Baby's First Birthday Cupcakes

I haven't made any new recipes lately to post but I think this one definitely qualifies!


Whipped Cream Frosting
(Makes 1 frosting for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar salt and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

3. Fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Cake:
Cooking spray
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 2 cups sugar and unsalted butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove cake from pans. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool completely on wire rack.

Both recipes make enough for 24 cupcakes. I just baked them at 400 for around 15-20 minutes instead. I used fat free cream cheese this time and I think it made the icing runnier than usual but it still tasted great! Noah enjoyed his very much at his West Virginia birthday dinner.

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions
1. Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce; pour over roast.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

Easy and delicious, of course! I just use a half pork roast and stuff it in the crock pot with as many chopped potatoes and carrots on top as I can fit under the lid. Instant meal. Making this one for dinner tonight! Warning, it makes a lot of food so invite people to share with.

Marinated Ranch Broiled Chicken

Look, it's another quick, and easy chicken recipe! :) This might seriously be the easiest recipe I've ever made.

Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions
1.Combine the dressing mix, oil and vinegar in a large, resealable plastic bag and mix together. Add chicken to bag, seal and shake to coat; work mixture into the meat.
2.Refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible.
3.Preheat oven to Broil/Grill.
4.Remove chicken from bag, discarding any remaining marinade, and broil for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink inside.

I didn't trust just the broiling so I baked the chicken at 350 for about 20 minutes prior to broiling for just a few minutes. I think there is probably enough sauce to get by with 3 breasts if you needed extra. Yummy!

Ginger Mahi Mahi

I got this recipe a while back and have not made it in a while but am bringin it back tonight!

1 package Mahi Mahi fillets, thawed and rinsed as package directs
3 Tablespoons Honey
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon greated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add fish; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over Medium Heat. Add fish to skillet. Reserve marinade.
3. Saute' fillets for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork.
4. remove fillets to serving plate and keep warm. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet; heat over Medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Spoon glaze over fish; serve immediately

I think its best served with rice and whatever veggies you like. I actually have never made it with Mahi Mahi (which I love) because I couldn't find it at Wal-Mart. I use frozen tilapia filets instead and it works great. Also trying ground ginger tonight because I am not exactly sure what to do with a fresh ginger root! Before, I always skipped the ginger and it was quite good without it. I might even try baking it all together to spare a little oil. Delicious and healthy! Jeremy is not a fish eater and this is about the only way I have gotten him to eat it. :) Thanks to Wendy.

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
1.Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
2.Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes.

I made a half recipe of this one night this week since it was pretty simple and I had all the ingredients. I cooked it a bit too long waiting on Jeremy to get home but it was still good! I bet using fresh herbs would make it even better. I mixed the tomatoes, balsamic, and herbs ahead of time and let them soak together in the fridge then dumped them over the chicken and added a little chicken broth to the skillet while I was cooking. Love these easy chicken recipes!

Black Bean Burritos

I whipped this up real fast last night after we came in from the gym and we loved it!

Ingredients
2 (10 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1.Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.
2.Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in skillet, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour beans into skillet, cook 3 minutes stirring.
3.Cut cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.
4.Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and roll tortillas up. Serve immediately.

I would recommend mashing the beans up a bit before putting them in the burrito. I used burrito-sized tortillas. There might be enough to make 4 regular sized tortillas. Added about 1/2 tsp of chili powder too. Also, I was out of onion, so I added a couple spoonfuls of homemade Super Salsa to the mix instead. Didn't add the cilantro and used reduced-fat cream cheese. Turned out great, even though I had to cook beans from a bag and they weren't quite done! ;) Jeremy worked for a taco place when he was in high school so he rolled the burritos perfectly for me!

Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup

I was feeling a little experimental and wanted to try something different! I had never used leeks before, so it was a little interesting. I had to talk to my aunt to actually find out what one does with a leek . :) It was actually pretty quick and simple to make.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 leeks, bulb only, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans fat-free chicken broth
2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
2 cups packed fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic; saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, cannellini beans, bay leaves and cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Here's the report: I used 3 leek bulbs instead of 4 because that was how many came in a bundle and it was plenty o' leek. I used low-sodium chicken broth instead of fat-free. I suggest topping with parmesan cheese for a little extra flavor. Very healthy and Jeremy and Noah enjoyed it too!