, increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 min. more. Blend in up to 1 tablespoon milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken

No real story behind this recipe.  I just happened to see it in my new Rachael Ray magazine and thought the boys would like it.  And boy was I right.  We had the kids' cousins over today and boys declared that the chicken was "sooooo good" and everyone cleaned their plates.  Well, except for the salad, but that's to be expected.


I found the sauce to be a bit chunky (I guess I needed to chop the onions more finely), so I'd maybe run it through a blender if that bothers you.  It didn't make a difference to my tasters.

Helpful Tip Alert....The chipotle in adobe sauce is often times something that goes to waste.  You buy the can to use in a recipe that calls for one of the peppers and a tablespoon of the sauce and you don't know what to do with the rest.  You think you're going to maybe make a Mexican dish later in the week, you never end up doing it and you are forced to throw the rest of the can away.  Well, one way to store the leftover is in a small freezer bag, laid flat.  That way, whenever your recipe calls for some chipotle, all you have to do is snap off a piece.

I served it with smashed potatoes and salad.

Photo from Rachael Ray's website.

Enjoy!

Chipotle-Barbeque Chicken
Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.

2. Add the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to the skillet. Add the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes (throw it in a blender or use a stick blender if you want a smooth sauce).

3.Using tongs, coat the chicken in the sauce and place skin side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Garlicky Roasted Pork Loin

It's no secret that I am not a chef.  I can't create my own recipe and don't even try.  I don't remember what the purpose of baking soda is in a recipe or what braising does to a piece of meat versus searing. 

I'm queen of looking up a recipe online, though, and have gotten pretty good at knowing what my family will find tasty.  I am pretty good at reading the recipe and duplicating it, even if I can't taste it to adjust seasonings.

This recipe, however, is my first semi-own recipe and even came up with its name (super fancy, wouldn't you say?).   And I'm proud to say that Abe loved it so much, he wants me to serve it on Thanksgiving.  So, yea me!   And Jimi gave it a "that was yummy!" kiss of approval.

It came from me realizing that I didn't have a pot roast, but actually had a pork roast (yes, one is beef and the other is pork and the only similarity was the roast part.. duh).   So, the recipe I wanted to do didn't apply.  I scrambled to find a recipe in order to get dinner ready for my hungry boys.  I didn't want to follow the recipe completely, so I modified it to meet my needs.  And I'm glad I did.

Now, it's nothing fancy, but just a tasty way to serve that pork loin you found on sale.   I served it with brown rice and green beans.  Abe and Jimi enjoyed the leftovers the next day wrapped in a tortilla with sauteed onions and salsa.

Enjoy!

Garlicky Roasted Pork Loin

1 (3-4 lb.) boneless pork loin roast
8-10 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

With a paring knife, make small slits over the top of the roast.  Push garlic cloves into each slit. 

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and rub over entire roast. 

Bake, uncovered, in oven for 2 to 3 hours, until meat thermometer reads 160-170 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Indian Spiced Vegetable

Abe requested that I cook vegetarian a few times this week because he's trying to get healthy.  I had just gotten a new Rachael Ray cooking book (yes, to add to my 50 million other cookbooks...) and thought this would be a good try.  Abe isn't always the hugest fan of Indian food, but he really did like this one.

Don't let the interesting combination of hot vegetables on top of cold salad turn you off to the dish; the combo actually is really good.. now I know what they mean on cooking shows about contrasts in food and this one has hot/cold and tender/crunchy. And since there is no rice or starch, the recipe is super healthy.

And yes, the picture is mine.  Finally.

Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Vegetables
Serves 4

Spice Blend

1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (not ground cumin)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pinches cinnamon

3 large waxy white potatoes, peeled and diced
Coarse salt
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus some for drizzling
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 15- ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup frozen green peas
1 small head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
4 radishes, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon

Combine the ingredients for the spice blend and set aside.

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water.  Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil.  Take off the lid and add salt.  Boil the potatoes for 6-7 minutes, then add the cauliflower to the same pot.  Cook for 2-3 minutes longer, then drain.  The potatoes and cauliflower should still be a little undercooked.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the oil, then the butter.  When the butter melts into the oil, add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the drained potatoes and cauliflower and the chickpeas and combine.  Stir the spice blend into the vegetables and cook for a minutes or two to develop flavors.  Stir in the stock and turn the vegetables to evenly distribute.  The dish will turn a bright yellow.  Cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes longer.  Add the peas and turn off the heat.  The carry-over heat will warm them through.  Taste to adjust the salt of the dish.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded lettuce with the almonds, radishes, mint and parsley or cilantro.  Dress the salad with the lemon juice, a drizzle of vegetable oil and some salt.  Pile the salad on plates, top with the hot vegetables and serve.

Spiced-Rubbed Roasted Salmon with Lemon Garlic Spinach

I had about 10 minutes to find a way to make one piece of salmon for Abe's dinner and use up a bag of spinach that was going bad.  Voila!  Healthy, easy and very tasty.  I looked like a rock star to the husband and little does he know it was a last minute scramble!


I know the recipe calls for one big piece of salmon, but it could easily be used with fillets.  

I paired it with asparagus risotto from Trader Joe's. 

I got the recipe from Cookinglight.com (along with photo).

Enjoy!

Spice-Rubbed Roasted Salmon with Lemon Garlic Spinach
Serves 4

1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander
1/4  teaspoon  paprika
1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  (2 1/4-pound) skinless salmon fillet
2  cups  thinly sliced onion
Cooking spray

Spinach:
1  teaspoon  olive oil
2  garlic cloves, minced
2  (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
1  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare salmon, combine first 6 ingredients; rub spice mixture evenly over fish. Place onion in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place fish on top of onion; bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

To prepare spinach, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Add half of spinach; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add remaining spinach; cook 4 minutes or until wilted, stirring frequently. Sprinkle spinach mixture with rind and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in juice; remove from heat.

Place salmon on a plate. Arrange onions and spinach evenly around salmon

1st Blog Giveaway!

In honor of my little pumpkin's 2nd birthday, I'm giving away a $10 Target giftcard when we reach 150 Facebook fans.  All you have to do is become a follower on the blog and then go to my Facebook page and make sure to "like" it.  That's all!   Spread the word to friends and family!

Happy birthday, Adam!

Chicken in Wine Cream Sauce

I'm back! 

You missed me, right?  6 weeks ago, I gave birth to our little girl, Ava.  She has brought a lot of joy to our house... and also, a lot of work!  Having 2 children under 2 years of age (my husband seems proud of the fact and tells people we're in the 2 under 2 club) makes time management a tricky thing, to say the least. So I haven't been food blogging or trying many new recipes. I actually didn't have to do a lot of cooking right after she was born either. I am lucky to belong to a playgroup that will bring meals to a member right after they have a baby.  So, I didn't have to cook for 3 entire weeks!  As much as I love to cook, it was soooo nice to have someone bring me a complete meal so I could just enjoy my family. 

But, now I'm back in the saddle and I found a great new recipe.  And it's healthy, so you can enjoy its creamy goodness and not feel an ounce of guilt.

I got the recipe from Cookinglight.com, including photo.   I served it over brown rice.

Man, it's good to be back!

Enjoy!

Chicken in Wine Cream Sauce
Serves 4


2  teaspoons  dried oregano
2  teaspoons  dried basil
1 1/2  teaspoons  dried rosemary
1  teaspoon  garlic powder
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  pepper
1/4  teaspoon  paprika
4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
8  chicken thighs, skinned (about 2 1/4 pounds)  

Sauce 
1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
2 1/4  cups  1% low-fat milk
1  cup  dry white wine
2  cups  sliced mushrooms
1/4  cup  tub-style light cream cheese

Combine first 7 ingredients and 2 teaspoons oil in a small bowl; rub over chicken. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan; set aside.

Place flour in a bowl; gradually add milk and wine, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add to skillet, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a simmer. Return chicken to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Add mushrooms; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; cover and set aside. Add cheese to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a whisk. Place 1/2 cup rice on each of 4 plates.

Calories: 444
Fat: 14.5 grams