White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

Posted by: Maggie

I know, I know.  I really should have made these a month ago, and posted them before Christmas.  The fact is, I was way too busy eating the very similar Starbucks' Cranberry Bliss Bars to even bother making a copycat version.  Unfortunately, Starbucks' version is only available around Christmas, and I need want them the other 11 months of the year.

I made these Sunday night, without really thinking about the fact that a) I'm not seeing my dessert-loving boyfriend again until Friday, b) I'm going to South Carolina this week for work and therefore can't share these with coworkers, and c) I'm completely weak around anything with cream cheese frosting.

Therefore, I ate one and stuck the rest in the freezer.  I do not plan on seeing how they taste directly out of the freezer.  I'm sure they're disgusting.  I'm just going to keep telling myself that. 

Here's what you'll need:

For the bars...

3/4 cup salted butter, cubed
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

For the frosting...

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tablespoon grated orange peel (I actually used a clementine)
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

In a microwave, melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate.

Spread into a parchment paper lined 13x9 inch baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool in pan on a wire rack.

For frosting, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and orange peel until blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Source

Pasta Puttanesca

Posted by: Maggie

Did you know that pasta puttanesca is also known as "whore's spaghetti"? Legend has it that Italian prostitutes would cook this dish to lure in potential customers.  I can see why that worked, since I left my apartment shortly after cooking this for Sunday lunch, and could smell the garlic 15 feet down the hall when I returned.  Let's just hope that those hookers were packing breathmints, because this is one stinky, but delicious meal.

(Sidenote: I'm really curious to see what kind of google hits I get thanks to the preceeding paragraph containing certain words atypical to a cooking blog. Perhaps hits from brothel patrons searching for "what to feed a hooker."  FEED THEM THIS!  It's tasty, and historical!)

Here is what you will need...I omitted the anchovy paste, not because I hate anchovies (I happen to love them), but because Whole Foods sucks and sold me a tube of anchovy paste that had burst open on the end.  I didn't see it when I bought it since the tube was in a cardboard box.  Oh well...include it if you can - it will only make an already amazing dish more delicious.

12 ounces dried spaghetti
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1/2 - 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (depending on your spice tolerance)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice, pureed in blender
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Pinch of sugar
Basil, chiffonaded
Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  When oil is shimmering, add in garlic, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally,  and then dump in pureed tomatoes, olives, and capers.

Let simmer, stirring occasionally while pasta is cooking.  Add sugar to taste, to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.  Add in salt and pepper if desired. (I felt like the sauce was salty enough from the capers and olives, and did not add any extra seasoning.)

Drain the pasta, and combine with the sauce.  Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan just before serving.

P.S. Vegetarian readers - please don't be mad that I categorized this as vegetarian.  I was a vegetarian for many, many years, and would have taken major exception to the fact that a recipe containing anchovy paste was classified this way.  Since I left the anchovy paste out, and since it tastes so awesome without using it I decided to stick the label on there for organizational purposes.

Adapted from: The Curvy Carrot

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

Let me tell you, the universe did NOT want me to make red velvet cupcakes.  The problem started back in September, which you can read about here. 

Next, co-blogger Annie texted me saying that she was going to make red velvet cupcakes.  There isn't really any point in having two red velvet recipes on the blog, so I kind of scrapped the idea.

Then, I decided that I would go ahead and make them anyway, and that Annie and I could have a throw down of sorts.  Not that we could actually taste each others cupcakes being that we live three hours apart.

The next thing I know, Annie doesn't want to make them anymore because it's after Christmas (she was going to have a Christmas twist to hers) and I was in a post Christmas anti-sweets funk.

Then, on January 2nd I thought hey, why don't I finally make those cupcakes?

Nope, not happening, my eggs are expired.

Fast forward to January 3rd - I now have fresh eggs, but decided to cook something healthy to start off the new year instead.

I finally made these darn cupcakes on Thursday night.  And you know what? They were definitely worth the wait. 

This is the second recipe in a row we've posted by Brown Eyed Baker for a reason.  Everything she posts on her blog is awesome, and I have complete confidence that whatever I make from her site will work.  This is exactly what I look for in a red velvet cupcake - dark red, not that artificial pinky-red, a hint of chocolate taste, and a light, moist texture. 

This recipe makes a dozen cupcakes...most of which I decorated with a dollop of cream cheese frosting like you see above.  The normal ones will be brought to my coworkers.  This Redskin's themed version will be for Jeff.  I think the frosting looks like Velveeta, but it's really just the Wilton gel color in "golden yellow".  The decoration is from Fancy Flours.

Redskins cupcake:

Here's what you will need:


For the cupcakes...

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar


For the frosting...

4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.  Crank up the mixer to high and add your egg, beating until well incorporated.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla, and food coloring.  Stir until well combined, then add to the batter, mixing on medium speed until thoroughly combined.

Reduce the mixer to low, and add half the buttermilk.  Add half the flour and mix until combined.  Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high just until smooth.

Reduce your mixer speed to low, and add the salt, baking soda, and vinegar.  Turn the mixer back up to high, and beat for a couple minutes until completely combined and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly in your pan, and bake for 18-20 minutes (mine took 18) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then remove to cool completely prior to frosting.

To make the frosting, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary.  Reduce the speed to low, and gradually add in the powdered sugar until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and mix to combine.  Increase mixer speed to medium high, and whip for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy.