Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

For Julia's third birthday, I made her pink lemonade cupcakes (with decorations!)  So far she's been eating just the frosting and candy!  The cupcake recipe is good but the frosting was hard to keep smooth.  P.S. I first made these when Julia was just a month old, and got rave reviews from Grandma Bonnie!

Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T vegetable oil
5 egg whites
3/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup + 2 T buttermilk
[red food coloring]

In a mixer with whisk attachment, combine sugar, oil, egg whites, pink lemonade and vanilla.  Mix until blended.  In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk (into thirds) into the creamed mixture.  Mix until blended (but don't over mix.)  Add optional red food coloring until desired color.  Pour cupcake mixture into cupcake liners-- 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Yields 24.

Frosting:
1 cup butter
4 cups powder sugar
6 T pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp vanilla
[red food coloring]

First whisk the butter until fluffy then add the remaining ingredients.  Add more water if the frosting is too thick.  If adding food coloring, mix in one drop at a time. 
[I found that I had enough frosting with half the recipe].

 colorful butterflies!

cute flowers!

Recipe from: "Pink Lemonade Cupcakes & Pink Lemonade Buttercream Frosting".  Let Them Eat Cake! {And Ice Cream}.  30 Jan 2012.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I made these for a family gathering and they were very popular!  They're a little unique and look and taste terrific!

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-3/4 cup (to your taste) Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, mixing well.  In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in Craisins and white chocolate chips.  Drop teaspoon-sized rounds onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Source: "Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies".  Recipe.  OceanSpray.com.

Chili Biscuit Bake

I found this recipe in the Taste of Home cookbook and thought it was something that I would actually make.  It came together really well, except that the baking dish over flowed with too much chili, and some of the biscuits were not baked through in the center.

1 lb ground beef [ground turkey]
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables [I used 1 can of corn and 2 cans of beans (kidney and black) hence the overflowing]
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
*flavor for taste: chili powder, taco seasoning, black pepper, onion/garlic powder, etc

Biscuits:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
2 T shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

In a skillet, cook beef or turkey and onion until cooked through, drain extra grease.  Add flavorings.  Stir in tomatoes, vegetables, beans and tomato sauce.  Pour into a prepared 11x7x2 baking dish.  Cover and baked at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine flour and baking powder in a bowl.  Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  With a fork, incorporate milk and mustard and stir until it forms a soft dough.  Add six Tablespoons of cheese.  Drop onto the top of hot chili casserole.  Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

 made June 29th

Source: Brenden, Darlene.  Taste of Home Annual Recipes.  "Ground Beef Biscuit Stew".  Ed. Michelle Brett.  Greendale, WI: Taste of Home Books, 2007. 68-69.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I first made these with greek yogurt and lemon juice-- not so light and fragrant.  Then I made my second batch with low-fat yogurt and fresh lemon juice and -peel.  Wow!  What a difference!  So fragrant, light and moist. There are no substitutions in this recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt [8 ounces of plain low-fat worked well]
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
Cooking spray

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  Combine oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, yogurt and egg, pour into the well and stir into the dry ingredients until just moist.  Pour batter into a greased 12 muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove muffins immidiantely from tin and cool on a wire rack.

first batch made June 28th

Source:  "Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins".  Recipe.  MyRecipes.com.