Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Some of my friends asked me about the Pumpkin Cupcakes I made for my Thanksgiving dinner in Miami. I found the recipe here. I love pumpkin! This has definitely become one of my favorite holiday treats. They were so great because they were also so easy to serve and clean up for a big family gathering. These will impress everyone at your next event. They are so delicious! Enjoy!



Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:
· 2 cups canned pumpkin
· 2/3 cup oil
· 2 cups granulated sugar
· 1/2 cup milk
· 2 tsp. vanilla extract
· 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 tsp. baking powder
· 1 tsp. baking soda
· 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
· 1/4 tsp. each – ground cloves, nutmeg, and ginger
· 1/2 tsp. salt
Frosting Ingredients:
· 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
· 4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
· 4 cups powdered sugar
· 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin pan with 24 cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, stir together pumpkin, oil, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Gently whisk by hand until just combined, don’t use an electric mixer or over mix the batter as it may become too gummy. Fill liners with 1/4 cup batter (cups should be approximately 2/3 full). Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well until it’s all incorporated.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have been pumpkin obsessed this year. It must be because I've discovered so many pumpkin related recipes online and I have been really inspired! R and I both love anything pumpkin, so I decided to give some recipes a try.

This weekend I made Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes with Pumpkin Butter for breakfast. R loved them and so did I. They were really simple, especially since I had all the ingredients handy. And it was nice to cook together in the morning to get the day started. :) I recommend making these this season. They make you feel all warm inside..... enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Pancake with Pumpkin Butter Recipe from Skinny Taste.com

Bruschetta Chicken and Spinach

I tweeted about this meal yesterday and got good feedback. Well, it was DELICIOUS! And I will be making it quite often. :)

♥

This recipe was influenced by a trip to Publix. I'm so happy that I am able to do my grocery shopping at Publix again. There is just nothing like it! Everyday there is a cook preparing an easy meal to taste. They even provide a recipe card and an ingredient list making it easy for you to buy the items needed to cook the meal. I love Bruschetta. And this meal was breaded chicken with bruschetta topping and risotto. But I changed it up a bit to make it a little healthier. Here is what you will need.

Ingredients:

Chicken Breasts

Classico Basil/Pesto Sauce

Spinach

1 Large Tomato

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Basil (About 4 leaves)

Olive Oil (about 3 tbs)

Balsamic Vinegar (1 tbs)

S/P

1. Prepare the chicken by coating with "Classico's Basil/Pesto Sauce" to marinate. Marinate for about 20 min.

2. Prepare the Bruschetta in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into cubes and cut the basil leaves into small bits and throw into a small bowl. Add a little olive oil, Balsamic Vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. *You can also add oregano or any other spices you'd like to match*. Set bowl aside.

3. Cook the chicken until ready.

4. After chicken is done, take them out and set aside.

5. Throw in spinach in the same pan and cook for about 1 min. (This is a good way to get the flavor of the chicken into the spinach.)

6. Serve the chicken with bruschetta topping and side spinach.

7. Buen Provecho!

yogurt deliciousness

This is a quick post because I still have things to do before our guests arrive on Wednesday! This is probably my favorite thing to eat for breakfast. I love simple fat free vanilla yogurt with any kind of fruit on top. This week blueberries and raspberries were on sale, so I stocked up. Throw this in the blender with some ice, skim milk and a little bit of honey for sweetness and you've made a delicious healthy smoothie. I love them either way. enjoy! ♥

summer drink: Strawberry Lemonade

Now that summer is here there is time to do all sorts of fun stuff like try out recipes. Here is one summer drink I will definitely attempt this summer.... Strawberry Lemonade! Looks delicious!

Martha Stewart's Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients Serves 2

• 1 pint strawberries
• 8 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
• 8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Seltzer water
• Directions
• 1. Puree strawberries and 2 teaspoons sugar in a blender. Set out two glasses, and spoon 3 tablespoons of the resulting strawberry puree, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 4 tablespoons lemon juice into each glass. Stir the lemonade, and add ice. Top off the glasses with seltzer water. Add more sugar if desired.

Tortilla Soup

Going to take a break from reporting about our trip to California to report on a delicious Tortilla Soup I made last week! And it gave me the perfect excuse to try out my new ceramic pot!

While watching the View one morning, Tyler Florence was on. He was cooking for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who is tricky to cook for because she is on a gluten-free (g-free) diet for her celiac disease. Anyways, one of the things he made was a Mexican Tortilla Chicken Soup. It looked delicious and so simple to make that I had to try it. The part that makes is so simple is to buy a whole roasted chicken from the grocery store. You shred it up and can make quesadillas for dinner the following evening! PERFECT! The only ingredient I didn't use were the jalapenos, and I substituted the cheese for regular shredded cheese. You can use whatever cheese you prefer. Check it out.

Mexican Tortilla Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium white onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

3 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped

1 quart gluten-free chicken stock, store bought

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil, for pan-frying

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (from gluten-free deli-roasted chicken)

2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

1 cup crumbled coitja cheese, optional

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1 lime, cut in wedges, for serving

Place a stockpot over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, and tomatoes; cook, stirring for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked down and pulpy. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1-inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. When the oil begins to smoke, add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until they are crisp on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

Ladle the hot soup into 4 soup bowls and put a pile of shredded chicken on top of each. Top with the diced avocado and fried tortilla strips (and cheese if using). Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence; Yield: 2 quarts

Prepping the vegetables. onions, tomatoes, garlic, in olive oil for 20 min.

After 20 min, you add the chicken broth. And boil for another 20 min.

While the soup cooked, I shredded the chicken and put it in a plastic container to save for later. You add the chicken to the soup when you are ready to serve in the bowls. No need to put in the pot, because the chicken is already cooked and it will get dried out.

Also, I cut up the rest of the ingredients!

At the very end when the soup is done, you throw in and serve the rest of the ingredients (chicken, avocado, cheese, lime, and cilantro , which makes the soup by the way!) right into the bowl.

It made enough for 2 dinners in a row. We absolutely loved it. So hearty, yet, healthy and filling. Enjoy!

I LOVE MACYS!!!

Isn't she a beaut?

Mr. and I went to Macy's to buy him a new shirt to wear for our special dinner at Club 33 in Disneyland. And, of course, you know that everytime I enter a Macy's it is my ritual to stop by the Martha Stewart collection. (you know, I'm devoted).

So any how, I stumbled upon the clearance section and what do I see? Her enamel cast iron casserole on sale. Then I see the "take an extra 40%" sign above. I couldn't believe it was true!!! So, I took it's little price tag and scanned it on their little price scanner thingy....and it read $35.99!!!!

"SHUT UP!", I thought! This thing is regularly $139! I've been wanting one of these cast irons since I got married. And each time I visit Macy's I salivate and beg Ronnie for one. But he always said "maybe next time". I hated him for it, but I loved him for it today!

In the end, I felt great because I was finally able to score one and in MS blue!!!

Hubby felt great because "he was right", yet again! :) (Ladies, you know what I am talking about, right?)

Oh yeah, and hubby was able to pick out a really nice shirt. At a great price, too!

I love Macy's!!!!

Cinco de Mayo on St. Patty's Day!

Ronnie's favorite holiday meal is on St. Patrick's Day. His grandmother has been making him the customary "Corned Beef and Cabbage with Potatoes" almost his whole life. This year wasn't anything different. But we went over to have it on Sunday before St. Patrick's Day.

Then on St. Patrick's Day, after reading a post made by Eli at her blog, I decided we would go Mexican instead! She made a Rachel Ray recipe called Chicken Salsa Verde Bake. She praised it and I thought it would be good idea to make for dinner. I read the recipe and figured it would be really easy! Unfortunately, I didn't have all of the ingredients. Still, this did not discourage me and I went to the pantry to see what I can substitute!

And boy did I ever... But this is when magic happens in the kitchen, I think! Lets just say my hubby was not disappointed!

Here goes my experimental recipe:

You will need: 2 Chicken Breasts, whole white onion, can of corn, can of black beans, sour cream, salsa, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese

Boil the chicken (about 20 min) and then let cool. After cooling, shred the chicken (with your fingers) and place into a bowl. Rinse black beans and corn then throw into the bowl with the chicken, along with the chopped onions and as much sour cream and salsa you'd like. Mix well. Finally, transfer mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle tortilla chips and shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375 for 30 min.

That's it. It was pretty simple and delicious. You can add or take away more of the ingredients. You can even make it light using light sour cream and cheese. It was really fun to make and I was able to clean up the mess quickly while I waited for it to bake. Enjoy!

Black Beans a la "Lata"

Tonight I made the best black beans a la "lata". Yes! From the can. But with a twist. I always read My Big Fat Cuban Family -A Cuban American Blog and that is where I got the recipe from. I didn't have the garlic, but used garlic powder. Also, the recipe calls for 1 tsp sugar, but I added 2 for a little more sweetness. Overall, it was so easy and it gave the beans so much taste! We loved them. Please try this out for yourself. It will not disappoint.
You will need "una lata" de Goya black beans:

Make the sofrito:

Add the beans and the rest and the ingredients....simmer.....Full recipe below.


Here is the recipe courtesy of Babalu Blog
Frijoles Negros a la Latina
(Cuban-style Black Beans)

2 Tbsp. of olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 large can of black beans (1 lb. 13 oz.)
1/4 cup of red wine (white works too, but red gives them a better flavor)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. of sugar (but I will sometimes add extra, because I like ‘em sweet!)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 packet of Goya seasoning with azafran
salt and pepper to taste


1. In a medium-sized frying pan (or a pot – either will work), sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until onions are soft and clear. (You know, your basic “sofrito.”)
2. Now add the beans and then all other ingredients.



3. Cook on high for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are the consistency you like best. In technical terms, you are “reducing” the beans - your goal is to boil-off some of the excess liquid.
4. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ENJOY!!!

One Lucky Gringo in NC

I had a long and busy week. This afternoon I needed to regroup my brain, so I went to get a manicure. Then I thought, a cuban meal would even hit the spot. And so right after my appt, I went to the grocery store then came home to create this:




Lets just say the manicure, the pan con bistec, and that BIG glass of red wine has made me feel the greatest all week! I want this feeling to last forever!

Thank goodness for culture and booze...feels goood!!!!

Taste Of Summer

I marked the beginning of summer today by making freshly squeezed lemonade. It was delicious! It was an even combination of tanginess and sweetness. And it was simple to make. I always buy lemons for seasoning or just to put in our tea. So, I am glad I have found another way to use them. Here is the recipe so you could enjoy it, too!

Dissolve 1 c. of sugar in 1 c. of hot water
Add 1 c. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Fill a pitcher with 4 c. of cold water
Pour water/sugar/lemon juice mixture into the pitcher
Add sliced lemon to the pitcher
Serve in a glass filled with ice

*Welcome Summer* Ahhhhh.....

cupcake love

All this week on the Martha Stewart show is cupcake week. I've been so inspired! There have been professional cupcake bakers on the show sharing their wonderful and unique cupcake recipes. Sometimes I wish now I would have gone to baking school. I would love to own my own cookie bakery or a cupcake bakery! How fun would that be? Anyways, there was an amateur cupcake baker on the show today and she invented these cute little cupcakes on a stick.....perfect for a party or wedding favor. I wanted to share her blog at www.bakerella.com Check them out...and she does these for fun! I am surprised she hasn't ran to the bank with these creations! Simply wonderful and so cute!!!

Easter Cupcakes!

Just a few more hours before the family arrives! Yiippeeee! :) Check out the cupcakes I made for Nick and Nando.....they look yummy, don't they? Let me tell you...I don't know why....but these suckers were hard to frost. I wonder why?! Hmmmm....

And the bonus room is ready. Ronnie put together the side tables last night. Now it's all clean and ready to go! Here are some better pictures of the furniture.

Tita's cupcakes

I was bored today after work. I decided to bake cupcakes. These cupcakes are just like the ones my Tita makes. No frosting. Perfect for a snack or for dessert after that sandwich at lunch. :) I miss her. a lot.



And what is going on? Is N.K.O.T.B getting back together or not? LOL very confusing. I am excited about Paula Abdul's comeback this weekend at the Super Bowl. I think she is going to do awesome. I already downloaded her new song. It's GREAT! :)

Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Happy Sunday! For dinner tonight I made Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole. It's a Martha Stewart Everyday Recipe. It was fairly easy to make. It calls for tuna packed in Olive Oil, but we couldn't find any at the store. So, we just used regular Albacore tuna packed in water. Ronnie liked it a lot. He usually never goes to get seconds. But tonight he did! I think that means its good! Check out the pics below. And the recipe, too. I will definitely be making this again. :)



And remember that Laundry Sorter I've been dying to get? Well, Ronnie and I went and bought it today! YAY! We still have to put it together, though. But I can't wait to use it!

Have you watched the American Gladiators. Wow! Do you remember this show from when we were kids? The new one is much more intense. It is so much fun to watch. I can't wait for it tonight.

Tomorrow is another day of my subbing job. I am really happy to be able to work for a couple of weeks now. We really need the extra money, too! I am so grateful. And the job is pretty mellow. I get about 5-6 students at a time for about 45 minutes. And I have tons of breaks. The weather last week was great...the highs were in the 50s. Hopefully, it stays that way this week. HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Ingredients

Serves 8
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound wide egg noodles
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente, according to package instructions; drain, and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.
Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Spaghetti alla YUM!

I made a DELICIOUS spaghetti tonight. It was a little fattening, but I wanted to make something different. So, to make up for it we walked and ran a little more tonight. While walking, we noticed how the weather has changed. The breeze was cool. And it just made me breathe better. I love to take deeep breathes of the air here.....it is so refreshing. It feels so good. And the leaves are changing little by little. We think they change more this weekend and next week because the low in the evenings will be in the 40's! So we may go to the mountains this weekend to see the leaves there. And a little get a away for my birthday, which is next Wednesday.

Anyways back to dinner. I changed the recipe a little. Instead of making it with pancetta, I just bought regular bacon. It was still very good.

But next time I will make sure not to add oil to cook the bacon. The bacon itself has enough of that to cook itself. So I had to drain it some. And still the bacon was just oozing out grease. Once they were done I let them sit on a paper towel and tried some more to take some of the oil.

Look for yourself:


Voila! It was soooo yummy!



Here is the recipe:
Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6
Coarse salt
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish, if desired
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and spaghetti, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup cooking water; drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining tablespoon oil, and heat until hot but not smoking. Add garlic, and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.
Beat the egg yolks, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl until combined. Add drained hot pasta and pancetta to skillet, and pour the egg mixture over. If pasta seems dry, add enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper.
Serve garnished with chopped parsley, additional cheese, and lemon zest, if desired.

That's it for today! :)

life in nc

hey guys!

I can't believe I am blogging! I must admit, though. I was easily convinced! And I have several reasons why I was persuaded so easily.

First, you all know, I am still on the job hunt. So, what did this mean for me during the time I am not applying/looking for openings? I've kind of been indulging in things I love to do. and I have found some more things I have learned to love. I've been crafting, scrapbooking.....and cooking! Yep, now, not only do I watch and learn to cook by watching Rachel and Martha, but I am putting my learning into practice! And I LOVE to cook...like tonight I made Parmesan Crusted Chicken with a side salad which I contracted together, too!

Here's the recipe: