ITT we post our favorite recipes

[Slumdog Lovebutton]

Since moving into an apartment with a nice kitchen, I've been on a crazy cooking kick.  I refuse to believe I'm alone in my love for the discovery of new and delicious recipes.  How about an LSD recipe swap?

I'll kick things off with something sweet...


Best Cupcakes in the World:

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
8 large egg whites

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk and beginning and ending with flour; beat until just combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; set aside.

3. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Gently fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining whites.

FOR CAKES:
4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Reinvert cakes, and let them cool completely, top sides up.

5. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to make level. Place one layer on a serving plate, cut side up. Using a pastry bag fitted with a coupler, pipe frosting around the perimeter. This dam will prevent the lemon curd filling from seeping out. Fill cake with lemon curd. Place other cake layer on top, cut side down. Spread entire cake with frosting, swirling to cover.

FOR CUPCAKES:
4. Pour into cupcake tins, bake for approx. 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  (I can't remember exactly how long it took me when I did this...the original recipe does not have cupcake instructions)


FROSTING (Really not that difficult.  Tastes better and wins you domestic goddess points):

4.5 cups powdered sugar
3 sticks room temp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix and frost generously.

[$Bill]

2 Cans Baked beans
1 Bottle Barbeque Sauce
3 Tblespoons Brown Sugar.
Dash of Nutmeg.
Squirt of Ketchup
2 Chicken Breasts.
Dash of Basil
2 1/2 Cup water (change for consistancy)
1 Cup rice
1 Large white onion, chopped.

8 Hours in crockpot on low= Jerked Chicken Stew

[Slumdog Lovebutton]

Chicken Nuggets:

INGREDIENTS
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget-size pieces.  Mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter/margarine in a bowl or dish for dipping.

3. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter/margarine first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place well coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

[Susan B. Anthony]

Lemon Chiffon Cake!

Whisk together in a large bowl, and make a well in the center:

    * 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
    * 1 tbsp baking powder
    * 1/2 tsp salt
    * 1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine and pour into well:

    * 6 egg yolks (save the whites), whisked lightly
    * 1/2 cup corn oil
    * 1/3 cup lemon juice + enough water to make 3/4 cup liquid
    * grated lemon rind (I think my mom uses a really healthy pinch)

Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth

In a large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat until very stiff peaks form:

    * 6 reserved egg whites
    * 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture until well blended

Pour into angel food cake pan. Bake at 325 for 60 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly with finger. Invert immediately on a funnel or bottle. Cool completely.

To remove cooled cake from pan, loosen first by moving a table knife up and down against side of pan. Next, turn pan over and hit one side against the counter. The cake will slip out.

Top with lemon glaze


Lemon Glaze

Melt in 1 1/2 qt pan:

    * 1/3 cup margarine or butter

Remove from heat and stir in:

    * 2 cups powdered sugar
    * 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
    * 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Stir in:

    * 2 to 4 tbsp of lemon juice, until glaze has reached the consistency of thick syrup

[Susan B. Anthony]

That sounds like a really really easy recipe, Cady.  I have 7 or 8 hours of downtime when I get home tonight, I'll give it a whirl.

We know.

It's not that difficult. And it's well worth the effort!

[Slumdog Lovebutton]

That sounds like a really really easy recipe, Cady.  I have 7 or 8 hours of downtime when I get home tonight, I'll give it a whirl.

We know.

LOL.  stotan must be cooking, because i can feel the buuuurrrnnnnn.

[just dot]

I guess I'll post this one since we all seem to be posting a lot of cakes/cupcakes.  This makes exactly 1 dozen cupcakes and they are outrageously good (and horribly, HORRIBLY fattening).  I made them for my daughter's class and the kids and grownups all loved them.  This is the recipe that the real Sprinkles' cupcake company uses, I got it via Martha Stewart.

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes

2/3 cup fresh or thawed frozen strawberries (I prefer fresh)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted (I prefer cake flour if you have it)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temp
2 large egg whites, room temp

1. Preheat oven 350*.  Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Puree strawberries (food processor).  You need 1/3 cup puree so add more strawberries if needed, or reserve any extra for the frosting.
3.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt in a bowl, set aside.  In another bowl, mix together milk, vanilla and strawberry puree, set aside.
4.  Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (don't rush this step).  Slowly add eggs and egg whites until just blended well.
5.  With the mixer on low, add 1/2 of the flour mixture, mix until just blended.  Add 1/2 of the milk/strawberry mixture, mix until just blended.  Add the remaining flour & milk/strawberry mixture the same way.
6.  Divide evenly into the cupcake tin.  Bake until tops are just dry, 22 to 25 minutes.  Let cool completely before icing.


Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup whole fresh or thawed frozen strawberries
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Puree strawberries the same way you did for the cupcakes.  You need 3 tablespoons. 
2.  In an electric mixer, mix the butter and salt until light and fluffy.
3.  Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the confectioners' sugar until well combined. 
4.  Add the vanilla and strawberry puree.

Do not overmix the frosting.  It will be dense and creamy, like ice cream.  Frost the cupcakes with a very thick layer of this icing.  I always had some extra left over, even after frosting them very generously.

[XANADU_MAXIMUM]

Three Bean Chili Recipe

For those of you who don't like the meat in your chili, this is the chili recipe for you.  It's fast and easy to prepare.  Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped scallions.
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 large jalapeno pepper (seeded, de-veined and chopped)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup beer
• 2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz. can black beans
• 1 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can vegetarian refried beans with chiles

Directions

In a large pot, add olive oil and warm over medium heat.  Add onion, peppers, and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add beer and stir well.  Add tomatoes, black beans and kidney beans, stirring well to combine.  Add cumin, chili powder, hot sauce and salt.  Stir in refried beans to thicken chili.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

[Slumdog Lovebutton]

omg dot, i might make those cupcakes this week.

[Billy Mays here FOREVER!]

I just recently discovered red and white lasanga, which is the same as regular lasagna but the top layer of sauce is Alfredo. it's quite delectible