Chocolate cupcakes with WowButter Frosting

Our family has taken on the task of eating more healthy food. For us that means more whole foods and less processed foods and almost no sugar during the week. My family has done so well I promised them a treat on Friday. So today for our very first treat after eating well, I present to you Chocolate Cupcakes with Wowbutter frosting.  They turned out pretty amazing. Especially considering they are dairy, egg, and nut free for my daughter who has multiple food allergies.

Chocolate cupcakes

1.5 cups flour
3/4 cup organic maple syrup
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease cupcake pan.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix well.  Add water, oil,vinegar and vanilla beat with a spoon or wire whisk until battery smooth and ingredients are well blended. Fold in 1/2 cup of dairy free chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared cupcake pan and bake in preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool in pans 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Frosting

1 cup Wowbutter
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Whip all ingredients in an electric mixer until thick and fluffy.  Refrigerate one hour.

Church Picnic- Pulled Pork, Cajun Potatoes and Onions & Soy butter cookies

Tonight is our first church pot luck picnic!  I am excited to get together with new friends outside of church on sunday.  I feel like the best way to really get to know new friends is to eat together.

Whenever I have to feed a crowd,  Pulled Pork sandwiches is my go to recipe.  I think this recipe could feed 10-12 people.


You'll need:
5# Pork loin
Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce
garlic powder
onion powder
chili powder
cumin
salt
pepper
Hamburger buns

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Sprinkle the pork loin with all the seasonings top and bottom.  Wrap pork loin in aluminum foil and seal tightly.  Place on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan.  Bake for 5 hours.  Remove from oven/ remove from foil.  Let rest 5-10 minutes.  Using two forks, pull the pork apart- it should fall apart easily.  Add enough BBQ sauce to coat(i always buy the jumbo size just in case) and mix well.  Add a small amount to a hamburger bun and you have yourself a great pulled pork sandwich!

A side dish that always disappears quicker than anything else I make is the Cajun Potatoes.

You'll need:
8-10 large russet potatoes
3-4 yellow onions, sliced into thin strips
Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
Olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Wash, peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes.   In a large pan, saute onions in olive oil until clear, soft and just starting to caramelize.  Place potatoes and onions into a large bowl, add enough olive oil to coat and mix well.  Spray and 9x13 baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and pour potato and onion mixture in.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Remove from oven and add Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning to taste and mix well.  Careful!  This stuff is spicy!  Add small amount of salt if desired.  Add Cover with foil and you are off to the picnic!

Soy Butter Cookies.  This tasty treat replaces peanut butter cookies for my daughter with multiple food allergies.  I came across this gem of a recipe a couple years ago.  It makes 4 dozen small cookies.

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco
1/2 cup Wowbutter Soy butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl mix together applesauce, Crisco, soy butter and sugars.  Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture until just combined.  Chill in refrigerator for one hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Make small one inch balls with cookie dough and place onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  Using a fork, make the criss-cross pattern on top of each ball.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Southern Jambalaya

We've finally settled into our new home here in Memphis, TN.  It's good to be back in the south- or mid south, as they call it here.    I figured I'd go ahead and toss out another tried and true recipe.  Enjoy!


Southern Jambalaya

1lb of Conecuh cajun smoked sausage* (or your favorite sausage, like andouille)
2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb of shrimp (i used frozen, peeled and deveined- follow directions to defrost)
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 -14.5oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 32oz box of chicken broth (or 2 14.5 cans)
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
4-1/2 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
EVOO

1.  Roast chicken thighs:  Preheat oven to 400.  Cover thighs in EVOO, salt and pepper.  Roast ~20 minutes, or until temp reads 160.  Cool, then chop into bite size pieces.  Set aside.

2.  Drizzle EVOO in a large dutch oven or soup pot.  Cut sausage into bite size peices and brown.  Remove sausage and set aside.

3.  Drizzle a little bit more EVOO in the pot, add bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic.  Saute until tender.

4.  Add tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Cook 5 minutes longer.

5. Stir in broth, rice and worcestershire.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer ~10 minutes.

6.  Add chicken, sausage and shrimp and continue cooking until rice is done.  ~Another 5-10 minutes. 
Serve with your favorite hot sauce, like Cholula or Siracha!  Don't forget the cornbread!

In my opinion, Conecuh sausge in THE BEST sausage to use in your jambalaya, red beans and rice, or any recipe that requires a good southern sausage.   Use the link below to order if you can't find it in your local stores.

Order your conecuh sausage here!!!

Hungarian Paprikash

   There is a mysterious story surrounding my Grandpa Imre Remenyik.  I don't know all the details.  Something about escaping from Hungry during war time.  I'm not 100% sure and I am not sure anyone else in our family is either!  With his very broken English, he was a sweet and gentle man of few words.  When he ordered water at a restaurant, it sounded like he was ordering "vodka".  The waitress would say, "Vodka?"  "No!!! WATER!", he would say. ( But it still sounded like "vodka".)  
    He made Paprikash for us several times when we came to visit and it quickly became a favorite.  Grandma Jo graciously shared his recipe with me years ago, after Grandpa passed.  I think of them both  every time I make it.

Hungarian Paprikash (feeds 4-6)

You'll need:
olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
6 cloves of garlic, diced
2 cans of diced tomatoes, with juice
6-8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 polska kielbasa, sliced
1 heaping TBS. Hungarian paprika (regular paprika will do if that's all you have)
salt and pepper
Sour Cream

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.  Add potatoes and diced tomatoes, mix well.  Sprinkle mixture with paprika, you want to basically cover the potatoes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well.  Cover and simmer on low until potatoes are mostly cooked. (time varies, ~30-45 minutes, depending on how large your potatoes are).  Stir often.   Add sliced sausage.*  Continue cooking until potatoes are completely done.  Serve hot, with a dollop of sour cream.** 

*  You can substitute chicken for the sausage for fewer calories.
**My grandpa's recipe adds about 8ounces of sour cream to the finished dish, in the pot.  I stopped doing it this way when I found out about my daughter's dairy allergy.  Either way is fine!

Enjoy!

Your Thanksgiving Shopping List and a few tips

Here is your complete shopping list so you can pull off this entire Thanksgiving menu.  Look at the items "from the pantry" and make sure you have them all!

 

From the pantry

Olive oil

Salt + Pepper

Italian Seasoning

sugar

vanilla

light brown sugar

flour

milk

cinnamon

ground ginger

ground cloves

 

From the store:

Turkey

1 granny smith apple

4 honeycrisp apples (or 4 more granny smiths if you prefer for dumplings)

1 orange

2 onions

package of green onions

fresh rosemary

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

1 package of Mexican or regular cornbread mix

sticks of butter

8 ounces sour cream

one dozen eggs

2 large butternut squash (3 medium or 4 small)

chopped pecans

8 russet potatoes

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
Chicken broth

4 cups of shredded cheese

2 pounds of bacon

2 cans of green beans (plus -2  more if you are buying for allergy free children)

1 container fried onions

jello

2 cans chunky cranberry sauce

pillsbury crescent rolls

corn syrup

3 boxes pillsbury pie crust ( = 6 crusts)

2 cans (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

Whipped cream (optional for pumpkin pie)

one package of Silken tofu

 

Some Tips:

• Buy all your items 7 days before your feast.  That way you have plenty of time to go back if you forget something! 
• Don't forget to defrost your turkey!!!  Read the directions on timing!
• Make all your desserts and sides 1-2 days before your feast.  Cover and store in your refrigerator.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before. 
• Wake up early! 
• Have fun!

 

 

Pie x 3

My favorite Pie recipes... You're welcome.

The Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie (plus chocolate chips)

Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to this recipe and you'll be in Thanksgiving heaven.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/11/pecan-pie/

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie

Don't mess with a good thing.

http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/detail.aspx

Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Pumpkin Pie

Where would I be with out great allergy pioneers like the "food allergy mama".   Check out her recipe for a dairy egg and nut free pumpkin pie. The only thing I do differently is use a pre-made crust.

http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/11/28/super-easy-dairy-egg-and-nut-free-pumpkin-pie/

 

Apple Dumplings

~Apple Dumplings~

(can be made dairy and egg free)

 

You'll need:

4 granny smith or honeycrisp apples-peeled, cored and cut in half crosswise (across the middle, not down from the top)

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter, softened. (may use dairy free butter if needed for allergies-i use Fleischman's unsalted for baking)

two pre-made pie crusts (I use Pillsbury, which is dairy and egg free)

one egg, beaten (optional)  OR two tablespoons water

Two tablespoons raw sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a floured surface, unroll your pie crust.  Use a roller to make the pre-made crust slightly larger and thinner.  Take a sharp knife and cut the crust into four equal parts.  Do the same for the second pre-made crust.  Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together.  Rub each apple half with the brown sugar mixture.  Mix the remaining sugar with the softened butter.  Place one sugar coated apple in the center of one of the quartered pie crust pieces.  Fill the core with butter mixture.  Fold up the crust so that it covers the entire apple.  Repeat with all the apples and crust pieces.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Brush each dumpling lightly with egg (or water if making allergy free version), just to slightly wet the top.  Sprinkle raw sugar on top of each dumpling.  Bake until golden brown, ~25 minutes.