Halloween Cupcakes

Last Friday, decided to bring some Halloween cupcakes at the office.  Went for an easy recipe - marthastewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes.  They are sooooo good!!





So good, I made them again for my family on Saturday!! :)



One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes (Martha Stewart)
Makes 18 to 24

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar (used 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk (used low fat milk with lemon)
3 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

2.Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.



For icing, used wilton's buttercream recipe



Buttercream icing1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (didn't use)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened (used 1 cup butter)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk (of course, used low fat!)

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

instructions
(Medium Consistency)

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love Halloween! The decorations, the dressing up and, of course, the candies!! :)  Another thing that I love now, is all the neat baking supplies you can get for Halloween!  When I saw these cute little paper cups - I had to bake something!!



Decided to bake two things for the office - one healthier and one a bit more sweet.  This here is the "healthier" sweet!



Oats are healthy, right??!! 




Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins (from allrecipes)

1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/4 cups milk (used low fat)
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil (used canola oil)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (used a little more than 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (used 1/2 cup - ran out!)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.Combine oats and milk and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease each cup of one 12-cup muffin tin.

2.Stir egg, oil, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the pecans into the oat and milk mixture.

3.Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add oat mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just moist. Fill each cup of one 12-cup muffin tin 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops with the remaining brown sugar and pecans.

4.Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.





Stay tuned for the second sweet I baked for today! :)

WW - Low Fat Baked Pasta with Spinach

This week's weigh in at WW was not great.  I have been gaining and losing the same 2 pounds for the last 2 months!  I have been going to the gym 3-5 times a week.  Bringing some kind of salad everyday at work. The only thing left for me to do, is to give up my cheat nights...

Since my weigh-in on Tuesday, I tried to stop eating those 100 calories pack.  I usually have one or two a day - some I am trying to not have more than one now.  We'll see if that helps!!

I have been cooking more healthy recipes. 




I love skinnytaste's blog for her healthy recipes (and she give the WW points too). 

Last weekend, when my inlaws came over, we made her Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach.  Mmmmmmm!!!




Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Points: 6 pts
Calories: 331.9 • Fat: 7.1 g • Protein: 17.5 g • Carb: 54.7 g • Fiber: 7.8 g


1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste (used penne)
28 oz crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso) (used diced tomatoes)
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic,minced
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed (used two small bags of fresh spinach)
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh pepper to taste
8 oz fat-free ricotta (used low-fat cottage cheese)
1/4 cup Parmesan (used freshly grated Parmesan)
2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
Spray olive oil (I used my Misto)

Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking

Apple Cake

My inlaws came over this weekend for a casual meal.  Made a tasty pasta dish (that I will post about later) that was healthy and low in calories...



Had some apples that were calling for a cake...


So I decided to help the apples and find a tasty cake to use them up!






I googled apple cake and the first post was smittenkitchen's apple cake - it was a sign!!

This cake is moist and delicious.  You have got to try it!! :)

Mom’s Apple Cake

6 apples (used McIntosh)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil (used canola oil)
2 cups sugar (used 1 1/2 cups as my apples were sweet!)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

Where the Streets are so Beautiful

In Quebec City, of course!! :) Just love all the little streets!







Lots and lots and lots of hills!

Quebec City Doors and More

In case you don't know already, I got a thing for doors and old buildings!! ;)

Secret Kiss Cupcakes for Bake Sale

Last week, I participated in a bake sale at work to raise money for a good cause.  Last year, I had made 24 cupcakes and they were sold out very fast.  This year I made 40... and same thing happened!! ;)

Of course, chocolate is always a hit!



I had lots of fun with Halloween sprinkles!!




You just push a kiss in the middle of the cupcakes - so easy!


Used secret-kiss-cupcakes from All Recipes

Secret Kiss Cupcakes
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar (used 1 1/2)
1 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
30 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped (used caramel kisses)
1 (16 ounce) container fudge frosting (made my own!)

1.In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix well. Combine the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients; mix well.

2.Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cupcake until batter completely covers candy.

3.Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cupcakes.




Chocolate Buttercream Icing (adapted from Wilton)

1 cup butter , softened
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
3-4 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Stiff Consistency: In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer. Add cocoa and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Late for Work?

Saw this guy running in Quebec City.  Guess he was late for work?!!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Was in the mood for chocolate (surprise, suprise!) - and I wanted to use my Halloween little muffin cups so decided to bake some mini chocolate chip muffins!





The pictures of the chocolate chip muffins on bradleykitchen's blog, made me want to try them for sure!!



So made the recipe - but in mini-muffin form.


chocolate-chip-muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (a little less than a cup)
2 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) plain yogurt (didn't have any yogurt, so used soya milk)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (forgot to add...)
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add yogurt and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill paper lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tins.

Makes 1 dozen. (made 36 mini-muffins)