CHURRO CUPCAKES

Yesterday we celebrated our church's 49th anniversary. We had a big potluck after the morning service. Whenever we have a big dinner on the grounds, I like to host some sort of baking challenge. We've done Apple bake-off, pumpkin bake-off, Chocolate challenge, and now the Cupcake challenge! The winner of the challenge was actually my daughter, Hannah! She made the most scrumptious little Raspberry, lemonade cupcakes! I even voted for them! I'll have to see if I can get her to post her recipe on here too. I chose the Churro cupcake because I wanted to do something different. These were DEElicious!! It seems like a lot of steps, but it was well worth it!! 



CHURRO CUPCAKES

(For the cupcake part)

1 yellow butter cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
In mixing bowl, combine yellow butter cake mix, eggs, milk, butter, vanilla & cinnamon, Beat on med - high until thick and creamy. Line your muffin pans with muffin papers. Using a No. 20 scoop, fill each muffin paper with batter. Bake at 350 for 15 - 18 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. When they are cool, poke a deep hole in the center with the handle of a wooden spoon.

Fill the cupcakes with the caramel mixture. Ice them with the cinnamon buttercream. Top each one with the churro and then drizzle with the caramel sauce. 

(For the Caramel filling and drizzle - Directions below)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

(For the icing)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar                                                                                                

½ cup milk                                                                                                                           

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon                                                                                                                                         

 In mixer bowl, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Add in vanilla and cinnamon and let it mix for a few minutes, scraping down sides every so often, until all of the ingredients are well combined. Set aside until ready to assemble the cupcakes.

(For the Churros)

• ¾ cup plain flour 
• ¾ cup self-raising flour 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 tbsp white sugar, plus extra, to sprinkle 
• 2 egg yolks 
• ground cinnamon, to dust 
• ¾ cup dulce de leche or canned caramel filling 
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry

Sift the flours together into a bowl. Place butter and 1½ cups water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until butter melts. Add sugar and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Add combined flours and stir briskly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes or until the dough is smooth and comes away from the side of the pan. Transfer dough to a bowl, cool slightly, then stir in egg yolks until well combined. Transfer to a piping bag with a 15 mm star nozzle, then seal the bag with string or elastic to prevent the dough drying out. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine cinnamon and extra sugar in a large bowl and set aside until needed.

Spoon the dulce de leche or caramel into a second piping bag and cut a small hole in the corner.

Fill a deep-fryer or large pan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 170°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 30 seconds). Line a tray with baking paper and pipe 12 cm lengths of dough onto the tray. Working in 2 or 3 batches, gently drop dough into oil and deep-fry, turning halfway, for 4 minutes or until crisp, golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise incision along each churros, taking care not to cut all the way through. Carefully pipe dulce de leche into the incision from one end to the other, taking care not to split the churros.

Toss churros in cinnamon mixture. Let cool on paper towels for 10 minutes or so. Carefully slice into smaller sections just big enough to top your cupcakes. Set aside until you are ready to assemble your cupcakes.

For the Caramel 

In a deep pot, place one can of sweetened condensed milk. Fill pot with hot water, making sure can is totally submerged. Place on stove and heat to boiling. Once it boils, reduce heat to med-high. Continue to cook for 3 hours. Checking periodically to make sure can is still covered with water. Add more hot water as necessary until the 3 hours has elapsed. Remove from heat. Let pan sit until completely cool. Can must also be cool. Once can is cool, open and spoon contents into bowl. Be sure to scrape out the bottom of the can real good, because you need to get it all mixed together. With a sturdy spoon, stir caramel until it is completely combined. Voila! Best caramel ever! 

You could also buy store bought caramel sauce, but if you want the WOW factor, this homemade version is the way to go!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

Homemade "cream of..." soups are not as daunting as they may seem. They just start with a roux. If you've learned how to make one successfully, then you'll master these cream soups with no problem!  And the taste! There is no comparison between a bowl of hot, delicious, homemade soup and a can of store bought soup. I originally prepared this to make a batch of chicken with a creamy mushroom sauce. But when I tasted it, I thought, "Wow! I could literally eat a bowl of this with some warm, crusty bread!" I promise, you won't be disappointed! 

HOMEMADE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP.

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 4 ounces Crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 4 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Garnish: Additional sliced mushrooms, chopped parsley 
• DIRECTIONS:
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot, cook for 1 minute, until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, until tender and browned. Transfer all the contents of the pot to a bowl.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pot. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk it quickly into a paste. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the stock a little at a time, whisking out the lumps between each addition.
• Increase the heat back to medium-high and allow the soup to simmer well for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms back to the pot and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. The stock will thicken slightly to be somewhat creamy. Slowly drizzle in the heavy whipping cream. 
• Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Garnish with mushrooms and parsley, if desired. This soup is delicious all by itself or when used as a sauce for pan fried chicken or pork chops. 

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

I have made this hot fudge sauce so many times over the years that I'm pretty sure I could do it blindfolded and with one hand tied behind my back! What I love about this sauce is that it is so reminiscent of my mothers old fashioned Hershey's chocolate fudge, but in a liquid form! This stuff is so very good! Usually when I make it, I will pour the leftovers into small mason jars to pass along to someone else as a treat. I've given it out as Christmas gifts many times as well. It goes together in a snap. If you are having last minute company and need a fast dessert to pull out - this is it! And if you are prone to baking, you probably already have the ingredients in  your pantry to make it. I warn you though, it's addicting! Whip this up the next time your family is over for dinner and you'll have them begging you to make more! And I dare you not to lick the spoon after you've stirred it! 

HOT FUDGE SAUCE

1 stick butter

6 Tablespoons cocoa powder

pinch of salt

1 cup white sugar

6 ounces evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Combine butter, cocoa powder, salt, sugar, and evaporated milk in medium saucepan over med heat. Still until well combined. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Blend with immersion blender or give it a whir in your stand blender for a minute or two (don't skip this step! It will give you a silky smooth texture to your sauce!) Pour into your serving container and serve immediately, while it's still piping hot, over GOOD ice cream - like Blue Bell. Have the recipe ready to share. 

ENJOY! Have a sunshiny day! 😊

 

RAO'S TOMATO SOUP HACK w/ Jalapeno Popper Chaffles

Mmm! Don't you just love a hot bowl of soup on a chilly, Fall night? Especially if it's something you can whip up in a flash?! Then you'll love this one!

After a very long absence from my blog, I've decided to pop back on and try to breathe life back into it. My life has become horrendously busy since I began this lowly little blog. 

In Dec of 2021, my husband and I will celebrate 41 years of marriage! Our son and his wife Monica have been missionaries to the country of Ireland since 2013 (nearly 8 years now) and we have 12 grandchildren (as well as 5 waiting on us in Heaven). Both of our daughters, married preachers and their husbands are on staff here at out church. One is our Assistant Pastor and the other is our Youth Pastor. I don't take that blessing for granted. I am a blessed woman. We serve in a very busy ministry. I teach a weekly, online, ladies Bible study, on YouTube every week (if you search Starr Tharp on YouTube, it should pop up). I teach Sunday school to 3-6 grade girls. I sing in the choir. I help in our addictions ministry. I am also the church secretary. I have a lot of irons in the fire.  I bake and sell Cinnamon rolls during the holidays for those that desire to purchase them. The other day my daughter was visiting and she brought coffee and a couple of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls with extra icing, for us to share. I enjoyed the coffee fully, but I only enjoyed a few bites of the roll. It didn't taste as good as I remembered them. I used to really like them, but somewhere along the way of "big business" it has lost it's flavor. You just can't go wrong with good, homemade baking & cooking! Life is too short to eat a flavorless cinnamon roll! 

Even though life has gotten so busy, I have never lost my love of cooking. This blog started out as a hobby for me, really. Then the world EXPLODED with FOODIES everywhere! All of a sudden food prep became an art and a science. And everybody was a professional, not only in food prep but in photography! I didn't feel qualified to run with the "big dogs" so I kind of bowed out for a long time. Interestingly enough though, it didn't take long in experimenting with Pinterest recipes, to realize not everybody that says they know how to cook, really does! Think "Pinterest Fails!" Recently I was digging for a recipe that is a family favorite. I knew it was on my blog, and while looking through all the recipes I've posted, it renewed my desire to start posting again. 

I follow the Keto Twins on YouTube and recently they featured the Rao's Tomato soup hack. It sounded feasible, easy and delicious. I was dining solo tonight, and feeling especially FAT with the impending holidays, and decided I'd lighten up on my dinner choice for this evening. I had a jar of Rao's marinara in the pantry, and chicken base and heavy whipping cream in the fridge. I had also picked up a few jalapeno peppers at the market while I was out this afternoon. I had everything I needed! 

What a super simple, quick meal! If you are short on time with meal prep, you simply must give this a try! Also if  you love tomato soup & grilled cheese but neither are on your low carb diet, you simply must give this a try! I believe you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was!

I was too hungry to wait and figure the carb count on this. But I know, Rao's is 5 carbs per 1/2 cup. You dilute it 1:1 with chicken broth, and then add heavy whipping cream. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that would drop the carb count to less than half that amount, since chicken broth is technically 0 carbs, and there are only about 1.5 carbs in 1/2 cup of HWC. I'll definitely make this again and at that time, I'll be a little more focused on the carb count. Until then, I'm going to relish in my newfound, quick and easy, keto, low carb (and cozy) new menu item!  

RAO'S TOMATO SOUP HACK w/ Jalapeno Popper Chaffles

1 (24 oz) jar Rao's Homemade Marinara

1 cup prepared chicken broth (I use "Better than Bouillon" Roasted chicken base - it's 1 cup hot water to 1 tsp chicken base)

1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream

Fresh (or freeze dried) Basil, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Pour entire jar of Rao's marinara into a medium saucepan, add in chicken broth and stir to combine. Heat over medium, until it reaches a low boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for several minutes, or until you are ready to eat. At this point, if you find it too chunky, you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. Remove from heat and stir in heavy whipping cream and basil. If the cream cools the soup down too much, just pop the pan back onto the burner for a few minutes to get it back to a simmering heat. Serve piping hot with Jalapeno Popper Chaffles. (recipe below)

JALAPENO POPPER CHAFFLES

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 Tblsp almond flour

2 Tblsp cooked, crumbled bacon

1/2 Tblsp (or more if desired) finely diced, Jalapeno peppers (seeds removed)

Dash of garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

Heat your mini dash waffle maker. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and add in remaining ingredients. Mix well to combine. Spray your waffle maker with non stick cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 - 1/3 cup of mixture onto waffle iron. This recipe normally makes 2 chaffles, but I got 3 out of my batter. Close the lid and cook for 3 minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used. I spread a little butter over mine when it came out of the waffle iron. But you could also spread cream cheese over these too, for a yummy treat! 

Enjoy! 

Look for someone to be a blessing to today! 😊💓

YEAST RAISED WAFFLES

If you have never tried a yeast raised waffle, you are missing out on a real treat! If your idea of a "good" waffle is "Waffle House" you are still missing out, I have made waffles for years for my family, Just recently though I came across the yeast raised waffle. Let me tell you, it is a game changer! I will NEVER make my old waffle recipe again! This one is THAT good! It is light and fluffy on the inside and mildly crispy on the outside. The perfect combo to stand up to that melty butter and warm syrup that you'll drizzle over it! Put this one on your "to make" list this week! You won't be sorry that you did!

YEAST RAISED WAFFLES

Yield: 8 waffles

Marion Cunningham’s Raised Waffles
From The Breakfast Book

½ cup warm water
1 package (2 ¼ tsp.) dry yeast
2 cups whole milk, warmed
1 stick (½ cup) butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour the water into a large mixing bowl.   Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes.

Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour, and beat until well blended and smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let it stand 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature.

Pre-heat your waffle maker,  Spray waffle iron with cooking spray.

Just before cooking the waffles, add the eggs and baking soda and vanilla and stir to mix well. The batter will be very thin.  I did about a ladle and a half for each waffle and I had full waffles each time.  

Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from waffle iron and serve immediately with softened butter and warm maple syrup.

*These keep well in the freezer and after a few minutes in the toaster oven, they taste like you just made them! 

OLD FASHIONED POTATO SOUP

 

Fall! I love it! When the temps start dipping down into the 50's and the leaves on the maple trees begin to turn bright orange. Mmm! My favorite time of year. What is it about Fall that makes us homemakers want to spend more time in the kitchen, baking goodies and simmering pots of delicious soup? It's crazy how that happens! I haven't had a good bowl of homemade potato soup in SO long. Tonight the hubs was traveling out of town to preach. I was going to accompany him, but since we just returned home from a lengthy trip (800 miles) he insisted that I stay put and relax a bit. I adore that man! With him gone and me dining solo for dinner, hot soup sounded perfect! And what goes better with soup than a sandwich? I chose grilled cheddar/provolone but good ol' PBJ pairs perfect with this soup too! This soup is no muss, no fuss, no fancy ingredients. Just homey, cozy, feel good, potato soup like Grandma used to make!

 

OLD FASHIONED POTATO SOUP

 

1/2 stick butter

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

6 medium potatoes, diced

2 cups whole milk

1 (8 oz) bag shredded, cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream (optional)

 

In medium saucepan over med high heat, melt butter. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Stir until onion is soft and translucent. Add flour and stir for 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, stirring constantly until it thickens a bit. Add potatoes and milk and cook for at least 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and add shredded cheddar. Stir until cheese is melted and blended into the soup. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with additional shredded cheddar and sour cream, if desired.

Serve with a toasted cheese or PBJ sandwich. ENJOY!

 

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

We just ended our Summer Revival Meetings with The Tharp Brothers (Hubby & his brothers!) It was a TREMENDOUS meeting! I love my brother's in law. All 3 of these men are wonderful, Godly men, full of the Holy Ghost. Every time they come here to MO, they are such a blessing to us. Every year they look for something to do for us. This year just before they came, my washer AND dryer BOTH went capoot! Almost simultaneously! I felt awful about it. But appliance repairs just weren't in the budget, just yet. Especially TWO of them! I just made sure to have everything washed up at the Laundromat before they got here. But they, many times will throw their shirts or other personal laundry in while they are here. Well wouldn't you know on their last day here (which is supposed to be a "down" day of relaxing) they get up early and mow the lawn and then they tear into my machines! They fixed the washer! Hallelujah! But the dryer was beyond help. :-( But PTL for Craig's List! Hubby found a nice, very affordable, Kenmore gas dryer on there and now I'm back in business!
Since they are always such a blessing to us, I wanted to make sure to have some of their favorite things while they were here. My brother in law, Russ's favorite pie is Peanut Butter. So this one was for him!
There are at least 3 major variations on Peanut Butter pie. There is the pudding one, the cream cheese one and the chiffon one (made with unflavored gelatin). This the cream cheese one.  I think it has the best texture and balance of peanut butter flavor. I didn't get fancy enough to snap a pic of it garnished. But it's a REAL keeper! Goes together in a snap too!
Tomorrow I'll post my other brother in law's favorite pie: Coconut cream!

PEANUT BUTTER PIE
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
• ¹⁄₃ cup milk
• 8 ounces Cool Whip  or 2 - 3cups of fresh whipped cream
• 1 graham cracker pie crust or 1 chocolate crumb crust or 1 baked pie shell.

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together and place in pie shell.
2. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
3. Can also be frozen.
4. If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, drizzle with chocolate syrup, sprinkle with peanuts or crushed peanut butter cups.