Maple Syrup Cookie Cutter Cookies

For this weekend, I needed a good cookie cutter recipe. I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a go!

yield: 40-50 cookies

ingredients
½C brown sugar
10 tbs butter, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
⅓C maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
3C all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt

directions

1. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), cream sugar and butter on medium speed 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Lower speed to medium, beat in egg until well combined.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. On medium speed, add maple syrup and vanilla until well combined.
5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture.
7. Beat until well combined and the dough forms a ball.
8. Roll dough into a round ball, wrap the dough in plastic wrap.
9. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
10. Preheat oven to 350°.
11. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, about ¼" thick.
12. Cut dough into shapes.
13. Place shapes on a greased baking sheet (or Silpat).
14. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
15. Cool on a wire rack.
16. Store in an airtight container.
17. Enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes

I paired this vanilla cupcake recipe with my chocolate buttercream for a birthday party this weekend.

yield: 28 cupcakes

ingredients
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2C sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tbs vanilla extract
3C all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1C milk, room temperature

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease if you're not going to use cupcake liners).
3. In a large bowl (or stand mixer), cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add in eggs and vanilla extract on medium speed, mixing for 1 minute until well combined.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add in the flour and baking powder on medium speed, mixing until well combined.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
8. On medium speed, slowly add milk and mix for 1 minute until well combined.
9. Fill the cupcake liners about ⅔ full. 
10. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
11. Remove from muffin tin and cool completely.
12. Pipe or spread frosting of choice onto cooled cupcakes.
13. Enjoy!

Breezy Willow CSA Week #24

Last week of the season!

What we received:
Ciabatta bread
Kettle corn
Garlic
5 Granny Smith apples
5 McIntosh apples
Bag of red potatoes
Bag of Brussel sprouts
Bag of green beans
3 beets
3 carrots
Head of romanesco broccoli

What's left from Week #23:
12 eggs
2 carrots
5 onions
Bag of sweet potatoes
Bag of Brussel sprouts
Bag of spinach
Bunch of celery

What's left from Week #22:
1 kohlrabi
Bag of potatoes
Cheddar cauliflower
12 eggs

What's left from Week #21:
Bag of onions

What's left from Week #20:
Bag of sweet potatoes
Head of purple lettuce

What's left from Week #17:
lavender

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

For a friend's birthday this weekend I was asked to make cupcakes that had Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal in them.
After scoping Pinterest, I opted to just take my successful Cap'n Crunch Cupcake recipe and swap out cereals.
The result was a mild Cinnamon Toast Crunch and milk taste.

yield: 24 cupcakes

ingredients

for cupcakes

2C sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

2C all-purpose flour

1C 2% milk

3/4C vegetable oil

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

4C Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

for frosting

3 sticks (1.5C) salted butter, room temperature

3.5C powdered sugar

7oz sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

for garnish

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

directions

1. for cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners, or grease pan if not using cupcake liners.
3. Beat together eggs and sugar in large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) on low for 2 minutes.
4. Alternate adding flour and milk, on low speed, until combined.
5. Add oil, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat on low for 1 minute.
6. Add 2 cups of Cinnamon Toast Cereal to a freezer bag (or to skip the next step, pop the cereal in a blender or food processor for a few seconds).
7. Using a hard object (I use a metal measuring cup), crush cereal very finely.
8. Add crushed cereal to the batter, mixing until combined.
9. Fold remaining 2 cups of uncrushed cereal into the batter.
10. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full.
11. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.
13. for frosting: In a large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat butter on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
14. Add powdered sugar, alternating with condensed milk, on low speed.
15. Add vanilla extract.
16. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
17. Pipe (or spread) onto completely cooled cupcakes.
18. for garnish: Place ~3 pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal on each cupcake.
19. Enjoy!

Breezy Willow CSA Week #23

What we received:
Baguette
12 eggs
3 carrots
5 onions
Bag of sweet potatoes
Bag of Brussel sprouts
Bag of spinach
Bunch of celery
5 golden delicious apple
4 red apples

What's left from Week #22:
Eggplant
3 kohlrabi
Bag of kale
Bag of potatoes
Cheddar cauliflower
12 eggs

What's left from Week #21:
12 eggs
Bag of onions
Bag of spinach

What's left from Week #20:
Bag of kale
Bag of sweet potatoes
Head of purple lettuce

What's left from Week #17:
lavender

Crock Pot Cinnamon Hazelnuts

I love the cinnamon roasted nuts at fairs and festivals, so when I needed some snack options for a girls night I opted for a Pinterested version.
I didn't have almonds on hand, but I had a Costco sized bag of hazelnuts so I gave it a go.
While I liked the hazelnuts, they were a little chewier than almonds (oil content of the nut maybe?). They were still good, but I think almonds would be better.

yield: 3C cinnamon hazelnuts

ingredients
1½C sugar
1½C brown sugar
3 tbs cinnamon
⅛ tsp sea salt
1 egg white
2 tsp vanilla
3C hazelnuts
¼C water

directions

1. Mix sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
2. In another large bowl, whisk egg white and vanilla until frothy.
3. Add hazelnuts to egg mixture and coat thoroughly.
4. Add cinnamon sugar mixture to hazelnuts, stirring to coat thoroughly.
5. Prepare crock pot by inserting a crock pot liner (best invention ever!) or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Add hazelnut mixture to the crock pot.
7. Cook on low for 3 hours, stirring regularly (about every 30-45 minutes).
8. With 1 hour left to go, add water and stir well.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Spread hazelnuts on to the sheet to cool, separating the hazelnuts as best as you can.
11. Let cool completely.
12. Enjoy!

Chili's Copycat Salsa

Salsa always tastes better at restaurants.

When I came across this recipe I knew I had to give it a go.
While I used half the amount of jalapeño, this was HOT HOT HOT but still delicious.

yield: ~3C salsa  

ingredients
28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1-2 jalapeños (depending on how much spice you like)
1 small yellow onion, quartered
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp sugar
Juice of 1 small lime

directions

1. Place all ingredients in a food process or blender (I used my Vitamix).
2. Puree until smooth.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.
4. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Rice Krispy Treats

It is no secret that I love salted caramel everything, and these rice krispy treats are no exception.
They were a big hit!
Pop them in the fridge to harden them up a little bit, or leave them at room temperature to enjoy the chewy goodness of the caramel.

yield: 24 treats (or more if you chop them smaller like I did)

ingredients
for caramel
14oz bag caramels, unwrapped
14oz can sweetened condensed milk
¼C butter

for rice krispy treats
¼ butter
10½oz bag miniature marshmallows
1½ tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt
8C rice krispy cereal

directions

1. for caramel: Stir ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth.
2. Remove from heat.
3. for rice krispy treats: Line a 13x9" baking pan with wax paper, leaving a little bit of overhand on each end.
4. In a 6 quart (or larger) pot, melt butter over medium-low heat.
5. Stir in marshmallows with a rubber spatula until almost melted.
6. Stir in vanilla, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1C of the caramel mixture.
7. Continue to stir until mixture is blended and smooth.
8. Remove pot from heat.
9. Stir in cereal until evenly coated with the marshmallow mixture.
10. Press mixture into pan in an even layer.
11. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
12. Spread remaining caramel mixture over cooled treats.
13. Sprinkle remaining 2 tsp of sea salt over caramel mixture.
14. Remove wax paper and treats from pan.
15. Cut into squares.
16. Store in airtight container.
17. Enjoy!

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

I was tasked with making some sort of triple caramel/dulce de leche cupcake for a friend's baby shower this weekend. I decided this recipe would fit the bill perfectly. I decorated them with pink pearls and pink sparkles.

I personally thought these cupcakes were amazing, a great mixture of vanilla bean and dulce de leche without being too rich or overwhelmingly sweet.
Now, people at the shower felt they were very rich and very sweet but there were a bunch of other sweets so it might have just been gummy gut taking over at that point.

The breakdown: vanilla bean cake, dulce de leche filling, dulce de leche buttercream, & dulce de leche drizzle.

yield: 42 cupcakes

ingredients

for dulce de leche

14oz sweetened condensed milk

for vanilla bean cupcakes

3 ¾C all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp sea salt

6 eggs, room temperature

3C sugar

1 ½C butter, room temperature

3 tbs vanilla extract

Seeds from 3 vanilla bean pods

1 ½ sour cream

for dulce de leche buttercream frosting

6C powdered sugar

1 ½C butter, room temperature

½C dulce de leche

5 tbs water

directions

1. for dulce de leche: Peel label off of sweetened condensed milk can.
2. Place can in a large (deep) pot.
3. Fill pot with water until can is completely submerged.
4. Cover and boil for 2.5-3 hours, making sure the can is always covered by water.
5. Remove pot from heat and allow can to cool.
6. for cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°.
7. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease if you aren't using cupcake liners).
8. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
9. In bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar together 2 minutes until light and creamy.
10. Add butter, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla extract.
11. Mix until well combined.
12. Slowly add dry ingredients until well blended.
13. Scrape down bowl and add sour cream.
14. Beat until smooth and well mixed.
15. Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full.
16. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
17. Cool cupcakes completely.
18. for dulce de leche filling: Once cupcakes are cooled, fill a piping bag with a small tip and dulce de leche (reserve a little bit for drizzling on top).
19. Carefully insert the tip into each cupcake.
20. Fill cupcakes with the desired amount of dulce de leche (I counted to 5 slowly).
21. for buttercream frosting: In bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter for 4 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
22. Add dulce de leche and water, beating until combined.
23. Slowly add the powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed.
24. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
25. Pipe (or spread) frosting onto cooled and filled cupcakes.
26. for drizzle: In a small piping bag, add reserved dulce de leche.
27. Drizzle a little bit of dulce de leche over each cupcake.
28. Enjoy!

Broken Glass & Blood Cupcakes

I made these for Halloween, and they definitely lived up to the creep factor! I combined parts of two separate recipes based on what I had in the house.

yield: 24 cupcakes

ingredients

for cupcakes

1 box red velvet cake mix

1 ¼C milk

4 eggs

2/3C butter, melted

for glass

1 ½C granulated sugar

3/4C water

for cream cheese frosting
8oz cream cheese, softened
½C butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
⅛ tsp salt
4C powdered sugar
1C white chocolate chips, melted

for blood

½ tsp red gel food coloring
⅛ tsp brown gel food coloring
6 tbs powdered sugar
1 tbs water
1 tbs maraschino cherry syrup

directions

1. for cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine cupcake ingredients in a large bowl, mixing until smooth.
3. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease if you aren't using cupcake liners).
4. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool completely.
7. for glass: Cover a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper.
8. Spray the wax paper liberally with nonstick spray.
9. Add sugar and water into a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.
10. Stir occasionally and leave to bubble until sugar reduces and reaches 270°F.
11. Remove pan from heat.
12. Quickly pour sugar mixture onto baking sheet.
13. Tilt baking sheet to spread sugar mixture over wax paper.
14. Let harden while you finish cupcakes.
15. When glass is hard, break into shards.
16. for blood: In a small bowl, combine blood ingredients.
17. Whisk together until smooth. 
18. Set aside.
19. for cream cheese frosting: In bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until well combined.
20. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
21. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
22. Add melted white chocolate to stand mixer bowl.
23. Beat on low speed until completely combined.
24. Raise speed to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes.
25. Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
26. for assembly: Place 1-3 shards of glass into the frosting on each cupcake, with part of the shard slightly inserted into the top of the cupcake.
27. Drizzle blood over frosting and glass shards to desired level of bloodiness.
28. Enjoy!

Breezy Willow CSA Week #22

What we received:
3 giant carrots
7 liberty apples
5 Fuji apples
Eggplant
4 kohlrabi
Loaf of herb de breezy willow bread
Bag of kale
Bag of potatoes
Cheddar cauliflower
12 eggs

What's left from Week #21:
12 eggs
Head of cauliflower
Bag of onions
7 apples
Bag of spinach
Bag of mushrooms

What's left from Week #20:
Bag of kale
Bag of sweet potatoes
Head of purple lettuce

What's left from Week #19:
12 eggs

What's left from Week #17:
lavender