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.