Java Chip Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Frosting...

Alright alright, I know.....I cheated a little by using  a cake box mix. But if this is what it takes to get YOU into the kitchen to bake, my job here is done!

Simplicity is key, therefore this is an almost fool proof recipe--unless you don't follow my directions :)

Happy baking!

-Brenna

Java Chip Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Frosting

The batter is thick!

Notice the hunks of Oreo (from the pudding mix) and chocolate pieces.

A very light and moist cake!

Java Chip Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Frosting

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Java Chip Cupcakes:

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 box (16.5 oz.) Duncan Hines “Dark Chocolate Fudge” cake mix (any will do)

1 package (4.2 oz.) Jell-O “Oreo Cookies and Cream” instant pudding

½ cup chocolate chips, chopped

4 egg whites

2 Tablespoons canola oil

Espresso Cream Frosting: 
1 Tablespoon instant espresso granules

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, room temperature

4 cups (about 1 pound) powdered sugar, sifted

24 paper baking cupcake liners

24 chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)

brown sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

Java Chip Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Warm the water (20 seconds in the microwave) and stir in coffee granules.

In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding, chocolate chips, egg whites, oil and coffee-water. Beat until well mixed (about 1 minute). Fill each paper baking cupcake liner three-quarters full. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Espresso Cream Frosting:

In a small bowl, add the instant espresso into the vanilla extract. Once the coffee granules are dissolved, sir in the cocoa powder until it forms a paste.

In a large mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until it is fluffy (about 5 minutes). Beat in the coffee-vanilla-cocoa paste until evenly distributed. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting is thick and smooth.

Assembly:

Pipe the frosting onto cupcakes using a large star tip. Top each cupcake with an espresso bean and sprinkles.

Chill until ready to serve.

Chicken stuffed with Prosciutto, Brie and Fresh Basil...

Flavorful, easy and healthy--what more could you ask for?!

This Italian inspired meal is one you can make over and over without getting tired of it. Add your own twist of creativity by exchanging these ingredients for your favorite cheeses, herbs and sauces--you can't go wrong!

Chicken stuffed with Prosciutto, Brie and Fresh Basil

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4-5 oz. per breast)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

1 teaspoon granulated garlic, divided

8 pieces prosciutto (Brenna's favorite--Hobb's Applewood Smoked Meats Company)

4 ounces Brie, cut into 4 one-ounce slices

8 leaves fresh basil

1 jar seasoned pasta sauce (pick your favorite kind)

meat pounder*

toothpicks

grill pan/fry pan/BBQ

1 piece of parchment paper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse and paper towel dry each chicken breast. Butterfly open each chicken breast. With a meat pounder* gently pound the chicken at its thickest part to be even with the thinnest portion (helps with even cooking). Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt, pepper and granulated garlic.

Combine one slice of Brie with 2 basil leaves on either side and wrap with 2 slices of prosciutto. Place into the center of the butterflied chicken and fold over the chicken breast to encase the stuffing. Secure the loose ends of the chicken breast by threading with toothpicks to keep the stuffing from oozing out. Repeat with all the chicken breasts.

Heat up a grill pan/fry pan/BBQ to medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on either side, about 2 minutes or until grill marks form (at this point the chicken will not be cooked through).

Meanwhile in a small sauce pot, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer.

Place the seared chicken onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place into the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature (test the thickest part) reaches 145 degrees F. Pull and let rest for 10 minutes.

Place the chicken into the simmering pasta sauce. Serve hot.

*If you do not have a meat pounder, use the bottom of a cup or rolling pin.

Hand Pressed Granola Bars....

How about a healthy snack to eat throughout the week? This recipe contains only natural sugars and is robust with flavors. And best of all, its hardiness will hold you through to your next meal. Don't be intimidated, you will be thrilled with how easy they are to make.

 

Hand Pressed Granola Bars

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 12 bars, 13x9 inch metal baking pan with a lip

Ingredients:

2 cups quick oats

1 ½ cups chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts*, or your preference)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup dried berries

½ cup oat bran (or wheat germ)

3 Tablespoons salted butter

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup real maple syrup

2 Tablespoons dark molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a baking sheet, evenly spread the quick oats, walnuts, almonds and shredded coconut (hazelnuts must be toasted separately*). Bake for 8 minutes just to roast and slightly extract the flavors and oils). Remove from the oven and place in a large mixing bowl. (Add in the hazelnuts.) Also in the mixing bowl, add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, dried berries and oat bran. Mix all the dry ingredients until well tossed.

Reduce the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch metal baking pan that has a lip with parchment paper and then spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a small sauce pan combine the butter, honey, maple syrup and molasses. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook one minute while stirring and then remove from the heat to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour the slightly cooled honey-maple mixture into the dry ingredients. Toss until the mixture is even. Pour into the prepared baking pan.

Wrap your fingers in plastic wrap. Spray lightly with cooking spray—this will help the mixture not stick to your hands. Pack down the mixture by pressing with your fingers.

Bake in the 300 degree F. oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool at least 3 hours before cutting into 12 even bars.

Wrap in wax/parchment paper or place in an airtight container lined with wax/parchment paper.

*Untoasted hazelnuts have an outer skin on them that does not taste or feel good in your mouth. Bake the whole hazelnuts on their own sheet pan. One baked at 350 degrees F. for 8 minutes, and while still hot place them into a hand towel and rub them together to remove their skin. Chop the hazelnuts and use as directed.

Love Filled New York Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Hearts....

How about something special for those you love?! And if they didn't love you before, they are bound to love you now! :)

This particular cheesecake was made for the birthday of someone special to me, Mr. Rose--Happy Birthday!!!!

New York Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Hearts

This cheesecake makes a statement in its flavor and presentation.

Evenly smooth out the sour cream-lemon curd topping.

Evenly place raspberry dots using a piping bag and tip.

All you need is a piping bag, small round piping tip and a toothpick

Drag the toothpick in a circular motion, NEVER stop and pick back up!

 Heart Decorated Cheesecake

New York Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Hearts

Author: Brenna Bowers

An easy way to decorate without skimping on the 'WOW' factor!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

4 Tablespoons orange juice

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1 Homemade New York Cheesecake, chilled (my favorite author:America's Test Kitchen)

1/2 cup lemon curd (my favorite brand: Trader Joe's)

1 1/2 cups sour cream

Extra tools: fine strainer, piping bag, small round piping tip, toothpick

Directions:

In a small sauce pot on low heat , stir the raspberries, orange juice and sugar. Allow to simmer very low and slow for 10-15 minutes. (The mixture should become thicker than liquid but thinner than jam.) Cook longer or add a splash more orange juice if the consistency is not correct. Discard the seeds by passing the hot mixture through a fine strainer using a spatula. Allow to cool. Place into the piping bag with a piping tip. 

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and lemon curd. Spread onto the cooled cheesecake. Spread evenly with a spatula or back of a large spoon staring at the outer-edge of the cheesecake (spin the plate rather than your arm for perfect rings). 

Pipe dots (smaller than the size of a chocolate chip) evenly spaced in a spiral until the entire cheesecake is covered. 

Beginning with the dot on the outer most edge, drag a toothpick through each dot. NEVER PICK UP the toothpick unless you have drug the point through the end of the last dot.

Chill-Serve-Eat-Repeat. 

Apple Galette...

I know what you are thinking, "Brenna, what is the world is a Galette?". 

Well let me tell you, that is a great question!

Galette vs. Pie-- a Galette has one crust, leaving the center uncovered and requires no pie plate.  This offers a more rustic looking dessert and makes the preparation process 'easier than pie'. On the other hand, pie has 2 crusts and is placed into a pie plate. 

Apple Galette

Granny Smith apples before they have been cooked down.

Cooked down apples with butter, sugar,  cinnamon and nutmeg.

Lay the apples in an even spiral layer, leaving a 1" border.

Overlap the pie crust to make the unique form of a Galette.

The finished product, brushed with the optional apricot jelly.

Apple Galette

Author: Brenna

Makes: 1 Galette, 6-8 servings

 

Ingredients:

1 pie crust.

flour (for dusting)

3 large Cooking apples*, peeled and thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 Tablespoon apricot jelly  (*optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a flat surface, sprinkle with a light dusting of flour (this will keep the pie crust from sticking on the counter). Roll out to an 10” circle. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

In a medium sauce pot melt the butter. Add in the sliced apples and lemon juice and cook on med-low heat until slightly tender with the lid on (to create steam); about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss in brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg: lightly tossing to evenly coat the apples.  Let the mixture cool (Tip 1). Evenly arrange the apple mixture in a spiral on the surface of the pie crust leaving a 1” border. Fold over the edges of the pie crust over the apple mixture, fluting the edges (Tip 2).

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Optional step for a shiny crust (as in the picture shown)--Once baked, remove from oven and brush with the apricot jelly (may need to be zapped in the microwave to heat it up). Replace in the oven for 5 more minutes to allow the pie crust to brown.

Serve hot and with French Vanilla Ice Cream!

Tip 1: Pie crust has a high content of butter/fat which needs to be chilled for proper baking. Therefore if you place a hot apple mixture onto the crust, it will melt the butter causing the pie crust to tear.

Tip 2: Galette vs. Pie-- a Galette has one crust, leaving the center uncovered and requires no pie plate.  This offers a more rustic looking dessert and makes the preparation process 'easier than pie'. On the other hand, pie has 2 crusts and is placed into a pie plate.

*Cooking apples are dense, crisp, and flavorful- Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala

Variation: Replace one apple with ¼ cup fresh berries (blackberry, raspberry, or fresh cranberries…) to the mixture.

Don’t bake ahead: Once baking this dessert, you may let it sit up to four hours but I do not advise any longer. The texture of the crust will change over time and not result in the crisp flakey crust that is preferred.

Coconut White Chocolate Cookies....AND the difference between sugars

Why is it that in various cookie recipes both brown sugar and granular white sugar can be found in the ingredient list?!

Lately I have taken the initiative to solve this mystery for myself and therefore I dove into my cookbooks and picked up my spatula. 


First note to self, there are obvious color differences between the two sugars (of course!). The difference you ask? Granular white sugar is sugar cane placed through a granulator, then is  dried and processed into grains. Brown sugar goes through nearly the same process as white sugar but also molasses is added to it to formulate its dark characteristic. 

Next, after reading book after book and many cookie batch trials I found the following to be true:

By adding solely white sugar to the cookies, they will come out more crisp in texture and flat. If only using brown sugar or honey, the cookies will tend to absorb moisture in the baking process resulting in a more puffy cookie.

So it is all about preference therefore I break it down to you like this:

Use only white sugar for a cookie that is crisp and flat,
Use only brown sugar for a cookie that is puffy/fluffy (this does not mean chewy).
Use BOTH white and brown sugar for a cookie that is somewhat fluffy and  definitely chewy.

Coconut White Chocolate Cookies

Creaming the butter: Step 1 (notice it is still granular)

Creaming the Butter: Step 2 (it is now light and fluffy in texture)

The batter with all the ingredients incorporated

Form the dough into disks

 

Coconut White Chocolate Cookies

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: about 15-18 large cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter

1 ½ cups white sugar*

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut

½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar. Beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the white chocolate chips. Add to the creamed butter mixture and mix until well incorporated. Stir in the white chocolate chips.

Place onto an ungreased* *cookie sheet into a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees F.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

When Brenna decides her cookies are ready:

I typically under bake my cookies. I claim they are ready when edges begin to harden and turn light golden brown. The center will still look slightly gooey but I remove them from the oven anyways and allow the cookies to cool before moving them from the cookie sheet.

*By using both brown and white sugar, it will result in a semi fluffy cookie with a chewy texture. Solely white sugar will result in cookies that are crisp and flat whereas only using brown sugar or honey will tend to absorb moisture in the baking process resulting in a puffy cookie. So this recipe is all about preference!

If you tend to like crisper, flat cookies, keep the recipe as is but if your prefer fluffier, chewy cookies, follow the substitution below.

1 ½ cups white sugar for ½ cup white sugar and ½ cup brown sugar

**Never grease your cookie sheet with oil. Cookies have enough butter in them to keep them from sticking. I prefer to place a Silpat on my cookie sheet to prevent any sticking or my secondary option is parchment paper.  If you are not equipped with either, place the cookie dough right onto the cookie sheet.

Homemade SWEET POTATO with SAGE Ravioli and THREE CHEESE Ravioli...

These homemade raviolis were quite the hit when I made them as gifts. This recipe can be putsy but the  hard work pays off when your first bite is taken! The flavors are bold and texture is creamy! So get the family together and make this a family meal that everyone has a part in!

Homemade Ravioli

Place 1 Tbs of the Sweet Potato mixture onto the center of the ravioli sheet.

Three Cheese Filling

Add caption

Seal the edges well with egg wash then press with fingers.

Sweet Potato with Sage and Three Cheese Ravioli

Sweet Potato and Sage Ravioli

Three Cheese Ravioli

Homemade

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 100 fresh raviolis

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato and Sage Filling:

3 medium sweet potatoes

2 Tablespoons butter

1 sweet yellow onion, minced

1 Tablespoon white wine

1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

3 fresh sage leaves, minced

Three Cheese Filling:

12 oz. ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 cup finely grated Mozzarella

Directions:

Sweet Potato and Sage Filling:

Rinse and dry the sweet potatoes. Prick with a fork all around the flesh. Place in a microwave safe bowl with a lid and microwave for 10 minutes. Turn each sweet potato and place back into the microwave for another 5-10 minute or until soft.  Let cool about 10-20 minutes and then peel off the skin with your fingers or a small knife. Smash the sweet potato until smooth with a fork or press it through a food mill or ricer.

In a medium skillet on low heat, add the butter and melt.  Stir in the diced onions and allow to cook until translucent in color (about 10 minutes). You do not want any browning so add the white wine and balsamic vinegar to continue the carmelization process but keep the onions from burning. Cook until the liquid evaporates. Stir into mashed sweet potato and add in sage leaves.

Three Cheese Filling:

Mix the three cheeses in a small mixing bowl until well combined.

Assembly:

Prepare pasta dough as the Semolina bag directs on the back of the packaging.

Place 1 Tablespoon of filling onto pasta. Brush with egg wash around the edges and press the second sheet of pasta on top; making sure to also press out all the air. Cut into a circle by pressing it with a shot glass or cut into a square shape. Press the edges well with your fingers!

Drop fresh pasta into rapidly boiling salt water. Cook for about 5 minutes  (about 2 more minutes after they begin to float in the water).

Toss with melted butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.