Tunisian Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes and Greens

Well, it's been a while since I've posted! Today I present to you: something that isn't a cupcake???? Surprise, Alyssa makes stuff other than cupcakes! Recently I've gone vegetarian, with making a lot of vegan choices. I feel a lot better since I've done it! Not nearly as many headache and stomachaches as i used to have. I also have been more diligent with practicing yoga regularly! You all should go follow my yoga instagram account, yogaphile! Anyways, I made this recipe for my Jiddoo's (grandpa) early birthday. Everybody else was having filet migion so i made this amazing dish! Not only did i absolutely LOVE it, but everyone else started eating it! I was pretty surprised, because my family is full of a bunch of carnivores...but hey! At least they all loved it! Here's the recipe, I hope you all love it too!

A beautiful purple sweet potato. How amazingly vivid!

Tunisian Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes and Greens

1 tbls EVOO

1 sweet onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 purple sweet potatoes, diced

1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp hot smoked paprika

1/2 dried thyme

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 red pepper flakes

salt

1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup water

4 cups swiss chard, chopped

4 cups dinosaur kale, chopped

Heat the oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion until soft and then add in the garlic. Add the sweet potato, coriander, paprika, thyme, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt to taste. Add the tomatoes with juices, the chickpeas and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add in the kale until slighty wilted and serve hot.

ENJOY!

Kit Kat Cupcakes

CUPCAKE FRIDAY IS BACK. Kit Kat Friday this week! I'm so excited to be making my weekly cupcakes again. Summer went great but i love my baking!

Devil's Food Cupcakes

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Caramel Frosting

2 cups butter

3 cups powdered sugar

3/4 caramel sauce

Kit Kats

Cream butter and sugar. Add caramel sauce. Top with Kit Kats.

Blueberry Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream Frosting

Blueberry Cupcakes with Honey Frosting

I got told by my physics class that this was one of my best! How great! This was a bittersweet day because it was my last cupcake friday for choir class. I think that I will be making them for my AP Gov class on next friday for that final.

Blueberry Cupcakes

1 2/3 cups cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

6 ounces blueberries 

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in upper third of oven. Line cups of a standard muffin tin with baking cups. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour. Fold in blueberries.

Divide batter among baking cups. Add topping, pressing to adhere to batter. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 20 to 21 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tin, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Honey Buttercream

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 full-fat sour cream

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in honey for 1 minute and beat in sour cream.

ENJOY!!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Needless to say, these were a favorite. They have no eggs, so no worry of getting sick ! Not like I ever care about that anyways...I was so proud of these babies! They went so quickly! Big shoutout to my ever-supportive choir class.

Ryan, inhaling his cupcake.

Yellow Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a liquid-measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk-vanilla mixture, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (a 2-ounce or 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop is good for this).

Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Cookie Dough Frosting

3 sticks unsalted butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla

Top them with mini chocolate chips and then eat the rest of the bag, without any regrets.

Yellow Cupcakes with Cherry Frosting

This was the last cupcake Friday for the seniors! I hope they all do great in college <3 I love them each dearly!!

Yellow Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a liquid-measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk-vanilla mixture, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (a 2-ounce or 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop is good for this).

Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Cherry Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter

3/4 c. cherry preserves

6 c. powdered sugar

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in sugar, until all is incorporated. Stir in cherry preserves.

ENJOY MY DEARS!

Tilapia Tacos with Guacamole

Today has been SO productive. I woke up with a prom hangover and then biked for ten miles! I got back and then dyed my hair. I went and got all of my Mother's Day gifts and finally came home and made dinner.

So I'm pretty amazing.

This dinner is a family favorite. It is tilapia tacos with homemade guacamole!

There's no beating this amazing comfort food. I seasoned the fish with my Dad's Angel Dust. Unfortunately , that recipe is under lock and key, so for you guys, just use cajun seasoning.

Enjoy!

Tilapia Tacos

2 lbs tilapia

Cajun seasoning

non-stick grill spray

Season the tilapia liberally on both sides. Spray grill grates with non-stick spray and turn the heat to medium-high. Grill the tilapia until firm, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Assemble tacos, using either corn or flour tortillas, whichever you prefer.

Guacamole

2 Hass avocados

1/2 lime, juiced

Salt

Prepared salsa

Cut into avocados to reveal the green flesh. Put the flesh into a mixing bowl and discard the skins. Mash the avocado and add the lime juice. Stir in the salt and salsa and serve.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

THESE CUPCAKES ARE SO PRETTY. Go the extra mile to find freeze-dried strawberries because they have a very strong strawberry flavor! All the people in the pictures are my choir friends! I have nothing more to say; they are just delicious. 

Jenna

Jack, Brian and Ryan

Emma and Ellie

Zoe

Strawberry Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling fruit

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

10 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into small dice, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 1/2 standard 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups so that each is about two-thirds full, about 2 ounces each. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks.

Strawberry Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups freeze dried strawberries

Cream butter and sugar. Add in vanilla. Put strawberries in a blender (I used my magic bullet) until they are a powder. Mix into frosting.

Frost cupcakes!

 

GO FORTH AND CONQUER THE CUPCAKES.

Whole Butterflied Chicken

I was so excited to finally make this chicken again! It is usually a summer dish because i use the grill, but now that it's warming up, I can grill again! I always switch up my seasoning for this chicken. I used a preblended spice blend because I was in a rush to meet with another client about cooking for her! I'm excited to start expanding my business, it's quite exciting! At any rate, the chicken was great and the client was here when I brought it in, so she was impressed!

Butterflied Grilled Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken

Any seasoning you want!

Cut the backbone out of the chicken and crack the breastbone to make it flat. Season liberally. Start grill with one half on high and one half on low. Start the chicken skin side up on the low heat until it is about 15° away from being done. At that point, flip the chicken over, skin side down, on the high heat part of the grill. Wait about one minute then remove and cover with foil for 20 minutes. Carve.

Enjoy!!

Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

I made these cupcakes a while back and I couldn't resist making them again. I've always loved lemon desserts and I usually make them with lemon frosting/icing too. Initially, I made the blackberry frosting for a color contrast, but they tasted so good!! Enjoy my dears!

Lemon Cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

zest and fresh juice of two medium lemons

Preheat the oven to 350.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed in a large bowl until creamed. About 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, stirring by hand after each addition. Batter will be thick. Add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until just combined, do not overmix.

Pour batter evenly into cupcake liners. Bake for about 11 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Blackberry Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 blackberry preserves

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients.

Key Lime Cupcakes

These are for my mom. She LOVES key lime pie, so in addition to my friday cupcakes, these are also for her book club! I sprinkled some graham crackers for the texture and because the pie has a graham cracker crust. Enjoy my loves !

Key Lime Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp key lime juice

1 tbsp key lime zest

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg whites, room temperature

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, key lime zest and 1 tbsp of lime juice; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely.

Use a toothpick or skewer to poke the tops of the cupcakes with holes. Use pastry brush to brush remaining lime juice over the top of the cupcake.

Let cupcakes dry slightly before topping with key lime frosting.

Key Lime Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. key lime juice

1 tbsp key lime zest

1/2 tsp. milk (only if necessary)

Beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla, key lime juice and zest; mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream. Frosts over one dozen.

There will be more coming for Easter!

Thin Mint Cupcakes

You are all very welcome.

I cannot express how BOMB these cupcakes are.

I figured that now was a good time to finally make a cupcake that was Girl Scout cookie. I mean, who doesn't thow away their life savings when those girls come around? Anyways, I am so proud of these cupcakes. They're pretty and yummy, which is the best combination. Since I did not use Thin Mints in the actual batter, I used my handy dandy Magic Bullet to crush up some Thin Mints   to sprinkle on top. Also, since my frosting did not has a green color to start, I used  teensy bit of green food coloring to make it more festive!

Devil's Food Cupcakes

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

STEP 2

Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

STEP 3

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Mint Buttercream

3 sticks unsalted butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 t. mint extract

Green food coloring

Beat butter until light and fluffy.

Mix all other ingredients in, slowly.

Kale and Bacon

Ah yes, kale. The superfood. The vitamin C and K powerhouse. The veggie that i just happen to be mixing with fatty, meaty, BACON.

And you will thank me for this.

Because this tastes like heaven.

Kale and Bacon

Ingredients:

2 bunch of lancinato kale, leaves removed and thinly chopped

6 slices of bacon, cut in 1/4” strips

Kosher salt

Directions:

Fry up all of the bacon and remove from pan. Wilt the kale, and then mix in the crispy banon and salt to taste.

Moroccan Turkey Stew

This recipe appealed me to specifically because i love Moroccan food. The spices are so nice and warm! 

Make sure you dice the apricots really well, and don't omit them! They add a really nice flavor to the stew. Really, you shouldn't omit anything from this stew. If anything, you should just add things. I would love to try sweet potatoes in it next time! If you find any flavor combination for this that you like, comment!

Moroccan Turkey Stew

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt
4 skinless turkey breast (about 4 pounds)
1/2 medium butternut squash, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juices, broken up
1 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup golden raisins
8 medium parsnips, cut into 11/2-inch pieces
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions
Combine all ingredients and cook in a slow cooker on HIGH until turkey is cooked through.

One more recipe for today, hang in there!