What's cuter than cupcakes?

Not many desserts can compete with the cute factor of cupcakes. (they were voted cutest in their High School Yearbook!) Here's some tasty chocolate ones! 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/4 Cups Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

2 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 1/4 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 1/4 teaspoons Salt

3 Eggs

1 1/4 Cups Milk

1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 1/4 Cups Warm Water

Directions:

Sift all dry ingredients into a very large bowl. 

Yes, sifting is time consuming and especially difficult if you don't have a sifter. 

I do not have a sifter, so I just add them to a bowl and whisk all the lumps out of them.

It makes little to no difference in the final product. 

Then, separate one of your eggs.

Add the yolk to the bowl. 

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl.

Then beat for about 3 minutes with an electric mixer.

mmm....

Line your cupcake pan with paper liners

And somehow manage to get all of the batter from the giant bowl into the tiny cupcake pan. 

For me, that's the hardest part. 

The easiest way is NOT to take it one spoonful at a time from bowl to cupcake pan. It's messy and time-consuming. 

The quicker but still just as messy solution is to mix your batter in a bowl with a spout and then attempt to pour it without spilling any.

In my research, I got a large amount of batter on myself

And my counter as well

What I found was this:

 Add your batter to 2 large ziplock bags- half in each (either having someone hold the bag for you, or using a large plastic container to hold it)

Then take it out and hold it pastry-bag style.

I made the mistake of only putting the batter into one bag and it leaked all over the counter while the cupcakes were baking! Use 2 bags and make sure you have 2 cupcake pans! 

Cut a hole in the bag when you are ready to use it (no sooner! I mean it!) and squeeze the cupcake batter into its rightful home. Fill the cups 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full

Aaah, Finally...

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. 

I like them best with cream cheese frosting, so while whey are cooling take:

 1 package cream cheese, 1 stick butter and 2 cups of powdered sugar (give or take a little)

Mix until desired consistency, adding more powdered sugar if too thin, or a splash of milk if too thick.

I must not lick the computer screen...

Frost your cooled cupcakes

Viola!

Probably My New Favorite Cookies...

These cookies are AWESOME (and beautiful!) I saw the picture in the cookbook and absolutely had to make them!
Ingredients:

1 Egg

1 stick butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

16 caramels

3 tablespoons cream

1 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup chocolate chips*

1/2 teaspoon shortening*

*NOTE* the original recipe called for twice the amount of chocolate chips and shortening, but I had SO much left over, that I reduced it.

Directions:

Separate Egg. 

Place yolk in one small bowl and white in another. Refrigerate white for later use. 

In a large bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds with an electric mixer. 

Add sugar, beat. 

Then add egg yolk, milk and vanilla.

Beat again.

In another bowl, add flour, cocoa and salt. 

Stir together until it looks like cake mix. 

Then add it to your other bowl. 

Then, beat it. Just beat it....

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm (2 hours, give or take) While the dough is chilling, unwrap your caramels and chop your pecans. 

Then, heat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Lightly grease your cookie sheets you plan to use. (My favorite way is to put shortening on a paper towel, and rub it in.)

Remove cookie dough and the egg white from the refrigerator.  

Roll into balls about one inch. Dip them in egg white and roll them in pecans.

Make a small indent in the center of the cookies, using your thumb or the back of a spoon.

Bake for 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, add your caramels and whipping cream to a small saucepan.

Heat over medium-low heat until smooth, stirring often. 

When you remove the cookies from the oven, your thumbprint indents may have disappeared a bit. Don't fret! Just use the back of a small spoon to re-dent while the cookies are still hot.

Then, transfer them to a cooking rack, and fill them with caramel. mmm....

And just when you thought they couldn't get any better....

Add your chocolate chips and your shortening to a small microwave-safe dish (Pyrex measuring cup works awesome!) 

Heat until melted, stirring often.

Then put into a freezer-weight plastic bag. 

Cut the tip off, just barely, so you have a teeny tiny hole that the chocolate can squirt out. 

Drizzle over the top of the cookies to make chocolate stripes. mmmm....

This may be the perfect cookie.

Are you hungry? Cause you should be...

MMM....Meatloaf!!

Nothing says comfort food like meatloaf! 

This is my favorite recipe 

Ingredients:

Salt and pepper (to taste), 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 egg, 1 sleeve saltine crackers,  1 1/2 Tablespoons of ketchup, 1/2 of a medium onion, diced.  Not Pictured- 1 pound Ground Beef. 

That is just the basics. I also like to add BBQ sauce (in place of the ketchup). A dash of worcestershire sauce or some seasoning salt are also nice too. 

First, you need to crush the crackers. Place them in a large freezer bag.... 

And whack them with something heavy until finely crushed. (wasn't that fun?)

Then add the ground beef, egg, ketchup, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper and onion to a large bowl.  and mix (my preferred method is with my hands! Messy...)

Then form into a loaf. Yes. It is a loaf of meat. But it is good...

The ketchup on top is optional. (but I think it's yummy!)

Now, Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

(I like to throw some baked potatoes in the oven, too!)

And...... VIOLA!

Dinner is served