Rich Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe makes delicious cupcakes that are both rich and moist in taste. Great for birthday parties and special events.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

3 tablespoons Dutch-process coca powder
¼ cup hot water
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
¾ granulated sugar
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled at room temperature

For the frosting

6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a standard muffin tray with paper liners.

In a small bowl, stir the coca powder into the hot water until it dissolves. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, and then the dissolved coca. Whisk in the melted butter followed by the dry ingredients slowly. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated; batter should be moist and smooth.

Pour the batter into the muffin tray, filling each cup about half full. Bake the cupcakes for about 15-20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted at the center of one of them comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes or more. Do not try to remove cupcakes from tray if still warm, as they will be very delicate.

To make the frosting, melt the bittersweet chocolate and let cool to remove temperature.

In a separate bowl, using either a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat the butter and confectioner’s sugar on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the melted chocolate until combined.

Add frosting to cupcake with either a flexible spatula or pipping tool to create a spiral.

Refrigerate the cupcakes for about 30 minutes. Then remove from fridge and allow cupcakes to settle at room temperature before serving.

Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes

This savory sweet dish is great for the holidays like Thanksgiving (North America), Christmas, and Easter. It also makes a fantastic side for any entrée that might need a bit of sweetness to it.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

4 red-skinned sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons pure natural honey
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice squeezed salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch square pieces. Place potatoes into a large baking dish. If you don't have a large baking dish, you can use a standard baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes evenly. Season with salt and bake while stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes. Be careful not to let the edges burn or stick to the dish.

Bake until potatoes are tender and soft. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Easy Beef Goulash Soup (Hungarian)

If you’ve never made Hungarian beef goulash before, this recipe is a good introduction to this flavourful dish.

Serves about 8.

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb stewing beef, cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
¼ cup tomato paste
10 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add stewing beef and cook until browned. Remove to plate.

Using a large stock pot, stir onions, carrots, red pepper and garlic into pot. Cook until onion is slightly softened about 5 minutes.

Add beef to pot. Stir paprika, caraway seeds, salt and pepper into meat, coating evenly. Stir in tomato paste.

Add broth; cover and bring to boil over high heat.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours.

Add potatoes and return to a simmer. Cook potatoes until tender about 30 minutes.

Ladle into soup bowls.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

The secret to great chocolate chip cookies besides the right ingredients, is really how you bake them. If you want soft and chewy cookies, then only bake them until they are lightly brown around the edges. If you prefer them crunchy, bake them until they are fully golden brown.

Makes about 14 - 16 cookies.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using another bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with a hand-held mixer on medium speed until incorporated.

Beat in egg, mixing well. Add flour mixture and beat slowly to incorporate. Stir in chocolate chips. Do not over mix!

Drop batter in by heaping 2-tablespoon portions onto prepare baking sheet, spacing the cookies 3 inches apart.

Bake for about 5 - 8 minutes depending on how chewy or crunchy you want them.

Let cookies cool on baking pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks with a thin or flexible spatula.

Serve either warm or cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Quick Banana Bread

Unlike other banana bread's that contain a fair amount of sugar or butter, this one is fairly low in fat. You can choose to add nuts or dried fruit to give it more of a crunchy taste. It makes an excellent light snack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Butter a standard loaf pan. In a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine egg, bananas and milk. Stir in dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes until lightly brown and toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

Let cool for 5 minutes in loaf pan. Serve warm.