Buckeye Cupcakes

The peanut butter obsession continues over here. I was told that this was "one of the best cupcakes I've ever had." She continued to say, "The Buckeyes were so very yummy! Perfect peanut butter frosting." So if you're looking for chocolate and peanut butter yumminess, try this out. Thanks for the glowing review, Michele!

Buckeye Cupcakes

For the buckeyes:

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cups smooth peanut butter (I used Skippy)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate candy melts or other chocolate for dipping

Using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer at low speed, stir the meted butter and peanut butter together until blended. Stir in the vanilla extract, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Roll peanut butter mixture into small balls, then freeze the balls for at least 20 minutes. I made mine ahead of time, putting the frozen balls into a Ziplock bag. Remove the balls from the freezer. Poke a toothpick into the ball and dip into melted chocolate so that the chocolate comes up to the top of the ball but doesn't cover it completely. Use a second toothpick to free the ball from the first toothpick. Use the back of a spoon (or your finger) to smooth over the hole left by the toothpick. Place buckeye on parchment paper until chocolate solidifies. Work quickly so the peanut butter balls don't get to soft. If necessary, return un-dipped balls to the freezer until firm again.  

For the cupcakes:

1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix (or other chocolate cake mix)

1 (3.4-oz) box chocolate instant pudding

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup regular milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. You'll need about 24 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan (or pans). In mixing bowl, blend together the sour cream,  vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add cake mix and pudding, blending just until combined. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cupcakes test clean with a toothpick. 

Cool cupcakes for 2 minutes in the pan, then remove warm cupcakes to a container that can be covered, such as a couple of 13x9-inch pans. Cover pans with plastic wrap. Doing this helps lock in the moistness of the cake. Keep cupcakes "under wraps" until they are completely cool. 

For the peanut butter frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream (or more, depending on desired consistency)

Beat together the peanut butter and butter, then add in vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Add the heavy cream (you can use milk if you want, but start with a little less than 1/4 cup and see what your consistency is before adding the entire amount). Beat until light and fluffy. 

For the ganache: (recipe is adapted from My Baking Addiction)

4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped finely

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 T honey

2 T light corn syrup

2 T vanilla (yes, that is tablespoons)

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan just until bubbles begin to form around the side of the pan, but do not boil. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over chopped chocolate and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate together until it is combined. Add remaining ingredients. Let the ganache set up for about 15 minutes and then transfer to a Ziplock baggie. 

To assemble: 

Frost the cupcakes a few at a time (because if the frosting sits too long, you can't get the chopped peanuts to stick). I used a Wilton 2D tip. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag of ganache and drizzle the cupcake, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Top cupcake with a buckeye, pressing down very gently. Continue until all cupcakes are decorated, or you can take a break from the assembly process and test-taste your creation. 

You'll probably have a few buckeyes left over. That's a bonus! I think I could eat those all day long!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

It's not unusual for me to crave peanut butter with my chocolate. I was thinking about making Tim Riggins Brownies from Our Best Bites, but it wasn't exactly what I was wanting (the brownie, that is. You'd be crazy to not be in the mood for Tim Riggins at all times!). Somehow I found a different recipe which was exactly what I wanted, but because I was feeling lazy that day, I simplified it and the results were fast, easy and delicious.

I had read somewhere that baking in condiment cups was a great idea because you don't need cupcake pans since the cup is sturdy enough to stand on it's own. While that is true, using cupcake pans is not a problem for me; I have several! I found the cup to be a little too sturdy, and it was difficult to get the brownie out of its wrapper. I won't be doing that again.
These are smaller than a normal cupcake, and the brownie to peanut butter cup ratio was off just a little, in my opinion. The next time I make these (which will be soon), I will make them in a normal cupcake size.

Mississippi Mud Brownies
1 box of your favorite brownie mix, plus ingredients listed on box to make brownies (I used Pillsbury)
Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter cups (or bells if they're available), unwrapped
Regular size marshmallows, cut in half (use a clean pair of scissors instead of a knife)
Chocolate frosting
Reese's Baking Bits and sprinkles (optional, but not really)

Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Fill cupcake liner 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Place a Reese's cup into the batter. If you can find the bells, put the bell into the batter upside-down. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately top with a marshmallow half.

I had those flat marshmallows but didn't have regular ones, so you've gotta go with what you've got! Place back in the oven for 2 minutes or until marshmallows barely start to puff up. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and then remove from pan and cool completely.

When cool, frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Decorate, if desired. Go ahead, break out your stash of yumminess! 

If you need a favorite chocolate frosting recipe, try this one.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar
milk (or heavy cream) if needed

Beat butter and cream cheese together for about three minutes, scraping down the bowl if necessary. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract and slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar. Check the consistency and sweetness, adding more powdered sugar if necessary. If it is too thick at any point, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream. 

Butterfingers Rice Krispies Treats

Can we talk about deliciousness?

I keep a container dedicated to Butterfingers, which I buy in bulk from Orson Gygi. I used the the Butterfingers to make the deliciousness. 

My supply is getting low! I need to stock up again soon.
I took these treats to an impromptu family lunch yesterday.

I couldn't wait to try them and had to sneak a taste before I took them to my mom's house. 

I thought a sliver missing would be less noticeable. 

The "frosting" is actually this stuff. 

Everyone who tried them loved them. I know I really loved them! I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with a normal Rice Krispies Treat again. Ever. 

Butterfingers Rice Krispies Treats 

1/2 cup candy corn

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

3 T butter

10 oz. miniature marshmallows

5 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Skippy Natural Peanut Butter Spread with Dark Chocolate

Crushed Butterfingers (about 2 cups, divided)

Measure out the Rice Krispies cereal into a large bowl. Grease a 9x13-inch pan (I lined mine with a Silpat instead, and then cut the bars carefully). 

Place the butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, put candy corn in the microwave and heat on 50% power until melted. Stir peanut butter into the melted candy corn. Once the butter is mostly melted, add the marshmallows to the saucepan and reduce heat to low. Heat until marshmallows are almost completely melted but still have several marshmallows holding their shape. Add peanut butter mixture to the marshmallow mixture. Stir to combine. Add the cereal and stir quickly. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about a cup of crushed Butterfingers onto the cereal mixture. Add the remaining cereal mixture. Press down on the cereal lightly- don't compact it! After the treats have cooled for about five minutes, spread the peanut butter spread over the treats until they are covered as thick or thin as desired. Immediately sprinkle remaining Butterfingers over the top and cool completely.  

Lemon Cookies

While thumbing through the holiday cookbook from Six Sisters'Stuff I noticed that their recipe for red velvet cream cheese cookies and the one for gooey butter cookies were almost the same. The concept is to use a cube of butter, a package of cream cheese and a box of cake mix. I figured it wouldn't make any difference what flavor of cake mix was used, it just depended on what you were in the mood for, and I was right. I was in the mood for lemon! Depending on what flavor cake mix you use, you can add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or other chips (but not Doritos chips because that would be gross.) 

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for more lemon flavor use lemon extract)

1 box lemon cake mix (ignore directions on the box)

Powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the egg and the extract, and beat until combined. Add the dry cake mix in about three installments until completely moistened. 

Place powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll dough into balls and dip in powdered sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet, or use a Silpat liner. Bake for 10-13 minutes. I pulled mine out at 11 to 11 1/2 minutes. Remove from oven and sift additional powdered sugar over tops of cookies. Move to wire rack to cool. 

Makes about 30 cookies. 

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

I'm not done with Six Sisters' Stuff yet! In the following picture, you are looking at a picture of leftovers. It looked better the night before, but I wasn't able to take a picture of it the first time around. Let me just say that it was yummy the first time AND the second time. Just imagine that the cheese is a lot meltier the first time. 

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole (from Six Sisters' Stuff) 
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean) or ground turkey (I used turkey)
1 large onion, chopped 
2 1/2 cups salsa 
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 
1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing 
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning 
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
6 flour tortillas (8 inches) 
1 small can of drained corn, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn (optional) 
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream   
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend 
1 cup shredded lettuce, if desired 
1 medium tomato, chopped, if desired
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (or not!)

Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, sour cream, corn, taco seasoning and cumin.
Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Tear up a flour or corn tortilla into pieces and place on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the remaining meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat for one more layer, finishing with grated cheese on top.
Spray a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray and cover casserole. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. 
Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Chicken Spaghetti

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! If I had known this is what they were talking about all this time when they used that phrase then I would have cashed in a lot sooner. This meal (I used a weird filter and it looks rather red) was so simple to make and everyone loved it! The neat thing about it too is that you can substitute things in or out according to your preference. Another Six Sisters' Stuff win!

Chicken Spaghetti by Six Sisters' Stuff, adapted slightly

2 cups cooked chicken, cut up (I used a precooked Costco chicken)

3/4 to 1 lb. package uncooked spaghetti noodles (I used 3/4 lb.)
2 cans 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom (or Cream of Chicken) soup

3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided (I used a conglomerate of cheeses that were opened in the fridge)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained (or use fresh)

1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1 t seasoned salt
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional- I didn't use it)
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken or vegetable broth

Break noodles into 2" or 3″ pieces and cook according to package directions. Place cooked noodles into a large bowl. Add chicken and toss together. Add soup, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, 2 cups of cheese, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix all together. Add about 1 cup of the chicken broth and stir it in, then and add a little bit more if needed. You want it nice and moist, but you don’t want it to be too runny. I used the whole amount and it was fine. Lightly spray a 9×13″ glass pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the pan. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. You could also top with bread crumbs or after it has baked for 25-30 minutes you could add french fried onions to the top. 

Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly). 

Other substitutions that would be tasty would be chopped celery, mushrooms, zucchini, or whatever sounds good to you. Really, you can't go wrong.