Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes From http://thefarmgirlrecipes.blogspot.com

(click here for printable version)

Filling:

1 c. powdered sugar sugar

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

4 T. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 t.. vanilla extract

Cake:

1 2/3 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sour cream

2 T. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

8 T. unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 T. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar sugar

1 c. frozen whipped topping, thawed

Chocolate chips, for garnish

1.  Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  To make the filling, combine the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and place on a baking sheet.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.

3.  Spoon about two tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4.  To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.  Top with chocolate chips.  Enjoy!

Santa Fe Chicken

Something delicious and easy to make before you head out to church.
1 can black beans.
1 can corn
1 c. salsa, divided  (clark and I don't usually measure and put the amount we feel will make the chicken moist)
2-3 chicken breasts
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (we don't usually put this in either, it seems "healthier" without it :)   )

In a crockpot mix means, corn, and half of salsa. Top with chick and rest of the sals. Cook on high 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Top with cheese.

Mesquite Chicken

Clark and I really like this marinade so you should certainly try it!
1/4 c. Lime Juice
3 Tbs. Mesquite Season (experiment with this amount it may be too strong for your liking)
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Honey
1 1/2 lbs. Chicken

Caramel Pull Aparts

24 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. caramel ice cream topping

Directions:
Cut rolls in half.  In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon (I had to make more!).  Dip roll halves in melted butter and then sugar mixture.  Place in a sprayed bundt pan.  Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over rolls.  Drizzle caramel topping over rolls.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until 1-inch below the top of the pan.  Remove wrap and bake at 350*F 30-35 minutes.  Cover with foil last 10 minutes if necessary to prevent over browning. Remove from oven and invert onto a serving platter.  Be careful it comes out WAY fast!

Swiss Chicken

Serves 4


1/4 c. white cooking wine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. herb stuffing mix
1/4 c. melted butter
2-3 boneless chicken breast (I used 2 and cut them in half)
3 slices swiss cheese
Steam rice

Directions:
Mix the white cooking wine and the cream of chicken soup together; set aside. Melt butter then stir in herb stuffing; set aside. Layer chicken, swiss cheese, soup mixture and then stuffing mix. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes, uncovered. Serve over steamed rice.

Homemade Bagels

My CTE aid at the school did a demo for my class. She made these bagels and they were delicious! She gave me a batch of the dough to take home. http://www.kingarthurflour.com This is the website she got the recipe from. They have wonderful recipes! I have pulled a few to make....Enjoy!

Dough
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 cups (17 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon non-diastatic malt powder, brown sugar or barley malt syrup
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) water, lukewarm

Water Bath
2 quarts (64 ounces) water
2 tablespoons non-diastatic malt powder, brown sugar or barley malt syrup
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Manual/Mixer Method: To make this dough by hand or in a

mixer, combine all of the dough ingredients and knead vigorously, by ha

nd for 10 to 15 minutes, or by machine on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. Since we're using a high-protein bread flour here, it takes a bit more effort and time to develop the gluten. The dough will be quite stiff; if you're using an electric mixer it will "thwap" the sides of the bowl, and hold its shape (without spreading at all) when you stop the mixer. Place the dough in a lightly greased bo

wl, and set it aside to rise till noticeably puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Bread Machine Method: Place all of the dough ingredients in the pan of the machine, program the machine for Dough or Manual, and press Start. Check the dough after 10 minutes; it should be quite stiff, and won't have formed a smooth ball. The dough will feel quite firm when you poke your finge

r into it. Allow the machine to complete its cycle, then complete bagels as instructed below.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, and divide it into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll it into a smooth, round ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 30 minutes. They'll puff up very slightly.
While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath by heating the water, malt and sugar to a very gentle boil in a large, wide-diameter pan. Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Use your index finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball, then twirl the dough on your finger to stretch the hole till it's about 2 inches in diameter (the entire bagel will be about 4 inches across). Place each bagel on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
Transfer the bagels, four at a time if possible, to the simmering water. Increase the heat under the pan to bring the water back up to a gently simmering boil, if necessary. Cook the bagels for 2 minutes, flip them over, and cook 1 minute more. Using a skimmer or strainer, remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels.

Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're as deep brown as you like, turning them over about 15 minutes into the baking time (this will help them remain tall and round). Remove the bagels from the oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.Yield: 8 bagels.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These are absolutely to die for! They taste a little bit like nutter butters but better! I brought some over to the physical education department and they are all asking me for the recipe.

1 C. Crisco
1 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla
3 eggs
3 C. flour
2 t baking soda
½ t salt

Filling:

1 C creamy peanut butter
½ C. butter, softened
4 C. powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
3-4 Tbs milk

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla, and eggs one at a time. Add flour, baking soda, and salt to dough. Mix to combine. The dough will be very soft-that’s normal!

Roll dough into ½ inch (or a little larger) balls, roll in sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheet and do the little forky criss-cross thing. (I used a regular size 40 ice cream scoop and divided them into two cookies in order to make the perfect size balls, a mini scoop is perfect).

Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until puffed and set, but not browned. Remove from oven. Let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

Filling: beat peanut butter, butter, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth, if needed, add milk until desire consistency is reached. When cookies are completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on one side and sandwich together.

Yield: about 4 dozen sandwiches.