Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These came out a decent size.

CUPCAKES (12)

6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons 0% Greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder

6 tbsp milk, room temperature

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 – 1 1/4 cups, sifted icing sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting
2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoons butter
2 tbsps  Nutella

2 tsp cocoa powder
1 – 1 1/4 cups, sifted icing sugar

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2.      In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 3 to minutes. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Add one egg  and mix until well combined. Add the remaining egg and mix until well combined.

3.      Combine the flour, baking powder and cocoa in a medium bowl and stir into the mixture.

4.     Add the milk to the mixture and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.

5.      Fill the cupcake liners about halfway with batter. Bake the cupcakes for 14 to 18 minutes (mine were done at 14 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:

1.      To make the vanilla frosting, beat the butter and cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add as much icing sugar until required consistency reached.

2.      To make the nutella frosting, beat the butter and cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa and nutella and mix until smooth. Add as much icing sugar until required consistency reached..

 3.      To pipe both at the same time fill a mixing bag with one on either side.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake

Made 1/2 the recipe for 4 of us but did add 2 apples as 1 did not look enough

Servings: 6-8

12 ounces French bread, a day old
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup maple syrup
Powdered sugar, to taste
Whipped cream, to taste

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.
2. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and dice peeled apples into small bite-size pieces.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread, apples, sugar, and cornstarch.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, and pour egg mixture into the bread bowl.
5. Give the ingredients a good stir, then pour into a 9×13-inch greased baking tray and sprinkle with maple syrup.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Taco Spaghetti

I did half of this for 2 of us and it was very tasty - did not have the sour cream just a bit of cheese

·         400g Minced Beef

·         2-1/2 cups water

·         200g Spaghetti, uncooked

·         Pkt Taco Seasoning

·         Tin of chopped tomatoes

·         Sour Cream

·         Grated Cheese

1.    Cook beef in large skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally.

2.    Add taco seasoning, undrained tomatoes and water; stir to combine. Add spaghetti; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes or until spaghetti is tender, stirring occasionally.

3.    Optional - Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and grated cheese.

Serves 4

Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Chicken

This was delicious with jacket potato and broccoli spears

·      4 bone in chicken thighs, can also use boneless chicken thighs or breasts

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      2 teaspoons italian seasoning

·      salt and pepper

Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Sauce:

·      1 tablespoon olive oil

·      8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

·      6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

·      1 cup heavy cream

·      ½ teaspoon salt

·      ¼ teaspoon pepper

·      1 teaspoon garlic powder

·      1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs and season with italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Pan Sear each side of the chicken for 1-2 minutes until brown and place skillet in oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout. Set chicken aside on a plate.

2.  Add olive oil to the skillet and saute the mushrooms until soft. Add the bacon, heavy cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme. Bring to a simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat for another minute. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Scones

I made 4 from half the mix they were quite large

125g plain flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½  teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, cubed

200g mashed sweet potatoes

1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas 6.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, mustard and salt. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingers, until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Mix in the mashed sweet potatoes, and the egg to make a soft dough.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to 1/2 cm thickness. Cut into circles using a scone cutter or a drinking glass. Place scones 2.5cm apart onto a greased baking tray.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Hawaiian pork loins

These were very tasty; I did with chips and green veg

• 2 tablespoons oil, divided
• salt and pepper
• 4 thin pork loin chops 
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple slices (including the liquid), divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon root ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet.
2. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Add pork to the hot skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until each side is nice and browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup combine soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and only the pineapple juice (reserve the slices for later). Set aside.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the large skillet. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
5. Pour in the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the pork back to the sauce.
6. In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and water.
7. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir.
8. Add in the reserved pineapple slices and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened and pork reaches 145 degrees. Thin pork does not take very long too cook.
9. Serve immediately with chopped parsley for garnish, if desired.