The Last Pumpkin Cupcake...

Dear Dan,

I am sorry that I ate the last pumpkin cupcake that was meant to be yours.  I know that means that you only had 1 and I had 5, but can you blame me?  The cake was so light, moist, and perfectly spiced and the cream cheese frosting was so melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Now in my defense... the cupcake was taunting me for 2 whole days under that plastic wrap and I didn't want it to go bad, of course!  I promise I will make it up to you with a pumpkin pie.

Love, Mal

P.S. Good thing we gave the rest of the cupcakes to the neighbors, because you know I would have eaten those, too.



 "Let me out of this plastic wrap!"

Pumpkin Cupcakes
from Marthastewart.com

Makes 18 (I think it makes more like 22 if you fill the cups half way...)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar (I ran out of sugar - I know, that's a bad sign!- so I used more brown sugar instead.)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

From Halloween 2004, Special Issue 2004.

Cream Cheese Frosting
from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (the red and white one, you know you've got it!)

Makes about 4 cups

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add 2 cups of the  powdered sugar, beating well.  Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.  This frosts the tops and sides of two  8- or 9-inch layers (or, 24 cupcakes). Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9x2-inch cake.  Cover and store frosted cake in the refridgerator. (oops, didn't do that.)



Grown-up Slushies (aka Blue Hawaiians)

I made these drinks last weekend, inspired by one I had at Osaka.  They were the only thing saving me from a total breakdown when at-home sushi night went bad (huuuge mess, cranky baby, stale seaweed, bad crab that lingered in the air, gaaah.)  But ahhh, a cool, blue, tropical drink to save the night...or maybe it was spending a weekend night with my sweet husband and baby (that stopped being cranky once we gave him some dinner and attention...am I talking about Dan or Luke??)
Here you go...you don't have to wait until the weekend to make these...I won't tell!

Blue Hawaiian
from Gourmet Magazine May 2003 via epicurious.com

Serves 2

• 3 oz (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) light rum
• 2 oz (1/4 cup) blue Curaçao
• 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice (I bought a 6-pack of individual six ounce cans, for future drinks!)
• 1/4 cup well-stirred canned cream of coconut (not coconut milk) such as Coco López (I found a can of cream of coconut in the hispanic foods aisle, not sure what brand.  Pour it out into a bigger bowl, whisk until mixed together, because it will be separated.  Then, I poured the extra in ice cube trays for future drinks!)
• 3 cups ice cubes

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Spicy Peanut Tofu

...or chicken.  But, are you still afraid of cooking with tofu?? Tofu is your friend!  It is good for you and cheap ($1.99 for 14 oz!).  This recipe just may be your new favorite comfort food.  It is mine!

Friendly tofu



Spicy Peanut Tofu on Brown Rice - Photo by Malorie

Spicy Peanut Chicken or Tofu on Brown Rice


adapted from Cooking Light Magazine August 2008
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 blocks firm/extra firm tofu (24 oz.),cubed (dried between paper towels for 30 min-few hours, whatever! )
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup smooth or chunky natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I do about 30 turns of my pepper grinder!)
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can petit diced tomatoes OR 3 cups chopped plum tomato (about 6 tomatoes)
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium vegetable or chicken broth OR 1 ¾ cups water
1/2 cup crushed/chopped salted peanuts
8 cups hot cooked brown rice

Preparation

1.Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.

2.Add onion and garlic (and tofu if using) to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

3. Add chicken (if using) to pan; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently.

4.Stir in peanut butter and next 5 ingredients (through tomato paste); cook 1 minute.

5.Add tomato and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste.
6.Serve chicken mixture over rice. Garnish with crushed peanuts.

Cocoa Lace Cookies

Warning: Do not make these unless you are willing to accept that you will keep eating them and keep eating them just like a bag of potato chips.  These cocoa lace cookies were brought to our family by a neighbor when I was a kid.  When my sweet tooth hit me yesterday (like everyday), I decided to check out some old recipes in my hand-written recipe book I've been keeping for a few years.  Cocoa Lace Cookies were just the cure for my sweets craving.  I had all the ingredients AND they only take minutes to prepare and bake.  They are thin, crispy, caramely, slightly chocolatey, nutty and chewy - all at once.  Maybe I'll bring them to one of my neighbors... Oh wait, like I said at the beginning of the post, I ate almost all of them.  

Cocoa Lace Cookies

recipe from Vicki Orange

Makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or hazelnuts (I used hazelnuts this time)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

parchment paper (a must-have for these cookies)

powdered sugar

In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, and nuts. Set aside. In a small/medium saucepan, melt butter on low.  Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring mixture to boil over medium and cook for a couple minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and dry ingredients.  On parchment-lined cookie sheets, drop batter by teaspoon about 3-4 inches apart.  Bake for 8-8 1/2 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

Very thin, drippy batter

Drop teaspoons of batter 3-4 inches apart (mine are too close)

I dropped the batter a bit too close together, so it spread into some giant cookies!
Just break them apart, no worries!

Stack of Cocoa Lace Cookies



Mmm, so thin and crispy!




CRUNCH! and they are fragile...