Lemongrass chicken

Our dinner plans were waylaid for 2 nights in a row after I planned this meal, resulting in a 36 hour marinating time by the time we finally got around to eating this chicken. It probably doesn't need 36 hours, but holy cow, er, holy chicken, was it tender and flavorful!  The fresh lemongrass is amazing.  The caramel was a little tricky in that you need to watch it. I over did it the first time and had to start over- but it was a fun lesson in the properties of sugar. Adapted slightly from a recipe in Food & Wine's Chef Recipes Made Easy from Eric and Sophie Banh, who own Monsoon in Seattle.

Can't. Stop. Adding. Kale. To. Things.

Lemongrass Chicken

Smirking delicious chicken.

4-6 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T Asian fish sauce
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
6 T sugar
3 T canola oil
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tender inner white part, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (may substitute a small red onion)
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded (may decrease or increase depending on taste)
1/3 c cilantro, chopped

Combine the fish sauce, garlic, curry powder, salt, and 2 T of sugar in a small bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Let it marinate for up to 36 hours if you have time, although you can also cook it immediately.
In a small skillet, mix the remaining sugar or honey with 3 T water and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until a deep amber caramel forms, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 T water.  Transfer the caramel to a small heatproof bowl.  Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the oil, and let it heat up. Add the lemongrass, shallot and jalapeno and stir-fry for a minute. Add the chicken and caramel and stir-fry over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is slightly thickened- about 6-8 minutes depending on your chicken. Toss with cilantro and serve over rice.

Steamed Jasmine Rice with Kale and Scallions
A quickie side dish that I threw together just so I could add kale to our meal.  

4 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 cup finely chopped kale with tough ribs removed
2 scallions
dash white pepper
1 tsp canola oil

Heat the canola oil in a large pan. Add the scallions and stir-fry for a minute. Add the kale and stir-fry for an additional minute, until it is a rich, dark green.  Toss the rice in and add a dash of white pepper. Toss until everything is mixed together. Serve.

Stir-fried Asparagus
My standard stir-fry that I make with just about any vegetable. Today it was asparagus.  Snap the tough ends off.  The asparagus will tell you where to snap it- it should be as close to the tough purple end as possible, but it should snap off easily. You really don't need to peel your asparagus. I have never understood why this is necessary- plus you lose all that fiber. Having grown up on an asparagus farm, I could think of about 50 more things to share about my absolute favorite vegetable.  For the haters who say it's too mushy, my response is that you are cooking it too long. Mushy asparagus is gross.  If you stir-fry it, it can still have a little texture. If you like it softer, just cook it a little longer.  And don't leave out the garlic. 

1 bunch of asparagus, about 1 lbs, with the ends snapped off, and cut on the diagonal
2-4 T water or chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 T canola oil

Heat the canola oil in a pan until it sizzles when you add a drop of water. Add the garlic and stir, but don't let it burn.  Add the asparagus and stir-fry until it is tender, about 3-5 minutes. Midway through, when the pan is  starting to get dry, add the chicken stock or water.  Add salt to taste.  If you like your asparagus on the tender side, turn the heat off and cover the pan for a minute or two.  (If you let this step last too long, your vegetable can get overdone. Don't say I didn't warn you.) Serve.

Please leave us a comment. Even if it's a complaint that I haven't posted in a couple of months! Hey, we've been busy!

Meatless Monday: Spinach Cheese Quesadillas, Easy Black Beans, and Spanish Rice

Quesadillas with beans and rice is almost a no-brainer, but the lack of green in the meal seems wrong to me. I will usually serve this with a little salad anyway, but adding the spinach and making the beans from scratch (although to make it quick, I used canned beans) really adds to the freshness and nutrition.  I also upped the health quotient by using whole grain tortillas and olive oil instead of butter.

I used non-fat Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of dill instead of sour cream.
This has the added benefit of increasing the protein content of the meal.

Spinach Cheese Quesadillas
I feel silly writing a recipe, but I do know at least one woman who did not know what a quesadilla was.  I explained that it was a grilled cheese sandwich, only instead of bread you use tortillas.  I buy my shredded cheddar in bulk, and then freeze it in small bags in 2 cup portions.  I also normally would add a little chopped mushroom to this, but mushrooms is on one of my kids' Don't Like List. Therefore, I'm not allowed to give him a hard time about it, so I leave them out for now. 

I used sprouted grain tortillas for these.

2 cups chopped spinach
(1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, sauteed, optional)
2 cups shredded cheddar
1 scallion chopped
10-12 medium tortillas
small amount of butter or olive oil

Butter or brush olive oil one side of a tortilla and put in a frying pan, with the heat on medium. Sprinkle cheese, spinach, sauteed mushroom, and a little scallion. Do the same with one side of another tortilla and layer on top, greased side up. When the quesadilla is brown on the bottom, carefully flip over and brown the second side. Makes 5-6 quesadillas.

Black Beans
Holy frijoles, these are yummy! My twins LOVE beans and rice.  Can't feed them fast enough. If this is the case for you, make a double batch and use the leftovers the next day for lunch. The flavors meld together overnight, so they're even better reheated. If you want to REALLY make it from scratch, soak the beans overnight and cook for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how long you soaked the beans, etc.  Or you could use a pressure cooker or crock pot. It's really not difficult; just takes some planning.  

I added frozen roasted corn. So good.

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped or frozen corn
• 3 T chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T sherry or white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste

Saute the onion and garlic together in 1 tsp olive oil. Add red pepper, then beans.  Stir in balsamic, soy sauce, and sherry. Salt and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in cilantro right before serving. 

Spanish Rice

I may have mentioned before that I cook all my rice in a rice cooker. It's an old rice cooker that I've been using for over 20 years. I add enough water so that my second knuckle is covered when I lay my hand over the surface of the rice. It works every time, but makes it difficult for me to estimate how much water to write down in a recipe. So, I'm adapting the following recipe from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/best-spanish-rice/detail.aspx

I used short grain brown rice. Long grain rice would give it
a more traditional look. Oh, and I stirred in some chopped
spinach at the end. See Laura's List for more on that.

1 1/2 c white or brown rice, uncooked

2 c water or vegetable broth

1/4 c chopped onion

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dill weed

1 c salsa

Saute onion in olive oil until soft.  Add uncooked rice and saute.  Add oregano and dill weed. Mix in salsa. At this point, you can add the water and finish cooking on the stovetop, or transfer the whole mixture along with the liquids to a rice cooker to finish. Either way, it's ready in about 20 minutes.


Please leave us a comment!

Red Lentil Dal and Madeira Wine Chicken

This week we had to split things up between two days, due to a sick child. But I think as a result we ended up with even more good food- so this week's recipes will be split into two posts. We also ended up with multiple main courses, including Madeira Wine Chicken, BBQ Shredded Pork, and Steelhead with Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glaze.  It was difficult to pick which one to feature, until we made this super simple Red Lentil Dal for lunch.  It really hit the spot, is inexpensive, and can be consumed by people whose diets are restricted from dairy (use olive oil instead of butter!), gluten, meat, peanuts, shellfish, citrus, and strawberries.

Mild but aromatic and filling.

Red Lentil Dal

This is a recipe that Claire got from a co-worker. (This co-worker has a twin sister, and absolutely everything they make is mouth-wateringly good.) It's very mild, but flavorful and delicious.  Buttery in texture, it will have you reaching for a second bowl.  I was nervous about the whole can of chiles, but the coconut milk really tones down the spice.  We used half a can, and it was not the least bit spicy. Perfect for kiddies.  You can sell it to them by calling it something cool like "Monkey Brain Mash" if you have boys or "Magic Coconut Pixie Pudding" if you have girls. Or reverse it if you don't want to reinforce popular gender stereotypes, but know that you're fighting a losing battle.

1 cup red lentils, washed and sorted

1 medium onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can mild green chilies
3 T butter
1/2 tsp turmeric
1  15 oz can of unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken base  (or 2 c chicken broth)
3 c water (or 1 c water if you used broth)

1 T chopped cilantro (optional)

Melt 1 T butter/oil in a medium sauce pan.  Saute onion, garlic, and chilies for one minute.  Add turmeric, lentils, chicken base, and water.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes.  Add coconut milk and simmer about 5 more minutes just to let the flavors incorporate.  Stir in a tablespoon of chopped cilantro before serving over jasmine rice, or Cinnamon-scented Rice with Peas, below.

Cinnamon-scented Rice with Peas

This is for when you don't have jasmine rice on hand. Like today.  This rice works well with Indian food.  As I have mentioned previously, I only cook rice in my rice cooker. I don't measure the water- I put enough water in so that when I lay my hand flat on top of the surface of the rice, the water level ends at my middle knuckle. Say what you want, but my rice and other grains are generally just right. You can make the rice using your favorite method.

2 cups long grain rice

1 stick cinnamon

2 whole cardamom pods

1/3 c frozen peas

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Cook the rice with the cinnamon and cardomom pods. When the rice is about 5-10 minutes from being done, toss in the frozen peas, but don't fluff the rice yet. When the rice is done, stir the now cooked peas and chopped cilantro. 

Quick Cucumber Raita
I usually make this at the last minute.  It is great for getting kids used to the flavors and spice of Indian food. 

1 cup of grated cucumber (peeled and seeded if necessary)
2/3 cup of plain yogurt (eyeball it)
2 T minced onion
1/2 tsp ground coriander
(1/4 diced red pepper optional)
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

Steamed Artichoke Hearts
We had this as an appetizer for lunch. I saw the artichokes at Trader Joe's and couldn't resist.  It's been years since I've had steamed artichoke hearts. They definitely remain one of those foods that take a lot of effort to eat, but let's face it, it's fun to dip things repeatedly in sauce.  Melted butter and mayonnaise are traditional dips. See below for some better variations. If you want a video of how to eat an artichoke, or if you just like watching people masticate in a creepy way, this is simple and to the point. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL4RaoSaHu4&feature=related


Morrison Family Dipping Sauce
equal parts soy sauce and white vinegar, about 3 T each
few drops of sesame oil
1/2 clove of raw garlic (or a whole clove if you are comfortable in your relationship)
few sprigs of chopped cilantro


The other sauces pictures are Sweet Chili Sauce, Cucumber Goddess Dressing, and Balsamic vinegar and olive oil with salt and pepper. 


Madeira Wine Chicken
This is one of Claire's original recipes.  It's really wonderful and goes well with a side of buttered noodles.  If you accidentally let some of the sauce drift over onto the noodles, that's okay...  I served it with roasted root vegetables, sauteed chard, and salad.  Unfortunately, the twins were screaming "More! More! More!" so I didn't get a chance to photograph the final plate. 

4 chicken breasts butterflied and browned in olive oil
10-16 mushrooms chopped
1 c madeira wine (subsitute sherry if you don't have Madeira)
1  c chicken broth (or 1 tsp of Better Than Bouillon and equivalent water)
1 can artichokes
1 T lemon juice (optional)
2 T capers (optional but recommended) 1/2 c cooking cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cook chicken, set aside.  Saute mushrooms, add wine and chicken broth. Simmer until reduced by half.  Add artichokes and chicken, and simmer 5 minutes more.  Stir in cream cheese.  Add lemon juice and capers if desired.  Serve over pasta.


Neeps and Tatties
Basic roasted root vegetable, or as my Scottish father-in-law would call them, Neep and Tatties. Not sure if I really need to include a recipe at this point, but I used...
some carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
some turnips (neeps), cut into chunks
a couple potatoes (tatties), cut into chunks
about 1/2 an onion, cut in chunks
1-2 zucchini, cut into chunks
2-3 T olive oil
sea salt & pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
 Toss everything together, except the zucchini. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  Take out the pan, give the veggies a little stir.  Add the zucchini, and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until carrots are tender.  If you want your veggies to be a little browner, stick the baking pan under the broiler for a minute or two. 


Sauteed Rainbow Swiss Chard
I used the green garlic and the red onion because I had some leftover-leave it out if you don't have it.  It turned out wonderfully. And let's face it, my kids never tire of chard. (Ha.) I was looking for 1 piece of leftover bacon to toss in for saltiness, but leftover bacon in our house is about as easy to locate as Sasquatch. 


1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 stalk of green garlic (kind of like a leek), sliced finely on the diagonal
1/8 red onion, sliced thinly
1 large bunch of rainbow swiss chard
sea salt & pepper to taste


Heat 1 T oil in pan.  Add garlic once hot, followed closely by the green garlic and red onion.  Toss in the chard.  Add 1/4 cup water or chicken broth. Cook until done the leaves are soft. Don't overcook it.  Take off heat immediately, or it will get wilted and icky green.  Sprinkle with a squeeze of fresh lemon if you want.

Claire's Famous Pulled Pork for the Crockpot
We're just getting started with the options for this recipe.  This freezes well, and it's what you will want for a nice summer evening picnic on the patio or deck.  I'm thinking grilled corn, summer slaw, thick slice of watermelon, and salt and vinegar potato chips. We're not superwomen, so, no, we didn't make all that.  But stay tuned- summer is coming. I hope. You can also use it as taco meat, burrito filling, or quesadilla filling.

2 pork tenderloins, 1 lb. each
2 T taco seasoning
1/4 c apricot jam
1 c apple juice
1T molasses (optional)
1/8 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (about 1 1/2 c)
1/2 c honey
1 can diced green chilies (optional)

Rub pork in taco seasoning, place in crock pot, cover with jam.  Pour juice on the side.  Cook on low for 8 hours.   Take out pork.  Throw away cooking juices.  Combine pork with BBQ sauce and honey.  Serve warm on buns with a side of coleslaw. 

  

Sweet Chili Sauce

 

Chicken Adobo and Cake Pops

This week we planned ahead of time, but still managed to not have a couple of ingredients on hand.  Instead of running to the store, we just left them out this time. No school for the kids, so the olders "finally" (as they put it) got to play.   My sister arrived to join us, and brought with her a bunch of cake pops, so I've included that recipes below.  The challenge this week was to find eggplant that Claire likes. I didn't quite succeed, but I've included my favorite eggplant chutney recipe below anyway.

Chicken Adobo, Yellow Rice Pilaf, and
some roasted veggies on the side.

Chicken Adobo

You will not believe how tender and flavorful this chicken is.  The meat just falls off the bone. My kids loved pouring spoonfuls of the juice over their rice. I've heard this is good with pork, and if you wanted to do a vegetarian version, it would be good with tofu- just don't marinate it as long.

·     4-5 lbs. chicken thighs or drumsticks

·     1/2 cup white vinegar

·     1/2 cup soy sauce

·      4 cloves garlic, crushed

·      1 tsp. black peppercorns

·      3 bay leaves

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and marinate chicken for 1-3 hours. Bring to boil, then lower heat. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice. 

We had not a single drumstick leftover.

Yellow Rice Pilaf
I have a confession.  I have never actually made rice in a stovetop pot.  I grew up with a rice cooker, and I've my own since college.  I cook all my rice and grains in that, including couscous, quinoa, etc- and they all turn out perfectly.  What I actually did was to put everything except the almonds and the parsley (which I stirred in at the end) in the rice cooker.  But here is the recipe for the stovetop method. 


3 c chicken broth (I used my leftover homemade)
1 handful of raisins
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 pinch saffron threads
1 1/2 c white rice
1/2 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup slivered almonds


Bring broth, raisins, turmeric, and saffron to a boil.  Stir in the rice, cover the pot, and let it simmer on low heat for 18 minutes.  When the rice is done, add the parsley and almonds and fluff. 

Eggplant Chutney
I first made this recipe when I was 15 years old, in high school. It sounded interesting to me, and growing up in the midwest, we didn't have a lot of exotic foods. So I tried it.  I don't remember how I managed to acquire fenugreek or cumin seeds- they didn't just have that at the local Shopping Center.  The chutney is very rich, and is great as a bruschetta topping. It's from The Africa News Cookbook African Cooking for Western Kitchens.  (see below)  Don't let the oil get too hot, or your garlic and other spices will burn, and it won't taste right.

2 lb. eggplant

1 tbsp. ginger, grated

1 tbsp. garlic, pounded

3/4 cup white vinegar

6 chili peppers, sliced lengthwise or 1-1/3 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. fenugreek

1 tsp. mustard seeds

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds, pounded

1 tsp. turmeric

2 tbsp. sugar

1-1/3 tbsp. salt

Peel the eggplant and cut into one inch cubes. Cover the pieces with cold water in a bowl, and let them sit while you mix the ginger, garlic, vinegar and chilies and pound or blend them to a paste. Next, heat the oil in a pot, and stir in the fenugreek, mustard, cumin, turmeric, sugar and salt. When the mustard seeds stop sputtering, mix in the spice paste. Drain the eggplant, add it to the pot, and simmer until tender. Spoon into clean jars, cool and refrigerate. The chutney will keep for about a month.

Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
My husband's been hankering for apple pie lately because he bought one at a local bakery that was supposed to be one of the best in our area.  When we brought it home and cut into it, it became evident that they don't peel their apples.  Who doesn't peel their apples for apple pie? My sister sings the praises of her apple peeler and corer, but I just used a plain old fashioned knife while one of my toddlers tried to climb on my back.  I used pre-made pie crust to save time. I like the kind you unroll better than the ones in the tins, which always seem to crack (which is not a huge deal).  
Oh, also, I am kind of picky about the apples that I use in my pie.  I'll spare you my full-length apple rant.  The easiest ones to get year round are Granny Smith. Sometimes I will put one or two sweeter apples into the mix, but many eating apples do not hold up well during cooking, and I hate mushy apples.  Never ever even think about using a Red Delicious for, well, for anything really. 


Prepare pie crust as directed. (I like to prebake them for about 5 minutes.)

8 cups PEELED, cored, and thinly sliced apples

Me trying to peel and cut apples
with one of my happy helpers.

1/4 c flour
3/4 c sugar (I used mostly brown sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg (also a dash each of allspice, optional)
pinch salt
1 T lemon juice (optional)


Mix ingredients above in a large mixing bowl and pour into pie crust.  Top with crumb topping, recipe below.


1/2 c brown sugar, light or dark
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c flour
1/4 c butter, chilled (one stick)


Using either a pastry blender or your fingertips, mix the ingredients above until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Spread evenly over your pie, and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
*You can wrap the edge with foil to keep it from browning too much.
*Bake it on a baking sheet so that if it bubbles over in a yummy way, your oven won't be a mess.

Yes, that's a pi plate. 3.14159665...
Those of you that know me shouldn't even have to ask.

Also, this is what happens when you don't have chilled butter
when you make the crumb topping.  Still yummy, though.

I had a roll of crescent roll dough in the fridge, and a little bit of filling to spare, so I made Apple Pie in a Blanket.  Just wrap about 1 T of apple pie filling in the dough.  Roll it up and bake it as directed, or until golden brown.  The kids REALLY loved these.  I may or may not have shoved one in my mouth while finishing up the dishes, and another one on my way out the door to work in the morning.  You can't prove anything, and there were no witnesses.






Working Person's Crock Pot Pot Roast
Claire is the expert on slow cooker recipes.  Her tip of the week:  do NOT open the lid to peek.  Every time you open the lid, you have to add 30 minutes onto the cooking time.   I made this ahead of time for tomorrow night's dinner.
3+ lb rump roast

The picture truly doesn't do it justice.

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can French onion soup
1 can Italian-style tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 leek finely diced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 T Cognac
2 T red wine


Cook on low heat in a crock pot for 10 hours.  Serve with roasted potatoes or noodles, and salad and veggie on the side.  Leftover meat is great for minestrone (see last week's minestrone recipe).

*********

This was our lunch.  Lettuce wraps, borscht, and cake pops!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These are so yummy.  The kung pao sauce can have a tiny kick to it, so be wary with kids.  Most of our kids like it anyway because they are so fun to eat.  The lettuce has a nice cooling effect.  You can make your own kung pao sauce and leave out the spice if you want.


1 1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey
10 mushrooms finely diced
2 cans water chestnuts finely diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup kung pao sauce 
dash white pepper
4 green onions finely chopped
1 head iceburg lettuce

Saute ground chicken.  Once cooked, add mushrooms and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.  Add water chestnuts, kung pao sauce, white pepper and diced green onions.  Slice lettuce in half.  Serve cool lettuce as a cup to hold the hot chicken.


*If the sauce is a little watery, you can thicken it by taking out 3-4 T liquid from the pot and mixing it with 2 T cornstarch, and stirring it back in with the chicken mixture.  It should start to thicken within a minute or so. 

Ukrainian Borscht, the real stuff

I am a huge borscht fan, and here's where I come down on several borscht debates.  It HAS to have beets, a lot of them. It has to have oxtail, or at least a handful of cubed beef.  Dill is a must- doesn't taste right without the dill.  And, absolutely sour cream. Some people use vinegar to make the borscht sour.  This doesn't taste right to me. I will tell you that I only used 2 beets for this particular batch- thought I had more, so it didn't turn out the beautiful red that it normally does.  This recipe was given to me by Grandma Nadia, a Ukrainian neighbor that was an amazing cook.  I wish I had more of her recipes. 


4-5 beets, peeled and grated (add last)

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 c diced carrots

1/2 c chopped mushrooms

1/2 c chopped parsley

1 small tomato, diced

1/2 c finely chopped cabbage

2 small potatoes, diced

2 tsp dill weed

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 oxtails

salt to taste


Add everything to a pot, with enough water to give you the amount of broth you like. Add the beets last.  Add a dollop of sour cream for garnish.  Mix it in well and enjoy.

And last but not least....

Cake Pops

http://www.marthastewart.com/315587/cupcake-pops-and-bites

Here's what my sister had to say:  I used white cake. I had to finger shape them. I didn't have a cookie cutter. Most of the stuff is available at Michael's now, like the lollipops sticks, the candy melts, and the baggies. The cake and frosting and sprinkles you get at the grocery store. 

• 9-by-13-inch Chocolate Cake for Cupcake Pops
• 2 cups Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
• 1 package chocolate coating bark
• 1 package white coating bark or pink candy melts
• Sprinkles, for garnish
• Candy-coated chocolates, such as M&M's, for garnish

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from the perimeter of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into the bowl of a food processor; process until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl and add frosting; blend together using the back of a spoon, until well combined, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Roll mixture into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch balls; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with parchment-paper-lined aluminum foil. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 2 hours or to a freezer for about 10 minutes.
3. Begin to shape balls into cupcakes by rolling balls first into logs. Fit logs into a 1 1/4-by-3/4-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter. Push cake mixture into the cutter halfway so that some of the cake mixture extends beyond the top of the cutter. Shape extended cake mixture into a cupcake-shaped top. Push cake from cutter to remove. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Transfer to freezer until chilled, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Remove cupcakes from freezer and dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; transfer, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet. To make lollipops, insert a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Let chocolate set, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Melt white chocolate or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the chocolate and place right-side up on prepared baking sheet or stick lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square. Place a candy-coated chocolate in the center of each and top with sprinkles. Let dry completely.

Stuff We Like

Better than Bouillon is awesome.  
I converted Claire recently, and she thought we should mention it since we use it all the time in our recipes.  You just need about 1 tsp of it per cup of water.  The broth that it makes is flavorful and healthy, and there is no MSG.  (A lot of chicken broths have MSG in them- I hate that.)  In addition, if you don't need a whole can or box, you can just refrigerate the what's left in the jar for next time.  We get a huge jar at Costco for about $6-7, and it lasts a couple of months. You can get vegetarian and beef flavors, too.

This is now out of print,
but it's worth a look.
It's got a great recipe for
doro wat and quick injera bread.

This is what we used today,
but there are lots of other good brands.

             

Pi plate. This one is the closest I could find.

  

For tons of cute ideas, take a look at this.
Great for birthday parties!

Please leave a comment if you tried any of the recipes, or if you made it to the end of this post!