Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes, Two Ways

I am a bit addicted to all things chocolate and cherry right now. As long as the cherry part is not actual cherries. I don’t like the mushyness of maraschino cherries or the way pie filling has whole cherries. I spend most of my time with cherry pie eating the goo around the cherries. 

But I love chocolate and cherry shakes, and malts and Blizzards. 

Yum.

I’m adding cupcakes to the list, also.

I used the recipe and instructions from Annie’s Eats for the first set of cupcakes, pie filling.

 I cheated for the frosting. I used store bought because I don’t have a hand mixer at the rig. 

The second batch I swirled some blended pie filling into the cupcake before baking. 

Then I mixed some into the frosting, too.

Chocolate Banana Peanutbutter Smoothie

Cupcake has been making smoothies lately, with some oat and chia powder that she stole from me. The little thief. She also stole my jars that fit my blender. 

I finally made some more powder, it is time consuming as I make it in my coffee grinder and can only do about a quarter cup at a time. And since I wanted enough for a few weeks it took a while. 

When I finished grinding I made a few smoothies for practice. I found some inspiration from Monica at The Yummy Life. I made an apple pie smoothie, a couple strawberry ones and a chocolate banana peanutbutter one.

They are all pretty amazing and taste slightly of oats, but if the oat and chia powder is put through a sieve it doesn’t have any awkward lumps. 

Chocolate Banana Peanutbutter Smoothie

Ingredients

1 Banana

1/2 c Greek Yogurt

1/4 c Milk

1 1/2 T Agave Nectar or 2 T Honey

2 T Cocoa Powder

2 T P2B or Peanutbutter

1/4 c Oat and Chia Powder

Directions

Break the banana into chunks and put it into a blender (I put mine into a 2 cup narrow mouth jar, they fit my blender blade). Add the yogurt, milk agave, cocoa, peanutbutter and oat and chia powder.  Blend until smooth.

Pour into a sealable container, or leave in the jar, seal with the lid and put in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight. The chia seeds will soak up much of the moisture, as will the oats, thickening the smoothie. 

Enjoy on the patio, while reading a good book, on the way to work or while doing homework. 

Strawberry Preserves

I got a flat of strawberries grown locally yesterday. I have so many ideas for them, cake, cookies, ice cream, lemonade... 

But the first thing I had to do, after eating as many as I could hold, was make preserves.  I have wanted to make peach preserves for as long as I can remember, and this is a close second.  

I found a basic recipe for preserves on a Southern Food site, and canning directions at Pioneer Woman.

Then I jumped in to hulling and slicing. I have a huller from my adopted aunt and a slicer from my sister than made a 3 hour job last about 30 minutes. And the results are strawberry syrup, so far.  I am hoping that they will thicken, but if not there’s always next time. 

Buttermilk Cinnamon Almond Strawberry Shortcake

I made a cake yesterday.  

I wanted to make a white cake because I had a bunch of egg whites leftover from making ice cream.  But when I was ready to make the batter I didn’t have my computer with me.  

I decided to forge on anyway.  I used the mini whisk I have here and beat the eggs until they were foamy.  Then I added some sugar, cinnamon and almond extract.  Almond extract smells divine.  It only takes a drop to make the whole trailer stop smelling like dirty boys.

Next I melted some butter and added it slowly to the egg mixture.  Then a bit of buttermilk.  When it was nice and foamy I added some flour and baking powder.  After a touch more buttermilk and it had a consistency that I liked.  

So I spread it into 3 pans and let it cook for a while.  

The cakes are more dense than I’d hoped, but it worked well when I put the strawberry filling between the layers.

Lastly I spread a really thin layer of buttercream frosting over the whole thing, because I only had a little bit of powdered sugar.  

And voila!  My “Strawberry Thing”, as George calls it.

Yummy! Peach Cobbler

I just read another book by Joanne Fluke.  She writes some funny murder mysteries, but the best part is the recipes.  And the majority of them are baked goods!  This one was called Peach Cobbler Murder, so naturally I had to try the peach cobbler. 

It turned out pretty amazing.

Peach Cobbler

Peaches

10 c Frozen Sliced Peaches (about 2 1/2 lbs)

2 T Lemon Juice

1 1/2 c Sugar

1/4 t Salt

3/4 c Flour

1/2 t Cinnamon

1/2 c Butter, melted

Let peaches thaw for about 10 minutes.  Mix flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon and toss with peaches.  Spread into greased 9x13 cake pan.  Sprinkle any extra flour mixture over the top. 

Melt the butter and drizzle it over the peaches, then cover with foil.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 deg.

Topping

1 c Flour

1 c Sugar

1 1/2 t Baking Powder

1/4 t Cinnamon

1/2 t Salt

1/4 c Butter, softened

2 Eggs, beaten

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Cut in the butter.  Add eggs and mix.

Drop spoonfuls over the peaches. (It doesn't have to be smooth or completely cover the fruit.  It will grow as it bakes)

Bake for 50 minutes at 350 deg.*

*I started checking mine at about 30 minutes, and at 40 it was perfect.

Serve hot with ice cream, cold with whipped cream, or however YOU like it!