Fall Is So Nice For Apples and Spice!

Spiced Apple Walnut Muffins w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

I love the flavors of fall with pumpkin, apples, and lots of spices that warm you up.  I had lots of apples left from picking and I came across this recipe.  It's pretty simple and really lets the apples be the star.  I thought it tasted like apple crisp in a cupcake.  The recipe calls it a cake but it can easily be turned into cupcakes.  Also, I omitted nuts in half of them and they turned out just as good.  As a general tip, only use real maple syrup in baking, not the fake stuff.  The only problem with these cupcakes is that if you make them, they'll fly right off the counter.

Spiced Apple Cupcake Recipe

 

Pasta w/ Melt in Your Mouth Meatballs

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

I love pairing the simple flavors of tomato, fresh basil, and mozzarella together.  This pasta dish has all three plus meatballs!  The meatballs are so moist and savory especially since they're made with ground chicken.  The mini mozzarella balls may be hard to find but Wegmans usually has them in their Mediterranean bar to buy in bulk.  I really wouldn't substitute another type of pasta because the orecchiette is so unique and starchy that it adds a nice texture to the dish.  The dish came out so good, that I asked my husband if I even looked the slightest bit Italian (I'm pretty sure that with my cooking style, I should not have been born a boiled meat and potatoes Irish girl).

Orecchiette Recipe

Comfort Food with a Twist

Crunchy Parmesan  Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders have to be my favorite comfort food.  I've been looking for different recipes to kick them up a notch.  These parmesan tenders did just that.  The balsamic dipping sauce really added to the tenders.  They make a great midnight snack too!

Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe

Mexican Dished up for an Army

Baked Pork Chimichangas

Great authentic Mexican dish.  Make sure that you have plenty of time on your hands since these are a little labor intensive.  Also, this recipe makes a ton of chimichangas so either have some family over for a big Sunday dinner or freeze them for later.  I would add a little extra sauce and cheese inside the chimichanga, before baking, to keep them moist.

Pork Chimichanga Recipe

Odd Combo but a Waffle of Insane Greatness!

Buttermilk Waffles Stuffed w/ Spinach and Mozzarella, topped w/ Smoked Turkey

We got the idea from our favorite waffle restaurant Funk N Waffles on SU hill. I decided that there's no reason that I can't make all different kinds of waffles at home cheaper, and as always, better.  This combination and the picture may turn you off, but so do vegetables and we keep shoving them down our kids throats.  I made the buttermilk waffle recipe that I have link below.  I mixed about a cup of freshly steamed chopped baby spinach and a large handful of shredded mozzarella directly into the batter.  After cooking the waffles I topped them with a thick-cut piece of smoked turkey breast, a dollop of sour cream, and drizzled them with real maple syrup (Mrs. Butterworth has no business being in my kitchen).  Don't be scurred, give them a try.  Or you could always stop over to the Murphy's kitchen for waffle Sundays.

Buttermilk Waffle Recipe

Triple Pea Pasta

Wagon Wheel Pasta w/ Pancetta and Peas

Quick, easy and healthy.  A colorful pasta dish with great flavor.  Make sure to reserve your pasta water when draining it, I always forget.  The pasta water adds a little starch, salt, and lubrication to the pasta.  If you don't have pancetta you could always substitute some lean center-cut bacon.  The wagon wheel pasta is fun, especially if you have kids or a husband, but any kind of pasta would work.

Pasta Recipe

Saucy Not Fishy

Broiled Tilapia w/ Mustard Chive Sauce

Tilapia is an extremely mild white fish that will take on any flavor you give it.  With that said, it needs flavor!! The mustard chive sauce adds great flavor.  Make sure to serve the fish hot since the cold sauce cools it off a bit. Broiling fish is a nice low-fat alternative.  If you're not scared of a little butter and breading adding to your waistline, it might be a nice addition before broiling the fish as well as squeezing some lemon over the fish.

Tilapia Recipe

Smells like Salmon Keep on Jammin....

Salmon Cakes w/ Lemon Caper Yogurt Sauce

The same consistency as a crab cake but with salmon.  Make sure that when you buy the canned salmon it's boneless and skinless (nobody likes a crunchy patty).  The fresh lemon juice is an absolute must.  Just a tip, when juicing lemons squeeze with the cut side up and use your other hand like a strainer to keep seeds from falling into your food.  The creamy yogurt sauce adds a nice balance to this dish.

Salmon Cake Recipe 

Buttercream Roses Galore!!

Pumpkin Cake with a Cream Cheese Filling and Buttercream Frosting

This is my final cake in my four part series.  I was the last person left at the class because I'm way too much of a perfectionist.  It has a basket weave exterior and handmade buttercream roses.  The pumpkin cake was absolutely moist and delicious.  The cream cheese filling added a nice touch!

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Cream Cheese Filling

A Little Piece of Heaven on a Stick

Cake Pops

I think that these are the cutest little favors or just a fun treat! They can be a little tricky at first, but once you get the process down, it's a piece of cake!  You can also make them any color, design, or flavor that you like.  Here's what you need:

1 box cake baked according to directions
Several scoops of creamy frosting
2 lb chocolate dipping wafers (all one color or multiple colors)
Loll-i-pop sticks (about 30)
Styrofoam block

Directions:
Once cooled, crumble cake in a large bowl with your hands.  Add several scoops of frosting and combine until no longer crumbly and you are able to roll balls.  Roll into 1 in balls.  Melt a small amount of chocolate.  Dip sticks into chocolate then poke into balls (not as dirty as it sounds).  Place in freezer for at least 15 min.  Melt a deep container full of chocolate (such as a tall drinking glass).  Dip pops in to cover.  Stick pops into styrofoam block then back in freezer until chocolate hardens.  You can melt more chocolate to create designs on the outside, if desired.

Healthy and Easy... Who would of thought that possible?

Baked Stuffed Zucchini Logs

I made this recipe up when my husband brought home more zucchini than I knew what to do with from a co-worker's garden.  I'm sure that there are many versions of these out there but here's my spin on them.  Find the largest zucchinis that you can, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  For the filling, saute a small chopped onion, chopped green pepper, chopped mushrooms and a few garlic cloves in olive oil.  Add several turkey sausage links (casings removed) of your desired heat, I prefer a little kick, and cook until no longer pink.  Add half a jar of tomato sauce.  Then spoon mixture into the zucchini halves.  Place in a sprayed pan.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with your favorite cheese (mine would have to be smoked provolone for a unique taste).  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.

Cupcake Crisis!

Chocolate Hoho and Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

 I baked cupcakes for a one-year old's princess birthday party.  The most disasters I've ever had in the kitchen happened in the trial runs of these cupcakes.  I threw out many batches of frosting and ended up completely covered in powdered sugar.  As a suggestion, don't try to bag cupcakes.  Try using cupcake boxes that you can order online or decorative paper cups.  The hard part was getting the consistency of the frosting stiff enough to not smear all over the bags.  I fought the frosting and won!  If you're looking to make vanilla bean cupcakes, be aware that a bottle with two skinny vanilla beans in it is $10, a little crazy.  The taste that the real bean offers is so superior to that of an extract.  Also, if you want to make your frosting set up nice and stiff, extra powdered sugar added a little at a time works well.  The chocolate cupcake below is a rich devil's food with a white hostess cupcake-like cream filling and vanilla buttercream.  The other is a vanilla bean cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting.  Both are topped with edible fairy-dust (glitter).  I'm not putting a recipe online for these in hopes that I can sell more.  My cupcakes are all home-made with various fillings and frostings and range from $1.25-$3.00 each.  Place an order today with Lil' Murph's Kitchen :-)

THE BEST Chicken Marsala and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Stuffed Chicken Marsala & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I got my inspiration from Olive Garden and figured I could make it cheaper and better.  Chicken marsala is a great Italian dish on it's own but stuffing it with several kinds of cheese really kicks it up a few notches.  It's great for impressing your guests or a special occasion, probably not a weeknight dinner.  As for the mashed potatoes, I have garlic mashed at different places so I decided to come up with my own recipe.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
Peel, cube, and boil 5 large baking potatoes until tender (about 15 min).  Mash them while they are still hot.  Microwave 1/2 cup of milk and 3 tbsp. butter.  Add butter/milk to potatoes along with 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. sour cream, and a few good shakes of seasoned salt.  Beat with mixer until creamy.

  Stuffed Chicken Marsala Recipe

SU Themed Birthday Cake....A little girly but oh so delicious!

Lemon Cake w/ Raspberry Filling and Buttercream Frosting

This cake started as an absolute disaster, but turned out to be a masterpiece.  This was my second cake class in a 4 part series.  It had been a long day, I was exhausted, and some how the oven got turned off in the middle of baking my cakes.  After grating all the lemon zest and making the cake from scratch, I was not about to start over.  The cakes sunk in the middle, so they just got a little extra raspberry filling (seedless jam works well) and buttercream frosting.  The technique we used on the top was chantilly lace and this was my first experience with making roses (definitely not the easiest thing in the world).  The cake actually turned out moist, flavorful and not too bad to look at.  Look out Wegman's Bakery, here I come!!

Lemon Cake Recipe This is the recipe I used for the cake, minus the filling and frosting.

Colossal Calzone!

Antipasto Calzone

A family-sized calzone.  The savory flavors of the smoked meats and cheese combinations will make your mouth water.  Buying pre-made dough can save you a lot of time and effort after a long day at work.  If you don't have kalamata olives, just grab a can of sliced black olives out of your pantry reserve.  A good salty salami is a must have!

Calzone Recipe

Chicken Meuniere ie) Melt in your Mouth!

Chicken Meuniere

Shawn made this one so I can't take the credit but it's absolutely, melt-in-your-mouth, good.  Instead of chicken cutlets, sliced chicken breasts work as a fine substitute.  Also, we didn't have kalamata olives (I'm actually just starting to eat olives) so we substituted sliced black olives (always keep a can on hand for a delicious pizza topping or to spice up a recipe).  The topping is what makes this recipe so delicious so I would definitely serve it with a side to soak up all the extra flavor.

Chicken Meuniere Recipe

 

Italian Agrodolce, English Translation: sweet and sour pork

Spiced Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour Glaze

Quick and easy weeknight meal.  I used a pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch thick slices and pounded thin rather than chops.  Also, add crushed red pepper flakes according to your taste.  If you like to "feel the burn" then double it.  Serve over a bed of rice or potatoes to soak up the glaze.

Pork Recipe