My favorite yellow or vanilla cupcake recipe

Serves: 24
Ingredients
6 large egg whites (¾ cup), at room temperature
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or just use 1 1/2 teaspoons of extract)
2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12¼ ounces)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), softened but still cool and cut into pieces
Vanilla Bean Frosting
2 sticks (8 oz) butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine egg whites, milk, almond extract and vanilla paste in a large liquid measuring cup. Mix with a fork until blended.

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of a stand mixer. Add butter and beat on low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 30 seconds longer.

Divide batter evenly between cupcake cups . Bake on center rack for 20 minutes or until cupcakes test done – a toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.

Let cupcakes rest in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pans and let them cool on a rack.

To make icing, mix together the butter and powdered sugar. Mix in the vanilla bean paste and some of the milk. Beat on high until light and creamy, scraping sides of bowl. Add remaining milk if needed. Taste test and add more sugar, vanilla bean paste or milk to get the consistency you want.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Lemony Lemon Brownies

Ok ok, yes, I know they're called brownies, but there's no chocolate in them. Why, you say? Well, it's all about the TEXTURE. These delicious bars bake up just like a brownie, with that same moist and almost gooey kind of texture. When I described the Orange Brownies, I said that they were the orange version of "fudgy". These are just like that. They're the lemon version of "fudgy". And they're SO delicious and refreshing! I found them on several different sites, tracing back to a blog called Rita's Recipes. (I just might have to check out some of her other goodies!) Oh, and they're called lemony lemon brownies for a reason. Perhaps they should be called EXTREMELY lemony lemon brownies because the glaze is VERY tart! So be sure to include it!! It's also what gives them the brownie-like texture, which is exactly what I love about them.
You may want to make extra....they won't lest very long!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, large
2 tbs lemon zest
2 tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt

For the tart lemon glaze:
4 tbs lemon juice
8 tsp lemon zest
1 cup icing sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
3. Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
6. Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.
8. Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake!
9. Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.
10. Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.
11. Cut into bars and serve.

Tips:
I doubled the entire recipe and baked it in a 9x13 pan. It turned out beautifully! I didn't double the glaze exactly. I doubled the sugar and lemon juice, but not as much zest as it says.
The directions say to cool them completely before glazing, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't just glaze them in the pan while they're still warm.

Chicken Pot Pie

It has been a comfort food kind of day for me. Looking at some of my Mama's versions of Chicken Pot Pie and then some of my own, I just decided to combine the two into one delicious dish. Pretty darn tasty if I do say so and my husband could have eaten the whole thing I do believe. Approx. 6 or more servings.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 2 lb. whole chicken
4 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
water
4 T. butter
1/4 C. all purpose flour
1 1/2 C. frozen peas
10 baby potatoes
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
chicken stock
1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of flaky biscuits such as Grands 8 Ct.

In a large pot, add the whole chicken (giblets removed). Add enough water to cover the chicken, then throw in the garlic, 2 of the carrots, 1 stalk of celery and 1/2 the onion. This will make the chicken stock for you. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour or until meat reaches 165 degrees. Remove chicken to cool, then debone and shred. Remove veggies from stock and discard saving the stock. Add the baby potatoes to the stock and cook until tender. Remove potatoes (saving stock) and quarter them.

In a large, deep sided, skillet add the 4T. butter over medium high heat. Dice the remaining carrots, celery and chop the remaining onion and add to the butter. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until veggies are just tender. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir well to combine and cook the flour. Add 6 ladles of the stock to the veggies stirring quickly to avoid lumps. This will begin to thicken and you can add in more stock...I used a total of 8 ladles. Once this is the thickness you desire, stir in the peas, potatoes, shredded chicken and spices. Remove from heat and transfer to a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or until it begins to bubble). Remove and top with the cheese then place the biscuits on top of that and sprinkle the biscuits with a little black pepper. Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 more minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. NOTE: You can freeze the remaining stock for later use.

Italian Lemon Shrimp

Try this quick way to make fabulous shrimp.

Melt a stick of butter in the pan.
Slice one lemon and layer it on top of the butter.
Put down fresh shrimp, then sprinkle one pack of dried Italian seasoning.
Put in the oven and bake at 350 for 15 min.

Best Shrimp you will EVER taste.

Ruth Chris' Sweet Potato Casserole OMG !! YuuM

Ingredients:
CRUST
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/4 cup butter (melted)

SWEET POTATO MIXTURE

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (can use canned to save time, just drain)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs (well beaten)
1/2 cup butter, melted (1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly.

4. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.

5. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

MADE CARROT CAKE TODAY-CAME OUT GREAT

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1 cup walnuts, chopped

- Position racks in the top and bottom third of the oven, and preheat to 325°F. Lightly grease 3 (8-inch) round pans with butter. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whisk well to blend.

- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar and oil until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to incorporate after each addition. Add the applesauce and pineapple, beating to mix. Add the flour mixture, and beat to incorporate, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed. Add the carrots and the walnuts, and beat briefly.

- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Slide the pans into the oven and bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes; then turn them out onto the rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 lb cream cheese, room temp.
5 oz butter, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon flavoring-ex orange juice or pineapple juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt, and beat well to incorporate. If the frosting is lumpy from the sugar, bump the speed up to medium-high and beat the crap out of it.

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe

This dish is tasty enough to be a side dish or dessert!

Ingredients:
1 large package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding (4.6 ounces)
1 large package orange jell-o (6 ounces)
2 cups water
1 16 oz Cool-Whip (lite or fat-free is fine)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
20 ounce can pineapple tidbits (drained)
22 ounces mandarin oranges (drained)
2 to 3 bananas, sliced (Optional, put in before serving so they don't turn brown in the fridge)

Directions:

Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls Recipe

•1 large head cabbage
•1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
•3/4 cup quick-cooking rice
•1/2 cup chopped green pepper
•1/2 cup crushed saltines (about 15 crackers)
•1 egg, lightly beaten
•1 ounce onion soup mix
•1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
•1 can (46 ounces) V8 juice
•Salt to taste
•Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

•Cook cabbage in boiling water just until leaves fall off head. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls; drain well. (Refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use.) Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each reserved leaf, making a V-shaped cut; set aside.

•In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, rice, green pepper, cracker crumbs, egg and soup mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.

•Place about 1/3 cup meat mixture on each cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides, beginning from the cut end. Roll up completely to enclose filling. Secure with toothpicks if desired.

•Place cabbage rolls in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Pour V8 juice over rolls. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until filling reaches 160°. Just before serving, sprinkle with salt and cheese if desired.

Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps

1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I used a little more to taste)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
pepper and salt to taste
5 flour tortillas (the larger ones)
shredded cheddar cheese
sliced tomatoes
yellow mustard

Brown ground beef in large skillet and drain. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, dried onion, and salt and pepper to the beef and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle shredded cheese down center of each tortilla. Add a few heaping tablespoons of the beef mixture on top of the cheese. Spread some mustard on top of the beef along with some slices of tomato. Roll up tortilla burrito-style and place wraps on preheated indoor grill (I used my George Foreman).
Grill wraps for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Cut on a diagonal and serve immediately!

Kebbeh filled with Kiri cheese recipe

Ingredients

2 cups of burgol (crushed wheat)
3 cups of finely minced lamb meat
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
8 squares of Kiri cheese
1 cup of pine nuts
1 cup of ghee

Directions

Soak the burgol (crushed wheat) in water for 10 minutes, then remove it and let it dry

Mix it with 2 cups of minced meat, salt, cumin and pepper

Add the whole mixture to the blender and mix it to get one soft dough

Take it out of the blender and leave it aside to rest

To prepare the filling, heat some ghee in a pan

Fry the remaining minced meat for 5 minutes

Season it with salt and pepper

Add Kiri squares and pine nuts

Fill the burgol (crushed wheat) pastry with this filling, close it, fry it and serve it hot.

Dr. Oz’s 7-Layer Fat-Fighting Dip Recipe

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded lettuce
3 medium ripe avocados mashed and mixed with 2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 1 package low-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 can black beans
3 medium diced tomatoes
2 cans sliced olives
8 oz 2% cheddar cheese

Chicken Pasta Pesto

The Ingredients: Pasta
250 g fettuccine (or any pasta or spaghetti)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 chicken stock cube
salt and black pepper
pesto sauce

The Method:
1. boil the chicken with bay leaves
2. after that chop the chicken and boil the pasta with chicken stock cube
3. heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
4. add chopped chicken, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until golden brown
5. add basil pesto to frying pan, reduce heat to medium- low and cook for less than 5 minutes (you can add cooking cream if you want too)
6. add pasta to pesto mixture. Toss over low heat until well combined
7. transfer to serving bowl.
8. top with parmesan or kashkaval cheese.

Zinger Wrap

This zinger wrap recipe is from the famous American fast food restaurant chain, and now you can enjoy cooking this zinger wrap at home, knowing that you have made a healtheir zinger wrap than stop bought. This Zinger wrap recipe uses cornflakes/potato chips to give a cranchy chicken bite.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken boneless 200 gm
Potato chips (or cornflakes) crushed 1 cup
Egg white 1
Roti (chappati) 1
Tomato ketchup 1 tbsp
Mayonnaise 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp
Red chilli flakes 1/2 tsp
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Flour 2 tbsp
Oil for frying
Lettuce leaves as required
Salt as required


COOKING DIRECTIONS

Marinate chicken with salt, black pepper, red chilli, lemon juice, garlic ginger paste for 30 minutes.

Whisk egg whites till soft peaks form.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan.

Add flour into the chicken and mix.

Now coat each chicken piece one at a time, first in egg white and then into the potato/chapapati flakes.

Fry each chicken piece till golden brown.

Wrap each chicken piece in a chappati (roti), filling
in with mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and lettuce.

Tandoori Prawns Recipe

Ingredients:

20 large prawns – shelled with tail on and de-veined
2 tablespoons yogurt
1 tablespoon of ginger/garlic paste
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tsp cumin powder
1-2 tsps kashmiri red chiili powder
1/2 tsp orange-red food colouring
1 tablespoon tandoori masala (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

It doesn’t get easier than this. Just mix all the ingredients, leave to marinate overnight or 2hrs minimum. Fire up a grill or can even use a griddle pan. Brush with oil and grill them for a few mins till done. Serve hot with some sliced onion, yogurt and chutney.

Butter Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

500 grams boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
juice of 1 lemon
salt and red chili powder, to taste
1 cup yogurt
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp garlic
1 1/2 tbs tandoori masala
3 tbs butter
2 cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
4 medium ripe tomatoes, blended
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbs honey
1 tbs dried fenugreek leaves
250 ml thick cream
extra butter or coriander to garnish

Method:

Marinate the chicken cubes in lemon juice, salt, chili powder, yogurt, ginger, garlic and tandoori powder for at least half an hour. Overnight is best. Preheat the oven to the highest grill setting. Place the chicken on a baking tray closest to the grill and grill for at least 10 minutes on each side or until cooked. Allow the chicken to cook until it JUST starts to char.

To prepare the gravy, heat and melt the butter. Add to it the the cardamoms, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Stir fry for a minute before adding the tomatoes and tomato paste, Let this simmer on low to medium heat, half covered, for about 15-20 minutes. You will notice the gravy thicken and the oil will form a film on top. If the gravy is too thick, you can add a small amount of water. Add the rest of the ingredients as well as the grilled chicken and simmer for another 15 minutes. Garnish with butter or coriander.

Devilled Chicken – Sri Lankan Style

Ingredients:

1) 500g chicken (skinless and with bones better but sadly my market didn’t have proper chicken on bone so I had to buy breast filets)
2) 5 medium onions cut into half rings.
3) 1/2 medium tomato cut into semi circle slices.
4) 3 cloves of garlic chopped into tiny pieces..
5) 4 green chillies, split into lengthwise pieces.
6) 1 spring onion chopped up (optional, I just had it left in the refrigerator so used it).
7) 1 lime.
8.) Red chillie/paprika powder.
9) Pepper powder.
10) Turmeric powder.
11) Cumin.
12) Mustard seeds.
13) Ketchup.
14) Chillie and garlic sauce (optional).
15) Hot sauce (optional).
16) Chillie Sauce (optional).
17) Salt.
18) Oil.


Note: You can use any sauce, or sauce mixes you like, but ketchup or tomato sauce is a must. Even though I didn’t add soy sauce (cause I didn’t have any), I sooooo badly wanted to add a teaspoon full , but sadly I didn’t have any soy sauce at home. If you are making this recipe with shrimps to make devilled shrimp, then you can add a bit of oyster sauce too and fish sauce.

Method:

1) first we need to marinade the meat, if you don’t have patience you can close and marinade the meat for about 3 hours in room temperature, but I left the meat to marinade in the refrigerator over night to let the meat absorb the flavor and become more tender.
To marinade the meat, chop the chicken into medium sized cubes or chunks and put them in a bowl. To this add, 1 1/2 teaspoon of red chillie/paprika powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons of pepper powder, 3/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and the juice of half a lime.
mix them all well (ohhhhhhh yea…I used my fingers…..nothing like getting up close and personal with a dead chicken…boooyyyyea) till all the chunks of meat are evenly coated.
Close the meat and leave it to marinade the fast method (leaving the meat for 3 hours in room temperature) or the slow method (leaving the meat to marinade over night in the refrigerator). I prefer the slow method, yes patience young padawan. When you finally open the marinaded meat.

2) Time to deep fry the chicken now. In a pot or saucepan, add sufficient amount of oil to deep fry, that is the chicken chunks must be surrounded by oil and be able to submerge in the oil. Deep fry them till they are nice and brown.

3) While the meat is frying, cut up the vegetables as required.

4) Time to make the devilled chicken now. In a wok or saucepan, add about 3 teaspoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of mustard and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. When the cumin and mustard seeds start to pop, add the chopped garlic to the oil. Let the garlic fry and flavor the oil for about 30 seconds, then add the onions. As soon as you add the onions, add the salt necessary for the dish, about 1 teaspoon (remember its ok if you add too little, you can always add more salt later, but if you put too much, you are screwed).
When the onions turn transparent and soft, add the green chillies, spring onion and tomatoes.
Stir fry the vegetables for about a minute, then add the deep fried chicken pieces.

Time for the sauce, woooohooooooo!! These are the sauces I used: