Dark Chocolate Chunk Muffins

These looked so fantastic when I saw them on pinterest. I thought it would be a change up for my husband in the mornings. Typically I make muffins, freeze a few in a bag and when he doesn't have time for his shake I pull a bag out and toss it in his lunch bag. He's usually late so something fast and easy is a must in our house.

This is an interesting recipe because of a few things, it doesn't use flour and you put everything in a food processor. Different. Start with some oats.

Add some unsweetened cocoa.

Then some vanilla

Some unsweetened applesauce. This is my homemade variety, yummy.

 Here it is again because you can't have enough pictures of homemade applesauce.

 Some plain yogurt.

I used honey as a sweetener. It's all I really have in terms of healthy sweeteners.

Some vinegar because I couldn't find my cream of tartar and I wasn't going to search through the ridiculously cluttered spice shelf.

 Some hot water.

The eggs were supposed to come earlier but I forgot them. Thankfully I remembered. If you can't tell I already blended the ingredients before saying "I forgot the eggs!" and then my daughter wanted to know what was wrong.

Just throw the chocolate chips in with the batter in the food processor because who needs to make another dish dirty? Especially when you wash yours by hand.

Here they are all cooked. I know they looked burned. I added peanut chips and white chocolate chips to the top.

Up close and personal. On a side note, I didn't care for that movie. I know they look burned but I couldn't get them to be done in the middle.

The batter was really thin, I think I'll cut down on the water.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup oats
3 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot water (I cut down the amount of water than what I used in mine, you're welcome to add   more if you need to.)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chocolate chips (you can use white or peanut butter ones as well)

Makes around 24.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend everything except the chocolate chips in a blender or food processor until oats are ground and the mixture is smooth. Put half of the chocolate chips in with the batter. Fill greased muffin tin 3/4 full of batter. Bake for eight minutes and add chocolate chips to the top of the muffin. Bake for another 8-10 minutes or until muffins are done. Check with a toothpick, when it comes out clean they're done.

Coconut Macaroons

 

My mom loves coconut macaroons and so do I. Sometimes when we'd go shopping she'd get me and her a treat, I'm the youngest so I was the one who went grocery shopping with her the longest. I had to endure long guilt trips if I tried to tell her I didn't want to go. Sometimes it's just easier to give in. 

Recently, one afternoon I had the sweet tooth hit. I needed something to sooth it. I didn't really want something unhealthy so I opted for some of these. Reminiscing the long grocery shopping trips.

So I started off with, of course, coconut. Guess I don't cook with coconut enough because my girls asked me what it was. I promptly gave them a little bowl and had them eat it raw. They liked it!

 Next a little whole wheat flour.

 A little milk. I loved that there were bubbles that didn't pop.

Some honey. The original recipe called for Agave but I only had honey, we have a honey store a mile away where the honey is fresh and wonderful. We stay stocked up on honey. The girls love to go to the store, they buzz all day after we go. I like supporting a local company and I like having fresh honey.

Some coconut extract which I think the cookies needed more of.

Mix it all up.

 I was a little worried when it got to this point, didn't look like it was going to turn into cookies.

No worries, just put it in the microwave for a few minutes and it thickens.

Once their thick put them on a greased cookie sheet and bake. You're welcome to top them with chocolate or not. I liked the little extra sweetness.

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup plus 2T milk
4 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.

Combine all ingredients. Microwave 3-5 minutes or until firm.

Once dough is firm put on greased cookie sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes.

S'more Tarts

Today is National S'more Day! My husband had a coworker come up to him and ask him where the s'more cupcakes were. I guess he assumed I would send some in. Instead of making s'more cupcakes I stummbled upon s'more tarts when looking at Amy Atlas' blog. She had so many cute ideas but the one that looked, easy and fast was the s'more tarts. You can get the recipe here. So while I made these I munched on marshmallows and chocolate and enjoyed myself.

The lady who made these threw a pampered chef party and so everything they use in the recipe is from pampered chef. Since I don't have much from pampered chef I had to use what I had on hand.

These are the pans I used.

Here the graham crackers are with the powder sugar and butter. I thought it was a lot of butter. If I make it again I'd add a few more graham crackers or cut out a little butter.

Here they are all mixed up.

I put them in the pans but I have to say I put too much in. Ended up being too graham crackery.

Here they are all cooked.

I didn't have the chocolate bars, I don't buy them for the one reason that they don't last in my house. I will eat them all. I used chocolate chips instead, I should have thrown a couple more in there.

Here they are with the half marshmallow's on top.

All done! Happy S'more Day, may it be sticky and sweet!

White Chocolate Cupcakes

Moist, crumbly, delectable. I couldn't help but eating several of them. These were the most time consuming cupcakes I've ever made but they were worth it. My sister is blessing her baby and I've taken over volunteered to help with the dessert table. The theme is white and I thought white chocolate cupcakes would be perfect but since I've never made them before I wanted to try them out. I had a friend retire and thought it would be a great excuse to make these cupcakes.

First I combined the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

I creamed the butter and sugar together, this part reminded me of making cookies.

Just before I melted the chocolate.

I mixed the milk and sour cream together and set it aside.

I went back to the butter and sugar and added the egg whites one at a time. This is where a kitchen aide would come in handy. Just start pouring things in, instead I have to use my hand mixer.

I added the clear vanilla.

The best part, adding the chocolate. I may have licked the spoon and bowl after that, may have.

I added part of the flour and mixed it in.

Added part of the milk and sour cream, mixed it in and then finished with the rest of the flour and milk and sour cream.

All mixed together.

This is the step I worried about, I thought adding the water was going to ruin the whole batter. Thank heaven it all worked out.

All done, now just to stick it in the oven.

The cupcakes turned out a little flat but who cares when they taste so delicious.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 tsp. clear vanilla
4 oz. or 1/2 cup white chocolate
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup hot water

Directions:
Sift together the flour baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Mix milk and sour cream together and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg whites to the butter and sugar mixture, blend together. Add vanilla and blend together. Melt chocolate and then add to butter sugar mixture.
Add the flour and milk alternating to the butter and sugar mixture.
Once everything is added to the batter add the hot water last and mix until everything is incorporated.
Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Makes around 12.

Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 oz. or 1/8 cup white chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons milk
2-3 cups powder sugar

Directions:
Soften cream cheese. Mix cream cheese and butter together. Add white chocolate, vanilla, and milk mix together. Add powder sugar and mix together.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I made these for my husband's family picnic at work. We thought these might be fun for all the kids that were going to be there. I found this recipe on http://thedoctorsdishesdessertsdecor.blogspot.com/2010/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cupcakes.html and thought they looked fantastic.

I sent my husband to the store and he came back with three huge tubes of cookie dough. I thought he was way off base buying three but I ended up using two but having lots of cookies left over. I guess he knows better than I do. Don't let him know that though. While I was making the balls for the middle of the cupcakes I munched on the cookie dough and even gave it to my 14 month to eat. After I made the cookies I sat on the couch and munched on the cookie dough some more. It wasn't until I was putting it in the refrigerator that I noticed in big letters, DO NOT CONSUME RAW COOKIE DOUGH. Ooops.

I made the cookies the night before so that I wouldn't have to do everything all at once, plus it spread the dishes out.

Time for the will power.

For the cupcakes I used one yellow cake mix with the pudding in the mix. I added 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (it was an organic natural sugar kind from Nancy's), one cup of milk (not pictured, I like to claim that the children steal brain cells), 3 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and one teaspoon vanilla.

I wanted to try the yogurt since I've never tried it in a cupcake before plus we have two huge containers in the fridge that need to be used (that's probably the real reason).

Not pretty.

Here's where the cookie dough comes in, I took the idea from Cupcakes! from the Cake Mix Doctor. She suggests you freeze the cookie dough and then put it in the middle. I tried this and couldn't figure out why it mattered, all the cookie dough ended up on the bottom. Freezing it was a good idea though, after cooking the cupcake, the cookie dough doesn't get cooked all the way and is gooey and delicious.

One the right is the cookie dough just placed in and on the left is the cookie dough covered.

This is what it looks like after it was cooked.

See, all at the bottom.

Time for the frosting. I got this recipe from the http://thedoctorsdishesdessertsdecor.blogspot.com/2010/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cupcakes.html same website as before. It was a different recipe than I'm used to. Definitely interesting. Not a huge fan of the frosting, it ended up being grainy with the brown sugar. It wasn't a very sweet frosting either with the flour.

I used one and a half cups of butter Crisco instead of butter, so they tell you to add some water, that's why there is water in the picture.

Creamed the two together.

Added some powdered sugar.

All done.

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tubes chocolate chip cookie dough

Take one tube chocolate chip cookie dough, form 24, 2 inch balls and freeze.

Mix everything together except the chocolate chip cookie dough. Put batter in cupcake pan and cook at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Cool before frosting.

Frosting:
3 sticks butter or 1 1/2 cups butter Crisco
3/4 cup brown sugar
3-4 cups powder sugar
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add the powder sugar and combine till smooth. Add the flour, milk and vanilla. Mix together until smooth.

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