12 Cute Cupcake Recipes For You and the Kids

Here are some great ideas for you from http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/12_cute_cupcake_recipes_for_you_and_the_kids.htm/?utm_source=dailyrecipes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=Daily%2BRecipes

 

While a chocolate cake or ice cream cake may seem like the best way to celebrate your kid’s birthday, why not change things up with a whole bunch of delicious cupcakes? They’re big enough so that each kid will be full after one, and small enough that they won’t get a dreaded stomach ache after eating them. Your kids can even join in and help you bake a batch of these sweets too!

1. Brownie Candy Cupcakes – Kids AND adults will love these easy to make, delicious cupcakes!
2. Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcakes – Sprinkles in by far our favorite bakery. We just can’t resist buying their tasty cupcakes by the dozen. Their red velvet cupcake is one of the absolute best cupcakes on the menu.
3. Lemon-Kissed Cupcakes – These light cakes have a touch of lemon on top – absolutely delicious!
4. Chocolate Cupcakes – Make completely from scratch, this is an easy batch to whip up for a school snack or whatever other reason.
5. Black Cat Cupcakes -These adorably cupcakes are easy to make and the kids can help with them too!
6. Pumpkin Cupcakes – The perfect autumn treat, these festive cupcakes have a delicious cream cheese frosting that makes them absolutely irresistible.
7. Banana Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Chunks – I made these for my birthday to bring to the office and they were a big hit! The ganache is a cinch to make and totally worth the tiny bit of extra time.
8. S’More Cupcakes – Don’t trust your little ones (or yourself) near an open flame? Whip up a batch of these cupcakes that taste just like the real thing… without catching on fire.
9. Warm Chocolate Cupcakes with Molten Centers – Baking these is one of the easiest and tastiest ways I know to make a great impression on your dinner guests. Most recipes, including my own, call for just a few ingredients — chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, and a dash of flour. You combine them very quickly. And the cakes don’t take long to bake — barely more than 10 minutes.
10. Bursting Flower Cupcakes – Serve these sunny little cakes and watch the smiles bloom! They’re sweet delight with every bite.
11. Marshmallow Peeps Cupcakes – These festive cupcakes have coconut, Peeps and jelly beans for a sweet Easter treat.
12. Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes – Not your ordinary cake mix cupcakes, these treats are rich and melt in your mouth.

Just some great ideas for you and your family.

Tammye Honey

Real Women of Philadelphia Culinary Quiz

Calling All Cooking Experts: It’s Time for a Quiz!

Happy Friday!

It’s time for another pop quiz.

Recently, we tested your cooking knowledge by asking: HOW WELL YOU KNOW CULINARY LINGO?

And yes, you ladies know it like the back of your hand!

Since this online cooking community has grown so much over the years thanks to your fabulousRECIPE contributions and the tips and tricks you’ve shared, why not keep growing with more knowledge?

Take the quiz below:

Speaking of GLAZE, how delicious does this GLAZED FRUIT PO-BOY look? Bananas, berries, powdered sugar—YUM! Get the recipe…

 http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/calling-all-cooking-experts-its-time-for-a-quiz

Post your answers below and don’t stop at just ONE word, if you think of more, comment again! Don’t forget to share this with your cooking whiz friends to test their knowledge!

An Irish Dessert

So today I am all about the Irish…Hey now my last name is Green lol…

This one is courtesy of another great site I love http://www.chow.com

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

 

Adapted from Dave Lieberman

I love cooking with beer, and that’s no exception when it comes to desserts. Of all beers, Guinness is the perfect one for desserts because of its distinct chocolate and coffee notes. Pairing it with actual chocolate is the obvious choice. These cupcakes are light in texture but heavy in the chocolate department. The white cream cheese icing reminds me of the creamy white head that Guinness is famous for.

This dish was featured as part of ourSt. Patty’s Day Recipes photo gallery.

TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: 50 mins
Active Time: 25 mins
Makes: 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
Unsalted butter, melted, for coating the muffin pans (optional)
1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
Pinch fine salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound powdered sugar
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cupcakes:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place cupcake liners in two (12-well) muffin pans; alternatively, coat the wells with melted butter. Set the pans aside.
2. Whisk together the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Whisk in the sour cream.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a second large bowl to aerate and combine. Gradually fold this mixture into the wet Guinness mixture. Divide the batter among the muffin wells.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pans on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool completely before removing from the pans.

For the frosting:

1. Place the cream cheese and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in the heavy cream until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually mix in the powdered sugar until completely incorporated and smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa powder.

Happy Baking and preparing for your festivities… hope this helps

Tammye Honey

Related articles

• Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake (thebakingbird.com)
• Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes (shinylifeblog.com)
• Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting (5minutesformom.com)

Recipes in Time for St. Patrick’s Day

No Pinching Here: Five Green Dishes for St. Patrick’s Day!

Mar 13, 2013

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Hello Everyone!

Looking for a green dish to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further.

We’ve got five recipes that won’t get you pinched, all created by Real Women like you in our wonderful online cooking community!

Click through our slideshow to get recipes for these delicious green dishes and test your Irish food knowledge on each slide—answers are at the end, tell us how many you got right!

Smashed Peas & Mint

MEH

posted Oct 15, 2010

I love peas mostly fresh but frozen too. I even grew my own for awhile… so good. One day while visiting my parents, my mom (not a huge veggie fan) said let’s do something different with the peas… mashed… maybe?….it has been a family favorite since then…

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces 2 – 10 oz bags frozen peas
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw and drain the peas
2. In a medium saucepan roughly mash the peas; Add the butter, 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp ground pepper and cook over low heat
3. Add the cream cheese and milk until well blended; Add the mint, stirring until bubbly

Green Beans and Sautéed Potatoes

 

Smoky bacon, hearty potatoes, fresh cut green beans—we’ll be honest, you’re going to want to make this for St. Paddy’s day and then some…

GET THE RECIPE

Fresh Cut Green Beans, Sauteed with Potatoes, Bacon and Onions

Rebecka Evans

posted Aug 1, 2012

This recipes is one of my favorite summer fresh creations. Filled with flavorful memories of hot summer days in the garden with mom, the crisp cut green beans snap alongside the creamy texture of the sauteed potatoes and onions. Bacon rounds out the dish with its savory smoke flavor. The simple flavors of summer express themselves in perfect harmony in this basic side dish!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh cut green beans
• 1 medium onion
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 scallions
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, remove bacon and all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat
2. melt 1 tablespoon butter in pan
3. add potatoes and onions and cook covered, stirring frequently until potatoes are tender but not soft
4. add cut green beans, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. salt and pepper to taste
6. serve with red wine vinegar, garnish with chopped scallions

Lettuce Soup

 

Serve up a warm bowl of green soup. Fresh mint, broth, iceberg lettuce—your taste buds will thank you.

GET THE RECIPE

Minty Lettuce Soup

MEH

posted Sep 24, 2010

I love serving soup in a shot glass as an appetizer. You would never guess it’s lettuce. How many times have you had to throw out the lettuce because it turned brown in the crisper (or rotter as I call it)? Now you can put it to delicious use.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 heads iceburg lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 cup onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup packed fresh mint
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the lettuce, onion, mint and chicken broth in a large pot
2. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes
3. Let cool slightly then place in a blender for one minute and strain the soup. (You will have to do this in 2 stages to not fill the blender too much) set aside;
4. Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat, add the flour and stir one minute
5. Add the soup and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly
6. Remove from heat, add the cream cheese and salt & pepper to taste
7. Tip: You can serve this soup in shot glasses; add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a fresh mint leaf to decorate
8. Tip: You can use any lettuce you have on hand and for a vegetarian meal you can use vegetable broth

Green Guacamole

 

Rich and creamy guacamole? Make an extra batch because you won’t be able to put this down!

GET THE RECIPE

Awesome Guacamole

Erika Christian

posted Aug 3, 2012

Rich and creamy guacamole, hard to stop eating!

• 

Tags: None

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces Philadelphia whipped cream cheese
• 3 Ripe avacadoes
• 1 packet of guacamole seasoning mix (your choice)
• 1 pinch garlic salt (season to your taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel and remove seed from avacadoes then mash in a bowl.
2. In the same bowl mix in the whipped cream cheese.
3. Stir in seasoning packet and garlic salt.
4. Place in fridge for 20 min to bring out flavor.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Green Brownies

 

They’re rich with chocolate and they’re green? What’s the special ingredient that makes these brownies pinch-free? Find out…

Green tea Cream cheese Brownies

Yumiko Eto

posted Sep 16, 2011

These brownies are rich and chocolaty, and absolutely fabulous! Green tea cream cheese mixtures make these brownies outstanding! A little bite is not enough. Every time I make these brownies, I put them as snack’s in my girls’ school lunches. After they come back from school, they tell me, ” Mommy, those brownies are very popular among my friends! Next time put more brownies in my lunch, PLEASE!!”

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 ounces sugar
• 2 teaspoons green tea powder
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325*F. Grease an 8×8 inch square pan.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and water. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Mix together softened cream cheese, sugar, green tea powder well.
4. Drop Green tea cream cheese mixture onto sections the chocolate mixture and use a toothpick to draw the Green Tea mix across the brownie to create a look like marble.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies rise. Do not overbake! Cool in pan and cut into squares.
6. Serve and enjoy!

I do not always copy and paste an entire article…this time I did just so you are not jumping screens.  This is such a great website for ideas.

http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com

Enjoy cooking

Tammye Honey

What Can I Make with Peanut Butter (Besides PB & J)?

Straight from http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/what-can-i-make-with-peanut-butter-besides-pb-j

I could not think of three ideas that are better…

Mar 11, 2013

Happy Monday!

We love peanut butter: crunchy or creamy, it’s the perfect spread on an apple or warm slice of toast, and you can never go wrong with a classic pb & j.

But what else can we make with peanut butter?

Thanks to the talent and creative skills in this online cooking community of ours, peanut butter has been transformed.

A. Peanut Butter fanatics, this is it: smooth caramel, decadent chocolate and that nutty flavor we LOVE! Grab this CANDY BAR CHEESECAKE SWIRL BROWNIES recipe and make these tonight!

B. Enjoy the creamy peanut butter and crunchy peanuts in this SWEET AND SOUR THAI CHICKEN recipe. Make sure there’s enough for seconds…

C. Rich chocolate, bananas, white chocolate curls, and creamy peanut butter inside? Heaven. ThisCHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE PIE recipe is tonight’s dessert, and maybe tomorrow’s too…

So how do you want to eat peanut butter? A, B or C? Tough choices. Leave us a comment!

Happy Cooking

Tammye Honey

Can You Unscramble These Tasty Treats?

Try uncovering the names of these desserts without clicking the link—use their ingredients as clues! Leave us a comment telling us how many you unscrambled but don’t look down at others’ answers!

Recipe clues: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

How many did you unscramble? Tell us below and if you like what someone else said, hit the “thumbs up” button on their comment! If you haven’t tried this new feature, you must!

 Excerpt Photo Source

http://realwomenofphiladelphia.com/blog/post/can-you-unscramble-these-tasty-treats

So let me know how many you were able to do and if this was fun for you…I love a brain teaser and when it has to do with food it is even more fun for me.  Let me know how you feel.

Thank you for reading

Tammye Honey

Dinner In A Hurry

When I found out that I was going to have hungry grandchildren to visit yesterday I wanted to make something quick and easy so that I could sit and visit while it cooked.  Due to a time crunch on the visit as the boys had to return home to get ready for school for today it had to be a quick meal.  Their mom had said that she could pick up a pizza on the way.

Homemade and nutritious for me always wins hands down.  I said I had already started to just come and visit.

I took chicken thighs and placed them in my roaster pan where I poured Wishbone Lite Italian Dressing on them enough to well coat them.  I covered with foil and placed them in the oven at 350 F.

I then proceeded to peel potatoes.  Both yellow butter and Red potatoes since I did not have enough of the yellow butter ones.  I placed them in a pan of water cubed with a hint of sea salt and let them boil with the cover slightly ajar.

I then took one container of Vanilla Yogurt, a container of Sour Cream, several varieties of fruit that I had (Mine were canned although frozen do work well) and 1/4 cup of marshmallows  I mixed them together in the bowl and let them sit in the fridge.

I was able to sit and visit, only being interrupted by my timer every fifteen minutes to turn the chicken.

The potatoes were finished and we added one stick of butter and one container of sour cream to whip them with the beater..

The thighs were done and we ate.  The meat fell easily from the bone and was very tender.  To have the boys comment how good the chicken was felt good.

They were surprised when I said that I had dessert.  First response was “What is that?”  I handed each a fork to stick in the mixture to taste.

Each had a big bowl of it and the last one finished the bowl.  I had a bag of coconut on the side to sprinkle on the top if the wanted it.  (I do not care for coconut so it always is a side option for me.)

A side salad was the other option which was offered.  Simple cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce with a choice of dressings.

Complete meal that was quick and easy with no measuring and I was able to spend time with my guests.

Thank you for reading.

Tammye Honey

Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

I opened my emails this morning to find the top one from my hubby.  We do live in the same home, this is just another way of us to communicate when he is up late at night and wants to tell me something or show me something when I am sleeping.

Here it was:

http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/biscuits_and_gravy.htm

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Jimmy Dean premium pork or turkey sausage
• 3 Tbs. corn starch
• 3 C. milk
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 can. pre-made biscuits (i.e. Grand’s home style)

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large skillet, cook sausage until fully cooked. When cooked, do not drain. Add butter, and cornstarch, stir until cornstarch is dissolved into the sausage. By this time you’ll want to start putting your biscuits in the oven, bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Once done, slowly begin to add the milk to the gravy mixture.  Add about a cup each time continuously stirring. Season to taste. Pour your gravy on your biscuits to serve.

http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/homemade_sausage_gravy_and_biscuits.htm

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Tennessee pride mild sausage
• 1/2 gallon milk
• 8 biscuits
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn starch

Directions

 

Break up and brown sausage well. Drain and add salt and pepper, mix until brown. Add milk a little at a time to get it brown. Let it cook down until it’s brown again, then add remaining milk. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir well, add corn starch to thicken. Serve over hot flakey biscuits.

http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/mind_blowing_buttermilk_biscuits_recipe.htm

Time needed

15 min preparation + 12 min cooking

Serving Size / Yield

6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 C All purpose flour
• 1 Tbs Baking powder
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 C Lard (or shortening)
• 2/3 C Buttermilk (or sour milk)

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in lard (or shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of dry mixture, then add buttermilk (or sour milk) all at once. Using a fork, stir (just until moistened).
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead the dough by gently folding and pressing the dough for 10 or 12 strokes or until the dough is nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter into flour between cuts.
Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 450F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the biscuits are done. Remove biscuits from the baking sheet and serve hot.

 

I think he was trying to give me a hint to change to gluten free flour and rice or potato starch and make this lol…

Will make and record just had to share…

Related articles

• Sausage Breakfast Biscuits- Gluten, Nut, and Peanut-Free (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Biscuit Waffle Breakfast Sandwich (meggieskitchen.wordpress.com)

New Bisquick Gluten and Corn Free

I had extra strawberries that I had to use up so I decided to make some short cakes to go with them with the new Bisquick I had found the last shopping trip.

With the recipe on the back and my muffin tin…it was a breeze and a quick and easy dessert that both my hubby and I can enjoy…

Since my camera is shy today…here is this recipe…

4 cups (1 qt) strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/3 cups Bisquick Gluten Free Mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine (I softened)

3/4 cup milk

3 eggs beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped

Mix strawberries and 1/4 cup of sugar (unless you like sweeter, add more); set aside.

Heat oven to 425F.  Grease cookie sheet or do what I did and place in muffin tins which I sprayed with butter Pam cooking spray.

In medium bowl, combine Bisquick mix, and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar (or a trace more for a sweeter roll) ; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork.  Stir in milk, beaten eggs and vanilla.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet or place into muffin tins and I had enough to make a small loaf also.

Bake 10-12 min or until light golden brown Cool 5 min.  With serrated knife, split short cakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

While warm I sprinkled sugar across top to give a nice sprinkle look.

Ate one for dessert…very filling.

Happy Cooking.

Namaste

Tammye Honey

 

 

Related articles

• Gluten Free does not mean Corn Free 😦 (tammyehoney.wordpress.com)

Baking with Corn Allergy

1. Keep staple baking ingredients such as yeast, cream and butter on hand. This way, you can whip something up without having to go to store to get the necessary ingredients. It doesn’t quite overcome the convenience of prepared foods, but it sure helps to satisfy cravings. Yeast can be stored in the fridge and butter in the freezer for months.
2. Get rid of the baking powder! It has cornstarch in it. If you can’t find Featherweight Baking Powder (made with potato starch), use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for 1 teaspoon baking powder. I’ve been doing this for years, and no one has noticed a difference in my foods, even biscuits.
3. Make your own vanilla. Buy a 750 ml bottle of potato vodka, stick 2 vanilla beans in it, and let it sit for a month or two. Yummy, and actually cheaper than pure extract. I have heard that Frontier’s vanilla has corn alcohol in it, but their other extracts seem to be safe (I use them).
4. Use this substitution for corn syrup: 1 cup corn syrup = 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 liquid (water or whatever other liquid is called for in the recipe). I’ve also read that rice syrup can be substituted directly for corn syrup.
5. For powdered sugar, add up to a tablespoon of potato starch to 1 cup sugar, and blend in a coffee grinder until it’s not grainy; I often run it through twice. I also keep a bowl of it handy for when I need it quickly; just stir or sift it first to break up any clumps.

http://www.cornallergens.com/food/corn-free-cooking-baking.php

Love this website for great tips when I need it desperately like today…

Happy Cooking

Namaste

Tammye Honey