Chewy Molasses Squares

One of my absolute favorite things in this world is molasses. When I eat pancakes at home, I don't deal with that imitation stuff. I go for Steen's sugar cane syrup. It's pretty much molasses. I will always be partial to molasses' deep, rich flavor and health benefits. It is full of iron, so it is a great alternative to regular table sugar. Plus, I have a huge sweet tooth, so why not have my cake and eat it too? I do have to admit--I did not create this recipe on my own. I found it on pinterest. But, I am writing about it in my blog so that anyone who is following my blog  can see from another person's point of view just how easy these little babies are to make. This recipe was originally from Martha Stewart's website, but I know that for a lot of people, her recipes can be somewhat intimidating to make, or people may think they can't create something delicious like Martha can. I don't know.Maybe it's her perfectionist ways that intimidate y'all? I'm not quite sure. Anyway, I have taken it upon myself to  be the one to bring you this recipe again in the hopes that you all will try it and see for yourselves just how easy and foolproof this recipe really is.

As the name suggests, these confections are chewy. They're not the sticky kind of chewy, though. Rather, they have a bite, so it's not like you're eating regular cake. Think of chewy fudge brownies, but without the fudge. Tossed into confectioner's (powdered) sugar, they are just the most delicious morsels to eat. I was in heaven when I first made these, and I'm sure you will love them too! They're especially fun to eat with a few good friends. Okay, so without further adieu, here is the fabulous recipe:

Nonstick cooking spray (I used canola oil spray since it imparts a neutral flavor)
1 and 3/4 c. All purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/3 c. unsalted butter, room temperature (Since 1 stick is half a cup and equals 8 Tablespoons, 2 sticks would be 1 cup, a.k.a. 16 Tablespoons. 1/3 of that= 1/3 of 16 Tablespoons=5 and 1/3 Tablespoons.)
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. unsulfured molasses (sometimes spelled unsulphured)
4 large egg whites
1/2 c. confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 8 in. square baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2) In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
3) With the mixer on medium speed, add the molasses and egg whites. (You will have to separate the yolk from the whites. To do this, lightly crack the egg and go from one hand to the other, switching the yolk from one half of the shell to the other half. Make sure the yolk stays in the shell. The whites should fall into the bowl when you are making the yolk move from one half of the egg shell to the other half. You may want to separate them into a different bowl if this is your first time separating eggs, just in case some of the yolk falls with the whites. That way, you won't mess up the batter. Don't worry, it's really not that hard, even for a beginner.) Beat until combined and with the least amount of lumps as possible.
4) With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, 1/3 of the amount at a time, and beat until combined, with minimal lumps.
5) Transfer to baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely by placing the baking dish on a wire rack. Once cool, invert onto a cutting board and cut into squares. Makes 40-50 squares.
Toss into a bowl of confectioner's sugar to coat. ( I tossed them while they were just a tad bit hot so that the powdered sugar was able to stick better.)

Then consume with a big smile on your face as you realize these little babies are some of the best things ever created.

Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

I  decided to make this particular flavor of goodness because I wanted something different and interesting at the same time. These were really made for my mother for her birthday. She loves lemon, too. So what better reason to make these babies, right? They came out perfect, with the best consistency and texture: Light and fluffy and moist. They are not overwhelming, either. They are somewhat tart because of the zest and juice of the lemons that went into the batter. The frosting gives a fantastic punch of vanilla that complements the lemon flavor of the cake perfectly. So I guess without further adieu, here is the recipe:
Makes 12 cupcakes, with a little frosting remaining
(You will also need paper muffin liners)
For the batter:
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
zest of 3 lemons and juice of 2 1/2 [lemons]
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. cold milk ( I used skim but you can use whatever you have)

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. When the eggs are thoroughly mixed with the butter and sugar, mix in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture, a little bit at a time. Mix on medium speed as well. When the dry ingredients are well incorporated, add the milk, lemon zest, and the lemon juice  to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Spoon the batter equally into each paper muffin liner and bake for 18-24 minutes. I baked these for 21 minutes, and they came out perfect. After 21 minutes, poke a small hole into one of the cakes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Set the cakes aside to cool.

Now for the buttercream! You will need:
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. milk
2 T heavy cream
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and heavy cream on medium speed. The heavy cream will help create a whipped consistency in the frosting, since whipped cream made with heavy cream (whipping cream=heavy cream). Next, add in the milk, a little at a time. When it is well incorporated, add in the powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, until the desired thickness. Finally, add in the vanilla, and mix about 30 seconds longer to evenly distribute the vanilla extract in the frosting. When the cupcakes are cool, spoon the frosting into a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, starting at the outer edges and swirling inward. And finally (of course), eat and enjoy your creation!

Channeling The Golden Girls, Part II

So...this recipe is a variation on a previous recipe I have uploaded to this blog (Channeling the Golden Girls). For this one, I have put the zest and juice of two navel oranges in the batter, and the sauce is a raspberry puree rather than a strawberry one. The zest along with the juice of the citrus gives the cheesecakes a wonderful, bright, citrus-y  flavor. Here is the recipe:

Makes 12 servings
For the crust:
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs
1 T granulated white sugar
4-5 T butter, melted (unsalted of course)

For the filling:
2  8 oz. packages  full fat cream cheese, room temperature (This makes it much easier to mix)
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature 
zest and juice of two navel oranges


Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. For the crust, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Press a heaping tablespoon (T) of crumbs onto the bottom  of each muffin cup. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese with either an electric mixer or a hand mixer on low speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and the salt and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla, the orange zest and juice, and the sour cream and beat until well incorporated. Now, remove the crusts from the refrigerator  and evenly divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until firm but a little wobbly in the center of each cup. When you remove them from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool. Then cover and refrigerate for a few hours or even overnight. 

Here's the recipe for the sauce. It's truly delicious. Easy to make, too!
1 - 20 ounce bag  of frozen unsweetened raspberries
1/4 - 1/3 cup  granulated white sugar, or to taste
lemon juice to taste (optional)
a little water in case it is hard to blend
Preparation time: 10 minutes
 Place the unsweetened berries in a bowl. Thaw if you buy them frozen. After thawing (if frozen at first), place them in either a food processor or a blender and process until pureed. Pour into a 2 cup measuring cup. This should measure to about 1 1/4 cups of puree. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste it, and add more if you want it sweeter. Now you can add the lemon juice if you so desire. This sauce can either be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for  a week, or it can be frozen.
Enjoy, my loves! Xoxo
-Caitlin

Orange Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

So the other night, I was trying to come up with several new flavors for cupcakes.  I thought of pairing orange with chocolate since the two go so well together. In my opinion, they should win the best food couple ever. Luckily, I just bought a big bag of oranges when I went grocery shopping. And I also have tons of cocoa powder in my pantry. The recipe for the cake portion is basically the same as the one for my previous entry, except instead of adding cinnamon and brown sugar to the batter, I added the zest of two oranges. The texture of these cupcakes is perfect--nice and light, fluffy and moist, with a very nice orange flavor. Buttercream is also a very easy thing to make. Once you have the basic, crucial ingredients (butter and powdered sugar), you can basically add any flavoring to it to make your favorite flavor of frosting. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. With that being said, here is the recipe:

For the batter:
1/2 c. softened butter (1 stick)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. cold milk
Preheat oven to 350. In a mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. When the eggs are thoroughly mixed with the butter and sugar, mix in the vanilla. In  a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture, a little bit at a time. Mix on medium speed as well. When the dry ingredients are well incorporated, add the milk and orange zest  to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined.  Spoon the batter equally into each paper muffin liner and bake for 18-24 minutes. I baked these for 21 minutes. After 21 minutes, poke a small hole into one of the cakes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. Set the cakes aside to cool.

Now for the buttercream! You will need:
2 T cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/4 c. hot milk
1/2 c. butter, softened ( 1 stick)
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Mix the cocoa powder and the hot milk in a mug and set aside to let it cool completely. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and cocoa/milk mixture, and beat at medium speed. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to mix at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. If your frosting seems to be on the thin side, add a little more powdered sugar to the mix. The cornstarch present in the powdered sugar acts as a thickener. When the frosting is at your desired consistency and the cupcakes are cool, spoon it into a ziploc bag and cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, then eat and enjoy your creation!

Exam Week Cupcakes (Cinnamon Cupcakes with Mocha Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting)

One thing I absolutely adore to bake and eat is a cupcake. I'm always inspired by the Food Network show "Cupcake Wars" because the bakers on there are always coming up with interesting, out-of-the-ordinary flavors. Tonight, I randomly thought about making cupcakes, and I wanted to make a unique flavor of cupcakes for me and my roommates. Since the upcoming two weeks are midterm time at school, I decided to incorporate cappuccino mix into them some way. Whenever I drink coffee, I always sprinkle cinnamon on top, so I decided to make the cake portion cinnamon flavored. Since there is cappuccino in the frosting, this recipe also comes in handy while studying to keep students awake and focused. I also sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon on top of the frosting so that people can see there is cinnamon in the cake. I know you'll love these little babies! Makes 12 cupcakes.
Here's the recipe:
For the cake portion:
1/2 c. softened butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. cold milk
1 T (aka 3 tsp.) ground cinnamon
1/8 c. brown sugar
ziploc bag

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Next, stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add this to the butter mixture, and stir in the cold milk.
Line the muffin pans with paper muffin liners, and evenly distribute the batter into each one.
Bake for 18-24 minutes. (Mine only took 21 minutes.)
Set aside and cool.

For the Mocha Cappuccino Buttercream Frosting:
1/8 c. instant mocha cappuccino mix
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and set on the stove at high heat until the milk starts to boil. Add to a mug that is filled with the cappuccino mix and stir. Set mixture aside and let it cool completely. When it is cool, pour it into a mixing bowl and add the softened butter. Beat at medium speed until well combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/2 c. at a time, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
When the cupcakes are cool to the touch, fill a ziploc bag with the frosting, zip it up, and cut a small hole in a corner of the bag. This is an easy way to pipe icing onto a cupcake. Spiral inward with the frosting from edge of the top of the cupcake. When done, sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon onto each, if you wish, as a garnish.
Enjoy!

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

One of my favorite foods to eat is pulled pork. I make it from time to time, and it is so easy to make. For this one, I used both a dry rub and a wet sauce to impart even more flavor onto it. The spices in the dry rub give it a lot of flavor-- more flavor than there would be from just a sauce. I hope y'all enjoy this recipe. It's very easy to make. Here it is:
7 lb. pork picnic roast (sometimes called a pork butt)
9 cloves garlic ( to insert into the meat)
2 large onions, sliced
2 c. coca-cola
2 T olive oil ( I used extra virgin, but you can use whatever kind you have)
Crock pot
1/3-1/2 c. of your favorite BBQ sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Ray's for this one)

Dry rub:
1 T Memphis style BBQ seasoning
1/2 T chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1 T ground cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 T paprika
Mix together the dry seasonings and rub mixture onto meat. Once you have rubbed all of that onto the meat, take a knife and make deep incisions in the roast, 2 or 3 in each side of the roast. Stuff a clove of garlic into each incision. Make sure the holes are deep enough so that the garlic can fit and each clove doesn't fall out.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil to medium-high heat. Brown each side of the roast. This will help the spices to toast, which releases more of their flavor. Also, the meat will become a little sweeter and it will have a better color than if you didn't brown it. When that step is done, transfer the roast to a crock pot, and set it on high. Add in the sliced onion around the sides and on top of the meat. Next, add the coca-cola and cover the crock pot. After 6 hours, remove the bone from the roast, and place the roast back in the crock pot to finish the cooking process. The meat  should be tender enough to shred with a fork within an hour after removing the bone. Transfer the shredded meat to a large bowl and add the BBQ sauce. Transfer the remaining liquid to a pot on high heat. This is so the liquid can boil and reduce. When the liquid is reduced by 3/4, add a ladle  of it to the shredded pork and stir. Finally, have a feast and enjoy!

I put mine on a deli bun with mayonnaise and pickles and made a delicious sandwich with it.

Crabmeat pizza with Whole wheat crust

This was so fun to make! If you love out of the ordinary pizza, you should definitely try this recipe!
Here's the recipe:
Pizza crust:
3 cups all-purpose, whole wheat flour, divided
1 (0.25 oz) package dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 T olive oil

Topping:
2-8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
2-6 oz cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/4 c milk
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 c Swiss cheese, shredded and divided

In a large bowl, combine half the flour, the yeast, sugar, and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to boiling. Add to the dry ingredients, and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 or 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top as well. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Once that is done, punch the dough down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 13 inch circle. Transfer to two 12 inch pizza pans. Build up the edges slightly, and prick the dough with a fork thoroughly. Bake them at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping, except for the swiss cheese, and spread the mixture over each crust. Then, sprinkle each pizza with 1/2 c. swiss cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes longer or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and eat and enjoy!

Blackberry and Apricot Tartlets

So, several months ago, I was looking through my refrigerator and saw a roll of sugar cookie dough. I wanted to bake it, but was trying to think of clever ways to utilize it. So I made a strawberry jam to go inside. I pressed a little bit of dough into muffin pans and baked it off, and then added a teaspoon or so of the jam to the shells. They came out delicious. Well tonight, I did the same thing, except with blackberries and dried apricots. I reconstituted the apricots in a little bit of blackberry wine, and this also accentuated the flavor of the blackberries. My roommates loved them. Here is the recipe for y'all to make, devour, and enjoy:
 1-12 oz bag frozen blackberries
1-6 oz bag dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. blackberry wine
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 T corn starch (thickening agent)
3/4 c. water
1 roll sugar cookie dough

In a saucepan over medium heat, pour the wine and add the chopped apricots. They will take about 10-15 minutes to reconstitute, or until they are deep orange in color. When that is done, add in your blackberries, sugar, and water and raise the heat to medium high so that it bubbles and thickens. After 5 minutes, add in the cornstarch, 1/2 T at a time, and whisk so that you can't see the cornstarch anymore. I recommend mashing the berries slightly while they are cooking in the saucepan to give the filling some texture and body. Stir and cover the saucepan so that some of the liquid evaporates and the mixture thickens. After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and let the mixture sit and cool.
Take a  muffin pan (12 muffins) and press down some cookie dough into each hole. Press enough so that it isn't too thin of a layer of dough, probably a good tablespoon or so, depending on the size of the individual muffins. Bake according to the package instructions.
When they are lightly golden brown, take them out and let them sit on the counter to cool. You should be able to run a knife along the edges and pop them out with a teaspoon after cooling them for couple minutes or so. Be careful to not poke a hole through the sides of the cookie shells. Now fill them with a teaspoon of  the fruit mixture. Too much will result in the filling seeping through the shells and destroying your masterpiece.
Bon appetit!

Easy and healthy Black Bean Soup

So, last night I got home from school really late and very hungry. So I decided to make this quick dish. Made with canned beans, this soup is a quick and easy way to get a lot of protein into your diet. Serves 3. Here's the recipe:
1-15 oz. can reduced sodium black beans ( I used Bush's, but you can use whatever you have in your house.)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 large bay leaf
1/3 tsp dried oregano
Cavender's Greek seasoning, salt-free (yes, I know I put it on everything. It's that good)
half a carrot, diced
1 rib of celery, diced
4 baby portabella mushrooms
half an onion
3 cloves garlic
1 c water
Half a tomato to garnish (optional)

Heat a pot on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add your olive oil. Then add your vegetables.Add in your salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaf, and Greek seasoning.  Stir frequently so that each nook and cranny can caramelize and so that they don't burn. When they are light caramel in color, add in your garlic. Keep stirring so that the veggies don't burn. Keep in mind that garlic should only be cooked for a couple of minutes. It burns easily. Now add your water and let the veggies boil for 3-5 minutes so that they get softer. Then add the black beans. There is also liquid in the can, so that's why I didn't add too much water. Cover and let the soup boil for 10 minutes. While it is still on the burner, mash with a potato masher or a fork, whatever you have, so that there is some texture. Add a couple pinches more of salt and pepper and stir. When the soup is at your desired level of consistency, ladle it up in your bowl and eat and enjoy! Don't forget to remove the bay leaf.  Mine took about 25-30 minutes to cook.

Balsamic-glazed Chicken thighs

Hey y'all! So, here's the story:
I went to the grocery store, looking for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but the store was out of them. So I just decided to buy some chicken thighs. Which is still ok, because I love dark meat. When I was cooking the other night, I was trying to come up with a new recipe, a way to impart some awesome flavor into this dark meat. Well, in my apartment I have a bottle of balsamic vinegar. With this in mind, I decided to use that in the recipe. Whenever you cook down and reduce balsamic vinegar, it turns into this sweet glaze. So that's just what I did. The best part about this recipe is that there isn't a lot of added oils, so if you are trying to watch your weight, you won't have any guilt after eating this chicken. Here is the recipe. You will all love it.

4 chicken thighs (bone and skin intact)
2 T Extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
salt
pepper
Greek seasoning
oregano
pinch or two of cinnamon
1/3 - 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
On one side of the chicken, season it with salt, pepper , greek seasoning, and the oregano (to taste).

Heat skillet to medium heat and drizzle a little bit of olive oil, twice around the pan. This is about 2 tablespoons (2 T).  When the pan is hot enough,  add the chicken and brown on one side. I also put a lid on top the chicken for even, thorough cooking. When it is golden on one side, flip it over and season with the same amount of seasoning that you used on the first side. Put lid back on. Drain off a little bit of the oil and rendered fat from the thighs.

In the meantime,heat  a small saucepan on medium head and add the vinegar. Let it reduce down to about 1/2. Add in the chopped garlic and the pinch of cinnamon. When it is done reducing, pour the balsamic glaze over the chicken, distributing it evenly onto each piece. When the glaze drips down into the bottom of the pan, swirl the chicken around in the pan so that the glaze mixes with the remaining oil in the pan. This will coat the other side of the meat as well. Let it sit in the pan for 5 or so minutes to finish cooking. Then eat it and enjoy!
Here is a visual! :)

Chicken-fried steak with country gravy

Chicken-fried steak is one of my favorite comfort foods. This dish is an easy way to turn a cheap cut of meat into a juicy, tasty dish, even on a budget. It is served with a white country gravy and can be eaten even at room temperature. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!
8 cube steaks (name of the meat)
1 c flour
1 c bread crumbs
1 1/2  tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
greek seasoning (optional)
oregano
vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Heat a skillet on med-high heat and add enough vegetable oil so that it is 1/4 inch deep in the skillet.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk,  1/2 tsp salt and pepper, greek seasoning, and oregano.
In another bowl, combine the flour, bread crumbs,  and the rest of the salt and pepper. Dip the steaks into the egg mixture, then dredge it into the flour/breadcrumb mixture. When the oil is hot enough, add the steak.
Tip: to test the readiness of the oil, splash a little water onto the oil. When the oil is ready, it will produce a sizzle.
Cook the steaks on one side until golden brown, and then flip over and cook the other side until there is no more blood coming out of the steak.
Set aside on a plate lined with 2 or 3 paper towels.

While the steaks are draining, make the gravy.
Here's the recipe:
2 T butter
2-3 T flour
1/2 to 3/4 c milk (whatever kind you have on hand)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pan on medium high heat. Melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and keep whisking for several minutes to cook the flour. Now add the milk and whisk until the mixture doesn't look like a paste anymore. Turn the heat down to med-low heat and let the mixture thicken and the flour cook some more. You may add a little water to thin it out if you would like. Add the salt and pepper to your taste preference.
When the gravy is as you would like it, pour over the steak and enjoy.