Mountain Dew Cupcakes

The other day, while playing around online, I came across a recipe that I knew that I had to try. It was called Mountain Dew Cupcakes. My husband is a huge fan of Mountain Dew. I made some slight adjustments (like making 1/2 the frosting), but otherwise followed the recipe as I found it.

Mountain Dew Cupcakes

1 c butter
2 c sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
4 eggs
2 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c Mountain Dew
1/4 c lemon/lime juice

Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl after each. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Mix on low, just until incorporated.

Add the Mountain Dew and lemon/lime juice. Mix to combine.

Scoop into cupcake liners, 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 for 20 - 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely.

Mountain Dew Buttercream

1/2 c butter
3 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp Mountain Dew
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon/lime juice
yellow and green food coloring (or neon green if you have it)

Beat butter until creamy. Add half of the sugar and mix on low. Add the Mountain Dew, zest and lemon/lime juice. Beat until combined. Add remaining sugar until desired consistency.

I had a lot of trouble with the consistency of the frosting. It seemed too thin to me even after adding all of the sugar, more like something I would drizzle on a cake than something I could frost a cupcake with. I did some doctoring to get where I had something that would spread/set. I think that next time, I would leave out the lemon/lime juice and see how that does. If that's not enough, I might bump the butter to 3/4 c to give it more body to start with.

You can definitely pick up the Mountain Dew in the cupcakes, but I would say it has more of a citrus delivery than a true Dew delivery. I'm thinking it would be a yummy bundt cake too, with it's citrus-y freshness.

Based on my recipe builder, these cupcakes each have about 275 calories, with frosting (9 Points Plus). Guess I better make sure that I view it as an occasional treat.

Disclaimer

Chicken Bruschetta

When I looked at the calendar last weekend, I noticed that our Saturday was rather open, so I suggested that we do a dinner with friends. We had two families able to join us. I was debating between some favorite standby recipes or trying a new one that I had found when I was on the search for a coupon. I decided to go with the new recipe for Bruschetta Chicken. I found the recipe on Hunt's website and made some adjustments.

Bruschetta Chicken
1 can tomato sauce (15 ounce)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cans petite diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce)
2 tsp dried basil
2 c shredded Italian blend cheese
2# chicken breasts
1 1/4 cups croutons, crushed slightly

Drain the juice from the diced tomatoes. Pour the juice into your skillet over medium heat and add garlic. Once garlic begins to brown, add the tomato sauce to the pan.

Add the basil and 1 cup of cheese to the tomatoes. Set aside.

Pound chicken breasts and cut each piece in two. Place into sauce and top with tomato/cheese/basil mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.

Top with croutons and remaining cheese. Allow to cook for another minute to melt the cheese.

Based on the recipe software that I have, assuming 8 servings, there are about 200 calories per serving. The sauce was delicious and was excellent soaked up with the Italian bread that we were enjoying.


Disclaimer

Arrabiata Sauce

My husband is Italian. I am not. When I was growing up, I remember having pasta. It was generally spaghetti with meat sauce or it was lasagna. I do not remember having other pasta dishes at home. As a result, I don't need to have pasta more than once a week, but my husband would be content with it being a near daily entry on the menu plan. In order to meet in the middle, I have had to learn to make a variety of pasta dishes. I simply could not have the same thing each day. Many of the dishes that I make are inspired by meals we have had at a restaurant. Today, I made Arrabiata Sauce - it was inspired by the $8.95 jar of pasta sauce that we found at the grocery yesterday when my husband suggested that we pick up a jar of some spicy pasta sauce. This one was cheaper - I probably spent less than $3 on the ingredients (the tomatoes were only $2.45).

It was easy to make and the results were pretty tasty. I used a number of recipes as my inspiration, I will share a link to Una Mamma Italiana Arrabiata Sauce, as it was her brown sugar addition that was the most unique - otherwise the recipes were all similar.

Arrabiata Sauce

1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c red wine
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 small can tomato paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 tsp dried Basil
2 cans crushed tomatoes

Melt butter in pan and add olive oil. Saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Add in red wine, brown sugar, tomato paste, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and basil. Stir to combine.

Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

We served it over Penne, with Parmesean cheese and some Italian Bread.

This sauce was very tasty. My husband indicated that it could be spicier, but it was just right for the kids. We talked about how it would be a good sauce to bake chicken in (or have with chicken and pasta).

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12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

As I mentioned earlier, I found myself with a bag of fine-grind espresso this year and was looking for some recipes to use it. I found this one online, but now I can't find the link to it. The shortbread melts nicely in your mouth and the chocolate/espresso combination brings a great flavor to the shortbread.

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
1 tbsp fine-grind espresso
1 tbsp boiling water
1 c butter, at room temperature
2/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
3/4 c mini chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water and set aside. Cream the butter and the powdered sugar together, until very smooth. Add the vanilla and espresso. Using a low speed, add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2" rectangle, 1/4" thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes. The cookies will be pale. If you’d like, dust the cookies with powdered sugar while they are still hot. Allow to cool on cooling racks.
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12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Snowdrop Cookies

Snowdrop cookies are a favorite of mine. There is just something so appealing about the texture and lightness of this cookie. It is versatile enough to be enjoyed year round, but the name certainly conjures up winter time.

I have had this recipe for years. The mom of the man that I dated for most of college shared this recipe with me - after I had enjoyed a good number of them at her house. Based on 3 dozen cookies, there are just 23 calories (and not much else) per cookie - at least that is what her recipe card says!

Snowdrop Cookies

3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tarter (or 1 tsp white vinegar)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c granulated sugar
1/4 c mini chocolate chips

In mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add cream of tarter and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in Chocolate Chips. Drop onto ungreased, foil-lined cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated 250 oven for 25 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cookies in a closed oven for 30 minutes more.



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12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Caramel Tassies

Growing up, I can always remember my mom making Pecan Tassies. I thought it was so cool that she was making these little pie cookies, but not being a nut eater, I wouldn't touch them. Then, one year, when I was living in Pittsburgh, I found a recipe in the newspaper that I knew that I needed to try. It was called Caramel Tassies. They were cute little caramel filled pies. I used these for cookie exchanges that first year and then made them as part of my regular rotation. I skipped them this year, but think I will make them again soon.

Caramel Tassies

Shell
1 c butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 c flour

Cream together the butter and cream cheeese. Add the flour to make a soft dough. Press on the bottom and up sides of a mini-muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes and remove tarts from pan. Set on a cooling rack to cool.

Filling
14 oz caramels
1/2c (4 oz) evaporated milk
1 tbsp whiskey

Mix above ingredients in a double boiler. Stir occasionally until mixture is melted and smooth. Place a teaspoonful of filling in each tart shell and allow filling to set for an hour.

Topping
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c + 2 tbsp evaporated milk

Cream butter and shortening. Slowly add sugar and milk. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat for another few minutes. Using a piping bag (or a ziploc bag with a corner cut), pipe the topping on each tart.

Disclaimer

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Peppermint Meltaways

This cookie is actually not one that I have made yet, but one that I acquired at the cookie exchange that I participated in at work this year. As soon as I tasted them, I had to ask for the recipe. Since it is only a few ingredients, she was easily able to remember it and share it.

These cookies have a great flavor and texture and are definitely on my must make in the future list.

Peppermint Meltaways
1 c butter
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch


Cream butter, powdered sugar and peppermint extract. Add flour and cornstarch, mixing on low until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Remove from refrigerator and roll into 1" balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until edges start to brown. Allow to sit for a minute, then move to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

For glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 to 2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food color
Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Combine powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract and enough milk for desired glazing consistency in small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

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