Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

The occasion is the birthday of a special friend. What could be more appropriate for a school teacher than cupcakes?! Not being particularly fond of cake, I have just a few favorite recipes in my possession. This one is my "go to" whenever I need traditional chocolate cake or cupcakes. Everyone seems to wince when I mention mayonnaise as one of the main ingredients, but tasting is believing. No dry, crumbly cake here. Just moist, yummy enjoyment!

OVEN: 350 degrees

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into cupcake pans lined with muffin papers. Bake 20 minutes. Cool on rack. Top with your favorite icing ... peanut butter, mint, etc... YIELD: 2 dozen.

Or ... pour into greased 9x13" pan and bake 30 minutes.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Warm, chewy chocolate chip cookies with cold milk ... who can resist them? These will taste especially good at our bonfire this weekend. Easy to make and a nice variation on a favorite cookie choice.

OVEN: 350 degrees

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Press into 15x10" bar pan. Bake 20 minutes. While slightly warm, cut into squares.

YIELD: 24 bars

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Chewy Granola Bars

I love baking this time of year. The cooler temperatures and beautiful colors in the trees seem to beg for yummy goodies full of oatmeal, raisins and walnuts. We're having a group of friends over this weekend for a bonfire and BBQ. These should taste awesome!

Note: You can change these up in a number of ways. My mom makes this recipe and tosses in 1 1/4 cups of Rice Krispies. It makes for a nice "crunch". You can also add chopped nuts in addition to or in place of the raisins. Lots of ideas for "finishing" these as well -- drizzle with simple vanilla icing, or honey or maple syrup. The possibilities are endless.

OVEN: 350 degrees

Combine:
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Stir in:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups quick oats
1 cup raisins

Press into a 15x10" greased bar pan. Bake 10-12 minutes. While still slightly warm, cut into squares.

YIELD: 2 dozen squares

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Cappuccino Balls

I have to admit, I really don't like coffee in any form. But I do love the smell of it perking! So this recipe is for a friend ... made by another friend. Both of whom love coffee and love sharing baked goods.

I also hear tell that these freeze very well, so you can make them ahead and save for later. And no oven needed!


1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 Tablespoons cold coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup finally chopped nuts of choice (use a food processor)
Additional sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add cocoa, coffee and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in oats and nuts. Chill. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in additional sugar and store in your refrigerator.

Enjoy ... and I won't even ask for any!!

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Back in the kitchen ...

I've been on somewhat of a hiatus from blogging this past summer. A crazy summer of traveling for work, a 50th anniversary celebration for my parents, and our oldest daughter's wedding pushed cooking and blogging to the bottom of the list!

But the summer is now behind us, cooler weather has arrived and canning tomatoes appeared at the market this week. So back to the kitchen I headed today to stir up my homemade spaghetti sauce to can for the winter.

After years of experimenting, I've decided that a combination of Roma tomatoes and canning tomatoes (likely a Big Boy or Beefsteak tomato) makes the best sauce. Two bushel of tomatoes (one of each) will produce somewhere between 35-38 quarts of sauce. Using chopped, fresh basil and garlic cloves really gives a fresh taste to enjoy over the winter.


Tools make all the difference when you're spending a long day on your feet processing tomatoes. Some of my favorites include my Pampered Chef garlic press, an awesome stock pot that cooks evenly and is easy to clean, my trusty pressure canner, and my least expensive but much appreciated long-handled spoons. No kitchen should be without some!


By the end of the day my feet were tired and I had handled enough tomatoes to last a lifetime, but oh did my kitchen smell delicious. And the rows of shining jars of spaghetti sauce on the counter are a promise of wonderful dishes to come this winter!

What smells yummy in your kitchen this weekend?

Blessings ...
~Judy

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