Cupcakes

I've been testing recipes (mostly enjoying them) for cupcakes. After Nick closes a sale he gives his clients cupcakes to celebrate and show his appreciation.

The usual is Champagne cupcakes but I really wanted to switch it up the other day so I tried a chocolate cake recipe. Filling them with a marshmallow creme sounded delicious so I made that from scratch too--YUM! I topped the little beauties with chocolate ganache (two layers thank you very much)and a cute little swirl of marshmallow creme.

I had a few cupcakes left over from the last batch I made that way so I made peanut butter butter cream frosting and had fun with some sprinkles.

I didn't love the idea of using the scratch-made marshmallow creme if it wasn't going to be consumed quickly since it is basically a meringue (raw or mostly raw egg whites and sugar whipped until you can build with it) so, I started looking for a way to pass less foodborne illnesses. Behold, I found tons of recipes for marshmallow butter cream frosting, it is sweeter than the homemade version but it will hold up better out of refrigeration. After reading many recipes I decided to give it a try, here's what I did:

* 1 1/2 sticks butter, at room temperature
* 1 jar of marshmallow creme (a small jar, and they are 7 ounces)
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch of salt (I had salted butter so I left this out)

Whip the marshmallow creme and the butter together on medium high speed, add sugar and slowly start to whip the ingredients together (Slowly or you will be covered with powdered sugar!), add the vanilla, whip again to incorporate. Use to fill cupcakes or top your ganache-covered ones, enjoy!

If you need cupcakes for something I would love to make them for you!

Chicken Lasagna

This recipe is loosely based on a recipe in the cookbook Simply Classic by the Junior League of Seattle.

Chicken Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles (cooked to just under al dente)
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, wilted or use frozen and drain it well
4 tablespoons of flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/ teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup half and half
3 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
4-6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (the recipe calls for proscuitto but I have bacon--hempler's and jalapeno)
1 15 ounce container or fat free cottage cheese (the real recipe calls for ricotta...i don't really like ricotta)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated

1. cook the chicken. drizzle with a bit of olive oil, the chopped garlic and salt and pepper.

2. cook the noodles and drain, toss with a bit of olive oil so they don't stick together when you are working with them.

3. wilt the spinach in a skillet with a bit of butter and salt and pepper (i used garlic chili oil because that's what i have).

4. make sauce: in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. add the flour and cook for two minutes stirring constantly--do not brown. add the milk an chicken stock a bit at a time. cook until smooth and thickened--about 3 minutes, stir constantly. once the sauce boils it won't thicken any more so remove it from the heat right away. season sauce with salt and pepper.

4. assemble. use a 9x13 pan, divide the ingredients into thirds. use about 1/3 of each for each layer. layer noodles, chicken, spinach, cheese, cottage cheese, sauce. finish the top with most of the parm and bake @ 350 degrees until hot all the way through.

Enjoy.