Well, gonna do a dance and it goes like this
The name of the dance is the peppermint twist
-Joey De and the Starlighters
Ok, so I am not really talking about the song, but you will want to dance and maybe even twist to this song in your kitchen after you taste these cupcakes. Yummy, yummy fun! Is there really any baked confection that is more fun than cupcakes? Do you remember being a child and nothing was more exciting than Mommy saying "let's make cupcakes today"? Making a mess in the kitchen, licking the bowl, and then getting this piece of cake just the right size for little paws all topped with frosting and sprinkles. It's no wonder that cupcake shops are popping up everywhere to get success. Get creative with your cupcakes. Get a good basic recipe and adapt it. The sky is really the limit for flavors and fillings.
Peppermint Twist Cupcakes
1 stick of unsalted butter (8TB)
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) sour cream
4 crushed candy canes
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan (1/2 cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.
Combine butter, chocolate and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and fully combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to touch.
Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined; then sift in remaining flour mixture and whisk batter until it is homogenous and thick. Add candy canes.
Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
(from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes; makes about 5 cups)
5 large egg whites
1 cup plus 2 T sugar
pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3-4 drops peppermint oil
crushed candy canes or peppermints for garnish
Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
I was asked yesterday why I did not post my chili recipe when I spoke of of the slush/cheese straw/chili trifecta. Well, I have two really good reasons. 1. I don't have a recipe. I just do it. 2. Chili is a personal thing. What constitutes chili for one person, may not be that to another. Now, I'm told I make a good chili. I think it's just that I have mostly served it to people who have the same preferences as I when it comes to this dish. My chili is tomatoey, with lots of beans, lots of flavor depth due to the brand of chili powder I use. It's also thick, but has enough liquid in it to add a hearty helping of saltines, and a topper of cheese. I think it's also pleasing to alot of men, because I add a cut up steak to it. Now, if you're a tex-mex chili lover, or heavy on the cumin needing that smokey flavor chili lover, don't bother. This isn't the chili for you. Again, chili is a personal thing. I'm posting my recipe for chili, and I hope you enjoy it.
Jaime's Chili
Makes a large batch, plenty for freezing.
Olive oil
1# top sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/2 # lean ground beef or chuck
2 1/2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 TB chili powder
1 medium onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 29 oz cans tomato sauce
3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
3 16 oz cans chili beans in mediium sauce
2 16 oz cans kidney beans, drained
1 large bay leaf
1 Tb granulated onion
2 tsp granulated garlic
1 1/2 TB cumin
1 TB oregano or Italian herb mix
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
In a large heavy bottom pot, pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Heat to medium-high, add steak, ground beef, onion and green pepper. Season with 2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp salt and 1 TB chili powder. When the meat is almost cooked, add the garlic.
Add the beans, sauce, tomatoes, tomato juice, remaining chili powder, remaining pepper, and the rest of the herbs. Simmer on medium-low for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
There's 5 inches of snow on the ground, it's 20 degrees outside, and I'm getting into hibernation mode. I have a pot of chili on the stove, a brandy slush in one hand, and spicy cheese straws in the other. That my friend, is the ultimate winter trifecta. I suggest that if you are not deep into your winter slumber, you run out the grocery store and get the ingredients. You will not be disappointed. Well, that is unless you don't make a double batch of the cheese straws, because they go fast.
Long have I avoided making cheese straws. Most of you know by now the self-loathing and tears that making bread reduces me to. Well, all I can say is that these are so easy and I am certain that if taken to a party everyone will assume that you spent hours in the kitchen slaving over this cheese-a-licious pastry. Bask in the glory of it my friends. Let everyone think you worked your tail off. The truth will be known only to you. It takes 15 minutes to make these, and you can spend the rest of your day with Calgon.
Now, if you really want to be the hit of the party, be the bearer of brandy slush. I used to have a friend who made this every year, but never wanted to fully divulge the recipe. Well, for the last several years I have tried a few different recipes, and melded them into this no-fail recipe for booze heaven. It is delicious, completely not good for you, and somehow makes you not mind the snow and frigid temperature so much.
Enjoy!
Brandy Slush
9 C boiling water, divided
8 tea bags (4 orange spice, 4 pomegranete fizz)
2 C sugar
1 (12 - oz) can frozen orange juice
1 (12 - oz) can frozen lemonade
2 C brandy
1/4 C Rose's sweetened lime juice
Pour 2 C of boiling water over tea bags, allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags. Stir together the remaining 7 C of boiling water and 2 C of sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Stir in tea mixture, sugar, OJ, lemonade, brandy and lime juice. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Freeze in an airtight container, at least 4 hours, or overnight depending on the temperature of your freezer.
Scoop frozen mixture into a glass (depending on how much you would like) and pour lemon-lime soda over the top until slushy.
Spicy Cheese Straws
Adapted from The Lee Brothers, Southern Cookbook
1 1/2 C grated sharp Wisconsin Cheddar
4 TB unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
2 TB unsalted butter, melted
3/4 C flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 TB heavy cream or milk
coarse sea salt
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor or mixer, combine cheese, flour salt, softened butter and pepper flakes and pulse or mix until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the heavy cream, and mix until the dough forms a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 8 x 10 rectangle that is 1/8 inch thick. Use a a pizza cutter to cut into thin strips, no more than 1/3 inch wide. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes or just barely browned. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.
