Follow on Twitter

See on Pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest
Instagram Follow on Instagram

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Ladies Night Out

Cook's notesI decided a jump start on summer solstice with a party was in order at the lake. Wine and appetizers were top of the menu. I relooked at the Black Forest Cupcake recipe posted June 7th under Turtle Crossing. I made the same batter but used mini cupcake liners instead. I added a cherry to each one before baking. After baking I did not cut out a quarter sized hole instead frosted each mini cupcake with cream cheese frosting and topped it with a raspberry. It worked well for an appetizer. 
    Appetizer Mini Black Forest Cupcakes 
with Cream Cheese Frosting 
makes 48
Ingredients:
  • 1-15oz. can pitted sweet cherries in syrup
  • 4 oz. dark chocolate coarsely chopped
  • 1-1/3 cup sugar
  • 10 TB. butter (option that worked better for me was using half margarine and half butter)
  • 1/4 cup cherry brandy
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 TB. cocoa powder
  • 1 TB. baking powder  
Directions:
  • Drain cherries and set aside 
  • In a saucepan add the reserved cherry syrup, chopped chocolate, sugar, butter/margarine and 1/4 cherry brandy
  • Cook on low heat stirring till chocolate melts
  • Pour into a large bowl and whisk in egg
  • Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder  
  • Fold gently into chocolate mixture
  • Use a teaspoon to spoon batter into mini cupcake liners filling almost to the top
  • Add a cherry to each mini cupcake
  • Bake 18 minutes
  • Cool on a wire rack and frost




Tequila Lime Coconut Bars with Macadamia Nuts
Ingredients:
Crust
  • 2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies(store bought the crisp kind)
  • 1-1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 TB. melted butter

Filling
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar 
  • 3/4 cup coconut plus 1/3 cup coconut for topping
  • juice from 3 limes at least 1/3 cup can add more if like a lot of lime taste
  • 3 TB. tequila
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 TB. lime zest
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup flour

Directions:
Crust
  • Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil allowing 2 inches to extend over the sides-lightly grease
  • In a Cuisinart finely chop cookies-in 3 batches
  • Add chopped nuts and cinnamon and 2 TB. melted butter
  • Pat crumbs in foil lined pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes

Filling
  • Whisk eggs in a bowl until smooth-whisk in coconut, zest, lime juice,tequila and sugar
  • In a small bowl stir baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup flour 
  • Whisk dry ingredients into egg mixture and pour over hot crust
  • Bake 10 minutes and add sprinkle 1/3 cup coconut over top and return to oven to bake about 10 more minutes or until filling is set 
  • Cool pan on a wire rack then lift foil off bars and place bake in 13 x 9 pan to cut
Serving suggestion-sprinkle with powdered sugar-cut in squares and then recut the square on diagonal to be a triangle
Chicken Salad Mini Bites

This recipe was previously posted in April but worth repeating.
Note that curry powder is strong so start out small. 
Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
  • Mini Phyllo shells (used Athena brand)
  • Cooked chicken breasts
  • 1/4 tsp. curry powder
  • chopped celery
  • chopped onion
  • finely chopped walnuts
  • Miracle Whip

Directions:
  • In Cuisinart finely chop nuts, chicken and onion
  • Place chicken mixture in bowl and add finely chopped celery and curry powder
  • Add only enough Miracle Whip just till mixture is moistened
  • Bake shells on a cookie sheet for 3 minutes-let cool
  • Use a teaspoon to fill and top each shell with with a blackberry 







No comments:

Post a Comment

EASTER TREATS

An Easter treat that's gluten-free, easy to prepare, and naturally sweetened. Almond Cake with Yogurt Topping and Fresh Berries Cook'...