Carrot Cupcakes!

Hi everyone! Hope you've been enjoying your summer! Training is in full swing for us and I can't wait for all of you to see our new programs! Colin and I are so excited for the upcoming season :). I know it's been months since my last post, and I know I always promise to post more often, but this time I swear I'm really going to try! This recipe is a little odd considering there's baby food in it, but I promise its delicious, and definitely worth the awkward walk down the baby aisle at the grocery store. Carrot cake is something I've always loved and I wanted to make one that didn't have the usual nuts and raisins. So, I went with pineapple and coconut instead. I recently made these cupcakes for one of my friends and he was a fan so I hope all of you are too :)

Carrot Cupcakes
adapted from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 4oz jar strained carrot baby food
• 1 cup crushed pineapple - drained
• 2 cup finely grated carrots (approx 3 carrots)
• 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Yield - 2 1/2 dozen

Preheat oven to 350°

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg together in a bowl. 

In a separate bowl beat the eggs, sugars, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and baby food together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, and coconut just until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan filling cupcake liners 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack. 

Want to bake a cake instead? Coat and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment and bake for 35-40 minutes :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 16oz cream cheese at room temperature

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter at room temperature

• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the cream cheese and sugar. One cup at a time slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, be sure to scrape down the sides in between each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated mix in the vanilla extract. Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!

I'm going to be posting cookies next, and I already have an idea, but if you want to see something in particular please let me know!

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

Hi all! I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post! With Nationals, and giving myself some mean 2nd degree burns, I've been a little busy. But now that the season is over, and I have some more down time I promise I will be posting more frequently! I can't believe our season is over, time has flown by! A huge thanks to all the fans! Your support means the world to Colin and I, and we are so excited for next season!

 Now, back to the baking. I love the combination of chocolate and coconut, so I definitely wanted to do something with those flavors. There isn't a lot of chocolate, just a little layer of ganache under the pie filling, but I think it does the trick ;). 

Coconut Crust - recipe from Jan Can Cook

• 3 cups sweetened coconut flakes

• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

Butter or spray your favorite pie plate. In a large skillet over medium heat combine butter and coconut. Cook until the butter is completely melted and the coconut flakes are golden brown. 

By the way, I've decided its impossible to be neat when there is coconut involved. Towards the end, I just stopped trying. Place the coconut in the prepared pie plate, and firmly pack with the back of a metal spoon. I started out using my hands, but quickly switched when I decided I wanted to keep my finger prints. You would think since I burned myself I'd be more cautious…but apparently that's not the case. I really am trying to be more careful though, one burn was enough for me! Place in the fridge until firm, about 30 minutes. 

Chocolate Ganache

• 4oz semisweet chocolate

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 tablespoon butter

Place chocolate in a small bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it just simmers. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Once the crust has hardened, spread the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Stick in the fridge until firm, about 15 minutes. 

Cream Filling - recipe from Jan Can Cook

• 4 egg yolks

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup flour

• 3 cups half and half

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly mix in 1 cup of half and half. 

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 cups of half and half and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring just to a boil. Add the egg mixture and cook and whisk until the mixture returns to a boil and thickens. 

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool. 

Once the filling has cooled pour into the crust and spread evenly.

Whipped Cream 

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until light and airy. Spread on top of the pie and enjoy! You can top it with coconut or just leave it as is :). 

If theres anything in particular you'd like to see me post next feel free to send suggestions to me on twitter @stasiarose! 

Mommom Rose's Pizzelles!

Happy December everyone! Time has been flying by, and I realized I hadn't posted a blog in a little while. This is my absolute favorite time of year. Between the decorating, buying gifts, and christmas music, how could it not be? As you can see from our chalkboard wall, we're all a little excited about Christmas. Bella, Colin, Michael, and I decided it was time to decorate the townhouse. So, I figured while they were decorating the tree I would bake my first holiday treat of the season. Not that I don't enjoy decorating the tree, but Bella just tends to move all the ornaments I put up. Apparently I have spacing issues. So, I figured I would bake instead! For my first holiday treat I went with…Pizzelles! I used not only my Mommom Rose's recipe, but her pizzelle iron as well.

The "Pizzelle Chef" has gotten a lot of use over the years, and it is still kicking. By the way, do you think we have enough coffee makers? No? Good, because we also have a french press that isn't in that picture. The roomies started on the tree, so I started on the Pizzelles.

My Mommom Rose's Pizzelle Recipe - yields about 3 dozen
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup crisco (melted and cooled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon anise extract (you could also use vanilla)

First, pre heat your pizzelle iron. Combine baking powder, and flour, and use a whisk to combine. You could sift the flour and baking powder, but personally, I hate sifting and I think whisking works just as nicely. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, and add sugar gradually. Beat until smooth. Add the crisco, and the anise extract. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and combine. The dough will be sticky, and similar to a cookie dough consistency.

Easy enough, right? Now it's time to get cookin'! Spray the pizzelle iron with nonstick spray, and drop batter by the teaspoonful onto the iron. I like to place the dough slightly behind the center of the pizzelle pattern. When you close the iron it tends to push the batter forward slightly. 

It took my Pizzelles 30-45 seconds to get golden brown, and delicious. How long it takes will depend on your exact iron, they're all a little different. For example, my Mommom Rose's? The Pizzelle on the right always end up stuck to the top.

It might take you a few burnt or misshapen ones to figure out exactly how long to cook them, how much batter to use, or where the batter should be placed, but don't worry, you'll get the hang of it :). Once they're finished, remove from the iron (I used a butter knife to lift them off) and place on a cooling rack.

It only takes a few minutes for them to cool completely! You can dust them with powdered sugar, dip them in melted chocolate, or just leave them as is. Oh, and if you were wondering, the tree decorating was going nicely.

I wouldn't be surprised if that ornament was moved shortly after this was taken. I'm serious, ornament spacing is very important in this house.

I did end up getting to hang one ornament, mostly because it's mine. There's also a chance Bella told me where to put it. He's pretty cute, right? I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies!

Hello again! So, at the end of my last blog I insinuated that I would make something with an unexpected ingredient. Since October has arrived, I couldn’t help but choose to make something different. So, here is my fall twist on a tasty treat…Pumpkin whoopie pies! Whoopie pies are one of my absolute favorite things to bake, and this time of year pumpkin seems to call my name. There was no roommates quarrel this time around. I mean, who doesn’t love a pumpkin whoopee pie? Well, actually Bella. She isn’t too fond of pumpkin (I know, she clearly has no taste). She does however (along with Colin) believe that I make some of the best cream cheese frosting around. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but toot toot :). So, without further ado, lets make some whoopie…pies! 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies - recipe from Food.com

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in pumpkin, vanilla, and egg. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Drop by rounded teaspoon or tablespoonful 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.

 I used a tablespoon sized cookie scoop, but feel free to make yours smaller. Mini whoopie pies are always adorable :). Bake 10-12 minutes for teaspoonfuls, or 11-13 minutes for tablespoonfuls. They will still be soft when they come out of the oven, but if they are no longer wet to touch they are good to go! They will continue to set up as they cool. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8oz cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I realize there's unsalted butter for the pies and salted butter for the frosting. If you don't want to buy both (which I would understand), then just use salted butter in the whoopee pie recipe and don't add the salt.

Combine the cream cheese and butter. One cup at a time slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, be sure to scrape down the sides in between each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated mix in the vanilla extract. 

Now it’s time to assemble the whoopie pies! You can fill them any way you like, but I had a little stroke of genius whilst I was assembling. I used the same cookie scoop that I used for the whoopee pie batter! I scooped up the cream cheese frosting, placed it on one whoopie pie, and then sandwiched the other half on top! It worked out perfectly. 

You should have about 16 completed whoopie pies. You will have leftover cream cheese frosting, so you can halve the frosting recipe if you like. I think it’s nice to have extra frosting lying around. You can add it to store brought brownies for a nice homemade touch, pumpkin bread, or pretty much anything you like. Me? I usually give my leftover frosting to my friend Taylor Toth :). 

I hope you enjoy these just as much as I do! I'm not going to make any promises for my next post, who knows what I'll be thinking ;). 

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sammies!

Hello again! I hope you all enjoyed my first blog! It took me a little while to decide what to make for my second post. I wanted to make Blondies, I love them and I feel like no one has the same appreciation for them as I do. Well, I pitched the idea to the roomies and they weren't quite as enthusiastic as I was. So, if you're a Blondie lover like me, don't fret they are coming soon! After some heated debate, I decided to go with Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches! They were a huge hit with Michael and Colin! So, if the idea of making caramel doesn't scare you too much you should definitely give them a shot! I happen to be voted the most accident prone in Delaware (Seriously, I burn myself at least once a week). So if I can survive making a pot of scolding hot sugar so can you! It's really not that difficult I promise you :).

Salted Caramel Ice Cream - Recipe from The Cooking Channel
•2 cups whole milk
•1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
•1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) softened cream cheese
•

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

•1 1/4 cups heavy cream
•2 tablespoons light corn syrup
•2/3 cups sugar

First thing you gotta do is prep. Whenever I'm cooking or baking I usually like to prep all my ingredients before hand. I find it makes everything easier, but there are only a few times when you actually need to do it. Making caramel is definitely one of them. Measure out the whole milk into a measuring cup or a bowl with a spout. Take 2 tablespoons of the milk and mix with the cornstarch in a small bowl to create a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix the heavy cream and corn syrup in a measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. 

All prepped and ready to go!

Now its time to get started. Pour the sugar into a 4-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Things will start to happen quickly, so make sure and stay by the stove. Now is not the time to go downstairs and transfer your laundry! Just stand by the stove with a heatproof spatula at the ready. Do not touch the sugar until there is a full layer of melted and browning liquid sugar on the bottom with a smaller layer of unmelted sugar on top. When the edges of the melted sugar begin to darken, use the spatula to bring them into the center to help melt the unmelted sugar. Continue stirring and pushing the sugar around until it is all melted and evenly amber in color. Like an old penny. 

When little bubbles begin to explode with dark smoke, give the sugar another moment and then remove from the heat. Immediately, but slowly, pour about 1/4 cup of the cream and corn syrup mixture into the hot sugar. It will pop and spit, so be careful! Stir until it is incorporated, then add a bit more and continue to stir until it is all in. If the caramel hardens and starts to clump that is okay, it will loosen up and melt as you continue. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the milk. Bring to a rolling boil for four minutes. 

Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about one minute. Remove from heat, and if any caramel flecks remain pour the mixture through a mesh sieve. Whisk the hot mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag, seal it and place inside another Ziploc. Submerge the sealed Ziploc in the bowl of ice water. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes. Once cool, pour into your ice cream maker and spin until its thick and creamy.

Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal. Freeze until firm, at least four hours, but its best if it sits overnight. 

Chocolate Cookies - Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

•2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

•2/3 cups plus 1/4 cup cocoa powder

•1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

•1 cup sugar

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•2 egg yolks

•1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 ° and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the cocoa and the flour and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat the butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add the yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and split in half. If it's too soft to handle wrap it and stick it in the fridge, but no longer than 30 minutes. Roll each half to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles and transfer them over to the parchment lined baking sheets. I suggest transferring with an inverted spatula of some kind. Poke about 10 holes in each cookie with either a fork or a skewer. 

Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, or until they stay firm when tapped in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Once all the cookies are finished and the ice cream is frozen its time to assemble. I chose to place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie, sandwich another on top, smooth the edges with an inverted spatula and then individually wrap them and freeze them. 

If you preferred you could freeze the ice cream on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Once its frozen you can use the same cookie cutter you used for the cookies for the ice cream. Then stack accordingly. If you wanted to make them in a shape other than a circle, I would recommend assembling them this way. Once they are all individually wrapped and frozen, its time to enjoy! 

Hope you've been enjoying my posts! Next time be ready for something with a secret ingredient ;).

Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Bark

As an athlete I'm obviously not supposed to have a lot of sweets, but I have to admit that I do indulge a little from time to time. After all, I'm only human! My partner Colin McManus usually bites the bullet and takes the job as taste tester. Sounds like a tough job, right? For my first post I decided to go the not so healthy route. I didn't want to scare you guys off by starting off with a dessert made with black beans. Although, that will eventually come ;). My favorite flavor combination is chocolate and hazelnut, so I wanted to incorporate that into my first post. I made Chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream frosting, pretty simple right? Well, I also made Nutella bark to go on top! Not only does the bark have Nutella, it also has pieces of Ferrero Rocher chocolates (my personal favorite chocolate) crumbled on top. First things first...the bark. 

Nutella Bark
• 1lb (16oz) semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 10 Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Coarsely chop the Ferrero Rocher chocolates and set aside. It will be a little messy, but it's worth it :)

Place the chocolate in a microwavable safe bowl. I used squares of chocolate, but you could use chips, or bars. If you do use a bar just make sure to chop it into like-sized pieces. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and then microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. 

Spread the melted chocolate out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Microwave the Nutella for 30 seconds. Use a spoon to drizzle the Nutella over the melted chocolate, and try to distribute it as evenly as possibly. Then, take a knife, kabob stick, or anything you prefer (I used a small inverted spatula) and swirl the chocolate and Nutella together. 

Sprinkle the chopped Ferrero Rocher on top and stick it in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm. The Nutella will stay slightly soft.

Cupcakes - adapted from Hershey's chocolate cupcakes 

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350° and line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a quick spin to combine.  Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until incorporated. Stir in the boiling water (the batter will be thin).  Fill liners 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Makes about 30 cupcakes. 

Frosting

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 7 cups confectioners sugar (I don't like my frosting very sweet, but if you do feel free to add more)

• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 8 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (I prefer heavy cream)

Place the butter in a bowl and beat until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix until incorporated. Add the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time. Trust me, if you add more than a cup at a time the sugar will go everywhere! Powdered sugar really is a pain to clean up, and after hearing my sister say, "Stasia! You got powdered sugar everywhere!" one too many times, I finally learned my lesson. I say, if you don't make a little bit of a mess while baking you're doing it wrong. Although, my sister clearly disagrees :P. Once all the sugar is incorporated add the salt and vanilla. Add the heavy cream and beat for 2 minutes on high. 

Once the cupcakes are cool its time to frost! You can frost them however you like, but I prefer to pipe :) Once the bark has hardened you can either break it up by hand for a more homemade look, or if you're feeling super fancy you can cut it into triangles with a knife. Whatever happens to float your boat. Top each cupcake with a piece of delicious Nutella bark. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed the first blog, there will be many more to come! Maybe next time I'll do a healthy recipe…or maybe not ;)