Weeknight Spaghetti & Meatballs

Last week was much more subdued than the two previous weeks, and it was a more than needed break. All week I looked forward to the weekend so I could do...absolutely nothing! This week is going to be another crazy one, with a work conference out of town for four days, so it was nice to make some quick, easy meals and to get a little shopping in too. Don't let me fool you though...I hate shopping for clothes. I might be the only woman alive to admit to that...but I dread it. I managed to survive though, and here I am to share a quick, easy meal with you all on this sunny Monday morning.

When I first saw this recipe on Sarah's blog, it looked too good not to try. Now, normally I'm not much of a spaghetti or marinara fan, but I decided to give it a whirl. I made it on a Friday night, and it was simple enough that I could watch TV and just check on it every few minutes. Easy peasy. I did find that the time for the spaghetti to cook didn't work for me, I had to cook mine an extra 5 minutes. But, that may be due to a crappy apartment stove! I say check it after the last 5 minutes and cook longer if needed. This is definitely a good meal for a weeknight, and it was delicious!

 

Weeknight Spaghetti & Meatballs

Source: A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/3 cup panko
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Grated cheese for serving

Preparation

1. Combine meat, panko, egg, half the garlic, Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper in a bowl and knead gently until combined. Form meat into 48 meatballs, about 1-inch around. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the meat.
2. Heat oil in a large, 12-inch non-stick skillet with high sides over medium heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from the skillet.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, water, pasta, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 7 minutes.
4. Return meatballs to the skillet and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is al dente, 5-10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil. Serve with grated cheese.

Sammich Saturday: B.E.L.T.A

My mom was a great cook when I was growing up (still is) and cooked dinner almost every night. But, some of the things I remember most, and re-create when I don't feel like cooking a full meal, are things like fried egg sandwiches, and fried potato sandwiches. One weekend awhile back, I was hungry, but didn't want anything big for dinner so I found myself rummaging through the fridge and pantry hoping something would jump out at me. Then I saw the eggs, and bread... *lightbulb* Egg Sandwich! As I ate it, I thought that it's too bad that a plain ol' egg sammich isn't really photogenic or I could share it with all of you. And then I had another idea...why not spruce it up and make it better?? Add some lettuce...tomato...bacon...avocado. OMG - a B.L.T. with egg and avocado. How smart am I???

Of course after I got really excited about this idea that I came up with, all on my own, I saw a picture of something similar on Pinterest. Boo. I did not, however, click on it or check out their recipe, because I was keeping this one all for myself dagnabit!! Haha! I put it on the menu and waited for the weekend to get here so I could cook it up and devour my new creation. Fortunately it is not only a fantastic sammich, but it's very quick to prepare as well. AND you could even eat it as a breakfast sammich! Ta-da! I'm still working on the fried potato sammich, but give me some time, and I'll debut that baby here as well. Mmm...comfort food spruced up. Love it!

B.E.L.T.A (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado)

A Sweet Beginnings' Original Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 2 sammiches

• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 eggs
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 large leafs of lettuce
• 6 slices tomato
• 1 avocado, seed removed, peeled & sliced
• 4 slices wheat bread
• 2 Tbsp miracle whip (or mayo)

Preparation

1. Cut bacon slices in half, and cook in a skillet over medium heat until slightly crisp (cook more if you like it extra crispy). Remove to a paper towel to drain grease.
2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Return skillet to medium heat, crack eggs into the skillet and break the yolks (unless you like yours to drip out of your sandwich, that is). Season with salt and pepper. Cook until most of the egg white has turned white, then use a spatula to flip the eggs over and finish cooking.
3. While the eggs finish cooking, pop your bread in the toaster.
4. To assemble the sammiches, spread 1 tablespoon of miracle whip on 1 piece of toast for each sandwich. Then layer with 1 egg, 4 half-pieces of bacon, avocado slices, 3 tomato slices, 1 lettuce leaf, and second piece of toast.
5. Cut in half diagonally and enjoy!!

Bang Bang Shrimp

Thursday? How is it already Thursday?? Well, at least I can say that this week has been pretty quiet, which was much needed after the crazy last couple of weeks. Work, gym, and cooking. That's been the extent of my activities this week. And this weekend? I plan for it to be much the same. I will have to admit that when I saw this shrimp dish from Fake Ginger on Pinterest, I was mesmerized by the photo and I have looked forward to it ever since. Shrimp and a Sriracha sauce? Holy bejeezus! And, while it is fried and not the most healthy option...it was too good to resist. I will be making this again. And again. And again. So friggin' good!

Bang Bang Shrimp

Source: Fake Ginger

Ingredients

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4-5 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• Vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine mayo, Sriracha, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Combine beaten egg with milk in shallow bowl and set aside.
3. Combine flour, panko, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl and set aside.
4. Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading mixture. Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture, and then back into the breading. Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes to help the breading to stick on the shrimp when they are frying.
5. Heat 1-2 inces of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F. 
6. When oil is hot, fry shrimp 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on rack or paper towels.
7. When all shrimp has been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl. Spoon the sauce over shrimp and stir gently to coat.

What's Baking: Pretzel Hot Dog Buns

When I first saw these buns wrapped around a hot dog and smothered in chili on The Sandwich King, I knew that I had to have them...soon. And then, only days later, I saw them on Lindsey's blog, Our Share of the Harvest and I knew that was my second push to get on the ball! And wouldn't you know that the April What's Baking theme, hosted by Lindsay of Peace, Love, and French Fries, was Baking with Yeast! And since I have baked with yeast before, it was a challenge to try something new. And these pretzel buns were definitely new! Check Lindsay's blog at the end of the month for the What's Baking round-up to see all the fantastic yeast-baked goods!

Oh, and make these pretzel hot dog buns a part of your summer grilling. Seriously.

Pretzel Hot Dog Buns
As seen on Our Share of the Harvest, via The Sandwich King

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 small cloves garlic, grated
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• Pretzel salt or coarse ground sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 1/2 cup water, sugar and honey to 105 to 110 degrees F. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast blooms.
2. In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place onto the other prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low. Line 2 more baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
8. In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.
9. Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.
10. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.

Taco Tuesday: Caribbean Jerk Chicken Tacos

Yesterday was a much-needed day for me. After two very crazy, busy weeks I took a day off of work. To clean. Yes, I took a day off of work to clean my apartment and actually cook! This past weekend was so busy that I was really only home to sleep. I didn't cook a single thing, which is very unlike me. Well, I did make some cupcakes for a cancer fundraiser, and pasta salad for a barbecue...but nothing new to blog about. Anywho...the point is that my life has been crazy and I took a day to catch up. I feel much better now, and I got a few things cooked/baked to share with you, too!

And now, I bring to you an amazing taco recipe that totally blew my mind when I made it. The flavors are amazing, and the mango salsa tops it off perfectly! I have used black beans quite a bit in the last couple of weeks and I really enjoy them, so I thought they were a great part of this taco. Of course I love chicken, and with jerk seasoning I was able to get that bite that I never get tired of. All-in-all, this was one of my favorite tacos to-date, and I think you should put it on your menu right away!

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Tacos

As seen on Cassie Craves, via Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• Juice of 2 limes, separated
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can black beans, slightly drained
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 mangoes, peeled and diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
• Flour tortillas
• Sour cream

Preparation 

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Add chicken and all seasonings, above red wine vinegar. Stir to combine.
2. Add in juice of 1 lime, red wine vinegar and 1 to 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine and cook until chicken is heated through. Add more olive oil if chicken needs more moisture.
3. In a medium sized pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Pour in black beans and add in garlic powder and additional olive oil.
4. Stir to combine and allow to cook down until most of the liquid is dissolved. Mash with the back of a spoon. Keep on low heat until ready to use. Right before you use it add a squeeze of lime and stir to combine.
5. In a medium bowl, combine mango, jalapeno, cilantro, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To assemble, warm tortillas, spread a thin layer of the black bean mash in the center of the tortilla. Top with chicken, then sour cream, then mango salsa and enjoy!!

 

 

Sammich Saturday: Buffalo Chicken Wrap

The weeks keep passing by, faster than I think they will. And at the end of each weekend, I tell myself that the next weekend I am going to do nothing. I never thought I'd be saying that, since a few months ago I did nothing but sit at home, watching tv and cooking. My social life has picked up quite a bit these last couple of weeks, and I find myself missing that quiet time. However, I can't complain about the time with my friends or the fun I've been having! And, I do still have enough time at home on the weekends to make some amazing sammiches.

I keep thinking that I will run out of buffalo chicken recipes, but my list of things to make, doesn't seem to be getting any shorter. Good thing I love it! My friend Sarah got to make these wraps before I did, and her review of them was just as I suspected...fabulous! I waited for weeks to get to the day on my menu where I would finally get to taste for myself. And then, that Saturday came, and ohmygoodness it was better than I even imagined. All the goodness of buffalo chicken mixed with crispy bacon, eggs, and fresh veggies. Oh, and did I mention all that deliciousness is wrapped up in a cheddar jalapeno tortilla???

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Source: Bev Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs butter, melted
• dash cayenne pepper
• dash freshly ground pepper
• dash coarse salt
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, divided 
• 1 pound chicken breast
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
• 2 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 large jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Preparation 

1. Combine the butter, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and 1/4 cup of the hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate for one hour (longer if you like.)
2. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Add the chicken and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through. remove and cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
3. Warm tortillas and layer with chicken in the center, followed by bacon, eggs, lettuce, cheddar, the dressing and buffalo. With your fingers, mix up the filling so the dressing evenly coats all of the ingredients. Roll the burrito and enjoy!

Recipe Swap: Chicken Croquettes

Oh, Friday, we meet again! And this Friday brings another Recipe Swap reveal!! The theme this time was Celebrity Chef Recipes, and what cook doesn't like at least one celebrity chef?? I received this Chef Larry recipe from Mary Ellen, and it was amazing! I had never heard of Chef Larry, but thanks to Mary Ellen I was able to make an amazing dish, with a wonderful gravy. I forget how much I like gravy sometimes...yum yum! Mary Ellen has a ton of great recipes on her site, so head over and check it out!

Chicken Croquettes with Gravy

Source: Mary Ellen’s Cooking Creations, a Chef Larry recipe

Croquette Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley leaves
• Salt
• 1/4 lb butter (1 stick)
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 lbs chicken meat, cooked and ground in a food processor
• Canola oil

Breading Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cup milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 cup all purpose flour or cracker meal (I used flour)
• 3 cup bread crumbs

Chicken Gravy Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch white pepper and salt

Preparation

1. Making the croquettes: In a heavy pot, heat the milk and stock on the stove and add the white pepper, parsley, and salt. In a separate pot, melt the butter and add the celery. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk/stock mixture and stir until thickened and smooth. Fold in the chicken and allow to cool.
2. Breading the croquettes: Shape 3 oz portions of the croquette batter into small balls and place on a tray lined with wax paper. Set out three bowls/breading dishes. In the first, make an egg wash with the egg, milk, and salt. The second bowl is flour, the third is breadcrumbs. Dip the croquettes into the egg wash, then flour, then egg wash again, then breadcrumbs.
3. Cooking the croquettes: Fry the croquettes in about 1 inch of oil, heated to 350 degrees until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Drain well and blot on paper towels.
4. Cooking the gravy: Melt the butter in a 1 or 2 qt saucepan. Stir in the flour. Pour in the stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the parsley, white pepper, and salt to taste.
5. Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.

Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken

Hello Wednesday, so glad to see you! This week has been a long one already, but I'm happy to report that sweet little Bubba is doing fabulous. It took almost a full day for the anesthesia to fully wear off, but he's back to his playful self and I couldn't be happier. He's even taking his meds and eyedrops like a champ! He also thought he would tempt fate and try to eat mama's mint M&M's before I got home from work yesterday...he's lucky that I love him. And that he didn't seem to like them.

This dish, on the other hand, wouldn't have stood a chance if he could have gotten his chompers into it. And believe me, he tries to use those sweet little eyes and constant stare to coax bites out of me. I rarely cave. And this one was of those meals I wasn't willing to share. I knew as soon as I saw it on Pinterest that it was a dish for me. I love spices, probably a little too much, and I love honey - especially with chicken! This recipe was my first introduction to the Nutmeg Nanny blog, and I'm so glad I did! What a wonderful addition to my recipe arsenal, and my mouth! I had to force myself to save the leftovers for lunch the next day and it was just a delicous reheated. For a great sweet 'n' spicy dish, give this one a try!

Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken

Source: Nutmeg Nanny

Ingredients

• 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs 
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. (If you don't have a broiler, preheat oven to 400 degrees.)
2. In a small bowl, mix spices together and set aside. In another bowl, mix honey and cider vinegar and set aside.
3. Spread the chicken thighs so they lay flat. Cover both sides in seasoning and lay flat on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side and flip.  Cook for a 5-7 minutes on other side.  Flip again and then baste the chicken in honey mixture, making sure to coat very well. Place back under broiler for a few minutes until the honey starts to thicken up and glaze (15 minutes if cooking in oven).
5. Allow chicken to cool a few minutes before serving, and enjoy!!

Taco Tuesday: Shanghai Pork & Cabbage Tacos

 
Yesterday was a bit of a rough day for me. I took the Bubba boy to the vet to have surgery. Minor surgery to remove a mass from his mouth and his eyelid, but surgery that involves anesthesia and a 13-year-old dog is scary. He is the light of my life and if anything were to happen to him...well, it wouldn't be good. Fortunately the surgery went well, and Bubba woke up...angrily according to the vet, but I have a hard time envisioning my mild-tempered boy to be angry. He doesn't bark or growl - ever - for crying out loud. It took quite some time for the anesthesia to fully wear off, and it was a sad/cute thing to see. But, as the hours passed, he slowly began to get back to normal. I sure love that little guy :)

And, he sure likes to linger in the kitchen while Mama cooks. The smell of these tacos must have been irresistable, because even when I shooed him out, he'd lie right outside the kitchen and stare....just waiting for me to drop something and call him to come clean it up for me. Yes, I do that. And he loves it. I first saw this recipe on Jessica's blog, and immediately thought that I would make it into a taco! Mmm mmm good. I was so happy with how it turned out, and that it translated well into a taco. It's definitely a different twist, and the flavors were amazing. Whether in a taco or as a plated dish, you should try this...stat!

Oh, and hug your pets a little extra tonight, and appreciate the joy and love that they bring to your life. :)

Shanghai Pork & Cabbage Tacos
Adapted from: Sunny Side Up In San Diego

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• dash salt
• 2-3 cups shredded cabbage (I used angel hair coleslaw mix)
• 2 cups cooked white rice 
• Red Chile Sauce for serving
• Flour Tortillas

Preparation 

1. In a small bowl whisk together the corn starch, rice vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, pepper and sugar. Remove the pork from the freezer and cut into 1/4" slices. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut into 1/4 inch strips. Place the strips of pork in the sauce and stir to evenly coat.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until the oil just starts to smoke. Use tongs to carefully add the pork strips to the hot oil. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the pork is no longer pink and the edges just start to turn golden brown, stirring the pork to evenly cook .
3. Add the cabbage and cook just until the cabbage is tender, but not completely wilted, about 30 more seconds. 
4. Warm tortillas, layer with rice and pork mixture, then drizzle with chile sauce and serve warm.

Berry & Kiwi Salad with Sweet Balsamic Dressing

Happy Monday mornig! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and that your week has started off well. My weekend flew by and it really didn't feel like I had one at all, but I woke up this morning ready to face the week with drive and determination. I recently decided that I needed to incorporate more salads into my diet, and this berry-centric salad was a slam-dunk for me. Not only do I love fruit, and fruit in salads, but the dressing was out of this world amazing! I enjoyed every single bite, and was grateful that I only made one serving, or I would have eaten it all and defeated the purpose of eating a  healthy salad! This is a wonderfully refreshing salad for the warm days of Spring and Summer, and you don't want to miss the opportunity to try it.

Berry & Kiwi Salad with Sweet Balsamic Dressing

Adapted from: Pampered Chef - Spin on Salads

Ingredients

• 2 cups Spring salad mix
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup blackberries
• 2 kiwi, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preparation

1. Prepare dressing  by whisking together the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until mixture is reduced by half.
2. Slowly whisk in cream. Cook without  stirring for 2 minutes. Removed from the heat and cool. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Assemble the salad by place spring mix in bowls, topped with strawberries, blackberries, and kiwi. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Sammich Saturday: Rice & Bean Sliders with Sriracha Mayo

What's that you say? Another post today? Yep, that's right...it's a double post day!! Not only was today reveal day for Daring Cooks, but it's also Sammich Saturday! And today, as I sit at the office, I am so excited to share today's recipe! I had originally planned to make these sliders, but after making the Spicy Bean and Rice Tacos last week, I thought I'd try my hand at making my own sliders using the leftovers.

I'll have to admit, I was probably a little more excited about these little bites than I should have been, but it turned out to be for good reason!! The rice and bean patties crisped up nicely, and the Sriracha mayo....well, do I really need to tell you for the gazillionth time how much I love Sriracha??? This little sammich knocked it right out of the park for me...I wasn't particularly hungry that day, but I ate two sliders anyway. I couldn't help myself.

You should try them. Soon. Like, today maybe. Trust me!

Rice and Bean Sliders

Inspired by Spicy Bean & Rice Tacos

Ingredients

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked rice
• Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup miracle whip or mayo
• 2-3 Tbsp Sriracha
• Slider buns

Preparation

1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, salt and cayenne and stir, cooking just until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
2. Add the beans and the water or broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and mash the mixture slightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the rice.
3. Start mixing in Panko crumbs until mixture holds together well (1/2 cup - 1 cup.)
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, form mixture into slider size patties and cook each side until crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix mayo and Sriracha (a little at a time until you reach your desired heat level) in a separate bowl and toast buns if you prefer.
6. Place a pattie on the bottom slider bun, slather the top bun with Sriracha mayo, put it together and enjoy your delicious sammich!!

Daring Cooks: Maple-Balsamic Steak with Goat Cheese-Cauliflower Mash

I told myself that I was going to go to bed early last night, to make up for the previous two nights that I didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning. Sadly, I did not get to bed as early as I would have liked (say, 10 o'clock...) but I came close. And then, the alarm went off and I remembered that I had to be at work to let the carpet cleaners in. Bummer. But that gave me an early start to my weekend, and a few hours to get organized for the tasks of the day, with no DVR to distract me. And what better way to start of this day than to share with you this month's Daring Cooks challenge!!

Our April 2012 Daring Cooks hosts were David & Karen from Twenty-Fingered Cooking. They presented us with a very daring and unique challenge of forming our own recipes by using a set list of ingredients! There were three lists, and we were to choose at least one ingredient from each list in order to create our own, original recipe. The idea behind this challenge was that we learn how to combine flavors with ingredients that may not look particularly complimentary by themselves. To give you an idea of what we were working with...here are the lists:

List 1: Parsnips, Eggplant, Cauliflower

List 2: Balsamic Vinegar, Goat Cheese, Chipotle peppers

List 3: Maple Syrup, Instant Coffee, Bananas

Upon first glance, I was a little intimidated and unsure of what I would make but it didn't take long for me to zero in on the balsamic and vinegar, goat cheese and cauliflower. And thus, a meal was born! I've seen mashed cauliflower around the blogosphere and always wondered how it matched up against mashed potatoes, so I figured now was as good of a time as any to give it a try! And Maple Syrup and Balsamic Vinegar as a marinade/sauce was a no-brainer for me!!

I will admit I was nervous about the cauliflower mash, but I was pleasantly surprised and so glad I took the risk to try it. Thanks to David and Karen for a great challenge!!

Maple-Balsamic Steak with Goat Cheese-Cauliflower Mash

A Sweet Beginnings' Original

For the steak:

• 2 sirloin steaks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp orange juice

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and orange juice.
2. Place steaks in a plastic storage bag and pour all but 1/2 cup of marinade mixture in the bag to coat steaks. Set the remaining mixture aside for later use.
3. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Remove steaks from marinade and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, until desired doneness is reached.
5. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/2 cup of marinade into a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and is reduced by half.
6. Serve steak over cauliflower mash with sauce drizzled over the top.

For the Goat Cheese-Cauliflower Mash:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp low-fat greek yogurt
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Cut cauliflower into bite-size pieces, place in a steamer and cook 10-12 minutes, until tender.
2. Remove from steamer into a bowl and mash with a potato masher.
3. Add goat cheese and yogurt and mix thoroughly, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Sirloin Steaks with Ancho Chile Sauce

I am always thankful when it's Friday, but the last couple have days so have been so full and eventful, that I am especially glad for this Friday and going home from work to do absolutely nothing! Who would have thought I'd ever say that? Not me, that's for sure! Anywho...I've been trying to make more use of the many cookbooks I own lately, and decided that I would make it a priority to have one recipe each week come out of a cookbook. This was the first (no-salad) recipe to make the "official" rotation, and ohmygoodness was it delicious!! As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't cook steak at home very often, but I was so excited for this recipe. It does involve peppers and spice, ya know? Add that to just about anything and I am there!

It's a great meal to kick-off the weekend, and is nice enough that I would have friends over and serve it for a dinner party. I loved the mix of flavors and the smoky heat of the sauce. It wasn't hot by any means, just had a little, teensie hint of heat that made my tastebuds sing!

Sirloin Steak with Ancho Chile Sauce

Source: Pampered Chef - Make it Fresh, Make it Healthy

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 3 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 4 top sirloin steaks

Preparation

For the sauce:

1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft.
2. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine peppers, reserved cooking liquid, honey, vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for cooking the steaks, and set the remaining sauce aside for serving.

For the steaks:

1. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Brush the tops of each steak with half of the reserved sauce.
2. Cover the bottom of the skillet with canola oil, and cook steaks sauce side down for 3 minutes. Brush the top of the steaks with the remaining reserved sauce, flip over, and cook 3 more minutes (or to your desired doneness.)
3. Plate the steaks and drizzle sauce over the top and serve!

Jalapeno Margaritas

I don't go out very much, to bars and such, but last night was a doozie for me. I went to dinner with a girlfriend, then we decided to go out country dancing and I didn't get home until 3 a.m. THREE IN THE MORNING. On a weeknight. I must have lost my marbles, because my body can not do 3 a.m. anymore. Waking up three, ok four, hours later to get ready for work was not something I looked forward to as I layed my head down, but it worked out ok. I'm a little tired today, but nothing like I was dreading. And tonight I have three functions to go to. Sigh. When did I go and get myself a social life? Ha! Given last night's adventure, I thought a margarita would be an appropriate post for today. What do you think?

A couple of weeks ago, JF and Monkey came to visit me for the weekend. We went out for Sushi, chatted and caught up, and then headed home to make these delicious margaritas. JF and I are both fans of jalapenos in general, so putting them in a margarita sounded like a perfect idea!! It was a fun drink and a great way to finish off a night of catching up with a great friend. I will definitely try them again sometime, and make a few tweaks to ramp up the spice ;) And, it doesn't get much easier than this!

Jalapeno Margaritas

Source: spabettie

For two:
4-6 ounces tequila
juice of 2 oranges (you can use 2 cups of bottled juice, if you prefer)
juice of 1 lime (can sub 1/4 cup lime juice, but the real thing is better!)
juice of 1 jalapeno (I used 2 Tbsp of juice from a jar of sliced jalapenos)
1-2 tablespoons agave, to taste
1/4 cup club soda
1 jalapeno, sliced
ice cubes

Combine juices with agave, club soda and tequila, pour over ice and garnish with sliced jalapenos.

Maple-Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

I have had these poor pork chops on my menu for about 4 weeks in a row, and for one reason or another they kept getting pushed to the next week. This week, however, I was determined to make these babies come hell or high water. And now, I must tell you all...it was worth the wait, but I'm so mad I didn't make them sooner!! Of course Jessica has never steered me wrong before, so I didn't have any doubts, but still...until taking that first bite, I just didn't know how good it would be. So, of course I had to share it with you right away!

I'm not a bourbon drinker, but I have cooked with it a few times recently, and the results have been great every time. And mixed with the maple syrup...mmm mmm mmm! You need these pork chops in your life. And hey, if you aren't a pork fan...this glaze would be fantastic on chicken or salmon too!! Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Maple-Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

Source: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked papika
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup bourbon
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, combine bourbon, sugar, maple syrup, garlic, Worcestershire, vinegar and mustard. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to thicken.
3. Season chops on both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the  bottom with canola oil and allow to get pretty hot (4-5 minutes), then add pork chops. Sear on one side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden Flip and cook the other side for an additoinal 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat, add chicken stock to skillet, then place in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and spoon glaze over the top of the chops. Serve and enjoy!! 

Taco Tuesday: Spicy Bean & Rice Tacos

I have been eying these tacos (burritos, originally) on Krissy's blog for quite some time, anxiously awaiting their turn on the Taco Tuesday menu plan. And finally the time has arrived! There wasn't anything about this concoction that didn't sound amazing to me. I mean, beans, rice, tortilla, and delicious toppings...with a chipotle kick??? Yes, please! I was so pleased with these tacos, and while I knew I couldn't eat the entire batch of filling, I did come up with another recipe to use the remaining portion - look for that in a few days! I can't thank Krissy enough for sharing this recipe on her blog, as well as countless others!

Spicy Bean & Rice Tacos
Slightly Adapted from: Dainty Chef

Ingredients

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 6 flour tortillas, warmed
• Shredded cheese 
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Hot sauce (I used Louisiana Hot Sauce)
• Low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt

Preparation

1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, salt and cayenne and stir, cooking just until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
2. Add the beans and the water or broth to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and mash the mixture slightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the rice.
3. Spoon about 1/4 of a cup of the bean mixture into each tortilla. Top each taco with cheese, tomato, lettuce, hot sauce, and sour cream, and enjoy!!

Here's to 1 YEAR!!! Secret Recipe Club: Sriracha Turkey Meatballs

Today is a very special day for me, as today marks 1 year since Sweet Beginnings' very first blog post! I can't thank you all enough for reading and supporting me along this amazing journey. I look back at how I began, how far I've come, and how far I still have to go, but I am so happy to have made it through the first year. It's been an amazing journey thus far and I look forward to many more years of sharing with you all.

Today is also reveal day for The Secret Recipe Club, and I received Katherine Martinelli's blog, and what a treat! Katherine is a native New Yorker who currently lives in Israel, who writes about food and travel, and takes amazing photographs. You should definitely check out her blog for some amazing recipes.

I went searching through her recipes (and boy do I love the way her recipe index is set up!) and as soon as I saw these Sriracha Turkey Meatballs, I knew I had found the dish for me! I can't think of a better way to celebrate my 1 year blogiversary than with Sriracha! I've expressed to you many times how much I love spicy foods, and I've had the chance to experiment with Sriracha a few times now, beginning with the Sriracha Burger some time back. I can't say enough how amazing these meatballs were! A smidge of Asian flavor, and a kick of heat in every bite. I served them over rice, but they would make a great appetizer served with toothpicks, as well. I will absolutely be making these again!

Sriracha Turkey Meatballs

Source: Katherine Martinelli

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/8 cup hot water
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil or cooking spray.
2. Combine breadcrumbs and hot water in a medium bowl and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add ground turkey, scallions, cilantro, fish sauce, Sriracha, sugar, and sesame oil and thoroughly combine.
4. Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, form into 18 to 20 meatballs and put on baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 minutes and turn the meatballs. Bake for another 10, or until cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
   

Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Happy Easter friends!! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and having a great Easter meal (if you celebrate) with loved ones. Yesterday proved to be a wonderful day at the lake with friends. Bubba swam, and ran around until he was almost too tired to walk back to the truck. And I came away with some very silly looking sunburn lines. Maybe next time I won't forget to put sunscreen all the way down my legs and onto my feet. And on the back of my neck and shoulders. I look pretty silly, to be quite honest, but I had a great time and my face didn't get burned - and that is the most important thing!

While I do not generally do anything to celebrate Easter, I do think that this Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin would make a wonderful Easter dish to share with family. I attempted to make this dish once before, but in the process of cutting the recipe in half, I got to the end and forgot to cut the cream in half...so I ruined the sauce. Sarah had told me how fantastic the dish was so I knew I had to make it again the right way. And I'm so glad that I didn't wait too long before I did, because she was right. The sauce is so amazing - and you know I love a good sauce! The leftovers were very welcome, and I wished I had even more sauce. I can never seem to get enough sauce. Give this a try...soon!!

Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Source: A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin
• Juice of 4 large oranges
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp honey
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt
• 1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

Preparation

1. Cut the tenderloin into 3 equal portions and place them in a plastic food storage bag. In a medium bowl, mix together the orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour the marinage mixture over the tenderloin,  cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible.
2. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Remove the pork from the fridge and pour the marinade into a small saucepan.
3. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy bottomed, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork pieces into the skillet and sear on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Put the skillet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until cooked through but not dried out (the meat should be pale pink in the center; if using a meat thermometer, the recommended safe internal temperature is 160°F), flipping the meat a couple of times during the roasting.
4. While the meat is roasting, put the saucepan with the remaining marinade over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Keep boiling, uncovered, stirring regularly, until the marinade has reduced. Add in the cream, salt, and parsley. Stir, and keep warm over low heat.
5. When the meat is ready, remove the skillet from the oven, and transfer the meat to a cutting board. If there are any juices in the skillet add them to the sauce and bring back to a boil. Cut the meat pieces into thick slices and serve with the sauce.

Sammich Saturday: BBQ Cheddar Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Wrap

Hallelujah, it's Saturday!! By 10am this morning, I will be sitting by the lake with friends, soaking up some sun, and chowing down some drunken gummies. Ok, maybe not right at 10am for the gummies, but shortly after, I'm sure ;) I am so thankful for the warmer weather because it makes me be much more inclined to get out of the apartment to do things! When it's cold, I'm content to stay in doors all.the.time. and it's about time for me to get my white legs in the sun. My Dad says I'm not white, I'm transparent...if that tells you anything. Ha ha.

Since I started Sammich Saturdays, I have found so many delicious sandwich and wrap recipes to try, I don't know how I'll ever make them all. This one comes from Cassie, and as always I'm loving the results! And, what could be more perfect for a picnic, day at the park, day at the lake, etc. than a good chicken wrap?? One wrap was definitely plenty to fill my tummy, and fortunately I only made enough for one wrap...because I wanted to keep eating. And eating. And eating. I'm trying to lose weight people! Maybe I need to close my eyes for a solid month and not eat anything but salad, not look at any of my favorite blogs, and not have anything fun to blog about. Dammit. I can't do any of that, so instead I have to offset my love for food with time at the gym. Any idea where I can round up some motivation to go with my next meal? I'll keep looking, you let me know if you find it before I do. Thanks.

So, if you have any fun outings planned or just want a tasty wrap for lunch one day, this is definitely the wrap to try! I know the name is long, but all the flavors combined make one helluva great wrap!

BBQ Cheddar Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Wrap

Source: Cassie Craves

Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
• 4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup ranch dressing
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/3 cup mayo or miracle whip
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Wrap-size tortillas (I used jalapeno-cheddar flavor)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the tortillas.
2. Spoon 1/2 - 3/4 cup (more if you prefer) of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, and fold 2 sides in, then the other 2 sides, to form the wrap. Cut in half and devour!

Recipe Swap: Mini Fruit Tarts

Hallelujah, it's Friday!! And, I'm going to guess that many of you have plans for Easter, and may still be struggling with what dessert you can take to the family get-together. Well, look no farther! The theme for this round of the Recipe Swap, hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking, was Fruit. It could be an recipe featuring, including, or being marinated in fruit, and I received this delicous treat from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks. At first (before actually reading the recipe) I was a little bit nervous, because I thought I was going to have to make the little phyllo cups myself - which I've never done. However, it turned out that this was the perfect quick recipe, and my co-workers (as usual) were more than happy to reap the benefits ;)

I posted a picture of them on facebook and my cousin commented and asked if I was coming home for Christmas and said I should make these and bring them. Guys at work that rarely eat the treats I bring in (what is wrong with these men that don't really like sweets?!?!?), at these, several of these, and came to my desk to tell me how good they were. That speaks volumes of these little treats. And, the are something that you can throw together Easter morning and they are ready in plenty of time for Easter lunch or dinner. Or any occasion. Or no occasion at all!

Mini Fruit Tarts

Source: Hezzi D's Books and Cooks

Ingredients

• 2 packs mini phyllo dough shells
• 1 1/4 cups milk 
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• Strawberries, blueberries, kiwi

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar over medium-high speed.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Sift in the flour and cornstarch and mix until smooth.  Set aside.
2. Slice the vanilla bean down the length and drop into a small saucepan along with the milk.   Bring just to a boil over medium high heat,  then remove from heat.  Slowly pour the egg mixture into the milk whisking constantly.
3. Remove the vanilla bean and discard.  Put the mixture back onto the heat and whisk constantly until it boils.  Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the surface.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. When ready to assemble pour 1-2 tablespoon of the pastry cream into each mini phyllo dough shell.  Top with assorted fruits.  Serve within 12 hours.

White Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

I am a perpetual teenage girl, stuck on my many teeny-bopper shows, and as I sit here tonight watching the very last episode of One Tree Hill I can't help but reflect on the last 9 years. Very few shows are on the air for that long, and aside from the original 90210 which I checked out on in the last few years because there wasn't dvr and I had to work, there aren't many shows that are on for more than a couple of years that I have seen from episode 1 all the way to the end.

I've grown quite attached to the characters and the stories, and as childish as it may seem to many, I feel like a part of my life is ending tonight and it's sad to say goodbye. Yes, I know they are just characters, but they feel like people I could know in real life. I'm grateful for an official series finale instead of the crap ending that Brothers and Sisters was given. I'm still bitter about that, if you couldn't tell. So, at almost 32 years old, I show you all the teenager still in me and remind you that there is a child still inside us all...whether it's a tv show, a video game, a movie, or a delicious cupcake that reminds us of being a child in our grandma's kitchen. Don't take life so seriously that you can't still have those moments of innocence and fun.

I am privileged to be able to watch my Godson grow up and I cherish every day that he is little because I know he will grow up way too fast.  These adorable little cupcakes that I made for his party allowed me to make something fun, cute, and most importantly - delicious! The chocolate cake and cupcakes were a hit, but I heard the most compliments about the white cupcakes. Being a chocoholic, you can see how this would surprise me, but I'm glad that the white cupcakes were such a hit!

White Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
 Source: Beantown Baker, Originally from The Way The Cookie Crumbles

White Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
• 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), room temperature
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp table salt
• 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Preparation

1. Set oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup measuring cup, and mix with fork until blended.
3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer on low speed. Add butter and continue mixing on low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
4. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed for 1½ minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and mix an additional 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and then mix 20 seconds more.
5. Divide batter evenly into prepared cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15-17 minutes (8-11 for miniature).
6. Cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 20 Tbsp (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups Confectioners’ sugar 
• 1/8 Tbsp table salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp heavy cream

Preparation 

1. In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
2. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds.
3. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.