Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate and wine!!!

I have had the chocolate itch lately ever since I was lucky enough to be introduced to this chocolate cake at a restaurant here at Easton, Smith and Wollensky.  This cake was huge and probably the best chocolate cake I've had, sorry momma!!! Sooooo with that being said, I had this same friend over for dinner and wanted to make my own dessert..... tough to compare to this chocolate cake but man was it delish! People I'm sure have made this before and call it all sorts of names, I will call it........

Fudgy Chocolate Wonderfulness

1 cup Flour
2t baking soda
1/2c brown sugar
1-1/4c sugar
1/2c Hershey cocoa
1/4 salt
1-1/2t vanilla
1/3c butter
1/2c milk
1-1/4c hot water

Preheat oven 350. Heat the water on the stove until just under a simmer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.

 

Pour the batter into an lightly greased 2-quart ceramic or a 9-inch square baking and spread evenly.

 

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in your dish or pan. Pour the hot water over the top – but do not stir! Repeat DO NOT STIRE

 

Bake 35-40 minutes if using a glass dish (or 30-35 minutes if using a metal pan) – or until the center is almost set. Remove your dish from the oven and allow it to sit 15 minutes!! Be patience I promise it is worth it!

 

Best served of course with ice cream! It was a definite success!! Okay so it is not my photo, but I forgot to take one I was the inpatient one!!

 

The second dessert came about while I was browsing at work! I really had a taste for something with Oreo's in it and came across a cupcake that was perfect!!! Although I was some what hesitant when I read the recipe and thought to myself, "this is way to easy and I'm not sure about the cookie on the bottom." Well all I needed for it was Oreo's from the store and decided to go for it! I knew if I didn't eat them I knew lots of people who would!!

 

 

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

 

 

20 Oreo cookies (12 left whole for the bottoms)

3/4c powdered sugar

1 pkg cream cheese softened

2 egg whites

pinch of salt

 

1/4c heavy cream

1/4c chocolate chips

 

Place cupcake liners in your tin. Add an Oreo to each tin. With the remaining Oreo's coarsely chop them.

With your mixer mix powdered sugar and cream cheese until combined. Add one egg white at a time and mix on medium speed until just blended, do not over mix. Add a pinch of salt.  Fold in chopped Oreos. Spoon on top of cookie in the tin. Bake for 25 minutes until center is set.

To make the chocolate ganche melt the chocolate chips and stir in the heavy cream until combined. Spoon over cupcakes and let cool.  After they have cooled place in the fridge.

 

Okay so you know how I said I was not so sure about these.  I'm 110% sure now that they are AMAZING!!! Good thing it only makes 12!!!!

 

 

To go along with the desserts, I thought I would share a new wine that is my new favorite affordable wine. You can find it at Giant Eagle or Kroger or probably at any store near you! It is

Michael David wine Petite petit. The reason I chose to try this was because there was only one bottle left and thought that mannnn this must be good, and sure enough!! It was delish and had elephants on the label which reminded me of my momma!

 

 



 

Back in Action!! Shrimp and Corn Chowder and Snickerdoodle Cupcakes!

Hey everyone!!!  I know I have been away from blogging for a while, but lots in my life has changed!! Of course for the best! I may not blog as often because I have changed my diet. Cooking for one will do that for ya, and wanting to lose weight! I primarily eat chicken, and fish with my roasted veggies of course. From time to time I do find new recipes to try and will of course share them.  I also continue to bake from time to time for others!!! I will also be adding to my repertoire and sharing my new found enjoyment, craft beers!!!  I had a very busy day on Saturday with a lot of running around to purchase items to finally remodel my bathroom!!! Mom and dad are coming to visit this weekend to help me out! Can't wait!!! Pictures definitely to come! So as I was running around Saturday I had already picked out a recipe weeks ago that I've wanted to try and had to pick up a few things. These two recipes turned out DELISH!!!


Shrimp and Corn Chowder

4 slices of bacon, diced
1 lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined
3 (or if your me more) garlic cloves minced
1 onion diced
2tsp smoked paprika or more to taste (this makes if spend the extra to get the smoked paprika!)
1/2t dried oregano
1/2t dried basil
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
4 c chicken stock
2 cups or 1 can corn (frozen, canned or roasted) I used can
1 bay leaf
1/4c heavy cream

What to do:
Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel. Reserve 1T of drippings. Add shrimp to stockpot and cook until pink then set the shrimp aside.  Add the garlic and onion to the stock pot and cook until translucent. Stir in paprika, oregano, basil and read pepper flakes until fragrant. (1-2min).  add salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk in chicken stock, corn and bay leaf. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer. 12-15mintues. Discard bay leaf. Add heavy cream and puree in blender. Add your shrimp back to mixture. Serve and top with bacon and parsley.!!! This is one of my new favorites!!!!

So on to dessert!! Had to get back in the cupcake groove!! And a friend was helping me out with some things and he had mentioned that he enjoys snicker doodles so thought that this was perfect!!! So easy to make too and yummy!!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Cupcake
1-2/3c flour
1/2t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
1/2t salt
1-1/2c sugar divided
1/2c (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 c yogurt (I used a vanilla yogurt)
1 large egg
3/4c milk
1T vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting
1c butter room temp
3/4c powdered sugar
1/4c heavy cream
2t vanilla extract
1T cinnamon
(The frosting does not make a lot FYI)

Preheat oven 350. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Melt butter. In bowl place melted butter. Whisk in 1c sugar. Stir in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla until combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps. 

In small bowl mix the remaining 1/2c sugar and cinnamon. Spoon a small amount of batter into the tins. then sprinkle with sugar cinnamon mixture. Repeat this until 3/4 full. Then top all with more sugar mixture. Bake 19-21 minutes

FROSTING
Beat softened butter for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. add p.sugar, cream and vanilla. Beat 3 minutes. Add some cinnamon when complete!

HOPE you enjoy!!!