Slated Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting.....sweet yet salty and utterly delicious!

This recipe was created for Ryan and Kristen Smith. I enjoyed making these Salted Caramel Cupcakes for their wedding and will make them many more times to come as I am such a fan of their sweet yet salty flavor....it's a wonderful combo!

Remove some of the cake and fill with Caramel sauce

Cupcakes filled with caramel sauce

 

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 24 cupcakes or 2 layer 8” cake

Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Heinz White Cake Mix  (or Pillsbury)

1 box instant butterscotch pudding mix

4 egg whites

2 Tbs oil

1 1/3 cup water

1 jar Mrs. Richardson Caramel Sauce (found at Safeway/Vons) (Hershey’s Carmel syrup is 2^nd best in my oppinion)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients well! Place in cupcake holders or greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until done (ready when the toothpick comes out clean). (Cupcakes take about 13 minutes).

Let the cupcakes cool completely! With a paring knife remove a piece of the cupcake in the center of the top about as big as your pinky finger (not big at all!).

Fill a baggie or squirt bottle with the Carmel sauce (cut the tip if needed) and pipe into the whole of each cupcake.

Prepare frosting (see below) and pipe/frost over the caramel filled whole. 

Caramel Frosting

(Frost cupcakes with this frosting then top with Caramel sauce and flake salt)

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: enough frosting to cover a 9” cake

 

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter

¾ lb powdered sugar

½ tsp vanilla

8 oz Mrs. Richardson Caramel Sauce (found at Safeway/Vons) (Hershey’s Carmel syrup is 2^nd best in my oppinion)

2 Tbs milk

Flake salt- found at specialty markets

Directions:

Beat the butter and powdered sugar very well with a mixer- about 2 minutes. Add the other 3 ingredients and whip until well incorporated.

Pipe/Frost completely cooled cakes/cupcakes.

To Assemble Cupcakes: After having filled each cupcake with caramel sauce and once you have frosted each cupcake, drizzle more caramel sauce on top of each cupcake and sprinkle with a light dusting of the flake salt. Enjoy!!!!

Chai Cake....believe it you can enjoy your favorite tea in cake!

I had the privileged of making the wedding cake for Ryan and Kristen Smith! They are 2 foodies and were looking for a cake to suit their craving for something unique yet tasty....therefore I created this recipe and have dedicated it two the two of them!

Chai cake batter

Chai Cake

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 24 cupcakes or 2 layer 8” cake

 

Ingredients:

1 White Cake Mix (Duncan Heinz or Pillsbury)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp maple flavoring

¾ tsp of the contents of a Chai tea bag (Bigelow)

Dash nutmeg

½  tsp + dash of cinnamon

3 egg whites

1 1/3 cup water

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients well! Place in cupcake holders or greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until done (ready when the toothpick comes out clean). (Cupcakes take about 13 minutes).

Caramel Corn....you can't just have one bite!

The perfect recipe to satisfy a craving of something crunchy, sweet yet salty, and soooo delicious!

Begin with 2 large pans and lots of popped corn!

For best results use a candy thermometer to cook the caramel properly

The caramel mixture has now been brought to 225 degrees F.

The caramel mixture with the addition of vanilla, maple, and baking soda.

Pouring the caramel goodness to coat every kernel of popcorn.

Mix well so that the caramel mixture is evenly distributed to all the popcorn.

Bake it and stir every 15 minutes until golden brown and crunchy!

The perfect batch of caramel corn!

Carmel Corn

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 35 cups (2 large oven pans) (enough for all your friends!)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white corn kernels (35 cups when it is popped)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

½ cup dark corn syrup (or maple syrup) *

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp maple flavoring

1 tsp baking soda

Optional 3-4 cups nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds: raw is best but pre roasted is fine too)

2 oven pans (the biggest pans you can find with a 3-5" lip to 

    hold all the popcorn inside)

Directions:

Pop the pop corn kernels (how-to below). Remove all the un-popped kernels and discard them. Spray both of the oven pans with cooking spray. Distribute and add the popped corn (and nuts) evenly into 2 large oven pans.

In a medium sized sauce pan over the stove, combine brown sugar, butter, dark corn syrup, and  salt. Cook slowly (so that the sugar dissolves) and then bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil you do not need to stir, just put in a candy thermometer and wait for soft ball stage (225 degrees F), about 5 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool down a little (about 30 seconds). Add the tsp of vanilla extract and the maple flavoring then stir it in. Then add the tsp of baking soda and stir (it will become white and bubbly again). Immediately pour the caramel  mixture (evenly dividing amongst the 2 oven pans) over the popped corn (and nuts). Stir until the corn is evenly coated. (or try Abby's Tip: try mixing the popped corn and caramel mixture in a large brown paper bag by shaking it until all the corn is coated)

Place the pans into a 250 degrees F oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes!

You know the caramel corn is ready when the corn does not stick together when stirred. 

Let the caramel corn cool completely before you bag it or place it in an air tight jar.

*Use light corn syrup if you prefer caramel corn that is not as dark in amber color...will have a different flavor but is just as yummy!

**Freezes well if placed in an air tight container.

How-to pop Popcorn Kernels:

With an air popper : Add 1/2 cup of kernels at a time into the air popper. Plug it in and let the air popper do its job! Continue to repeat this process until all the kernels are popped. 

With a pot over the stove: Place 1 Tbs of vegetable oil in a large pot. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Add 1 cup of the kernels into the pot and place a lid on it. Shake the pot to coat all the kernels with the oil. Leave the pot on the heat until you begin hearing the kernels pop. Pick up the pot and shake it (with the lid on!) and place back on the heat. Continue this process (shaking the kernels to keep them from burning) until there is a 5-7 second delay and therefore no more pops-it is now done. Pour the popped corn into a pan and repeat this process with the next batch of kernels.

SunnySideUp Breakfast Egg Burrito....

A fabulous breakfast burrito that is quick, easy, delicious and best of all a balanced meal to start off your great day!

SunnySideUp Breakfast Egg Burrito

Author:  Brenna Bowers

Makes: 1 Burrito

Ingredients:

1 tsp butter

2 Tbs white onion, chopped or sliced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 small roasted red bell pepper in oil, drained and chopped (found at Trader Joes in a jar) ½ cup ¼ cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1 whole wheat tortilla

2 Tbs cheddar cheese, shredded

¼ of an avocado, sliced

1 egg

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Turn on the heat to medium-low and add the butter into a small sauté pan. Once the butter is melted, sauté the onion for about 2-4 minutes, stirring once in a while and continuing to cook until translucent. Add in the garlic, roasted red bell pepper and spinach; sautéing until the spinach wilts down (about 1-2 minutes) and stir every so often.

Sprinkle the cheese onto the tortilla and place it in the microwave for about 40 seconds- just long enough to melt the cheese. Slice the avocado and place it onto the tortilla with the melted cheese. Place the sautéed veggies on the tortilla as well.

In the sauté pan (just used for the veggies), carefully crack the egg into the pan (not breaking the yolk) and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Allow the egg to cook low and slow until the egg white turns opaque (when the egg white turns from transparent to solid white and the yolk is still runny, it is ready). Place the SunnySideUp egg on the tortilla and wrap it up like a burrito. 

Eat up and start your day right!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup....comfort food!

This is a very simple soup to make and is full of rich and delicious flavors. This recipe calls for very inexpensive ingredients and makes a lot so it can be enjoyed for many meals!

Creamy Potato Leek Soup served with Gruyère Cheese and croutons

Roughly chop the onion

Mince the garlic or use a garlic press

This is a Leek!- looks like an over-sized scallion

Remove the root end and begin to slice in 1/4" rings

Continue to slice the leeks until half way through the dark green portion.

Sliced leeks.

Brown potatoes peeled and largely chopped.

Boil the potatoes in a large pot with the chicken broth.

Melted butter and scallions about to be sauteed.

Scallions  and onions are translucent- ready to be blended.

Emulsion Blender

Blend all the ingredients in one pot with the emulsion blender!

Once blended it is quite thick, time to add the milk.

Milk and Cream has been added, add more if you want it runnier.

Potato Leek Soup topped with Gruyere cheese and croutons.

Potato Leek Soup

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes: 10 servings (1 1/2 cups per person)

Ingredients:

5 brown potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks

3 leeks cleaned* and sliced in ¼” rings

½ large onion red or white, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 ½ cups chicken broth or chicken stock

2 med cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs butter

Dash salt (not much needed for the chicken broth can sometime be salty)

Dash pepper

1 ½ tsp chopped dried Herbs De Province (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, basil)

2 1/2cups milk

1 cup Half and Half

Toppings:

Gruyere Cheese, shredded

Croutons or crusty bread

Directions:

Prepare some of the ingredients by roughly chopping the onions, clean and slice the leeks in 1/4” rings (slicing until you have chopped half-way through the dark green leafy part) (discard at least the last 3 inches of a leek), and mince the garlic.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Place into a large pot and pour in the 3 ½ cups of chicken broth. Place on high heat and boil the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes. When they start getting tender when pricked with a fork, turn off the heat and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, add the 3 Tbs of butter and turn on the stove to medium-low heat. Melt the butter in the pan. Add in the leeks and stir allowing it to cook about 5 minutes (you do not want any browning on any of the ingredients you are sautéing so add in a couple of Tbs of the chicken broth from the boiling potatoes if they are beginning to brown!) Add in the onions and allow to sauté about 7 minutes (add in more chicken broth if needed). Add in the minced garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 more minutes and remove from the heat. Add the leek mixture to the potatoes and chicken broth pot.

Using an emulsion blender (see picture above), blend the ingredients until it is a smooth soup**. Allow the soup to cool until it is just slightly hot to the touch before you add the milk and cream (you do not want the milk or cream to curdle). So once the mixture is cooled, pour in the milk and Half and Half and stir until all incorporated.

Taste the soup! Adjust seasonings by adding in more at this time if you want a stronger flavor. Add more milk if you would prefer a more runny soup.

Top each serving with shredded gruyere cheese and croutons or a crusty bread!

*Leeks: have a similar flavor to an onion but are not quite as strong. Leeks are very dirty and therefore must always be cleaned! Dirt and sand get lodged in the leaves easily. You must rinse leeks very well under water and discard the outer leaves that do not look good.

**If you do not have an emulsion blender, it is more than ok to use a blender or food processor (just make sure you do not place boiling hot mixtures into the appliances)

Jazzed up Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies...

Nothing quite like a freshly baked Oatmeal Raisin Cookie...that's chewy!
Full of cinnamon and maple flavor along with hardiness and texture from the oats and nuts....you can't just take one bite!

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie with lots of flavor!

 Cookie dough- good if just eaten with a spoon or frozen!

 Not a fan of raisins?-exchange for chocolate chips or white chocolate chips

Remove from the oven if you like it even more chewy than this!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: about 15-20 cookies...depending on how much dough you eat :)

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granular (white) sugar

2 Tbs honey

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp maple flavoring

1 ½ cups flour

3 cups quick oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 cup raisins*

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped**

Directions:

In a small bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, granular (white) sugar and honey until whipped and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs, vanilla, and maple extract and beat until incorporated.

In another bowl, stir and combine the flour, quick oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add half of the flour and oat mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add the rest of the flour and stir until fully combined. Add in the raisins (and walnuts) and stir with a wooden spoon.

Place heaping spoonfuls (about 3 Tbs. of dough) on a cookie sheet and slightly flatten and form the dough into a cookie shape (they do not flatten much as they cook so you must help the process). Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes (it is better to pull the cookies from the oven when they are barley golden brown and still gooey for a more chewy cookie!)

Mmmmm….eat up!

*don’t like raisins?? Substitute with chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips!

** add walnuts or any kind of nuts you prefer…or omit completely