1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

I actually made these into muffins…I upped the oven temp to 425 and baked the muffins for about 20-23 mins.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 122 | Total Fat: 5.8g | Cholesterol: 19mg

Red Velvet Cupcakes

ORGANIC RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
• 2 cups all purpose organic whole wheat flour
• 2 cups organic sugar
• ½ cup organic baking cocoa (powdered)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon organic baking soda
• 2 sticks organic butter at room temperature
• 5 large organic eggs
• 1 cup organic buttermilk 
• 1 teaspoon organic vanilla
• 1 teaspoon organic red food coloring 

 
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk dry ingredients. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well after each egg. Add ¼ of dry ingredients to creamed mixture then approximately ¼ of buttermilk alternating until mixed well. Mix in vanilla and food coloring. Fill lined cupcake pans ½ full of red velvet batter (I filled mine just over half full). Bake oven for approximately 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pans for 5 to 10 minutes then remove from pans. Cool then frost. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook’s Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

I’ve baked this recipe twice now and I love it! Here’s the recipe for both the French vanilla cupcake and the vanilla bean buttercream frosting.

Recipe: French Vanilla Cupcakes

Summary: Deep vanilla flavor in a moist, perfect cupcake

Cooking time (duration): 20

Number of servings (yield): 24

Nutrition Information:

for 1 cupcake (without buttercream)

Nutrition Information:

Calories 205

Fat 8.7 (saturated fat 5.2)

Carbs 29.3

Protein 2.8

Source: http://www.restlesschipotle.com/2011/03/french-vanilla-cupcakes/

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
2. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute.
3. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners’ sugar to make it stiffer.

WOW, I made these cookies today! And they’re DIVINE! They’re FLOURLESS AND BUTTERLESS! And so easy! Easy is for ME! They were so rich and chocolatey, it was amazing!

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided

3 large egg whites, room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided (I used 2 cups)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 (I halved the sugar here) cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Yield: Makes about 18 

I’ve been in cupcake mode, and I also watch every episode of Cupcake Wars. With the Super Bowl coming up, I came up with the idea to make Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes! So weird, but I’d like to TRY it. So here’s the recipe I’m going to follow! I’ll probably skip the buffalo wing on top though!

Buffalo Chicken Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 10 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup hot sauce (I recommend a hot sauce that is typically used for Buffalo chicken.  Frank’s is the classic choice.  I used Bella’s Medium Wing Sauce.)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

For the blue cheese buttercream frosting:

• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Steps

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high heat, heat hot sauce and butter until butter is melted.
3. Add the blue cheese and mix periodically until blue cheese is melted.
4. Remove from heat and mix in the sugar.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg. 
6. Once the hot sauce mixture is cool enough to touch, mix the sour cream mixture into the hot sauce mixture.
7. In another small bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda.
8. Fold the flour mixture into the hot sauce mixture.
9. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To make the blue cheese buttercream frosting:

1. Mix blue cheese on high speed until smooth.
2. Add the unsalted butter and mix on high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
3. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar until fully combined.
4. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

The Buffalo Chicken Drummette on Top of the Buffalo Chicken Super Bowl Cupcakes

Just before serving, top the cupcakes with buffalo chicken wings or buffalo chicken drummettes.  Imagine the frosting as a sweet blue cheese dip and dig in!