Friday, July 23, 2010

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

John loves coconut and requested these for his birthday.

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
3 eggs
3/4 t. pure vanilla extract
3/4 t. pure almond extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk with a little vinegar)
1 7-ounce package flaked sweetened coconut
cream cheese icing

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer speed to low, and add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat again briefly.

Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in only 1 1/3 cups of the coconut.

Fill each muffin cup almost full with batter. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes or until the cupcake tops are golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. When cool, frost with cream cheese icing and sprinkle remaining coconut on top.

For the frosting I did:

4 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
3 drops food coloring
Beat until smooth. This generously frosted 24 cupcakes.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Warm Potato Salad with Blue Cheese

(we ate this with fried okra)
This was a quick, flavorful salad - and I don't even like blue cheese!

4 pounds red potatoes, cubed
8 strips of bacon
1 red onion, thinly sliced
pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. vinegar (I used 2 T. red wine vinegar, 2 T. white vinegar, 1 T. balsamic vinegar)
1 T. sugar
1 c. crumbled blue cheese

Cook the potatoes until tender. Cook and crumble bacon. Remove all but 2 T bacon fat. Cook onion in bacon fat until tender. Add olive oil, vinegar and sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Pour over potatoes. Season with salt and lots of pepper. Add bacon and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with blue cheese.